A disclaimer: I am not using my new Precision Cooker for sous vide, but for fermentation. It works perfect for that - except…:
When time’s up, it does not stop. It gives the message that it will keep maintaining the temperature until I stop it. Is there any way to change this behaviour, so it just stops when timer is up? I need this because many times I set up the timer to end in the middle of the night, so the temperature drops by morning for the next fermentation stage.
In a tool this sophisticated, it is surprising that I can’t build a recipe with variable temperatures. For example, some fermentation processes require gradually raising temperatures - I’d really love this to be possible… Is it?
It is possible to software control the cooker without the phone app but it’s fairly low level stuff you have to program yourself so not viable for most people - who just want to use the thing.
I have been playing around with just this using information provided by other like minded souls but it’s far from a usable application.
If Anova would release details of the API, this would be a lot easier to do.
Re: not being able to stop the device when timer is up - a very strange design decision. I understand why it makes sense in sous vide, but not giving an option at all… strange.
I don’t think there’s a single unit on the market that will automatically shut off once the cook time is reached. For those companies that offer an explanation, they claim liability and foods safety reasons.
Strangely enough, oven manufacturers limit the maximum time on, also siting safety/liability issues. This was one of the reasons (along with precise temperature control) that I decided to try Anova device - even if the oven can maintain temperatures low enough for fermentation, it will shut off after 8 or 12 hours. APC solves nearly all problems ovens have, and introduces this new one…
There was some talk a while back (couple of years?) about making the Anova API available but nothing ever came of it and questions on the subject go unanswered.
Here are a couple of github repositories for Anova access.
Yep, the open source community is your best bet. People have been clamouring for the API ever since the Wifi units came out (think it was 2014?)
As for making feature requests - there’s little point unless we see some major changes in this small company. They haven’t even been able to maintain the features they once had.
The suggested outlet timer should take care of your primary problem. Just make sure it can handle the max power from the Anova (900 - 1100 Watts). I take it the follow on temperature is lower. Does it matter how long it takes for the temperature drop, or if you only want it to drop to a specific lower temperature for the next step?
You might also consider a second unit set to the lower temperature. It won’t heat anything, until the first unit shuts off and the temperature drops. The additional circulation from the second unit shouldn’t hurt anything but may help cooling.
This is what my Anova SV wand needs also, & being both deaf & having brain injuries my memory is shot, …so the complete lack of notification by alarm notification to turn off the SV wand / bung more “stuff” in for batch cooking is a complete p.i.t.a. for the last 6 years.
We need variable temp programming / reminders to set a new temperature in (I could live with that).
However we also “used to have” a chill function which was then removed …no idea if it ever came back for the SV wand but again so useful for rapid cool down, chilling beers & wines in a cooler & assisting beer production by means of keeping water usage to a minimum by means of chilling recirculation to bring a 25 litre batch of beer down quickly & efficiently (bear in mind a brew day can be 7 hours, shaving minutes off with the ice water recirculation was invaluable & part of my reason to purchase back when the Anova brand was a new thing).
To get the app working I had to buy a new phone (waited several years for “fabled” & non forthcoming amazon kindle app, only to find the app was next to useless).
Whilst the original concept is good, the company sold out to electrolux, & nothing seems to have changed other than a slew of new products, making even this forum a PITA to navigate & find salient info on.
Please staff, pull your fingers out of your backsides & fulfill the versatility of the original SV wand product before getting lost in new projects.
controllability for the likes of yeast, / general brewing / timer alert / timer alarm / variable temperature change based on timers, ice bath setting for chilling (if its still missing) …or lose more foot hold to the “generics” competition.
Yep, unfortunately, Anova kept their president when they were absorbed by Electrolux, so there’s no change in marching orders by all accounts (priority has always been to put the R&D $ into new products, with software getting the short end of the stick).
On the plus side, the new revisions of the app finally fixed the issues they had around Wifi setup - so now that major bug is fixed, maybe they can get back to working the logistics out of the Ice Bath feature returning (I’m certain it was likely someone in their legal department that was concerned about liability if people got sick by not using it properly).
Also, the APC continues to cook after the timer has expired as a safety feature - you still want it to hold temperature so your food doesn’t drift into the danger zone as well as sous vide cooking is very forgiving, so holding temperature is your best option. (fish and eggs are time sensitive).
Regarding using an outlet timer. I hope you guys realize that APC’s default behaviour is not to resume cooking if you remove their power (it’s a safety feature, so you KNOW that your cook lost power) - otherwise, your food could be in the danger zone for several hours and you would never know - and, yes, there’s ways to do that much more elegantly in software (as the APC’s that have Wifi have a cloud connection).
You’re just using it for something else.