ChefSteps 4186JW120B Joule Sous Vide, 1100 Watts, All White, 11 x 1.9 x 1.9"

I have both the Anova WIFI cooker and this Joule cooker. I love both cookers, but the apps for both leave a lot to be desired, which is the reason for the 4 stars. Comparing the two sous vide cookers, both have their advantages and disadvantages.1 - The Joule cooker is 1100 Watts vs. the 900 Watts of the Anova. So the Joule will heat the water more quickly than the Anova. Joule wins2 - The Joule cooker has a magnetic bottom that will hold it up in a pot that is magnetic such as a cast iron pot, and the Anova must be secured with the clamp attachment. Joule wins.3 - The Joule cooker has a clamp that works only on thin rimmed containers, and the Anova has a clamp attachment that will accommodate thick rimmed containers. Anova wins.4 - The Joule cooker must be controlled with the app as there are no controls on the device, and the Anova may be controlled manually for temperature and time settings on the device without the use of the app. Anova wins.5 - The Joule cooker requires a minimum 1.5 inches of water to operate and the Anova requires 2.75 inches minimum of water. Joule wins.6 - The Joule cooker can heat up to 10 gallons of water, and the Anova can heat up to 5.5 gallons. Joule wins.7 - The apps for both cookers do not have much in presets that would be used for everyday meals. Most of the time, the manual modes would be used, A draw for both cookers.8 - When setting temperature in time for both cookers, the temperature must be attained for the Joule cooker before the timer is set since the timer countdown starts as soon as it is set and before the cook temperature is reached. For the Anova cooker, the timer doesn't start until the cooking temperature is attained. In this case, it is sort of a draw as the food shouldn't be put into the water until the cook temperature is reached, The plus with the Anova is that an ice bath can be used to keep the temperature down for longer and the cook time won't start until the cook temperature is attained. In this case, the Anova wins.Whether or not the Joule or the Anova cooker is best for you depends on your uses and your availability to the apps. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I generally use the manual modes for both as the presets don't allow for many of the foods that I cook. In addition, the presets are for store bought meats and we us only pasture fed and pasture finished meats that take less cook time. As mentioned previously, both apps leave a lot to be desired, but both cookers are excellent if you do your research and use the manual modes.UPDATE 717/18I have been using this sous vide cooker for about 7 months, and tend to gravitate to the Joule more than than the Anova. The Joule is much easier and faster to clip onto a cooking container than having to install the screw on holder for the Anova. Although the Anova can be used manually without the use of a phone app, I use my cookers in a second kitchen, and use the phone apps to check on progress from the main kitchen. With the phone apps, I can easily flip back and forth between cookers. I often have the meats for more than one meal cooking at a time, and have them timed so they are finished on the day the meal is planned for as some cuts of meat can take as long as 72 hours to cook. So far I have sous vide cooked chicken (whole and cut in half), roasts (pork, beef, and bison), ribs, tuna steaks, and a few others. I have never been disappointed with the results. I have also found that it is easier to set the timer after the sous vide cooker has come to temperature than to try to get the food in at the moment the timer starts. So, the timer issue mentioned above isn't a problem for me.I have also found that one of the best features of the sous vide cooker is rewarming foods. How many times have you cooked the perfectly cooked roast, and rewarming overcooked the leftovers. This won't happen with sous vide cooking even if the leftovers are frozen. Simply set the temperature for your desired doneness, and the leftovers won't cook more than the temperature set.As an experienced cook, I have methods to cook the perfect steak and perfectly cooked fish, but have never found a method to cook tuna steaks as perfectly as when they are done with the sous vide method. By cooking them sous vide, they come out a light pink inside and so very moist - never dried out.Another thing that I really love about sous vide cooking is that foods don't get overcooked if you leave them in the cooker until the rest of your meal is ready. This isn't true with any other cooking method. If you are running late, you can leave food in the cooker to keep warm until you are ready for it without fear of overcooking it. I do love the Joule sous vide cooker for the speed that it get the water to temperature and for the consistency of temperature control.UPDATE 08/14/18:Other than the Mellow sous vide that I have, the Joule cooker has become my favorite sous vide cooker. I like the Mellow because it is small and convenient to keep handy on the counter, but the Joule is always the cooker that I use for larger portions, like roast and ribs, since I can use a larger water container. This cooker is small, but it heats up a large amount of water much faster than many cookers, and keeps the temperature extremely accurate. If the app contains the meat you are cooking, it shows pictures of what the meat will look like at each different doneness, and describes them so you can choose what you would like best. If you find one of the presets that works for you, the cooker will set the time and temperature for you. If you work and want to set up a meal before you go to work, you can add ice cubes to the water to keep the meat cool until it is ready to cook. I like the Joule app better than the Anova app because it has presets for meats, poultry, and seafood rather an recipes that do nothing for me when planning the cooking of a protein.

I know there are a ton of mixed reviews on this, like many things online, however I can shed light on the pro's and con's and still recommend this one.The pro's- it is more powerful than most of the others, so it heats water quicker.- it is small and compact and fits in the drawer- it is sleek and modern looking, doesn't look like an appliance- the app it comes with is an excellent source for times and temperatures, plus some recipesCon's- There is no user interface on the unit, other than a button on top you press to make the initial connection to wifi, which can also be used to power it off. It is controlled completely by your cell phone. For some this is problematic. My take is the unit has less moving parts, less things that can break, and allows for the smaller compact size. I find the phone app very easy and intuitive, and don't miss having controls on the unit itself. It's likely easier to choose and set what you want with the phone app than if you had to spin dials and press buttons on the device. Plus the app has helpful graphics on preparation.- The real main con with this product is connectivity. Please read all the way through. Often it will delay to connect, and sometimes you have to restart the app or the phone to get it to connect. It has had this problem for a long time - I know because I bought one when they first came out. It is frustrating, and why they let this problem go for so long is beyond me. Now, most of the time it works fine. I find if you open the app after you plug in the Joule, it works better. With that being said.....I just received my second one. Even with the connection issue, the pro's I mentioned outweighed the con's to where I still preferred this over the other options. I've had it about two weeks now, and I can say the connection issue has gotten much better. It is still there, but less frequently and for shorter periods of time. I'd say overall the connection issue has improved about 50%. They do update the app and the device from time to time over the wifi. Also, the other products that have a wireless connection have their share of complaints about themCommon to all Sous Vide circulators- they all do a good job of maintaining less than 1 degree variation (that's for circulators, not instant pot type sous vide which is questionable for sure)- They cook the same so your results will be the same. Note that meat cooked sous vide may look like it is less cooked, but it isn't, it's just the evenness of the cooking. You can always adjust the temperature for more doneness. Also, if you are searing afterwards, you can go one temperature lower (if you want medium, set it for medium rare), since it is already heated all the way through, searing will quickly bring it up to the next temperature.Hope that helps.

While just a bit more expensive than some other sous vide machines, it came highly recommended from a chef friend. It's easy to use, heats-up water quickly, maintains good, cooking temp of the water, and has a great phone app for monitoring your cooks - it has never lost connectivity! I have done absolutely wonderful steaks, and even beef tenderloin, sous vide. It's so awesome, as you can NOT overcook your meat! You set the water to the target temp of your meat, and once it reaches temp, you put your vacuum sealed meat in the hot water bath (I vacuum seal the meat, as you do NOT want water getting to the meat, and washing off all your rub / spices), and allow it to cook for the recommended time for the specific meat being cooked. The meat cannot be cooked over the target temp set! So, let's assume your cook was supposed to be for two hours, to reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit, and you forgot to remove the meat from the sous vide bath in time - let's say you were an hour late taking it out! You meat will be at the desired 130 degrees, as that was the temperature of the water! You can't overcook the meat! NOTE: leaving meat in a sous vide bath beyond suggested cooking times / EXTENDED time, can result in a texture change in the meat (e.g. - leaving a tenderloin in the sous vide for 3 hours, or more, which is about 1 - 1.5 hours beyond the suggested cooking time, could make the meat feel less firm than it would otherwise be!). After I do steaks / tenderloin to the perfect temp, I finish the meat on the grill for a few minutes a side, to get a nice sear / some charring on the outside, and a little BBQ / grilling flavor. I've had so many people tell me the steaks and tenderloin I make are the best all around meat they have even eaten! I'd highly recommend the Breville Joul sous vide unit.