I am not a newbie when it comes to sous-vide circulators. I own two Anova versions (hey, medium and medium-rare!), and I once owned a different PolyScience model that I stupidly gave away. I hesitated getting this Breville PolyScience model despite its excellent brand name because I couldn't imagine anything doing better than my favorite Anova, which costs far less. In one way I was right: the HydroPro produces results identical to the Anova, especially for modest amounts of food. Getting to that end, however, is a completely different experience. This circulator is a beast. Thanks to a tip in an online forum, I learned years ago to start with hot tap water. The water doesn't touch the food, so all those admonitions about never cooking with hot water are invalid. Despite starting with hot water, however, the Anova still takes a while to get to temperature. This Breville Polyscience takes almost no time at all. The circulator is both quiet and effective, keeping a large bath at a consistent temperature for the duration of cooking. Although the Anova handles a large bath, the temperature varies more. Even my old PolyScience didn't perform this well. That power, while impressive, is not the only feature that explains why this circulator costs so much. The onboard controls are amazing -- and amazingly simple. Thanks to the Sous Vide Toolbox, I no longer have to check online to confirm water bath temperatures and cooking times. And the Toobox goes beyond anything I thought possible or necessary. Using the touch screen, you can select the food type, cut type, food shape, thickness, initial temperature (fresh or frozen), desired final core temperature, pasteurization level, and additional tenderness time. If, say, you choose vegetables, you'll get prompts to select the kind of vegetable (for example, root for carrots) and onboard options specific to what you're cooking so you don't have to go through options that don't apply. My only quibble with these settings is that the time can be shockingly long unless you choose the fast mode that increases the temperature by 4 degrees F. For instance, without using the fast mode, my 1.5" filet mignon steaks took 3 hours instead of Anova's recommended 1.5 hours. You don't have to use the HydroPro's toolbox, however. You can set up your water bath manually or you can program your favorite settings in the circulator's memory for a quick start. The mounting clamp is strong and, because it attaches with a flip clip, quickly adjustable. The touch screen is bright and easy-to-read, although I wish it were a little more responsive. I love that Breville/Polyscience has included a case, especially since I had to buy one separately for my Anova; the zippered case protects the circulator well with rigid ends and bottom, plus padding. Even though the included manual is much better than most literature included with appliances these days, novices may find it lacking. Still, the onboard settings go a long way toward making up for a lack of experience. Really, other than knowing how to seal food, you can let the circulator take over. The HydroPro is advertised as a commercial immersion circulator, which means it is built to withstand frequent use. It certainly can handle water baths large enough to hold a brisket or multiple smaller packets. For home cooks who expect to use a sous-vide immersion circulator only a few times a year, this is overkill, but for those of us who use the method a lot, the HydroPro is a wonder. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
