Proper temperature control of the water bath is crucial to effective sous vide cooking. Temperature fluctuations of a few degrees can drastically change the texture of many types of sous vide dishes.
There are several ways to regulate water temperature and we'll discuss the positives and negatives of the main ones.
The techniques range from inexpensive and inexact to incredibly precise with the price tag to match.
A thermal immersion circulator is a device that you put into a container of water that will keep the water a uniform temperature. It's probably the best piece of equipment you can get for regulating water temperature in sous vide cooking.
The other heavy duty way to regulate water temperature in sous vide cooking is through the use of a circulating water bath. These devices are similar to the thermal immersion circulators except they come in their own enclosed container for holding the water.
One of the best combo systems is the sous vide cooking controller. This device is pretty simple in principal and is much less expensive than a water bath or thermal circulator.
The cheapest, and least precise, way to do sous vide cooking is directly on your stove. It only requires a thermometer, some hot water, and some cold water.
A great mid-range sous vide solution that was recently introduced is the Sous Vide Supreme water oven. Billed as "the world’s first water oven for the home" it is really a large self-heated water bath. It currently runs $450 dollars right in between a
thermal immersion circulator and a
sous vide cooking controller.
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