If you’re anything like me, you hate to see good food go to waste. But anyone with a freezer at home can store their leftovers for up to a total of three months, so you can enjoy your leftovers in another meal at a later date.
However, if you were to leave this food in a loose sandwich bag in your freezer, you risk crystals that cause freezer burn forming on your food and ruining it.
Well, we’ve found the perfect solution to not only prevent good food from going to waste, but also prevent freezer burn on this food. All you need to do is vacuum seal your food before putting it in the freezer.
We’ve been checking out and testing some of the best vacuum sealers on the market. And, after much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top few favorites to review for you here today.
Our reviews are unbiased and contain both pros and cons.
But, if you’ve never bought one before you may not be clued-up on what to look out for, which is why we’ve also put together a handy buying guide for you that highlights some of the key things to think about before you buy.
Then we’re going to top that off with a section where we tackle some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
And without further ado, let’s get down to it, here goes!
In a hurry? Check out our number one pick!
FoodSaver V4400 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer With Starter Kit
Now, this vacuum sealer isn’t quite as expensive as the commercial grade one we’re going to be showing you next, but it has plenty of fancy features without coming with such a high price tag.
Our favorite feature is the built-in storage for the vacuum bags – so convenient. And it has a sliding cutter to cut the vacuum bag to the perfect size.
We also love how it automatically detects when a vacuum bag is in position – you don’t even have to press Start!
And the other thing that impressed us was the automatic moisture detection.
We tried it with freshly cut apple slices, and we didn’t have to worry about whether we should press Wet or Dry, like you’d have to with most other wet and dry vacuum sealer machines.
And that’s not all – it also features a retractable handheld sealer, designed to seal containers and zipper bags.
It has modest, compact dimensions, measuring just 20 x 12 x 11 inches.. So it will fit just fine on most kitchen countertops.
This vacuum sealer machine comes with a substantial starter kit of vacuum seal bags, so not only can you get started as soon as the box arrives, but you’ll be set up for at least a week, if not longer.
And if all that is not enough, it happens to come backed by a lengthy 5-year warranty, so you don’t need to worry about any faults for a full 5 years from the date of purchase.
Speaking of faults, when we tested it out for ourselves, we ran into no issues whatsoever.
Even cleaning up afterwards was a breeze thanks to the handy pull-out drip tray drawer, which catches any excess liquid and is also perfectly dishwasher safe.
It’s something of a mid-priced option, but if you were to catch one of Amazon’s occasional deals (by clicking on “Check price”) you could save over 10% off the ticket price.
You can also buy compatible accessories for it, such as FoodSaver jar sealers and bottle stoppers.
Pros:
- It stores a whole vacuum seal roll inside
- It features automatic vacuum bag detection
- It also features automatic moisture detection
- It also features a retractable handheld sealer
- There’s a drip tray drawer for easy cleaning
- It’s backed by a very lengthy 5-year warranty
Cons:
- It’s certainly pricer than most other models out there, but we would argue that it’s worth it for all the extra features
PrimalTek 12″ Commercial Grade Vacuum Sealer
If it wasn’t for the steep price tag, we would have considered making this one our number one pick – it’s packed with features…
This is a commercial grade machine with commercial grade features.
This includes the likes of a double piston pump to deliver more power to the vacuum sealing, patent pending smart heat technology and heat sensor, to get that perfect seal at the perfect temperature, and it’s designed for continuous use.
This makes it a great choice for those who like to meal prep and prepare several meals in advance for freezing until needed.
It features a storage compartment for your roll of vacuum seal, a sliding cutter tool, so you can cut each bag to the perfect size, and position guides to line up the bags just right.
What’s more, you can use it to vacuum seal just about any food, regardless of whether it’s wet or dry.
It’s of excellent build quality, with often overlooked features such as steady secure rubber feet, and a place to wrap the power cord.
Sadly, however, it’s not one of the most compact of machines, and will take up quite a bit of room on your kitchen countertop.
It measures 18.1 x 16.4 x 7.5 inches, and it’s pretty heavy at over 13 pounds in weight, so it’s not very portable either.
When we tested it out for ourselves, we were pleasantly surprised with just how easy it was to use. It does have more buttons than most other vacuum sealers, and the fancier features took a bit of getting used to, but we got there in the end.
We were also hugely impressed with the length of the manufacturer’s warranty – a whopping 10 years! Not bad hey?
Pros:
- Commercial grade performance
- Commercial grade build & tech
- Storage for your roll of vacuum seal
- Can be used for both wet & dry foods
- There’s a handy sliding cutter tool
- Position guides to line up the bags
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
- It’s not as compact as we would like
NutriChef PKVS Sealer With Starter Kit
Talk about flying off the shelves!
There have been well over 28,000 individual customer ratings for this product on Amazon – and that’s just from those who’ve bothered to leave a rating.
Better yet, the average customer rating still comes in at a very impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5.
And we can see why people like it so much, so sleek and streamlined and powerful. Not to mention great value for money.
When we tested it out for ourselves, we were very pleased with how easy it is to use. We liked the touch buttons and the glowing LED lights. And we found it easy to clean, inside and out.
It’s quite a powerful little machine, but don’t worry – it’s not so powerful that it’s going to crush your food. This is thanks to the gentle mode, which you can even use on foods as delicate as blueberries.
And it’s not limited to preserving only dry foods – you can use it for moist foods as well, such as marinated meats, poached salmon (yum!) or steamed veggies.
The only real drawback for us was that it doesn’t have a sliding cutter. Which means that you have to cut the size you want the bag to be, before you place the food inside, making sure that you use the machine to seal one end first.
It’s available in 4 different color options, including black, silver, stainless steel, and stainless steel/black.
It’s relatively compact in size, measuring just 14.18 x 6.07 x 3 inches, so it won’t take up too much room on your kitchen countertop.
It also comes with an air suction hose that you can use to vacuum jars of food for better storage. And with a wine stopper, so you can preserve your favorite bottle of wine too!
Compatible vacuum sealer bags are readily available online from sites such as Amazon.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular vacuum sealer – simply click on “Check price” to see if there happens to be a deal on now. But to be honest, it’s still great value for money if you end up paying the full listing price.
Pros:
- Good price, great value for money
- It’s incredibly easy and intuitive to use
- You can use it for both wet and dry foods
- Gentle mode to avoid crushing any foods
- Comes with suction hose & wine stopper
Cons:
- No cutting function
Cromify Vacuum Sealer Machine With Starter Kit
Now, this may be noticeably cheaper than the other vacuum sealers we’ve shown you so far, but it’s very efficient, and it has some great features…
It’s very efficient, with a powerful suction that can preserve your food in less than 10 seconds. (The manufacturer maintains that you can use it to extend the life of your foods by as much as 5 times, but as a guideline, we recommend that you only freeze foods for up to 3 months.)
And it’s not limited to preserving only dry foods – you can use it for moist foods as well, such as marinated meats, poached salmon (yum!) or steamed veggies.
And it’s impressively compact, measuring just 15 x 4.1 x 2.4 inches, making it small enough to fit in a cutlery drawer.
When we tested the device out for ourselves, we were impressed with how fresh it kept our loose tea leaves and our nuts and biscuits.
We found the device was very intuitive and easy to use. First you select whether you are sealing wet or dry food using the touch buttons on the top of the device, then you choose whether you would like a regular seal or a vacuum seal.
Then, when you are happy, you press stop, and then you can use the machine’s sliding cutter to cut the bag to an appropriate size.
We really liked this feature because it means you don’t end up with excessive amounts of the bags themselves taking up room in the freezer.
We also found that it’s easy to clean, you can wipe down the outside with a damp cloth, and you can clean the vacuum chamber with tissue paper.
It also comes with an air suction hose that you can use to vacuum jars of food for better storage.
Compatible vacuum sealer bags are readily available online from sites such as Amazon.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular vacuum sealer – simply click on “Check price” to see if there happens to be a deal on now.
But to be honest, it’s still great value for money if you end up paying the full listing price.
Pros:
- It’s incredibly easy and intuitive to use
- You can use it for both wet and dry foods
- Has a sliding cutter to keep bags small
- It comes with an air suction hose for jars
- Compact enough to fit in a cutlery drawer
Cons:
- Some customers have complained that the suction is too powerful and that it crushes their food
Camdive Vacuum Sealer Machine With Bags
Now, this is the budget pick vacuum sealer in our shortlist, and is significantly cheaper than all the others.
It’s not the cheapest one around, however, but we found that all the vacuum sealers that are cheaper than this one tend to get poor customer ratings and reviews.
It features three different sealing modes, plain sealing, vacuum sealing, and a point smoke option.
This point smoke option can be used for sealing quite fragile and soft foods, including the likes of bread and unfinished snacks. Perfect for keeping your toddler’s food fresh!
When we tried it out, we found it very intuitive and easy to use.
It features a large LED touchscreen that runs along the top of the device. Through this, you can set which of the 3 modes you would like to use (they are clearly labeled).
There’s also a handy dial which enables you to adjust the level of suction you would prefer. (We just kept it turned to maximum.)
We also liked that it features a cancel button, which can be handy if you later decide that you can fit more food in each bag.
It’s available in two colors, namely a forest green and a white. We prefer the white version and believe it would look best against most kitchen decor.
It has modest, space-saving dimensions, measuring just 13.58 by 5.12 by 2.36 inches, giving you plenty of room on your kitchen counter worktop.
Compatible vacuum sealer bags are readily available online from sites such as Amazon.
All in all, we were quite impressed – it even keeps potato chips tasting fresh!
Pros:
- Most affordable price tag in our list
- Incredibly easy and intuitive to use
- 3 different modes & adjustable suction
- Keeps food tasting incredibly fresh
- Compatible bags available online
Cons:
- It hasn’t had a whole lot of customer ratings and reviews just yet, but that could just be because it’s only been made available since the end of December 2021
Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Let’s walk you through some of the key things to think about before you buy.
Suction Power
A vacuum sealer is nothing without its suction power. To be effective, you need it to be powerful. But on the flip side, you don’t really want it to be so powerful that it will crush more delicate foods.
Easy to Use
Ideally, you want the vacuum sealer to be easy enough for your older kids to use, so that when they’ve eaten as much as they want of their snacks, they can preserve the rest for later.
We only included vacuum sealers in our shortlist that we felt were straightforward to use, though admittedly some of them are more simple to use than others.
Compact Dimensions
If, like many people, you don’t happen to have a whole lot of kitchen countertop space, then the smaller and more compact your vacuum sealer is, the better.
This is why we made a point of including each vacuum sealer’s dimensions in our product reviews.
If this is of particular concern to you, we would recommend going for our number 4 pick, the Cromify Vacuum Sealer Machine, because it’s small enough to fit in your cutlery drawer!
Cutting Capabilities
Having a sliding cutter on the machine is quite a convenience, because it holds the bag in position ready, and saves you from having to go hunting around for your kitchen scissors.
Vacuum Sealing of Moist Foods
It’s important to note at this point that some vacuum sealer machines can only vacuum seal dry foods and aren’t designed to seal moist foods such as marinated meats, or steamed vegetables.
So if you intend to use it for this, you must ensure that your vacuum sealer is up to the task.
On-Board Storage
We would argue that the best vacuum sealer machines are ones that offer on-board storage for your roll of vacuum seal. It’s hands down the most convenient place to keep it, and saves you from having to fumble through cupboards to find it.
Special Features
Some vacuum sealers have additional features that we’ve not yet covered in this buying guide.
For example, there’s automatic bag detection and position guides like in our number two pick, the PrimalTek 12″ Commercial Grade Vacuum Sealer.
Or even automatic moisture detection, like in our number one pick, the FoodSaver V4400 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer.
Compatible Bags or Rolls
Most vacuum seal bags and rolls are universal in nature. But if you’re unsure about compatibility, it’s worth checking out a few of the customer reviews to see which ones other people use with the machine.
Value for Money
You won’t believe just how much vacuum sealer machines can vary in price.
We found one that costs just under $15! Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, you can end up spending as much as $300. But in our view, cheaper does not necessarily mean better value for money.
I’m afraid we don’t include prices in our reviews, in case they change, but you can easily check the current prices as you go along, which we recommend that you do…
That way, you can learn what features your money buys you, so you can make a good, well-informed decision about how much your budget should be.
All you have to do is click on “Check price” and the product page will open on a separate tab.
In our shortlist of reviews, we deliberately included options for a range of different budgets.
Warranty
Most vacuum sealers tend to come with a 12-month limited manufacturer warranty, which is good. But the best ones come with an even lengthier warranty, including several in our shortlist.
And wherever the warranty exceeds 12 months, we have mentioned this in our reviews.
Answers To Your Most Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Worth Buying A Vacuum Sealer?
We would argue that for most people, it’s absolutely worth investing in a vacuum sealer.
If you like to grow your own vegetables in your backyard, or if you like to hunt or fish, or if you like to avoid heavily processed foods and cook from scratch, or if you simply like to prep your meals in advance so that you can simply reheat them and enjoy them at a later date, then a vacuum sealer is for you.
Does Vacuum Sealing Prevent Freezer Burn?
We are happy to confirm that, yes, vacuum sealing does prevent freezer burn. This is because it eliminates exposure of the surface of the contents to the cold air.
What Should I Look For When Buying A Vacuum Sealer?
Once you’ve settled on your budget, your next decision should be whether you only need it to vacuum seal dry foods, or if you need it to vacuum seal wet foods as well.
