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New Anova Precision Cooker Announced May 6, 2014

pmilas

By pmilas
in Kitchen Consumer

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flippant

flippant

Posted
Posted

I'm furious. Clearly they've just made a decision to save money on production for their bottom line, instead of being loyal to their backers.

 

Yep. It's fair to say this has taken the shine off Anova in a big way. People are furious across every social media channel. The glib "Hello Anova Community!" the slap across the face starts with on their official blog is infuriating.

 

I know I won't be recommending the cooker to anyone, regardless of how good it may turn out to be.

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lesliec

lesliec

Posted
Posted

I'm furious. Clearly they've just made a decision to save money on production for their bottom line, instead of being loyal to their backers.

 

The wording in the email from Anova is 'Due to an influx of orders for the 220v Precision Cooker unit, we've undergone a retooling process to optimize our production process and fulfill this increase in demand.'.  You're clearly reading something more sinister into this than I am!

 

Granted the words are fairly fluffy.  But I read it as 'Help!  We're overwhelmed by the number of 220v orders we've received so we've had to run around in circles to find a factory to handle them'.  Yes, I'm disappointed I won't be getting mine (red - even worse!) earlier.  But 'furious'?  C'mon, guys ... there are worse things happening in the world.

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Leslie Craven, aka "lesliec"
Host, eG Forums - lcraven@egstaff.org

After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives ~ Oscar Wilde

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted

That sucks!

They need to regroup and focus on better customer service.

Alienating your fans and backers is just stupid for several reasons.  :wacko:

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted

A simple fix would be limiting vanity options and the like as well as extending the anticipated delivery date well beyond what's expected.

Delivering earlier than backers expect....that would impress.  :smile:

The vanity and such can come later.

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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FrogPrincesse

FrogPrincesse

Posted
Posted

If you've backed up Kickstarter projects before, surely you realize that they is some level of risk involved, and that delays are not that unusual. I'd rather wait a few more weeks and get a good product than have them rush to meet the original target date.

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Michael S.

Michael S.

Posted
Posted

If you've backed up Kickstarter projects before, surely you realize that they is some level of risk involved, and that delays are not that unusual. I'd rather wait a few more weeks and get a good product than have them rush to meet the original target date.

 

It's a two month delay because they had an "influx of orders" 5 months after the kickstarter. Why should they delay backer units because of that? Delays for technical reasons I'm fine with. Delays because they want to save some money on scaling I'm not.

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lordratner

lordratner

Posted
Posted

I'm furious. Clearly they've just made a decision to save money on production for their bottom line, instead of being loyal to their backers.

Really? I'm shocked they are as close to the original schedule as they are.

They are a small company undergoing incredible growth, with 6ish product variants to manage. I don't think there is an evil plot afoot, and making a profit is a good thing.

As long as they send the Kickstarter units first, whenever that ends up being, I will consider then to have kept to their promise.

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Tjex

Tjex

Posted
Posted

Considering so many other kickstarter projects were delayed by over a year, I think people will survive having to wait a few more month. I certainly will.. 

This isn't amazon people, you saved money buying the unit knowing the risk. Next time, wait until it's available to buy direct (ie: wait PAST the kickstarter campaign is fulfilled), get immediate gratification that it ships within a few days and pay full price on the unit.

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Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

Well, mine showed up today---in what really looks like an oversized Bruichladdich Port Charlotte whisky tin....with no manual or anything. I don't get it, there doesn't seem to be an app yet, but there's bluetooth...

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

my eG foodblog - Beirut and beyond

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Tjex

Tjex

Posted
Posted

Well, mine showed up today---in what really looks like an oversized Bruichladdich Port Charlotte whisky tin....with no manual or anything. I don't get it, there doesn't seem to be an app yet, but there's bluetooth...

 

The manual is online at https://anova.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200110280-Guide

And unfortunately, no app yet. Apparently the iPhone one is still in development and there is no news for the Android. Which is a pain as it's the only way to calibrate it as there seems to be quite a few units that are off by a degree or two. I've yet to test mine, but I have a feeling I'll be using the v1 for any long cooks, just to be on the safe side.

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Joe Blowe

Joe Blowe

Posted
Posted

Yes, it is mildly annoying that we can't calibrate without an app.  For the record, my two cheap reference thermometers (recommended by Messrs. Gruber and Jueneman) are both reporting that my new Anova is overheating by 0.6° Celsius.  Even though the builders seem to think these units are highly calibrated before shipping.

 

In the meantime, my Sous Vide Magic will remain the go-to unit for my extreme precision cooking (yeah, right) :laugh:

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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Hassouni

Hassouni

Posted
Posted

The manual is online at https://anova.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/200110280-Guide

And unfortunately, no app yet. Apparently the iPhone one is still in development and there is no news for the Android. Which is a pain as it's the only way to calibrate it as there seems to be quite a few units that are off by a degree or two. I've yet to test mine, but I have a feeling I'll be using the v1 for any long cooks, just to be on the safe side.

 

yeah I found the manual without much difficulty, but I might recommend including it in the package.

Alchemist/mixologist/proprietor at the Green Zone, serving craft cocktails with the flavors of the Middle East

 

my eG foodblog - Beirut and beyond

My occasionally food-related site

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daveb

daveb

Posted
Posted

I think the intent is to have the customers do the validation and verification of the manual.  Anova can maintain the current manual at the link without paying engineers/support staff to do the QA..  Seems increasingly prevelent with electronic "stuff".

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Tjex

Tjex

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ok, so did a test this evening. Ran the V1 and set it to 130F and put the V2 in the same pot. 130F was hit by the V1, my thermapen showed 129.9F, the V2 (which was only turned on but not running) showed a temp of 131.3F.


So my V2 is off by ~1.5F


 


https://www.dropbox.com/s/vy3kkhi4ubio9bf/2014-11-15.jpg?dl=0  (I have no idea how to attach an image.., sorry)


 


That said, I also ran the V2 and set it 130F, and it never reached that temp, it would only get up to 129.7F, if I turned the unit off, the temp would immediately read 130.3F. It's within range I assume, but it might have been a better choice to give round up/down temp? Anyone else seeing this as well?


I did cover the pot with some foil to see if it would make a difference and it didn't much.


Edited by Tjex (log)
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rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

although this is a bit annoying, what's more important until a 'fix' is in: does it maintain "that" temp over time ?

 

if so, then you manually use that offset, and well be OK

 

unless its eggs ( yolks for sure ) or 130 'beef'  1.3 wont matter very much at all.

 

still .....

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lordratner

lordratner

Posted
Posted

although this is a bit annoying, what's more important until a 'fix' is in: does it maintain "that" temp over time ?

 

if so, then you manually use that offset, and well be OK

 

unless its eggs ( yolks for sure ) or 130 'beef'  1.3 wont matter very much at all.

 

still .....

I agree. I would rather see the temp off but stable. This is something I would expect to be dialed in before shipping, but if the idea is to calibrate the device at home, the calibration better work.

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weedy

weedy

Posted
Posted

Bingo. At $115 per unit, I'm happy with the "compromises" so far.

I also don't know that I would consider a 10% reduction in price to be very slight

 

in the US, $179 for the new one, and $199 for the A1?

 

$20 is "very slight" on a piece of kitchen equipment, irrespective of 'percentage'

 

 

the LID for a Cambro costs more

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SleeperService

SleeperService

Posted
Posted (edited)

in the US, $179 for the new one, and $199 for the A1?

$20 is "very slight" on a piece of kitchen equipment, irrespective of 'percentage'

and when they're shipping the retail, non-kickstarter models.... your point will have some validity. 

I didn't pay 179$ for my kickstarter ones.

Edited by SleeperService (log)
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