Anova Culinary Reviews

by Joe93103

Anova intends this to be the directions for using their sous vide machines. As such it fails. There simply are not enough clear directions provided. Very many of the user-contributed recipes are poorly and unclear written as to technique. Those need to be much better-curated. Some examples of issues Anova leaves unanswered: Is there a limit to the amount of product you can cook at one time? When cooking animal flesh, can you put more than one cut (e.g., one pork chop or steak) into a single bag? If so, would you “stack” them one on top of another, or lay them side by side? Do you put the product in the water before it has come to temperature, or after? Many recipes give very large ranges for cooking times, what gives? Do those relate to the thickness of the cut? When the product is done cooking, can/should it be removed immediately, or can it be left in the (gradually cooling) water to keep warm until ready to sear/serve? Is it dangerous if a small amount of air is left in the bag (because it leaves product out of contact with hot water), or is it ok so long as the bag is fully submerged? It is very unfortunate Anova leaves so many basic questions unanswered. Sous vide is a unique technique; I am a skillful home chef but the skills used in other cooking techniques do not directly transfer to sous vide cooking.

by Karen4545

I’ve had my Anova for a few months now and at first it matched the temperature of my food thermometer, but today they were 2° apart. I tested several times and my food thermometer has always been reliable. Also, several times I’ve had difficulty or inability signing in, even though the Anova was on the proper Wi-Fi network and my login credentials were correct. Sometimes the Anova is unable to connect at all. But today was the last straw, because all of my saved recipes vanished. Poof. I am signed in, the Anova is on network and online, but my recipes are gone. I worked hard creating them and I counted on them to be there when I needed them so that I did not have to start from scratch. My memory is bad, so it is particularly annoying. And since I can no longer trust the temperature, which we all know is critical for food safety and desired doneness, I may very soon be in the market for a different brand.

by Ratcliff851

The hardware is great. I can’t begin to describe what a game changer sous vide cooking is. If I had it to do over though, I’d buy a base model with no connectivity because AnovaCulinary is a joke. First, the WiFi settings are ridiculous. After trying to connect unsuccessfully many times, I went to the web. I found out that neither your WiFi network name nor your password can be over 15 characters long. Their solution, I kid you not, is to change your network name and password to be shorter (less secure) than it is now. Also, there are many times where AnovaCulinary continues to tell me I need to get within range of the cooker so it can connect. It’ll stick like this with AnovaCulinary 3 inched away from the cooker. Better to just use the manual controls. Beyond that, I don’t understand how hackish their developers must be to not be able to get a simple timer right. It seemed to work on my first two cooks. After that, the timer now starts during the warm up phase. So you end up having to manually time everything anyway. And you have to listen for the cooker to hit the right temperature. The convenience of “set it and forget it” is totally missed with the poor app functionality.

by Dabovino

Bought the WiFi unit before reading all the reviews about how poor AnovaCulinary is. Wish I hadn’t. Have not been able to connect the unit to my network despite being within 5 feet of the router (no other device I own needs that) having no special characters in my password, deleting and reinstalling AnovaCulinary , restarting the unit, clearing the WiFi blah blah blah. In this day and age there is no excuse for such a poorly performing app. I will see if there tech support can help, if not the unit is going back to the store.

Update: connectivity issue resolved with help of customer support-sort of. AnovaCulinary as many have pointed out is very glitchy. I have no idea how the timer is supposed to work. The unit itself works great, but every other time I like at AnovaCulinary it says to connect my phone to WiFi (which it already is). If I close AnovaCulinary and reopen it it reconnects. I want to give AnovaCulinary a better rating because the NY strip I just made was amazing but AnovaCulinary needs work.

by The Membership

Received a new Pro to replace our original model from 2016. The updated app refuses to connect to the Pro, when using Bluetooth. It asks to use our WiFi network to look for “other devices” (access denied) and then complains that it has no access to the cellular network (also denied).

No, I don’t want a company to know how often I use their product. No, I don’t want that company to know y favorite temperatures. No, I don’t want to send data about what times of day I start, for how long I cook, how often I use AnovaCulinary to control the device, how often I change temperatures and from what to what. My cooking in my home is my business. It might be innocuous data, but you weren’t being honest about it.

So it seems as if the Anova app is only willing to connect to my $300 device via Bluetooth if it can also phone home to the mothership with other information whenever it wants to.

Anova: listen up. If you say your devices work with Bluetooth, they cannot require either WiFi or cellular as part of the deal. The Bluetooth spec says that Bluetooth is a separate device-to-device connection, with no server or http in between. It’s embarrassing that you claim Bluetooth support. The Anova system clearly doesn’t meet the standards —unless I’ve missed something obvious. Correct me if I’m wrong, please.

by Andrewmo621

The only way I can get AnovaCulinary to recognize the cooker is to reinstall each time I use the device. Four cooks - four installs. I then have to go through the entire setup process each time. I should be able to plug in the device and start AnovaCulinary to start cooking without having to reinstall each time.

Once it is installed and working I love the results but this is getting ridiculous. I will return the device as defective if this happens again.

Not only this but you can’t manually control the timer. If I don’t want to reinstall AnovaCulinary each time I use the device I guess I’ll have to use the timer on my phone

Update: 6 cooks - 5 reinstalls. It works great after reinstalling the application each time but that is just wrong.

I’m sending the device back as defective. There is no way this is the correct behavior.

Update: I returned the cooker and received a new one. This one doesn’t have the issue that causes me to reinstall. That was due to a bad unit. I’m still giving AnovaCulinary one star though as it is barely functional. I’m not going to repeat all the issues here because several other reviews cover these in detail but the way the timer works, the interaction with the recipes, the failure to support multiple cookers and the behavior of saved cooks are all issues for me.

Now that I have a working cooker, I’m happy with the device but until AnovaCulinary gets some significant updates I can’t recommend it

by SFPixie

When it works, AnovaCulinary is pretty easy to use, but it has a number of annoying issues with the user interface. It will become unable to communicate with the Anova device, telling me it’s out of range, which is a bit hard to believe when I’m holding my phone less than 6 inches (15cm) away. It also is fond of displaying a notification count on AnovaCulinary icon, but giving me no way to find the actual notifications. AnovaCulinary will tell me that it’s been keeping my food warm for 150 hours, when in fact the Anova has been unplugged.

The recipes and recipe guides also leave MUCH to be desired. For example, every recipe for steak in the Guide section assumes that you want “rare to extremely rare.” News flash: some of us like it medium, or even medium well! But there is no hint of what to do even to get up to medium rare. Presumably you adjust the water temperature, but how much? Do you also need to adjust the cooking time? Not the slightest hint of a suggestion of a clue.

by AppleBrettski

The device Sous Vide well. This is about AnovaCulinary though. AnovaCulinary is very unfriendly and difficult to work with.

The last update lost my WiFi settings. I haven’t been able to get it to connect. Just not with my time anymore. At least the extra cost for WiFi unit also included more watts so it’s not an entire waste for the better unit.

You set you temp and time and the water starts heating. Once to temp the timer stars regardless if the food is in or not. No prompt, etc. so I usually stop the cook, put the food in and start again. Which the food has cooled down the water and preheat begins. So now it will bathe for extra time.

While running all seems fine.

The cook is done and the unit beeps, and beeps and beeps. No option to tell it to stop. No option to extend or reduce the time. You can change the temp though ( I believe).

The Anova app had a notification on it for some reason. I would open AnovaCulinary and it asked to connect the unit. The unit is in the box I am not cooking right now. There was no way to see what the notification is or to clear it. It’s just there.

In general it is so buggy. It doesn’t matter either as there are no other options. If you are going to use an Anova cooker you’re stuck with the crap software. The cooker is quite nice, the software, meh.

by Ought2Otter

I bought an Anova in August 2019. The device is great, and AnovaCulinary had great features. In particular, it was good at preheating, and letting you know about how long it would be until your water is up to temperature. Since then, AnovaCulinary has undergone an update, which has now disabled that feature. Now, when you start a 45 minute recipe, it starts counting down that time immediately, even if the water is preheating. That makes it impossible to use the built-in guides and recipes unless you manually use the device to preheat your water before starting the programmed recipe. In addition, they have now hidden my own recipes in “My Profile”, instead of on the front page dashboard. I have customized several recipes to the “doneness” my family prefers, and they are the recipes I most frequently use. Why bury them on me?

Fortunately, these things can be corrected. I just hope Anova does before I abandon AnovaCulinary for manual settings and a kitchen timer. This isn’t rocket science

by Torf08

Originally got the cooker during the holiday season of 2017. During use then had similar problems as others with the timer not working well or randomly resetting. Used it for approximately 2 months before it went into a cupboard. Recently (last two weeks) got it out and started to use it again. Timer issues in AnovaCulinary appear to be fixed (only a handful of uses as of yet). Timer continues to function even if I go to another app (previously this would reset the timer or break it completely). Very happy that the Anova team is hard at work to correct these annoying flaws.

I should add that there are still issues with WiFi connectivity. I haven’t extensively tested these issues but it appears to still mess up when attempt to reconnect to the cooker after leaving the WiFi network and rejoining while the cooker is in operation. AnovaCulinary unable to “find” the cooker and I have to go in an unpair and repair the cooker to the application.

by J.C.Stone

Got my Anova recently and so far have just been using it for reheating meats I have previously smoked with fantastic results. But have some suggestions for AnovaCulinary for improvement:
1. Somebody needs to proof the recipes within AnovaCulinary . There is a huge variation in directions for basically the same cut of meat (i.e. Leg of Lamb - one recipe says 131° for 2 hrs another same temp for 8:23). This is very confusing for cooks just starting out.
2. Guides seem to be simply filtered recipes. I was expecting something more of general guidelines.
3. Finally, being a wifi enabled app I was disappointed that there was no way to setup a notification on my mobile. Yes the device beeps but it would be really beneficial if I got a notification on my mobile in case I’m not nearby.

by Figarofitz

Works greatLove the reliability easy to useThe product itself is fantastic. However the recipes on AnovaCulinary need someone to really go through and scrub them !! 10 hour cook times are confusing, it’s almost as if amateurs are uploading these without anyone editing or providing any oversight. The idea of spud vide is not clearly explained and it causes a lot of confusion for the beginner.... essentially you can cook a steak in approximately two hours. BUT the beauty of sousvide is that you can also leave it for 10 hours and it won’t keep cooking but will keep the perfect temperature.... This is why restaurants use this. It’s great, I love it, but the recipes cause a lot of confusion and it took me a while to figure everything out.

by Dasama68

This so is vide is easy to use and accurate. Sets up easily right out of the box. AnovaCulinary pairs quickly , but does not stay paired and I’ve had several situations where AnovaCulinary timer didn’t let me know when it was a zero. These are easy things to fix with my phone’s timer. The required depth of water is higher than I’d like, and I need to use my 10 quart stock pot for most dishes. You also need to cover the pot with aluminum foil to prevent evaporation. There’s no warning through AnovaCulinary when the water level gets too low. Instead it just disconnects. Again these are minor problems as the souls vide has been great for cooking corned beef, pot du creme and baked beans

by Lsannasannasanna

Fantastic machine! Easy to use, I've been constantly and consistently getting great results for over a year... Each time, Every time. Lamb, beef, goat, chicken, scallops- everything comes out wonderful. I find AnovaCulinary easy to use, great recipes, and good suggestions. Sometimes I'll ice down some herbed tenderloin, then kick on the sous vide from work and have an incredible meal waiting.

The Bad... a few times I had connectivity issues with AnovaCulinary , especially when there are multiple routers in the house. In the long run, not really such a hassle.

The Ugly... Why oh why did I wait so long to get this killer tool. Once you make scallops with sous vide, and then sear them in butter in your trusty cast iron, I'm sure you will feel the same.

by RonQuill

I have owned the Anova pod for several months now. I have used it to cook beef, chicken, pork and, several different vegetables. I have found it to be easy to use and a reliable device. Before I purchased, I read a number of reviews which questioned the reliability of the Wi-Fi connection. My experience with this connection initially did present me with some problems, but they were quickly resolved in a call to technical support. I had failed to scroll all the way down on the set up screen to find the right option. I am particularly impressed with the quiet operation of the Anova. I have also used a Gourmia sous vide pod for several years. The Gourmia pod is much noisier and it’s Wi-Fi connection was not nearly as reliable as the Anova’s. But most importantly, the customer support for Anova is vastly superior to that for the Gourmia. The Anova is the machine I would recommend you should consider for purchase.

by Lazy Putt

I received the Anova 1000 WiFi enabled precision cooker for a gift. Great addition to meal prep/planning. If you have a big pot, this will work. A nice perk is it can be used on any table or counter near a plug, so it frees up the oven/stove top/grill. You can easily repeat your dish, once you choose a temp/time you like. It is almost bullet proof on creating consistent dishes. The Anova food app is a great place to start as a baseline for time/temp for whatever. I have used Ziplock Gallon Freezer bags with no issue. Clean up is none existent (pour out the water and wipe down pot/cooker unit). This approach will free you up completely. Impossible to over cook. One nice perk- we have cooked more fish as this approach removes the odor that may accompany fish prep. Starting to use the WiFi and app as I now have a few favorite time/temps for target protein. I may get a second one to do vegetables (different temp/time requirements). Btw- the food is amazing! One tip, you can use the water in the pot to help remove the air from the bag (you tube video, so easy)😃

by Firemellow

First of all, I don’t bother pairing my hardware to AnovaCulinary . I use the timer on my iPhone. Apparently, most of the negative reviews are based on issues with connectivity. But in consideration of actual cooking info and recipes, AnovaCulinary is the best by far and I’ve tried many Sous Vide apps.

I am not new to Sous Vide cooking but I found so much information in AnovaCulinary. The “Guide” section of AnovaCulinary is detailed yet easy to read. Within the “Guide” section is an “About” tab for each category of food (beef, poultry, veggies, etc.). This section is loaded with more information that I have seen anywhere else. It includes tips and techniques for each category of food. Easy to read and very useful info that will improve your Sous Vide results - especially for the Sous Vide novice.

So according to some of the reviews, there are issues with connecting your hardware for timing and controlling purposes. But for Sous Vide cooking content, AnovaCulinary stands way above the others. FIVE STARS FOR THAT!

by Rneutron

I received the sous-vide as a gift and was hesitant to use it for a long time. Kept thinking, do I have time to learn another way of cooking. Set up has to be complicated. If I ever use it I’ll never do it again so what’s the point. Well I have to say I was wrong on all accounts. The setup is so easy. If you can download an app on your phone you’re through the hardest part. I’ve used it 4 times in the past 2 weeks and everything has come out juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. I made chicken breasts, tenderloin steak, and burgers twice. Once you prep the food you put it in a ziplock bag (or vacuum sealed bag) and submerge it in the water once it reaches target temp. Generally I’ve been choosing meals that take 2 hrs to cook but the only active cooking is the prep. Once it is done I will put it on a pan to sear it but that only takes 2 minutes. Highly recommend it for anybody that is looking to elevate their cooking. Time commitment is minimal but you should prep your meals about 2hrs prior to when you want to eat.

by Jay K 0001

Usually I am not a fan of apps the go with appliances and “the internet of things,” however AnovaCulinary is super helpful. Initially I had a really hard time connecting the Precision Cooker to my wi-fi, but its been stable for a while now. Sous vide is a great way to cook and I’m glad I made the investment.

There is a Guide section in AnovaCulinary which appears to be from Anova. The instructions are clear, concise and well formatted. The user contributed recipes are what you might expect, but useful as a reference.

I don’t use AnovaCulinary to control my Precision Cooker much, but the alerts are helpful. The only thing I don’t like is if you use the “Cook This Guide” feature, it starts the timer as soon as it’s up to temperature, whether you put your food in or not. I just wait to start the timer manually once I put the food in. But all in all, it’s a very useful app for this appliance.

by Miltonjohn

I think that this gets a bad rap due to things outside of the developer’s control. I’ve been using the Anova with its app for several months now. It’s really changed how I cook! I love sous vide and I’ve made lots of different things in it. AnovaCulinary works reliably as long as you are either near be Anova or have a strong WiFi signal in your kitchen. At first I had problems getting it to register, but once I improved reception in my home with a WiFi mesh network, the Anova was a breeze to setup. I suppose that they could have used a stronger WiFi module in the design so that it would deal with weak networks better, but it’s good enough if you have a good signal in your kitchen. I like looking at the recipes but I rarely use them. I prefer to use the guide to manage the cooking time and make my own recipe.

by Snag234987

The only way I can get AnovaCulinary to recognize the cooker is to reinstall each time I use the device. Four cooks - four installs. I then have to go through the entire setup process each time. I should be able to plug in the device and start AnovaCulinary to start cooking without having to reinstall each time.

Once it is installed and working I love the results but this is getting ridiculous. I will return the device as defective if this happens again.

Not only this but you can’t manually control the timer. If I don’t want to reinstall AnovaCulinary each time I use the device I guess I’ll have to use the timer on my phone

Update: 6 cooks - 5 reinstalls. It works great after reinstalling the application each time but that is just wrong.

I’m sending the device back as defective. There is no way this is the correct behavior.

Update: I returned the cooker and received a new one. This one doesn’t have the issue that causes me to reinstall. That was due to a bad unit. I’m still giving AnovaCulinary one star though as it is barely functional. I’m not going to repeat all the issues here because several other reviews cover these in detail but the way the timer works, the interaction with the recipes, the failure to support multiple cookers and the behavior of saved cooks are all issues for me.

Now that I have a working cooker, I’m happy with the device but until AnovaCulinary gets some significant updates I can’t recommend it

by Mrb145

Cooking with your phone is a dumb idea to begin with. If your palate and skills run to sous vide, you’re probably not a gormless gadget-head. If you’ve bought the Anova cooker - a decent appliance that makes good food happen, you’re going to Tech Hell with the Bluetooth/WiFi controller. In order to integrate the (basic) recipes with the cooker, everything has to connect through your phone and WiFi router. Expect disconnects, crashes, and resets frequently: mine goes out a couple of times a week. Documentation and tech support amounts to “Unload AnovaCulinary , reboot your router, disable any parts of your WiFi network we don’t work with, and try try again.” Oh yes...you need to set up the cooker 8 feet from your router, because its transceiver is too anemic to find its buttocks at a greater distance.

The Anova cooker is great. The WiFi control technology is a total cluster muck. Buy the cooker. Skip the setup. Lose AnovaCulinary .

by Snclfe

I got my Anova for Christmas 2017 and use it frequently. Up until recently AnovaCulinary was a really helpful resource where you could check for how long and what temperature to cook various types and cuts of meat. It was super handy and within a couple clicks you’d be ready to cook. It also had some deeper features and a lot of recipes if you wanted to dig in and make something fancier. Which was nice for planning a dinner party. But for any old Wednesday night, the quick reference time & temp guide was quick and easy.
In the recent redesign they’ve flipped this design. All the extras are up front and in your face and you have to dig for simple info just to get started. It’s a classic example of a company not understanding what they do well. It’s like if the Google homepage decided to clutter its search page with a bunch of ads or other things and ignore their core business.
I hope they revert to their old useful design soon.

by Fluxrad

AnovaCulinary itself is pretty well done, with a ton of recipes from Serious Eats proprietor J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. It also has a relatively intuitive interface. Unfortunately it’s sabotaged by poor timer functionality.

As you start a “recipe” the Anova unit heats up to target temperature. Once it reaches target temp — say 140° — the timer will start and AnovaCulinary will notify you. Unfortunately, if the target temp drops by even 0.1° then rises again above the target threshold, the timer resets and you will once again get a notification that it’s time to start cooking. Lather, rinse, repeat. As I write this review I’ve received no fewer than four alerts for some chicken breasts I have cooking right now.

Until the Anova team can fix this issue, I’m afraid I can’t recommend using AnovaCulinary for timing your cooks, which seems like it should be a core piece of functionality.