Anova Sous Vide E01 Error — Water Level Low Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

E01 means the water level in your sous vide bath has dropped below the minimum mark on the Anova circulator.
The unit shuts off the heater to prevent damage.
Add hot water (matching your current cooking temp) up to the MAX line.
The unit will resume automatically once water level is restored.
Most often this happens during long cooks (8+ hours) due to evaporation.

Affected Models

Anova Precision Cooker
Anova Precision Cooker Pro
Anova Nano
Anova Precision Cooker 2.0

Common Causes

Water evaporated during long cook (most common)
Started cook with too little water
Lid or covering loose, increasing evaporation
Container too narrow exposing too much surface area
Anova not seated deeply enough in the water

How to Fix It

Add water to the MAX line.

Most circulators have MIN and MAX marks on the body.
Add water up to the MAX mark — not above (overflow risk).
Use water at approximately the cooking temperature so you don't shock the food or slow the cook.
For long cooks, hot tap water is fine.
Use a lid or cover.

For long cooks (4+ hours), cover the water bath with foil, plastic wrap, or a tight-fitting lid.
This dramatically reduces evaporation.
Some sous vide users float ping pong balls on the water surface — works just as well at preventing evaporation.
Either approach keeps water levels stable.
Choose a deeper container.

Wider, shallower containers expose more water surface to air, leading to faster evaporation.
For long cooks, use a deeper, narrower container — like a sous vide-specific tub or a tall stockpot.
This minimizes evaporation and keeps water in the optimal range longer.
Resume cooking.

After adding water, the Anova should resume automatically.
Watch the temperature display — it'll target your set temp again within minutes.
Long cooks aren't ruined by brief water-level events; the food continues cooking once water is restored.
Plan for long cooks.

For 12+ hour cooks (briskets, tough meats), plan to top up water at the halfway point.
Setting a timer for 6-8 hours into the cook gives you a chance to add water before E01 triggers.
Pre-heated water at the right temp avoids any cooking interruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my food be ruined by E01?

No, not for a brief water-level event.
The food continues cooking at the right temp once water is added.
For sous vide, brief temperature dips during top-ups are negligible — the food's internal temp doesn't drop noticeably.
Long cooks are very forgiving.

How much water evaporates per hour?

Without a cover: 100-200ml per hour at typical sous vide temperatures (130-160°F).
With a cover or ping pong balls: 20-50ml per hour.
Hotter cooks (185°F+) evaporate faster.
For 12-hour cooks, plan accordingly — uncovered baths can lose 1-2 liters.