Our Longtime Favorite Budget-Friendly Sous Vide Machine Is from...Instant Pot

Like air fryers, sous vide machines are gadgets that have greatly changed the way we cook at home. They work by circulating water at a set temperature, giving you rather unparalleled control. Perfectly poached eggs, lobster, pork shoulder, leg of lamb, and even carrots cooked in carrot juice are easily achievable at home with a sous vide machine. You can even set the machine for a few hours and leave your food cooking since it will maintain a steady temperature. And while sous vide machines used to be pretty pricey, more affordable options are now available, including our favorite budget-friendly model from Instant Pot.

To buy: Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Precision Cooker, $68 on amazon.com

Why It Won Our Review

When we tested sous vide machines, we looked for winners that accurately heated water and had a powerful enough motor to circulate it evenly. While our top picks have a few more bells and whistles, we were thoroughly impressed with how consistent and easy the Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Precision Cooker was to operate. It quickly nailed the temperatures we set it to, bringing water baths up to temp faster than much more expensive models. And while we wish it had an adjustable clip and didn’t take on as many scratches and dings during testing. Plus, it's a great deal.

Good to Know:

• Time taken to heat water bath (using a gallon of cold water to start): 50 minutes
• Time taken to heat water bath (using a gallon of room temperature water to start): 16 minutes
• Dimensions: 15.94 x 7.52 x 4.92 inches
• Wattage: 800 watts
• Warranty: Limited 1-year warranty

FAQs

What is the cook time for the Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Precision Cooker?

The Instant Accu Slim immersion circulator defaults to a 4-hour run time, but you can program it from anywhere between one minute and 72 hours. This is enough time to handle most sous vide recipes, though some of our other picks can run for longer. 

What can you use a sous vide machine for?

Immersion circulators are used to heat a water bath that circulates inside a container for low-temperature cooking. This is helpful for bringing a steak to temp before searing, or delicately cooking eggs to retain a runny yolk. We also have a wide variety of sous vide recipes on our site.