Both NuWave ovens and air fryers have emerged in recent years as popular small kitchen appliances that promise quick and healthy cooking using hot air instead of oil. But how do they actually compare when it comes to performance and results? Let’s take a detailed look at how these two appliances work and what they can and can’t do.
How Does a NuWave Oven Work?
A NuWave oven uses a combination of infrared heat and convection cooking to cook food quickly and evenly. Here are the key features of NuWave ovens:
- Infrared cooking: NuWave ovens have a heating element at the top that emits infrared radiation. This heats the food from above very rapidly while also producing some browning and crisping on foods.
- Convection cooking: A powerful fan circulates hot air around the food at high speed, cooking food fast and evenly on all sides.
- Adjustable temperature and time settings: NuWave ovens allow you to select precise temperature and time settings for different foods. Temperatures can range from 100°F to 350°F.
- Small footprint: Most NuWave oven models are compact in size (around 11 inches tall by 13 inches wide), making them a convenient small appliance.
The combination of infrared heat from above and hot convection cooking allows NuWave ovens to cook foods very quickly, often much faster than a conventional oven. The adjustable temperature settings also allow for precise control when cooking different foods.
How Does an Air Fryer Work?
Air fryers use rapid air circulation and top heating elements to mimic the results of deep frying, but without submerging the food in oil. Here is how air fryers work:
- Rapid air circulation: A vent and heating element are located at the top of the air fryer chamber. A powerful fan blows the heated air down and around the food at high velocity.
- Top heating: Most air fryers also have a heating coil at the top that further heats the circulating air, allowing the food to cook from both the top and sides.
- Smaller batches: The average air fryer cooking chamber ranges from 2-7 quarts in size. This allows enough space for cooking small batches of food.
- Adjustable temperature and time: Air fryers allow you to set the temperature from around 170°F up to 400°F, as well as set a timer for the desired cooking time.
The rapid airflow essentially deep fries foods with little to no oil, resulting in crispy textures without the greasiness associated with traditional deep frying. The adjustable settings make it easy to customize timing and temperature.
Cooking Performance Comparison
So when it comes to actually cooking foods, how do the NuWave oven and air fryer compare? Here are some key differences in cooking performance:
| NuWave Oven | Air Fryer | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Infrared heating element on top + convection fan | Heating element + convection fan on top |
| Cooking method | Combination of infrared heat and hot air | Rapid circulation of intensely hot air |
| Crisping/browning | Good due to infrared heating element | Excellent due to very hot, fast circulating air |
| Cooking speed | Very fast, can be 50-75% faster than conventional oven | Extremely fast due to small chamber size and intense heat circulation |
| Food capacity | Can fit a 13″ pizza or medium-large casserole | Better for smaller batches and individual portions |
When it comes to crisping and browning, air fryers tend to have an advantage over NuWave ovens due to the intense heat and airflow an air fryer uses. However, NuWave ovens can accommodate larger portions and quantities overall thanks to their larger chamber size.
Common Foods to Cook
Here are some of the most popular foods people love to make in NuWave ovens and air fryers:
NuWave Oven Foods
- Pizza
- Frozen foods like nuggets, fries, etc.
- Casseroles
- Roasted vegetables
- Frozen appetizers
- Bacon
- Cookies
- Steak
- Chicken
Air Fryer Foods
- French fries
- Chicken wings and nuggets
- Frozen snacks like mozzarella sticks
- Fish
- Brussels sprouts
- Homemade potato chips
- Donuts
- Bacon
The air fryer’s smaller chamber and intense heat circulation make it ideal for smaller fried foods. The NuWave oven’s larger cavity and more varied cooking methods allow you to use it for more types of dishes.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Here is a comparison of some of the benefits and potential drawbacks of NuWave ovens and air fryers:
| NuWave Oven | Air Fryer | |
|---|---|---|
| Benefits |
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| Drawbacks |
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As you can see, both appliances have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Air fryers excel when you want to make quick crispy foods in small batches. NuWave ovens offer more versatility for larger meals and don’t require as much food shaking or turning.
Price Comparison
On average, here is how NuWave ovens and air fryers compare in terms of pricing:
| Appliance | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| NuWave Oven | $99 – $200 |
| Air Fryer | $70 – $200 |
Entry-level air fryer models start at a lower price point around $70-$100. Basic NuWave oven models cost a little more in the $100-$150 range. High-end models with more features and larger capacities can cost up to $200 for both appliances.
Common Brands
Some of the most popular brands for each appliance include:
NuWave Ovens
- NuWave
- Cuisinart
- Black + Decker
- Breville
- Toshiba
Air Fryers
- Ninja Foodi
- Instant Pot
- Philips
- Cosori
- Chefman
When choosing between brands, look for models with adjustable settings, a reputation for quality and durability, and any added features that may be useful to you like pre-programmed settings or dishwasher safe parts.
Conclusion
In summary, while NuWave ovens and air fryers both use convection heat to cook food fast with no oil, they work in slightly different ways and excel at different types of cooking tasks:
- Air fryers are unmatched when you want to cook smaller batches of crispy fried finger foods, chicken wings, fries and more. Their small chamber size and intense top-down heat circulation allows them to crisp up foods remarkably fast.
- NuWave ovens utilize both infrared heat and hot air to rapidly cook foods from the top and sides simultaneously. Their larger chamber accommodates bigger batch sizes, and their adjustable temperature settings make them more versatile for various foods from frozen pizza to steaks.
Choosing between the two appliances depends largely on the types of meals you cook most often. Air fryers are ideal for individuals and couples who love snacks and fried foods in smaller portions. Larger families who cook bigger meals and casseroles may find more use from a NuWave oven. Either can be a convenient way to cook with less energy and oil than conventional ovens.