The Anova Precision Oven?

[Mountain Cat]

Anova Precision Oven.

I am (probably not very) considering this oven – this is from the Sous Vide folk who have helped those of us who were/are interested in that to do just that. Now they have an oven that, under the right settings, will sous vide your steak or pork tenderloin, and various veggies for you – without the water bath annoyance.

It costs $600 US, and they are right now for a very brief period of time, having a half-price sale – so I am not sure this means next week it will be $1200, or something. Or, if I purchase this weekend, i would only spend $300?? Since it takes up a LOT of counter space I want to know more about how good it is, and whether it can also fill the functions of my toaster oven (ie, toasting things nicely) before ditching that last appliance to make room for this one.

Plus, I am not really good at being an Early Adaptor for new technology of the expensive sort. I'd prefer the bugs, ahem, features, to be worked out. (Yes, I did get my first computer in 1984, no Orwellian references intended there…)

To sous vide food, this implement uses steam technology – I guess you fill a basin with water, and let ‘er rip. You can also use more conventional modes of cooking, too.

Here are a couple of links:

Anova Precision Oven | Anova Culinary

Anova Precision Oven Review: A Steam-Powered Kitchen Dream | WIRED

Wired’s review. They liked this, but pointed up some bugs. I do like they noted they didn’t need to run the oven over the internet or a cell phone. There is that option, but I will NEVER purchase something that mandates that nonsense. Sorry, Joule.

The other two reviews that Anova linked to: I have to pass the paywall for The Wall Street Journal, no thank you. Gizmodo is linked apparently just to the regular sous vide implement that has been around for a while. My internet is so dodgy these days, I don’t have time to surf around the web for further info on top of things I NEED to do online.

(This post was written offline Saturday. I am awfully busy today(Sunday), but apparently I got some moments to send this early in the day.)

 

[Morning Glory]

From a brief look at this I'd say it isn't going to be the same as sous vide. Its faster yes. Its uses a 'Wet Bulb sensor' (not sure what that is) and a temperature probe. The sous vide method encases the food in a vacuum pack, which seals in flavour - this doesn't do that. It also seems to have a water tank. So I think its basically temperature controlled 'steaming' in the sous vide mode.

Using the Oven's Wet Bulb sensor, steak and other meats will cook to sous vide precision, every time. But unlike traditional sous vide, the Oven lets you raise the cooking temperature while continuously monitoring doneness with the Food Probe. You can cook sous vide up to 50% faster* without sacrificing perfection.

Personally I'm not convinced... although I'm sure it is a versatile oven in lots of ways.

 

[caseydog]

My sous vide circulator is from Anova, and it has been fantastic. But, this oven isn't talking to me.

CD

 

[vernplum]

I also have an Anova Sous Vide-r and it's amazing. I use it without the phone app just by its onboard controls.

I bought it because a mate of mine said 'You absolutely need this - it will transform the way you cook steak at home.' And he was right; in a sense, steak is sous vide's 'killer app'.

Nobody has said to me (directly, via reviews or whatnot) 'You absolutely need this Anova Oven because it will transform the way you cook <insert totally amazing thing that's hard to do at home normally here>' yet.

Also, the sous vide thingy was just over $100. It will take some convincing for me to shell $600-$1200 for the oven *and* sacrifice some of my precious counter space.

 

[garlichead]

I'll take a pass. I have an oven. It'll be interesting to see where their marketing takes them going forward.

 

[Mountain Cat]

I will watch for a while myself. I don't plan to buy - maybe in a year or something - but maybe not at all. Just found this oven curious, and interested in feedback. Right now a regular sous vide implement has been fine for me (and I will be using said item later today).