Menu

Anova Precision Cooker Pro – Sous Vide 3rd Generation Model, With WiFi and BlueTooth, 1200 Watt

  • Rating: 10
  • Value: 8
Classification:
Distillery:
Price: $199 Retail - Many Sales right now.

One of the best features of this particular model is you can set up,start, and stop your cooking anywhere in the world ( or just from work).

Notes: Used primarily as a cooking device this sous vide is also very useful for cocktails and cocktail preparation, so we  tested it for both its usefulness in mixology ( our primary criteria) and also for cooking (their primary use and criteria, and  for when you are not using it for cocktails )

This is the third series of their standard consumer model Sous Vide they have released.  The main differences from 1st to 3rd models are, in order, 1st model; No BlueTooth, 2nd model; Bluetooth, 3rd model ( This one) BlueTooth AND WiFi.
There is also A Nano version (cheaper and smaller ) that we have not reviewed.

Appearance: A very solid, well-built piece of equipment, there were very few plastic parts to this beast, the main cylinder, impeller, and almost all the important parts are made of stainless steel and built to last.

First Impression: Nicely made, good heft to it, (meaning to me quality parts and decently powerful motor) easy to set up ad get going. Excellent fit and finish. ell packaged, easy to assemble and set up just plug the cord into the back of the unit, secure to side of water container ( and read the directions)

Directions and Instructions: The instructions that come with the Anova are very clear and concise. Once you have mastered the slightly tricky (but adaptable) interface you are pretty much set to go. Pairing it to my iPhone did present me with a couple of new hurdles over the last model but the convenience was well worth it.

Testing: Fairly straight forward and easy to follow directions on set up and programming. Download the app and just follow the setup guide. Easy to figure out controls and display is easy to read to get things started. Unit kept very precise temperature control and accurate timing so it was very much a set it and forget it operation so you could move on to other tasks without worry or having to watch it. Circulator was quiet – enough to hear it to make sure it was running but not enough to bother you or be a nuisance, the display is big enough to be read from a distance. Capacity is pretty huge – it can be put in a 5-gallon container and work well. Comes apart for easy cleanup and inspection and takes up minimal space when stored. Another important point is you can use clear storage food bins or any other container that can take some heat – you do not need to buy an expensive cook pan to use this.

We used the WiFi Anova to make infusions of all sorts of herbs, spices, and fruits and also and make syrups we would normally have to use double boilers and go through a lot of hassle to make. Everything we did was so much quicker and simpler it was amazing and you could also store the finished products in their bags rather than having to deal with the hassle of jars and bottles. The ability to remote monitor and modify what was going one was s nice plus and kept us from having to put our hands directly on anything.

Blue Tooth and Wireless App Notes Specific to This Model: Easy to install from App Store, distinctive icon is easy to find, and pairing with the iPhone was a breeze. Just make sure you know the name of your WiFi network and password to hook it up to that.BlueTooth is also very easy to set up. In addition to the app control itself, the app also includes a quick start guide, user manual, video tutorials a Serious Eats Time and Temp Guide for virtually every type of meat you can think of by category, and a recipe section with mouth-watering pictures, what could be better? So much more than just the printed directions and webpage addresses of the older model. Hate to say it but having it one clock away on the phone is very tempting to use and explore. Also, there is an option to select Celsius or Fahrenheit temperature units and a link to their store

Other: They have a range of models from the new WiFi controlled Precision Cooker for $199 (available Now) to the professional models that run from $399 to $599

Final Thoughts: Think of this model, very much like the first model we reviewed,  as a gateway Sous Vide. While you may not be able to cook vast amounts of food with this, or prepare gallons of cocktails, for its size and value it is a pretty stunning device to use and may well encourage you to buy a bigger one at some point later, but that may be beside the point. With the Anaovas capacity, ruggedness, and overall utility it is the perfect size for bar or household use without having to spend a lot of money and dedicate a lot of storage or counter space. Its ease of use and overall usefulness make it a suddenly indispensable tool for cooking and creating not only a myriad of cocktails and cocktail ingredients but cooking almost everything else. The Anova is simply an amazing, useful and wonderful device. You will wonder how you got along without it before. The new WiFi in addition to  BlueTooth capability is just icing on the cake!

Website: http://anovaculinary.com

Sort reviews by: