Anova Nano Review | Digital Trends

Even the packaging is attractive. Once removing the sleeve on the outside of the box, you’ll find a nice-looking black box that contains the Nano, a user guide, and a fridge magnet with a temperature chart. Constructed of heat-resistant plastic, the Nano doesn’t look or feel cheap despite the low price tag.

The Nano is incredibly easy to use, and it gives you the option to cook with or without your phone or tablet. You can use the controls on the Nano’s touchscreen, or you can control the device with the app.

To cook a food item, you just place it in a zip-closed or vacuum-sealed bag, add your desired seasonings, seal the bag, toss the bag of food in the water, and set the temperature and timer. The Nano attaches to the side of a pot via a clamp, and heats reasonably quickly. It took 13 minutes to preheat hot tap water from 111 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit when we made six steaks in two gallons of water. The Anova Wi-Fi does seem to preheat faster than the Nano though.

Cleanup is pretty hassle free. When you’re finished cooking, you just allow the machine to cool and then wipe it down with a clean damp cloth. If the machine has scale buildup or if it’s particularly dirty (perhaps an egg cracked while cooking) you can clean the machine more thoroughly. To do so, create a water bath of equal parts vinegar and water, clamp the machine to the side of the pot, and let the machine run in that solution for 30 minutes on 158 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also use a water bath that contains water and a small amount of dish detergent, which will clean the inside of the machine.

You haven’t experienced steak until you’ve had it cooked in a sous vide machine. It’s nothing short of perfect. We’ve found that even people who don’t like their steak pink in the middle like it when it’s cooked sous-vide style. It’s so evenly pink throughout, yet it still has a soft meaty texture and it doesn’t taste or feel undercooked at all. After the sous vide process, you can sear the steak for a moment (which you can do in a frying pan, cast-iron skillet, or even a panini press), and get a picture-perfect plate. Soft-boiled eggs cook perfectly too. When you combine the two — steak Sous Vide and two soft boiled eggs — you have a five-star dining experience at home that requires very little effort.

The method in which an immersion circulator stays in places is an important consideration. Does it fit on any pot in your cabinet? Does it stay in place securely? One issue with the Anova Nano is that the clamp isn’t wide enough, meaning it doesn’t fit on certain pots that have an extra-wide brim.

One other issue, albeit minor, is the fixed location of the clamp on the device. It’s located on the bottom half of the Nano, which causes the circulator to sit higher up on the pot. You can adjust it to open and close, but it doesn’t adjust up and down the length of the device. This means that when you have a taller pot, the circulator doesn’t reach all the way to the bottom. You must fill the water level higher to ensure you reach the minimum fill line on the device.

The Anova Nano comes with a two-year limited warranty.

We were impressed with the Nano and the five-star meals it created. The Nano’s only downsides are its smaller clamp and the lack of Wi-Fi. However, these issues are a small price to pay for the quality, performance, affordability, and versatility the Anova Nano offers.

Is there a better alternative?

The Nano is a solid option for someone looking to try their hand at sous vide. It’s simple to use, yet it offers flexibility. You don’t have to use a phone or tablet to control it, but you can if you want to. You can use the recipes on the app or use your own. It’s straight-forward, durable, and reliable. There are few options on the market at this price range that offer these benefits while also providing the brand recognition Anova provides in the sous vide world.