Martin Fisher

I also rarely use vacuum, but when I do it's an older $35 clamp-style machine that has issues, but gets the job done. Liquids go in either Mason jars of various sizes or in chamber sealer bags where air is removed via the Archimedes principle or other tricks, they're then sealed with $50 impulse sealer.....no big deal.

Bread machines, ice cream makers, George Foreman grills and the like, juicers, slow cookers, microwaves, rotisserie ovens, coffee makers, sandwich makers, toaster ovens, popcorn makers, waffle makers, blenders, food processors, rice cookers, various mixers, dehydrators, toasters, electric can openers, etc. etc. etc. They ALL appear in yard sales and thrift stores in large numbers. My sous vide rig is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in my kitchen. Besides the obvious, cooking meats, eggs and veg at precise temperatures, I also use the rig as a slow cooker via 1/2 gallon Mason jars (I hate modern slow cookers---the temperatures are too high--the original slow cookers were so much better), I make stock in sealed 1/2 gallon Mason jars, I ferment charcuterie in the sous vide rig, I par-cook sausages and cured meats, I make cheese, yogurt and the like, various confits, braises, etc. etc. etc. It's very handy, I can't imagine living without it.

Added to my wishlist.

Does the convection fan work at lower temperatures?

Do you happen to know the lowest heat setting possible with the big SO?

I agree.

Well, yeah, but there are capacity limitations. An immersion circulator has the advantage of being portable, conveniently storable and easily paired with different size vessels. Check out this scary potential product........YIKES!....... http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/193384747/aquachef-clarity-sous-vide-cooking-made-simple It exudes cheapness!

Other advice....... Nomiku: Hire an extremely talented engineer and completely re-engineer your unit. I think keeping the initial general design is fine. Sansaire: Tool-up big time, shoot for a retail price of $149 (or less) and enter the 'mass' market much the same as SVS has done. Underground: Improve accuracy and temperature stability....rethink your marketing strategy and put a skirt on that thing!!!! Anova: Hmmmm....hopefully Anova will continue to make more firmware upgrades that add more features without increasing the price of the unit. I'd really like to see the timer count up when it's finished counting down. I find the fact that you can't read the temperature/time from across the room mildly annoying, but it doesn't appear that can be easily remedied.

The SVS remains somewhat unique so I'm not sure that SVS needs to do anything different at this point...well...other than correct the issues with the anodized aluminum components in the Demi...if that hasn't already been addressed! I'm sure they'll lower their prices when the time comes....as I understand it......the Demi has been on special for $199 in the past. Polyscience....poor....Polyscience! What were they thinking when they conceived the DISCOVERY??? The product is wrong in SO many ways!!! They're definitely diluting their brand with its introduction. As I mentioned in another thread, it's akin to GM putting the Cadillac name of the Cimarron! To top it all off, I find it incredibly ironic that it's the color of a lemon!!! Polyscience definitely needs to rethink the DISCOVERY and develop something that competes directly with the Anova. It appears that Anova is the product to beat at this juncture.

That's scandalous!

Is the big one large enough to accommodate an un-spatchcocked 5 to 6 lb. chicken?

What? Where the heck do you live and what restaurants are that bad? Chemung County, New York. It's a culinary wasteland. There are no good restaurants here.

@C. sapidus.... That looks great! You can't go wrong with BBQ! Southern Tier Brewing Company....are you a southern tier resident?

I stopped eating in restaurants (other than a couple good New York style pizzerias) because nearly every meal I've been served over the past few years has had something seriously wrong with either it or the service. I'd been craving a good fish fry leading up to our last time out at a restaurant ---this was a couple years ago---a place that was, at one time, pretty good. The fish was horribly dry, I mean crazy dry. I tartar sauce tasted like coleslaw. The fries were over-salted and overcooked. The Caesar salad that I had was just plain horrible with a tasteless watery dressing and soggy croutons. The glass of water with a wedge of lemon looked good, but the server "eagle clawed" the glass so I sent that back. The server also spent way too much time chit-chatting with certain patrons when she should have been attending to the needs of others. Anyway......I don't waste money on restaurants anymore...it's not worth it when food at home is so much better and I know for sure what I'll be getting. Even the Italian-American joints in this area, of which there are dozens and dozens, can't be trusted to provide good food anymore.

Stubborn sink and drain, ay? When all else fails, I guarantee that the following option will work.....it's an expanding pipe stopper/test plug.....when you turn the wing nut the rubber stopper expands closing off the drain tightly! They work like a charm....I've used them for years to stop stubborn drains. They should be available at your local plumbing supply. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/pipe-and-test-plugs/pipe-and-test-plugs/plumbing/ecatalog/N-n0s

Norton stones are good but it does take a bit of talent and a lot of practice to properly sharpen knives freehand. I've seen a lot of folks butcher knives with freehand stones. Guided systems are a good choice because they allow you to keep a consistent angle with minimal metal removal. IMHO, The Wicked Edge system is the best. Followed by the KME system. Gatco provides the best value in a budget system.

I'm with you there...but...trouble is...Murphy seems to follow me everywhere....something catastrophic would surely happen when I needed the crippled grill most. I think it's wise to have a back-up plan.

It'll almost surely continue to crack. It's difficult but not impossible to weld cast iron. Finding someone willing to attempt it may be difficult and the cost may approach that of a new grill so it may not be worth the risk.

SousVideMagic

I don't think that fragile copper cookware would survive my kitchen very well. Why not consider a BellaCopper diffuser and use that in conjunction with premium and durable stainless steel pans such as Demeyere?

I agree, Bittman hasn't got a clue!!!!! There are a lot of issues in play here....not the least of which is subtherapeutic antibiotic use which leads to antibiotic resistance and creates strains of super pathogens. Quoting Mr. Bittman... "Until the Food Safety and Inspection Service (F.S.I.S.) of the Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) can get its act together and start assuring us that chicken is safe, I’d be wary." Sorry, Mr. Bittman, it isn't possible for any government agency to 'assure' the public of a food's safety, there will always be a risk. In terms of antibiotic use in livestock, the FDA issued voluntary guidelines last year. Hopefully some sensible mandatory guidelines will soon follow.

That's awesome!

Interesting article praising Rieslings here in the Finger Lakes region....... http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/dining/reviews/in-the-finger-lakes-devotion-to-riesling-shows.html

I hope the strategy serves them well but I'm afraid that simply focusing on defining their various models in terms of home or commercial use falls critically short of seriously addressing their direct competition.

Well, it is the harvest season, hunting season and it's just before the holidays......I don't think that delays should come as much of a surprise during was is -by far- their busiest time of year! Literally dozens and dozens of folks who frequent the linked forum above have ordered from VacuumSealersUnlimited without any complaints......I'm sure the back-ups are just temporary.