REASONS TO BUY
Super low price
Heats up quickly
Super-fast recover time
Stable temperature
Good temperature accuracy
Great circulation
REASONS TO AVOID
Cumbersome time adjustments
Slow temp adjustments
Plastic clip attachment
Keylitos Sous Vide Cooker Review
With stable temps, fast heat and recovery times, and great accuracy, this waterproof model is a great budget-friendly option
Credit: Keylitos
RELATED: Best Sous Vide Machine of 2023
Our Verdict
The Keylitos is a surprisingly competent kitchen appliance for the price. The clip attachment is less versatile than the screw clamp, but the IPX7 waterproof rating keeps your device safe in the event that it becomes completely submerged. The circulation is impeccable, which helps this sous vide provide a stable temperature. It also heats up quickly and offers a lightning-fast recovery time. While the time adjustments can be cumbersome and the temperature adjustments slow, it is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it. If you don't mind a slightly slower set-up time, the Keylitos is the perfect budget-friendly option for you.
Editor's Note: We added this new Keylitos model to our review on August 25, 2022.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Keylitos Sous Vide Cooker | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $70 List $59.99 at Amazon | $150 List $119.17 at Amazon | $130 List $89.88 at Amazon | $129 List $99.00 at Amazon | $100 List $49.77 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Super low price, heats up quickly, super-fast recover time, stable temperature, good temperature accuracy, great circulation | Digestible price, quick heating time, stable temperature, amazing circulation, simple button/dial user face, full ipx7 waterproofing | Simple interface, great dial feel, large LCD screen, awesome circulation, fast heat time, very quiet | Exceptionally convenient to use, impressively stable in our test | Good price, strong circulation performance, decent accuracy |
| Cons | Cumbersome time adjustments, slow temp adjustments, plastic clip attachment | Fickle magnetic dial | Can't select time until you start it, ever so slightly inaccurate temperature | Not the quickest to heat up, slightly inferior circulation | Attachment clip is far from our favorite |
| Bottom Line | With stable temps, fast heat and recovery times, and great accuracy, this waterproof model is a great budget-friendly option | A well thought out, user-friendly option with an accurate and stable temperature and a decent price tag | This simple, budget-friendly model features a large, easy-to-see LCD screen, a quick heat time, and stellar circulation | This top-notch immersion circulator has impressive heat stability, an app, and costs less than many other premium models | If you are shopping for one of these appliances on a budget, this is one to consider |
| Rating Categories | Keylitos Sous Vide... | KitchenBoss G320 | Greater Goods Preci... | Anova Culinary Prec... | VPCOK Sous Vide Cooker |
| Temperature (40%) | |||||
| Circulation (30%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (30%) | |||||
| Specs | Keylitos Sous Vide... | KitchenBoss G320 | Greater Goods Preci... | Anova Culinary Prec... | VPCOK Sous Vide Cooker |
| Clamp/Mounts | Fixed screw clamp | Adjustable and removeable screw clamp | Fixed plastic clip | Fixed screw clamp | Removeable fixed plastic clip |
| App Control | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Wattage | 1100W | 1100W | 1100W | 750W | 1000W |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
This stainless steel sous vide offers 1100 watts of power and a very quiet circulation system. The powerful heating element ensures a fast heat and recovery time, and the IPX7 waterproof rating ensures no steam will motor.
Performance Comparison
If you're looking for a super low-budget machine, the Keylitos is a no-brainer.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Temperature
We test the initial heat time, accuracy, stability, and recovery time during our temperature testing. After extensive testing, it is safe to say that the Keylitos operates very quickly and accurately.
It achieves quality cooked meats and vegetables through an accurate and steady temperature, preserving all those flavorful juices that make up a delicious meal. The stainless steel columns and quality heating element help to ensure a speedy heat time. Our 9.5-quart container of 48-degree tap water reaches the desired temperature of 147 degrees in a quick 38 minutes. Anything under 40 minutes is considered a high performer. After placing three frozen hamburger patties, 135 grams each, into the Keylitos, it only takes 35 seconds to climb back up to 147 degrees. This is a great recovery time as our test suite spans from a matter of seconds to around 20 minutes.
Frozen patties are no match for the Keylitos, as it heats up quickly after the initial drop in temperature.
Credit: Chris McNamara
We test the temperature stability of each sous vide over the course of an hour, and the Keylitos does not waver. We also test the accuracy of each option at two different temperatures. The Keylitos has an average temperature discrepancy of 0.20 degrees, which is minimal and typically inconsequential.
You can really count on the Keylitos with its accurate temperature settings.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Circulation
It is not just a powerful heating element that creates a stable temperature. The circulation must also be plentiful to ensure that the entire container of water is heated up quickly, efficiently, and evenly, which is why this is our next metric.
To test for circulation, we inject a controlled amount of diluted high-contrast food coloring into the 9.5-quart container and record how long it takes for the color to homogenize. The Keylitos takes 18 seconds flat to completely circulate the contents of the Tupperware. This is a few seconds more than our highest performers but minutes faster than our lowest-performing. Overall the Keylitos offers stellar circulation.
Great circulation helps contribute to a fast heat and recovery time.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Ease of Use
More often than not, if a product is significantly less expensive than its competitors, it is lacking in something.
The LCD smart touch screen offers a high-definition display, but the controls are a little complicated and require additional time to adjust. The temperature can be adjusted by 0.1 degrees with a short press or three degrees with a long press. The time adjustments can be changed by one minute through a short press or 30 minutes with a long press. Long pressing the setting button also allows you to switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit. These features are convenient in theory, and the minimal buttons give the Keylitos a nice sleek look, but they feel overly complicated in practice.
The Keylitos uses a clip to attach itself to the water container. This is very convenient but can be easily knocked over, which can be irritating if operating in a busy kitchen. Luckily the waterproof rating ensures that your sous vide will not break if knocked into the water. The IPX7 waterproof certification keeps the machine innards completely safe from moisture, enhancing its overall durability and safety. The IPX7 waterproof rating allows for the device to be completely submerged one meter in water for up to 30 minutes. This waterproof rating and the stainless steel design also make it easy to clean any gaps in the machine, although sous vides don't often need much cleaning as they are not coming in direct contact with the food they are cooking.
A couple more features that add to the Keylitos user-friendliness are that the sous vide will stop cooking and sound an alarm if the water level is lower than the minimum. This means it stops automatically when you remove it from the tank as well, which is a convenient feature. It also alarms you when your desired temperature is reached. While the Keylitos does not offer top-tier performance in our ease of use section, none of its downfalls are dealbreakers at such an affordable price, and it's easy to use once you get the hang of it.
The Keylitos interface takes some getting used to, but overall it's not too difficult.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Should You Buy the Keylitos?
The Keylitos is on the lower end of the sous vide price range but performs exceptionally well. This makes it an amazing value. It takes a moment to get used to the controls, but its fast heat time, accurate and stable temperature, and stellar circulation make up for the extra time the learning curve requires. If you are looking for a wallet-friendly option and don't mind taking the time to get to know your sous vide, the Keylitos is an amazing option.
What Other Sous Vides Should You Consider?
The Keylitos offers top-notch performance and a price that is very difficult to beat. The circulation and high-quality heating elements offer quick heat and recovery times, temperature accuracy, and temperature stability. While you can find higher-performing models, there are no other sous vides that perform better for less money.
The budget-friendly Keylitos is an absolute steal.
Credit: Matt Spencer
—
Hayley Thomas & Matt Spencer
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