Breville Joule Review: Beautiful, Refined, and Powerful Sous Vide

Breville CS10001 Joule Sous Vide Review (Formally Chefsteps)

We finally got our hands on a Joule sous vide machine (formally Chefsteps) and put it to the test. We didn’t miss the opportunity to compare it to other sous vide machines we reviewed while we were at it. Let’s see if this gadget lives up to the hype!

A Quick Overview of the Main Features on the Joule

Before diving into our review, let’s go over some of the main features that make the Breville Joule a standout product in the sous vide marketplace. After all, when shopping for any new product, including an immersion circulator, having a list of specs and features is a great place to start, particularly if you are doing comparison shopping. So here goes:

• The Joule measures 11 inches tall and 1.85 inches wide
• This immersion circulator weighs a mere 1.28 pounds
• Temperature accuracy is 0.2°F (0.1°C)
• Maximum water temperature is 208°F (98°C)
• Maximum bath volume is 10+ gallons, which is 40+ liters
• Minimum water depth is 1.5 inches, while maximum water depth is 8 inches
• Safety features include thermal cutoff and high current protections
• Line voltage is 100 to 120 V AC
• Frequency is 50 to 60 Hz, single phase
• This product does come with a 1-year limited warranty, which is definitely nice

Also, it’s important to bear in mind that this is a high-tech sous vide cooker, so you will need your mobile device to be running iOS 8.0 or later, or Android 4.4 or later. And you will need to have internet access in order to use some of the product’s features.

Unboxing

Similar to Anova, Breville crafted a sleek packaging design to protect their devices. It gives you the feeling like you’re unboxing one of the latest tech gadgets. Which, essentially, you are doing, so it makes sense. When ordered online, there’s a brown box that says Joule on it, but if you purchase it at a brick and mortar store, you’ll see the regular orange and white Joule box. Don’t let the difference between boxes confuse you: both hold the exact same Breville Joule inside.

Once you pull off the sleeve there is a black box, which holds the device securely in place. Once I took the Joule out of the box, only to realize that it was all that was there to take out. It was a surprise at first, as there was no paperwork or manuals. But  I realized this was a great branding move for the Breville, as it only enhances the overall modern, digital, minimalistic feel of their product. Instead of the manual, you’ll find the instruction to download the Joule app at the the left side of the box. We’ll dive into more details on the Joule smartphone app below, but essentially, the app controls everything so it makes sense tutorials/how-to’s are on there.

Design

If you’ve read any of our previous sous vide machine reviews, you already know we’re suckers for great product design. More often than not, you’ll be able to know just how good a device after just one glance- it’s rarely that an impressive design hides a poor performance. Breville hit a home run with the Joule design, plain and simple. From aesthetics to function, it’s absolutely perfect. When first holding the Joule sous vide tool, it feels solid, well-made, and reliable. First impressions gave an Apple-esque feeling – perhaps it’s the white and silver color or the sleek and elegant size.

Side note: It is worth noting that, although we received the white and silver, or “stainless steel” option, the Breville Joule is also sold in “white polycarbonate,” which features an all white design that is actually a bit more affordable. So, when you shop for the Joule, be sure to choose the color that you like best.

Starting from the box to the device itself, it’s obvious that minimalism is the Chefstep’s preferred theme. The top of the device has one button, which will sync your Joule sous vide machine to the app when pressed. Right below it, there’s a LED status light. The bottom of the device has a magnetic base, which is also one of the most popular features of this immersion circulator. The magnetic bottom enables you to forego clips and clamps that attach to container walls and simply place your sous vide cooker in the center of the pot- the magnet sticks right to it.

Of course, not everyone who cooks sous vide will be thrilled by this design. For instance, our first impression of the magnetic base was that it wouldn’t be too useful, since we personally use polycarbonate sous vide containers as our primary water bath of choice. However, we found that there’s solution for everything if you’re crafty enough! After an epiphany, we placed a standard cookie sheet under our plastic sous vide container. Not only does the Joule magnet work with our container now, but we also have a bit of protection between our hot water container and our countertops to help prevent any potential damage from long cooks. Genius, right?

Features

Breville proven, once again, that they’re the masters of their market. They managed to create the world’s smallest sous vide immersion circulator but equip it with a ton of impressive features. From Alexa voice integration to an innovative app-enabled Visual Doneness guide, one thing is for sure. Joule surely offers unique features that you won’t see in any other sous vide machine.

1100 Watt Water Heater

The Breville Joule has an impressive 1100 watt heater which ensures that the temperature of the water rises efficiently and quickly. For comparison, Gourmia GSV140 boasts 1200 watts. The PolyScience CHEF Series has 1100 Watts, and Anova Bluetooth keeps it modest with 800 watts. What’s even more impressive, they managed to squeeze in a powerful 1100 watt heater into a device half the size of many other sous vide machines out there.

That alone is an impressive feat, not to mention Joule’s other nifty features. But don’t let the power of the heater make you think this compact circulator is loud! It runs quiet, which will be a huge bonus once you do a long sous vide cook. There’s no cooking roast if your circulator is noisy. Take a quick listen to the video we recorded of the heater in action:

Powerful Circulator

Although we might sound repetitive, it’s just the way it is: Joule impresses again. This time, it’s the circulator that leaves us in awe, as it can effectively circulate over 10 gallons of water! This is particularly useful if you plan on cooking large batches of food, but that’s not the only benefit. This immense circulation power comes in handy when cooking small amounts of food as it ensures an even water temperature no matter what.

The minimum depth of water is just 1.5 inches, which is significantly lower than other devices.

Many other sous vide machines are in the 3-4 inch range. So how did Breville pull it off? Joule is able to achieve this by drawing in water from the base of the circulator and launching it out the hole in the front of the device. If you have 2-3 inches of water, you will notice the water shooting out from above. This is perfectly OK, but be warned: it does add to the noise level. In this short video you will see the Joule circulator in action.

Bluetooth and WiFi

Today, it’s all about connectivity and smart tech, and Breville didn’t disappoint on this front, either. Joule comes with both Bluetooth and WiFi compatibility. This is great because you can pick and choose whatever is more convenient at the moment. For instance, you can use Bluetooth when home without worrying about a WiFi connection, or use the WiFi to control your Joule while you’re away. Just think about it: before leaving work, you get on the Joule app and set it to cook previously prepared food, and you’re greeted with a perfect steak once you’re home. Doesn’t get better than that!

Also, we were curious if you could choose between which to use, so Ellen Kutscher of Breville cleared this up by saying: “Joule works only with a WiFi or Bluetooth connection. You can cook without WiFi via Joule’s Bluetooth connection, but your phone or tablet needs internet connection while pairing with Joule.”

Joule App for Android and iPhone

The Joule app is, hands down, the best sous vide app available. Good thing, too, since the sous vide machine itself can only be controlled from this app. In addition to your usual set of controls meant to help you operate your Joule, the free smartphone app comes packed with step by step recipes for scrumptious meals. Another feature we love is the ability to submit support requests and view their status directly from the app.

Inside the Joule app you will also find your cooking history and an array of impressive training videos to get you started, including the following:

• Getting Started with Sous Vide
• How to Sear Like a Boss
• Tips for Sous Vide Superstardom
• Caring for your New Friend Joule

Joule with Amazon Alexa

How awesome is this? Joule now works with Amazon Alexa to use operate the sous vide machine with your voice. If you already have an Amazon Alexa in your house, it’s all ready to go! Just open the Amazon Alexa app, search for Joule, and enable the skill. Once you set this up, you can simply say “Alexa, ask Joule to heat water to 150 degrees F.” No more fiddling with your phone to set the time or check on the temperature while you have sticky hands! Take that, Apple’s fingerprint recognition software that denies access to greasy fingers.

Joule Performance

Long story short, Joule performed flawlessly during our review. We shared our impressions of  the circulator earlier in the review, so let’s take a dive into other aspects, such as the heater and temperature accuracy. To test these two functions, we filled a water bath with 6 liters of water at 75 degrees F, placed our Joule in the water, and set the target temperature to 135 degrees F. It took Joule just little over 12 minutes to reach the temperature. Wow! This is absolutely impressive given how small the device is compared to others in the category.

As another comparison, our Gourmia GSV140 review had the same set of parameters for testing; 75 degrees Fahrenheit as a starting temperature which rose to 135 degree F target temperature in a little over 13 minutes. The most surprising part? The Gourmia GSV140 has a 1200 watt heater while Joule only has 1100 watt- yet Joule still took the victory in this part of the review.

OK, while this is admirable, we wanted to take it further. Our goal was to test the accuracy of the temperature by setting the device to 135 degrees to cook a roast. About 10 minutes after the device reached the target temperature, we tested it with a digital and infrared thermometer.

According to our equipment, the temperatures came approximately 0.8 degree F lower than what Joule said; however, we didn’t’ put much faith in the accuracy of the thermometer itself. After all, this test is to ensure the temperature is within a degree or so, which is the level of accuracy that’s far out of this thermometer’s league.

Handy Breville Accessories That You Can Purchase for Your Joule

Breville has also released a line of accessories that are made for use with your Joule. These are certainly worth considering to take your sous vide cooking with this product to the next level.

One accessory that we really like is the Big Clamp. It makes attaching your Joule to farmhouse sinks, Cambros, coolers, and more a snap. Use it when hosting a big party to cook a lot of food. If you are going to be cooking for a lot of people and you want to let Joule do all of the hard work, the Big Clamp will be there to help. And all you have to do to attach it to your cooker is remove the standard clip and replace it with the Big Clamp. Slide one off before sliding the other one on, and you’re good to go!

Another noteworthy accessory for the Breville Joule is their Flip Top. This super helpful tool is easy to place on top of the pot that you’re using to cook up your meal. It helps prevent the water from evaporating while your immersion circulator is working, and it can also help boost the cooker’s energy efficiency by as much as 70%, particularly during those longer cooking sessions. This accessory was specifically made for use with your Joule, as it has a custom cutout for a perfect fit, yet it is also designed to fit nearly every pot in your kitchen that you’d use the Joule in.

Final Thoughts of Breville Joule

All things considered, we can safely say that Joule deserves to be at the very top of our list of best sous vide machines. This immersion circulator outperformed every other device we’ve tested to date. And having in mind that we reviewed some pretty powerful sous vide cookers, that’s saying a lot. The design is immaculate, the simplicity of the lines giving off a luxurious impression.

Even though the compact size of this immersion circulator might make you think different, there are tons of unique features are packed into this tiny device. Lastly and most importantly, the performance of Breville Joule was absolutely perfect.

The only thing keeping this from a perfect 10 out of 10 is because we personally are hesitant of only being able to control the machine with your phone. While it’s cool to be able to make the most out of smart technologies, sometimes you need something “touchable” to be sure you can always use cook with it, regardless of your other gadgets. A few controls on the device itself would be great, perhaps something like a rotating dial such as Sansaire uses. The design would still be minimalistic and modern, but there would be hands on controls on the device. Either way, a 9.8 out of 10 should be a good indication that this device rocks. Breville Joule is the real deal.