ConsFirst / Sous vide cookers

Anova

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker 3.0: the downsides first

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#2 of 8
$$$On-device controlsScore 4.3/5
11%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: 1,529 ratings (1-star 8%, 2-star 3%).

A fast, accurate cooker with a big onboard display that experts rank just behind the Joule Turbo. Wirecutter dropped it as its top pick after Anova put the app's controls behind a subscription, and some owners report Wi-Fi trouble.

Subscription: Optional: Wirecutter says Anova's app costs $2/month or $10/year for wireless control and recipes; the onboard controls work without it

Top complaints

  • App features behind a subscription

    Wirecutter says Anova paywalled its app in mid-2024 ($2/month or $10/year), which it calls unfortunate and anti-consumer; without it you're limited to the physical controls.

    Source: Wirecutter
  • Pairing and Wi-Fi trouble for some

    Serious Eats had trouble pairing at first and found the app less sleek than Breville's. Amazon's review summary says Wi-Fi is mixed, with some owners unable to connect.

    Source: Serious Eats, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Quiet alarm; some clamp and noise complaints

    Good Housekeeping says the alarm is quiet and occasionally easy to miss. Amazon's summary mentions the plastic clamp breaking for some and mixed reports on noise.

    Source: Good Housekeeping, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)

What owners love

  • Big, clear onboard display

    Serious Eats, Food & Wine and Good Housekeeping like that you can set it up and go with real buttons, without relying on a phone.

    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping
  • Fast and accurate

    Wirecutter timed 13 minutes to 135°F (6.3°/min), one minute behind the Joule Turbo, holding ±0.1 degree with no calibration. Serious Eats never saw its readout mismatch its thermometer.

    Source: Wirecutter, Serious Eats
  • Adjustable clamp, quiet, 2-year warranty

    The adjustable clamp fit a thick Dutch oven (Serious Eats, Food & Wine); it was quiet (Serious Eats, Good Housekeeping; 49 dB at Wirecutter) and has a 2-year warranty.

    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine, Good Housekeeping, Wirecutter
Good for
  • Cooking without your phone (clear onboard display)
  • Fast heating (1,100 W)
  • Fitting thick pots (adjustable clamp)

Scores (tap for why)

  • Temperature accuracy4.5
    Why 4.5?±0.1 degree with no calibration needed (Wirecutter) and never mismatched in Serious Eats' tests; Food & Wine found it slightly less exact than others (159-160°F at a 160°F setting).
    Source: Wirecutter, Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Heat-up speed4.5
    Why 4.5?13 minutes to 135°F, just behind the Joule Turbo (Wirecutter); Good Housekeeping found it quick to heat.
    Source: Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping
  • Controls & app4.0
    Why 4.0?Clear onboard display plus an app, but app control needs a subscription, pairing gave Serious Eats trouble, and the alarm is quiet.
    Source: Serious Eats, Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping, Amazon.com product page
  • Clamp & size4.5
    Why 4.5?Adjustable clamp fits Dutch ovens and tubs; larger and harder to store than the Joule.
    Source: Serious Eats, Food & Wine
  • Reliability & noise4.0
    Why 4.0?Quiet (49 dB at Wirecutter), durable cord (Good Housekeeping) and a 2-year warranty; some Amazon owners report clamp breakage, and 11% of ratings are 1-2 stars.
    Source: Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping, Serious Eats, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • Serious Eats: Best with an onboard display: accurate, quiet and easy without a phone; the app is less polished and it's bulkier than the Joule.
  • Food & Wine: Runner-up: easy to control by app or buttons; water read 159-160°F when set to 160°F, slightly less accurate than others.
  • Good Housekeeping: Best value: nearly the Pro's power at half the price, quiet and quick to heat; the alarm is easy to miss.
  • Wirecutter (NYT): Former top pick, now an alternative if you don't mind paying for the app subscription.
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If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked sous vide cookers whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in sous vide cookersAnova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Pro

Good Housekeeping's best overall and Serious Eats' splurge pick: the most powerful and precise Anova, with the best onboard display and a tough build. It is big, heavy and expensive, and Wirecutter and Food & Wine say it's more than most home cooks need.

Its catch: big, heavy and pricey#3 in sous vide cookersBreville The Joule Turbo Sous Vide

The top pick at Serious Eats and Food & Wine: tiny, very fast and accurate, with the best app and a Turbo mode that cuts some cook times. There are no buttons, so you need your phone and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for every cook, and Wirecutter questions how long the app will be supported.

Its catch: no controls on the device#4 in sous vide cookersGreater Goods Sous Vide Precision Cooker 1100W

A simple one-dial cooker that Amazon owners rate very highly (only 6% low stars). Serious Eats found it perfectly fine but no better than the Wancle at over double the price, and no expert has measured its speed or accuracy in detail.

Its catch: costs more for similar results

Head-to-head

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