Anova Precision Oven

[David Chang]

tl;dr

decent smart oven. no microwave. fast and accurate to reach temps. steam is biggest feature but falls short. 

 

 

so after a couple cooks with this thing, i can say that this machine is...not bad. 

it's a combi oven, except that it's missing the microwave feature, which is not a big deal since i already have a microwave. but for others, it might be a deal breaker. it has all the things you get in a full featured combi oven. i'll go through each, some more in detail than others. 

1. steam

This thing has a boiler that can generate steam. For baking, it aids in rise before the dough is baked shut. for 100C cooks or below, it works as an RH precentage. over 100C it's just steam power by precentage. i would say that it's not a sauna at 100%. it won't work like a dedicated steamer. but it will add moisture and humidity. we tried to steam soften some fish maw (asian delicacy, these are the dried swim bladders of fish) but it didn't do a good job. for baking bread, it's works, but i would say that using a cloche or cast iron pot gives you an even more violent rise and ear. but having owned previous combi ovens before, i think the steam function on the APO is probably the most powerful. but its still not enough to steam fish or vegetables..

2. convection bake

yes, but locked in high if using the rear element, which is the main heating element for this oven.

3. air fry. 

excellent. we made a bag of frozen fries and onion rings so it's much higher capacity than the drawer kind. but you still need to rotate the pans for even cooking.

4. proof. 

works well with the built in thermometer probe. good thing about proof is it also adds 60% humidity. bad thing is the fan is on and you will need to cover the dough to prevent drying.

5. bake

yes, from 25 to 250c

6. dehydrate

i just tried to dehydrate some sliced apples and it works relatively well. but the capacity is limited to the trays you have and you need to figure out how to cut mesh screens to fit.

7. broil

kinda like toast.

8. sous vide

there are sous vide modes that use steam and no steam. i have only used the non steam mode, which basically is cooking low heat. they advertise bagless sous vide but this can be accomplished with any oven that can operate low temps, like my kitchen oven that can do 50c. i think sous vide was a trend and marketing it in this oven is an anova thing.

9. roast

yes.

10. toast

if set to high, you just place the bread on the highest level and run the top element only. i use this feature because i don't want a dedicated toaster. but a dedicated toaster will do a better job.

11. defrost

i haven't used this feature.

12. reheat

not used.

there are several heating elements in this thing. the main fan driven one is the rear. there is a top element for toasting, a low temp bottom element for proofing, etc. you can operate each element independently or all at once. the fan will be locked on high when in sous vide mode or rear element mode which can be annoying. in other modes the fan speed is adjustable. there are also several thermocouple thermometers inside. the amount of rubber gaskets make me believe that these will be the first to fail. there is a gasket around the oven door that does a good job sealing air in. i can hear air swooshes when opening the door. there is a gasket around the bottom element, and a gasket where the glass halogen light is installed above. 

the steam water reservoir is huge around a gallon?. its recommended to use distilled water. i use dr pavlis water. the oven will tell you when to decale but i read it can be turned off.  

it comes with 2 racks. 1 flat pan. a short probe thermometer that's too thick for delicate meats. all the controls can be operated on the handle touch screen. it can't use touch screen with oven gloves on. you can also control the oven on your app via wifi. the app has all the preset recipes so you just type in roast chicken and run the program or edit the program to your needs. i had to buy the perforated pan for cooking drippy stuff. i wanted a baking steel but they didn't have it for sale at the time. the build quality is typical for a consumer appliance. lots of plastics. thin sheet metal. i can hear the interior walls pop when it gets warm.

[yuyus]

How to Clean an Anova Sous Vide?

If you are using a sous vide machine at home, then you know the importance of keeping it clean. Not only will proper cleaning help to extend the life of your machine, but it will also ensure that your food is cooked evenly and safely. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide on how to clean an Anova Sous Vide. We will answer some common questions about cleaning and provide helpful tips to make the process as easy as possible

[David Chang]

first time using the APO to sous vide beef ribs. i've never sv anything for this long before..

first i smoked them in the kk for 3 hours. then sous vide for 40+ hours? 12 hours in right now..

 

[Tyrus]

That's a long time to wait for dinner David, you must have patient guests.

[tony b]

Longest SV cook (water bath) that I've ever done was 72 hours. It was a corned beef brisket for St. Pat's day. This was a few years ago. I've not done any "long" SV cooks in a while. 

[jeffshoaf]

17 hours ago, David Chang said:

first time using the APO to sous vide beef ribs. i've never sv anything for this long before..

first i smoked them in the kk for 3 hours. then sous vide for 40+ hours? 12 hours in right now..

David, have you used the Anova to rest or hold a roast (a brisket or pork butt, for example) after smoking? I'm wondering if the sous vide mode could be used to keep it moist during a long hold.

[David Chang]

10 hours ago, Tyrus said:

That's a long time to wait for dinner David, you must have patient guests.

worst part is the aroma is in the house for two days and you can't eat it.

[David Chang]

4 hours ago, jeffshoaf said:

David, have you used the Anova to rest or hold a roast (a brisket or pork butt, for example) after smoking? I'm wondering if the sous vide mode could be used to keep it moist during a long hold.

i have not yet but i know people do and it's steam injected so moisture can be controlled

[David Chang]

well the results were great, but this meat is so fatty i want to pass out after a few bites…

[Dono]

David,

Are you still satisfied with the Anova oven?  I’m replacing yet another failed Breville unit. 

[Cheesehead_Griller]

I have been watching their site for a discount. Seems like they just had a 20% not too long ago. I am using my Yeti now to hold briskets for a few hours. A holding oven will be one of my next purchases. 

[jeffshoaf]

2 hours ago, Cheesehead_Griller said:

I have been watching their site for a discount. Seems like they just had a 20% not too long ago. I am using my Yeti now to hold briskets for a few hours. A holding oven will be one of my next purchases. 

If you just need it as a holding oven, you can get a cheap electric smoker and save a lot of money. I've been using one and have held briskets and pork butts for over 24 hours. Mine doesn't hold the temperature as constant as the Anova but it does hold steadier than my kitchen oven and can hold a lot more than the Anova; when set to 150°F, it'll swing between 142° and 168°.

They do have a reputation for the controls to crap out so I monitor with my Thermoworks Signals; if/when the controls crap out, I'll replace them with a PID controller. From what I've read, the aftermarket PID controllers are more precise and reliable than the OEM controls as well - I tried to find a broken used one for sale but got tired of waiting and got a new one when it was on sale.

[David Chang]

@Dono i used to be on the anova fb group and found that there are owners who are on their 5th or 6th + replacement oven. all warranty replacements but that being said, i am on my second. but i managed to salvage my first oven so now i have two of these. 

low reliability, but fast replacement warranty service (it's a poor business model but internals are cheap, they are not worth fixing). there is nothing reliable on the market with this many features and price point. a better oven would be a commercial combi oven that is overkill for the home. 

[Dono]

Appreciate your response.