My Amazon budget sous vide (£50) is set at 60°c but my meat thermometer fluctuates between 58°c and 59°c ….. I'm guessing the meat thermometer is more acurate? The temperature readout on the sous vide constantly reads 60°c with no fluctuations
by diskotka
10 Comments
Time for a calibrated thermometer
Cover your water to keep the heat in.
There probably is a 1.4C diff between the thermometer on the interior of the unit and the thermometer measuring the water just at the barrier between the water and the air.
You can use a glass of ice water to verify that the meat thermometer reads 0C. Use a good amount of ice and give it a stir and a few minutes to chill first.
All measuring tools have different tolerances. Your manual might tell you how accurate it is.
These are consumer machines for home cooks. You’re not gonna get much better accuracy than what you’re looking at, nor will it make a meaningful difference in your cooks
I don’t have this device, but isn’t that a goal setting rather than a temperature reading?
My OG Thermopen suggested to test using a pot of boiling water for the high, and stirred ice water for the low.
The thermometer came with a NIST test certificate. My sous vide came with an operating guide. They are not the same in purpose or operation.
Calibrate!.
Every measuring device has an accuracy tolerance. A range that is considered to be within tolerance. Also even if your thermometer was calibrated it was done in a lab environment and will still vary outside of that environment. The real test is, does cooking something at 60 deg for a certain amount of time come out the way you want. If not you can pay with either the time of temperature settings. That’s part of the fun.
I have the same one with the same temperature difference. I know to set it ~2.5° higher than the desired cook temp. Not too bad of a trade off for a $50? machine.