
ChefSteps Announces Joule - lelf
https://www.chefsteps.com/joule
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legitster
As far as I know, this is now the 4th major brand of sous vide wand. I
appreciate that sous vide is having a moment, but I really don't see that this
adds anything new to the market other than a higher price and a complete lack
of physical controls.

Functionally, there is almost no difference between any of the wand models on
the market. I've found the features like wireless controls completely gimmicky
and unnecessary. So long as the device is accurate enough and powerful enough,
it will do everything you want. Grab an Anova for $100 and get started.

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NoPiece
I agree, this cool but has been done several times already. What would be
great is an inexpensive equivalent approach applied to a chamber vacuum
sealer, which are still prohibitively expensive.

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joshstrange
I find this (not used for cooking, just for storage) to be a great option
[http://smile.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-
Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump...](http://smile.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-
Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump/dp/B003UEMFUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448570382&sr=8-1&keywords=ziplock+sous+vide+bags)

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compumike
(Full disclosure: I'm an engineer and co-founder of Pantelligent, a Y
Combinator-funded company.)

For a wider view of this space:

Temperature-controlled cooking "version 1" = thermostat on an oven. (A real
innovation in it's own time!)

Temperature-controlled cooking "version 2" = sous-vide. (Steady-state thermal
equilibrium -- that is, waiting until temperature has equalized throughout the
entire mass.)

Temperature-controlled cooking "version 3" is about going _beyond_ steady-
state thermal equilibrium to controlling transient heat transfer.

That gives you the delicious repeatability of sous-vide, with the fast cooking
times of non-steady-state cooking, and the controlled, desirable temperature
gradients at the exterior of your food. (Note how any sous-vide recipe ends
with cooking the exterior in a pan for extra deliciousness!)

We built "v3" and called it Pantelligent. Macworld just produced a video
review and said, "Most importantly, the results are fantastic. I’ve made eggs,
salmon, risotto, seared tuna, and steak using Pantelligent’s recipes, and
everything turned out delicious. The salmon was my favorite, since the pan’s
sensor made it nearly impossible for me to overcook it" [1]. TIME Magazine
just called it one of the "Best Inventions of 2015" [2]. And there are plenty
more press and customer reviews on our website [3].

[1] [http://www.macworld.com/article/3006950/holiday/6-chef-
calib...](http://www.macworld.com/article/3006950/holiday/6-chef-caliber-
cooking-gadgets-for-the-connected-kitchen.html)

[2] [http://time.com/4115398/best-inventions-2015/item/the-pan-
th...](http://time.com/4115398/best-inventions-2015/item/the-pan-that-teaches-
you-to-cook/)

[3] [https://www.pantelligent.com/](https://www.pantelligent.com/)

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MegaDeKay
> Note how any sous-vide recipe ends with cooking the exterior in a pan for
> extra deliciousness

More correctly, I'd say that many sous-vide recipes end with searing the
exterior in a pan for extra deliciousness. The food is already cooked,
assuming you are post-searing. This of course gives you that maillard reaction
goodness.

Having said that, I took a quick look at your links. A few comments.

\- Non-stick pans aren't so non-stick after a while. How does your pan hold
up?

\- Lightweight, non-stick pans are poor for searing. I'm guessing that I'd
need a second pan for that? Related to this are those times you actually want
those crispy burned on bits for a follow-on sauce of some kind.

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compumike
Great questions!

1) Surface coating lifetime is mostly a temperature-related effect. By
controlling the temperature (i.e. avoiding unintentional too-high-temp
excursions), you get longer lifetime. Plus we start with a thicker/heavier
cast aluminum base than you may be used to on low-end non-stick pans. This
reduces hot spots and uneven thermal expansion which both contribute to
relatively shorter working lifetimes of low-end cookware.

2) We get delicious browned crusts on steaks etc in roughly the 380-420 degree
F surface temperature range. You get a nice controlled browned crust, rather
than a fully black crust. IMHO this is way better!

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chm
The page is pretty and all, but I had to re-read some paragraphs to understand
what the product is.

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tyleo
I agree. I was expecting a product description for the uninformed at the
top... then at the bottom... then in the video. None of those did it. I'm a
big fan of kitchen gadgets too. I really wanted to understand this thing
without leaving the page.

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mmanfrin
I am a big fan of ChefSteps, but this feels too little, too expensive. It is
_marginally_ more powerful than the newer Anova, but lacks physical controls.
It's smaller, which is cool, and the magnetic base is useful, but that does
not justify the 2x~ cost over the Anova.

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timdorr
Yeah, the Anova's physical controls are great. It takes a little while to get
my phone out and the app up and running. Whereas, when the thing is beeping at
me to remove my food, it's handy to just tap a button and silence it quickly.

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MegaDeKay
That and cooking is often a messy business. You don't want to be handling your
phone when your hands are a mess because you are in the middle of preparing
another dish.

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MegaDeKay
The lack of a real display on the thing would be a deal breaker for me. I like
how I can see the temp on my Sansaire at a glance from across the room.

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Cyph0n
Was that Gabe Newell in the white car towards the end?

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cwyers
Yes.

