I was recently reminded that Jeff from Anova explained this issue (in another forum) in the following way in Sept 2013:
Congrats!!! You just located our patented low water level electrode sensor. It is pulling charged particles from your water, sides of your pot, particles sticking to you bag, dust in the air is all going to stick to it. Discoloration is normal and does not affect anything. Depending on your water source (drilled well, or city water,) you will get colorations from shades brown to all shades of grey, to black. This sensor also stops the unit as soon as you pull the system out of water and is the only system that has an instantaneous stop. There is also a hard switch bi-metal fuse imbedded with the heater for redundant safety.
Mine had a sizeable blob of rusty residue down at the bottom today (my unit has started making a rattling sound so was checking it out). Seemed to be a line of corrosion around the probe, but didn’t have a camera to hand so back into the water it went. Some inconsequential discolouration around the top of it too.
I saw this thread and checked my unit (received on 12/24) after the first run of 4 hours, probe already has rust spots. I took pictures if needed, not sure what the next step is.
I just wanted to say I’m having the same rust issues as everyone else. Out of the box before use, there is a flat circle of brown discoloration. I was not able to rub it off. I’d rather not return it yet until we get an official word from ANOVA about this issue and if it is indeed rust.
Are all the metals either the same or compatible? With elevated temperatures and water, it is not hard to set up a electrolytic cell to promote metal loss. The hose clamp (presumably off the shelf and does not inspire confidence), screws and probe look like they may be different metals or at least different grades of stainless. My 220v has a faint line of discolourisation after four hours of use.
Are there any updates on this corrosion issue @"Stephen Svajian" ? I was about to pull the trigger and buy an Anova Precision Cooker, but those pictures are very alarming. I am now hearing of similar issues on the Anova One units as well. If I was hearing good things about customer support I would trust that any issues would be dealt with swiftly. Unfortunately, this is not the case. I have done a lot of research, and determined your product best suits my needs… But these issues seem to be serious, and I am seeing very little acknowledgment from Anova.
:-/
I’d also be very interested in more official Anova communications around this. Pretty much in the same position, was about to put in an order but this plus the general impression this forum gives that customer service isn’t up to scratch is putting me off. I’m aware that the forum isn’t offering a balanced view, but when researching a newish product it’s one of the only things to go by.
Just got my Precision unit and noticed it had the same rust issues right out of the box. Anova really should respond to this. If they really think it won’t be a problem long-term, then the warranty should be expanded to cover issues with this corrosion. If it really is a problem, they need to do a recall or fix the design problem.
I’m guessing the Precision unit hasn’t been around long enough to tell, but if its the same material as the Anova One then they should be pretty sure.
I would love an update as well (soon) as I am in my 30 day ‘return’ period and would consider returning my unit if this is going to be a ‘serious’ issue. Also, thanks to the informed minds in this thread who alerted everyone to this…it is most appreciated. If any of you can comment on what the long term ‘issues’ are that this corrosion could cause, I’d love to hear it. If this is going to be something that affects the units functionality in the next few months of my usage (50-100 hours perhaps), I’d obviously return it. If this is mostly going to be a cosmetic issue for the first year or two of usage, I might not be as aggressive in returning…tough to say what I think at this point.
@brady747 Thanks so much for your message. Your unit is performing just fine - please read over our new blog post speaking to the ‘corrosion’ issue. http://blog.anovaculinary.com Thanks so much !
Thank you @nvaughn ,
I appreciate the feedback. One final question prior to my purchase…
I have read on a few threads in this forum that the water sensor indicated ‘low water’ as an error. When the “buildup” was removed, the error was fixed briefly, then stopped working completely. Is the removal of this buildup necessary maintenance, or was the aforementioned scenario (misreading sensor fixed briefly with buildup removal) a coincidence? Looking forward to my purchase!
P.S. There are some pictures of obvious pitting corrosion on this thread (not just discoloration). If this is discovered on my purchase, is that appropriate reason for a return request? I hope to have a perfectly functioning unit initially, and have no issue with discoloration. But the possibility of pitting metal is still a concern.
Thanks @nvaughn I think what had seemed to be missing from my perspective was the gap that seemed(seems?) to exist between Anova’s statements and a few user’s reports earlier in this tread.
Some users seemed to not only be talking about build up or discoloration, but actual pitting/corrosion. @Knut s comment earlier in this thread saying the issue is unlikely to impact usage for quite a while helps put things in perspective somewhat.
I do think it would be very useful if Anova would update that blog post and clarify if they have seen any proof of pitting/corrosion and (if so) stating that those issues are not a concern as well. Thanks for the response
Since I took those photos back in December showing the pitting, it’s gotten worse (probably another 100 or so hours of use). So, I’m not sure I agree with Jeff’s comment “During the first few weeks (depending on usage) the impurities and residuals leach out (yes this is normal). This process turns the probe brown or black. After the break in period, this process will eventually stop and the probe will last forever.” I don’t think it qualifies as just impurities “leaching out”. And also, why only this probe, and not the others? I’ll post some photos showing the progression of the pitting sometime in the next day or so.
Any updates on this? I received my unit on July 10 and have probably put about 20 - 25 hours on it and seem to have some corrosion/rusting/staining. After each use, I take it out of the water and wipe down the probe, and after longer cooks there’s a small lump of brownish gunk. There’s a small brown ring/spot after my most recent cook and it doesn’t exactly feel smooth: Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Is this worth returning? Should I look for an Anova One (do they have this issue, or is it just reported less) ?
