The Best Sous Vide

A rugged, no-nonsense immersion circulator with a wide clamp, manual controls, and enough power to heat a big pot fast. · Updated June 29, 2026

Anova Precision Cooker

Anova Precision Cooker

star.shop pick

Pros

  • Strong heating element circulates and brings large pots up to temperature quickly
  • Wide, adjustable clamp grips a wider range of pots and containers than slimmer competitors
  • Has physical on-device controls so you can run it without the app
  • Holds temperature accurately and consistently for long, multi-hour cooks
  • Optional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth lets you monitor and adjust cooks remotely
  • Backed by a large, well-established sous vide community and recipe ecosystem

Cons

  • Bulkier and heavier than the slim Joule, so it takes up more drawer and pot-rim space
  • More expensive than Wirecutter's value top pick (Monoprice Strata) for similar everyday results
  • App reliability and account requirements have frustrated some users over the years
Minor nitpicks
  • Sealed unit with no user-replaceable parts if the pump or element eventually fails
  • Wi-Fi connection can be finicky to set up initially

The other picks

  • WirecutterMonoprice Strata Home Sous Vide Immersion Cooker 800WWirecutter's top pick — cheaper and delivers nearly identical results for casual cooks
  • WirecutterBreville The Joule Turbo Sous VideWirecutter's upgrade pick — slimmest design and fastest heat-up, but app-only with no onboard controls