8 Best Sous Vide Containers

If you’re here, you probably already know some French. Well, at least you know sous vide (“under vacuum”), which refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in plastic bags and then cooking the contents to perfection under a water bath at a precise temperature.

Which means you know you’re going to need a sous vide container to submerge the vacuum bags in to cook the food. 

That’s why you’re here. You want to know which plastic containers are good to cook in with your immersion circulator. Well, no delaying it. Whether you’re cooking for just yourself or a party of 25, we use our years of experience to provide options for you.

Sous Vide Container Top Picks

Top Sous Vide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. This post may include affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you shop using the links below at no additional cost to you. 

Our top pick for the best sous vide container is the LIPAVI Container. It comes in a variety of sizes and a variety of lids tailored to your sous vide cooker.

Customized lids for different immersion circulators are a great touch. You don’t need to worry about towels or saran wrap to fill in holes where water can evaporate through. It’s a very simple container we find ourselves turning to often.

We’re going to get into the details of each of the top 8 sous vide containers that we recommend, along with a buying guide to make sure you know what to look for with containers. 

For example, safety is one of the key things to look out for. You don’t want to choose the wrong one, especially when it comes to the materials that can be hazardous to your health when heated.

But first, here’s an easier to consume video we put together that highlights some useful information on what to look for when deciding between sous vide containers.

Sous Vide Container: Which Is Right For You?

We know there are many options on the market, and that’s why we evaluated a bunch of different containers based on various factors like volume, safety, durability, bang for your buck value, temperature resistance and range, etc.

Without further ado, let’s get right into why you’re here! 

​Top 8 Water Containers to Sous Vide In 

1.  Best Overall: LIPAVI Sous Vide Container

The LIPAVI Sous Vide Container is the best one on Amazon now. If you’re not a DIY person or just want to find a container that’s made just for sous vide, this is the one for you. 

Features

• Dedicated sous vide container
• Made of polycarbonate – crystal clear and durable
• 4 different sizes to choose from: 7, 12, 18, 26 quarts
• Withstand temperatures from -40 degrees to 210 degrees Fahrenheit
• Created at the optimal height of 8 inches for virtually any circulator
• Tailored lids for many circulators to keep the water where it should be, inside the container – like this one for the popular Anova Precision

LIPAVI is known for their high-quality containers. They take great care in making sure sous vide enthusiasts have the best containers out there and make sure their food comes out perfectly. They work hard to optimize sous vide cooking through their cooking. 

They’ve taken great pains to create multiple lids for different stick circulators. They have tailored lids for: Anova Precision, Anova One, Nomiku, Sansaire, ChefSteps Joule, PolyScience Creative, Wancle, Garmercy, Gourmia, Instant Pot, and many more!

They have a nice find the right sous vide system feature on their website. It recommends the container size and tailored lid depending on what sous vide immersion circulator you have and how big your family is. 

If you have a family of 4, go with the 12-quart size container (LIPAVI C10). If you have 4-6 adults, go with 18 quarts (LIPAVI C15). Anything more, get 26 quarts (LIPAVI L20).

LIPAVI also makes a rack that fits perfectly for each container size. Racks will come in handy if you’re constantly trying to figure out how to place the bags to evenly cook the food. Racks are also useful if you find your bags floating every now and then.

• Read More about the Best Sous Vide Racks

Click to see the sous vide rack on Amazon. 

Pros

• Easy to Use
• Convenient sizes
• Dishwasher safe
• High-temperature resistance

Cons

• Lid and racks are purchased separately, but that’s ok because the lid is tailored to fit your circulator. 

2. Best Starter Combo: Greater Goods Container with Lid, Rack & Insulating Sleeve

Greater Goods makes a great starter kit consisting of a transparent polycarbonate container, universal lid, rack, and neoprene insulating sleeve. The offering comes in one size: a standard 12 quart.

Features

• Complete Sous Vide Kit – lid and rack(s) included
• Fits most circulators that are up to 2.5” in diameter (Anova, Nano, Joule, etc.)
• Transparent design
• Insulating sleeve

When you’re cooking for up to 4 people, Greater Goods has you covered with a complete high quality container kit to pair with your sous vide device.

The included neoprene insulating sleeve helps prevent heat from escaping, so the water temperature will stay stable for more energy efficient precise cooking. This is one of the few (and best) insulated sous vide container options on the market.

The rack is an over the top style, which maximizes the amount of space for food to be cooked by sitting at the water line and covering the entirety of the water’s surface area.

The whole container kit includes the container, lid, racks, and insulating sleeve.

Pros

• Complete kit – everything you need
• Great shape and quality
• Easy to use and clean

Cons

• Insulating sleeve (removeable) blocks view of food

3. Best Space Saver: Rubbermaid Sous Vide Container

If you like having things modular and easy to organize, get the square Rubbermaid Commercial Space Saving Container. Rubbermaid is known for their square shaped containers that are easy to keep organized and mean to be stacked together and on top of each other. 

Features

• Water measuring levels on the container for accurate water levels
• Made of polycarbonate – crystal clear and durable
• 4 different sizes to choose from: 8, 12, 18, 22 quarts
• Withstand temperatures from -40 degrees to 212 degrees Fahrenheit
• Smooth surface for easy cleaning; dishwasher safe
• Handles on the side for easy transport 

The space-saving Rubbermaid commercial container includes a durable integrated handle so that it can quickly move from one place to another. Because it’s made of transparent polycarbonate, you can see what’s inside from the outside. 

They have smaller sized containers at 2, 4, and 6 quarts, but that should only be used for food prep. You can’t sous vide in anything that small. 

The square shape allows all corners to be easily cleaned. 

It can easily use in all sauce machines. It is USDA food contact certified and maintains HACCP guidelines. Therefore, it is the best container.

Pros

• Compact storage
• Built-in handles
• Perfect for sous vide cooking
• Made of industrial-grade materials

Cons

• No lid included. But you can pair the Rubbermaid container with this EVERIE Collapsible Lid for Rubbermaid

4. Most Splurge-Worthy: Anova Sous Vide Container

Anova makes amazing sous vide products, especially their 3 Anova Precision Cookers. Their containers are similarly high-quality and made to fit more than just their own Anova cookers.

I do really like my Anova sous vide container, but it does come at a premium price, so I’ve dubbed it the Most Splurge-Worthy of all the containers. This is a sous vide container with a premium lid and rack. It feels and looks different than any other container when it’s in your hands.

The rack is unique in that it maximizes the amount of space for food to be cooked by sitting at the water line and covering the entirety of the water’s surface area. The lid seals much better than any other lid out there.

The more oval shaped design allows the better water circulation. That helps ensure the water all around the container is the same temperature. But the more circular shape also loses some space due to the corners, so it’ll be hard to fit in the food efficiently to maximize the space.

Features

• Dedicated for sous vide cooking
• Curved body shaped encourages water circulation
• Made of polycarbonate – crystal clear and durable
• Two sizes: 12 (new) and 16 quarts
• Has a raised base to help protect your countertops from the heat
• Withstand temperatures from -40 degrees to 210 degrees Fahrenheit

The Anova sous vide container with lid has a flexible silicone collar that will adjust based on the size of your circulator. That’ll allow for a larger number of circulators to fit with this container, but also help make a tighter fit to prevent heat and water leakage. 

Pros

• Easy to use
• Dishwasher safety
• Trusted brand
• 100-day money-back guarantee (when you buy directly from Anova)

Cons

• Shape compromises some cooking capacity relative to footprint.

5. Best Compact: Cambro Sous Vide Container

The Cambro is also a square-shaped sous vide container and just like Rubbermaid, they’re also known for food storage containers. That’s why they also make 2, 4, and 6-quart containers. 

Features

• Water measuring levels on the container for accurate water levels
• Made of polycarbonate – crystal clear and durable
• 4 different sizes to choose from: 8, 12, 18, 22 quarts
• Withstand temperatures from -40 degrees to 210 degrees Fahrenheit
• Smooth surface for easy cleaning; dishwasher safe
• Handles on the side for easy transport 

Cambro makes a high-quality container and why they’re also good for the high heats of sous vide cooking. It has a textured bottom to reduce scratches in the container. The 8 quart Cambro is among the most used containers in my kitchen.

Pros

• Easy to use and clean
• Durable and heat resistant
• Space-saving square shape

Cons

• No sous vide compatible lid available. But you can pair the Cambro container with this EVERIE Silicone Lid for Cambro

6. Most Budget-Friendly: EVERIE Sous Vide Container

EVERIE doesn’t just make lids for other brands, they have their own Everie containers! The best thing about this is they bundle their sous vide container with lid at an affordable price. 

Features

• Comes with their collapsible hinge lids
• Dedicated for sous vide cooking
• Made of polycarbonate – crystal clear and durable
• 2 different sizes to choose from: 7 and 12 quarts

EVERIE makes different containers and lids for different circulators, so you’ll want to make sure you’re selecting the right one for your circulator.

Here are the more popular ones: 

• For Anova Nano 750W and Anova 1000W. Also matches Instant Pot sous vide cooker but the hole is slightly bigger. 
• For other Anova circulators
• For Breville Joule Sous Vide Circulator
• Their Amazon listing contains an image with which version will support which cookers

Pros

• Proper height
• Heat-resistant
• Perfect size and durability

Cons

• Doesn’t feel as well-made as a Lipavi container that’s similarly styled

7. Best Extra Large Container: Breville PolyScience Tank 64-Litre

The 67 quart Breville PolyScience Tank (yes this is a sous vide tank!) is suited for commercial kitchens and home chefs who frequently host large parties. It can fit up to 25 steaks or chicken breasts, multiple racks of ribs or a whole briskets. Just make sure you have a capable sous vide machine (or multiple sous vide machines) for THE TANK!

Features

• Commercial grade 67 qt container
• Transparent design
• Measures 18 x 26 x 12 inches

If you need a very large sous vide container, this is the container for you.

Pros

• High capacity
• Designed for sous vide
• Lid available, which accommodates 2 sous vide cookers
• Can be used to store items (like all your sous vide gear) when not in use

Cons

• Lid and racks are purchased separately

8. Budget Friendly Extra Large Container: Cambro 64-Litre

The 67 quart Cambro is a food storage bin with the same dimensions as the Breville PolyScience Tank (listed directly above). You won’t be able to get a lid suitable for sous vide machines, but it’s half the price. Just like the Breville PolyScience Tank, it can fit up to 25 steaks or chicken breasts, multiple racks of ribs or a whole briskets. Just make sure you have a capable sous vide machine (or multiple sous vide machines).

Features

• Commercial grade 67 qt container
• Transparent design
• Measures 18 x 26 x 12 inches

If you need a very large sous vide container, and don’t need a lid that accommodates sous vide, this is the perfect option.

Pros

• High capacity
• Affordable
• Can be used to store items (like all your sous vide gear) when not in use

Cons

• Not designed for sous vide – no lid available, which becomes all the more important the larger the container; you can use sous vide balls as a substitute

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Ultimate Sous Vide Containers Buyer’s Guide 

Do I Need a Special Container For Sous Vide?

Technically, no, you don’t. But I’m going to take a wild guess here – you like food that’s cooked well, maybe even perfect. In that case, Yes, you should get a container that’s made for sous vide. If you’re going to spend all that time and money sous vide cooking, you don’t want to skip this important sous vide tool. 

I know some of you might be thinking about your metal pots and coolers that can hold water. Why can’t you just use something that you already have? Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of them: 

• Plastic Coolers
  • Advantages: They’re well-insulated, so heat will stay inside. Coolers are easy to find and come in large sizes. Rectangular shapes allow for easy placements of vacuum bags. 
  • Disadvantages: Bulky and thick. Not as portable. Need to carve a hole in the thick lid if you plan to use the lid to keep evaporation in.
  • There’s also a health safety risk of the interior cooler lining coming off due to the higher temperatures when cooking. Remember, coolers are normally used to keep things cold. Coolers aren’t transparent, so you can’t see the food.
    
• Metal Pots
  • Advantages: You have one already if you do any cooking at home. No concern with heat. 
  • Disadvantages: Unless you have large pots, only suited for 1-2 person meals. Circular nature makes cooking multiple bags more of a pain. Metal material will transfer heat outside, meaning your circulator will be working harder. You’ll need to DIY some type of lid to keep the heat inside, because there’re no lids that are made for pots and allow a hole for the sous vide cooker.
  • Special Note: if you do use a metal or steel pot, don’t put the hot pot on a stone countertop for a long period of time or you risk the stone cracking due to the heat. Put the pot on a wooden cutting board first or choose another counter that’s not stone. And remember to use pot holders, because they’re metal.

I will say that using those larger sized coolers as sous vide containers has its advantages when you’re looking to cook for large groups of people. That’s when you’d want to make your own sous vide cooler container.

I personally wouldn’t make a cooler my daily sous vide container though. I like to have a more controlled environment and that comes with these specially designed sous vide specific containers and lids. 

Metal pots are a good option when you’re just starting out with sous vide. If you have a Breville Joule immersion circulator that has a magnetic bottom, a circular metal pot is a great fit. But if you don’t have the Joule, it can be a bigger pain to clip on a cooker to the curved sides of pots.

Best Reasons to Buy a Sous Vide Container

1. Safe materials – Polycarbonate and BPA-Free (more below). 
2. Rectangular for easy vacuum bag placement. 
3. Specialized lids made to effectively and efficiently keep heat and water in the container. Includes different cuts in the lid to accommodate a variety of sous vide circulator. 
4. Transparent, so you can keep an eye on the food.  
5. Lightweight and portable.
6. Easy to clean.
7. Pots are free for pasta, soup, chili, etc. 
8. Coolers are free to keep your drinks cold.

Sous Vide Container Material – Polycarbonate 

You’ve seen polycarbonate containers before, you just may not have known it. Polycarbonate is the same material that many food storage containers, drink bottles, and other related products are made of. If you’ve had the chance to go into the kitchen of a restaurant, you’ll have seen them holding all their food. 

Sous vide specific containers are made of polycarbonate, a popular thermoplastic that can withstand high temperatures and is lightweight, but still strong. These containers are transparent and come in a variety of sizes, mostly in a rectangular shape that allows for easy organization. 

Advantages

• Because the container is transparent, it’s easy to keep an eye on how food cooked.
• Polycarbonate material has much better heat in the bath than metal in the pot. Therefore, your immersion circulator requires less power.
• These containers are relatively light in size.

Disadvantages

• Polycarbonate containers from better suppliers are very rugged.
• The highest temperature that can be used for cooking is around 160 degrees. If you need higher temps for some reason, you can use a metal, induction-ready pot.

Are Sous Vide Containers Safe?

Most forms of polycarbonate contain BPA Bisphenol-A (aka BPA), a synthetic compound precursor that’s used when making plastic. BPA has been recognized as potentially being hazardous to your health, so it’s not food safe.

This industrial chemical can interfere with human hormones and scientists have linked BPA to diseases such as cancer and diabetes when food and liquids come in touch with BPA.

When the realization of that potential came to the surface, the plastics industry began using other precursors for food and drink products that will touch food directly. 

BPA isn’t too much of a concern for sous vide because your food is vacuum-sealed in a bag. The chemical will never touch your food. If the container isn’t cracked, there’s less concern of BPA seeping out too. 

When you’re looking for your vacuum bags or ziplock bags, do make sure those bags are BPA-Free like this set of sous vide bags. You’re sealing your food inside that bag while cooking, so make sure you watch for BPA-FREE.

Read my article on the best sous vide bags that’ll cover BPA-Free, Ziplock, and other food bags. Food safety is highest when foods are in food bags with vacuumed airtight seals during the cooking process.

Safety is important when it comes to cooking because you always run the risk of fire and or harmful materials. In addition to container materials, you’re going to also need to keep in mind your sous vide machine and minimum water depth requirement.

What Size Sous Vide Container to Buy?

Don’t just go buy the largest sous vide container you can find, unless you have unlimited space and unlimited money. Nor should you buy too small a container because you’ll surely regret not being able to use the sous vide when you have people coming over.

Container size depends on how much you plan to cook at once due to family size and/or guests. General calculation guidelines from my experience = 3-4 quarts per adult. Range of sizes includes:

• 8 quarts: 2 adults
• 12 quarts: 4 adults
• 18 quarts: 6 adults
• 26 quarts: 9 adults
• 68 quarts: 22 adults

For most people, 12 quarts should cover the majority of your meals. If you have space at home, I’d recommend the 18 quarts to give you more flexibility. Who knows when you’re going to have guests over.

When you start sous vide cooking, uninvited guests will start appearing!

How Much Water is Needed for Sous Vide Cooking?

It’s best to sous vide in containers that are at least 8 inches deep. Sous vide cooking needs a minimum water depth of least 2.5 inches of water. Other than food not cooking, it’s dangerous if you have less than the minimum depth.

Hot water evaporates, so that’s where you have to keep an eye on the water in the container and why it’s good to use transparent, polycarbonate containers. 

Container lids help with heat loss, water evaporation and keeping water inside the container. Specialized lids with cutouts for various sous vide circulators sizes are great. You can also use different DIY solutions like saran wrap and towels.

Even though you’re thinking the minimum 2.5 inches of water is simple, you’re also going to want to make sure you have enough water for the bags to freely move in the water. That’ll allow space for the water to get in between the bags and evenly cook your food. You don’t want to pack the food too tightly.

Most sous vide circulators can effectively heat up to 20 quarts (5 gallons) of water. Check your specific sous vide machine and how much water it says they can effectively heat. So when you’re looking at container size, keep in mind your specific circulator.

Ping Pong Balls for Sous Vide Containers

Yes, it’s true, you can use ping pong balls in sous vide cooking. How do ping pong balls help in sous vide?

Ping pong sous vide balls act as a lid in sous vide. They help to keep the heat and water inside the containers, in essence replacing a specialized lid, plastic food wraps (saran wrap and Reynolds wrap), towels, and anything else you can think of using as a container lid.

They’ve become popular because they offer the most flexibility for those who use multiple containers and/or circulators. These Locisne Sous Vide Cooking Balls are an example of good ones to get:

No matter the size and shape of your container, the ping pong balls can adapt to offer complete surface coverage to trap the heat and reduce evaporation.

There’s no need to search for a matching lid. The balls are easy to clean and can be easily stored in your container when not cooking. 

Where to Buy a Sous Vide Container

Amazon is usually the easiest when it comes to purchasing sous vide equipment. We’ve bought everything from our sous vide machine to containers to sous vide balls on Amazon!

My go-to places for buying sous vide equipment and accessories: 

Wherever you buy from, be sure to check that you’re buying authentic products and you still get the manufacturer’s warranty. 

Conclusion

There you have it. The best sous vide containers out there, along with a comprehensive buying guide. 

That should cover everything you’d need or want to know about sous vide containers. If there’s anything I’m missing or you have questions about, feel free to contact me. 

Do poke around the site for more info on my other posts, like Best Sous Vide Cookers.

Other Sous Vide Accessories

Looking for other sous vide accessories? Check out the following posts:

• 6 Best Sous Vide Torches
• 10 Best Sous Vide Racks
• 5 Best Sous Vide Weights & Magnets
• 9 Best Sous Vide Accessories