I purchased a $200 Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator - 120V Circulator Cooker back in 2015 and have been using it occasionally (once every 2 - 3 months, average cook time 24 hours) without issue for three years. Unfortunately, I plugged it in and started it up on a cook, and quickly noticed a potent burning plastic smell that filled the kitchen. The smell permeated the house. I unplugged the unit and removed the metal cap, to find the plastic casing around the heating elements had begun to warp.
I have used the same setup and outlet with surge protector, so not sure what triggered the “meltdown” but I can no longer use the unit without the burning plastic smell. I wrote to customer service and they stuck to the 2-year warranty policy and offered me $25 discount.
You may find yourselves in a similar position 2+ years down the road. This account is for your reference before you make a new purchase. I find that product reviewers rarely weigh in after having a product for a long time. Consider this one such review. @Anova, a 2-year warranty is reasonable and common among kitchen appliances, as your customer service rep informed me. I don’t hold it against you. I just choose to buy another product with better odds for durability.
Have been using mine for about 3 years on a very regular basis with no similar issues. I’m as likely to run them for 72 hours as for 2 hours. So, they can and do last beyond the 24 month warranty period.
There is no guarantee that any other brand is going to be any better.
+1 for having used one more than 3 years and used it many, many times (usually a couple times a week). It was still flawless when I sold it 3+ years old (as I was relocating). And, yes, I’ve purchased another APC Wi-fi since landing again.
There’s any number of factors that could have contributed to the failure of your unit (and surge protectors in power bars do little to protect anything you plug in - if you want conditioned power, you need to get a UPS).
I’ll get the UPS for the future. Thanks for the tip! I do imagine the majority of cases will be good stories. Thanks for adding your stories of enduring products. I always search for the keyword “years” when I read reviews.
I’ve been using my older Anova regularly for over 3 years. Only issue I had was a high temp cook that produced a lot of moisture that went up into the unit and made it go bonkers. Dried it out and no more problems. Now I make sure the unit is protected from the “steam,” especially on a high temp cook. I use plastic wrap.
Used regularly to me means using it 2 to 4 times a week for 6 or 8 weeks, then going to another style of cooking for a few months, then landing on the Anova again.