KEY INFORMATION ABOUT the Sous Vide Kitchen Gizmo Immersion Circulator
Kitchen Gizmo is well known for its culinary products, small kitchen appliances and utensils. Kitchen Gizmo has just one sous vide product – the Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide immersion circulator.
Key Features
Dimensions: 17.8 x 5 x 5 inches
Weight: 4 pounds
- Easy-scroll selection wheel-effortlessly set the temperature and time
- Touchscreen control panel to easily switch from °C to °F
- Ergonomic grip-durable rubberized coating gives you a comfortable hold
- Indicator shows when the device is working, charging or if there is an error
- Safety feature-will only work when inserted in water above the minimum level. If removed it will stop working
- Removable stainless steel sleeve for easy cleaning
- Powerful water circulator pumps 8 Liters per minute
- 800 Watt reliable motor with a margin of error less than 1°F
- ETL certified
- 1 year warranty
AWARDS
Sous Vide Hub has been unable to source any awards for this product.
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
The reviewer community offers the thumbs up for the Kitchen Gizmo sous vide immersion circulator. Other immersion circulators in this price range include the Gourmia GSV130, the Chefman immersion circulator and the Wancle Immersion Circulator. The key areas of strength for the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator include that it is easy to use, it is super quiet and as with all quality immersion circulators, it produces delicious foods that will impress your family and friends (and yourself!). The price point is very reasonable (with many other immersion circulators with WiFi and Bluetooth capability coming in at around $100+ more). Check the current price on Amazon here.
Just like those reviewers who like the Wancle immersion circulator, those who like the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator are not concerned that this sous vide product does not use any additional technology to operate it.
There is a small amount of reviewer community concern around quality control. Some have received faulty units and have found their product to be a little unreliable (ie wouldn’t work after say 6-8 uses). A small amount of reviewers criticize the instructions that arrive with the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator. They are a little difficult to read or understand (and there are even typos on the packaging of the product itself). Having collated a significant amount of reviewer feedback we would have to say that these concerns are fairly minor and shouldn’t discourage you from purchase. We note these things as we know many of you will not be comfortable to order from companies that provide faulty units in the initial instance or where paperwork and instructions are not presented professionally and with accuracy.
Product Images
Here’s a few images of the Kitchen Gizmo Immersion Circulator (various colors are included here as the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator has multiple colors in their range):
In a nut shell here are the key pros and cons of the Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator:
PROS
- Reasonable price point – Check the price on Amazon here
- Numbers on the LCD screen are large and easy to read
- Very easy to operate
- Comes with a removable sleeve for cleaning and de-scaling
- Sturdy design
- Accurate temperature and great circulation (in the majority of the reviewer community)
- Quiet
- Timer doesn’t start counting down until the set temperature is reached
- Portable – you can easily to take away this away with you
- Impressive packaging with great color options (although, typo alert – there’s a typo on the packaging which might be a “thing” for you)
- Timer does not start until the water bath reaches the set temperature
- YouTube videos available for basic operating instructions
CONS
- Some limitations in what pots the clip can connect to (ie some have had trouble putting it on and off a 5 gallon bucket)
- No alarm when the water has reached set temperature
- Symbols shown are a little dark
- Difficulty with the dial on the unit – some reviewers say you have to really press hard to get the buttons to respond
- Plastic guard on the bottom of the unit doesn’t lock down tight and it seems to want to just twist off which would not protect the little turbine on the bottom
- It is not clear that the unit is designed to operate with the end cap [pump housing]
- The clear guard on the bottom has been criticized for falling off. When you pull the unit out of the water you often leave that clear plastic piece behind in the water
- Cookbook/instructions that come with the product contains some typos. The book which is on a black background has blue print which makes it a little tricky to read
- Once the selected time is up, the circulator stops maintaining the bath temperature. This means the water bath starts to cool. This is a problem if you are not round to remove it straight away
- Button responsiveness (see detailed description under Ease of Use section)
More info
DETAILED SOUS VIDE HUB REVIEW – Kitchen Gizmo Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
PERFORMANCE
In regards to its general performance, the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator is very well regarded. It effectively heats water, (many suggest filling your pot with warm water to speed this process up a little), has reliable circulation and is whisper quiet. Reviewers report amazing results whether they are experienced cooks or novice users of sous vide immersion circulators.
The Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator is not without it’s performance issues. These pertain mainly to units arriving scratched, in non working order or with broken pieces. A couple of reviewers report their items arriving with a broken part or where the spring on the clip has broken (cracked through). We are not sure there is enough feedback in this regard to cross this immersion circulator off your list of potential purchases. It is a well priced and easy to use option. In saying that, given some reviewers experience some quality control issues we would certainly encourage you to open your immersion circulator right away to test it. That way you can contact the seller straight away for a refund or replacement if required.
EASE OF USE
The Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator has some great features. It will shut of automatically if the water level is too low. The unit displays EE1 error code and then turns off. The temperature and time are adjusted with a real physical dial, making it much more responsive and easy to use than a touch screen interface.
Some find the buttons a little troublesome initially. The buttons are contact activated not push buttons with tactile feedback. The buttons/”enter” & “power” are very sensitive. Some reviewers say that the instrument panel doesn’t respond well to the touch. Given it is operated with just a flat touch screen rather than real buttons, reviewers sometimes find themselves jabbing at it ineffectively a number of times before getting a response.
Other reviewers report that the time and temperature setting switch is kind of “fiddly”. For example sometimes you may need to swipe your finger over it several times before it will go to the next setting. Also there is no “hold” feature when the cooking is finished. It shuts off and goes into standby mode. Having a “keep warm” type setting would be an handy feature and one that would be received well by users.
CONVENIENCE
As with many immersion circulators, the Kitchen Gizmo may not clip onto all of your pots or water vessels. However this is the case for many sous vide immersion circulators.
For those of you who are particularly interested in maintaining a very specific temperature, it is worth noting that you can only adjust the temperature to the nearest degree (Fahrenheit). Some other sous vide immersion circulators allow you to adjust to the nearest 10th of a degree.
As mentioned above in the “CONS” section the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator stops cooking at the specified time and the readout shows END, but holding the power button for 3 seconds to turn it off (per the instructions) does nothing but toggle the F and C indicators. Pulling the plug is really the only option, and this flips a circuit breaker.
In addition, reviewers comment that the bottom plastic piece of the immersion circulator falls off reasonably frequently. It would be more convenient if the bottom piece of the device was better secured. It seems to come off a lot more easily than it goes back on.
Unfortunately many reviewers have found the instructions included with the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator wanting. In turn, this effects how quickly users can come up to speed with how to use it. Keep this in mind if you are someone who likes clear instructions to work with.
DESIGN
The device has a solid and finished feel to it, from its texture to its rigidity and robustness. The spring clamp does not open as much as some would like it to, which may prevent you from using it in a wide lipped insulated cooler. But it does hold firmly enough to most pot or water vessel walls according to the majority of reviewer feedback.
It’s always nice to have a few color choices. The Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator comes in blue, grey and red so you can find just the one to suit your kitchen or style preference.
WARRANTY AND SUPPORT
There is mixed feedback from the reviewer community on the support they have received since they made their purchase. Some have waited a significant amount of time for feedback from the company they purchased from. Others have reported very good customer service once they made contact with an issue, concern or product defect.
Kitchen Gizmo has a website which contains a few sous vide recipes but it is not an extensive offering. They also have a Facebook page, Twitter account and Instagram account. These social channels are a great way to stay connected with the brand but given Kitchen Gizmo offer a range of products (other than sous vide products), these social media channels don’t focus exclusively on sous vide products, recipes and guides (such as companies like ChefSteps who produce Joule for example). Luckily the web has plenty of sous vide resources available for you if you are unable to find the information you need from Kitchen Gizmo directly.
Kitchen Gizmo offers a toll free phone number and an email address to get in touch. Their website also have a Leave a Message function.
The Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator has a 1 year warranty.
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED
The Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator comes with a cookbook. The response to this is varied amongst reviewers. Some think it is helpful and a great resource. Others are looking for more of a challenge. This immersion circulator does not come with any vacuum sealer bags or any other accessories such as sous vide water balls. So make sure you order any additional items and accessories when you order your immersion circulator. This will ensure that you are ready to cook as soon as your Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator arrives.
Helpful links:
Here are some additional sous vide accessories you might like to consider to be used with the Kitchen Gizmo Immersion Circulator:
SousVide Supreme Zip Cooking Pouches (can be sealed without a vacuum sealer)
PROS (RECAP FROM EARLIER IN THIS ARTICLE)
- Reasonable price point – Check the price on Amazon here
- Numbers on the LCD screen are large and easy to read
- Very easy to operate
- Comes with a removable sleeve for cleaning and de-scaling
- Sturdy design
- Accurate temperature and great circulation (in the majority of the reviewer community)
- Quiet
- Timer doesn’t start counting down until the set temperature is reached
- Easy to read instructions
- Portable – you can easily to take away this away with you
- Impressive packaging with great color options (although, typo alert – there’s a typo on the packaging which might be a “thing” for you)
- Timer does not start until the water bath reaches the set temperature
- YouTube videos available for basic operating instructions
CONS (RECAP FROM EARLIER IN THIS ARTICLE)
- Some limitations in what pots the clip can connect to (ie some have had trouble putting it on and off a 5 gallon bucket)
- No alarm when the water has reached set temperature
- Symbols shown are a little dark
- Difficulty with the dial on the unit – some reviewers say you have to really press hard to get the buttons to respond
- Plastic guard on the bottom of the unit doesn’t lock down tight and it seems to want to just twist off which would not protect the little turbine on the bottom
- It is not clear that the unit is designed to operate with the end cap [pump housing]
- The clear guard on the bottom has been criticized for falling off. When you pull the unit out of the water you often leave that clear plastic piece behind in the water
- Cookbook/instructions that come with the product contains some typos. The book which is on a black background has blue print which makes it a little tricky to read
- Once the selected time is up, the circulator stops maintaining the bath temperature. This means the water bath starts to cool. This is a problem if you are not round to remove it straight away
- Button responsiveness (see detailed description under Ease of Use section)
HINTS AND TIPS FROM REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE USED THE Kitchen Gizmo Immersion Circulator:
Here are some first hand hints and tips from people who have used the Kitchen Gizmo Immersion Circulator:
Tip #1
Whilst the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator comes with a recipe book, reviewers also love recipes offered on The Food Lab and Serious Eats websites as well.
Tip #2
Some have had an issue with the impeller (the circulator part). When the unit heats the water, it does not seem to be moving the water. If you remove the lower base (comes off with a 1/4 twist), the impeller will be loose. Tighten up the screw that holds it on and it should work well after that.
Tip #3
Fill up a pot with hot water from the faucet. The temperature will already be closer to where you need it, and it will get up to your desired temperature more quickly.
Tip #4
Use Ziplock freezer bags, with the water immersion method of removing the air before sealing if you don’t have a vacuum sealer.
Tip #5
Consider pre-heating water in a stock pot to the correct temperature before introducing the sous vide machine and food. This can save a lot of time if you need a lot of water for two food bags or more.
Tip #6
Once the time and temperature are set, there is no way to adjust them besides unplugging the unit and starting over. One reviewer offers a (clunky but effective) solution; set the temperature and set the timer for an hour. When the water reaches the set temperature and given you cannot adjust the timer, unplug the unit to reset it, then set the timer for the desired cooking time.
Tip #7
Order a 6 qt Rubbermaid container to go with your Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator. It is just the right size for a couple steaks. Consider something larger if you are cooking for more than a couple of people.
Tip #8
After ordering your Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator, spend the next few days watching videos on the internet so when it arrives you are ready to cook.
Tip #9
Don’t forget to place the pot of hot water on a stove or slip a towel/hotplate underneath it so as not to burn your counter.
Tip #10
Consider buying a 20 quart food grade tub with a lid, then cut a U shape into the lid to fit this device.
Tip #11
Consider using vacuum seal bags and zip lock 1 and 2 gallon zipper bags. All work “swimmingly”.
Click here to view the current price of the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator on Amazon
Keen to compare the Kitchen Gizmo immersion circulator with other sous vide immersion circulators on the market? Here are our other top sous vide immersion circulator picks:
ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Feel free to check out our product review of the Joule by clicking here.
Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
Feel free to check out our product review of the Anova immersion circulator by clicking here.
Feel free to check out our product review of the Sansaire immersion circulator by clicking here.
Feel free to check out our product review of the Wancle immersion circulator by clicking here.
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