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We’ve done many articles about the top air fryers and comparing different brands. Today we’ve got three models that are sure to deliver crispy, delicious food, it’s Nuwave Brio vs Instant Vortex vs Emeril Air Fryer. Each model has different features, but one of them is right for you. We’re going to dive deep into our top air fryer review and show you which model is best of the best.
We’re going to compare these based on capacity, settings, power, and accessories before telling you which wins the competition.
Nuwave Brio | Instant Vortex | Emeril Air Fryer |
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Nuwave vs Instant Vortex vs Emeril: Capacity
Capacity is a little tricky to judge here since each model tends to list their capacity differently. The Nuwave Brio air fryer goes based on quarts, which is the most common for air fryers, while Instant Vortex lists the capacity as either quarts or liters depending on the model and Emeril Lagasse 360 Air Fryer lists it in cubic inches.
To make this more even, we will list all the capacities in quarts from here on.
The Nuwave Brio technically comes in three different sizes. You can choose between the Nuwave Brio 3qt, Nuwave Brio 6qt, or Nuwave Brio 10qt. However, both the 3qt and 10qt models tend to be harder to find. Sometimes they are in stock, but they can be challenging to get. The Brio 6 quart air fryer tends to be easier to get and it’s considered one the most popular of the three.
Let’s check the Emeril Lagasse 360 Everyday Air Fryer Oven. Unlike with Nuwave Brio vs Instant Vortex where there are multiple sizes, this only comes in one main size. It’s listed as having a 930 cubic inch interior, which translates to about 26qt. That’s massive, and you can really see it when you open this air fryer oven up. You can even fit a whole chicken with ease.
There is also the Emeril Lagasse Max XL Air Fryer at 1,830 cubic inches, or 31 quarts. That’s massive. However, this model tends to be hard to find. It’s sometimes available, but not always.
It doesn’t matter if you value versatility or larger sizes because Instant Vortex has both. In terms of Instant Vortex vs Nuwave Brio, it offers more sizes. In terms of Instant Vortex vs Emeril Air Fryer, the largest Vortex air fryer is somewhat bigger than the standard model.
You can choose Instant Vortex 6qt, 8qt, 10qt or 26L (about 27.5qt). That’s plenty of options to ensure you find the right air fryer for any recipe. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, the family, or parties, you can get one that meets your needs.
All three are good, so it depends on your needs. While the Brio Nuwave Air Fryer is the smallest overall, many people like 6 quart air fryers. The Emeril 360 Air Fryer is large, but there’s only one main size to choose from (or the 31qt if the Max XL is available). Instant Vortex is the overall winner because there are plenty of sizes both small and large.
Instant Vortex vs Nuwave vs Emeril: Settings and Features
It’s not enough to simply buy an air fryer. Most modern kitchen appliances have multiple features and air fryers are no exception, especially with the Instant Pot Air Fryer: Instant Vortex. If you’ve never seen how many appliances they show into their pressure cookers, then we suggest taking a look at our Instant Pot Duo Nova vs Duo or Duo Plus vs Duo Evo Plus articles.
That being said, let’s start with the Nuwave Brio. There are six cooking presets that set the ideal temperature and time for the most common air fryer recipes. This includes fries, nuggets, steak, poultry, and fish. Did you count five presets instead of six? That’s because there are two for fries: frozen and thawed. A unique feature is that you can change the wattage of Brio between 900, 1500, or 1800 watts. This is great if you’re concerned about using too much power or want a safer cooking experience.
Moving on, how does the Emeril Air Fryer 360 compare? The Emeril air fryer oven bills itself as a 9-in-1 appliance, but it really has 12 different presets that really make the most of this compact oven. You can choose between air frying, toasting, reheating, baking, rotisserie, dehydrating, roasting, broiling, pizza, bagels, warming, and slow cooking. It’s simple to choose between them with the dials, so you’ll have no problem finding and selecting the right setting.
Lastly, what about the Instant Vortex air fryer? We aren’t going to list every model because there are five and we did that in our article Instant Pot Air Fryer review. Check that out if you want more details. Depending on the size, Instant Vortex ranges from a 4-in-1 to an 11-in-1.
It only seems fair to show the best one, so we’ll show the 11-in-1 here, but check the exact model for more details. This is available with the largest model and you can choose between air frying, dehydrating, toasting, roasting, baking, slow cooking, broiling, reheating, proofing, rotisserie, and convection cooking.
While it’s easy to say the Emeril 360 Air Fryer is better here, really take a look at the features compared to Instant Vortex. There are two for toasting (toasting and bagels) and a reheating function that Instant Vortex replicates with low-temperature baking. I would say it’s more of a tie between these two.
Nuwave Brio has many great features as well, plus it tends to be even easier to use due to having fewer functions. If you want something a little simpler and more affordable, then Brio might be right for you. It’s great, but you will be losing out on some features.
Emeril vs Nuwave vs Instant Vortex: Power and Temperature
Air fryers claim to be just as good as deep fryers and versatile as ovens, but that’s only if they reach the proper temperature and have enough power to keep the temperature stable. You want an air fryer to reach at least 400 degrees to get crispy food, and it should have at least 1200-1500 watts to ensure it’s strong enough to cook food without the temperature dropping.
With that being said, how does our Emeril Air Fryer vs Nuwave Brio vs Instant Vortex battle play out?
Nuwave Brio, as mentioned before, allows you to choose between three different wattages: 900, 1500, and 1800. That’s quite unique and ideal if you want to save power or cook at lower temperatures. It reaches between 100-400F degrees in 5-degree increments. You’ll have no problem picking the exact temperature that you want for your air fryer recipe.
What about the Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360? It’s similar to the Brio. It boasts a power rating of 1500 watts and reaches 400F degrees. That’s more than enough for frying, roasting, broiling, and more. While the Emeril Power Air Fryer isn’t quite as powerful as Brio, 1500 watts still places it among the top air fryers.
Lastly, the Instant Vortex air fryers. We’re going again by the biggest model, so the smaller ones might have somewhat lower power or temperature ratings. The Instant Vortex 26L reaches 450 degrees, ensuring even crispier food, and a powerful 1800 watt rating.
Instant Vortex is a big winner here, but I am impressed by how the Brio allows you to change the wattage rating. The Emeril Air Fryer, while still a powerful unit, ranks third here. It’s good and the temperature should remain stable throughout, but it’s the weakest of the bunch.
Accessories
Much like with the settings and features part, it’s rare to just get an air fryer by itself without any extra accessories. Not only do these make the air fryer more versatile, but who doesn’t want extra stuff? Is anyone really going to be upset that they got an extra pan or grille? I don’t think so.
Alright, enough said there, let’s start with the Nuwave Brio accessories. Unfortunately the Brio skimps on the accessories compared to the others as you only get the PFOA non-stick air frying basket and an insertable divider so that you can cook two different foods at once. There’s also a Nuwave app with recipes and instructions.
Moving on, what are the Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360 accessories? In contrast, you actually get quite a bit here. There’s a rotisserie spit, crisper tray, baking pan, pizza rack, drip tray, and an Emeril recipe book written by the man himself. It’s no wonder this is considered a small oven replacement. With these accessories you can cook just about anything.
What are the Instant Vortex accessories? Can it stand up to Emeril? You know what we’re going to say next. Each model is different, so we’re showing off the biggest ones, but the others might offer different accessories. This is actually quite a good haul. You’re getting a cooking pan, oven rack, air fryer basket, rotisserie lift, spits, and fork.
It’s hard to judge who the winner is with Instant Vortex vs Emeril Air Fryer because they’re close. I think the Emeril one is a little better and more varied, but you could make a case for Instant Vortex as well. Nuwave Brio’s accessories are OK, but it’s basic compared to the other two.
Which Air Fryer is Best?
Nuwave Brio Air Fryer
- Nuwave Brio vs Instant Vortex: more affordable, wattage options, somewhat easier to use
- Nuwave Brio vs Emeril 360 Air Fryer: more affordable, more powerful, somewhat easier to use
Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360
- Emeril 360 vs Nuwave Brio: more capacity, more features, more accessories
- Emeril 360 vs Instant Vortex: comparable features, more accessories
Instant Vortex Air Fryer
- Instant Vortex vs Nuwave Brio: more power, more sizes, more features, better accessories
- Instant Vortex vs Emeril 360: similar features, more power, more sizes
Nuwave Brio | Instant Vortex | Emeril Air Fryer |
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Final Thoughts
So, what is the top air fryer when it comes to Nuwave Brio vs Emeril Air Fryer vs Instant Vortex. That’s hard to say because it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want an affordable and basic air fryer that’s simple to use, then Nuwave Brio is a fantastic model that you’re sure to love.
If you’re looking for something that’s big, powerful, and basically a second oven, then it’s a toss up between Instant Vortex and Emeril 360. Both of these are incredibly versatile and powerful. I do like how there are numerous Instant Vortex units to choose from. I also like how versatile the Emeril air fryer is along with all the accessories you get.
So, which one do you choose? Let us know which one you love.