Countertop steam · Updated October 2026
NuWave Combi vs Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro
The short answer
These two sit within ten dollars of each other on Amazon and most buyers have heard of neither. The difference is what you get for the money. Buy the NuWave Combi if steam control matters: it is the only one of the pair with an adjustable steam percentage (10 to 90%) and a 50 to 212°F sous vide mode, and NuWave has been selling countertop cookers in the US since 1993. Buy the Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro if you mainly want a large steam-and-air-fry oven. Its 24 L cavity is about 60% bigger, it adds a self-clean cycle and ferment mode, and the warranty is 24 months against NuWave's 12. On balance the NuWave is the safer buy for cooking control; the Ciarra is the better buy for capacity, if you accept a newer brand.
NuWave Combi Steam Oven 16Qt
$239.39
Adjustable steam percentage and a true 50 to 212°F sous vide mode at $239, from a brand with 30 years of US customer support.
Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro 25.4Qt
$229.99 (Amazon; $399.99 direct)
A 24 L stainless cavity with real steam, air fry, ferment and a steam self-clean cycle, backed by a 24-month warranty, for $229.99 on Amazon.
How they differ, factor by factor
| Factor | NuWave Combi Steam Oven 16Qt | Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro 25.4Qt |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239.39 on Amazon | $229.99 on Amazon; $399.99 direct from Ciarra |
| Capacity | 15 L (16 qt); 14.75 in wide | 24 L (25.4 qt); 17 in wide, fits a 12-inch pizza |
| Steam control | Adjustable 10 to 90% in SOUS VIDE and COMBO; capped at 50% above 355°F | None; Steam fixed at 212°F, combi modes have no humidity setting |
| Modes and max temp | Sous vide, steam, combo, air fry, toast, dehydrate; 450°F | 12 modes incl. ferment, sterilise, self-clean; 450°F per manual |
| Water tank | 1.2 L (40.6 oz), refillable mid-cook | 1 L (33.8 oz), no refilling once running |
| Brand and warranty | US brand since 1993; 12-month limited warranty | European hood brand, newer to ovens; 24-month warranty |
The full picture
NuWave Combi Steam Oven 16Qt
Adjustable steam percentage and a true 50 to 212°F sous vide mode at $239, from a brand with 30 years of US customer support.
- Steam is adjustable from 10% to 90% in SOUS VIDE and COMBO modes, set on the dial
- Sous vide mode, 50 to 212°F in 1°F steps, with no bag or water bath
- COMBO mode runs steam and air fry together, 50 to 425°F, for juicy-inside, crisp-outside results
- 1.2 L (40.6 oz) water tank, larger than the Ciarra's, plus three wattage settings (1800/1500/700 W)
- NuWave has sold countertop cookers in the US since 1993, with phone and email support in Illinois
- Only 15 L (16 qt); the Ciarra holds roughly 60% more
- Steam percentage is capped by temperature: at 355 to 425°F you get 10% to 50% at most
- Plain STEAM mode is fixed at 210°F; only the time can be changed
- Warranty is 12 months, continental US only, and you pay freight both ways on a claim
- No self-clean cycle, no probe, no app; the water tank is plastic and must be refilled mid-cook on long runs
Owner feedback is thinner than for Cuisinart or Anova, and much of it comes from review blogs rather than forums. The recurring praise is for the COMBO mode on roast chicken and for sous vide steak without a bag, and for replacing an air fryer, toaster and steamer with one box. The recurring complaints are the plastic reservoir, the learning curve across 120 presets, fan noise in air fry, and that it does not bake cakes or bread as evenly as a real oven. We have not found reports of early hardware failure, but the model is only about a year old.
Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro 25.4Qt
A 24 L stainless cavity with real steam, air fry, ferment and a steam self-clean cycle, backed by a 24-month warranty, for $229.99 on Amazon.
- 24 L (25.4 qt) cavity fits a 12-inch pizza or a whole chicken; the NuWave does not
- Twelve modes including Steam, Rapid Steam, Steam Convection, Air Fry, Ferment (85 to 115°F) and Dehydrate
- Steam self-clean cycle; NuWave has none
- 24-month warranty, double the NuWave's 12 months
- Stainless (SUS304) interior and trays; 1600 W draw is easier on older circuits than 1800 W
- No steam percentage control: Steam mode is fixed at 212°F and the combi modes have no humidity setting
- No sous vide mode and no probe
- Manual says water cannot be added once a cycle starts; the 1 L tank limits long steam runs
- Ciarra is a range-hood brand with a short track record in ovens; Trustpilot sits at 3.7/5 over 746 reviews
- Amazon listing says 430°F max while the manual and Ciarra say 450°F; the spec sheets do not agree
Reviews on Ciarra's own site are 93% positive, which is what you would expect from a brand-hosted page. Independent reviewers like the capacity, the fast steam start, the self-clean cycle and the crisp results in Steam Convection. Complaints are about counter space, trial and error to find settings, and the mismatch between Amazon and manufacturer specs. Trustpilot reviews of Ciarra as a company are mixed: friendly support, but recurring reports of shipping delays, defective units and slow refunds, with at least one owner saying the steam function did not produce steam.
Which should you buy?
Get the NuWave Combi Steam Oven 16Qt if…
Cooks who want to control the cooking, not just press a preset. If you intend to run sous vide steak or chicken, dial steam up for bread and down for roasting, or use COMBO for crisp skin on moist meat, the NuWave is the only one of the two that lets you. It suits one or two people with limited counter space, and buyers who would rather have a brand with a 30-year US service history than an extra year of paper warranty.
Get the Ciarra Nosh Oven Pro 25.4Qt if…
Families and batch cooks who need the bigger cavity and will mostly use the steam, steam-convection and air-fry presets as they come. The ferment mode and steam self-clean are real conveniences, and the 24-month warranty is reassuring on paper. Go in knowing there is no steam adjustment, no sous vide, and that Ciarra is still proving itself as an oven maker. Buy from Amazon rather than direct, since the same oven is $170 more on Ciarra's site.
Check current prices
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What owners of these ovens add in the first month. Affiliate links, at no cost to you; they never affect the verdict above.
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We build a comparison only when real buyers genuinely cross-shop the two models. Specs and positioning are checked against manufacturer documentation and dealer data; owner sentiment is drawn from real reviews and owner communities. Prices are shown as ranges because premium models vary by configuration and dealer.
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