This is probably a better overview for the HN crowd:
As far as the Searzall goes; very cool product. If you get in to Sous Vide it's definitely one of the better ways of finising a protein. I still default to a broiler or hot cast-iron because it's often easier + faster w/ similar results. But, I still use the searzall ~weekly just as a hand-held broiler for toasting things. hah
0- https://heritageradionetwork.org/series/cooking-issues/
1- https://goo.gl/maps/V8zXdyBwNJE2
2- https://www.youtube.com/user/Harvard/search?query=dave+arnol...
You'll also need to buy the torch and propane canisters.
(Amazon recommends the tall skinny canisters, but that's not safe. Get the squatter, coleman canisters)
[1] https://www.modernistpantry.com/booker-and-dax-searzall.html
Ever had a Hot Brown? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Brown
It’s the tastiest massive coronary you’ll ever have.
I really hate that when I'm reading a recipe, if it just said "make a mornay sauce with 4 oz cheddar and 4 oz gruyere" you'd cut out 3 steps from the recipe. It's loop unrolling for recipes.
The steak from the oven is less wet compared to sous vides so it sears better. The crust tastes better than a sous vides steak.
[1] https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2018/10/reverse-seared-s...
If, for example, you were intending to prepare a meal for yourself and your romantic partner, I would recommend getting two. I doubt there are many things more attractive than being fed tasty food by a person dual-wielding a couple of torches.
I've found that the searzall has a relatively steep learning curve. The learning curve is more like a knife than a pan. The kind of person who is buying the searzall is probably not used to being unskilled with a kitchen tool; I certainly wasn't.
I've successfully seared four porkchops with it, with none of them getting cold. The trick is getting each chop up to the searing point, where you can see bubbling on the surface, and then keeping it there. It's a little like spinning plates. You have to get them all going, but once they're there you only need to give each a little push once in a while. That also gives me a more satisfying crust than if I blitz through in a single pass.
Searing both before and after the immersion circulator is a strong option. I believe Dave Arnold recommends it (or deep frying) for folks interested in maximum crust formation.
It's really a transformative tool because it allows such high heat with such fine precision. It's my preferred tool for cooking the top of an egg that I still want a runny yolk. Also useful in any kind of home pizza-making. I've occasionally brought it to the office, though only when there's an outdoor space I can use.