5 ms·

Anova is great, but I still prefer the Chef Steps Joule given the option of either/or.

by SEJeff 10y ago

batbomb 10y ago
Anova beat them to the market by years though, but I'd get the Joule today probably if I had a choice.
- dahdum 10y ago
  Joule requires an iOS / android app to use, which I'm sure is helpful for new cooks but super annoying if you know what you're doing already.
  - MBCook 10y ago
    Yeah but it's much smaller and has a more powerful heater. The app isn't much of a problem.
    - dahdum 10y ago
      Bigger heater isn't that useful IMHO. With hot faucet water either gets to temperature super quick, and both have plenty of power to maintain temperature.
- tptacek 10y ago
  You can get an Anova without wifi (network connectivity on these things is only marginally useful) for about $50 less, and it's got higher power output and really nice physical controls.
  - batbomb 10y ago
    The precision cooker, which does bluetooth, or first gen? I have the bluetooth precision cooker. The scroll wheel is starting to get a little flaky but i'm still happy. Mostly the joule would be nice for saving a bit more real estate in my cabinets.
wklauss 10y ago
I think the overall design of Joule is better, but the fact that you are forced to use a phone or tablet to control the Joule is a big drawback. Is there a specific reason your prefer it?
- ozi 10y ago
  The Joule is much newer. My Anova was 2 years old before it we even announced by ChefSteps.
- rickdale 10y ago
  At least using the iPad with the Joule and ChefSteps isn't as bad as using the iPad with the intelipan, a different 'smart' cooking device. With the intelipan, they make an internet connection obligatory and no option for not signing in. I would have returned the Joule if the app made me do all that. I dont mind using my iPad in the kitchen, I don't prefer it, but I do mind signing in to cook dinner...
- kbouck 10y ago
  I chose anova over joule for this reason and this reason only. My concern for a device with an app-only interface is the company might disappear, and the app and internet service might stagnate. With physical controls I'll still be able to use the product. Id love to see a joule v2 with a display and a twistable top to set the temp.
cloakandswagger 10y ago
Can someone elaborate on what Chef Steps business model is? The last time I tried to figure it out, they seemed to be a premium recipe/cooking classes website (bordering more on food porn, the videos seemed more artsy than useful to me) that is also pushing a sous vide machine. Am I right in assuming that the Joule is their pivot away from the online cooking lessons?
- JeffreyKaine 10y ago
  Other way around; the cooking lessons were a marketing scheme to build a customer base to sell Joule to while it was still in R&D land.
dogma1138 10y ago
Anova has much higher power output especially on the larger (Wifi+BT) model which both speeds up the heating by quite a bit and allows you to cook large volumes. Anova is also much easier to clean than the Joule, it comes apart so easily and you just dry it out, I have one for over a year and no signs of scaling on the heating element because of that. The joule on the other hand can't be easily clean you can unscrew the bottom but then you need to use a brush and the heating element isn't fully exposed. I have them both, and tbh I use the Anova considerably more, it's built better, it's built smarter, and the fact that I don't need to use a phone is a huge plus. Sure the phone is great for the first week if you never used sous vide before (I cooked Sous Vide on an induction cooker with very coarse temp control and use a thermometer to know when I should turn it off and on for nearly 2 years before getting a proper setup) but once you know the temp it just becomes a hassle.
- nirav72 10y ago
  >Anova has much higher power output especially on the larger (Wifi+BT) model Joule has 1100 watts and the Anova (Wifi + BT) is 900 watts. So not sure what you mean by Anova having more power. https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/joule-vs-anova-sous-vide-comparison/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/joule-vs-anova-sous... I agree with you on the ease of cleaning. I also have both and the Anova seems to be a bit easier to clean.
- snarf 10y ago
  A common failure mode for Anova is steam condensation in the electronics because the housing is not completely sealed/waterproof like the Joule, so I'm not sure if I would agree with it being built better and smarter. This is especially a risk with long cooks.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
clockpie 10y ago
I bought an Anova after waiting forever for Joule to start international shipping.

Anova is great, but I still prefer the Chef Steps Joule given the option of either/or.

by SEJeff 10y ago

Anova is great, but I still prefer the Chef Steps Joule given the option of either/or.

batbomb 10y ago

Anova beat them to the market by years though, but I'd get the Joule today probably if I had a choice.

dahdum 10y ago
Joule requires an iOS / android app to use, which I'm sure is helpful for new cooks but super annoying if you know what you're doing already.
- MBCook 10y ago
  Yeah but it's much smaller and has a more powerful heater. The app isn't much of a problem.
  - dahdum 10y ago
    Bigger heater isn't that useful IMHO. With hot faucet water either gets to temperature super quick, and both have plenty of power to maintain temperature.
tptacek 10y ago
You can get an Anova without wifi (network connectivity on these things is only marginally useful) for about $50 less, and it's got higher power output and really nice physical controls.
- batbomb 10y ago
  The precision cooker, which does bluetooth, or first gen? I have the bluetooth precision cooker. The scroll wheel is starting to get a little flaky but i'm still happy. Mostly the joule would be nice for saving a bit more real estate in my cabinets.

wklauss 10y ago

I think the overall design of Joule is better, but the fact that you are forced to use a phone or tablet to control the Joule is a big drawback. Is there a specific reason your prefer it?

ozi 10y ago
The Joule is much newer. My Anova was 2 years old before it we even announced by ChefSteps.
rickdale 10y ago
At least using the iPad with the Joule and ChefSteps isn't as bad as using the iPad with the intelipan, a different 'smart' cooking device. With the intelipan, they make an internet connection obligatory and no option for not signing in. I would have returned the Joule if the app made me do all that. I dont mind using my iPad in the kitchen, I don't prefer it, but I do mind signing in to cook dinner...
kbouck 10y ago
I chose anova over joule for this reason and this reason only. My concern for a device with an app-only interface is the company might disappear, and the app and internet service might stagnate. With physical controls I'll still be able to use the product. Id love to see a joule v2 with a display and a twistable top to set the temp.

cloakandswagger 10y ago

Can someone elaborate on what Chef Steps business model is? The last time I tried to figure it out, they seemed to be a premium recipe/cooking classes website (bordering more on food porn, the videos seemed more artsy than useful to me) that is also pushing a sous vide machine. Am I right in assuming that the Joule is their pivot away from the online cooking lessons?

JeffreyKaine 10y ago
Other way around; the cooking lessons were a marketing scheme to build a customer base to sell Joule to while it was still in R&D land.

dogma1138 10y ago

Anova has much higher power output especially on the larger (Wifi+BT) model which both speeds up the heating by quite a bit and allows you to cook large volumes. Anova is also much easier to clean than the Joule, it comes apart so easily and you just dry it out, I have one for over a year and no signs of scaling on the heating element because of that. The joule on the other hand can't be easily clean you can unscrew the bottom but then you need to use a brush and the heating element isn't fully exposed. I have them both, and tbh I use the Anova considerably more, it's built better, it's built smarter, and the fact that I don't need to use a phone is a huge plus. Sure the phone is great for the first week if you never used sous vide before (I cooked Sous Vide on an induction cooker with very coarse temp control and use a thermometer to know when I should turn it off and on for nearly 2 years before getting a proper setup) but once you know the temp it just becomes a hassle.

nirav72 10y ago
>Anova has much higher power output especially on the larger (Wifi+BT) model Joule has 1100 watts and the Anova (Wifi + BT) is 900 watts. So not sure what you mean by Anova having more power. https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/joule-vs-anova-sous-vide-comparison/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/shopping/joule-vs-anova-sous... I agree with you on the ease of cleaning. I also have both and the Anova seems to be a bit easier to clean.
snarf 10y ago
A common failure mode for Anova is steam condensation in the electronics because the housing is not completely sealed/waterproof like the Joule, so I'm not sure if I would agree with it being built better and smarter. This is especially a risk with long cooks.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

clockpie 10y ago

I bought an Anova after waiting forever for Joule to start international shipping.