Rant: I spent $300 on a fancy immersion circulator and it just gathers dust

Everyone said it would change my game, but the texture it gives proteins feels wrong to me, like steamed meat. Has anyone else tried one and gone back to the pan?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron1761mo ago

Doesn't this happen with a lot of tech, where the promise gets more hype than the actual use?

ericreed1mo ago

My brother bought the same setup last year and his is sitting in a closet too. It feels like we're all sold this idea of the perfect kitchen tool that will fix everything, but sometimes the old way just tastes better. I get the same feeling with those fancy coffee grinders everyone says you need. We chase the idea of an upgrade more than the actual result.

seanjohnson20d ago

Hate to correct you, but the texture thing is actually a feature not a bug if you dial it in right. Most people don't think about the fact that an immersion circulator can't brown anything on its own, so you still need a hot pan or torch to finish it. That steamed meat feeling comes from skipping the sear step or not drying the protein enough before bagging it. If you ever try a quick sear in cast iron after the bath, the contrast between tender inside and crispy outside is completely different from pan-only cooking. Not saying you'll love it, but the issue is usually technique, not the tool itself.