Is Nuwave Bravo Air Fryer Toaster Oven A Game Changer? [Review]

I tested the Nuwave Brio air fryer in the past and was very happy with its design and cooking performance.

So, when some of our readers suggested trying the Nuwave Bravo, I got very excited to assess its performance.

The air fryer is known as Nuwave Bravo Air Fryer Toaster Smart Oven in the United States. Nuwave Bravo excels at cooking food evenly due to the dual placements of heating elements—above and below the cooking chamber— and the integrated smart thermometer.

Beyond heating element placement, there are many other features that make this air fryer an attractive and suitable appliance for your kitchen.

Nuwave Bravo Extra Large Air Fryer Toaster Smart Oven [Review]

After testing the Nuwave Bravo for several months, I have compiled my findings, which I have shared below.

What Comes With The Nuwave Bravo?

The air fryer comes in a sturdy box. I liked that the manufacturers have kept the packaging to a minimum, curtailing the recycling and trash footprint and the burden on the environment to the minimum. The air fryer box contains the following items:

• One air frying unit
• Two oven racks
• One heavy-duty roasting pan with a roasting insert
• One stainless steel air fryer basket
• A temperature probe

Appearance And Design

The air fryer resembles a countertop toaster oven, with a large viewing glass covering the entire door. The door is shatter-resistant tempered glass, so you can cook food at the highest temperature settings without worrying about breaking the glass.

The control panel is on the right of the viewing window.

The body of the air fryer is stainless steel, similar to the Cosori 12-in-1 air fryer, which makes the air fryer sturdy and durable as well as easier to maintain.

Digital Control Panel

Much like the Ninja DT251 air fryer oven, the Nuwave Bravo flaunts a digital control panel with buttons for selecting functions and a single dial for adjusting time and temperature. There is a big LCD above the buttons that displays your chosen options.

Since there are so many options on the control panel, navigating the settings during the initial uses was a bit tricky and frustrating. However, I got the hang of it after a few uses, and consequently, cooking in the air fryer became manageable.

Like the 26qt Cosori air fryer, Nuwave Bravo also has 12 cooking functions. Still, the main difference is that the Cosori has slow cook and ferment functions, while the Nuwave Bravo doesn’t.

Multiple Heat Sources

Nuwave Bravo is equipped with dual heating sources—top and bottom—for even cooking without having to turn the sides of the food.

Like Nuwave Bravo, the Ninja DT251 also has multiple heat sources; the only difference is that the Ninja has a third rear heat source in the fan chamber in addition to top and bottom heating elements.

The air fryer comes with the Linear T Technology. Together with dual heating elements, this technology ensures that the temperature remains the same during the entire cooking cycle.

Weight, Dimensions, And Capacity

The dimensions of the Nuwave Bravo at 20.04 x 16.57 x 11.14 inches need a spacious countertop for permanent placement. However, its footprint is much smaller than other oven-style digital air fryers.

The air fryer weighs 19 pounds, which makes it quite bulky and a hassle to carry around in the kitchen. But the truth is that most air fryer toaster oven combos have similar weight because of their spacious internal capacity. The Nuwave Bravo also has a large cooking capacity of thirty pounds, making it suitable for family-size meals.  

Thanks to the generous cooking space, this stainless steel air fryer oven is perfect for making full chicken on the roast pan. 

Integrated Temperature Probe

I was very delighted to find that the temperature probe of the air fryer is quite accurate. Normally, food thermometers coming with air fryers are not very accurate.

Using the temperature probe is a piece of cake. Just insert the probing end of the thermometer into the thicket part of the meat. Once the desired doneness is achieved, the probe automatically stops the cooking process, preventing you from overcooking or drying out the meat.

Setting Up And Using The Air Fryer

Setting up the air fryer is easy. After removing all the excess packaging, I thoroughly washed all the accessories before running the air fryer empty to remove the chemical coatings.

The air fryer looks so attractive to the eyes that anyone like me will be tempted to tinker with the controls without consulting the user manual. However, containing my enthusiasm, I ran through the user manual. After consulting the user manual, using the air fryer became much easier.

The best part about using this air fryer is it allows you to adjust the time and temperature settings during the cooking cycle.

Cooking Performance And Results

While testing it in my kitchen studio, I cooked multiple items, from nuggets to whole chicken and fries, in the Nuwave Bravo. Below, I share my thoughts on the cooking performance.

• The air fryer gave a beautiful golden brown crust to the nuggets.
• The preheat time of the air fryer is minimal thanks to its powerful convection fan and dual heating elements design.
• The cooking trays have ample space to cook large family meals and treat guests without overcrowding.
•  It cooks really fast, so you may need to tinker with the timings of your recipe.
• It is often challenging to recreate the crunchy Brussels sprouts of a deep fryer. Contrary to my fears, cooking Brussels sprouts in Nuwave Bravo was a commendable experience.

Conclusion

The air fryer is designed to be an affordable, easy-to-use, versatile, and time-saving cooking appliance. I am delighted that the air fryer fulfills most of the manufacturers' claims, such as cooking crispy food. However, a certain margin of error is always allowed when cooking with a multi-function air fryer. The integrated temperature makes cooking steak and other proteins a snap. The large capacity relieves you from firing a full-size oven, which is a hassle, especially in the summer when it heats up the whole kitchen. Overall, this is a good air fryer to have in your kitchen.