Review: Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

Instant Pot’s second Sous Vide Immersion Circulator takes all of the features from their first model and make several quality of life improvements. 

Despite the specifications on Instant Pot’s website, the Accu Slim is slightly more compact and a little bit lighter than their existing SSV800.

But first, let’s take a look at some of the specs. 

Specifications

  • 8.9 x 8.9 x 38 cm
  • 789g
  • Between 10 minutes to 72 hours of continuous operation
  • Temperature range of 104F to 195F (40C to 90C)
  • Temperature controls accurate to + – 1F (0.1C)
  • 12 volt DC motor at 800 watts of cooking power
  • Cross-product functionality with other Instant Pot products

This last point is one we’ll discuss a little later under the Functionality header. 

Build Quality

Instant Pot’s second ever immersion circulator, the Accu Slim, does exactly what it says on the tin. 

This product is, quite literally, the definition of an affordable sous vide immersion cooker. It has the typical stainless steel skirt and hard-shelled plastic covering for the electrical components. 

The Instant Pot sous vide Cooker features two smooth, plastic interlocking plates – one of which includes the display rather than using a rubber seal like some competitors Unlike the Gramercy Kitchen Co Immersion Cooker we recently reviewed, it does not offer a steam guard on the rear of the unit.

One issue we experienced with this unit was, unfortunately, quality of shipping.  

As you can see above, there were numerous scratches and scuffs on the LCD display. This is after pulling off the plastic tab on the screen. Somehow, the unit must have been damaged sometime between manufacturing and packaging. 

Form

There are no real complaints to be had about the Instant Pot sous vide Immersion Cooker’s design features. By the same token, there’s nothing especially innovative about the product either. For example, Anova has attempted to shake things up with a beveled stainless steel skirt base. 

The Instant Pot makes no such suggestions.

This isn’t necessarily an issue. It does its job serviceably and is a great jumping off point for those on the fence about sous vide methods of cooking. 

With that said, we do have some long-term concerns about its durability.

As mentioned above, the screen is part of the two-part plastic shelling around the electrical components. Regardless of sealing, this means that any damage to the plastic will necessitate a replacement of at least some of the electrical components as well. 

One major bonus for the Instant Pot sous vide Immersion Circulator is its size and weight. The Accu Slim is, as the name suggests, a compact unit. It fits handsomely on pretty much any kitchen-top and its neutral colour scheme will no doubt please stainless steel purists. 

Functionality

The Instant Pot sous vide Immersion Circulator operates at 800 watts, slightly lower than some other units on the market. 

During our test cook we found that our pork chops were slightly underdone, despite following InstantPot’s cooking guide. This may indicate that the Instant Pot sous vide Immersion Circulator’s ability to retain heat balance as an issue.

Meanwhile, the active pump system and 12V Dc motor operated at a very low volume, although still noticeable. 

One major upside to this immersion cooker is its brand integration with other Instant Pot products. If, like many, you’ve received an Instant Pot then this circulator can clamp directly onto the side.

Although we weren’t able to test this option ourselves, the team considered it a notable convenience for existing Instant Pot aficionados.

An important note for international customers: according to Instant Pot’s website, the removable stainless steel skirt only applies to North American orders. 

On the Chopping Block

For this review I took a crack at cooking a long-time affordability staple: pork chops. It doesn’t get much more basic, yet dry chops are an unfortunately common sight at the dinner table. As you can see below, we didn’t have that issue with the Instant Pot sous vide immersion circulator.

As we mentioned earlier, there was some talk around the table about doneness. We found that even after following Instant Pot’s guidelines the pork wasn’t quite as toothesome as we’ve come to expect from sous vide cooking. Good, but not on the same level as some of the other meals we’ve prepared using sous vide. 

Verdict

The Instant Pot Accu Slim sous vide Immersion Circulator is in no way a bad buy for those looking to get into sous vide at a lower price point.

With that said, there are build quality and, possibly, some temperature control issues that should be flagged before making a purchase. Even so, we found the Instant Pot sous vide Immersion Cooker to be a fine starting point despite its problems – especially for those who already have an Instant Pot sitting on their counter at home.

Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator Review
  • Performance - 7.5/10
    7.5/10
  • Ease of Use - 8/10
    8/10
  • Design - 6.5/10
    6.5/10
  • Features - 7.5/10
    7.5/10
7.4/10

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