NuWave Oven: Does it Work?

Bonnie Aeschliman can put together a great meal from scratch inside her cooking school. But, can she put together the NuWave oven?

It’s not a complicated chore for this chef. She's getting ready to test one of the NuWave Oven's claims -- that it can cook a frozen turkey -- fast!

"I would not cook it frozen first of all in an oven,” Bonnie said.

But in a NuWave Oven she will! The NuWave says it uses conduction, convection, and infra-red technology. That's why there's no need for defrosting or preheating. We bought this one online for $129.94.

Bonnie has it ready to use quickly. "I think we got it. We can cook a turkey,” Bonnie said.

We're cooking a six and a half pound turkey breast. The instructions say it should take us 15 minutes a pound if it's frozen.

"One hour and 38 minutes. And, then we are going to start,” Bonnie said.

We have to cook the bird on its side, because it can barely fit.... even though this NuWave says it can hold up to a seven-pound breast.

An hour and 38 minutes later...

"Oh my goodness, it is not done,” Bonnie said. "This is 94-degrees."

So, another 20 minutes.  But now we're able to turn the turkey.

"Still not quite done,” Bonnie said.

Bonnie puts it back in for another 20, then another 10.

"I think it's done,” Bonnie said.

It took two and a half hours to cook the frozen breast. If it was thawed, it would have taken two hours and 15 minutes in a conventional oven.

Bonnie was a little skeptical it didn't cook evenly.

"Some of the juices here are brown and some of them are white,” Bonnie said.

The juices and fat at the bottom of the pan actually help prove another NuWave claim... that it can be a healthy way to cook.  And there's another way the oven can be useful...

"If your oven is full with other things on Thanksgiving, you can use this, and not worry about your turkey,” Bonnie said.

But Does it Work?

"Yes,” Bonnie said.

Bonnie's advice if you use the NuWave in your kitchen... maybe cook food that's flatter than a big piece of turkey, so the oven has a chance to cook it evenly.

We also tried fresh vegetables and frozen potato skins in the oven. Bonnie felt, those items may have cooked faster in a microwave.