Let’s start this by looking at the dominant features of any sous vide precision pressure cooker. Then we can go on to dissect Anova and Joules precision pressure cookers according to these features.
• Temp Range:
• Pump Speed:
• Directional Pump:
• Tank Capacity:
• Timer:
• Safety:
• Power Input:
• Heating Power:
We will be comparing the Anova culinary sous vide precision cooker with the Chefsteps Joule sous vide precision cookers. Both are very good sous vide machines in a very acceptable price range. However, they have some subtle differences.Firstly their prices are not the same. There is some significant difference in price. Secondly, their power ratings are not the same. We want to know why more people use one over the other. Every machine has it’s good side and bad side. We will tell you. We will also tell you which one is more suitable in a given situation. Then we will give a comparison table so you can have a quick view of how the two sous vide precision machines stack up against one another.
So without much ado let’s jump into the Anova vs Joules showdown
Let’s start this by looking at the dominant features of any sous vide precision pressure cooker. Then we can go on to dissect Anova and Joules precision pressure cookers based on these features.
1. Precision.
Precision is what sous vide is all about. So the precision pressure cooker machines are required to be very precise in their temperature settings and operation. These appliances are required to get to the temperature required to cook the particular food fast. This is one of the main features of the precision aspect. The faster it gets to this temperature the better the food been cooked. So the machine that gets this aspect better, is a plus for it.
2. Ease of use.
How easy is it for a beginner sous vide cooker to use. Is it user friendly. Especially the App, and connection to wifi etc. the display on the device is important too. Can it be easily seen. This is important for hands free operation. So by just looking at the device in use you can see the readings of all the important parameters for a successful operation.
3. App.
what does the app actually do? Generally the app that comes with these smart devices help connect your smart phone to the smart appliance to keep you informed of what is going on with the cooking. But how well does it stay connected. What standards should be enabled on routers, etc to have a seemless experience with these smart devices?
4. Recipe.
What kind of recipes come with these devices. Are they easy to follow?
5. Amazon reviews and ranking.
How are these products rated on amazon market place among the other sous vide machines in that category. How many average reviews have they gathered since they were introduced to the amazon market place.
Before I start to tell you how these features perform, I will like to state that, I have not performed any practical test on both appliances. All is based on research. I looked all over the internet for reviews of customers who have bought these products and used them for a considerable length of time. This is the only way we can really know how well these two fare against each other.
Please bear it in mind that even a practical test may not give you a true picture of how they handle different tasks. That is no one can carry out a test that will replicate all the different scenarios of usage.
For example how will a product fare after 6 months usage. You can only get this from a verified customer who has used it and then writes an update review of how the product is performing or has performed.
Also another thing we should take note of is, when there is an unusual occurrence. That is, a customer may buy a product and right off the bat, the product does not work as advertised. But if many customers report this kind of incidences, then we must take not.
EASE OF USE.
In terms of ease of use, there is very little difference between the Anova and Joules. To get started, you just add water to your pot, insert the food in the bag and drop it in the water and put the precision cooking device in the water by clamping it to the side of the pot. See below.
The Joule has a magnetic base. So you can clamp it to almost any cooking pot, small or big. Also, with 1100 watts of power the Joule heats up faster than the 800 watts Anova. So your cooking gets finished faster if cooking the exact same food, and exact same amount of water.
Their apps
Both are Bluetooth and Wifi ready. However the Joule is an app dependent device. This means without the app, you cannot use it. So unless the company is up to date with it’s app update in conformity with your phones operating system, you might find your precision cooking device unworkable. But as long as the company is committed to updating it’s app, you have nothing to worry about. The Anova on the other hand can be operated manually without the app. You can see the display even from a distance. But to the Anova app, you will have to create an account, login to use the app.
Recipes.
The Anova comes with 1000+ recipes and sous vide guide for both beginner and veteran cooks. In comparison, the Joules has more than one hundred cooking guides.
Reviews and Ranking.
The rankings and reviews as seen on amazon are,
1. The Anova sous vide precision cooker ranks #1 among the best sellers list for sous vide machines while the Joules ranks #4.
2. The Anova pressure cooker has 4.3 out of 5 stars of 2860 customer reviews as at the time of writing this while the Joules pressure cooker sous vide machine has 4.4 stars out of 5 stars with 1160 customer reviews.
NOTE: These rankings and reviews change over time, as more customers buy and rank them.
Serious problems with these sous vide machines have
1. The Anova. Most of the customers who complained about it and gave it one and two stars had issues with it’s inconsistent response to commands and controls. This is primarily due to the fact that , if you operate your unit in a container that does not hold the steam in, the boiling water and accumulation of steam on the head of your sous vide precision cooker, will make it to produce erratic readings and responses.
The solution is to get a container with a lid to stop steam intrusion into the head of the Anova.
2. THE JOULES. Since the joules sous vide precision pressure cooker has no manual control, everything is done using Bluetooth or Wifi. This, in itself is a serious flaw. If you misplace your connecting device,( phone,tablet etc,) no sous vide cooking for you. On top of this, many customers report connecting issues on both the Bluetooth and the Wifi.
For example, the Bluetooth could find it difficult to connect. Some other times, it could just disconnect. To continue cooking you will have to reconnect and reset all your cooking settings again. This could be frustrating indeed. Hope the company looks at these complaints and come out with another version that takes care of all these issues.
Comparison table for Anova vs Joules.
| ANOVA | JOULES |
|---|---|
| • Temp Range: 77°F to 210°F ± 0.01°F / 25°C to 99°C ± 0.01°C • Pump Speed: 1 - 1.2 GPM 7-8 LPM • Directional Pump: 360 Degree • Tank Capacity: 4-5 Gallons / 15-19 Liters • Timer: 99 Hours • Safety: Bi-Metal Fuse • Power Input: 110-120VAC • Heating Power: 900W • Material: Stainless steel skirt and disks • Precision: ±0.1°C/0.1°F • Maximum water temperature: 99°C/210°F • Tank capacity: 5 gallons • WiFi connectivity: Yes • Bluetooth ready: Yes • Power: 900 watts • Warranty: 1 year . Weight: 2.5 pounds . Dimensions: 14.8 x 2.8 x 2.8 inches | . Temp Range: maximum operating temperature at sea level is 208 °F / 98 °C. At any other altitude, the max operating temperature is 3.6 °F / 2 °C below the local boiling point. . Pump Speed: The pump speed for most operations is 3.6 L/minute, but the Joule adapts its flow rate at high temperatures and reaches a maximum of 6 L/minute • Material: Stainless steel cap and base • Precision: to 0.1°C/0.2°F • Maximum water temperature: 98°C/208°F • Maximum bath volume: Over 10 gallons • WiFi connectivity: Yes • Bluetooth ready: Yes • Heating power: 1100 watts • Warranty: 1 year . Weight:1.28 pounds . Dimensions: 11 x 1.9 x 1.9 inches |