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A compact air fryer may handle snacks, but it can feel limiting when you also need to toast bread, bake a pizza, or roast dinner. The Nuwave Bravo Pro model 20835 combines those jobs in a 21-quart countertop oven with 1800 watts of power, adjustable heat distribution, and four fan settings. Its broad control range gives you more flexibility than a basic toaster oven, although the digital controls and wide body require more space and practice. This review explains its verified specifications, everyday performance, cleaning needs, and limitations so you can decide whether it fits your kitchen.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 8.8/10 (Recommended)
Best For: Home cooks who want a roomy air fryer and toaster oven with more control over heat distribution and fan speed.
Bottom Line: The Nuwave Bravo Pro offers useful control over temperature, airflow, and the balance between its top and bottom heaters. It can replace several small appliances for everyday meals, but it needs at least 5 inches of ventilation space and has a steeper learning curve than a simple basket air fryer.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Nuwave |
| Model | Bravo Pro Smart Oven & Air Fryer, model 20835 |
| Product Type | Countertop toaster oven and air fryer |
| Capacity | 21 quarts |
| Power | 1800 watts, 120V, 60Hz |
| Dimensions | Approximately 13.5 inches deep × 17.62 inches wide × 9.5 inches high |
| Weight | Approximately 14.4 pounds |
| Temperature Range | 50°F to 450°F, adjustable in 5°F increments |
| Heat Distribution | Adjustable top and bottom heat ratio in 10% steps, with both percentages totaling 100% |
| Fan Settings | Four settings: FAN0 through FAN3 |
| Preprogrammed Menus | 12: Toast, Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate, Frozen, Grill, Pizza, Reheat, Roast, Bagel, and Waffle |
| Additional Function | Adjustable Warm function |
| Exterior and Door | Brushed stainless-steel finish with a tempered-glass drop-down door |
| Included Accessories | Air fry basket, enamel baking pan, heavy-duty cooking rack, removable crumb tray, recipe book, quick-start guide, and owner’s manual |
| Warranty | One-year limited manufacturer warranty for the original purchaser under normal household use |
| Best Use | Air frying, baking, roasting, toast, pizza, reheating, and low-temperature dehydration |
What Is the Nuwave Bravo Pro?
The Nuwave Bravo Pro model 20835 is a 21-quart countertop toaster oven and air fryer. Its 1800-watt heating system works with a convection fan and a digital control panel, giving you more cooking control than a basic mechanical toaster oven.
The feature that separates it from many competing ovens is its adjustable top-to-bottom heat distribution. You can move the balance in 10% steps, from strong top heat for browning to strong bottom heat for crusts. The two percentages always total 100%, so a setting such as 30% top and 70% bottom is valid, while 30% top and 80% bottom is not.
The model 20835 owner’s manual lists 12 preprogrammed menus, plus a separate Warm function. You can still adjust the preset temperature and time when a recipe needs different results.
Who Should Buy It?
Best For
- You want one appliance for air frying, toast, pizza, baking, roasting, reheating, and dehydration.
- You regularly cook small or medium meals and want to avoid heating a full-size oven.
- You value adjustable fan speed and control over the balance between top and bottom heat.
Skip If
- Your counter cannot provide at least 5 inches of open space behind, beside, and above the oven.
- You want the speed and simplicity of a small basket air fryer with only a few controls.
- You need enough capacity for large holiday meals or several full-size baking dishes.
Key Features Breakdown
Adjustable Top and Bottom Heat
The TOP/BTM control changes how the oven distributes its available heat. The default balance is 50% top and 50% bottom, and you can move each side in 10% increments while keeping the combined setting at 100%.
More top heat can help with broiling, browning cheese, or finishing a casserole. More bottom heat can help a pizza, pie, or flatbread develop a firmer base. This adjustment gives you useful control, but you still need to watch the food because pan color, rack placement, thickness, and moisture affect browning.
Pro Tip: Start a new recipe at the default 50% top and 50% bottom setting. If the top browns before the base is ready, shift the next batch toward 40% top and 60% bottom instead of making a large adjustment immediately.
Four Fan Settings
The convection control runs from FAN0 to FAN3. FAN3 is the fastest setting and suits air frying, frozen foods, and recipes that need stronger surface browning. Lower speeds reduce airflow for baked foods that can dry out or move under a powerful fan.
FAN0 switches the fan off, which makes the oven behave more like a traditional radiant-heat toaster oven. Having four settings gives you more flexibility than an oven with a single fixed convection speed, although it also adds another control to learn.
12 Cooking Menus and Warm Function
The model-specific manual lists Toast, Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate, Frozen, Grill, Pizza, Reheat, Roast, Bagel, and Waffle. Each menu provides a starting temperature, time, heat balance, and suggested rack position.
These settings are convenient starting points rather than fixed recipes. Food thickness, quantity, starting temperature, and preferred browning level can require changes. The separate Warm function can hold cooked food at an adjustable temperature after the main cooking cycle.
Wide Temperature and Time Controls
The 50°F to 450°F temperature range covers low-temperature drying as well as high-temperature pizza, broiling, and air frying. Five-degree adjustments give you finer control than ovens that move only in 25-degree steps.
Available cooking time depends on the selected temperature. Lower temperatures support longer cooking or drying cycles, while the hottest settings have shorter maximum times. This protects the appliance but means you may need to restart the timer for an unusually long high-temperature recipe.
Capacity and Included Accessories
The 21-quart chamber is large enough for a 12-inch pizza and common family-size portions without reaching the bulk of a full-size range oven. It comes with one air fry basket, one enamel baking pan, one heavy-duty cooking rack, and a removable crumb tray.
The wide basket gives food more exposed surface area than a deep, crowded basket. However, the package includes one of each primary cooking accessory, so a second full rack is not automatically included for simultaneous multi-rack baking.
How It Performs in Real Use
Air Frying and Frozen Foods
For fries, chicken tenders, vegetables, and other small items, FAN3 circulates hot air across the open basket. Spreading food in a single layer helps more surfaces contact the moving air. Dense piles can still cook unevenly, so larger portions may need shaking, turning, or two batches.
The Frozen menu provides a starting point for packaged foods, but you should still check the food early. Manufacturer directions on the package may have been written for a full-size oven, and a compact convection oven can brown the exterior sooner.
Baking and Roasting
The Bake and Roast menus make the Bravo Pro useful for cookies, casseroles, vegetables, and moderate-size cuts of meat. Adjustable fan speed helps you reduce airflow for delicate batters or increase it when you want drier, browner surfaces.
The smaller chamber can reach cooking temperature without heating as much kitchen space as a full-size oven. Its capacity is still limited, however. Large roasting pans, tall covered dishes, and oversized birds may not fit safely without approaching the walls or heating elements.
Toast, Bagels, and Pizza
Toast, Bagel, and Pizza each have dedicated menu settings. The broad cavity can prepare more bread at once than a two-slice toaster, but the process is not as immediate as pushing down a toaster lever. Your preferred shade may require a small time or heat-balance adjustment.
Pizza benefits most from the top-to-bottom heat control. You can add more bottom heat when the crust remains pale or more top heat when the cheese needs extra browning. Make gradual changes and monitor through the glass instead of opening the door repeatedly.
Dehydrating and Keeping Food Warm
The Dehydrate menu starts at 100°F with a two-hour default time. The broader low-temperature range can handle herbs, fruit slices, and other foods that need steady heat, although drying time varies with thickness, water content, and tray loading.
The Warm function defaults to 140°F for one hour and can be adjusted within the limits given in the manual. It is useful for short holding periods, but it should not replace safe food-handling practices or extended refrigerated storage.
Setup, Placement, and Safety
Place the Bravo Pro on a stable, dry, level, and heat-resistant surface. Keep at least 5 inches of open space behind it, on both sides, and above it. Do not block the intake vents, place objects on the oven, or position it beside curtains and other flammable materials.
The appliance draws 1800 watts. The manual advises operating it from a separate electrical outlet rather than sharing the same outlet with other running appliances. Do not use it outdoors, immerse the base or cord in water, or operate it with a damaged plug, cord, door, or accessory.
Before You Buy: Measure your usable counter area, including the required 5-inch ventilation space. The exterior and door become hot during operation, so this oven is not suitable for a tight shelf, enclosed appliance garage, or area where children can easily touch it.
Before the First Use
- Remove Packaging: Remove protective film, tape, labels, and packing materials before plugging in the oven.
- Wash Accessories: Clean the rack, baking pan, air fry basket, and crumb tray with warm water, mild detergent, and a nonabrasive sponge. The manual also permits top-rack dishwasher cleaning for removable parts.
- Run It Empty: Operate the empty oven at its default temperature for 25 minutes, then allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Repeat if the new-appliance smell remains.
- Check Ventilation: Make sure the rear and side vents remain open throughout the cooking cycle.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Allow the oven to cool completely and unplug it before cleaning. Wipe the interior and exterior with a damp cloth and mild soap, then dry the surfaces. Do not spray cleaner directly onto the appliance, use steel wool, or immerse the oven body in water.
Remove crumbs after each use. Grease left on the basket, baking pan, rack, or crumb tray can create smoke during the next high-temperature cycle. For stubborn residue, the manual allows the baking pan, basket, and crumb tray to soak in hot, soapy water for no more than 10 minutes.
The accessories need more cleaning effort than a small removable air fryer drawer, but the pull-out crumb tray makes routine maintenance manageable. Keeping the tray and basket clean is especially important after cooking fatty meat or food coated with oil.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 21-quart capacity handles a wider range of meals than a compact basket air fryer.
- Adjustable top and bottom heat balance helps you correct uneven browning.
- Four fan settings support both strong convection and fan-free cooking.
- Wide 50°F to 450°F range works for dehydration, baking, roasting, and broiling.
- Includes an air fry basket, baking pan, cooking rack, and removable crumb tray.
Cons
- The 17.62-inch-wide body and required ventilation clearance demand substantial counter space.
- Heat balance, fan speed, rack position, time, and temperature create a learning curve.
- Only one main cooking rack and one air fry basket are included, limiting true multi-rack use without extra accessories.
Is It Worth the Price?
The Nuwave Bravo Pro sits in the mid-range tier for multifunction countertop ovens. Its best value comes from combining the work of an air fryer, toaster, compact baking oven, pizza oven, reheater, and dehydrator in one 21-quart appliance.
It is worth considering when you will regularly use its adjustable heat balance and fan settings. Those controls offer more flexibility than a basic toaster oven, and the wider basket is useful for foods that need open space around them.
It is less compelling when you only prepare one or two servings of frozen snacks. A smaller basket air fryer can take up less space and require fewer settings. The Bravo Pro provides better value for buyers who will use several of its cooking modes rather than treating it as a single-purpose fryer.
How It Compares to Alternatives
A pod-style air fryer usually has a smaller footprint and simpler cleanup, but its deep basket limits toast, pizza, casseroles, and flat baked foods. A basic toaster oven handles bread and baking dishes but may offer only one convection speed and little control over heat distribution.
Larger premium countertop ovens provide more room and may include additional accessories, but they usually cost more and occupy more counter space. The Nuwave Bravo Pro makes the most sense when you want a middle ground: a 21-quart chamber, strong convection, and adjustable top-to-bottom heat without moving to a much larger oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can fit inside the Nuwave Bravo Pro?
The oven has a 21-quart capacity and can accommodate a 12-inch pizza, toast, an air fry basket of vegetables or snacks, and moderate-size baking dishes. Measure your cookware before use and leave space between the food and heating elements.
How do the top and bottom heat controls work?
You adjust the heat balance in 10% increments. The top and bottom percentages must always total 100%, such as 50/50, 40/60, or 100/0. More top heat increases browning, while more bottom heat can help firm a crust.
How many fan speeds does it have?
It has four fan settings, from FAN0 to FAN3. FAN0 turns convection off, while FAN3 provides the strongest airflow for air frying and browning. Lower settings are useful when strong airflow could dry or disturb delicate food.
Does the Nuwave Bravo Pro have 10 or 12 presets?
The owner’s manual for model 20835 lists 12 preprogrammed menus: Toast, Air Fry, Bake, Broil, Dehydrate, Frozen, Grill, Pizza, Reheat, Roast, Bagel, and Waffle. Warm is available as a separate adjustable function. Other Bravo Pro versions or listings may describe their functions differently, so check the model number before buying.
Can you cook frozen food without thawing it first?
Yes. The oven includes a Frozen menu for packaged snacks and other frozen foods. Adjust the time for portion size, avoid crowding the basket, and confirm that meat and poultry reach a safe internal temperature.
Are the accessories dishwasher-safe?
The manual permits washing the removable rack, baking pan, air fry basket, and crumb tray on the dishwasher’s top rack. Let the oven cool and unplug it before removing parts. The oven body must only be wiped and must never be immersed in water.
How much clearance does the oven need?
Keep at least 5 inches of free space behind the oven, on both sides, and above it. Do not block the air vents, place objects on top, or operate it beneath a low cabinet that can trap heat.
What warranty comes with model 20835?
Nuwave provides a one-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects under normal household use. It applies to the original purchaser, and proof of purchase is required. Coverage details and exclusions are listed in the owner’s manual.
The Bottom Line
The Nuwave Bravo Pro model 20835 is a strong choice when you want a roomy air fryer and toaster oven with adjustable heat distribution, four fan settings, and a broad temperature range. Its controls can produce better results across different foods, but they require more learning than a basic basket fryer.
Buy it when you have enough ventilated counter space and expect to use several of its cooking functions. Skip it when compact storage, one-button operation, or full-size oven capacity matters more than customization.
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