We’re going to tip you off on something here: for the most tender, mouth-watering meat you’ve ever tasted, you want to go sous vide. The technique, which requires you to put your steak, short ribs, or other item in a vacuum-sealed bag and drop it in a water bath held at constant temperature, will change how you prepare beef forever. Luckily, it’s no longer a cooking technique reserved for restaurants with gels, foams, and “mixologists.” In fact, the whole process is quite easy and affordable. All you really need is a sous vide machine and, in some cases, a pot for the water. But what’s the best sous vide machine? Here are five we’re big fans of:
Sansaire Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Sansaire was a Kickstarter wunderkind, raising over $800,000 during its campaign. The reason for this is how simple it makes cooking sous vide and how sleek the device looks. Since kitchen cabinet space is always at a premium, the Sansaire Sous Vide Immersion Cirulator was designed to only take up as much space as a bottle of champagne. It cleverly pushes water out the side to protect more gentle dishes and boasts an auto shut off feature that will stop the unit if water drops too low. While there’s no timer or really any more bells and whistles, it’s simple and it works. If you don’t demand the best of the best when it comes to a home sous vide machine, this is a great device for the price. For under $200, it will make sure you never eat a leathery steak again. $183
Anova WiFi Sous Vide Precision Cooker
One of the beautiful things about cooking sous vide is the fact that you don’t have to keep a close eye on what you’re cooking. Instead of watching that cut of meat brown on the stove top, you just let the sous vide go. Set it and forget it, you might say. The Anova WiFi Sous Vide Precision Cooker takes it a step further, allowing you to use the entire device via an app. We will say that the app isn’t perfect (far from it), but the device itself is impressive enough to warrant your attention. Plus, the build seems a little more solid and durable than other sous vide devices in its price range. All you need to do is provide the pot to put the water in. As a side note, we will say that with all these wand devices, it’s best to provide some sort of insulation to your pot to help from heat loss. $199
Sous Vide Supreme
Unlike the Anova, the Sous Vide Supreme is an all-in-one device. Just fill it with water and you’re good to go. One benefit to this is it can keep even more control over the temperature of the water. You’ll never overcook a meal again. In fact, just the opposite—everything you prepare will come out exactly the way you want it. Even if you want to prepare some 48-hour short ribs, the Sous Vide Supreme will keep the water temperature within 1 degree Fahrenheit. Just give them a nice sear when you’re done and you’ll blow some minds. $292
Nomiku
The Nomiku allows you to operate it via an app, so you can start cooking your dinner while you’re at the office. The (relatively) small device connects to a pot or container to heat water and hold it at your desired temperature. You can operate it with the touchscreen and dial or with the Tender app, which happens to be one of the big selling points here, as it’s full of crowd-sourced recipes to guide you in your sous vide journey. $199
PolyScience CHEF Series Sous Vide
When it comes to the sous vide cooking in some of the best restaurants in the world, any temperature fluctuation is too much temperature fluctuation. If you want to bring that level of preciseness to your home, the PolyScience CHEF Series Sous Vide Immersion Circulator is what you want. The 1,100 watt heater circulates water to keep it within a 1/10th of a degree of what you set it at. On top of that, the backlit LCD allows you to clearly see the set and actual temperature from across the room, so you can watch they game and look over at your feast whenever you want. Of course, at $800, that level of quality comes at a price. $800
