3 ms·
I looked into building such a unit. The problem problem with that style machine (like the sous vide supreme) is the heating element. It's a flexible mat. Gettin
by mattmaroon 10y ago
I looked into building such a unit. The problem problem with that style machine (like the sous vide supreme) is the heating element. It's a flexible mat. Getting it at a sufficiently high watt density, to keep it from taking forever to preheat and totally sucking wind when you add a big hunk of cold meat, is expensive. In that industry your build cost generally needs to be about 25% of retail, so an extra $20 for your heating mat means $80 more at the store.
It's also less accurate temperature control because the thermocouple isn't submersed. It's a strip on the outside of a metal pan.
Rice cookers and crock pots don't have to heat up nearly as much water (which has a high specific heat capacity) as a sous vide machine big enough to handle a slab of ribs.
- peterclary 10y agoThat's interesting, so it's like sitting a pan on a radiant heating element on the hob? Induction hobs are more efficient and responsive than radiant heat hobs, so I wonder if induction heating the metal pan would be the answer here too.
- jwildeboer 10y agoThe Kenwood cooking chef is IMHO the (expensive) example on how to get this right. Inductive heating, very precise and even heat distribution. And goes up to 140°C. Thermomix stops at 120°C. But for me it is too pricey. I am thinking of hacking the Kenwood kcook and add better temerature control to it, though :-) With an ESP8266 - boom. DIY connected kitchen device!
- tptacek 10y agoI don't understand these devices. If I already have a circulator (and an oven and a range), why would I want one of these?