It seems like there is always a new kitchen tool on the market. A while ago, you may have remembered the Instant Pot becoming a hit amongst millennials. Now, it seems like air fryers are all the rage. I must say I cannot blame them! 

Air fryers are an ingenious way to prepare your food. Not only do they cook at lightning speed, they are significantly healthier than reverting to the old deep frying method. 

I finally decided that it was time for me to jump on the bandwagon and buy an air fryer. 

Given that I have few hours in the day to cook and prepare food, I needed a solution — and I needed it fast. 

If you find yourself in the same position, needing cooking to be more efficient and healthy, but unsure of where to begin — this guide is for you!

Don’t worry, I won’t spoil the surprise for you, but I’ll take you through my journey in purchasing my very own air fryer.

Philips Air Fryer vs Nuwave Comparison Chart

Here’s a quick bird’s eye view of what we will be comparing today:

Before we go into which air fryer is best to buy, we will need to solidify some basics. Let’s see what all the hype is about. 

Wait, What Exactly is an Air Fryer? 

Despite its name, an air fryer actually does more than frying. In some air fryers, you are able to roast and even bake. An air fryer functions by moving super heated air around the food, making it crispen. 

Due to its small nature, air fryers are actually able to cook foods faster than more conventional methods. That's what makes them so popular, especially for busy families and working individuals like myself.

There are many air fryers available to buy, but I’ve done due diligence to find the best one. 

The type of air fryer that I am going for needs to be compact, simple, and good quality. 

Next, I explore two brands, have a look at a couple of their best products, and provide you with the best product to buy. 

Not to mention I will also reveal to you which one I purchased! 

Which one do you think I went for? 

Let us begin with the Nuwave air fryer.

Do you have an air fryer and are unsure of what to use in it? Read our article, Can You Put Oil In An Air Fryer? [How To Do It & FAQ], to find out the most compatible oils for an air fryer. 

The Nuwave Air Fryer

In general, a Nuwave air fryer uses highly heated air and airflow to cook the food. The Nuwave air fryer can cook frozen foods without initially defrosting, much like most air fryers available to buy. 

Its temperature settings range from 100-400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Nuwave brand comes with five adjustable settings. Capacity varies with this brand and you can find baskets that accommodate up to three quarts, to baskets that accommodate 14 quarts. 

To put it in perspective, a Nuwave brio eight-quart air fryer, can cook up to three pounds of French fries. 

As a brand, Nuwave has been distributing kitchen appliances since 1997. They are guided by four principles: health, safety, quality of life, and environmental awareness. They also conduct all research and development onsite in their corporate office. 

Despite being a lesser known brand, it seems Nuwave is making large innovative strides for kitchen appliances.

Sound like something you like? Have a look at this Amazon’s Choice air fryer from Nuwave.

Overview of Nuwave Air Fryers

Nuwave has four types of air fryers. The first three are standard digital air fryers and the fourth one is an extra large air fryer, big enough to fry a whole chicken. 

Nuwave also has an XL air fryer oven. Although the XL air fryer oven is interesting and innovative, it is not what I am needing for the moment, so I won’t be touching on it in this article. 

Nuwave air fryers claim to cook food evenly throughout, which they claim to be a shortcoming of various other air fryer suppliers. After looking at a few of Nuwave’s products on Amazon, I learned the following about their collection of air fryers: 

1. Well-Labeled Features: 

One thing I appreciate in a new kitchen tool is how clear the labels on it are. In a Nuwave air fryer, you know exactly what you’re getting, and in this case it is a slew of things all in one!

2. Flavor Infusion Technology: 

As a highly versatile device*, the Nuwave brand also incorporates a special “flavor infusion technology” into every air fryer. This means food comes out extra flavorful.

*Allegedly it sears, roasts, fries, bakes, and stage cooks!

3. Comes With Extras: 

It’s always important to know what a product comes with. 

As added bonuses to the actual air fryer, a Nuwave will have: 

• A digital probe
• Recipe book
• Reversible rack
• An air circulation riser

4. Recipe App:

One thing I appreciate about the Nuwave brand is that owners can download an app to find fun recipes to make.

5. Easy to Clean: 

Nuwave air fryers are dishwasher safe and easy to take apart and reassemble for use. 

Nuwave Air Fryer: Pros and Cons

To quickly summarize the benefits and disadvantages of a Nuwave air fryer, I have created a quick pros and cons list below:

 Now, onto our next contender, the Philips air fryer. 

Philips Air Fryer 

The Philips air fryer is my top pick because it is a perfect combination of tradition and technology. Now, you may be wondering what I mean by that! 

I am from the South of the U.S., and here Philips is a household name. When buying a product for the first time, I want to have faith that my purchase will withstand the test of time. If I am making a purchase, then I want a return on my investment. 

Philips has been operating since 1890. They have invested millions into research and development to perfect their cooking technology. In terms of a Nuwave vs Philips brand battle, Philips is a clear victor. 

Philips also has patented technology incorporated into its air fryer products. Their air fryers are more expensive than others, but the price is fair for the value. Afterall, Philips have been air fryer experts for the last 10 years. 

Let’s move onto the overview … 

Overview of Philips Air Fryers

The Philips air fryer brand has broken up their air fryer collection into two practical sections: essential and premium. 

In these two separate collections, one finds together a total of four air fryers. We will briefly go into the specifics of each air fryer later on in this article. 

All air fryers within the Philips brand have the following positive elements: 

1. Patented Cooking Design: 

Besides different collections, the Philips brand has also patented their own heating structure — the starfish design. 

This design enables even browning and minimizes the need to shake or flip the food in the middle of its cooking cycle.

2. State-of-the-Art Technology: 

The air fryers also come with rapid air technology. Which is a clever way for the air fryer to cook your food faster and use much less energy than a traditional oven. 

3. Digital User Interface: 

Forget the days of guessing how long you need to cook something for and at what temperature. 

Those times are over. 

With a Philips air fryer, you are able to set exact timings and exact temperature. The digital interface on the appliance makes it that much easier to do so.

4. Easy to Clean and Dishwasher Safe: 

Philips air fryers consist of removable parts that easily clean in any dishwasher. The parts are easy to wipe down, minimizing clean up time.

5. A Special App for Appliance Owners: 

One of the coolest elements I have discovered with my own Philips air fryer is the implementation of a digital app! 

Philips Air Fryer: Pros and Cons

Any decision is easier to make when you evaluate both the bad and the good! I’ve made this quick at-a-glance pros and cons list to help with your decision making.

Did you know that you can buy accessories for your Philips air fryer? Check out this Amazon’s Choice air fryer accessory set.

Direct Product Comparison 

Now that we have covered an overview of both Philips and Nuwave, let’s move on to a direct product showdown. 

Do you remember the bird’s eye view comparison chart I mentioned earlier? 

You can refer to it if you forgot what we are comparing today. 

1. Philips Air Fryer Essential Compact - Amazon’s Choice   

This air fryer is a strong candidate. Not only is it the appropriate size, it is also within my price range. Philips air fryers also come with a two year warranty, which is great for me. 

This air fryer is also Amazon’s Choice which adds points.

View on Amazon

After looking through the reviews on Amazon, it seems like the only downside of this air fryer is that the digital display may be hard to use. (And a strong plastic-like smell upon unpackaging.)

2. Philips Air Fryer Premium Compact - Amazon’s Choice

This Philips air fryer is also Amazon’s Choice, which is great. As much as I can appreciate the Philips brand, this product seems a little out of budget to me. 

Premium is not what I need, I am happy with an essentials marked air fryer.

No products found.

No products found.

The reviews, however, are mostly stellar. The only negative Amazon reviews I have seen have been about defective products upon unpackaging. 

3. Nuwave Brio 3-Quart Digital Air Fryer 

Nuwave is a great brand, but unfortunately I don’t think the three-quart is big enough to fit my needs. Perhaps better suited to one person than a three-or-more person home.

No products found.

This product is not an Amazon Choice. You can take a look at the reviews for it here.

4. Nuwave Brio 8-Quart Digital Air Fryer - Amazon’s Choice 

The Nuwave Brio eight-quart is too large for my household. I don’t need an eight-quart air fryer. We also don’t have a vast amount of kitchen countertop space, where my new air fryer will spend most of its time.

No products found.

There are just over 11,000 Amazon ratings, and most of them are five stars. 

You may also like: Can You Fry Chicken Without Flour? [Full How-To Guide + FAQs]

The Winner: Philips Air Fryer Essential Compact - Amazon’s Choice 

I was in the market for something modern and efficient. 

When I came across the Philips air fryer, I found that not only did they integrate remarkable technology into their product, their warranty was for two years.

The Philips essential compact air fryer is not too large and not too small, four liters is perfect for my home. I am so excited to cook delicious recipes in my new air fryer! 

Final Remarks 

If you’re in the market for an air fryer, then my recommendation is to buy a Philips air fryer from their essentials collection. 

Nuwave is also a good brand, and their products do have great reviews on Amazon, and one of the products we compared was an Amazon’s Choice. 

However, I felt like their product information wasn’t as clear, and their air fryers were either too small or too big. One of their products wasn’t even available when I wanted to learn more. 

There is a reason why the Philips brand is world renowned. The sleek design fits in well with any kitchen, and the quality of the product is starkly noticeable upon unpackaging. It is a good value for money, has a longer warranty than most brands, and I have confidence that it will last a long time.