The Best Cooler for Anova Sous Vide Machines

An Anova Sous Vide Cooker can cook a large capacity of meat. But if you need to transport that meat, you need large coolers for sous vide. We’ve got three potential containers you can use for home cooks on the go to address this concern. Here are the best cooler for Anova sous vide machines.

Our Picks for the Best Coolers for Sous Vide

#1: Colman 24-Can Party Stacker – The Wide One 

The Coleman 24-Can Party Stacker was picked for two reasons: 

• It’s wide enough to can longer steaks
• It stacks easily with another duplicate purchase

As a result, buying two of these coolers still makes these reasonably easy to lift together. In addition, they are cost-effective enough that buying another one won’t break the bank. 

They also come in three different colors: blue, grey, and red. These colors allow you to quickly sort through different types of meat, allowing you to avoid cross-contamination.

Twenty-four cans account for 13x22x8 inches. That means if you need to haul two feet worth of steak or other food items, this cooler has you covered. For flash cooling of your sous vide product, Coleman is a good choice.   

Pros	Cons
Easily stackable.	Depth is somewhat lacking.
Color-coded to allow for easy identification of meat type.	Insulation could be better.
It can fit two feet worth of food.
Best Cooler for Anova Sous Vide Machines Reviews

#2: Igloo 24-Can Legend Cooler  – The Tall One

The Igloo 24-Can Legend Cooler is known to be more cube-like in shape. It’s easy to clean, with a reversible lid that allows you to get an impromptu prep area. However, that prep area isn’t meant for anything large. 

The cube shake makes it awkward for large, flat pieces of meat. As a result, it’s better for short and stout chunks, which might be better depending on what you cook. These aren’t as suitable for the transportation of fish and steaks as a result. 

Igloo is a thriving known-cooler brand that acts like the Old Reliable of coolers. It’s got impressive insulation but has a habit of being somewhat difficult to open the lid. This cooler is perfect for stadium seats and behind car seats. 

Pros	Cons
Compact and helpful with standard seating.	This container isn’t as suitable for longer products.
The container has a very tight seal.	The handles have a habit of breaking over time.
You can flip the lid for an impromptu prep area.
Best Cooler for Anova Sous Vide Machines Reviews

#3: YETI Tundra 65 Cooler – The Spare No Expense One 

The YETI Tundra 45 has room for 45 quarts of space. It has three inches of insulation and is heavily armored in the event of dropping. It also has “T-Rex” lid latches made of solid rubber. 

The YETI is a tank among coolers, making them suitable for outdoor trips and long-distance vacations. The result of buying a cooler that has the power to withstand most impacts is price. 

The cost of this cooler is ten times that of most other coolers. However, YETI produces the kind of coolers that can be the last coolers you buy under the right conditions. If you want a larger container to transport all of your meat in a single ice chest, this YETI cooler is a good choice. 

Pros	Cons
Excellent size.	Incredibly expensive.
Impeccable durability.	High potential of cross-contamination.
Three inches of insulation.
Best Cooler for Anova Sous Vide Machines Reviews

What Should I Look for in a Good Cooler for Sous Vide?

What are Good Dimensions for My Cooler?

A cooler’s dimensions will depend on what you use it for. For example, our top two coolers are suitable for a family of four or those going to the beach. When transporting meat, you can test it out by buying your average stock of meat. 

If you plan on using the cooler to ice bath your sous vide meal, you can deal with a smaller cooler. You just need it large enough to hold a container of ice. 

If you plan on using this cooler for other purposes (like camping trips), consider a cooler that fits between 20 and 40 quarts. 

How to Pick a Durable Cooler

Another critical component to choosing a cooler comes from durability. If your cooler is made of glass, it isn’t going to last long. 

Considering durability, YETI has the market cornered on creating high-quality products. After all, that’s why this company is on the above list. 

Plastic coolers like the Igloo and Coleman can last you a great deal of time. Typically you see these coolers break because people like to rip them at the seams or overload them.

Make sure that you read the owner’s manual to understand the weight capacity of any cooler you buy. 

Insulation for Your Coolers

If you are purchasing a cooler for a precision cooker, you need a cooler with good insulation. Without insulation, the cooler will not maintain ice very well. As a result, all the effort you put in from your immersion circulators won’t amount to much. 

Ideally, your cooler will have thick foam insulation. You’ll also want a cooler that retains water very well. When the water level rises in your cooler, that assists in the insulation. 

Provided that the Ziplock bag is fully sealed, you shouldn’t have to worry about water getting into your food. Despite being submerged as if you are sous vide cooking, there’s not much that a cooler of water will do to a sealed plastic bag. 

Soft Side or Hard Coolers – Which is Better for Sous Vide?

You’ve got two wide variants when determining what type of cooler you want: hard side and soft side.

Soft side coolers are great for handling standard insulation issues. Cooling your sack lunch or taking things out for a day is where soft slides excel. If what you are putting in there can be worn as a backpack, a soft cooler will do fine.

However, hard-sided coolers are better for heavy-duty tasks. These tasks can include handling large quantities of meat or going outdoors. If you pick a cooler for sous vide, choose something in the hard side variety. 

What is a Good Price for a Cooler?

Coolers range anywhere from a $5 lunchbox to $1,200 coolers with survival equipment and Bluetooth speakers. So when asking about a reasonable price for a cooler, that depends on your priorities.

If you plan on using it only for storing cooked food with your sous vide machine, you probably don’t need to be spending more than $50. However, if you plan on transporting that meat and worry about dropping the container, you might want to pay extra for durability. 

Give yourself a list of priorities you’d like to see from your cooler, and look around at prices associated with those priorities. If you find something that meets all of your demands that’s under budget, give it a shot. 

Do I Need A Cooler With Wheels?

Unless you plan on bring enough perfectly cooked meat to feed multiple households, you probably don’t need a cooler with wheels when cooking food. Typically, those coolers are best for long-term camping trips. 

However, if you struggle to lift coolers, getting one with wheels is a great way to take the strain off. Just be sure your cooler meets the insulation requirements. 

Are There Special Containers for Sous Vide?

No, there are no specialized coolers for sous vide. However, you can get BPA-free plastic containers that are heat-resistant enough to cook sous vide in. 

These containers are meant to resist hot water but can also be used to provide an ice bath. Just be sure that the container is at room temperature before you place any ice, or you’ll just make warm water. 

Sous Vide FAQs

Do I Have To Use a Vacuum-Sealed Bag for Sous Vide?

No, any sealable plastic bag will work for sous vide cooking. You will still want to do what you can to remove air from the bag before placing your meal inside the sous vide cooker. 

Can I Use a Stock Pot for Sous Vide?

Yes, you can use any stock pot (both heat-resistant plastic or stainless steel) for sous vide. However, standard stock pots with a sous vide mode are technically not considered proper sous vide water baths. 

That’s because sous vide requires constant circulation, which allows for a higher potential for perfectly cooked food. This circulation ensures that all sides of the food are cooked at a consistent temperature.

Can You Freeze After Sous Vide?

Yes, you can freeze any food that goes through the sous vide process. However, you’ll want to be sure that you reduce the temperature naturally through an ice bath before throwing it in the freezer. 

That’s because the sudden temperature change can lead to potential issues. Temperature shock can ruin the flavor of whatever you put in there. 

How Much Water for Sous Vide?

Ideally, you’ll want at least 2.5 inches of water at the bare minimum. Your goal is to submerge the entirety of your meal in a pot of water. 

Many sous vide immersion circulators can only take up to five gallons of water (20 quarts of water). The more water you use, the longer it can take to heat. 

What are Other Extra Tools Good for Sous Vide?

Optional sous vide tools include the following:

• A set of vacuum-sealed bags
• A vacuum sealer (or vacuum pump)
• A timer (if not included in your machine)
• A cooler (just look above)
• Various sizes of pots

Is Sous Vide Cooking Safe?

Provided that you do it right, the answer is yes. Provided that you remove the sous vide and eat it before it reaches any lower temperatures, you’ll be fine. This issue applies to any sort of meat you cook. 

If you plan on storing the meat, you’ll want to ice bath it to ensure it remains safe quickly. The point is to avoid the same temperature danger zone through quick heating or cooling. 

How Long Should You Cook A Stake Using the Sous Vide Process?

Ideally speaking, you should cook a steak for no more than four hours. After four hours, your steak goes from soft and tender to mushy. 

Once you are finished with your sous vide cooking, you’ll likely want to sear the steak. A soft exterior is typically not pleseant with steak. You’ll also want to make sure the steak is relatively thick so as not to overcook it. 

Best Sous Vide Cooler Brands

When finding the best sous vide cooler, we featured three of the biggest brands available. Below is a recap and a short lesson on those brands. 

• Coleman – Coleman is arguable the most recognizable cooler brand in the US. They’ve been around since the 1900s, but their coolers are known from back in the 50s. They are also known for other camping gear like lanterns, tents, and sleeping bags.
• Igloo – Igloo was born in the 1940s, starting with a metalworking shop. Today, they have a 1.8 million-square-foot facility in Katy, Texas, with over 500 products worldwide. Igloo is another recognizable brand.  
• YETI – YETI is another company with that same level of brand appeal. However, they lack the same experience, only being founded back in 2006. Regardless, YETI’s claims would make you believe that their coolers could survive a nuke. 

Each brand has a great deal of recognition in the cooler industry. When it comes to finding a good cooler for your sous vide cooking, any of these options will do. 

Final Thoughts 

While the Colman 24-Can Party Stacker is our favorite cooler, a lot of that comes down to convenience. This stackable cooler allows you to sort through multiple food types quickly. For those who appreciate not having our fish taste like stake (or vise versa), that’s a nice feature. 

Other options, like the Igloo, are more cube-like in their creation. The result makes it easy for certain types of food storage. Meanwhile, the YETI cooler we featured is for people who want to feed an army of people. 

Regardless of which one you feel fits your needs, we’d appreciate it if you clicked our affiliate links above. Those affiliate links help us continue to produce more blogs that help you out. Thanks for reading!