Wasted $200 on a sous vide circulator that died after 3 months

Picked up a cheap brand off Amazon last spring for my catering prep, figured it would handle some basic protein cooks until it started making a grinding noise and just gave out mid-shift. That was $200 down the drain and I had to finish a batch of duck breasts in a hot water bath on the stove like some kind of caveman. Anyone else had bad luck with budget circulators or is there a mid-range one that actually holds up?

2 comments

2 Comments

benwilliams1mo ago

I used to be one of those people who swore by cheap Amazon kitchen gadgets (you know, the ones with the weird brand names nobody can pronounce). I figured a sous vide circulator is just a heating element and a pump, how complicated could it be? But then I had a similar thing happen with a $150 unit I grabbed for a big meal prep weekend it started throwing error codes after maybe 10 hours of total use. That experience completely changed my mind about skimping on that particular tool. Now I'd rather save up for something from Anova or Joule, even their entry level models, because the build quality and customer support are just miles ahead of the no-name stuff. I honestly think you get what you pay for with these things, unfortunately.

susansingh1mo ago

I read a review from a chef who said his cheap sous vide leaked water into the electronics on the third use. That's basically a fire hazard waiting to happen. Save up for a good one and don't risk your kitchen over a few bucks.