Associate
Thanks, so the wifi just means I can monitor remotely not start it up or anything? Was just thinking would be handy if it was a 4 hour cook I could start it up whilst at work.
Anova Precision Cooker - cook sous vide with your iPhone.
- Thread starter glitch
- Start date
The WiFi model will afford you that ability, but I ask you this - what use is it? Can you think of something you'd be willing to leave in a cold waterbath for 4 hours or so and then cook through?
I've never found a use for the App or had any desire to remotely start or monitor my cooks, but I'd be genuinely interested to hear if you, or anyone else, can show me a use case for such functionality.
I've never found a use for the App or had any desire to remotely start or monitor my cooks, but I'd be genuinely interested to hear if you, or anyone else, can show me a use case for such functionality.
Man of Honour
I suppose if you were concerned about getting some steaks just right for just when you got home you could put them in an ice bath in the morning and then turn on the anova shortly before you got home.
....that's about the best case I can think of. A bit of a reach to say the least.
I think it's a pretty common misconception borne of the idea of slow cookers though. I totally thought that kind of functionality would be useful until I got more familiar with sous-vide cooking.
....that's about the best case I can think of. A bit of a reach to say the least.
I think it's a pretty common misconception borne of the idea of slow cookers though. I totally thought that kind of functionality would be useful until I got more familiar with sous-vide cooking.
Associate
Points taken, I'd assumed it useful but shall bow to the better knowledge and save the difference
Agreed.
I never saw the point of it and still don't even to this day, but I'm sure someone, somewhere makes use of it!
The App, now that I can get behind. Very useful for those starting out.
I honestly cannot say for sure if you'll get mileage from the WiFi model as only you would know that, but I can say with some degree of certainty that the Bluetooth version will do everything you need it to and more.
Spend the money you save on some accessories (polycarbonate Gastronorm-style container would be my choice) and just enjoy experimenting with sous vide.
You'll find no shortage of advice and assistance here, what with the likes of FrenchTart, Moses, Jolteh and others on hand to help.
Man of Honour
Good choice Itchytrigg 
Glad you didn't take our advice as having a dig. I've personally been through the exact same thought process and probably would've considered the wifi version had it been available at the time. I was definitely really interested in the app for similar reasons but having tried it, it isn't great (for that). What it is good for - as glitch has mentioned - is exposing you to recipes/techniques.
Glad you didn't take our advice as having a dig. I've personally been through the exact same thought process and probably would've considered the wifi version had it been available at the time. I was definitely really interested in the app for similar reasons but having tried it, it isn't great (for that). What it is good for - as glitch has mentioned - is exposing you to recipes/techniques.
Associate
Good choice Itchytrigg
Glad you didn't take our advice as having a dig. I've personally been through the exact same thought process and probably would've considered the wifi version had it been available at the time. I was definitely really interested in the app for similar reasons but having tried it, it isn't great (for that). What it is good for - as glitch has mentioned - is exposing you to recipes/techniques.
Not at all, and is why I asked
Shall be placing the order and opening my mind to the world of sous vide!
Associate
I too have just ordered the Bluetooth version. It's due between the 5th and 12th of December, hoping it's sooner as I'm moving flat on the 10th 
Man of Honour
Nice one SoliD.
Check out the ChefSteps stuff (though I'd recommend halving the salt content) for some awesome ideas. Their pork shoulder steak technique is a particularly good way to demonstrate achieving results that you can only really achieve with sous-vide cooking.
Root vegetables with some herbs + butter given ~20 mins @85C before dumping the whole thing in a pan to caramelise the outside are also awesome. Parsnips and carrots work very well with this technique.
Check out the ChefSteps stuff (though I'd recommend halving the salt content) for some awesome ideas. Their pork shoulder steak technique is a particularly good way to demonstrate achieving results that you can only really achieve with sous-vide cooking.
Root vegetables with some herbs + butter given ~20 mins @85C before dumping the whole thing in a pan to caramelise the outside are also awesome. Parsnips and carrots work very well with this technique.
Associate
Trying to find out about how to cook different things at the same time. For example, if I wanted to have some sous vide carrots with my sous vide steak, do you just have to compromise?
Man of Honour
For those two things you would, yes. They both require very different temperatures (~55C vs ~85C). That said, you could easily cook a steak then take it out whilst you do your veg for 20 minutes. The steak would easily come back to temperature when you performed the sear step at the end.
Sometimes you combine things however:
Warning, only partially starred sweary on the site linked below
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/can-t-f-it-up-eggs-benedict
Associate
Ordered up, so very excited for 5th-12th December 
I think eggs shall be first
I think eggs shall be first
For those two things you would, yes. They both require very different temperatures (~55C vs ~85C). That said, you could easily cook a steak then take it out whilst you do your veg for 20 minutes. The steak would easily come back to temperature when you performed the sear step at the end.
Sometimes you combine things however:
Warning, only partially starred sweary on the site linked below
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/can-t-f-it-up-eggs-benedict
I am tempted to get a second as I would like to be able to do veg alongside meat more often. I can see my wife not approving of this.
Man of Honour
Ordered up, so very excited for 5th-12th December
I do love sous-vide eggs
Be prepared for the first couple you do to not be exactly as you expected though. Personally I've found that compared to the illustrations in the egg calculator it's always best to go one step firmer for whites and one step less firm for yolks.
I've been tempted by a second one in the past but I think there's only been a handful of times where it was really required. That said... I'm still tempted
Thanks FT, that last few sounds awesome as I love my root veg! Hopefully be here sooner rather than later. Not sure about the one for my parents but their coming round pre Christmas so will use to cook for them and gauge their reaction.
In case anyone was weighing up the choice between the Anova and the Joule, rest assured that you're making the right choice with the Anova.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/joule-sous-vide-immersion-circulator-review.html
In short:
- magnetic base a great idea for suitable vessels but clamp for cambro/gastronorm is rubbish
- efficient heating unit and very quiet in use
- no visible display on the unit necessitates the use of a smartphone
- multiple Joule units currently require their own dedicated smartphone
I know Kenji says he'd recommend the two products equally, but the Joule is deeply flawed in my book. No visible controls and no other way of using it without a smartphone is a huge oversight on a product that otherwise seems to have been so well thought out.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/joule-sous-vide-immersion-circulator-review.html
In short:
- magnetic base a great idea for suitable vessels but clamp for cambro/gastronorm is rubbish
- efficient heating unit and very quiet in use
- no visible display on the unit necessitates the use of a smartphone
- multiple Joule units currently require their own dedicated smartphone
I know Kenji says he'd recommend the two products equally, but the Joule is deeply flawed in my book. No visible controls and no other way of using it without a smartphone is a huge oversight on a product that otherwise seems to have been so well thought out.
Regardless of how ubiquitous smartphones are, building in reliance on another piece of technology to use Joule is plain stupidity. It makes it harder to use and it limits its lifespan and user base. And its not like the design of the Joule wouldn't allow for manual controls - it looks almost tailor-made to have a dial at the top with a display for the temperature.
Size and weight are almost irrelevant with an immersion circulator as the defining factor with cooking this way is the container of water you're using, not the size of the device. And a magnetic base is all well and good, providing you have a ferromagnetic container to use it with; and a big one at that if you're doing anything serious with it.
And yes, they are working on better clips. But they are also working on the limitations of the smartphone app and, well, these are things that should have been dealt with of before they launched the product.
Joule solves problems nobody seems to have and feels like ChefSteps have taken design cues from Apple in both form and function.
To paraphrase Clarkson; if someone gave me a Joule I'd defend it to the hilt. But would I buy one, with money? No, absolutely not.