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

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, FlashJack said:

@JoNorvelleWalker

Jo! You made me do it. I bought an APO. What a Sleek Black Beauty.

 

I've only had it a few days so of course I have to buy accessories that suit such a gorgeous thing. I also know you like Team Farr, and I trust your judgement.

 

Will these Team Farr pans work well? I'm concerned about the fit -- it looks like they will just squeeze in but would like that confirmed if you can. The bigger the better but the tolerances are fine.

 

Second, do you have a full-width, slide-in rack recommendation? I can see using the APO for dehydrating and if I'm going to run it for, say, 12 hours I want to make sure it's full. Would like two more racks to maximise capacity. Any thoughts?

 

Best,

 

Jack

 

Jack,

 

My 16x12 inch TeamFar pans fit wonderfully.  The racks of the pans you linked are different from the racks in my pans, but the listed pan size is the same.

 

For dehydrating in the Anova I use mesh Silpats:

(eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

 

[TdeV]

Jo, do the TeamFar pans pop like the original Anova pan?

[palo]

I wouldn't go by "listed" sizes as I ordered 5 different ones from Amazon that were the correct size according to the listing, the ones I quoted:

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00H94EPJ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

were the only ones that actually fit in the grooves, which is what I wanted. I did not look for pans as what I had already did the job. I was interested in a rack or "perforated pan" that I could use to keep food elevated, these worked. They are expensive but it seems they are the only ones available and they are of good quality.

 

p

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, TdeV said:

Jo, do the TeamFar pans pop like the original Anova pan?

 

Those 16x12x1 inch TeamFar pans have been known to pop, but not like the horrid anova pan.  I never found it a problem.  The heavier TeamFar pans have never popped for me.

 

[TdeV]

When cleaning the Anova (with fume free oven cleaner), do you spray the top of the oven?

 

I sprayed the oven last night (not including the top) which is filthy because I was worried about the oven cleaner mixture on the top electric element. Right now the oven is cold, so I guess I can spray the top, but isn't that less effective?

 

How are you cleaning your oven?

[palo]

It's on my looong list of things to do 😨

 

But,

 

1. https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/how-can-i-clean-the-precision-oven/28550

 

and I've saved you the journey:

 

2. https://support.anovaculinary.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050324392-Cleaning-your-Anova-Precision-Oven

 

Just so you know 😀

 

p

[TdeV]

Thanks @palo. There is no mention at the Anova site about what to do with the inside top of the oven.

[palo]

5 hours ago, TdeV said:

Thanks @palo. There is no mention at the Anova site about what to do with the inside top of the oven.

Just flip it over and pretend it's the bottom!

 

That forum, gets a lot of feedback - ask there ☺️

 

https://community.anovaculinary.com/c/anova-precision-oven/31

 

p

[FlashJack]

On 6/30/2021 at 6:42 PM, palo said:

These racks are sturdy and fit perfectly in the grooves.

Palo, thank you for steering me to the Hamilton racks. I quibble in saying that they are a little less sturdy than ideal but they do fit perfectly.

 

A warning to others: Some Hamilton racks come in two packs. When I bought these I thought the high price was for two. Alas, it was AUD45 for one. That's around $US30. Beware.

 

Fit great. $$$ a shock.

 

The Black Beauty is worth it.

 

 

[FlashJack]

4 minutes ago, FlashJack said:

$$$ a shock.

That said, I ponied up many dollars today for the better faster Thermapen. Will pass my v4 to a friend. Might have snuck a few other goodies into the cart to justify the postage. So it's all relative.

 

Damn, that's the most expensive piece of wire I've ever bought 🙂

[gfweb]

The facebook Anova thread has a report or two of a corian counter cracking under the Anova while baking.

 

Sounds like a cutting board ought to be put under it as a heat shield

[palo]

Strange, as heat rises...

 

As per Wikipedia:

 

Heat resistance: the material is heat resistant up to 100 °C (212 °F), but can be damaged by excess heat. DuPont recommends the use of trivets when the material is installed in kitchens.

 

Surprised that issue hasn't arisen before.

 

p

[rotuts]

it is odd the Corian issue w the Anova

 

is not well knwn.  an expensive issue id say

 

probably most of th every exchange to the countertop

 

is via radiation  (IR)  not conta transfer

 

( hot air )

 

just a guess.

Edited July 15, 2021 by rotuts (log)

[Jon S]

On 8/26/2020 at 1:45 PM, PositiveMD said:

@CanadianHomeChef For what it's worth, in modernist cuisine, they stated that the temperatures inside the rational combi ovens weren't very accurate below ~140 F. So I'm not sure how accurate this oven would be compared to the rational ones. 

 

Okay. So, I just want to confirm whether or not this applies to the APO:

 

"This is why we hesitate to recommend combi ovens for cooking fish, rare meat, or other foods where you might need temperature accuracy"

[Modernist Cuisine (Vol. 2, Pg 156)]

 

@PositiveMD's quote is the only thing I've found on eGullet for using the APO at temperatures 140 F / 60 C or below.

 

I'm curious, what is the accuracy of this statement for APO veterans?

 

 

P.S.

I am considering returning my unused Anova Precision Cooker Pro (immersion circulator) to subsidize the cost of the APO. This was just purchased because of a sale but if the Sous Vide mode of the APO is not a concern at low temperatures, then I can't see why I'd have both. Can you?

 

P.P.S. I have been ignored the three times I've reached out to Anova for response to this main question. The first time (2 months ago), they said I'd be contacted by a technician. And ghosted me even after 4hrs of leaving a chat window open. They have been horrible with Customer Service so far, hopefully that's just been my luck though and isn't the norm.

Edited July 19, 2021 by Jon S
Readability (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

22 minutes ago, Jon S said:

 

Okay. So, I just want to confirm whether or not this applies to the APO: the statement from The Modernist Cuisine on combi-ovens (Vol. 2, Pg 156), i.e., "This is why we hesitate to recommend combi ovens for cooking fish, rare meat, or other foods where you might need temperature accuracy" Specifically regarding temperatures at 140 F / 60 C or below.

 

I haven't found much on this on eGullet.

 

 

I'm curious, what is the accuracy of this statement for APO veterans?

 

 

P.S.

I am considering returning my unused Anova Precision Cooker Pro (immersion circulator) to subsidize the cost of the APO. This was just purchased because of a sale but if the Sous Vide mode of the APO is not a concern at low temperatures, then I can't see why I'd have both. Can you?

 

P.P.S. I have been ignored the three times I've reached out to Anova for response to this main question. The first time (2 months ago), they said I'd be contacted by a technician. And ghosted me even after 4hrs of leaving a chat window open. They have been horrible with Customer Service so far, hopefully that's just been my luck though and isn't the norm.

 

Well, I have a rib steak anovaing in a water bath as we speak.  While I love my APO I don't think it will replace a good old fashioned water bath and circulator in my kitchen.  If you need accuracy to a tenth of a degree choose a circulator.  That being said I noticed my circulator was rather dusty.

 

[TdeV]

@JoNorvelleWalker, did you not have a special tray or mat for dehydrating fruit in the APO?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

@JoNorvelleWalker, did you not have a special tray or mat for dehydrating fruit in the APO?

 

Yes, perforated Silpat.

 

(eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

[SherryCobySam]

I have been thinking of buying this ...

I would have to put it on an Elfa shelving system
It would have to replace my Breville convection oven - older model.
I worry a new version will be announced soon

I welcome some advice/comment. 

[rotuts]

@SherryCobySam 

 

Welcome !

 

one of many   **** wonderful ******

 

characteristics of eG :  it will give you a lot to think about.

 

I looked up the Elfa system.   its new too me

 

and put seems mostly to be cantilever.

 

so Ill look into weight issues .

 

if the items you have are working 

 

then you can wait 

 

but as you will discover here on eG :

 

what fun is waiting ?

 

BTW  its always fun to know what region 

 

posters are  from .

 

 

[TdeV]

Hello @SherryCobySam and welcome to eGullet. There are some great people here.

 

The Anova oven is an interesting tool and I'm enjoying it very much. I have mine on a kitchen counter, so it's half under some overhead cabinets. Cooking chicken wings makes a real mess in the oven and there's lots of smoke. Most of the mess stays inside the oven though.

 

The oven was quite heavy to raise onto the counter. I have some freestanding Elfa and would be concerned about how well it could hold up the Anova. Are you using shelves or freestanding units?

[TdeV]

Ha! I see, Sherry, that you have been around eGullet longer than I have. 🤣

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

the APO is for sure on my list of items

 

I might at some point enjoy :

 

counter space , and items like that.

 

'  Cooking chicken wings makes a real mess in the oven '

 

Id like to hear a bit more about this :  

 

splatter ?      would a parchment paper cover help ?

 

Smoke ?   what sort of temps are you using ?

 

have you used ,, ( it if has its ) a steam-clean 

 

then wipe down 

 

AKA the CSO ?

 

thanks

[TdeV]

No steam clean on the Anova oven. A terrible thing, really, because I've had a self-cleaning oven for the last 35+ years. I hope Anova sort it out by the time they get to the next major upgrade.

 

Here's Anova's chicken wing recipe with some descriptive comments about the mess. At high heat the parchment paper browns . . . I keep expecting it to self-combust. My biggest smoke incident occurred when I put old barbecue Grill Grates into the Anova (thinking that what I needed were grill marks).

 

But the oven is really interesting. Right at the moment I'm dehydrating Japanese eggplant in the Anova 135°F for 12 hours. I've never enjoyed meatloaf until one was made in the APO.

 

And here is my best discovery to date!

 

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

thanks

 

Id like to re-confirm :

 

AnovaSteamOven

 

does not have a steam-clean

 

AKA  the CSO

 

where you do the steam-clean

 

then then you just wipe down the surfaces ?

 

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

13 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@TdeV 

 

thanks

 

Id like to re-confirm :

 

AnovaSteamOven

 

does not have a steam-clean

 

AKA  the CSO

 

where you do the steam-clean

 

then then you just wipe down the surfaces ?

 

 

 

 

 

Recall the original CSO did not have a steam clean button either but it would still steam clean.