Anova's Kickstarter for their second generation sous vide unit, the Anova Precision Cooker, was a roaring success. I was an early backer and got a great deal on the Anova Precision Cooker. It finally arrived last month.
I had to wait longer because I wanted it in red.
It was worth the wait. The Precision Cooker is light, compact, inexpensive ($179), and easy to use. The controls are simple - a temperature display, a touchscreen play button, and a glowing blue scroll wheel to adjust the temperature. (The play button acts as the control button for the other functions - press it for three seconds to switch between °F and °C; press it for eight seconds to turn on the timer mode). I love the simple interface - it's obvious how to adjust the unit, and easy to get started. It also has an adjustable clamp; it slides up and down on the unit, so it will fit in a wide range of pots.
Is it perfect? Almost…but not entirely. Unlike the all-in-one SousVide Supreme unit, the Anova is just a water circulator. You have to provide a separate pot or food storage container to hold the water. It is not as precise as the PolyScience Professional Creative. The Anova would occasionally drift +/- of 0.1°F away from the target temperature; the PolyScience holds the temperature +/- 0.01°F.
Both of these are minor complaints; the Anova costs half as much as both of those units. Providing your own food storage container isn't a big of a deal - if you have a pasta pot, you're ready to go. And, plus or minus a tenth of a degree isn't going to affect your sous vide cooking at all.
 |
| 8 quart brining container is now a sous vide water bath |
Summary
If you have dabbled with Beer Cooler Sous Vide, enjoyed a perfectly medium-rare steak (or three), and want to move up to a real immersion circulator at a low price, this is the unit to get. It's a solid unit at a great price, and will keep you happily sous videing* for years. And, as a gadget geek, I can't wait for them to come out with the bluetooth app, so I don't have to get my lazy butt off the sofa can check on my sous vide from the living room.
Vieding is a word, right? No? How about "precision cooking for years" - sounds better.
Highly Recommended
Anova Precision Cooker [AnovaCulinary.com]
Note: as of the time of this writing, the Precision Cooker is only available through AnovaCulinary.com, and is back-ordered with a 2-3 week wait time for shipping.
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
SousVide Supreme Demi First Impressions (and Sous Vide Grilled New York Strip Steaks
Review: PolyScience Professional Creative Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Beer Cooler Sous Vide Grilled New York Strip Steaks
Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via eMail or RSS reader, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, and buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.
Rev says
So it's still a little bit more than I can spend at the moment, but I'm curious about a couple things. I can kinda see the scale, but can't find the dimensions on the website. I'm wondering if it would be possible to cut a hole in the lid of a cooler and slide this in; would it reach the water? Or does it have a volume limit to what it can maintain?
I'm very interested in expanding to sousvide cooking, but haven't gotten past a little beer cooler dabbling yet. I'm looking for the cheapest, best way to get in, but I've also really got my eye on the Mellow.
Mike V says
Cut a hole in a cooler: No, the clamp is too small. I'd suggest a Dutch oven or stock pot instead.
Howard says
Okay, I'm in! The Anova unit looks like it fits my price pain point especially now that I see it is down to $125.
It looks like I'd also need to buy a vacuum seal unit, right? What recommendation do you have for that?
One of the more expensive units has a plastic tub with a custom cut lid. What do you recommend for a Tub and lid combination. For example how big a tub do I need for as 3+ pound boneless pork shoulder or short ribs for 8 people?. A large Cambro unit or something else?
Thanks Mike
Mike V says
I have a cheapie FoodSaver that I bought at a local store - I'd check on Amazon and see which ones are getting good reviews. (I'd love to have a chamber vacuuum, but those start north of $500. Someday...)
I have that Cambro plastic tub with a custom cut lid, and it's great - but you can save a few dollars by buying the same tub with a sliding lid on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/PolyScience-Culinary-Custom-Cut-Polycarbonate-Circulator/dp/B00TOB9P8O/?tag=dadcoodin09-20
http://www.amazon.com/Cambro-12189CW135-Polycarbonate-Storage-Camwear/dp/B002NQB63E/?tag=dadcoodin09-20
That tub holds 4.75 gallons, which is big enough for everything, and I use it for everything, but for smaller cooks (like, Steak for 2) I can get away with a 12 quart stockpot or my 8 quart rubbermaid food service container:
http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG630800CLR-Space-Saving-Container/dp/B004P1HTZY/?tag=dadcoodin09-20
Good luck - you'll love sous vide!
If you can afford it
avete un distributore in ITALY? says
E' MOLTO INTERESSANTE, MA COSTA TROPPO LA SPEDIZIONE. AVETE UN DISTRIBUTORE IN ITALIA? GRAZIE. SECONDA DOMANDA: ACQUISTANDONE DUE IL COSTO DI SPEDIZIONE QUANTO E'? ATTENDO RISPOSTA. GRAZIE. RENATA
Mike V says
Renata,
Io non vendo la Anova - questa è una recensione sul mio blog. Contattate AnovaCulinary.com con la tua domanda.
Buona fortuna!