Dropped $300 on a sous vide circulator and it's gathering dust in my pantry

I got it thinking I'd use it for proteins and custards, but the extra prep and cleanup time kills my flow during a busy service. Honestly, my old cast iron and a good thermometer get me better results faster. Anyone else buy a kitchen gadget that just didn't fit into your actual routine?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_leo2mo ago

What specific part of the cleanup felt like the biggest hassle for you? Was it dealing with the water bath itself, or sealing and handling all those individual bags?

sean_green442mo ago

Feel that pain. My sous vide became a very expensive way to store plastic bags. The whole process felt like doing a science experiment when I just wanted to get dinner on the table. It turns out I don't actually want to cook something for two hours and then still have to sear it. My instant pot gets used weekly, but that circulator is a brick.

leowells2mo ago

Spot the same thing with fancy coffee gear. People buy pour-over sets with scales and timers, then realize they just want a hot drink without a whole routine. It's that gap between the ideal of a perfect result and the reality of a busy Tuesday night. Does your instant pot win because it cuts out the performance part of cooking?

drew_jones311mo ago

Dinner on the table" - man, that's the whole thing right there. Sous vide feels like you're prepping for a cooking show, not making Tuesday tacos (or whatever). I've got a buddy who swears by his, and I'm just sitting there thinking, "You know what else works? A pan and some fire." My instant pot is basically my kitchen hero because I can walk away from it and not worry about a water bath turning into a science project. Maybe I'm just too lazy for precision cooking, but at least my bricks (I mean circulators) can hold down papers now.