Skip to main content

Instant Pot sous vide appliance puts the coup de grâce on alternative cookers

Are you ready for new cookware but stuck deciding between a sous vide appliance and an Instant Pot multifunction cooker? Why not choose both? The Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator works with any Instant Pot pressure cooker for evenly cooked meals.

You don’t have to use the Accu Slim Sous Vide water heater with an Instant Pot. You can use any 6- to 8-quart cooking pot with the device as long as you can clamp the Accu Slim to the side. The device is 2.5 inches in diameter and 12.9-inches tall. The pot holding clamp adds 2.1 inches to the handle, for a 4.6-inch total front-to-back measurement only at that point.

Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator – 3/4 side view attached to a cooking pot Image used with permission by copyright holder

Many original Instant Pot multifunction cooker owners fall within the enthusiast-to-raging-fan end of the opinion spectrum. Therefore, it’s a fair bet the manufacturer figures the bulk of Accu Slim buyers will already own an Instant Pot. Brand passion and trust often carry over to new products.

The Instant Pot is a phenomenon, selling in the millions of units to fans and converts who appreciate its versatility and programming capabilities. Launches for Instant Pot accessories, cookbooks, and even celebrity chef editions like Walmart’s Pioneer Women design are newsworthy in themselves for this pressure cooker with a seemingly endless bag of tricks.

Sous vide cooking involves placing food in vacuum-sealed plastic pouches immersed in water. The sous vide device keeps the water temperature at the precise level. The advantages of sous vide preparation are evenly cooked food with all vitamins, minerals, and juices retained. Fans of the sous vide claim food cooked with this method are healthier, more tender, and tastier than with other cooking styles.

The Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator looks like a lightsaber. From the top down, in operating position, the Accu Slims components consist of a control panel display, a rubber-coated main body, a pot holding clamp, a removable heating element cover, and water flow channels at the bottom. Handy minimum and maximum water level markers let you know when you have the right amount.

While sous vide manufacturers including Instant Pot seldom show the water heaters with cords attached, they are not battery operated. The Accu Slim has a 12-volt 60 Hz internal power supply that plugs into a standard outlet.

Recipes calculated for sous vide cooking call for temperatures and cooking times that may differ from other food preparation methods. The Accu Slim control panel lets you easily set the desired water temperature and cooking time. It’s important to check the water level while cooking sous vide, especially for long time periods. If the water level falls below the minimum level marker, it’s important to add more water.

The Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide Immersion Circulator retails for $80. Pair it with one of the Instant Pot pressure cooker models, and you won’t have to decide which appliance you want to see on your countertop.

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
Instant Pot Duo vs. Viva
instant pot viva deal walmart cyber week multi use 9 in 1 6 quart pressure cooker

Multifunctional pressure cookers were once a best-kept secret, as few people knew all of the benefits of a cooker like an Instant Pot. Now, the perks of using an Instant Pot -- speed, ease of use, and cooking ingredients from frozen -- are pretty well known, so many people have come to enjoy what Instant Pots have to offer. If you’re in the market for an Instant Pot, you have quite a few choices when deciding which model to go with. You can opt for a tried and true model, like the Duo, or you could go with one of Instant Pot’s newer offerings, like the Instant Pot Viva. Which is better? We compare the Instant Pot Duo vs. the Viva side-by-side to find out.
Design: A new lid and color options

If you saw a six-quart Instant Pot Duo sitting next to a six-quart stainless steel Instant Pot Viva, the two pots would look very similar. So much so, it might be hard to tell the difference between the two pots at first glance. However, there are key design differences that set them apart.

Read more
The best Instant Pot alternatives
instant pot post christmas sales ultra 3 qt 10 in 1 multi  use programmable pressure cooker

If you’ve never tried an Instant Pot or a kitchen gadget like it, you really don’t know what you’re missing. Multifunctional pressure cookers make day-to-day meal preparation so much easier. You can cook meats from frozen, cut cooking times by at least half, and toss a bunch of ingredients in the pot and cook them simultaneously.

While Instant Pot is perhaps the most well-known name in multifunctional pressure cookers, it’s not the only player in the game. There are a variety of other options on the market. We’ve included some of the best Instant Pot alternatives below.
Mealthy Multipot

Read more
Rice cooker vs. Instant Pot
popular instant pot lowest price amazon featured

Over the last several years, countertop cooking devices like rice cookers and pressure cookers have increased in popularity. Instant Pot is perhaps the most well-known name in pressure cooking devices, and most people have had someone say to them: “You have to try an Instant Pot.”

If you’re not an Instant Pot fanatic or if you haven’t used too many standalone rice cookers, you may wonder what the difference is between an Instant Pot and a countertop rice cooker. They look fairly similar, and they’re both typically found in the same aisles in stores like Walmart or Target. Both cookers make a heck of a good bowl of rice, too. But, how exactly are the two kitchen gadgets different?

Read more