Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Anova Precision Oven: Features, Accessories, Troubleshooting, and "Should I Buy One?"

FauxPas

By FauxPas
in Kitchen Consumer

 Share

Recommended Posts

BetD

BetD

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, rotuts said:

I used to do a deconstructed turkey

 

over stuffing , and conventionally baked.

 

that would be a nice item to try.

 

I have ideas where it might go

 

and im hoping some careful stacking

 

would help out.

 

That is my hope as well!

  • Like 1

"There are no mistakes in bread baking, only more bread crumbs"

*Bernard Clayton, Jr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

the turkey is pretty simple

 

if you like doing a bit of boning 

 

it came from Julia Child and Jacques Pepin

 

make your usual stuffing , but use turkey stock you make from

 

the carcass on the deboning day.

 

put your stuffing  ( uncooked , but just like the package

 

sugests.  put the de-bones breast on top , and the deboned 

 

 thigh , the leg is not deboned , and I added the wings

 

also not deboned , so it looks like a Turkey , doing a little 

 

dive on top of the stuffing

 

bake.     it bakes quicker than a whole turkey

 

when done , and rested ,, just slice

 

you get stuffing , white meat , and dark with a simple slice .

 

plenty of easy to get to left over to boot !

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, rotuts said:

can lighter appliances be staked on top

Congratulations. You'll love it.

 

Re stacking, I'd say yes within reason. The APO gets warm on top but not what I'd call dangerously hot. Just be aware it vents a good deal of moisture from the front right. You might want to avoid that plume.

 

Try it and see. I can't imagine anything disastrous.

 

Re online resources: I find the Anova community thread ho-hum. I expect you will get more out of this Reddit discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/CombiSteamOvenCooking/

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
palo

palo

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, FlashJack said:

 

Re online resources: I find the Anova community thread ho-hum. I expect you will get more out of this Reddit discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/CombiSteamOvenCooking/

 

 

I checked that source when I first got mine and the APO references were few and far between - I just revisited it after your mention and it is also very good and I would recommend it as well - thanks

 

p

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted
40 minutes ago, palo said:

thanks

You're welcome Palo. It covers steam in general but the APO is predominant.

 

You might also like https://cookingwithsteam.com/

 

It's appliance agnostic but I'm predisposed to it because it is produced in Melbourne. The pair who do the podcast are located right next to my closest market so it feels homely to me.

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
palo

palo

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, FlashJack said:

You're welcome Palo. It covers steam in general but the APO is predominant.

 

You might also like https://cookingwithsteam.com/

 

It's appliance agnostic but I'm predisposed to it because it is produced in Melbourne. The pair who do the podcast are located right next to my closest market so it feels homely to me.

 

Yes a good site as well - the recipes are indeed "appliance agnostic" and seem to be readily adaptable to the APO

 

I will need Google or a Thesaurus handy to translate some of the terms - eg Castor Sugar

 

Thanks again

 

p

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BetD

BetD

Posted
Posted

Well, the beast is unpacked, set up and online… I need to think about bread for a while now… or, have a cocktail…..

  • Haha 3

"There are no mistakes in bread baking, only more bread crumbs"

*Bernard Clayton, Jr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

I have a question for those who

 

' recently ' purchased an APO :

 

does the oven work w only manual control 

 

right out of the box ?  ie w what ever firmware Anova sends

 

a la CSO ?

 

tap in cooking method ( steam no steam )

 

tap in temp , then tap in time

 

and that' it 

 

Im not big on WiFi firmware upgrade

 

as my WiFi is resting comfortably in its box.

 

Id like to keep it there 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted

@rotuts you can indeed do just as you say. Completely manual and wifi free.

 

Right out the box the first thing to do is a burn in/clean to get rid of that new unit smell. The booklet has the details.

 

In due course I expect you will weaken and come over to the dark side of wifi and firmware updates. The benefits are just too great.

 

Happy cooking with the APO.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
palo

palo

Posted
Posted (edited)

The updates may be the only reason for you to connect to wifi - once you get the update you can disconnect and use it like a super CSO - actually you can use it as a CSO without the updates but some are worthwhile.

 

Check out:

 

WRONG LINK - see below!!!!

 

 

 

for updates content

 

p

Edited by palo (log)
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

does the APO connect it WiFi

 

directly w the local router ?

 

or does it connect to an iPhone

 

which then connect to WiFi. ?

 

probably the first.

 

but if the second , then all i need is an iPhone

 

that connect to Anova via its WiFi - cellular , and then adds the firmware UD's

 

to the APO

 

if its the later , it would be much easier

 

so then , how long would # 2 take ?

 

time less of an issue w # 1

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
59 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@rotuts, I think there's a way to turn your phone into a hotspot. Then you could use Bluetooth to find the Anova?

 

I could be wrong but I don't believe the APO has Bluetooth capability.

 

  • Sad 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, rotuts said:

me , possibly eventually

 

Your position is entirely reasonable. I too had the CSO and was happy.

 

I do think it's worth wrestling with the app and its annoying wifi setup simply because it will allow you to do firmware updates (which, admittedly, are also troublesome). Even if you are happy using the buttons on the handle they are not independent of the firmware. Past updates have also done useful things like reducing the flickering of the light.

 

I still have my money on your coming around at some point.

 

Meanwhile, please report your impressions.

 

(And Jo is right; there is not bluetooth: it's wifi or nothing.)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jaw

jaw

Posted
Posted (edited)

well, i got an APO because it was on sale. haven't used it yet aside from initial burn in to cook off the residues.

 

what i like:

  • build quality seems acceptable
  • although i haven't put it to the test, the app seems ok. multiple clients connected to the APO at once, and it didn't seem buggy.
  • i was worried about lack of usability with the on-device (non-app) interface, but you can actually get to most of the useful stuff. seems like the main thing missing is multi-stage cooking, and i'd want to do that from the app anyways.
  • the fw (OTA) update process is pretty good. and fast.

neutral:

  • no exposed bottom element for powerful radiation from below. maybe this isn't a big deal though.
  • the on-device interface is capacitive touch. i don't really like the look or UX, but as far as capacitive interfaces go, this one is good. NOT great, but it is at least (barely) acceptable. capacitive interfaces are usually complete shit.

 

what i don't like:

  • there is no way to have the oven turn off when the timer finishes. this is a major WTF. if they want to have a mode where the timer just beeps at you and does nothing, that's fine. but it needs to be configurable in the timer menu (do X when timer finishes). CRITICAL feature imo. afaik, the closest thing to a workaround is to set up multi stage cooking and have the final stage set the oven to the minimum temp (75°F?). that kind of works, but it's a pain the ass. every other oven i use (including toaster oven) shuts off by default when the timer's done. this potentially totally breaks my experience with the APO. idk if i can use this as a convenience device. i'm used to being able to put in food, quickly press a couple of buttons, walk away, and come back whenever i want without worrying about burning. and you know what happens to devices that aren't convenient, right? they don't get used 
  • no on-device oven light button. app-only.
  • the baking pan is ridged. ew. i know they did it because it's a cheap way to get a rigid pan, but ew.
  • no desktop/web app. i guess i can probably run it in bluestacks or something (android emulator). assuming this is the case, it's no big deal
Edited by jaw (log)
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jaw

jaw

Posted
Posted

i forgot to mention one of the things i like the most about it so far. there's no bullsһit mystery modes! the theory of operation is pretty transparent. idk if i've ever used an appliance this complex and just immediately felt like i knew WTF it was actually doing. a real treat, wow.

 

one exception is what steam % actually signifies above 100°C. the manual hints that this temp is a cutoff in the control logic but doesn't actually explain it well. fortunately, i listened to some podcast about it, so i know the % is kind of like a duty cycle, and it just 'continuously' emits steam. at 100°C and below, % steam is the RH.

 

but compare that to my breville toaster oven or miele M Touch ovens that don't explain jack. they only give you application advice / usage suggestions. many of the operation modes are totally opaque 'magic' bs. the APO is so much better in this regard.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
FlashJack

FlashJack

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, jaw said:

this is a major WTF

Indeed it is but there is at least one workaround.

 

If you want OFF, there is no such thing. But program a next next step for many hours at 25c. Warm room temp.

 

Anova seems to think there could be major liability problems with allowing 'clients' to shut the thing off. This is insensible, unreasonable, illogical and utter BS.

 

Lawyers?

 

Anyway, you'll love it.

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

"""   

  • no on-device oven light button. app-only.  """

very odd. if there was no room for an extra button 

 

w firmware "" From th Factory ""

 

push a button already n the APO

 

a few time     light comes on

 

etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...