The best vacuum sealers to keep your food fresh
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One of the cardinal rules of frugal grocery shopping is to buy in bulk. However, all of the savings you experience from buying in large quantities is lost if your food spoils before you have a chance to eat it. This is where a quality vacuum sealer can save the day.
Commonly referred to as vacuum packers, vacuum sealers have grown in popularity in recent years because of their affordability, ability to keep your food fresh for up to five times longer, and use in sous vide cooking.
There are two main types of vacuum sealers: external and chamber sealers. Chamber sealers feature an enclosure into which you put the entire container you are hoping to seal. These devices cost much more than the external sealers. We focus on external sealers in this guide because we believe they give you the best value for your money.
We looked closely at the ratings and reviews of thousands of people who purchased vacuum sealers along with experts who tested them out. We used this information to craft an in-depth buying guide to help you determine which vacuum packers offer consistent performance over time, are worth the price, and live up to the marketing claims. Read on to learn about our top picks.
Although the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System Starter Kit is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe Vacuum Sealing Kit, the FoodSaver V4440 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System, the Gourmia GVS425 7-Function Vacuum Sealer, and the Weston Pro-2300 Stainless Steel Vacuum Sealer.
The best vacuum sealer overall
Why you'll love it: The FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System Starter Kit has automatic bag identification, can vacuum seal any container, and it's easy to use.
With its professional, stainless steel look, the FoodSaver V4840 not only keeps your food fresher for longer, but it complements just about any kitchen décor, which is a must for an appliance that will live on your counter.
The V4840 includes both a standard vacuum sealer with fully automatic operation and a retractable handheld sealer that can be used for canisters, containers, and zipper bags. When not in use, the built-in retractable sealer has a storage spot on top of the unit. Another fun function available with the V4840 is the rapid marinate mode, which allows you to marinate your food in minutes instead of hours.
FoodSaver claims its devices work best with the bags and rolls the company sells, but you can get away with using less expensive alternatives. Regardless of which bags you use, this vacuum sealer will keep your food fresh longer. Vacuum sealed foods also avoid freezer burn better than your standard Ziploc freezer bags.
Expert reviews of the V4840 are almost uniformly positive.Your Vacuum Sealer gives it high marks because it can be used to seal non-edible products.Cooking Hacks gives a detailed comparison of how the V4840 stacks up against other FoodSaver products and notes that this product is superior because it corrects the problems of older models. In its review,Super-Kitchen focuses on how the V4840 compares tothe V4880 and concludes the V4840 is better because it is easier to use.
Reviewers of this FoodSaver model on Amazon give it five stars 71% of the time. Buyers appreciate that the vacuum sealer gives them the freedom to choose how much air is removed from the food. This is important for when you want to seal soft items — like rolls or chips — without crushing them in the process. The V4840 can also package liquids without sucking them up into the vacuum. That's important because previous models malfunctioned when liquid got into the vacuum.
Pros:Able to vacuum seal jars, zip bags, and other containers
Cons:The automatic bag identification feature leaves little room for improvisation
Buy the FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit on Amazon for $195.38 (originally $199.99)
The best vacuum sealer for hunters and fishermen
Why you'll love it: The FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe Vacuum Sealing Kit is designed to simplify the storage and preservation of large cuts of wild game, including venison and fish.
FoodSaver created the GameSaver line to handle more difficult sealing jobs. What sets the GameSaver Deluxe apart is its large fan, powerful motor, and the 10-year limited warranty. There are two vacuum speeds and two seal levels. These features are important for avoiding crushing soft foods. It also comes with 10 pre-cut pouches, two bag rolls, a dishwasher-safe drip tray, and an accessory port with an included hose.
If you only have one sportsman in the house, that doesn’t mean no one else gets to use the vacuum sealer. The GameSaver Deluxe can also be used to vacuum pack and store your surplus garden vegetables, seal cheese to keep it from molding, and reseal crackers, chips, and other crunchy snacks that tend to go stale otherwise.
We looked at several expert reviews of the FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe, and the overall verdict is that this sealer is a good value for its price. The review siteRatingle liked the GameSaver Deluxe because it was able to handle larger workloads while not being too loud.The Healthy Kitchen Shop appreciated the appliance’s intuitive interface and the built-in bag cutter. And, the GameSaver earned points fromYour Vacuum Sealer for its small footprint and strong sealing powers.
Of themore than 800 Amazon buyer reviews for the FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe, 74% are five-star reviews. Buyers on Amazon appreciate that the sealer can handle larger items and that it has some weight to it — it weighs eight pounds — so it doesn’t slide around when you use it. One buyer cautioned that you should be careful when vacuum packing liquids because the moisture may get sucked up into the nozzle and cause the machine to malfunction. Instead, consider freezing liquids in a silicone pan before you seal them.
Pros:Quality customer service, 10-year warranty, user-friendly interface
Cons:Susceptible to overheating
Buy the FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe Vacuum Sealing Kit on Amazon for $199.99
The best vacuum sealer for wet foods
Why you'll love it: The FoodSaver V4440 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System is a great cost-saving vacuum packer that's almost as fancy as our top pick.
The FoodSaver V4440 is similar to our top choice, the V4840. The biggest differences are that the V4840 is significantly more expensive, and it has a pulse mode. Why is the pulse mode important? It makes it easier for you to seal chips, lettuce, bread, and other soft foods without destroying them. The V4840 is also able to detect wet and dry foods. However, the V4440 lets you input this information, and it has a sleeker design. So, if you do not plan on sealing soft foods and don’t mind inputting info manually, you can save some money with the V4440.
What are the experts saying about the V4440?Cooking Hacks gave it the highest rating for a vacuum sealer because of its flexible, simple-to-operate functions, and streamlined countertop design.Healthy Cooking Corner also appreciated the versatility of the V4440 and felt the lower price made it easy to live without the added capabilities of the V4840. Lastly,Vacuum Mania, a site that specializes in all vacuum-based appliances, liked how affordable the V4440 is, but noted that it does not seem to be the best unit for heavy duty work.
Buyers of the V4440 on Amazon are almost uniformly positive in their reviews. In fact, 76% of the 700+ reviews are five stars. Users like that the seals are wide, at about 3/16 of an inch. They also like that you can indicate whether you are sealing wet or dry foods. The biggest negative we found was that the retractable vacuum hose may not retract properly. The vacuum works fine, but you may have to patiently work the hose back into the cabinet.
Pros:Handles wet items well, detects and seals bags automatically, features retractable hand sealer
Cons:Doesn’t have a pulse mode, seals bags slowly
Buy the FoodSaver V4440 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System on Amazon for $135.50 (originally $179.99)
The best vacuum sealer on a budget
Why you'll love it: With such an affordable price and durable design, beginners can use the Gourmia GVS425 7-Function Vacuum Sealer to try out vacuum packing risk-free.
For the uninitiated, sous vide cooking involves putting your ingredients in a waterproof bag and dropping it in a bath of water heated to a precise temperature. This method is meant to keep the nutrients and juices in the food while cooking your meal to perfection. You can put your ingredients in just about any bag, but a vacuum-sealed bag is the best method. If you're just getting into it, the Gourmia GVS425 is a popular, low-cost option for sous vide cooking.
The GVS425 comes with a starter kit that features everything you need to begin vacuum packing, including 12-inch-wide vacuum bags and rolls. You can set the machine to seal wet, dry, and soft items. The GVS425 is also unique because you can choose from several design options each with a different model number, including an upright silver sealer and a low-profile white one.
It seems like the FoodSaver sealers get all of the attention from the experts, but there are a few professional reviews of the Gourmia GVS425 out there.Your Best Kitchen rates it highly for its compact design and variety of sealing modes, but it loses points for the noise it makes.Vacuum Sealers for Food says the GVS425 gets the job done for a basic model. However, it has trouble with daily use or projects that require it to run for a long time.Best Reviews Guide rated the GVS425 number two on its list of the “Best Vacuum Sealers for Sous Vides.”
Around 73 percent of the425+ Amazon ratings of the Gourmia GVS425 are five stars. Users were impressed with how it was easy to use out of the box. Despite the expert reviews, verified purchasers have commented that they are able to do larger sealing jobs with this model. So, results may vary.
Pros:Affordable option for sous vide cooking, has pulse mode and functions for gentle, dry, and moist foods
Cons:Noisy and may not be reliable
Buy the Gourmia GVS425 - Vacuum Sealer - 7 Function Customizable Vacuum Sealer on Amazon for $39.99 to $79.99 (price varies by color — originally $99.99)
The best vacuum sealer for commercial use
Why you'll love it: With its hefty, durable construction, the Weston Pro-2300 Stainless Steel Vacuum Sealer can handle all your biggest vacuum sealing projects.
The Weston Pro-2300 is about twice as expensive as the second priciest vacuum packer on our list. That's because it is designed to last, and with its wide sealing area, it can take on big jobs. With some sealers, you need to allow the machine to cool down after you seal a few bags, but this model has internal cooling fans that keep it from overheating after extended use. Also, the manual controls let you process delicate items without crushing them.
Many of the expert review sites have taken the Weston Pro-2300 for a test drive.Top Ten Reviews liked its durability, superior suction power, and quality design, but pointed out that its size and lack of a bag cutter were inconvenient.The Healthy Kitchen Shop was impressed with the sturdy, stainless steel construction and the variety of control options.Vacuum Sealer Digest rated it one of the best vacuum sealer designs since it has a large mouth that seals bags up to 15 inches wide.
There are more than250 five-star ratings of the Weston Pro-2300 on Amazon. One user created a video showing you how touse the Weston Pro-2300 to seal Mylar bags. For the most part, buyers felt that the added suction power did not justify the high price. And, many found the unit to be unwieldy with its 22-pound weight and 15.3 by 23 by 9-inch sprawl.
Pros:Wide mouth, 28 Hg pressure suction
Cons:Takes up a lot of space, doesn’t have built-in bag cutter
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