Key Information about ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide
ChefSteps is a Seattle-based food and technology company, established in 2012. The Joule is an immersion circulator and the “world’s smallest, smartest, and sexiest sous vide tools”. It is great for the rooky cook right though to the very experienced meal creator. What we like about the Joule is that it does what ChefSteps says it will do. Yep, that’s right, ChefSteps makes brand claims AND customers wholeheartedly confirm that the Joule delivers.
Key Features
1100 watts
Dimensions: (11 tall X 1.9 X 1.9 inches)
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Stainless steel cap and base
Temperature accuracy of 0.2 °F / 0.1 °C
Suitable for: Home and small business commercial use
WiFi and Bluetooh operated
Awards
Reddot award 2017 for product design.
Quick review
At Sous Vide Hub, we know that many of you are time poor. That’s why we provide a short product overview just below. Don’t get us wrong, we would love you to read our extended review. But if long reviews are not your thing then feel free to just read the next paragraph and the summary of pros and cons after it.
Product overview comments
This Joule immersion circulator is popular – very popular in fact. It heats up quickly, it holds its temperature and it presents a super easy option when it comes to clean up after your restaurant quality meal. “OMG “and “where have you been all my life” type expressions are filling online reviewer forums consistently. There is just one key element of the Joule that may be a showstopper. The latest Joule is completely controlled by your smart phone or other smart devices in your home. There are no displays on the unit itself,apart from the “Visual Doneness” screen. There is something very George Jetson about asking the Alexa Voice Service (voice controlled via your Amazon Eco) to turn on your Joule and setting it to a particular temperature. But we know that this is not for everyone. To learn more about how Bluetooth and WiFi are used with sous vide immersion circulators read our article by clicking here.
It terms of service and support, ChefSteps are a very responsive company when it comes to customer experience. If you Joule doesn’t arrive, just contact their customer service team and they will send you a new one promptly. Got a query about setting your Joule up with your WiFi? The ChefSteps support team will walk you through that patiently as well. Combine this with a well functioning, easy to use app and you will be cooking fillet mignon before you can say, pass the bernaise sauce.
Of course many great sous vide products come with a hefty price tag. The Joule is not inexpensive (check the current price on Amazon here). Whilst the vast majority of reviewers believe it is worth the cost, we know that some people won’t want to splash their cash without assuring themselves it is a meal game changer (psst, it’s a meal game changer!!).
Here’s a few images of the ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide:
In a nut shell here are the key pros and cons for the ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide:
Pros
- Small – this means you can easily pop it into a drawer when you are not using it
- Quick to heat water and holds a consistent water temperature during the cook
- It can handle large vessels of water with ease
- It’s quiet – some people actually say that it’s quiet whirring sound makes them feel calm. Look at that, a meditation tool and a sous vide cooker in one!
- Super stable – there is a magnet at the bottom of the unit so you don’t have to clip the Joule on to the water vessel you are using if you don’t want to
- Technology savvy reviewers LOVE the app – it’s easy to navigate, contains step by step recipes and instruction videos
Cons
- Pricey – Check the current price on Amazon here.
- The clip that comes with Joule doesn’t work on all tub types. However, there is a Big Clip available from ChefSteps at an additional cost.
- It is not for the traditionalists – there are no buttons on the Joule. You must control it from your smart device. If this sentence just went over your head, then perhaps skip to our next sous vide product review!
- Use outside North America voids warranty (works with 120V outlets only) – sorry folks in other parts of the world!
Cons of the app*:
- Technically these cons are not about the Joule itself. Nonetheless the feedback is important for those who are considering a Joule purchase given the only way to make it work is via technology (not buttons on the immersion circulator itself)
- It’s no good in a storm! Big storms can equal disruption of your WiFi coverage. No WiFi = no din dins, because the Joule must have WiFi to work.
- Some have noted that meals don’t work quite as well when they source recipes elsewhere (but it does work REALLY well with the recipes on their app)
- You cannot set a time at which the Joule starts cooking
- You cannot set a duration for cooking once the Joule hits its target temperature
- The Joule does not turn off once the duration has expired. It DOES send you a message to say that the timer has expired…but it keeps cooking
- You cannot set the time, temperature or set a start of the cook on the Joule remotely (ie start a cook when you leave for work and have dinner waiting when you get home)
- If you are using Alexa, it can’t do timers (this is more of a limitation of Alexa itself rather than the Chefsteps Joule Sous Vide)
- Reviewers have occasionally had trouble with the smooth loading of app video clips on Android devices
- The app can be “very hungry” for space on your smart phone. You can shut off the video guide off to reduce it’s hungriness if you want to
*As a side note to the comments above, it is really important to say that the VAST majority of reviewers are VERY happy with the way technology (ie the app) and their Joule work together. Many of the technology cons above are really minor inconveniences rather than show stoppers. There are definitely workarounds to combat many of them.
Detailed Sous Vide Hub review
Performance
This is really the key area where you would want reviewers to be raving. And as it turns out, they are. There is significant praise for the speed at which the Joule heats up water (owing to it’s 1100 watts of power) and the consistency it shows in holding it’s temperature throughout the cook. Home cooks and chefs use the Joule for a wide range of foods. Across the board the reviewer community seems very satisfied that the Joule provides delicious, fresh tasting, mouth watering results. It copes well with large vessels of water. Many use their Joule a number of times a week and do not report any malfunctions.
It is important to note that the performance of the Joule can, at times, be impacted by technology (WiFi connectivity issues etc). This is covered below in the Ease of Use section.
Ease of Use/Convenience
As far as the unit itself is concerned, the Joule is super easy to use and very light in weight. It takes up a lot less room than some other sous vide products on the market. Storage is as simple as popping it in a drawer or cupboard between uses which makes it great for those with smaller kitchens and also those travelling (ie RV home, tiny homes etc). It can be used with a range of water vessels but reviewers have reported that some vessels may be better than others (you don’t have this problem when using a sous vide water bath as the water you are warming is in the machine itself). See our Hints and Tips below for some helpful feedback from reviewers re the water vessels that have worked best for them.
The Joule is easy to clean as it is made up of just a tube and impeller but no coils (like the Anova Immersion Circulator for example.
Technology used
It is really important for us to mention how the technology works with the Joule. Those who are not super tech savvy, may initially be challenged in using the Joule given it is controlled exclusively via an app. The great news is that ChefSteps create a great customer experience for those who are initially challenged by the way technology integrates with the Joule.
You can connect to the Joule Sous Vide with Bluetooth alone or cook from anywhere with WiFi. For those of you comfortable with technology, your user using the Joule in conjunction with the app is reported to be a breeze. AND you can control your Joule with your voice! That’s a pretty cool party trick right?
Timers on the Joule app are great too. It goes off on all devices that have the Joule app installed and logged onto, and across platforms (requires Wi-Fi cook). This means that if you set up a cook and timer on your Android phone via the app, the timer and ‘up to temperature’ notification will also sound on your iPad and iPhone. The new software version supports the use of more than one Joule if you happen to be a multi-Joule owner! Don’t laugh, people DO have more than one in some cases.
Some Joule users have mentioned that they would love to see a custom folder for their own recipes and times in the app.
Design
The design of the Joule is sleek and sophisticated. Some say that it is kind of like having a working piece of art in your kitchen! OK, so that may be going over the top a little but you know what we mean.
Kitchen equipment can be a little large and clunky so it’s refreshing to see a sous vide product that is minimalist in its design. In 2017 the product design received a reddot award. The jury stated that the Joule Sous Vide’s “slim, strictly cylindrical form characterises the minimalist, elegant aesthetics of the sous vide cooker. The operation via the sophisticated app contributes to a positive user experience.”
You have two options in regards to color for the Joule – White and White/Stainless.
The Visual Doneness (TM) feature allows you to set the device to achieve a desired result. It’s a nice and a unique touch. This feature is the only visual display on the unit.
There is a cambro styled clip on the side of the Joule and more recently, ChefSteps has released a larger clip you can purchase. This is likely to be in response to clip that comes with the Joule doesn’t fit well on all water vessels. But as we mentioned earlier, the magnet base on the Joule negates the need to use the clip at all.
Some sous vide products are criticized for sub optimal workmanship, defective units on arrival and rogue screws amongst other things. Whilst once in a while a reviewer reports that a Joule has arrived and doesn’t work, these instances are extremely few and far in between.
Warranty and Support
ChefSteps seem to be creating a very impressive customer experience when it comes to supporting the Joule. They regularly send out hints and tips, YouTube clips and firmware updates. Response to customers (where packages might go missing or where reviewers have had problems with wifi connectivity etc) is typically prompt and personable.
Customers view the app as an extension of support from ChefSteps. It does a great job of stepping Joule users through their cooks. It offers recipes and generic temperature suggestions for items with no recipes. Many comment that ChefSteps is doing a great job of building a community, not just selling a product.
Accessories included
No additional accessories are sold with the Joule except for the clip you can use to secure it to your pot or other water vessel. Of course access to the associated app is free and available on iOS and Andriod. You can download the app on the Apple store or get in from Google Play.
Here are some additional items you might like to consider to be used in conjunction with the Joule:
A pot or similar water vessel. There are a couple of water vessels reviewers have suggested work well with the Joule. These include the Rubbermaid Commercial Space Saving Food container (Rubbermaid 6 quart). Others have purchased the LIPAVI container and tailored the lid
ChefSteps does have another product on the market called the Joule Big Clamp for use in very large pots or water vessels.
Pros (recap from earlier on this article)
- Small – this means you can easily pop it into a drawer when you are not using it
- Quick to heat water and holds a consistent water temperature during the cook
- It can handle large vessels of water with ease
- It’s quiet – some people actually say that it’s quiet whirring sound makes them feel calm. Look at that, a meditation tool and a sous vide cooker in one!
- Super stable – there is a magnet at the bottom of the unit so you don’t have to clip the Joule on to the water vessel you are using if you don’t want to
- Technology savvy reviewers LOVE the app – it’s easy to navigate, contains step by step recipes and instruction videos
Cons (recap from earlier in this article)
- Pricey – Check the current price on Amazon here
- The clip that comes with Joule doesn’t work on all tub types (you can buy a Big Clip from ChefSteps but that is at an additional cost)
- It is not for the traditionalists – there are no buttons on the Joule. You must control it from your smart device. If this sentence just went over your head, then perhaps skip to our next sous vide product review!
- Use outside North America voids warranty (works with 120V outlets only) – sorry folks in other parts of the world!
Hints and tips from real people who have used the Joule Sous Vide by ChefSteps
Reviewers say the Joule works well with the Rubbermaid Commercial Space Food container (Rubbermaid 6 quart). Others have purchased the LIPAVI container and tailored the lid.
Some reviewers would like Alexa to say when the cooking is done, but you can just use Alexa to start an independent timer and that accomplishes exactly the same thing
Through the guides available on the app, many reviewers have learned a method of batch cooking food for a week or more. Now that’s a time (and sanity) saver!
Click here to view the current price of the ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide
Keen to compare the Joule Sous Vide with other immersion circulators on the market? Here are our other top immersion circulator picks:
Anova Culinary Bluetooth Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Wancle Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Nomiku WiFi Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
To learn more about what to look for when you are buying an immersion circulator, head to our article titled “Top 15 tips to consider before you buy” to learn more by clicking here.
To learn more about the sous vide method of cooking head to our Resources page. Check out sous vide cooking tips, recipes, sous vide app, website and YouTube channel recommendations and much more.