Best of Make: Volume 2

SOUS VIDE IMMERSION COOKER

By Scott Heimendinger

Photography by Scott Heimendinger

PRECISION GOURMET

I’m fascinated by sous vide cooking, in which foods vacuum-sealed in plastic are immersed in a precisely temperature- controlled hot water bath to achieve optimal doneness.

But most sous vide (soo-veed) cooking machines are commercial models that cost north of $2,000, and the first “home” version, the countertop SousVide Supreme, is priced in the neighborhood of $450 (not including vacuum sealer), which is still a steep investment for something that essentially keeps water warm.

I decided to build a better device on the cheap. Behold, the $75 DIY ...