Sous vide quickly became a popular cooking method with its precise and perfect food effects.
In the past, sous vide cooked food was only available in high-end restaurants of professional chefs, but in the past few years, more affordable sous vide immersion circulators have entered the home kitchen market. Now anyone and everyone can create their own perfect steak.
I spent countless hours reviewing sous vide cooker to find the 10 best sous vide cooker on the market.
10 Best Sous Vide Cooker Reviews
Anova Culinary AN500-US00 Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Precision Cooker provides the best overall value through its features, reliability, and price. Anova Culinary is a specialty of Sou Vide Precision Cooker and it is a well-known name for pasta.
If you are a home cook and want to make yourself value-for-money products, then Anova Precision Cooker is for you.
You will get a lot of power and speed to ensure a good water circulation to cook any type of food: chicken, fish, vegetables, eggs, beef, lamb, pork, etc. Anova also provides the flexibility of remote and onboard controls.
It is also perfect in size and can heat and circulate up to 20-quart water containers, allowing you to comfortably cook up to 6 adults.
Anova Precision Cookers also comes with the Anova app, which allows you to remotely control the time and temperature.
The app also comes with a list of preset recipes, you can choose from, it will automatically set the time and temperature. So you don’t have to look for recipes or find recipes online.
The Precision Cooker series of circulating pumps are amazing-you may have noticed that I listed these three versions in the list.
This is their benchmark product, in the middle, with all the functions you need to vacuum cook immediately.
Features
- Power 1000 watts
- The flow rate is 8 liters/minute.
- Wireless network connection
- Anova application
- Can cook continuously for 5,000 hours
- Temperature range: 0˚-92˚C (32˚-197˚F)
- Temperature accuracy: +/-0.1˚C (0.2˚F)
- IPX7 waterproof and splash-proof
- Control via induction cooker or via Wifi and Anova App
- Easy to choose pot or container
- Adjustable clamp
- 2-year warranty
- 100-day money-back guarantee
Pros
- Best overall value
- WiFi connection
- Anova’s reliability and expertise
Cons
- On the heavier side
Breville CS10001 Joule Sous Vide
Breville Joule (formerly known as ChefSteps Joule) is one of the most popular restaurants. If there is no Anova precision induction cooker, then Joule will be the best overall induction cooker.
Joule is small but equipped with technical features. It has Wifi and Bluetooth compatibility, an application, and supports Amazon Alexa. Not all of them are on this list.
The visual clarity feature in the Joule app shows you how food is made, allowing you to see the exact degree of cookedness and recipes tested by the chef.
There are also non-stainless steel versions, but we still prefer stainless steel quality. The price difference is negligible for the durability and quality of stainless steel.
If you are looking for how to use Joule, please refer to Joule’s user manual and user guide.
Features
- 1100 watts of power for super-fast hot water
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth ready
- Compatible with Amazon Alexa
- Small and stylish-11 inches high and weighs only 1.3 pounds
- Sell stainless steel cover and base
- Precise temperature control to 0.2°F/0.1°C
Pros
- Bluetooth and Wifi
- Lightweight and portable
- Fast and precise
- Store in a kitchen drawer
Cons
- High-end pricing in circulators
Wancle Thermal Immersion Circulator
Unlike previous immersion circulators with Wifi and Bluetooth functions, this device can return to the basics. Wancle cooker focuses on the core functions of the sous vide cooker itself.
The stainless steel sleeve makes it very easy to clean and dry. No other high-end equipment is needed.
The digital control panel makes the temperature accurate to 0.1°C, and the specific time is accurate to minutes. The wide temperature range and time control allow you to cook any type of food.
Find Wancle’s user manual and user guide here. Read my Wancle Sous Vide Cooker review here.
Features
- 850 watts
- High-temperature accuracy: ±0.01°C
- Temperature range: 25-99.9°C (77°F-211.8°F)
- Maximum time: 99 hours and 59 minutes
- stainless steel
- Overheating and low water level protection mechanism
- 2-year warranty
- Super sound-off
Pros
- Intelligent design, one-handed operation
- Very easy to use and works well
Cons
- Occasionally does not heat to the target temperature, so be careful
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
The Anova Precision Cooker Nano is small enough to fit in your kitchen drawer for quick and easy storage. But it is still strong enough to cook for your family of four.
Nano can be easily fixed to any water tank or container using a fixing clip and is made of super durable plastic that is easy to clean.
Features
- Power 750 watts
- The flow rate is 5 liters/minute.
- Bluetooth connection
- Anova application
- Can cook continuously for 3,000 hours
- Temperature range: 0˚-92˚C (32˚-197˚F)
- Temperature accuracy: +/-0.1˚C (0.2˚F)
- Control via induction cooker or via Wifi and Anova App
- Easy to choose pot or container
- Securing clip
- 2-year warranty
- 100-day money-back guarantee
Pros
- The best selling sous vide circulator
- Lightweight and portable
- Anova’s reliability and quality
Cons
- Not suitable for cooking with more than 5 people
Anova Culinary | Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Anova Precision Cooker Pro is Anova’s top induction cooker with the most power. It has many of the same Anova features, such as application and product quality, but the packaging is larger.
Anova says it can boil 105 quarts of water, so you can do some large gatherings. The trouble you will encounter is finding such a large container. It may be useful for small restaurants or the catering industry.
Features
- 1200 Watt power
- The flow rate is 12 liters/minute.
- Can heat up to 100 liters (105 quarts) of water
- Wireless network connection
- Anova application
- Can cook continuously for 10,000 hours
- Temperature range: 0˚-92˚C (32˚-197˚F)
- Temperature accuracy: +/-0.1˚C (0.2˚F)
- IPX7 waterproof and splash-proof
- Control via induction cooker or via Wifi and Anova App
- Easy to choose pot or container
- Adjustable clamp
- 2-year warranty
- 100-day money-back guarantee
Pros
- Easy-to-use technology
- Easy to use Anova help
- New cooking products
Cons
- Expensive, too expensive for a family of four
PolyScience CREATIVE Series Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Breville | PolyScience’s cutting-edge products are aimed at professional chefs and restaurants. Their products are very accurate because their users need to meet their customers’ expectations.
The PolyScience Creative series is suitable for home cooks who want the functions and functions of commercial cookware, but the price is suitable for home cooks.
Their sous vide Professional series began with their PolyScience Sous Vide Professional immersion circulator CLASSIC, which is the standard for professional kitchens.
They also have a PolyScience stainless steel integrated bath system. Then, they created the PolyScience CHEF series of Sous Vide commercial immersion circulators, which are cheaper than their Classic series.
If you are looking for commercial automatic dehumidifiers, these are good choices.
Features
- 1100 watts of power
- IHA Innovation Award Finalists
- Large backlit LCD screen display
- Robust fixture design
- Circulate and heat water to 20 quarts
- Pump flow adjustment
- Maximum temperature: 99°C (210°F)
- Temperature stability: ±0.07°C /±0.1°F
- Overheating protection
- Low liquid level safety
Pros
- Quality and accuracy of PolyScience
- Commercial and professional quality of the home
Cons
- Lack of apps like everyone else
- Higher price
KitchenBoss Sous Vide Cooker Machine
Kitchen Boss G300 and G310 are the same immersion circulator, except for the design of the top of the cookware. G300 is a 12-sided polygon, and G310 is a circle.
The Kitchen Boss Circulator is perfect for those who are looking for rice cookers at high prices. It still provides precise temperature and powerful enough features to effectively cook up to 15.85 quarts of water.
Both circulators have IPX7 waterproof function, which can resist steam and water from penetrating into the gap and destroying the circulator.
There is no need to worry about putting the circulator in the container, and it can be cleaned carefree.
If you want to learn more about the Kitchen Boss machine, I made a longer review.
Features
- 1100 watts of power
- IPX7 waterproof certification
- Can cook continuously for 10,000 hours
- Super sound-off
- Unique 3D circulating pump design can maintain water temperature evenly
- Temperature range: 104°F to 194°F (±0.2°F) / 40°C to 90°C (±0.1°C)
- Time setting: up to 99 hours and 59 minutes
Pros
- Great price and power
- Good temperature range
- Good two-needle clamp system, which can be firmly fixed on the container and pot
Cons
- No Bluetooth and Wifi
Inkbird WIFI Sous Vide Cookers
The Inkbird Sous Vide precision induction cooker also comes with the Inkbird app to manage the target temperature and time of the circulator. The app also has preset recipes.
A cool feature of Inkbird is that recipes can be set on the LED screen of the circulator without any application.
For 1000W and Wifi connections, Inkbird’s price and value are high.
Features
- Power 1000 watts
- Wireless network connection
- Temperature range: 77°F to 210°F (25°C to 99°C)
- Temperature accuracy: 0.1°C (1°F)
- Set time up to 99 hours and 59 minutes
- The minimum interval for time setting: 1 minute
Pros
- Accurate temperature and timer
- Rapid thermal cycling
- Wireless network connection
Cons
- The app is not the best
- Not waterproof
Chefman Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Chefman vacuum cooking pot, this application is very suitable for matching. Its 1,100 watts of power cannot be understated, and the app provides many cooking instruction videos to help you eat.
Chefman Sous Vide app (for iOS and Android). With step-by-step recipes, temperature guides, operation videos, tips, etc., you can make delicious food consistently!
Chefman cookware has built-in smart sensors for monitoring the water level, and flexible fixtures that can adapt to most pots and containers.
Features
- 1100 watts of power
- Bluetooth and Wifi connection
- App guide cooking
- The immersion circulator has a 360-direction pump and a touch screen LCD.
- CETL approved advanced safety technology for long-term durability
Pros
- Good function and price advantage
- User friendly, safe, and reliable
Cons
- Some have reported Wifi connection problems, but it can also be done manually
Sous Vide Immersion Circulator Cooker
A cool feature of the Gramercy Kitchen circulator is the delayed start timer. It allows you to set the cooker to start working later when needed, without needing to be there.
You can set the rice cooker to start, and when you go home later, you can prepare dinner.
Gramercy Kitchen’s cookware comes with a velvet storage cover to keep your sous vide machine clean. They also provide downloadable time and temperature guides to get you started sous vide cooking.
Features
- Power 800 watts
- Maximum temperature: 100C, 212F
- Thermal stability: +/- 1%C
- Delay start timer
- The stainless steel pump housing
- Specially designed vent cover prevents steam damage to the circulator
Pros
- Back to basics and finish the work
- Delay start timer
Cons
- No wifi or Bluetooth connection
Sous Vide cooker buying guide
When you research and find the best sous vide cooker for you, I added some of the most popular questions and considerations.
I know that a lot of information is scattered throughout the Internet, so I have compiled the most important information here.
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide cooking (pronounced SOO-Veed) is all about precision and perfection. Longer cooking time at precise low temperature to ensure perfectly cooked food.
This cooking method can cook food evenly, especially on steak. I think we know how difficult it is to cook or grill steak evenly.
The origin of Sous vide can be traced back to the 18th century when Benjamin Thompson tried to grill meat on a machine in order to find meat that was “not only edible but well done and tasted great” (source).
It wasn’t until the 1970s that French chef Georges Pralus (considered the father of sous vide) combined vacuum sealing with low-temperature cooking-inventing what we know today as sous vide.
Professional self-service cooking machines have begun to appear in restaurants, and self-service cooking food has been welcomed by many professional chefs in high-end restaurants.
It is more like a dining experience saved for special meals and events.
Since the mid-2000s, sous vide has become popular for home use. Sous vide circulators have appeared in American “Blacksmith” (Wylie Dufresne and Mario Batali) and “New York Times”, and sous vide circulators have begun to appear in household kitchens. In 2016, ChefSteps released Joule
How does Sous Vide work?
The soaking process is to vacuum seal the fresh food with seasonings in a bag, and then immerse the bag in water for about 1-7 hours at a precise low temperature.
The low-temperature cooking method helps to maintain the nutritional value and benefits of the food because the food is cooked at a constant low temperature, so the food can be cooked evenly.
In addition, it comes in a vacuum-sealed bag, so nutrients have nowhere to go.
After cooking the food, you can scorch the meat in the pot to keep the juice inside, while the outside has a crispy texture. It is especially popular with steaks because it can capture moisture and flavor inside, and cut into pieces to make a perfect steak.
The low-temperature cooking method has many different benefits.
Sous Vide benefits
1. Precision cooking
Compared with stove or stove, the vacuum heat exchanger between water and food is smoother and more consistent. The lower temperature and longer cooking time allow food to be cooked evenly again and again.
You can cook various foods such as ribs, pork shoulder, and other meats. It is used not only for meat but also for vegetables.
Have ever been to a high-end restaurant and wonder why your food is much slower than the wall-mounted restaurant around the corner?
This is because the chef will spend some time trying to make sure that the food is cooked as evenly as possible. This is how the food is delicious.
Take a look at the inconsistency between normally cooked steak and hot and sour steak, the latter is always cooked inside. What looks more delicious?
Regarding the lower temperature, the water is still very hot, so do not reach into it. The temperature of the water is sufficient to kill bacteria in food, so there is no need to worry about health and safety.
The balance between time and temperature will result in pasteurization, which is the killing of bacteria-making food safe.
2. Delicious and delicious-perfect
Longer cooking time can also give your food more flavor. Just like using other cooking methods to marinate steak, fish, chicken, and other foods, you can also marinate them in soy sauce.
You can also put seasonings, spices, and oils in a plastic bag to taste. Think about the time you usually marinate your steak and why you should marinate it in the first place.
Then think about the marinade and how long the steak will keep the marinade in the bag and absorb and cook evenly throughout the process.
3. Rich in nutrition
High calories destroy the nutritional value and benefits of food. High-temperature cooking can lead to substantial losses of vitamins and minerals in vegetables and other foods (New York Times article).
Sous vide’s low temperature and in-bag cooking method will retain more important vitamins and nutritional value.
4. Durable
Food in a vacuum consumes less oxidation, which means a longer shelf life. It is based on many factors, including how long it takes to store fresh food safely.
Food cooked at a high temperature can only be discarded for less than 48 hours to a week before being thrown away or placed in the refrigerator.
5. Minimal time in the kitchen
Sous vide cooking is a simple process, using a bag + water, which means you can reduce the time of slavery in the kitchen, so you can pay close attention to the way the food is cooked.
It is not a “one-and-for-all” method, but it will do your best when cooking.
Pros and cons of Sous Vide
Pros
- This is a healthy cooking method. Although other cooking methods eliminate nutrients, this method is different. Cooking three dishes protects all the ingredients, so they can bring many benefits to your customers
- The food produces the most flavor due to cold processing.
- It allows you to pre-cook the meat until it loses quality and flavor. It can be cooked and refrigerated 2-3 days before consumption. In this way, if there are too many guests cooking rice on the same day, you can eat it right away and just reheat it.
Cons
- This method is not suitable for all types of food. The taste will be lost through soybean processing. For example, you cannot cook with alcohol, you cannot use garlic, etc. The taste of white wine may be pregnant, and the drink will not breathe under the safe vodka seal.
- Despite setting the temperature, the baking sauce is not always as good as traditional cooking methods. This is not the best choice when you have to cook in a hurry. The cooking process of this meal is slow and gradual, depending on your eating habits.
- Equipment is required for immersion cooking. You will need a water storage bag and a large jar or container for the pool, so additional costs will be incurred.
Now your mouth may be a little drooling, and you want to start making some delicious sous vide cooking, let’s talk about the choice of sous vide cookware at home or even in small restaurants.
These will not meet the needs of larger commercial restaurants and kitchens, because you need commercial vacuum cooking pots prepared for this.
Types of sous vide cooker
There are two main types of immersion cookers that can be used to cook perfect food: immersion circulators and water ovens. Both options still use vacuum sealers and vacuum-sealed food bags immersed in water.
Sous Vide immersion circulator
The immersion circulator is the most widely used product among all sous vides household cookware. These rockers are made for portability and convenience.
Compared with water ovens, these circulators are cheaper, but their operating prices are still more than $60 to $500.
I am focusing on the immersion circulator here, but the water oven is also a popular type of sous vide machine.
Sous Vide water oven
The water oven is an all-in-one circulator and container because it does not require two separate devices. These are also called water baths or bathtubs.
You just need to add water, set the target temperature, and then put the food bag in while heating the water.
Sous Vide Immersion Circulator VS Water Oven
Both the circulator and the oven can make you cook quickly. Which choice depends on your lifestyle and needs. Here are some tips to help you decide whether a circulator or an oven is better for you:
If you meet the following conditions, please purchase an immersion circulator:
- Low budget
- Cook for more than 4 guests
- Want to flexibly match different portable containers, lids, shelves, and accessories
- Like the ability to store the circulator in a drawer
If you have the following conditions, please buy a water oven:
- Have a higher budget
- Cook 1-3 people
- Want an all-in-one solution
- There is a large countertop on which the oven can sit
I personally prefer to use containers of different sizes flexibly, depending on whether I cook for my family or guests.
Sous vide may take several hours to cook a round of food, so if there are guests, I cannot cook multiple rounds of steak.
However, if you do plan to receive many guests, you can cook the meat in advance to prepare it for a few days. Pre-cooking is a huge advantage of sous-vide cooking.
All of these will not lose taste and flavor. You can cook up to 2-3 days before guests arrive.
After the food is cooked, you need to cool it immediately in an ice bath, and then put it in the refrigerator or freezer (if you don’t want to eat it within 48 hours).
To reheat food with sauce, put the food back in the water bath and cook at 2-5 degrees Celsius (maximum 9 degrees Fahrenheit) below the original cooking temperature for about half of the original cooking time.
In this way, if there are too many guests cooking rice on the same day, you can eat it right away and just reheat it.
What to look for when buying a Sous Vide cooker
All automatic dehumidifiers heat water, but what makes them unique is the power and other technologies.
Let’s take a look at some of the features to consider when buying sous vide induction cooker that best suits your needs.
Power and speed
The power range of Sous Vide immersion circulators is usually from 800 to 1200 watts. The more wattage of the circulator, the higher the price of the circulator.
The greater the power of a domestic steam cooker, the faster the water can be heated to the desired temperature.
Based on my experience and tests, an 800W circulator heats water from room temperature to 135°F in about 20 minutes. The 1000W circulator takes about 15 minutes.
A few minutes will not have a big impact on the whole cooking process. The whole process may take several hours, but it is good to know that when you put cold food in hot water, the water will heat up faster.
If you want to get more power, remember the circuit breaker and don’t plug too many other things into the same socket as the circulator.
Accuracy
Vous cooking temperature is approximately accurate, so you need a circulator as accurately as possible.
Due to the setting and environment, the circulator will always deviate a little bit, so if your error range is around ±0.5°F /±0.3°C, don’t worry.
You don’t want the temperature to rise to ±1.0°F / ±0.6°C. This is a huge difference and will affect your food.
Ensuring that all the water in the circulator is at the same temperature also guarantees accuracy. The immersion circulator should be immersed in water and circulate the water. You don’t want any hot or cold spots in the water.
Price
Prices range from 60 USD to over 500 USD. I have seen sous-vide cooking pots for about 30 to 40 dollars, but I usually avoid this cookware.
Due to the potential safety issues of poor quality parts, I am not satisfied with any product that is too low in price. But that’s just me. I know there may be good reviews on the Amazon listing, but are they real reviews?
Good liquidators will usually be in the $80-$200 price range. You can increase the functionality to a higher level, but you can usually find high-quality sous vide induction cookers in this range.
Container flexibility
The advantage of the immersion circulator is that you can choose a water container. Most circulators can be put in any container, but you need to check specific circulators to ensure safety.
Another thing to consider for the container is the size of the container and whether the circulator will sufficiently heat the water in the large container.
In the water container-buying guide, I will think more about the container.
You need to consider factors such as heat loss, moisture evaporation, and size range.
If you don’t have much space in your home, you can look for rubber containers, such as Rubbermaid commercial space-saving containers.
Control-remote and onboard
Many circulators today have Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth connectivity, so you can control the circulator on your phone. If you don’t want to get up to check the temperature and food, a remote connection is very useful.
Downloading the app is an extra step, it is the second device we need to manage, so I still prefer to use the onboard controls.
Built-in timer
For me, the timer is an important function of the sous vide circulator. It’s nice to know how much time is left in the countdown.
You want your food to be in a temperature danger zone of 40°F to 140°F/4°C to 60°C because then bacteria will start to grow in your food.
If you don’t know how much time is left, and the water starts to cool down slowly, you may grow bacteria.
Where can I buy Sous Vide cooker?
Artificial cooking has become more and more popular and common in many households. In this way, household vacuum furnaces can be purchased in most electronics stores, and of course online markets such as Amazon.
I usually shop on Amazon because I have Amazon Prime, so free shipping would be better.
If you don’t have Amazon Prime, then you definitely deserve it because you can get Amazon movies and TV series, Kindle books, and more. Amazon Prime is very worthwhile.
Whether you are buying on Amazon or at your local Best Buy or Bed Bath & Beyond, make sure you have a warranty and check the return policy.
Hope you don’t need to use a warranty or return policy, but you never know. It is always good to have it.
Conclusion
Hope I can help you make a wise decision to choose the best home cooking pot for you.
If you just buy the first sous vide cooker, welcome to the sous vide family! This is a very simple cooking method, I know you will enjoy perfect cooking food.
As you continue the long journey, please start paying attention to the vacuum sealer and kitchen torch for a better cooking experience.
You can also test many types of sous vide bags: freezer bags, reusable silicone bags, resealable bags, etc. Even canned cans can be cooked in soda water.
If you own a restaurant, then you will want to get professional sous vide cooker. I plan to write an article about professional cookers for small restaurants.
Enjoy your fast cooked food!
FAQs
How big a container is needed?
How big the container you need depends on the number of people you usually want to cook. A good guideline is 3-4 quarts per adult. Usually, a 12-quart container is suitable for a family of four. This is a convenient guideline:
Container less than 12 quarts: 2 adults.
- 12 quarts: 2-3 adults; a family of four (2 adults, 2 children).
- 18 quarts: adults 4-6 years old
- 26 quarts: 10 adults
What kind of food can the Sous Vide machine cook?
This is probably the most common question about sous-vide cooking. Many people think of only making steak with sauce. However, there are many other foods that can be cooked.
Any sous vide circulator will allow you to cook:
- pork
- Chickens
- egg
- fish
- Desserts (including jars)
- beef
- vegetables
At what temperature should I set Sous Vide?
Different foods require different temperatures, so you need to check the recipe.
Check out Anova’s Sous Vide time and temperature guide to find a detailed list of various foods and cooking times and times.
How do I clean the Sous Vide stick?
The electric massage stick only comes into contact with clean water, so cleaning is not a problem. It is sufficient to wipe dry with a clean cloth after each use. If the manufacturer has added cleaning instructions, follow these instructions.
Avoid using cleaning agents, as this will damage the circulator!
How much water does Vous need to cook?
There is no precise guideline for how many liters of water is needed during cooking. The bags must be covered by water, and there must be free space for water to flow around them.
Some circulators will mark the lowest and highest water level lines on their poles, so you need to make sure that the water level is between these lines.
How to reheat Vous cooked food?
Put the pasty cooked food back into the vacuum-sealed bag and put it in the water container. You need to set the temperature to 2-5°C/4-9°F lower than the original cooking temperature. The reheating time is about half of the original cooking time.
Where can I find the recipe?
There are many recipes in the Top Sous Vide recipe section. The Internet is certainly a good resource. Some vacuum cooking pots such as Anova and Joule also have mobile apps with step-by-step recipes.
Why is the Sous Vide cooker popular?
Sous vide is popular because it produces consistently perfectly cooked food with a delicious taste. Home chefs can cook restaurant-quality food effortlessly. The water temperature and time are set, and cooking is surprising.