VacMaster SV1 Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

This machine is great. I replaced an Anova with this one (my Anova died after about 8 uses it kept erroring out and saying the water was 400°+F) and the difference is night and day. The Anova felt like a toy compared to this one. The Vacmaster moves the water around better and it heats up the water a lot faster. I didn't have any problems with it keeping an accurate temperature. Once you put your items in the bath the temperature drops (obviously), but it brought it right back up and kept it where it was supposed to be. I tested the bath with a Thermopen and it was never off by more than 0.5 degrees.The only thing I don't really like are the controls to set the timer. It goes up to 99 hours, but there is no way to change it quickly, it requires the button to be held down so it can cycle through the minutes and hours. I don't think it's a big deal, as I doubt most people would ever need to cook anything for 99 hours, but it could have been slightly more user friendly. Another minor issue is changing the temperature in the middle of cooking, the stop button has to be pressed before the temperature can be changed, but it resets the timer along with it. So, lets say there was 1 hour 35 minutes remaining out of a 2 hour cook time before the temperature was changed, the machine won't remember the 1 hour 35 minutes and it'll reset it to 2 hours. So the correct remaining time has to be re-entered. Cleaning the Anova was also slightly easier as the entire metal casing on the bottom just screws off. On the Vacmaster you have to read the manual to figure out how to take it apart. However, considering it doesn't need cleaned very often it's a minor issue.Other than the small niggles, this machine is excellent, heats up the water quickly, very quiet, holds the temperature in the bath, and cooks great food. The screen is nice and bright and easy to see from afar. It has some heft and feels very high quality. If I could go back in time I would have picked this one up instead of the Anova from the start.I currently have this setup with a Cambro 12189CW135 4.75 Gallon Polycarbonate Food Storage Camwear Box with the Cambro (1218CCW135) Half-Size Flat Lid for Food Box - Camwear® and I use an Ikea VARIERA 701.548.00 Pot Lid Organizer, Stainless Steel to hold the vacuum sealed food packages. I've attached a pic of my setup.

great 1st buy for an entry into sous vide methods. I am I run it almost 7 days a week, and it has held up for a month now

I cook sous vide several times a week and have been for a couple years. I was really excited about this circulator because of the higher power heater (i.e., less time spent waiting for the water to warm up!) and the more solid-looking construction.For my first test, I bought the most beautiful prime rib I've ever seen, prepped and vacuumed it, and put it in for a nice multi-day cook at a perfect medium rare. (For me, that's 131.) I came home from work the next day and checked on it. For some reason I decided to check the temperature, and I'm glad I did: the bath was at a cool 127, below pasteurization temp and even below food safety temp. I tried 2 different thermopens, and multiple spots in the bath. The water was in the middle of the fill range, and it had had >24hrs to come to temperature. 4 degrees doesn't sound a lot but it can be serious! (Especially if someone eating your food has a weakened immune system.) I've owned 3 anovas and have NEVER had a problem like this. I'm really disappointed in this.EDIT: Ok, wow. I gave these guys the benefit of the doubt and returned my faulty unit for a replacement. (I assumed I must have just received one that slipped though bad quality control.) Nope. The second unit had the exact problem: when it read 131 and began beeping, a thermometer stuck in the water read 122. 122 is a SERIOUS food safety risk!!! This is legitimately dangerous. I tested the temperature with 2 different Thermopens. I then pulled the this circulator out and put my trusty old Anova in and it read 122 and started heating. When it reached temperature the thermometers both read 131. The odds that this is a misread on THREE separate thermometers is really low. And the odds that 2 different VacMaster units randomly had the same problem just by bad luck is similarly low. SERIOUSLY DO NOT EAT FOOD COOKED USING THIS CIRCULATOR WITHOUT TESTING THE WATER WITH A CALIBRATED DIGITAL THERMOMETER!!!

For everyone complaining about the beeping...All you have to do is press the triangular "play" button. Seriously? That is the only complaint?Anyway, this thing is 1500 watts, is american made, and they have a guy who answers the phone without pressing 1 for English. How refreshing is that? It's stainless steel and comes apart easily and quickly for cleaning. It heats up quick. It holds it's temperature very well if properly insulated (I use a cheap stainless steel pan and an aluminum foil cover, custom cut to fit.I am overall very happy with my vacmaster SV1 as well as vacmaster as a company, but I also purchased a vacmaster pro260 and must say this...do your homework regarding your vacuum sealer! If it isn't a chamber sealer you will be left disappointed! Budget at least $500 for the chamber sealer. I will be returning the pro260 this week. I do not recommend it. It does what it is advertised to do, but is not up to sous vide standards.But this SV1...Awesome. I would, and have, recommended this to everyone.