When Anova named their newest product the Nano, there was no mistaking the message they were trying to get across: that this, the latest in their lineup of sous vide circulators, is their smallest yet.
And so in the spirit of the Anova Nano, I present to you what is an appropriately small review of Anova’s diminutive new steak-maker. A nano-sized review if you will.
I got my hands on a Nano last week when I visited the Anova Kitchen, Anova’s retail spot/event space on the first floor of their new HQ in downtown San Francisco that is open to the public. You don’t have to travel so far to pick up a Nano since you can buy one online for less than $80.
To help you decide whether to pull the trigger, here’s what you should know about the Nano:
Size
The Nano is definitely smaller and lighter weight than its predecessors, weighing in at a svelte 1.6 pounds and, perhaps even more importantly, it’s only 12.8″ tall (vs the nearly 15″ goliath original Anova Wi-Fi unit).
While I do like the previous generation Anova’s heft – if feels super solid and doesn’t take up too much size in the pot – I am appreciative of the Nano’s more economic size. This is especially important since, like many, I find my kitchen drawers increasingly crowded.
More Plastic, Built On Clamp
One way Anova was able to produce a lower-cost product is by making Nano’s body with all plastic vs. the half plastic, half metal bodies of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth circulators. Aside from the appreciation I have for the solid feel of the metal unit, I don’t really have a problem with going all plastic.
Another major difference in the Nano is the clamp is built onto the device, vs. an external clamp. I have mixed feelings about this change. On the plus side I won’t lose the clamp (something, believe it or not, I’ve done before), but it also gives me less flexibility in how deep I seat the circulator in the water.
Performance
It’s quiet. Real quiet. And as far as speed to heat, it heated the water as fast as my Anova Wi-Fi, Joule or Nomiku circulators.
No Wi-Fi
Previous to the Nano, Anova sold two basic units: a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth unit and a Bluetooth only unit. While Wi-Fi enabled sous vide circulators are a neat idea, my feeling is most people do not use the remote turn on feature (the main benefit of a Wi-Fi circulator).
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a new sous vide appliance or have never cooked sous vide but want to start, Anova’s new sub-$100, smaller Nano is a good way to go.
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