Water Baths and Immersion Circulators

[zEli173]

Thanks!

[Chefb28]

I'm curious to know where I can find a Thermo- Imersion circulator for a decent price, the ones that I find on the internet are around $9000.00 and I really don't have that kind of change. So if any one could help that would be great!

Thanks

[Tri2Cook]

Search it on google and almost every result will have them for less than $9000.00 so it depends what you consider a "decent price". Even the polyscience stuff (which is not the least expensive you can find) is much less expensive than that. Are you sure you didn't mean $900.00?

Edited September 28, 2008 by Tri2Cook (log)

[slkinsey]

eBay.

[Chefb28]

Search it on google and almost every result will have them for less than $9000.00 so it depends what you consider a "decent price". Even the polyscience stuff (which is not the least expensive you can find) is much less expensive than that. Are you sure you didn't mean $900.00?

←

They were probably not that high, but I thaught I saw one around $6000.00, but I'm probably mistaken. Thanks for the info.

[HKDave]

Here's a link to PolyScience, arguably the most popular immersion circulators... you're looking at $900 - 2000 there.

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/thermal-circulators.html

[mkayahara]

So it looks like PolyScience has added a new immersion circulator product to their lineup, the SousVide Professional. It looks very sleek and, at $800, seems reasonably priced. I assume they were showcasing it at the NRA show; has anyone had a chance to see it in action?

[jk1002]

Dave Arnold left a comment in the cookingissues.com forum.

Besides the obvious design change and the smaller size the Pid algorithm was optimized.

That was something that with the older Polyscience was a bit annoying, to stabilize the last few tenth of a degree always took a few minutes to avoid overshoot. Now it heats up to target quicker but may overshot by 2 or 3 tenth of a degree for a few minutes.

I haven't seen it but am mostly intrigued by the smaller size. I want to know if i can stick it into a smaller soup pot, preferable 4 qt or so but think it still might be to big for that.

[Okanagancook]

I have a new Polyscience Sous Vide immersion circulator 7306 model and it has been working well until now. When I depress and turn the 'select/set knob" to change temperature I get this messsage in the display "LLO". This message is not listed in the manual nor on their website. Anyone run across this? I have tried everything I can think of.

[Okanagancook]

It finally started working again. Don't know what happened. I emailed Polyscience with the problem so we'll see what kind of response I get.

[Okanagancook]

After my email to PolyScience, someone phoned to tell us that the "LLO" is short for "local lock out" and it is a safety feature of the machine. If you hold the selector knob in for 15 second it locks the dial so it can't be moved. To remove the lock simply hold the knob in for another 15 seconds. The PolyScience person was very nice and noted that in the manual it is documented in section 5.9.....We didn't see it while we were searching. I was very impressed with the service. My husband was trying to set the temperature for the first time and he must have held the knob in longer that I have done in the past.

Our pork loin chops turned out so very good.....currently trying some of D. Baldwin's recipes from his new book. The cabbage/onion/apple saute that went with the pork was perfect.

[ScoopKW]

One comment about the original five-year old post.

The OP said mineralized water can leave scale build-up on the heating element. OP suggests using softened water.

I don't see what good that will do, because softened water is just tap water with salt added. Softened water would be worse on lab equipment than unsoftened. Use RO or bottled water instead. Distilled water would be ideal (and that's what the labs use), but RO and bottled are almost as good, and don't require home distilling equipment. (Although home distilling equipment can be FUN* if you know what you're doing.)

* And very illegal.

[johnder]

If you have a few more hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket I just saw Shola mention in his blog the new Fusion Chef circulators.

I have to admit they are very sexy, and I like the fact they have a port for a temp probe and also the fact you can get ISI container holders that will keep the containers stationary in your bath.

I haven't been able to get any pricing from their site, but I am interested in the Pearl model to replac my aging circulator I got on ebay 6 years ago for 25 bucks

[ChefMortensen]

Greetings.

I have run out of excuses! I have to get an immersion circulator.

But what should I look for? The Runer, Bain Marie or a whole other option?

What about price levels. A “simple” immersion circulator costs about 6000 Danish Kroner (About $1100), will it be possible to save a bit trying to look overseas?

This is, by the way, for private use and not for my restaurant.

Thank you in advance

Brian

[AaronM]

If you don't mind using a power adaptor, look into the Sous Vide Supreme. You can get one for 300 USD.

I have one I use for my home and take to catering gigs.

[johnder]

Currently 415 bucks on ebay. PolySci.

[ChefMortensen]

Well, it's a great deal cheaper than the current option I am facing..

But AaronM, you write "If I don't mind using a power adaptor" - are there any disadvantages?

Thanks johnder, nice to be pointed in the right direction

[mkayahara]

Currently 415 bucks on ebay. PolySci.

The listing says no international shipping, so I'm thinking this won't help the OP. But someone in the U.S. should get on it!

[ChefMortensen]

I know a few people living in the US - so that's no problem - but they should be possible to find somewhere in the EU?.

[rlummis]

Make Magazine's new issue (#25) details how to build one yourself for about US$75 in parts (the digital PID is about 1/2 of the cost). Although the magazine rates the complexity of assembly as "Easy," I'm still waiting on a couple of parts I ordered before I can offer an opinion.

[ChefMortensen]

how accurate does it state that it is? with regard to the temperature?

[AaronM]

Well, it's a great deal cheaper than the current option I am facing..

But AaronM, you write "If I don't mind using a power adaptor" - are there any disadvantages?

Thanks johnder, nice to be pointed in the right direction

Just that you'd have to have one on hand if you wanted to take it somewhere.

I prefer the Sous Vide Supreme to something like the polyscience for home use since it's a closed system.

But that's just me. There's nothing wrong with the polyscience product.

[ChefMortensen]

Right, thanks!

I will have a look at the various options

Thanks again...

[Paul Kierstead]

If you have storage issues or plan on large batches, the Sous-Vide supreme might be flawed. OTOH, the price is very nice. I use the Fresh Meals Solutions set-up, which is kinda sorta immersion circulator on the cheap; can do large batches, small storage.

[Prawncrackers]

If you are looking for an immersion circulator then here is an EU supplier on Ebay. I've had my eye on these this week, there have been three on auction from this seller. The first one sold for £132 (pounds sterling, approx 150euro), the second has just sold for £156, and then this is the last one at the moment. You can see that the seller normally retails these for 299euro here on his website. So it's likely that he'll stop auctioning these on ebay!