Anova Culinary Precision Cooker AN500-US00 Review

Performance Comparison

Temperature

Our series of temperature evaluations are the most significant of our entire testing process, with this metric responsible for 40% of the final score for each kitchen appliance. We evaluated and scored how well the AN500-US00 recovered the temperature once the food was added, how stable it held the set temperature, its accuracy, and how long it took to heat water initially.

While the AN500-US00 isn't the fastest to heat in our test group, it did pretty well in the recovery test. This sous vide machine took just under an hour — 55 minutes — to warm up our test container of cold tap water to 147°F. However, it only took around three minutes to heat the water back up to 135°F after we dropped in three frozen hamburger patties in a bag.

This immersion circulator also proved to be one of the more accurate models in our tests. It only had an average error of 0.12°F when the temperature was set to 135°F and 0.06°F when it was set to 147°F.

Unfortunately, this model showed some temperature fluctuations in our stability test, spending 18% of the hour off its steady-state temperature. However, it never wavered too far, only having an average error of 0.16°F throughout the 60 minutes.

Circulation

Next, we compared how well each sous vide moved water throughout the container, which helps ensure everything is cooked to the desired temperature and there aren't any hot or cold spots. We measured performance by introducing a concentrated amount of food coloring into the container, then timed how long it took each product to mix the dye and water until an even temperature was achieved, accounting for 30% of the final score.

The Anova only took around 15 seconds to completely disperse the dye, which is one of the fastest times we have seen to date. The slowest machines took over three minutes to complete this task.

Ease of Use

Finally, we ranked and compared each immersion circulator's overall ease of use and user-friendliness, which accounts for the residual 30% of the total score. We awarded points based on the interface and features of each sous vide and how easily it can be attached to different vessels. The AN500-US00 again delivered top results.

The Anova can be controlled through its companion smartphone app or the controls right on the device. The interface through the phone and from the device itself is very easy to use, though it can occasionally be a little glitchy through the app. This was never really a problem, simply forcing us to close the app and restart it to regain the connections.

The touch buttons are also very responsive and are paired with an easy-to-read digital screen, making the interface on the device itself just as easy — if not easier to use than the companion app. The app also allows you to browse recipes and send the prescribed cooking time and temperature directly to the machine and create custom profiles to reproduce your favorite recipes once you have them dialed in.

It has a clamp that makes it quick and easy to attach to the sides of most containers as long as the walls aren't too thick, with a screw action that rotates freely without resistance.

Should You Buy the Anova AN500-US00?

If you are looking for a top-notch sous vide machine, it's hard to go wrong with the Anova AN500-US00. It's easy to use, accurate, and circulates water well, making it one of our all-time favorite products in this category. It even has a companion smartphone app that can browse recipes and send them directly to the machine or even start or stop it remotely. Anova has been one of the leading companies when it comes to bringing sous vide to the masses and provides tons of helpful information and is a great resource overall if you are just starting, further increasing our opinion of this machine. While the AN500-US00 is a top-tier sous vide machine, it is a little on the more expensive side. It's the best of the best in our fleet, but we got tasty results from machines that cost less.

What Other Sous Vide Machine Should You Consider?

Looking to save a few dollars but still want a top-ranking machine with impressive test results? Then the Anova Culinary Precision Cooker Nano is another sous vide to consider. This option will save you around eighty dollars, and you still get great circulation and ease of use with better temperature test results. If budget is of concern, and you can't find this machine on sale, the VPCOK Sous Vide Cooker might be the gadget you are looking for. This model only ranks lower than the Anova AN500-US500 in the ease of use metric.