Anova Sous Vide - Review

  • Anova Sous Vide review.

    Technically it should actually be called an Immersion Water Heater, as the term Sous Vide is French for Under Vacuum, but English is a fluid language and the term Sous Vide is now commonly used for the technique of cooking food vacuum sealed in a Water bath at a precise Temperature.

    So what is Sous Vide. Essentially I have explained it above. Food is cooked in a vacuum bag in water at a precise temperature. So why would you do this?

    Lets take a steak for example. If you want to cook a steak traditionally to medium rare, or to an internal temperature of say 55 degrees, by the time you heat the middle of the steak enough to get the centre to 55 degrees, the outside will be well done. In Sous Vide, you set the temperature of the water bath to 55 degrees and leave the steak to sit in the water for a longer time. When you remove it from the water bath the entire steak will be 55 degrees, not just the centre portion. You now simply need to caramelize the crust at a seriously hot temp to ensure you don't cook the meat any further, a blow torch is often used for this job, a cast iron skillet or a bbq seriously cranked up.


    Sous Vide machines come in two forms. All in one where it is a container and heater - looks similar to a slow cooker or deep fryer, or a cylindrical type tube which clips onto any pot or container that holds water.

    That is what the Anova Sous Vide is, it attaches to a pot or even an esky.


    Personally I prefer this type for three reason. It's cheaper, you can attach to any container so you are not limited to the size of a built in container, and it's much smaller so storage is simpler.

    The unit has an adjustable clamp which you simply turn and screw it to tighten. It has a rubber knob on the end which allows it to clamp down firmly on any container without fear of it coming undone.


    The lcd display is simple, it shows the current temperature of the water and the preset selected temperature. If I fill the pot with hot water from my tap (my hot water is regulated to 50 degrees), it only takes a few minutes to bring the water temp up to 55-60 degrees with the internal 1000w heater. The unit also has a small propeller in the base of it to circulate the water to ensure even heating thus eliminating cold spots.

    How accurate is it? The short answer to this is very. There is a built in PID controller and you can set the temperature to withing 0.1 of a degree. While for most applications you will not need this level of control, afterall does it really matter if my steak is 55 or 55.5 degrees, but when it comes to things like eggs it does matter.

    63 degree eggs have become trendy at some cafes. They are eggs cooked in a water bath at 63 degrees for an hour (or 63 minutes if the place is a bit more tossy). They are something everyone should try, the yolk is creamy and gelatinous, something that would be impossible to replicate without this level of control. And for the pleasure of sitting an egg in a water bath for an hour, you get to pay $20 for the experience.

    Now this is where the level of control I mentioned comes in. At the risk of sounding tossy myself, I'm not a big fan of the white done at 63 degrees. I prefer the white at (and here's the tossy bit) 63.7 degrees. And before you ask, yes you can tell the difference. The white is just that little bit more set and the yolk is still a wonderful creaminess. Through trial and error I've found if you go over 63.7 the yolk starts to set a little too much for my liking. I can replicate this every time I do an egg like this, which tells me the PID controller is clearly accurate.

    The unit is simple to use - set the temperature and walk away. There is a minimum and maximum mark for water depth clearly marked on the unit. In longer cooks you may need to top up the water due to evaporation.

    How much? Currently US$179 for non US version, and US$129 for the US version. This is the new model which has Bluetooth so you can control it with your phone. There is also a WiFi version but that is only currently available in the US.

    There are other options. A product called Sansaire which is $199, and another called Nomiku which is also $199. An interesting note is the Nomiku's development was paid for with a Kickstarter campaign and was the first of the 'affordable' Sous Vide machines.

    Anova is a company which has been making water baths and other sterilization equipment for hospitals and the health industry for many years and they used their expertise to bring out an 'affordable' Sous Vide machine for the home market. They also make larger more expensive units for use in restaurants. This is one of the reasons I chose the Anova as they had existing expertise and simply adapted products they already produce to create a home Sous Vide machine. The other two were startups and at the time and if I had gone with one of them I would have run the risk of buying a version 1 product from a start up.

    I have had mine for a touch over 2 years now and it has always performed faultlessly.



    Traeger - Weber Family Q - Ziggy Twin Burner - Charcoal Grill - Akorn Kamado - Hark Tri Fire - Jumbuck Pizza Oven - Go Anywhere - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Hibachi Grill - Anova Sous Vide x 2

    Edited once, last by Wazza (December 4, 2015 at 2:49 PM).

  • I've toyed with the idea of getting one too but I just can't get my head around cooking meat in a bag immersed in hot water. ?(

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • I would love to get one of these, I have seen a review from Kenji on seriouseats, it looks the goods. Where abouts did you get yours from?

    Got it online from their site. They are a great little machine, happy to recommend after 2 years of use. They have come down in price from what I paid, but that's what happens when you get in early on something. Still I don't regret having paid more with the use its got.


    I've toyed with the idea of getting one too but I just can't get my head around cooking meat in a bag immersed in hot water. ?(

    Gotta try it gumb, there is something pretty special about a 12 hour lamb shoulder done this way. Do I prefer 12 hour sous vide or 12 hour traeger lamb shoulder, that's like asking me to choose between Miranda Kerr or Jenniner Hawkins.



    Traeger - Weber Family Q - Ziggy Twin Burner - Charcoal Grill - Akorn Kamado - Hark Tri Fire - Jumbuck Pizza Oven - Go Anywhere - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Hibachi Grill - Anova Sous Vide x 2

  • that's like asking me to choose between Miranda Kerr or Jennifer Hawkins.

    I follow that but if Kylie was in the mix it would be no contest. ;)

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • I follow that but if Kylie was in the mix it would be no contest. ;)

    I wonder how Kylie likes her eggs in the morning?

    Like this perhaps?


    And yes, breakfast is on.



    Traeger - Weber Family Q - Ziggy Twin Burner - Charcoal Grill - Akorn Kamado - Hark Tri Fire - Jumbuck Pizza Oven - Go Anywhere - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Hibachi Grill - Anova Sous Vide x 2

  • I wonder how the other half live? Man I love these eggs. Kylie, if you're reading, you are too late, it's all gone.



    Traeger - Weber Family Q - Ziggy Twin Burner - Charcoal Grill - Akorn Kamado - Hark Tri Fire - Jumbuck Pizza Oven - Go Anywhere - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Hibachi Grill - Anova Sous Vide x 2

  • Well by the look of the eggs you have been practicing for a while Wazza. That is a cool tool will definitely grab one.
    $50 dollars off on the website at the moment as a holiday special

    Gasser Webber Q, Kamado Joe clasic, Dragon & Acorn, Webber Kettle, Fire Pit, Beer Keg smoker/cooker.

    Edited once, last by BBQ Smoke (December 10, 2015 at 8:23 AM).

  • Wondering if this would be a good way to reheat bbq leftovers which have been vac-sealed?

    If you've got the time and you don't want to over heat the food then yes. I know restaurants will for example if they have some steak in a vac bag in the sous vide and it's not required, they'll dunk it into an ice bath to get the temp down fast then into the fridge, then later they can put it back in the sous vide and bring it back up to temp, so is does happen. For most things though the microwave would be easier.



    Traeger - Weber Family Q - Ziggy Twin Burner - Charcoal Grill - Akorn Kamado - Hark Tri Fire - Jumbuck Pizza Oven - Go Anywhere - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Hibachi Grill - Anova Sous Vide x 2

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