Hey folks - I was talking / evangelizing sous vide the other day and was asked to share the details of my rig (one of them). Worth sharing here as it’s a quick-and-easy build, readily-modifiable depending on the tools available.
I built this as a prototype but it has worked out so well that I
haven’t changed anything. It’s an $18 cooler - I traced the outline of
the Anova mounting bracket on the lid and then cut it out
on the bandsaw. I also cut the tabs off of the hinges so that the lid
can be lifted straight up. Using a cooler as
a cooking vessel addresses a couple of issues: first, because it’s
insulated the cooker has an easier time keeping the water at temp, and
there’s no condensation. Second, there’s no evaporation on a long cook
(this is 48-hour lamb shanks in progress). I also have a 40-litre
cooler that was similarly modified - I use it for larger items, but the
smaller one is great for a couple of steaks or some veg, and it uses
probably twenty percent as much water.