I am new and was about to buy a unit was hoping I could get some guidance here to save me from buying crappy gear that will end up on craigs or the trash. Any special great features to look for or do they all function pretty much the same?
Look at the Anova and Joule. Whether you need wireless is up to you. I don't because I don't do many interventions while it's running. They're both great values. Another one with a bit more oomph is the VacMaster https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/sv1-s...on-circulator/ . It's also bigger and costs more.
BriggsBBQ I purchased the crummy sous vide machine you speak of and it is not fun. It was basically an immersion tea heater with a thermostat and it was a disaster. When I was in the market, the Annova, and Joule by Chef Steps were not options, so I went with the one up from entry level unit from Polyscience. The package I ordered came with a large cambro and a huge book on Sous Vide cooking with some other supplementary reading, including a kitchen manual printed on some kind of a plastic for easy clean up if it gets spilled on. Things to take into consideration, are the amount of space you have to store the equipment and how much mass you plan on cooking. The Joule and Annova look great for storage and have some cool apps you can use to monitor cooking. I have done 72 hour short ribs in my Polyscience and it has never let me down. There are other models that resemble more of a bread maker which I am sure have benefits, but for me, I could not justify the space.
Yeah, I wouldn't with the ones that come with their own chamber because of the (semi-permanent) counter space they take. I've got a Polyscience too, because that was the reasonable option way back when.
I went with the Anova because it has controls on the unit. I want to be able to use it with, or without an app.
I heats the water quickly, and keeps the water at a very consistent temperature.
Their app, if you decide to use it, isn't as user friendly as the app for the Joule, but all I am doing is setting a temp, and a timer, so I find the app more of a novelty anyway.
The 3 Anovas we have don't even have the option of wifi or bluetooth, which is just fine. They also are higher powered than the newer models (hence the flickering of the lights when its on).
I have the Anova and I like it. The is a newer, smaller (power-wise) coming soon or out now. Depending on how large a container you use, I use a 12 qt. square food storage container or a 20 Gal cooler with a hole in the lid and the 800 watt Anova works fine, I would go with either the 900 watt or the newer Nano(?) which is designed for smaller pots. The Joule is a neat looking device, but preferred not needing to use a separate device to control it.
@BriggsBBQAll of the above posts are relevant and true. I have an Anova, Joule and Sous Vide Supreme and all work wonderfully. The latter is a chamber and does take up room on the counter, so I don't get much use out of it as I have a 12qt plastic tub with top. I interchange quite a bit depending which unit I get my hands on first. Sometimes I use both simultaneously for different cooks. Unfortunately I am blessed with MCS which is why I have more than unit. Which one is best? Either will get the job done-my recommendation? Continue to monitor this thread and wait, both units go on sale periodically and they send out advance notices which get posted on this site by the members. Bottom line? I think you'll be impressed with either Anova or Joule.
Having just done some research on this last year, I don't think you go wrong with Anova or Joule. Both go on sale quite frequently (Anova more so than the Joule). I ended up with the Joule because it was smaller and I didn't care about on-board controls. Here are some pros and cons of each from my research:
Joule PRO:
-Smaller. Much easier to store, which, in our smallish kitchen, keeps my wife happier and keeps me from having to trudge down to the basement every time I need to use it.
-Better app. Nice and easy to use the visual guides on the app for done-ness of meat are pretty cool, although I still end up researching recipes for more than one opinion on cook temps and times.
-I occasionally cook in a pot when it is more convenient than my big plastic container, and the magnetic bottom is pretty amazing. Keeps me from having to clip it on awkwardly to pots that aren't necessarily designed to hold a clipped on magic wand.
-Slightly higher wattage = slightly shorter water heating times. Supposedly this is small but not negligible (on the order of a few minutes)
-If looks matter, it is a nicer looking piece of tech than the Anova.
Anova PRO:
-On-board controls. This one varies widely in importance with regards to who is buying it. While I thought it would be fine not having them on the Joule, there was one occasion where our Wifi happened to go out during a cook. Thankfully, the Joule stayed at the temp I had set it at until the wifi came back. Otherwise I would've had to go through a new bluetooth connection to adjust if needed (although adjustment is rarely needed). Personally wasn't a dealbreaker to me.
-Cheaper by a bit. I believe I've seen the Wifi version get down to $150 and the Bluetooth version to $100 on Amazon at times so keep your eye out. The Joule runs less frequent deals, so you'll probably pay the $180-200 depending on all white vs. steel trim. Occasionally I've seen them as low as $160 but not very often.
I honestly think you can't go wrong either way. For me the dealbreaker was the smaller size of the Joule, which I was willing to pay for. There are some other reliable brands out there and some not so reliable. I'd recommend one of the two, though, since their wider user base means you're buying from a company more likely to be around for a while and support it should something go wrong.
Just used the Anova tonight. Minor complaints about the app, but no complaints about the hardware. It's supposed to pair with your Amazon Echo, but I haven't gotten that working yet. Sure seems these days like software is tougher than hardware.
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You can't go wrong with the Anova or the Joule. Personally, I have (and really like) the Anova WiFi model ... not so much for WiFi but because it's 100W more powerful than the Bluetooth version (900 vs 800W).
I have the 900 W Anova that works like a champ. The controls on the unit were my reason for choosing it over the Joule. Tha Anova will connect with my phone via bluetooth, but I just turn it on and forget it.
I'll add that I have Alexa in every nook-and-cranny of my house, including the new Echo Show. However, I don't need the wi-fi Anova just to have it "controlled" by Alexa.
Another vote for the Anova. I'm sure you can't go wrong with the Anova or the Joule, but I'm very happy with the on-unit controls of the Anova. I'm a techie kinda guy and early adopter of technology, but I've found that 99% of the time I plop the Anova in the tub, manually set it and forget about it until time to take the bag out. SV isn't very time sensitive so I find that I rarely use the wifi/bluetooth controls. Either choice is good. Just pick one and jump and join the Hot Tub Time Machine (HTTM) Club. Warning! SVing can be addictive and you can become obsessed with finding new ways to use your HTTM (e.g. making frozen custard with dry ice). Good luck!
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I have the Anova 900 wifi. I am pleased with it; it does its job well. I originally bought it because of the onboard controls, but I usually split my settings between using the controls, and using the Anova app. If I buy another circulator, it will be the Joule, because it is smaller, and more powerful. (1100 watts vs 900 watts for Anova). But the Anova is a great tool. I think your main consideration is whether you want the smaller size and more power, or if you want the onboard controls.
Just saw on Amazon that they are running a deal on the Joule for $20 off either model. Enter promo code SOUSVIDETIME at checkout. That's only $160 for the all white model which is a great deal (or $180 for the stainless steel trim if you gotta have that slick look).
Lifehacker did a direct comparison: https://skillet.lifehacker.com/sous-...ule-1784200176. The Joule heated water twice as fast (10 min vs 20 min to 133F) than the 800W Anova. The newer 900W Anova would obviously see slightly less of a difference.
Agreed on all the above and would throw Sansaire into the mix as well. Whichever is cheapest although the Joule is the smallest if that matters. They all pretty much do the same thing.
Another one to check out is the VacMaster SV1. It's built like a tank and sports 1500 watts, so heat up and recovery are ridiculously fast. Very simple to use, with no connectivity of any kind needed. I also have a Joule, which is smaller but more gadgety, and definitely takes longer to heat up.
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