Had to pick between a $200 immersion circulator or a $40 probe thermometer for my new spot. Went with the thermometer.

Opening a small place in Tacoma, budget is tight. The circulator would have been nice for some fancy sous vide specials, but the probe is just more useful every single day. I use it to check grill temps, oil in the fryer, and to temp proteins without opening the oven constantly. For a crew of three, it's the better tool. Anyone else make a similar gear choice that felt like a step back but actually worked out better?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_rodriguez22d agoMost Upvoted

You're missing out on the real workhorse. A circulator does way more than fancy specials. You could have used it to batch cook chicken for salads, hold sauces at perfect temps, or pasteurize eggs for dressings safely. That probe just tells you what you already know, while the circulator actually cooks food hands-off during prep time. It's a tool that makes new things possible, not just checks on old tasks.

the_seth22d ago

Exactly! It's like buying a fancy scale when you really need a better oven. People get stuck checking stuff instead of fixing the process.

nancyd8515d ago

That circulator point hits home for me. I used mine to keep mashed potatoes perfect for a whole holiday dinner service. The probe just watches a problem, but the right tool actually solves it while you work on something else.