In 2017 Anova – one of the world’s most respected manufacturers was bought by global appliance leader Electrolux – making it one of the most successful food related appliance Kickstarter campaigns in history.
Anova launched its water immersion cooking system back in 2013, contributing to the increasing popularity of this method of cooking. The reason for the popularity of the Anova product was not difficult to spot – it was a Sous Vide immersion circulator that came in at exactly the right price point to make the cooking method (previously the domain of high-end restaurants) available to home chefs.
The deal Electrolux was worth $250m – and cemented Anova as a major player in the Sous Vide market.
However, the Anova Sous Vide appliances have maintained their market share – the question is how does what was once a smaller niche player continue to remain so popular in what is now an incredibly competitive market?
Price remains Anova’s unique selling point. The latest version of the immersion circulator from the company sells at an incredible price of around $180. For what you are getting this is a very attractive price point – and the latest version also comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and a variety of improvements over the original. See a review for this model here; bestsousvidebrands.com/immersion-circulators-reviews/anova-sous-vide/
Anova has maintained its market momentum by making small improvements over the life cycle of its product as new models hit the shelves. Rather than going for flashy changes that always run the risk of going wrong and alienating the consumer base the company has tuck with a tried and proven formula for what has always been a successful product.
The latest from the company the ‘Anova Precision cooker’ is in keeping with the philosophy of ‘of it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. But it does bring some new functionality to the Sous Vide party.
When the first models of the Anova product hit the market aspiring Sous Vide home chefs would input the desired parameters such as temperature and cooking time using a touch screen. This was functional – but some people found the process a bit fiddly. the latest version is much more intuitive. The Precision cooker uses a rubber wheel (think along the lines of a mouse scroll wheel) to set temperatures in either Fahrenheit or Celsius with a half a degree – more than enough control for the home chef.
The beauty of the Anova immersion circulators is that they can be used on a wide variety of pots that the chef already has in the home. Originally a simple screw tightening system allowed for attachment. The latest version makes one of those incremental improvements by adding another screw that allowing the unit to be moved up and down. This may not sound like a big deal – but it allows the unit to be used with an even greater variety of pots.
Anova has succeed in that most rare of model improvements. It still looks great, performs well and has exceptional build quality. But here’s the secret – all those improvements and Anova has reduced its production costs and passed those savings on to the consumer.
When all is said and done if the aspiring home chef wants to explore just why Sous Vide cooking is all the rage then the purchase of the Anova appliance is one of the most cost effective ways to start enjoying great tasting food.
It’s not only that price point which is attractive. The unit delivers exactly what it is supposed without all the bells and whistles and complexity of other more expensive Sous Vide circulators.
Solid performance and a great price in a good looking and easy to use package. Perfect for home use. Consumers cannot ask for more.
