Sous vide cooking uses water circulation and precise temperature control to get the exact degree of cooking you want on almost any cut of meat or vegetable. You’ll be able to trap in flavors you might lose in a pan or oven, and foods will be cooked evenly each time. Once the sous vide machine cooking cycle has finished, you can quickly sear your food to ensure delicious texture and flavor. Here’s a collection of our favorite sous vide machines to enhance your everyday meals.
This model is small enough to fit in your kitchen drawer for storage. It offers 750-watts of cooking power with a flow rate of five liters per minute, and can connect to your phone over Bluetooth. The C-clamp cannot be removed, but does attach nicely to a container or stock pot.
Supporting cooking times from 10 minutes to 72 hours, and temperatures from 104 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit, the Instant Pot sous vide machine can accommodate almost any dish. A pump system is used to heat the water, which is an improvement over traditional convection methods. You can attach the unit to your own container, or the inner pot inside a six-quart or eight-quart Instant Pot.
Compact and sleek, this option from Breville will have your water ready quickly thanks to the 1100-watt heater. All controls are based in the companion app, available on Android and iOS, not the unit itself. The app can be used over WiFi or Bluetooth 4.0, and can also be paired with Amazon Alexa.
This 1000-watt model can cycle eight liters per minute, and has a temperature accuracy rating of +/- 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use their app to check on your food while in another room over WiFi, or look up one of their thousands of free recipes. The removable C-clamp will tightly lock the machine in place, so you won't need to constantly monitor it while cooking.
Some sous vide machines can create noise that disturbs you or other household members. This option quietly pumps seven to eight liters per minute, and the cleverly-designed handle allows one-handed clip operation. Adjusting cook time is easy, with no required apps or wireless connections, thanks to the easy-to-use touch controls.
Use this Inkbird model to heat up to four gallons of water at a time from 77 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit. The minimum and maximum water levels are indicated on the side of the device. A built-in alarm will let you know if the water level falls too low, and also when your food is finished cooking.
Cook like a pro
Now that you’ve seen our favorites, which sous vide machine is right for you? We think the Anova Precision Cooker Nano is a great starting place for most people. The small form factor makes it easy to store, and the C-clamp won't wear out like spring-loaded clips on other models. Free recipes and cooking control in the Anova app make this choice stand out in our collection.
If the noise these machines make is an issue, consider the Wancle Sous Vide Cooker. It was one of the lowest volume options among our collection, which will keep it from disturbing you while working or children who are napping. It has a unique handle that you can use with one hand, and you won’t need any wireless devices to change the settings since all controls are built-in.
