42 Scoring Factors Researched in this Comparison

Breville CS20001 Joule Review

Section Scores
Hardware
100
74 (avg)
Performance
88
78 (avg)
Design
75
80 (avg)
Durability
73
77 (avg)
Usability
89
85 (avg)
What makes it better?
Breville CS20001 Joule Average Sous Vide
Has more power (1100 watts vs. 1000 watts)
Is shorter (height) (11 in. vs. 14.8 in.)
Has a smaller heating tube diameter (1.9 in. vs. 2.4 in.)
Is lighter (weight) (1.3 lbs. vs. 2.9 lbs.)
Has a longer power cord (43 in. vs. 33 in.)
Has a higher max temp (208°F vs. 197°F)
Has a more precise temp setting (0.1°F vs. 0.2°F)
Can heat a higher max water capacity (10 gal. vs. 5 gal.)
Requires a lower water capacity (1.5 in. vs. 3 in.)
Has a detachable height clamp (Yes vs. NA)
Bottom section can be removed for cleaning (Yes vs. NA)
Has a lower min temp (68°F vs. 104°F)
Has a higher flow rate (2.25 gal/min. vs. Unknown)
Has a larger clamp opening (0.5 in. vs. Unknown)
Has an adjustable height clamp (NA vs. No)
Has a digital display (Yes vs. No)
Has manual controls (Yes vs. No)
Has automatic shutdown after timer ends (Unknown vs. No)

Hardware

Power (watts)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1100 watts
Average Sous Vide: 1000 watts
Below Avg Above
Rating
Generally, the higher the wattage, the more power. If you're looking to heat a lot of water, or want to have a sous vide that heats up quickly, this is an important factor for you to consider.

Voltage

Breville CS20001 Joule: 110–120v
Average Sous Vide: 110–120v
Voltage is what makes electric charges move. But for this comparison, it's just important to note that appliances in the USA use 110-120v, while Europe uses 220–240v. Map for reference.

Hertz

Breville CS20001 Joule: 50–60hz
Average Sous Vide: 50hz
Hertz is the frequency unit of the vibration cycle time. But, again, for this comparison, it's just important to note that USA uses 60hz, and Europe uses 50hz. Map for reference.

Height (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 11 in.
Average Sous Vide: 14.8 in.
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The smaller the sous vide, the less space it takes up. However, size can sometimes come with a trade-off in power. We generally favor smaller sous vides over larger ones, because most people won't be cooking for a restaurant of people.

Tube Diameter (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1.9 in.
Average Sous Vide: 2.4 in.
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The tube diameter determines how much space you have left in your pot or container for placing your food. We think a smaller diameter is better, as it gives you more space in your container to fit more food.

Weight (lbs.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1.3 lbs.
Average Sous Vide: 2.9 lbs.
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Weight is pretty self-explanatory. We think that the lighter the sous vide, the better.

Length of Power Cord (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 43 in.
Average Sous Vide: 33 in.
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An often overlooked feature. The longer the cord, the more freedom you have to cook where you want to. And sometimes, there just isn't enough space around your outlet. Definitely keep the length of cord in mind when choosing the right sous vide for your kitchen.

Set Flow Direction Manually

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Sous vides heat and circulate water around the cooking container. Most sous vides control the flow automatically, evenly heating the entire pot. However, some sous vides allow you to set the water flow direction manually, in case you've got an oddly shaped container. We think this is a small benefit, but overall, not super impactful.

360° Directional Pump

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
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Rating
The 360° directional pump is a standard feature in most sous vides. Unlike the previous feature (manual flow direction), the 360° pump automatically circulates water in all directions, helping keep temperatures consistent throughout the container.
Best
Hardware
Scores
Our Score
100
Our Score
100

Performance

Maximum Temperature (°F)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 208°F
Average Sous Vide: 197°F
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Obviously, the higher the maximum temperature, the better. The more temperature range, the more you're able to cook. We also consider it an overall indicator of a sous vide's power.

Minimum Temperature (°F)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 104°F
Average Sous Vide: 68°F
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Rating
Much like the maximum temperature, the lower the minimum temperature, the better. As we stated before, the more temperature range, the more you're able to cook.

Temperature Setting (Smallest Increment °F)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 0.1°F
Average Sous Vide: 0.2°F
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Rating
The smaller the increment setting, the more precise you can be with your cooking. If a recipe says cook something at 153°, but you have a sous vide that can only select either 150° or 155°, it's going to be a bit disappointing. We definitely feel this is an important feature to consider.

Flow Rate/Pump (gallons/min.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: 2.25 gal/min.
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The flow rate is the amount of water that the sous vide can pump per minute. The more it can pump, the faster the container can heat and remain heated. Flow rate is another measure of sous vide strength.

Motor Speed (revolutions/min.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
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Motor speed is how many revolutions per minute the sous vide's motor can spin. Much like flow rate, the motor speed is an indicator of the sous vide's strength. The faster, the better. However, it's important to note that most manufacturers don't measure their motor speed.

Max Water Capacity (gal.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 10 gal.
Average Sous Vide: 5 gal.
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The max water capacity is the maximum amount recommended by the manufacturer. The higher the maximum, the more food you can cook, and the stronger the sous vide. So it goes without saying that the higher the capacity, the better the score.

Max. Water Line (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 8 in.
Average Sous Vide: 5 in.
The max water line is the maximum height that water level can be on the sous vide heating tube. Think of it like a tea kettle: if you overfill it, when it boils, the water can come out of the pot. With the sous vide, if the water is too high, it can damage the machine. On it's on, this isn't a massive factor in scoring a sous vide, but it's something to keep in mind.

Min. Water Line (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1.5 in.
Average Sous Vide: 3 in.
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The minimum water line is the opposite of the maximum water line. It's the area of the sous vide heating tube that must be covered by water. The lower the minimum line, the less water necessary for the sous vide to work. Generally, we think the lower the minimum line, the better.

Minimum Container Depth (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
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Some sous vides are too large, or have a clamp that's too high, to fit on specific containers. This is where a minimum container depth comes into play. Generally, the smaller, the better, because you shouldn't be required to have giant containers to run the sous vide.

Noise Level (db.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
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Rating
Noise level is somewhat important, as you don't want to be distracted by your sous vide cooking your food. Not many manufacturers measure the noise level, but for those that do, we wanted to include it. Here's a noise level reference.
Best
Performance
Scores
Our Score
98
Our Score
89

Design

Maximum Clamp Opening (in.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: 0.5 in.
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The clamp which holds the sous vide in place on the container can open this amount of inches. This is especially important to note if the container(s) you plan on cooking in have thick walls or a lip/edge that's wide.

Adjustable Height Clamp

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: NA
An adjustable height clamp allows you to choose how much of the heating tube goes into the water. This makes it much easier to get the correct water height on the sous vide heating tube.

Detachable Height Clamp

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: NA
The height clamp is the piece on the side of the sous vide that keeps it attached to the container. When it's detachable, it makes it easier to clean and store.

Digital Display (LCD/LED)

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: Yes
A majority of sous vides have an LED/LCD screen, which let you interface with the machine. Some sous vides can only be operated via an LCD/LED screen, others only use an app, and some use both. We'd stick to finding a sous vide with a screen and an app if possible.

Manual Temperature Calibration

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
There are times where after a lot of use, the sous vide can be off by a few degrees from what the temperature reading says. With manual calibration, you can correct the machine to make sure it's accurate.

Built-in Refrigeration

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: No
With built-in refrigeration, you can place your food directly into the container in the morning (or whenever), and it'll keep it refrigerated until you've scheduled it to cook.

Removable Skirt / Bottom Cap

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: NA
The skirt/cap is the bottom cover part of the sous vide. With a removable skirt/cap, you can more easily clean the sous vide. However, we don't know how often you'll need to clean the sous vide, as the only thing you'll be heating is water (unless a bag breaks or something).

Color

Breville CS20001 Joule: White
Average Sous Vide: Black
Color really comes down to preference. You'll basically be choosing between white, black, and metal.
Best
Design
Scores
Our Score
88

Durability

Upper Tube Material (for Handling)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Plastic
Average Sous Vide: Plastic
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This is just a nice quality of life feature for your sous vide. Upper tubes that are made of metal feel nice to handle, and really give you the impression of a durable, quality sous vide.

Lower Tube Material (for Cooking)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Stainless Steel
Average Sous Vide: Stainless Steel
Below Avg Above
Rating
The standard heating tube is stainless steel. We'd be highly cautious of purchasing any sous vide that doesn't have a heating tube that's stainless steel.

Max Single Cook Time (hrs.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 100 hrs.
Average Sous Vide: 100 hrs.
Below Avg Above
Rating
For most cooking, this feature won't be super important. But in the event that you need to cook for a long time, the max single cook time lets you know how long the sous vide will stay on and cooking.

Water & Splash Resistance

Breville CS20001 Joule: IPX7
Average Sous Vide: IPX7
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The upper and lower halves of the sous vide have different purposes: the upper is for handling the sous vide, and the lower half goes in the water. But it's nice to have a sous vide which has a nice splash resistance. IP 67 is the best, IPX7 is second best.

Low Water-level Alarm

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
If there isn't enough water in the cooking container to cover the minimum water line on the heating tube, the sous vide will notify you with an alert/noise.

Low Water-level Shut-off

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
If there isn't enough water in the container to cover the minimum water line, the sous vide will automatically shut off. This is a nice protection feature for your sous vide.

Warranty (yrs.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1 yr.
Average Sous Vide: 1 yr.
Below Avg Above
Rating
The longer the warranty, the more belief the manufacturer has in their product. It's pretty self-explanatory, the longer the warranty, the better the score.
Best
Durability
Scores
Our Score
97
Our Score
97

Usability

Manual Controls

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: Yes
Some sous vides operate only with an app, others only with buttons on the sous vide itself, and some with both buttons and app. We think it's nice to have manual controls as a backup if the app should somehow have issues.

Buttons

Breville CS20001 Joule: None
Average Sous Vide: Knob
Below Avg Above
Rating
Buttons are an important thing to consider when choosing a sous vide. Some sous vides operate only with an app, others only with buttons on the sous vide itself. Which you prefer will

Can Operate in Celsius

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: Yes
Important for those those who get a lot of recipes from foreign countries, operating in Celsius is a great quality of life feature.

Alert Sounds (Beeping, etc.)

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: Yes
Alert sounds are a nice quality feature to consider when purchasing a sous vide. The feedback noises are appreciated whether it's just pressing buttons on the interface, alerting you to a problematic water level, or even just when your food has finished cooking.

Has Timer

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: Yes
A basic, necessary component of any sous vide. Most sous vides have a built-in timer. And if it doesn't have one, it's a bit questionable.

Delay Timer/Scheduling

Breville CS20001 Joule: Unknown
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Some sous vides will let you set a delay on the timer start. This means you can prep your meal before work and set the sous vide to start start cooking an hour before you get home. It's a great additional feature to have.

Time Setting (Smallest interval)

Breville CS20001 Joule: 1min
Average Sous Vide: 1min
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Rating
Some recipes require short, specific amounts of time cooking. The time interval setting is quite valuable for these types of recipes. Most sous vides have 1min or 5min interval.

Automatic Shut-down (when timer ends)

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Some sous vides have an automatic shutdown when the timer ends. It's a super handy feature in the event that you forget about the timer or something takes you away from the kitchen. It can save you on the electricity bill and putting unnecessary hours on the machine.

Connection

Breville CS20001 Joule: WiFi & Bluetooth
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Below Avg Above
Rating
Connections lets you know whether or not the sous vide has Bluetooth, WiFi, both, or neither. When a sous vide has the connection feature, it allows you to control your sous vide from outside the kitchen.

iOS App

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Is there an iOS app to accompany the sous vide?

Android App

Breville CS20001 Joule: Yes
Average Sous Vide: Unknown
Is there an Android app to accompany the sous vide?

Taste Learner

Breville CS20001 Joule: No
Average Sous Vide: No
Taste Learner is a rare feature which uses AI to help you cook foods better by asking for your feedback after each meal. Then it alters the cooking method based on your preferences.
Best
Usability
Scores
Our Score
99
Our Score
99

Full Comparison Chart

Breville CS20001 Joule Average Sous Vide
Hardware
Power (watts) 1100 watts
Breville CS20001 Joule
1000 watts
Sous Vide
Voltage 110–120v
Breville CS20001 Joule
110–120v
Sous Vide
Hertz 50–60hz
Breville CS20001 Joule
50hz
Sous Vide
Height (in.) 11 in.
Breville CS20001 Joule
14.8 in.
Sous Vide
Tube Diameter (in.) 1.9 in.
Breville CS20001 Joule
2.4 in.
Sous Vide
Weight (lbs.) 1.3 lbs.
Breville CS20001 Joule
2.9 lbs.
Sous Vide
Length of Power Cord (in.) 43 in.
Breville CS20001 Joule
33 in.
Sous Vide
Set Flow Direction Manually Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
360° Directional Pump Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Performance
Maximum Temperature (°F) 208°F
Breville CS20001 Joule
197°F
Sous Vide
Minimum Temperature (°F) 104°F
Breville CS20001 Joule
68°F
Sous Vide
Temperature Setting (Smallest Increment °F) 0.1°F
Breville CS20001 Joule
0.2°F
Sous Vide
Flow Rate/Pump (gallons/min.) Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
2.25 gal/min.
Sous Vide
Motor Speed (revolutions/min.) Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Max Water Capacity (gal.) 10 gal.
Breville CS20001 Joule
5 gal.
Sous Vide
Max. Water Line (in.) 8 in.
Breville CS20001 Joule
5 in.
Sous Vide
Min. Water Line (in.) 1.5 in.
Breville CS20001 Joule
3 in.
Sous Vide
Minimum Container Depth (in.) Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Noise Level (db.) Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Design
Maximum Clamp Opening (in.) Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
0.5 in.
Sous Vide
Adjustable Height Clamp No
Breville CS20001 Joule
NA
Sous Vide
Detachable Height Clamp Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
NA
Sous Vide
Digital Display (LCD/LED) No
Breville CS20001 Joule
Yes
Sous Vide
Manual Temperature Calibration Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Built-in Refrigeration No
Breville CS20001 Joule
No
Sous Vide
Removable Skirt / Bottom Cap Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
NA
Sous Vide
Color White
Breville CS20001 Joule
Black
Sous Vide
Durability
Upper Tube Material (for Handling) Plastic
Breville CS20001 Joule
Plastic
Sous Vide
Lower Tube Material (for Cooking) Stainless Steel
Breville CS20001 Joule
Stainless Steel
Sous Vide
Max Single Cook Time (hrs.) 100 hrs.
Breville CS20001 Joule
100 hrs.
Sous Vide
Water & Splash Resistance IPX7
Breville CS20001 Joule
IPX7
Sous Vide
Low Water-level Alarm Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Low Water-level Shut-off Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Warranty (yrs.) 1 yr.
Breville CS20001 Joule
1 yr.
Sous Vide
Usability
Manual Controls No
Breville CS20001 Joule
Yes
Sous Vide
Buttons None
Breville CS20001 Joule
Knob
Sous Vide
Can Operate in Celsius Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
Yes
Sous Vide
Alert Sounds (Beeping, etc.) Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
Yes
Sous Vide
Has Timer Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
Yes
Sous Vide
Delay Timer/Scheduling Unknown
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Time Setting (Smallest interval) 1min
Breville CS20001 Joule
1min
Sous Vide
Automatic Shut-down (when timer ends) No
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Connection WiFi & Bluetooth
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
iOS App Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Android App Yes
Breville CS20001 Joule
Unknown
Sous Vide
Taste Learner No
Breville CS20001 Joule
No
Sous Vide

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