Sousvide Art 850W Immersional Circulator Review

Performance Comparison

Likes

As mentioned above, the main things that stood out to us about the Sousvide Art 850W are its top-tier temperature accuracy and how well it can maintain a steady-state water bath. We tested and measured the stability of each model in the sous vide review by encasing a digital temperature logger in a vacuum-sealed package inside the water bath and having it measure the temperature to a tenth of a degree every minute for an hour. Scores were based on the percentage of the hour that the thermochron data logger showed a discrepancy from the steady-state temperature. It earned top marks, with the logger showing the same temperature for the entire hour.

We evaluated accuracy by setting the Sousvide Art 850W to a temperature (135°F) and measuring the water in six different spots with a precise digital lab-grade thermometer and averaging results. We repeated this process with the Art 850W set to 147°F as well. It displayed an average temperature error of 0.05°F above the set temperature of 135°F and 0.33°F under when it was set to 147°F.

The Art 850W delivered mediocre results when initially heating water. This machine took just under an hour to heat a full container (9.5 quarts) of tap water to 147°F — a bit slower than the fastest time of 36 minutes.

Dislikes

It disappointed us a bit in our circulation tests, a fairly significant test that accounts for 30% of the total score for each product. We assessed the performance of the Art 850W by adding some water tinted with food dye using a syringe and tube into a corner of the water bath while the circulator pump was operating and then timing how long it took for the entire bath to become evenly colored. The best models took 20 seconds or less, while the Sousvide Art 850W required a whopping 2:16 to achieve the same level of dispersion.

We also didn't find the interface on the Art 850W to be all that intuitive, as you need to tap a button to get it started preheating the water and hit it again to start the timer. The mounting bracket and a screw clamp to hold it to the side of the container are fairly typical, but we wish it spun a little easier to speed up installing or removing.

Should You Buy the Sousvide Art 850W?

While the Sousvide Art 850W did have a noteworthy combined performance when you consider its stability and accuracy, we found its flaws to be too significant to earn it a place in most kitchens. It gets the job done, but some of our all-time favorite models cost about the same, so we think it makes sense to stick with one of those if you are going to spend the same amount. It did well in our accuracy tests and earned top marks in the stability test, so it could be a good choice if you care about accuracy above all else. However, this could vary between machines, so you may want to double-check with your own baseline thermometer if you genuinely need accuracy with a few tenths of a degree. Overall, we didn't find this to be a high-value product. It has a list price comparable with some of the top-tier products but scored close to the back of the group.

What Other Sous Vide Machine Should You Consider?