Smart sous vide cooker to start charging $2/month for 10-year-old companion app
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
The only app you might need for that is a the timer on your cell phone. Most sous vide cookers will do a credible job all by themselves without an app.
Like others, I'm "old school" enough to know that you don't need a fucking app for any appliance, and I know you don't need to be "perfect" based on someone else's notion of what "perfect" is (which is what an app does).
IMHO, app-based appliances need to die a well deserved wasteful death.
Upvote
9
(10
/
-1)
Anova was bought by the European megacorp Electrolux back in 2017. The parent company has been struggling with “headwinds” for a couple of years. It replaced its Chairman, CEO and other executIves over the past few months.
My guess is Anova was ordered to improve its numbers. Raising already excessive prices wasn’t an option, so they decided a subscription would cover their biggest expense.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
I’ve got a number of IoT devices in my home (mainly lights, light switches, and outlets), but have never really understood the need or want for an IoT cooking utensil. A number of years ago I bought an Instant Pot that has WiFi connectivity. I thought it’d be a cool thing to have, but I have yet to actually start a cook job via the app. It’s simply easier to start things on the device itself. I’ve used the app for recipe ideas, but that can be done whether your appliance is WiFi/bluetooth connected or not. I can see it being even less necessary on a sous vide device since the biggest selling point is you set the temp on the device and just let it go without worrying that you might overcook your food since it’ll never go above the set temp.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
I believe you can just ignore the app. I have the Anova oven and you can just use it without the app as well.
If they want to charge for the app and they make it somehow good enough that people think it's worth $10/year then whatever I guess. From playing with the app for the oven it would have to be 100x better to be worth anything. All the app (for the oven) is is a big recipe list that gives you instructions on food prep and then has a one button 'set the oven temp and related configuration'. Nothing you can't do manually and I can find recipes online for free. It's not really that much more convenient to use the app to do this. I really can't see how they could improve it to make it worth anything. Add more recipes? That's all free to begin with. But they are free to try and likely fail, and possible destroy the company with the ill will they create.
Ultimately we need something like 'right to repair' that is 'right to control' where the companies have to document their protocols or even more ideally they'd create open standards based on existing smart home efforts like matter. Then you can use open source tooling if you prefer. That probably means they have to charge more for the equipment, which I'd personally be fine with. This whole thing where you have to use their branded app is total BS.
If they want to charge for the app and they make it somehow good enough that people think it's worth $10/year then whatever I guess. From playing with the app for the oven it would have to be 100x better to be worth anything. All the app (for the oven) is is a big recipe list that gives you instructions on food prep and then has a one button 'set the oven temp and related configuration'. Nothing you can't do manually and I can find recipes online for free. It's not really that much more convenient to use the app to do this. I really can't see how they could improve it to make it worth anything. Add more recipes? That's all free to begin with. But they are free to try and likely fail, and possible destroy the company with the ill will they create.
Ultimately we need something like 'right to repair' that is 'right to control' where the companies have to document their protocols or even more ideally they'd create open standards based on existing smart home efforts like matter. Then you can use open source tooling if you prefer. That probably means they have to charge more for the equipment, which I'd personally be fine with. This whole thing where you have to use their branded app is total BS.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
Not to turn this into a discussion about economics, but if your company is making a net profit year-over-year, but that net profit number has been constant, isn't that considered "successful"? The company is literally earning money to cover their expenses (salaries, maintenance, operating costs, etc.) and more on top of it. Isn't it unrealistic to expect the profit to be constantly increasing every year? Wall Street investors and so-called MBAs are really screwing up how to determine success in a business.
Upvote
11
(11
/
0)
I just did a spot check. There are commercial versions cheaper than the Anova.
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/ar...OBDt_Cv40S1_xvQAE7nyWzVT8MIaF5GhoC8AMQAvD_BwE
for instance
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
Hah, my grandparents have a Hobart (basically KitchenAid but heavy duty commercial use). Bowl is actually slightly smaller than my KitchenAid (maybe a 5qt?), but unit is probably 50% bigger and heavier. That thing will run another 50 years after the KitchenAid. And will never walk itself off a counter unlike mine.
Edit: also cost 10x as much - new ones run $4.5k looks like.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
I never could get the app to talk to my Anova, so I pretty immediately said eff it.
I don't need the tool or the app to tell me how to sous vide my steak...I need GUGA to tell me how to sous vide my steak, and then I just make the Anova do what he said. No muss no fuss, no coconuts.
I don't need the tool or the app to tell me how to sous vide my steak...I need GUGA to tell me how to sous vide my steak, and then I just make the Anova do what he said. No muss no fuss, no coconuts.
Upvote
-1
(0
/
-1)
But, but, but, the app can tell you when the water is up to temp ready for the food! /s
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
My theory is the app stores are filtering more as far as approvals go + permissions.
I have a few apps on both stores and I even have one that uses location services.
Everyone told me "woah man GPS is hard to get approved" but my app sailed right through.
Having said that my app also has a clear use case for using location services, you wouldn't even use it without it, it is clear in the app when it is in use and what it does. I assume the approval process just let that sail through for that reason.
Meanwhile idle game that wants everything probably doesn't make it through as easily.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
Amusingly, using uBlock Origin I was able to visit the link and scroll through the whole article without the paywall blocking me. I didn't actually read it, but I do hope the fact I could do that and told everyone else in the comments how to bypass the paywall upset an MBA enough to make them cry.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
Upvote
9
(9
/
0)
Sighs enviously. I love me some Hobarts. They are *chefs kiss (pun intended) the reason why I like commercial equipment. The price, however, makes it too much for almost all general consumers. (You definitely get what you pay for.)
Upvote
0
(0
/
0)
No, for two reasons:
1) If the amount of money that they make is constant ($1MM in 2024, $1MM in 2025, etc.), then they are losing money thanks to inflation decreasing the value of future dollars.
2) Even if the amount of money they make is rising as fast as inflation, then they are effectively losing money because investors want to see dividends that increase faster than inflation and the only way to do that is to make money faster than inflation (either by increasing sales, decreasing costs, or increasing margin {or some combination of the three}).
The second one is the real butt-biter for small to medium-size companies, as they are expected to take more risks and thus have higher rates of return than large companies.
Upvote
-1
(1
/
-2)
Try that when you have 10 or 12 steaks to do! SV gives you the luxury of time. Also, for things that use a smoker you don't have to cook all x hours in the smoker since the smoke only penetrates for a short, compared to the overall length, time during the cooking. You can put it in water and finish on the smoker for the smoke and bark.
Upvote
1
(2
/
-1)
Just need gacha function next for this appliance.
Buy gacha boxes for 1% chance of your food coming out perfect.
Otherwise the taste will suck.
Buy gacha boxes for 1% chance of your food coming out perfect.
Otherwise the taste will suck.
Upvote
-1
(0
/
-1)
You finish the steak the same way. It's called reverse searing.
Imagine your steak at the exact temperature you want all the way through from one side to the other, edge to edge. All you have to do is throw it in the pan for 30 seconds to get that nice crust on the outside.
You literally can't beat a reverse seared steak. It's perfection every time. It removes all of the guess work from the process.
Upvote
6
(7
/
-1)
No. Sous vide involves keeping the water at a constant, specific temperature, below the boiling temperature, for long periods of time (hours). Boiling is easier, it's self-regulating (since water can't go above that temperature without turning into steam and bubbling away). And it's much longer than you'd want to be standing around regulating the temperature manually.
But also the app is optional, there's physical controls too.
Upvote
6
(7
/
-1)
Sort of. After sous-vide you're just searing. Generally "reverse sear" refers to getting your steak to temp in a low oven, not a water bath, and then searing.
The advantage there is the low oven also dries off the surface of the steak which makes it easier to sear.
Here's Food and Wine and Serious Eats (who popularized the reverse sear method) agreeing:
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/reverse-sear-steakhttps://www.seriouseats.com/reverse-seared-steak-recipe
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
This happens when you make a product that is copied meaning fewer folks buy yours anymore. Combined with the fact most folks will buy only one, if any, in their lifetime. Fewer repeat customers mean less money. Look at InstaPot for a recent example.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
It's not about turning it on, it's about the option to turn it on remotely. I can do everything directly on the wand, but I have to be standing there, physically present, in front of the wand. This lets me set the dog food up in the tub ahead of time and then reach out through the ether to start the cook, even when I'm hours away.
Also, it would be $0.83/month. And the ability to hit start on my phone is absolutely worth that for me. I'm glad I won't be paying it, but I begrudgingly would. I do recognize that my use case is quite unusual.
Upvote
0
(1
/
-1)
They also love the idea of people forgetting to cancel their subscriptions and/or using dark patterns to make cancelling a royal PITA.
I'm hoping there's a special level of hell for all of these MBAs that are driving this crap right now.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
Can you describe what you're making more? I'm genuinely curious about the method.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
Wait until toilet vendors add technology that charges us every time we take a dump.
I mean, in today's market, that would be true "enshitification".
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
I've had my first gen Anova since the year it was released. Love it, use it weekly. Bought at least 4 more as gifts and recommended it to many others. Thought the partnership they had with Kenji and Serious Eats was brilliant, effective marketing that showcased their products and educated consumers at the same time.
Now I won't be spending another dime on Anova products and certainly would never suggest a friend invest in a product with a transparently greedy subscription-based cash grab to enable core functionality.
Well done. Master class in how to completely torch a reputation in one fell swoop.
Now I won't be spending another dime on Anova products and certainly would never suggest a friend invest in a product with a transparently greedy subscription-based cash grab to enable core functionality.
Well done. Master class in how to completely torch a reputation in one fell swoop.
Upvote
4
(5
/
-1)
It's absolutely ludicrous to think that requires a buck a month. That's why it wasn't locked behind a subscription in the first place.
This is rent seeking. But I guess you can argue it's worth it to you. It's obviously horseshit given they didn't hide it behind a subscription before, they're grandfathering in current users, and they're only going to fuck over people in the future.
Upvote
5
(6
/
-1)
In a few years, it wouldn't surprise me if they started requiring a phone pairing and a paid app subscription before new devices will even allow you to set a temperature, at least if they continue down the road they are on now. I've had an Anova since the very first model they launched. I think I looked at their app once (did they even have an app at launch, I really don't remember), and then uninstalled it and never used it again (the app that is).
I'll just buy one of the cheaper devices from another company in the future when my current one dies.
I'll just buy one of the cheaper devices from another company in the future when my current one dies.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
Upvote
0
(1
/
-1)
I hate the fact that every physical thing we buy has decided to take a page from Adobe and make a subscription out of it... which reminds me, I have to make sure I've renewed my mattress subscription or I'm going to get ZERO sleep tonight... right after I figure out why my toilet isn't connecting to WiFi and flushing for me. They better not have bricked it, those things are a bitch to replace!
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
Reverse-searing is searing after the cook. Whether that's a bake, smoke, sous vide, doesn't really matter. The point is the meat is cooked to its final temperature first, and you sear afterwards so it doesn't look like dogshit and you get that tasty Maillard going on the outside. It's all the same idea, except you basically can't fuck up with sous vide because the cooking medium is the final temp of the meat so you can't over-temp the meat. All you can really do to fuck it up is let it go for too long and it gets too tender, but "too long" is "oops I forgot and cooked it for 6 hours instead of 1.5-2" not "shit, I left it on the heat for 30 seconds too long because I can't see the insides."
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
The great thing is that you can still use both. I have a 3# ribeye in the circulator right now, then when it is time to eat I need to sear/baste it off for color/texture/taste.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
Man, Logitech barely gets done wiping the egg off their face and Anova puts on their special yoga pants just so they can jump in front of the next egg barrage.... I always expect MBA's to be crass, greedy, and little involved in the actual product they profit off of; but even though it's been ground truth for many decades now I still am constantly surprised at how fucking stupid they are.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
The difference between those is actually fairly significant, as the app doesn't require an account for use in all cases. I have had an Anova since 2015 and have used the app fairly regularly, but didn't have an account until they made this announcement. (This might be specific to the Bluetooth-only ones, which I have; I believe they said those would be grandfathered by device. But still...)
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)