Why we tested the NuWave Brio 14-Qt Air Fryer Oven
Most air fryer reviews treat the category as purely basket-style countertop fryers. The NuWave Brio 14-Qt is a different product: an oven-format appliance that adds air frying to a toaster oven chassis rather than adding oven-style features to an air fryer. This matters because the use case, cooking performance tradeoffs, and ideal buyer are all different.
We included it in this review set because a large percentage of people searching for a “large air fryer” are actually looking for something that can handle whole chickens, large pizzas, and batch cooking for a family - use cases where the basket format is fundamentally constrained by its shape. For those buyers, the NuWave is worth understanding before they default to a 5 or 6-quart basket fryer and discover it still can’t fit a whole bird.
At $150, the Brio is priced $50 above the COSORI Pro LE and $50 below the Philips Premium XXL, but it’s not really competing with either. It’s competing with Cuisinart toaster ovens and Breville compact ovens - appliances that don’t air fry. That’s where its value proposition is strongest.
How we tested
We ran the standard air fryer protocol but weighted toward large-format cooking tests: a whole 4.5-lb spatchcocked chicken, a full 12-inch frozen pizza, a two-rack batch of chicken thighs and Brussels sprouts simultaneously, and a dual-layer dehydrating run with apple slices and beef jerky. We also ran identical small-batch tests (8 oz of fries, two chicken tenders) compared directly to the COSORI Pro LE to document the performance gap on small portions.
Temperature hold accuracy was tested more rigorously for this unit given its ±5°F spec claim - we ran a 45-minute hold at 325°F with a probe thermometer logging at 5-minute intervals. The dual-rack simultaneous cooking test was run three times to establish consistency.
Performance
The NuWave Brio’s large-format performance is genuinely impressive. A whole 4.5-lb spatchcocked chicken at 375°F for 45 minutes came out with evenly browned, crisp skin across the back and wings, reaching 167°F at the thigh - properly cooked throughout with no grey undercooked areas at the breast-thigh joint. This result is simply not achievable in a 6-quart basket fryer where the chicken curves against the walls and doesn’t circulate air evenly.
The dual-rack test - four bone-in chicken thighs on the upper rack and two cups of Brussels sprouts on the lower rack - ran at 385°F for 28 minutes with a rack rotation at 14 minutes. Thighs reached 174°F with properly rendered skin. Brussels sprouts caramelized evenly with minimal charring. Getting two different proteins and vegetables done simultaneously in one cooking session is a genuine quality-of-life improvement for family cooking.
Temperature hold accuracy was excellent: across 45 minutes at the 325°F set point, actual temperature ranged from 320°F to 330°F - a ±5°F spread that is the tightest we measured across all units in this review.
The small-batch performance gap is real but contextualized: 8 oz of fries at 380°F for 14 minutes in the Brio came out good but noticeably less crunchy than the same batch in the COSORI. The larger air chamber distributes heat less intensely on small portions. If you’re mostly cooking small batches, a basket fryer is better. If you’re mostly cooking large batches and whole proteins, the Brio is better.
Fan noise peaked at 68 dB - the loudest in our test group - which is the expected cost of a larger fan moving more air through a larger chamber.
Who should buy this
The NuWave Brio 14-Qt is the right choice for families of four or more who want to replace their toaster oven with something that also air fries well, cook whole proteins regularly, or batch cook for the week. It is the wrong choice for people who primarily want to make crispy small portions for one or two people - for that use case, a dedicated basket fryer delivers better crispiness per dollar. If your existing toaster oven is aging and you’re shopping for a replacement, seriously evaluate the Brio before defaulting to a Breville or Cuisinart that doesn’t air fry.
NuWave Brio 14-Qt Air Fryer Oven vs. the competition
| Product | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Instant Vortex Plus 6-Qt | Also Great - buy this instead if you want a pure air fryer without oven commitment. |
| Philips Premium XXL | Alternative - if air frying quality matters most; better basket performance, no oven features. |
| COSORI Pro LE 5-Qt | Skip NuWave if air frying is your primary use - the dedicated fryer beats oven-style for fry quality. |
Full specifications
| Capacity | 14 quart |
| Wattage | 1800 W |
| Temperature Range | 100-400°F |
| Dimensions | 18 x 13 x 13 inches |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs |
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Should you buy the NuWave Brio 14-Qt Air Fryer Oven?
The NuWave Brio 14-Qt is the right appliance for households that want to replace their toaster oven and get air frying capability in one unit. It's not the best air fryer - it's the best air fryer oven, and that's a different product category serving a different need.
Frequently asked questions
Can the NuWave Brio 14-Qt actually replace a toaster oven?+
Yes, for most toaster oven tasks. Baking a 12-inch pizza, toasting bread, broiling salmon, and reheating leftovers all work as well as or better than a comparable toaster oven. The bake and roast functions use the upper and lower heating elements together, which produces more even heat distribution than a single-element toaster oven. The one area where a dedicated toaster oven wins is very low-temperature holding (150°F warming), which the Brio can do but with less stability.
How does air frying quality compare to a dedicated basket-style air fryer?+
For large batches and whole proteins, the NuWave matches or exceeds basket fryers. For small single-portion batches - a handful of fries, two chicken tenders - a dedicated basket fryer produces crisper results because the concentrated airflow in a smaller space hits the food more intensely. The NuWave's larger chamber means more air volume to heat and more distance for the forced-air current to travel, which slightly reduces the crispiness intensity on small portions.
📅 Update log
- May 27, 2026Initial review published.
