Sous vide is a form of water bath cooking that ensures your food is evenly cooked without exceeding the water temperature by even a degree. Though the cooking technique was previously common only among chefs in restaurants, it is currently accessible to even domestic cooks.
A sous vide cooker is basically a stick inserted into a water pot to heat the water. It then maintains the temperature at a set value while the water circulates. This leaves no cool or hot spots. One of the advantages of using this cooking technique is the freedom to cook anything. This is because the cooking method is steady and slow.
You might need to cook a steak for a couple of hours while using a Sous vide pot as compared to directly heating it over a grill for only a few minutes. However, your patience will be rewarded in the form of food cooked to perfection.
The sous vide cooking method has quickly risen to popularity because of its perfect results and precision. If you wish to invest in such a cooking technique, you have come to the right place. Here are five of the best sous vide cooking machines.
Comparison Chart
Sous Vide Reviews
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Cooker
This precision sous vide cooker from Anova is one of the best immersion circulators available on the market today. Its display has onboard control making it easy and convenient to use. You will appreciate the ability to calibrate and set up the sous vide water bath. What’s more, you do not require your phone to do this; therefore, no messy ingredients spillage on your phone.
If you love connected devices and app integration, you are covered with this Anova Precision Cooker. It features Bluetooth capabilities as well as being Wi-Fi enabled. Furthermore, it has an app of its own that gives you hands-off control.
Review
Are you a domestic chef who loves ensuring their kitchen appliances are worthwhile investments? Then the Anova Precision Cooker is your best bet. It offers excellent value for money by giving you great speed and power that guarantees excellent water circulation. This facilitates a proper cooking process of a variety of foods from vegetables to meats such as chicken, eggs, fish, lamb, beef, and pork.
Moreover, the Anova sous vide cooker affords you flexibility thanks to its onboard and remote controls. You can calibrate it manually using the buttons or use the app for a hands-off experience. In addition to setting the cooking temperature and time remotely, the app also comes with recipes you can incorporate into your cooking routines. What’s more about these recipes is that they are automatically preset, so when you select them, the app automatically sets the time and temperature. This saves you the hassle of having to go through cookbooks or online recipes.
This Anova Cooker also has a perfect size, meaning it can circulate and heat your water container to a maximum of 20 quarts. This allows you to cook comfortably for a maximum of six adults.
When it comes to durability, this unit does not disappoint. It can run for 10,000 hours continuously without being switched off. That speaks volumes about its performance. The stainless-steel exterior also ensures that your device lasts longer and does not corrode.
One downside of this product is that the Wi-Fi connectivity sometimes fails, which can affect the app’s control.
Pros
- Quiet operation
- Accurate temperature controls
- Cleaning the cooker is easy
- Storage convenience thanks to its compact design
Cons
- Poor Wi-Fi hardware
Breville CS20001 Joule Sous Vide Machine
The Breville Joule is a marvelous sous vide device that is fitted into an impressively compact and lightweight device. With it, you get about everything you would need in a domestic immersion circulator. It is highly accurate, heats water quietly and fast, and has a sleek design. These complement its other innovative features, such as the magnetic base to ensure it securely clings to the bottom of various pots.
However, there is a major drawback to this device – it lacks a display onboard and may only be operated via a secondary technology piece such as a tablet, smartphone, or an Alexa-enabled gadget. Even so, the Breville has an intuitive app that is easy on your eyes and simple to use.
Review
The introduction of the Joule came in 2016. It came from a company called ChefSteps that, since then, has been acquired by Breville. The cooker is filled with awesome features and ranks among the best, smallest available sous vide machines with a height of only 11 inches. Therefore, it can be comfortably stored in a kitchen drawer.
This sous vide appliance features a side clip and magnetic base to enable you to use it in various containers with at least 1.5 inches of water in your pot. On the upper limit, it is capable of holding a maximum of 10 water gallons.
For performance, the ChefSteps Joule is easy and quick to use. How fast is it? It can heat a water stockpot to 130 °F in under 12 minutes! And thanks to the precision of its temperature control, you can leave food in the water bath for longer than necessary without the risk of overcooking it.
This machine can only be controlled using its app; therefore, you need an Apple or Android device to set and regulate it. Additionally, it is compatible with Amazon Alexa’s feedback and voice control. Also, another issue is that you will have to dig deeper into your pocket to get it as it costs more. However, rest assured that you will get value for money with this product.
Pros
- Inviting and minimalistic aesthetics
- Compact size fits on any counter
- Quick and powerful preheat
- Remote control capabilities
Cons
- It is costly
- Only controllable through the app
Inkbird Sous Vide Cooking Machine
The Inkbird sous vide cooker is great mid-range sous vide if you are searching for excellent build quality and ease of use of a cooker. It is 2.5 GHz Wi-Fi enabled to add on to your convenience. This cooker has an accuracy of about 0.1 °C. Furthermore, it features LCD touch navigation – though you might miss the more mechanical displays. Among the standout features of the Inkbird is the ultra-quiet, lower than 40 decibels operation, and steady temperature. You also have the option of choosing a package that includes a vacuum sealer and bag kits from the same company.
Review
This sous vide is among the first such devices coming from Inkbird. Mainly appreciated for its cooking temperature controller, it is not a surprise that the temperature accuracy of this Inkbird Sous Vide is high. Its precise temperature accuracy is one of the best among the sous vide devices in the market.
When you get the complimentary Inkbird Smart app, you can monitor and control your sous vide meal preparation on an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Additionally, the app is available for both Android and iPhone. However, it is important to note that you need a router that is at least 2.4 GHz for the app to work properly.
If you are more of a hands-on person and are reluctant about using the app, you have the option of easily setting the temperature and time on the actual device. The LCD of this Inkbird and its buttons are also easy to use. The app’s menu includes various cooking guides though they aren’t a lot.
Lastly, you will enjoy the quiet operation of this machine. It effortlessly heats up to 20 liters of water without vibrating or humming too much.
Pros
- A high degree of accuracy
- The smart app is easy to use
- Convenient pricing
- Wi-Fi integration
- Free from noise
Cons
- Underwhelming app performance for routers that aren’t 2.4 GHz
SOUSVIDE ART Vide Machine
What you get with the SOUSVIDE ART Precision Cooker is a wide range of cooking options. Whether you are hosting dinner parties or simply need to prepare a home-cooked meal of fish, chicken, egg, veggies, beef, meat, pork, or lamb, you can have it all. The superior technology employed in the assembly of the device allows you to retain extra nutrients, lock in flavor, and realize a soft, restaurant-like dish right in your kitchen.
Review
This affordable precision cooker will uniformly maintain actual temperatures regardless of your pot water levels. It comes with 800 watts of power that’s easily regulated using the onboard controls. The superior technology used in developing this unit ensures it maintains an exact temperature throughout your food preparation, thus locking in the flavors for any type of food.
Through the cooker, you can realize tastier and healthier cooking thanks to the high-end sous vide tech that preserves extra vitamins and nutrients in your dish. It accomplishes this without the need for extra fats or oils necessary for flavoring.
Additionally, it comes with 30 reusable bags in different sizes for storing various foods. Moreover, these bags are BPA-free. However, they aren’t of top quality and sometimes allow moisture inside.
Included in the package of the sous vide machine are clips and several clamps to help you secure it inside any water pot. There is also a complimentary recipe book that is a great addition for anyone trying out sous vide cooking for the first time.
Pros
- 30 free reusable bags
- Comes with a vacuum pump
- The removable tube is easy to clean
- Precise and accurate temperature control
- LED touch control
- Affordable
Con
- The bags are not of the best quality
Greater Goods Kitchen Sous Vide
Greater Goods Kitchen Sous Vide provides you with a cooking device that can be used by just about anyone to make nutritious and delicious meals. All you need to do is stick it in your water bath and you will be on your way to your desired temperature. You can then add your ingredients to the bag, dip it, and you will be set to go.
The Greater Goods deluxe sous vide cooker packs both power and silent operation. You can finally do away with those slow cook pots and embrace this excellent kitchen utility to fulfill all your home cooking requirements.
Review
With 1100 Watts of power, this immersion cooker is a powerful device guaranteed to match your temperature requirements in no time. You will no longer have to wait long for dinner.
The sous vide machine also features a wide range of temperatures of 68 to 203 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows you to slow cook any kind of food until it’s deliciously done and cooked to perfection.
Power is not the only thing this unit is known for. It also runs its operations quietly due to its brushless motor. The only sounds you will hear coming from your cooking pot are gentle ripples, even when it’s running at high temperatures.
Ease of use is another excellent feature. You just put it inside water, add your bag of food, and once the desired temperature is set, you leave it to do its job.
If you are one for aesthetics, you will love the beautiful exterior of this appliance. It’s made of stainless steel and has a gorgeous glossy finish.
In terms of monitoring, the device can be set to degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. It also comes with a negative timer that will indicate how long your food has cooked past the set time.
You can remove the stainless-steel cover to clean your appliance, which is made easy since it’s dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Sleek, beautiful design
- Wide temperature range
- Easy and quick to use
- Very quiet
Con
- Doesn’t come with an app
Final Verdict
Identifying the best sous vide can be a challenging process. Although you have unlimited options, this buying guide helps you navigate the sous vide world by giving you the best and most practical appliances available today. Our overall best pick is the Anova Precision Cooker, which guarantees precision and quality in your kitchen endeavors.
If you need cheaper alternatives, we highly recommend the Inkbird Sous Vide Cooking Machine and SOUSVIDE ART Vide Machine. For those who may want a wide temperature range, the Greater Goods Kitchen Sous Vide is your best bet.