Anova, a company that sells smart sous vide cookers, is getting backlash from customers after announcing that it will soon charge a subscription fee for the device's companion app.
Sous vide cooking, per Ars Technica sister site Bon appétit, "is the process of sealing food in an airtight container—usually a vacuum sealed bag—and then cooking that food in temperature-controlled water." Sous vide translates from French to "under vacuum," and this cooking method ensures that the water stays at the desired temperature for the ideal cook.
Anova was founded in 2013 and sells sous vide immersion circulators. Its current third-generation Precision Cooker 3.0 has an MSRP of $200. Anova also sells a $149 model and a $400 version that targets professionals. It debuted the free Anova Culinary App in 2014.