Modern steam ovens vs sous vide

[ChrisZ]

It's lovely to return to eGullet after a long break and still see a bunch of familiar names. 

We're currently planning an entirely new kitchen and as it's the first time I've looked at kitchen appliances in about 15 years I'm finding it a bit overwhelming. There's nowhere else online where I trust opinions more than I do here, so hoping for some helpful advice relevant to 2025.

 

First thing that has me intrigued is how many oven brands now offer steam options. I'm heavily into sous vide, and I've been using an Anova circulator for over 10 years. But how do mainstream oven brands compare to sous vide when it comes to their steam options? How accurate are they, and can I expect a new steam oven (or combo oven depending in where you are) to replace my Anova sous vide circulator?

 

(FWIW I'm leaning towards Bosch or AEG, but open to Electrolux. Where I live Miele is twice the price and out of our league)

 

I have looked at the Anova 2.0 Precision oven and although I'd love one, I don't see it replacing a regular oven and the price tag makes it expensive for a 2nd countertop appliance. Is the Anove oven significantly more accurate or just plain better than the steam options available in more mainstream brands?

 

Secondly - I was amazed to see vacuum sealers being built into drawers that slide out under ovens. I hadn't seen this before and they look very neat. So the question is - do they work well?

I'm sure I'll have more appliance questions coming, but for the moment I'll leave it here. Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

[weinoo]

5 hours ago, ChrisZ said:

(FWIW I'm leaning towards Bosch or AEG, but open to Electrolux. Where I live Miele is twice the price and out of our league)

 

I'm not gonna opine on Bosch vs. AEG vs. Electrolux vs. MIele, but...it might help to think of whatever oven you buy and what percentage of your total budget that's gonna involve.  Because if the Miele is a better oven based on whatever you learn, it may be expensive compared to the other brands, but a minor percentage of what you spend in total.

[rotuts]

@ChrisZ

 

simply : SV in a vac bag in water vs SV in a controlled , accurate steam environment w/o bag :

 

Water has more thermal energy than 100 % humidity.   steam ovens are about humidity , not steam

 

unless you go above 212 F // 100 C  also , steam SV requires you protect the food from condensation .

 

I looked at steam oven years ago :  very expensive , and not very large.

 

holds for the Anova , and the Anova does not steam clean.  a major feature of steam ovens.

 

SV in water w a circulator . Id say.

Edited yesterday at 12:56 PM by rotuts (log)

[ElsieD]

If the Anova.2 is as troublesome as the Anova.1 was for a lot of people, I'd stay away from it.  I have had my Anova.1 replaced twice under warranty.

[blue_dolphin]

I would 100% recommend considering a combi steam oven even if it doesn’t have the temp control desired for sous vide.  
It’s hard to explain what a difference steam can make in roasting at higher temps without drying things out, getting that perfect crackling crust on a loaf of bread or (my most used function) reheating leftovers.  
The steam combi oven I have doesn’t have the temp control I’d want for sous vide cooking but it’s enormously valuable all the same so don’t reject the concept out of hand. 
I think Gaggeneau makes the most desirable combi steam oven that offers good sous vide temp control. It’s frightfully expensive, but I’d economize on almost everything else in a remodel to get one!
 

[Smithy]

12 hours ago, ChrisZ said:

Secondly - I was amazed to see vacuum sealers being built into drawers that slide out under ovens. I hadn't seen this before and they look very neat. So the question is - do they work well?

 

This is something I hadn't heard of before, so I can't comment on whether they work well. I will note, however, the potential for a neat piece of equipment that will become difficult or impossible, or at least terribly expensive, to repair or replace when necessary. I've managed to ruin one vacuum sealer already (countertop variety) because I wasn't careful enough to keep liquid out of the pump. If that had been built into my oven drawer it might have been a nightmare. As it is, I could easily replace it.

[TdeV]

Chris,

 

I was an early adopter of Anova steam oven (Dec 2020). The baking tray and water tank were replaced. I have a note from early 2022 which mentions "first replacement". At the moment, I can't find another note about another replacement, but I have the impression I'm on my third APO. I have more baking trays and oven racks than I should because I kept forgetting to pack up something or the other. I have not had a critical malfunction in well over a year (maybe two). The oven makes a squeaky noise when it first starts up which disappears after 5 or 10 minutes. I'm presently testing if the probe temp alert is working properly).

 

I really, really, really resent that there is no self-clean function. I told Anova this is the reason I'm a bad prospect for version 2.0.

 

I use the Anova for mostly everything, except pizza which I still do in the gas oven. I still use my Joule sous vide for individually wrapped meats in big batches, i.e. 10 lamb shanks or 12 duck legs.

 

Here's a teaser for you: I have a recipe for Steam Oven Sous Vide Pork Roast which is thickly covered with a dry rub, then cooked with APO sous vide setting at 100% steam at 150ºF for two days. The roast needs to go on a rack in a deep pot because the condensation will collect. Before turning up the heat to brown the roast, the liquid is reduced. This is then mopped on top of the sous vided pork roast which goes into a hot Anova oven to brown. This tastes totally, utterly outstanding! One can even put thinly sliced pork roast on a charcuterie board. (There are more steps in the recipe but I will give them to you later).

 

The point is there is more that you can do with sous vide which you aren't presently doing. And no futzing with plastic.

 

As @blue_dolphin says, the steam oven with high heat does a great job of reheating leftovers.

Lots more to say, of course.

[ChrisZ]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

I've since discovered that the vacuum drawers which impressed me so much aren't chamber sealers, which I thought they were based on appearance.  They are still regular vacuum sealers that need the textured bags, just nicely packaged. I'm on my 4th vacuum sealer, they seem to last me about 3 years, so definitely worth considering the repair options and maybe it's time for me to consider something a little more robust.