Aqua Chef Water Oven

[BadRabbit]

Has anyone tried or seen the AquaChef Water oven? It's relatively inexpensive compared to the Sous Vide Supreme (about $140 compared to $400).

I've been wondering when someone would be throwing a competing piece of equipment out there since I've built a DIY version for $50 bucks and assume it could be made commercially for practically nothing. I love my homemade one but would like to have something a little more pleasing to the eye when on the counter.

I wonder how precise the thing is and if it's a PID controller or just thermostat. I don't think I'd buy it if it's just a thermostat.

The free trial is intriguing but I've been fooled on those before with "restocking fees" or just a return process so convoluted that the customer gives up.

http://www.kitchenadvance.com/aquachef.php

Edited January 12, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[Anna N]

Has anyone tried or seen the AquaChef Water oven? It's relatively inexpensive compared to the Sous Vide Supreme (about $140 compared to $400).

....

Looks very much like the Waring Pro deep fryer adapted for another purpose. Have doubts that it is a serious sous-vide set up.

[BadRabbit]

Has anyone tried or seen the AquaChef Water oven? It's relatively inexpensive compared to the Sous Vide Supreme (about $140 compared to $400).

....

Looks very much like the Waring Pro deep fryer adapted for another purpose. Have doubts that it is a serious sous-vide set up.

It's really all about how they have the thing controlled and the quality of the temperature measurement (I'd assume it's probably a thermocouple). A "serious sous vide set-up" isn't a very complicated thing. It would be better if it was insulated but I've done plenty of very precise SV in Rubbermaid containers.

Edited January 12, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[gfweb]

Its about time a cheap SV rig is for sale. They shouldn't cost so much.

[rotuts]

Im fairly sure this came up on another thread.

not to say SV might become cheaper.

Cuisinart? ( of china )

\

[minas6907]

Am I the only one who thought that video was rather corny? They had the same 'chef' twice through out telling us how easy/healthy/natural/clean/convenient the aqua chef is.

[Carlton]

It's just a deep fryer, they didn't even bother to change the basket mechanism. I would think this would be horrible for sous vide because home deep fryers fluctuate a lot and could have 20 degree temp swings that would ruin your food.

[ScottyBoy]

Well, 30 day trial for $20? I might have to snag one up and give it a try. I really need another long temp dedicated setup.

[BadRabbit]

It's just a deep fryer, they didn't even bother to change the basket mechanism. I would think this would be horrible for sous vide because home deep fryers fluctuate a lot and could have 20 degree temp swings that would ruin your food.

Nobody is denying that it's a repurposed deep fryer but if there is a PID controlling mechanism it won't matter. I'd guess that 25% of the people on this forum use repurposed gadgets for sous vide. I've seen countertop roasters and rice cookers tranformed into rigs that will hold temps within .5 deg C (some tighter than that).

If this company has really just changed the name on a fryer and claimed it works as a water oven, they'll end up killing somebody. Maybe they're that reckless (or ignorant) but I hope not. I personally couldn't find a fryer that had a control panel like that (or even very similar).

All of that is why I was hoping someone had actually used the thing and could offer a real review instead of pointing out the obvious that it looks like a deep fryer.

Edited January 13, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[BadRabbit]

Update:

I spoke with customer service and they claim it is PID controlled and will hold within 1 degree. That's not quite as tight as I'd like but unlikely to be a big deal unless I'm playing around near the danger zone.

I may try it out and will give my review.

[Junkbot]

Any updates on this? Not too impressed with it on paper, but user experience could be different.

[Rob Babcock]

I just saw this product and naturally hot-footed it over here to see if anyone's used it. I've already got two Sous Vide Supremes but if this maintains good temp control it would be a great item to recommend for those wanting to get into sous vide on the cheap. Def looks like a repurposed fryer, just wonder how tight the temps will run.

[Rob Babcock]

BTW, there's another new player on the market called the Stealth from undergroundcirculators.com. The restaurant where I work got one recently and it's a pretty solid, no-frills unit. It has an impeller to circulate water and seems to heat 20 gallons without trouble. It has no features at all- you can't even switch the display from C to F. But for $500 it's a solid machine.

[Junkbot]

$500 seems a bit pricey when you can get the SVM/FMM combo for about $330. Granted this unit is a bit more compact. The Stealth looks remarkably similar to the DIY version feature here.