Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The best sous vide machines for precision cooking

These machines make sous vide cooking ridiculously easy

Plate of sliced steak
poszarobert / Pixabay

It might sound strange to cook your food in plastic bags submerged in water, but we all know how delicious sous vide cooking can be. Once it’s time to try your first perfectly prepared steak, cheesecake, or salmon (Charlie from It’s Always Sunny would be freaking out with excitement to “boil” some jelly beans), pick one of these 10 best sous vide machines ranging in price from single man’s counter topper to full-family meal beast.

Before you sous: Grab large ziplock bags (you don’t need vacuum-sealed fanciness, but they will work even better), because most machines won’t come with them.

Joule Turbo sous vide machine
Breville

Joule Turbo Sous Vide

Who needs special equipment when all you need is a pot, water, and your phone? Breville’s new and glossy Joule Turbo sous vide cooker has all of the incredible benefits of the original Joule, but also includes new features which help to cook food in half the time.

WiFi and Bluetooth-ready functions are the hallmarks of the convergence of technology and cooking with Joule Turbo. This means you can monitor your food’s cooking process anywhere you want so long as there is WiFi.

Additionally, you don’t have to dedicate a spacious cabinet to accommodate the Joule Turbo. Standing at 12.28 inches, this sous vide cooker is compact enough to fit in your kitchen drawer. If you’re the impatient type, the Joule Turbo can heat water in a jiffy to help save you time in the meal preparation process. Real talk: Not everyone has the patience or the luxury to wait for several minutes.

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano.
Anova

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano

Don’t underestimate Anova’s Nano as it can preserve a food’s flavor and moisture and concoct a hearty 4-person meal without consuming space in your kitchen cabinet. Even if you’re a beginner in the kitchen, using this tool is as easy as the alphabet. All you have to do is attach the Nano to a pot or container that’s full of water, and place a bag of food inside the pot.

At this point, you can use the Nano’s built-in tools or browse through the Anova app — which contains a slew of recipes — to cook your food. You don’t need to keep looking up from your phone as you can monitor your food straight from your device via Bluetooth. Now that’s what we call a hassle-free cooking experience.

Inkbird WIFI Sous Vide Cookers.
Inkbird

Inkbird WIFI Sous Vide Cooker

For cooking enthusiasts who want to leverage technology’s wonders, Inkbird’s WiFi-powered sous vide cooker keeps you updated on your food’s cooking status, relieving you of the need to walk to and from the kitchen. You can find recipes on the app or the cooker’s LCD screen if you’re out of ideas for your next meal.

This sous vide cooker features a protection and temperature alarm that stops the device, notifying you when the temperature reaches a certain value or when the water level is lower than the threshold. Since the device is not waterproof, be careful not to exceed its maximum capacity of four gallons.

Wancle sous vide machine
Wancle

Wancle Sous Vide Cooker With Thermal Immersion

Why operate your sous vide cooker with two hands when you can do it with one? While this sounds like a pipe dream, Wancle’s waterproof sous vide cooker features an ergonomic one-hand portable design for a more streamlined cooking experience, unlike other designs that employ a two-hand design.

It also features an anti-mist digital control panel for easy temperature monitoring and reading, with temperatures ranging from 25 Celsius to 99.9 Celsius and a maximum cooking time of nearly 100 hours. Wancle’s sous vide cooker is also easy to clean thanks to its stainless-steel sleeve.

KitchenBoss Sous Vide Cooker Machine.

KitchenBoss Sous Vide Cooker Machine

Shaped like a test tube, this sous vide cooker machine features an instant pot blender and propriety technology to quickly heat water and maintain a precise temperature throughout the cooking process. Fortunately, KitchenBoss’s sous vide cooker does not produce noise so you can enjoy the tranquility of silence. What’s more, the tool comes bundled with 10 vacuum sealer bags, giving you ample opportunities to master the sous vide cooking method.

Chefman WiFi-and Bluetooth-Enabled Sous Vide Immersion Circulator.
Chefman

Chefman WiFi-and Bluetooth-Enabled Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

Preparing high-quality meals has never been easy with Chefman’s PTC heating technology, which precisely maintains the water’s temperature. Interestingly, this device has built-in smart sensors to track water levels and a clamp for easy attachment. Powered by WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, this all-around tool allows you to monitor your cooking anywhere and notify you as soon as the food is ready. If you want to hone your sous vide cooking skills to perfection, you can download the app for how-to tutorials, step-by-step recipes, and tips to (finally) earn that coveted chef’s kiss.

Editors' Recommendations

Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
Cognac vs. brandy: What’s the difference?
Wonder no more about these age-old grape spirits
Brandy in the sunlight

The colossal world of booze is full of questions and dilemmas. Are you drinking a pinot gris or pinot grigio? What's the best glass for that pilsner? How on earth do I make a refreshing cocktail with hibiscus?

Well, here at The Manual, we've got a few answers and tricks that will get you out of any drinks-related binds. One oft-misunderstood topic involves an age-old grape spirit. We're talking about cognac vs. brandy, specifically, and how the two are different.

Read more
What is caviar? A seafood expert breaks down all the details
John McDonald of Mercer Street Hospitality and Hancock St. is here to guide us
The caviar at Hancock St. with potato chips and champagne

 

What is caviar? Caviar, which is deemed to be the pinnacle of luxury by many, has been a dining delicacy since the times of ancient Greece. Derived from the Persian word chav-jar, which means "cake of strength," this black gold was integrated into modern-day popularity by Russian royalty.

Read more
How to make the perfect carnitas, according to a chef
Check out these tips and tricks to make chef-worthy carnitas
Pork carnitas tacos

If you’ve ever had street tacos, whether from an actual street vendor or an upscale restaurant, you’ve likely had carnitas — whether you knew it or not. Carnitas grew in popularity through Mexican street tacos, but people use it in various dishes, from nachos to chimichangas. Carnitas are most commonly known to be pork, but it can really be any sort of meat cooked in its own fat (confit). The word carnitas in Spanish translates to "little meats."

You can learn how to make carnitas at home -- it isn't difficult. However, it’s not just a matter of throwing a chunk of pork in a pot, and then it turns into delicious carnitas. There are some crucial steps to cooking the perfect batch of carnitas. That’s why we reached out to an expert in Mexican cuisine.

Read more