So my Anova One died

[weedy]

About a week ago, my A-1 immersion circulator (which I love and use, I admit, a lot) blew its internal fuse early on in a 'cook'

 

I replaced the fuse and it went through the next few hours and did its job.

 

I might mention that some 6 months ago or so, it had blown its fuse, which was years old at that point, and I replaced it and it was happy ever since. Apparently, anyway.

 

then a few days ago, I plugged it in and started it up, and then when I wake back into the kitchen a few minutes later, it was off.

So once again, I changed the fuse (at the 6 month incident I had stocked up on  bag of fuses), and started it up again. But then, again, 5 minutes later, my wife said "isn't your sous vide thing supposed to be running?".

It wasn't.

 

And this time changing the fuse again, wouldn't restart it.

 

I don't know if the fuse holder itself is getting a little dodgy, (the plastic holder bit is broken, but the fuses appears to be in place and making contact), or if the unit has an internal problem that's blowing the fuses.

 

But the long story short version here is that I contacted Anova who would, apparently, replace a unit under warranty with a new "precision cooker' model, but won't actually REPAIR, or examine, anything; especially my "obsolete" (their word) A-1

 

THIS is really disappointing.

 

I've been a big fan and booster of Anova but this isn't making me happy.

 

Having a 3 year old unit only 'fixable' by buying a new one seems like a poor service/business model to me.

 

Shall I EXPECT to replace my circulator every 3 years?

 

I have to admit, it's making me think hard about spending for a Polyscience instead.

 

thoughts?

[boilsover]

Welcome to the world of disposable manufacturing, where almost nothing is repairable, and replacement parts are unavailable.  This is unlikely to change, so get used to it.  I would not assume things will be different with Polyscience.

 

If it makes you feel any better, try finding parts for the rugged older Vitamix blenders or WhisperKool wine cellar reefer units...   

[gfweb]

I blame WalMart/Target who insist on ever-lower prices which results in crappy appliances.  Look at the POS vacuum sealers have  become.

 

By this theory Polyscience might be a good idea.

 

Or you could just buy two Anovas

 

 

[EMichels]

Weedy,

 

I share your frustration but, unfortunately, I don't think that shelling out for Polyscience is your answer. I am on my third circulator in four years (normal home use). The first was a Polyscience Creative Series that I bought as a refurbished unit. That one I kept only a month because there was something wrong with the rotor that caused the unit to be so loud as to be unbearable. I took it apart in an attempt to look for a balancing adjustment or a replaceable part but neither existed. I ended up selling that one with a disclosure for condition and bought a brand new Polyscience Creative Series. That one lasted a little more than two years before it developed the exact same problem. I replaced it with an Anova, which is my current unit.

 

I make every effort to only purchase things that I am confident will last indefinitely, even if it will cost a bit more initially. My thought process being that, in the long run, I'll spend just as much on replacements and be frustrated about sub-par quality and waste while doing it. Unfortunately, the only circulator that gives me any confidence is the Polyscience Professional Classic series. I could justify that if it were two or three times the cost of an Anova but not when it is ten times the cost. For now, I am resigned to having to purchase a replacement every few years.

 

Eric

[weedy]

it's a toss up between $200 every 3 years or $800 once... assuming the Polyscience Chef model, which so many restaurants seem to use, is built to last

 

 

[IndyRob]

2 hours ago, weedy said:

But the long story short version here is that I contacted Anova who would, apparently, replace a unit under warranty with a new "precision cooker' model, but won't actually REPAIR, or examine, anything; especially my "obsolete" (their word) A-1

 

This confused me as it seemed to say you might be eligible for a new unit.  But I guess the upshot is that yours is no longer under warranty, and hence, no deal.

 

Still, historically, we could rely on third party repair services for appliances.  But they've never been cheap.  I recently had a clothes dryer stop working.  I guarantee it would cost around $200 to have someone come fix it.  Luckily, I found some Youtube videos and was able to do the job for under $20 myself.

 

Presumably, someone could fix your unit.  But it would take knowledge, time and skills (soldering really tiny bits, for instance) to do.  It wouldn't be cheap.

 

I recently bought my Anova for $170.  If it lasts 3 years, I wouldn't spend $200 to fix it,  I would consider other options, but I'd go for something more state-of-the art.

 

I don't think it's Walmart's fault.  They demand what their customers demand.  We're all to blame for wanting cheap tech.

 

As these things become more mainstream, reputations will be made and lost.  Mass markets will be created, and repair services may become available accordingly.

 

But eventually, these things will become so mainstream that we won't be talking about replacing a $170 unit.  It will be more like $25 like a Presto Kitchen Kettle today - which is arguably a cleaner, more complete solution except for the fine temperature control

[kayb]

Have you tried to get a television fixed lately? Last time I tried was five or six years ago, when the tuner on my 32-inch Vizio went out. First I had to find a repair shop. Then I learned I could buy a new, 47-inch TV for what it cost to repair mine.

 

The 47-incher is still working just fine, thank you.

[dcarch]

4 hours ago, weedy said:

About a week ago, my A-1 immersion circulator (which I love and use, I admit, a lot) blew its internal fuse early on in a 'cook'

 

I replaced the fuse and it went through the next few hours and did its job.

 

I might mention that some 6 months ago or so, it had blown its fuse, which was years old at that point, and I replaced it and it was happy ever since. Apparently, anyway.

---------------------

And this time changing the fuse again, wouldn't restart it.

------------------

thoughts?

 

 

Make sure your Anova is not on the same circuit as other inductive/capacitive electric appliances. (Refrigerator, dishwasher, etc)

Those electric appliances can produce power surges.

 

Also, depending how your house is constructed and located in your area, thunder storm can induce power surges. If that's the cause, a lightning arrester may be needed.

 

dcarch

 

 

[dcarch]

1 hour ago, kayb said:

Have you tried to get a television fixed lately? Last time I tried was five or six years ago, when the tuner on my 32-inch Vizio went out. First I had to find a repair shop. Then I learned I could buy a new, 47-inch TV for what it cost to repair mine.

 

The 47-incher is still working just fine, thank you.

 

That's because today's TV is billion times more complicated.

Tube TV had one tube with three color scanner coils and convergence coils.

Today's hi-def LED TV on the screen can have more than 8 million LEDs x 3 (RBG), each one needs to be electrically connected and controlled by complicated IC chips.

 

dcarch 

[weedy]

2 hours ago, dcarch said:

 

Make sure your Anova is not on the same circuit as other inductive/capacitive electric appliances. (Refrigerator, dishwasher, etc)

Those electric appliances can produce power surges.

 

Also, depending how your house is constructed and located in your area, thunder storm can induce power surges. If that's the cause, a lightning arrester may be needed.

 

dcarch

 

 

 

the circuit wasn't a problem for three years.

 

FWIW

 

the fault is clearly the unit.

 

 

[Yiannos]

Hey @weedy would you like me to take a look at your Anova? I have a background in electronics and I repair/restore vintage stereos on top of all of my other pursuits, I'd be happy to see if I could fix it for you. I'm not sure where you are, and also that I am basically a complete internet stranger, but if you want to roll the dice and ship it to me I can go over it as far as I am able and I won't charge you anything, just would be happy to help out if you like. I own an A1 too but have never cracked it open, the big problem with a lot of the modern micro-controlled stuff is that it is close to impossible for someone at home to work on the sometimes microscopic components and IC's with much success. But if there are any cold or cracked solder joints in there or something has come loose, I can in all likelihood get it squared away relatively easily. I mean, it's broken as it is. If you don't want to do this I totally understand, on top of everything else as you mentioned you still have the option to warranty it with the "better" unit. If you get desperate or something though just let me know, I can't guarantee anything but again no problem helping you out if I can.

Edited November 2, 2016 by Yiannos (log)

[weedy]

3 hours ago, IndyRob said:

 

...

I recently bought my Anova for $170.  If it lasts 3 years, I wouldn't spend $200 to fix it,  I would consider other options, but I'd go for something more state-of-the art.

 

I...

 

 

such as?

 

it seems to me the only serious competition is the Polyscience.

 

I'm not at all interested in a wifi ONLY controlled Joule

[Joe Blowe]

Having just recently posted a gripe about my Anova, I feel for you.  And, one of the thoughts that popped into my mind during the Anova Fail was, "Hey, maybe it's about time for a PolyScience."

 

Yes, this is the disposable world we live in.  No, I don't like it.  My effing Anova scroll wheel should function normally after 13 effing months.

 

I'm lucky that I'm still able to use the Bluetooth function to control my Anova, but it makes me wonder what will fail next.  Luckily, I still have a Sous Vide Magic controller on standby, which I am beginning to doubt will ever die...

 

[gfweb]

My original Sous Vide Supreme is still going strong about 10 years on ( might be off a year or two). Pretty idiot proof. No circulator to go bad. I hardly use my anova.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I would be very sad indeed if my Anova died.  But if it does I will probably buy another.  (Depending, of course, on what else is out there at the time.)

 

[daveb]

I have the Anova V1 and the V2.  Actually prefer the V1 for it's simple interface.   Would hate to see it go but I've certainly got my $150 worth out of it.  Sucks that they won't support it.  Might want to post your story to Reddit Sous Vide.  An Anova rep monitors there and has resolved problems that customer service could not / would not.

 

The PS "creative" unit (the $400 one) is deemed not repairable by PS.though they will replace a failed unit during the 1 year warranty period.  Would be surprised if the $800 model was any different.

 

Don't like that so many things are considered or treated as disposable.  A battery for my laptop costs more than a new laptop.  A battery for my cordless drill costs more than a new drill.  I took a non-working phone to AT&T recently and tech would not even discuss possibility of repair - just took me to new phone display.  

 

But give me that free range chicken with the organic quinoa in a recyclable container and put the container into the recycled bag and carry the bag to my beamer thank you. 

[weedy]

thanks, I'll definitely post to Reddit.

but I'm not terribly hopeful. If they don't do repairs, they don't.

I'd be a little surprised if the $800 Polyscience that's used in so many restaurants really wan't at all repairable either... but I don't know for certain.

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, daveb said:

I have the Anova V1 and the V2.  Actually prefer the V1 for it's simple interface.   Would hate to see it go but I've certainly got my $150 worth out of it.  Sucks that they won't support it.  Might want to post your story to Reddit Sous Vide.  An Anova rep monitors there and has resolved problems that customer service could not / would not.

 

The PS "creative" unit (the $400 one) is deemed not repairable by PS.though they will replace a failed unit during the 1 year warranty period.  Would be surprised if the $800 model was any different.

 

Don't like that so many things are considered or treated as disposable.  A battery for my laptop costs more than a new laptop.  A battery for my cordless drill costs more than a new drill.  I took a non-working phone to AT&T recently and tech would not even discuss possibility of repair - just took me to new phone display.  

 

But give me that free range chicken with the organic quinoa in a recyclable container and put the container into the recycled bag and carry the bag to my beamer thank you. 

[weedy]

I don't know why that reply got all scrambled...sorry

 

I'd be a little surprised if the $800 Polyscience Chef, used in so many restaurants, was really unrepairable as well.... but who knows?

 

I'll certainly post on Reddit... thanks!

 

 

ps I prefer the A1 as well, for a variety of reasons.

Edited November 2, 2016 by weedy (log)

[stckciv]

Just saw this on reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/sousvide/comments/59xhpn/anyone_in_northern_va_want_a_free_broken_anova/

 

Not sure where you are located.

[weedy]

I'm in NY, but a "broken" Anova is apparently of no use to anyone!

[IndyRob]

5 hours ago, weedy said:

I don't know why that reply got all scrambled...sorry

 

I'd be a little surprised if the $800 Polyscience Chef, used in so many restaurants, was really unrepairable as well.... but who knows?

 

I'll certainly post on Reddit... thanks!

 

 

ps I prefer the A1 as well, for a variety of reasons.

 

It doesn't seem like you have a problem with the performance of the Anova, just that it can break.  But if you can buy four Anovas for the price of the PS Chef (and still save some money), what problem are you trying to solve?

 

If your top priority is repair-ability, you need to build your own rig.  It would still be cheaper than the Polyscience options.  And you'd know how every little piece is supposed to work.

 

These things are really just a sort of glorified water heater.

 

[weedy]

I cook. 

I'm in no way interested in a science project. 

 

But no, it's not that my primary "interest" is repair ability. 

It's RELIABILITY. 

 

 

[dcarch]

Moisture and heat kills electronics.

In order to make the device "sexy", they pack components as tight as possible, that spells trouble for reliability. 

What do you expect if you put a 900 watt heater right next to sensitive digital chips?

 

dcarch

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I've put enough use into my anova that I don't think it owes me anything.  You might try contacting @Anova Jeff

[paulraphael]

On 11/2/2016 at 9:38 PM, dcarch said:

Moisture and heat kills electronics.

In order to make the device "sexy", they pack components as tight as possible, that spells trouble for reliability. 

What do you expect if you put a 900 watt heater right next to sensitive digital chips?

 

dcarch

 

This. If you look back a year or two, you'll see a lot of participation from Anova's product manager, trying to assess the priorities of all of us in the eGullet peanut gallery (presumably a core customer base). He asked some tough questions, like to what degree do we value a touch screen vs. longevity. 

 

These are all engineering decisions that require compromises. We all say we want our stuff to be completely reliable—but how many of us would pay twice as much for something that's functionally identical, but promises, say, a 0.1% failure rate over 5 years vs. a 1% failure rate? If I'm buying rock climbing equipment, I can be hard-nosed about that kind of thing, but let's remember ... we're talking about a $200 electronic appliance that replaces an $1100 equivalent from just a few years earlier. This probably isn't explained entirely by economies of scale.

 

It's not about the brand. Both Anova and PolyScience make stuff at different price points for different uses and expectations. You can get a lab-quality unit from Anova if you like. I'm sure it's much more reliable. It also costs over three times as much and is bulkier (but if you're a collector of antique computer technology, it will please you with its RS-232 connector, and potential to interface with god-knows-what biology lab software).