• ben
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    4 months ago

    They’re just going to push people to the cheaper units at this point.

    I was looking at sous vide cookers a few months back and was considering ANOVA but they were too expensive. Opted for a generic one instead.

    The fact that they’re more expensive and require a subscription for what’s essentially a set of presets that my cheap unit has for free is just ridiculous.

    • frezik@midwest.social
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      4 months ago

      Interesting, because when they were relatively new, they were also the cheap option. Sous vide used to be a $1000+ thing. I did a DIY version for around $200, but later Anova came out and it was less sketchy than my box of wires running mains voltage.

      Instant Pot seems to make a pretty good one that fits around the sides of their pressure cookers.

      Anova’s app is basically useless. Could be nice for looking up temperatures and times for specific things, but I usually google it, anyway. Steaks are by far the most common thing I do sous vide, so it’s usually preset for that. Never used the app outside of playing with it when I first got it.

      One thing is for sure: I won’t be recommending Anova to friends anymore.

      • Gordito@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Instan pot didn’t continue to update their app three years ago and I now have a useless Insta pot.

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          4 months ago

          I don’t think I ever touched an app for my Insta Pot or its sous vide attachment, but maybe the newer ones have to?

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          4 months ago

          Oh, that’s just the sealed bag like normal. Back then, I was using special ziploc bags with a port for a small hand pump. They seem to have stopped making those, and I switched to a regular vacuum sealer.

          The diy part was the heater/pump. I based it on this:

          https://makezine.com/projects/sous-vide-immersion-cooker/

          The problem with this design is that because it sits above the hot water, it tends to have a lot of condensation build up inside the housing. So I rebuilt it to have power plugs for the teacup heaters and pump. Then it could be set to the side, and I could use more heaters for larger containers.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Could be nice for looking up temperatures and times for specific things, but I usually google it

        Well… who knows how long until we start getting billed for that, too.

    • PsychedSy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 months ago

      I refuse to use one that requires bluetooth or an account. I want to turn the bitch on and go do shit for 4+hr. There’s nothing fancy about the process. Some real Ron Popeil shit and they try to force apps on us.

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Does it require?

        This summer I spent way too much money on a grill with an app. The thing is it’s a smoker so i might run it all day and the app lets me check on it while still doing other stuff all that time.

        However the app is an extra, and I would still have all functionality besides removing if the app went away. I’d be pissed losing remote functionality after spending so much money, but I’d still be able to use the grill normally

          • AA5B@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            I don’t know whether to upvote you for a solid reply, or downvote the lack of functionality without an app