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

[TdeV]

2 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Did you ever find out anything more about that pan?

 

My flimsy pan was replaced by Anova, then the APO was replaced, so I have a flimsy pan and two sturdy pans. I leave the flimsy pan in the oven at the bottom, in order to reduce burnt on juices.

 

[ElsieD]

Did you get a sturdy pan from Anova after you complained about the first pan?  How did you end up getting the second sturdier pan?  Or did it come with two pans - one sturdy and one not?

[palo]

I got a sturdier pan from Anova after complaining

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

13 minutes ago, palo said:

I got a sturdier pan from Anova after complaining

 

p

 

Same.  My original oven came with two flimsy pans.  My current oven came with two sturdy pans.

 

[TdeV]

@ElsieD, same as @palo. So that gave me one sturdy and one flimsy pan. Then the APO failed and Anova sent me a new machine, with  a new pan and two oven racks. Eventually I realized that Anova had no intention of trying to repair or salvage my old machine. So I should have had sense enough to keep all the other removable bits, like the drip tray and water container, as a hedge against a future need for spare parts. But I didn't.

[palo]

23 minutes ago, TdeV said:

So I should have had sense enough to keep all the other removable bits, like the drip tray and water container, as a hedge against a future need for spare parts. But I didn't.

Too honest and ethical - I wouldn't have been 😈

 

p

[TdeV]

@ElsieD, you asked about accessories. Here's what I bought (sorry these are all US links)

 

Multiple racks (I bought 3 of these, which fit in the grooves, recommended by Palo and Jo).
https://forums.egullet.org/p2308023

Perforated Silpat (I bought 5 of these, recommended by Jo)
One can cook anything on them (heat to 500°F, -40°C to 260°C). Clean with soapy water. They absolutely prevent anything from falling through the spaces on the rack.
https://forums.egullet.org/topic/p2307121

 

Fruit Leather Silicone Dehydrator Sheets, with an edge. Useful for cranberries too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NVRVVPF/

 

Here's the eG topic for Dehydrating Foodstuffs with the APO. You'll see the components mentioned above.
https://forums.egullet.org/p2309118

Jo has a baking steel, which I don't have yet
https://www.mcmaster.com/9745K79-9745K19/

I am grumpy about no self steam clean though
https://forums.egullet.org/p2307288

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by TdeV
Always more to say . . . (log)

[ElsieD]

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

@ElsieD, you asked about accessories. Here's what I bought (sorry these are all US links)

 

Multiple racks (I bought 3 of these, which fit in the grooves, recommended by Palo and Jo).
https://forums.egullet.org/p2308023

Perforated Silpat (I bought 5 of these, recommended by Jo)
One can cook anything on them (heat to 500°F, -40°C to 260°C). Clean with soapy water. They absolutely prevent anything from falling through the spaces on the rack.
https://forums.egullet.org/topic/p2307121

 

Fruit Leather Silicone Dehydrator Sheets, with an edge. Useful for cranberries too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NVRVVPF/

 

Here's the eG topic for Dehydrating Foodstuffs with the APO. You'll see the components mentioned above.
https://forums.egullet.org/p2309118

Jo has a baking steel, which I don't have yet
https://www.mcmaster.com/9745K79-9745K19/

I am grumpy about no self steam clean though
https://forums.egullet.org/p2307288

 

 

 

 

Thank you, @TdeV.  May I ask what you use  multiple racks for?  Is it for dehydrating stuff?  I'm trying to figure out if i would need multiple racks as they only thing I pretty much dehydrate is jerky.  What do you use the holey silpats for?   Those steels are expensive.  For now, I'll stick to my pizza stone.  The only fruit I'm interested in dehydrating are blueberries.  We get excellent wild ones here the fall but that is next year's project. Thank you so much for the time you put into your response.  By finger is hovering (in a trembly way) over the "buy" button!

[palo]

53 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

Thank you, @TdeV.  May I ask what you use  multiple racks for?  Is it for dehydrating stuff?

Place one of those racks in a groove and another in the groove below with your sheet pan on it - there's your perforated pan - those racks have a about a 1/4 inch crosshatch so are especially good for dehydrating - blueberries won't fall through

 

p

[TdeV]

@ElsieD, it turns out that lots of things would fall through the standard Anova racks; I even find that toast does better on the Silpat (doesn't stick). The crosshatch pattern @palo referenced comes from the additional rack, not the original Anova rack (which is like a standard oven rack). The crosshatch rack has 3/8" holes, so blueberries will fall through when partly dried.

 

5 racks may be too many if you're not planning on doing much dehydrating. From one groove to the next is approximately 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" (the grooves do not have the same shape throughout). Accounting for the thickness of the standard APO rack (3/16" ?), the food has to be cut into 1/2" - 3/4" cubes to fit on 5 racks; though it won't take very long before the food shrinks. The additional rack is thinner.

 

I regularly use 3 racks when cooking: one for the fish, one for the potatoes, and another for slices of eggplant, etc. I find it simpler to rotate trays when there's only one tray on the rack.

 

One thing I've found is that @Ann_T's Summer Torte works better with peaches that have been dried for an hour or two, to cut down the moisture; 'course I probably use too much fruit. But this way, the cake is not gummy in the middle.

 

And it's almost certainly true that because I have the Silpats and extra racks already, then they come in handy.

 

I'm not sure how well I truly understand how steam roast works, but I will use a Silpat on the racks for some vegetable where I want the food surrounded by steamy air. With the pan at the base of the oven, I don't care about drips. Like @palo says, this method takes the place of the perforated pan.

 

I haven't bought a baking steel because I have a pizza stone for my regular oven (and a bread machine) and eGullet already makes me want to spend too much money. 😁

 

Also, it's not necessary to buy these accessories until you determine that you absolutely need one (or two)!

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by TdeV
Clarity (log)

[palo]

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

 

 

Also, it's not necessary to buy these accessories until you determine that you absolutely need one (or two)!

 

 

Exactly!!!

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For clarification, I use my steel in the Anova for baking bread.  I use one inch thick aluminum in the big oven for making pizza.

 

[ElsieD]

I have been trying since last night to buy the darn thing.  My credit card (and John's) keep getting rejected.  It all started when the credit card company flagged the initial transaction as potential fraud and did not process it. .  A phone call with them cleared that up.  They assured us that we could go ahead and use it.  No luck again this morning.  I have a call in to them.  The pessimist in me (the 1 %) says they will call this afternoon when we are out.

[ElsieD]

Well hallelujah, praise the Lord!  I finally managed to order the oven tonight.  I have to say, though, that I find their customer service lacking.  Very slow to call back (48 hours) I averaged about 8 hours between asking a question via e-mail and getting a reply.  Also, they will not take orders over the phone.  That said, I'm looking forward to getting it.

[ElsieD]

I just received a notice that my perforated pan has shipped.  No word yet on the oven.

[ElsieD]

I just knew that if anyone got a chuckle out of my post it would be @Anna N.  You gotta wonder why they would ship the pan before the oven.

[Anna N]

21 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I just knew that if anyone got a chuckle out of my post it would be @Anna N.  You gotta wonder why they would ship the pan before the oven.

It just tickled my funny bone.

[ElsieD]

17 minutes ago, Anna N said:

It just tickled my funny bone.

 

It tickled my too, although possibly not in the same way.

[md8232]

On 11/17/2022 at 9:53 AM, ElsieD said:

I have been trying since last night to buy the darn thing.  My credit card (and John's) keep getting rejected.  It all started when the credit card company flagged the initial transaction as potential fraud and did not process it. .  A phone call with them cleared that up.  They assured us that we could go ahead and use it.  No luck again this morning.  I have a call in to them.  The pessimist in me (the 1 %) says they will call this afternoon when we are out.

 

I had a similar experience.  We purchased a new Heat Pump on Monday, then I decided to

buy the Anova late Thursday.  My first purchase attempt was declined by my Apple card.  I replied to their text and tried again with the same result.  About 30 minutes of "Customer Support" and the charge was approved.  I now have a tracking number and hope it makes it up the hill before Thanksgiving.

It will be an "upgrayedd" from my F. Blumlein I hope.

 

[ElsieD]

How much does the oven weigh?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

15 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

How much does the oven weigh?

 

A lot.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

17 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

How much does the oven weigh?

 

https://support.anovaculinary.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050323752-The-Anova-Precision-Oven-Frequently-Asked-Questions

 

58 pounds.

 

[Anna N]

13 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

A lot.

 

Wonder why they called it a precision oven. 

[md8232]

Just received an email from Anova with "Early Black Friday" sales.

I popped another APO in the cart and the price is @ $37 less than the one

purchased last Thursday.

Too late to call them today, but we'll have a chat in the morning.

I expect them to reduce the price.

[ElsieD]

22 minutes ago, md8232 said:

Just received an email from Anova with "Early Black Friday" sales.

I popped another APO in the cart and the price is @ $37 less than the one

purchased last Thursday.

Too late to call them today, but we'll have a chat in the morning.

I expect them to reduce the price.

 

I don't know what they are doing in Canada, but we were told that they would honor any price reductions for 100 days.  Please let us know how your chat goes.