I purchased a regular plastic cooler and cut a hole (bandsaw) on one side of the lid. I noticed that the lid was hollow, so to avoid water getting inside and to better insulate it, I sealed it by purchasing metal duct tape (looks like nice shiny aluminum, not affected by heat) and sealed the cut edge. Shortly before sealing it, I sprayed expanding foam spray (Home Depot) to fill the interior of the lid. This helps avoid the problem of water getting inside. Finally, as a tip, take some masking tape and cover up any small holes in the lid. If not, the foam spray will start to come out of these holes. If this happens (as it did to me), wait for the foam to dry and then slice it off. You can remove the masking tape after the foam has dried. Don’t worry too much about getting the foam into every crevice. If you use a good foam spray like Hilti, it will expand like crazy!
Find my own solution. An ‘Araven’ gastronom box for € 12 and my own ease of use for making a perfect hole in the lid
I purchased a clear Cambro container with a lid and customized the lid with a Dremel to fit around the Anova. I finished out the hole with a piece of foam rubber tubing that you would use to insulate pipes. I cut a slit down the middle of the tubing with the Dremel and then glued it around the hole with a waterproof glue. It fits snugly around my Anova. I get no steam, and I also get zero evaporation.
@elangomatt said:
cjbomb said:
Or this- Cambro tub and plastic wrap. Easy.
Do you know exactly which cambro that is or have a link to it somewhere online? I think that’s the size and shape I’d like to have but it’s so hard to figure out where to get it. Thanks
I have had very good results with two of the polycarbonate Cambro containers. I got a six quart and an eight quart. The eight quart nests inside the six quart so that a layer of air provides insulation. The Precision can get up to 195 degrees F to cook things like beans and hold them with no problem. I got two lids, and took a 2.5" hole saw to one, opening it to a keyhole shape with a utility knife so that it can slide over the holding bracket. There is very little exposed surface and no perceptible water loss in a day’s cooking. Total cost was about US$25.
@TheCulinaryFanatic I like that arrangement you’ve got there. Nice and clean, and you don’t even need the clamp that comes with the Anova. My bath is a square Cambro (12 liters), and the lid is a soft blue thing, like you’d get on a Rubbermaid storage container. Not stiff enough for what you’ve done. Also, the wife sez we don’t have enough kitchen-counter space to leave the bath permanently on display – so I need to dismantle when not using; the clamp makes it handily removable for stowage.
I wasn’t concerned about evaporation through the keyhole slot I cut in the lid, but I’m giving some thought to how I might insulate the Cambro. Perhaps some sort of insulating bag. I prefer not to glue foam sheets directly to the Cambro, as I don’t know how well that stuff would stand up to the higher temps. Cambro is made for it, but any kludge I might add could melt into an unsightly mess. 
I wasn’t concerned about evaporation through the keyhole slot I cut in the lid, but I’m giving some thought to how I might insulate the Cambro. Perhaps some sort of insulating bag. I prefer not to glue foam sheets directly to the Cambro, as I don’t know how well that stuff would stand up to the higher temps. Cambro is made for it, but any kludge I might add could melt into an unsightly mess.
-------
Did the same thing, but didn’t bother doing anything to fill hollow lid. Seems to dry out just fine between cooks.
I am brand new to APC and cooking sous vide, so I am not an expert by any means, but I was intrigued by the article I read about coverage and insulating your cooking vessel. I’ve come up with my own hack - I got one of those silicone bowl covers (I got a square 9x9 one designed for casserole dishes in case I ever need it to cover a square vessel vs round), and then trimmed out a notch for the APC. So far I’m pleased with the results. I think this will be a decent (and quick) lid to cover my cooking vessel whether it be my smallest pot, to my stock pot, cocotte or even a square Cambro tub.
That is an awesome idea!
I think a plastic film works fine. I know, there’s some waste, but it costs nothing and you save energy and water.
After recommending my setup to a bunch of folks, I decided to stick it on a web page: www.sousvidego.com.
You’ll see the container, lid and rack I’ve been using successfully for months.
I don’t sell anything but have included the links to Amazon.
Use of expanding foam to insulate a cooler lid is an interesting idea but a poor one. The problem is that the foaming material requires air to expand and set up and so in the totally enclosed environment of a cooler lid it will remain a sticky goo. It can make one terrible mess if it gets onto your cooker or onto your fingers.
Just as effective but far better is to stuff fiberglass insulation into the open cavity. You can use a fat stick or some such thing to push the material into corners. Then use aluminum tape or some other material to close off the opening.
Another thought for cooking with a cooler. With great care use a utility knife to slit the cooler,s lid diagonally from back to front. Place a hole in the portion of the lid that remains attached to the cooler for your cooker. The other portion can then be removed allowing you to insert your cooking bag and also to look into the chamber if you want to see that the bag is below the surface.
