After going through an intensive research process to narrow down our short list of top products in this space, we tested most of our top five to be sure that these products are worth your time. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter and test to verify manufacturer claims.
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Rather than let your leftovers go to waste, use a vacuum sealer to preserve your food for a future meal. For what they can accomplish, vacuum sealers are relatively inexpensive appliances that can pay for themselves in just a few meals. But there are several options to consider so it's best not to purchase without guidance.
For the typical home, an external vacuum sealer makes the most sense because it is not large like a chamber vacuum sealer and it can handle portions that you might not be able to seal with a handheld unit. The best models are easy to use and have a great degree of versatility when it comes to bag specifications.
The BestReviews Testing Lab researched dozens of options and tested some of the most promising models to see how they stacked up. Our favorite is the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro, which was easy to use and offers a variety of settings as well as a double sealer to prevent liquids from leaking.
Best of the Best
Dimensions: 14.75" L x 7" W x 4.3" H | Settings: 6 | Weight: 5 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, one bag roll and a hose | Bag storage: Yes
Whether you’re new to vacuum sealing or an old pro at this food-preservation method, the feature-packed Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro can simplify your kitchen routine. Our tester was impressed by its strong 120-watt motor, which makes it more powerful than previous Anova models and able to create a double seal to ensure food is protected. Its design also allows you to use one hand to clamp the bag, vacuum out the air and seal it, so you can work more efficiently.
Offering six settings, this model can preserve a wide array of foods. Its settings include Vacuum & Seal, Seal only, Pulse Vacuum and External Pulse Vacuum. “I really liked the Pulse mode because it gives you greater control,” our tester said. Most importantly, though, it has Dry and Moist settings, which enables you to easily seal dry foods like fruits and veggies, as well as marinated meats and other juicier foods.
Another plus is that the accessory port means you can use the included hose to seal jars, bottles and more. Said our tester, “You can use this vacuum sealer to protect and preserve delicate items like documents and old books. I sometimes use it to package motorcycle parts when I’m doing a major service or rebuild.”
This model is relatively compact but further maximizes space by providing built-in bag storage. The vacuum sealer has a hidden compartment that can hold a full roll of sealer bags, so you don’t have to worry about finding a drawer or cabinet for your supplies. It also features a built-in sliding bag cutter and an integrated cord storage compartment at the bottom of the machine.
Best Bang for the Buck
Dimensions: 16.73" L x 4.8" W x 3.14" H | Settings: 3 | Weight: 2.31 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer and 10 storage bags | Bag storage: No
If you are just beginning to vacuum seal and prefer a more basic machine, the Anova Culinary ANVS01-US00 Precision Vacuum Sealer reliably seals food for preservation and sous vide cooking at a more affordable price than other Anova models. With an 80-watt motor, it isn’t as powerful as the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro. However, while vacuuming a bag may take a bit longer because of the reduced airflow, it still effectively removes air and creates an airtight seal to protect your food.
Those new to vacuum sealing will appreciate how easy it is to use. It only has three settings and requires pressing a single button to vacuum and seal a bag. In addition to the Vacuum & Seal setting, it has a Pulse setting for slow air removal and a Seal-only setting, so it can handle various foods and even allows for non-food uses, such as sealing documents.
The Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer is more compact than many other vacuum sealers, so it can fit easily in smaller kitchens. The only downside to its small size is that it doesn’t have built-in bag storage or a built-in bag cutter. It does come with 10 pre-cut bags, though, which feature double-ribbed, seven-layer construction that can withstand long sous vide or other cooking sessions.
Tested Quality
Dimensions: 15.75" L x 8" W x 4.5" H | Settings: 3 | Weight: 6 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer and two bag rolls | Bag storage: Yes
The Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer is a versatile vacuum sealer that’s very powerful, but it’s still one of the most user-friendly models we tested. It has a 130-watt double vacuum pump that delivers 25.1 Hg of pressure to remove as much air as possible, even when sealing larger pieces of food.
For items that require an even more reliable seal, the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer offers an optional double-heat seal. This added strength is ideal when sealing liquid-based and moist foods, so you don’t have to worry about leaks. You can vacuum and seal bags one-handed, too, because its easy-lock handle allows for smoother operation.
In addition to its three settings for sealing (Dry, Moist and Double), it has two pressure settings. “The pressure button will let you select if you want hard suction or a little softer,” our tester said. “You don’t want to squish your burgers and steaks but do squish your dry beans and rice. If I have a huge bag of beans or rice, I like to portion it out and vacuum seal it for more convenient storage.”
This model is slightly heavier than similar vacuum sealers, but it’s still compact to avoid taking up much kitchen space. It also has built-in bag storage and a built-in cutter to reduce clutter. The vacuum sealer comes with two rolls of bags, too, including a large 11.8-by-9.85-inch roll and a smaller 8.6-by-9.85-inch roll.
Reliable & Easy to Use
Dimensions: 16.3" L x 9.2" W x 4" H | Settings: 2 | Weight: 6.6 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, vacuum seal roll, three 1-quart pre-cut vacuum seal bags, two 1-gallon pre-cut vacuum seal bags and an accessory hose | Bag storage: Yes
For those intimidated by the vacuum sealing process, the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine can make the process much more straightforward. It has just two modes, Dry and Moist, so choosing the right setting couldn’t be easier. It also has a lock-and-latch system that allows you to use the machine with one hand. The LED-light indicators show you what step in the process you’re at, too, so you know when the bag is fully sealed.
The machine’s built-in bag storage and cutter bar allow for more efficient vacuum sealing because you don’t need to do extra prep beforehand. The bag storage and cutter also help reduce bag waste, so your vacuum sealing supplies can last longer. It even includes a seal roll and five pre-cut bags, enabling you to start vacuum sealing right away.
This FoodSaver vacuum has an accessory port, so you can purchase accessories for sealing jars and other containers to increase its versatility. Unlike some other models with an accessory port, it also includes the hose necessary to connect accessories with the vacuum sealer.
Most Versatile
Dimensions: 14" L x 11" W x 10" H | Settings: 3 | Weight: 18 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer | Bag storage: No
Given its size, the Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer is the most versatile on our list. It provides professional-grade results for larger quantities of food, so you can preserve enough for families without having to do as many batches. Like the large chamber vacuum sealers in commercial kitchens, this model creates an equally pressurized environment inside and outside the sealing bag. When the air is removed, the bag is fully sealed without any air inside.
The chamber design is especially useful for vacuum-sealing soups, marinated meats and fish. That’s because the equalized pressure inside the chamber creates a truly airtight seal that keeps liquids inside the pouch, so you don’t have to worry about leaks all over the counter.
The Anova Chamber Vacuum Sealer allows you to experiment with a wider range of recipes and foods than standard vacuum sealers. Its Infuse/Extract setting makes it easy to create infused oils, alcohols and more, while the Compress/Pickle setting can compress fruits and veggies to change the texture or infuse foods with brine more quickly than traditional pickling. It also has a Dry/Cool setting that can boil the water off food, such as a loaf of homemade bread, to dry it more quickly for a crispier crust.
Most Portable
Dimensions: 3.94” L x 3.94” W x 3.94” H | Settings: 1 | Weight: 2.2 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer and 30 bags | Bag storage: No
If you don’t have much space in your kitchen or want a vacuum sealer that’s easy to travel with, the Chef Preserve Vacuum Sealer offers a slim, compact design. It’s also wireless and rechargeable, and each charge provides enough time to seal 1,000 bags. You won’t sacrifice power or efficiency, though, because it can seal a bag in just five seconds.
It’s also one of the easiest machines to use, with just a single setting for vacuum sealing. That means you only have to press a button to preserve your food — and the unit automatically turns off when it’s finished.
However, its most exciting feature is the reusable BPA-free vacuum bags. They are dishwasher-, freezer- and microwave-safe and highly effective at maintaining the preserved foods’ flavor, texture and nutrients. After use, you only have to turn the bags inside out and place them in the dishwasher to clean. The vacuum sealer even comes with 30 bags to get you started.
While this vacuum sealer can’t seal liquid-based or juicy foods, it’s still effective for a wide range of items. It works well for meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, dry goods and leftovers. It’s especially helpful if you like to prep your meals in advance or enjoy sous vide cooking.
Best for Small Kitchens
Dimensions: 17.91" L x 5.59" W x 10.24" H | Settings: 2 | Weight: 4.6 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, 11″ x 8′ roll, three quart-sized vacuum seal bags and two gallon-sized vacuum seal bags | Bag storage: No
If your kitchen doesn’t have counter space for a larger, bulkier model, the FoodSaver Compact Vacuum Sealer Machine may be the solution. It allows for vertical storage, so you can easily fit it in a drawer or cabinet. It’s still powerful enough to extend the freshness of your favorite foods, though, allowing items to stay fresh in the freezer up to five times longer than non-sealed items.
The FoodSaver Compact Vacuum Sealer Machine has two settings for different food types. The Dry setting works for most foods, while the Moist setting creates airtight seals for liquid-based or juicer items. That means you can seal marinated meats or even soups without worrying about leaks. It also has an accessory port, so you can purchase the FoodSaver Handheld Sealer separately and attach it to seal jars, bottles and other containers.
The vacuum sealer comes with a roll of sealer bags, as well as pre-cut bags, so you can start sealing your favorite foods right away. This model is designed to reduce bag waste by up to 35% compared to previous models, which means you shouldn’t have to purchase additional bags for a while.
Powerful & Efficient
Dimensions: 14.9" L x 5.7" W x 3.5" H | Settings: 6 | Weight: 4.9 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, two sealer bag rolls, five pre-cut sealer bags and an accessory hose | Bag storage: No
With a heavy-duty, 120-watt motor, the Mesliese Vacuum Sealer Machine offers excellent suction power to seal foods with an airtight seal. It takes just three to 10 seconds to vacuum the bags and nine to 12 to seal them. Best of all, ts powerful suction can help your favorite foods stay fresh 10 times longer than traditional freezer storage.
The machine has six settings to preserve food: Dry, Moist, Normal, Soft, Seal and Vac & Seal. The Normal and Soft modes are particularly important because you can decrease the vacuum pressure for more delicate foods to avoid damaging them. The machine also has an accessory port and comes with a hose for vacuum-sealing canisters, jars, wine bottles and more.
In addition to power and versatility, this model offers a durable design that allows for heavy use. It has a widened heating wire strip, making it sturdier than regular heating wires. The widened heating wire also ensures a tighter, more secure seal. The machine is also backed by a five-year warranty, so you can trust that it will work for years, or the brand will offer a refund or replacement.
High-End Performance
Dimensions: 15.75" L x 13.9" W x 4" H | Settings: 6 | Weight: 12.87 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, a bag roll and a canister hose | Bag storage: Yes
For home cooks who vacuum seal regularly or in large amounts, the PrimalTek 12-Inch Commercial-Grade Vacuum Sealer is a high-end, commercial-grade option that can handle nearly any load you throw at it. But despite its performance, it’s extremely user-friendly. The machine is fully automatic and features touch controls and a panel that shows the progress of the vacuum-sealing process. It also has a bag-positioning guide that ensures your bags are correctly aligned.
The machine is highly effective at sealing food because it has a double-seal bar. It monitors the heat to ensure an airtight seal. It also has a dedicated sous vide setting that effectively seals the food to avoid leaks and can withstand cooking in a water bath.
In addition to being powerful and easy to use, the PrimalTek 12-Inch Commercial-Grade Vacuum Sealer is highly convenient. It has built-in bag storage and an integrated bag cutter to help free up storage space in your kitchen and allow you to vacuum-seal bags more efficiently. The machine also has a spot to wrap its cord to make storage easier.
Most Adjustable
Dimensions: 11" L x 6.5" W x 5" H | Settings: 6 | Weight: 6.6 lb | Includes: Vacuum sealer, an accessory hose and two bag rolls | Bag storage: Yes
The versatile Potane Precision Vacuum Machine is ideal for homes that do a lot of vacuum sealing. It has a wider sealing element and a high-powered brushless motor that allows for continuous sealing, so you don’t need to wait between sealing up to 100 bags. It isn’t at risk of overheating because its built-in cooling fan keeps the machine in proper working order.
It offers six settings, including modes for both dry and moist foods. It can vacuum and seal bags, vacuum only or seal only, too, so you have complete control over how you preserve your food. It also has an accessory port and a hose for connecting accessories, allowing you to seal jars and other containers. The unit comes with two bag rolls, too, so you can begin preserving food as soon as you take it out of the box.
You don’t have to be an expert to use this model, either. It’s designed for single-handed operation with an easy-locking lid. Its control panel is also intuitive and has a highly responsive touchpad. Additionally, its built-in bag storage and integrated cutter bar make vacuum-sealing your food even more convenient.
Vacuum sealers work in tandem with specially designed plastic bags. The vacuum sealer sucks all the air out of the bag and then seals the bag’s opening with heat. This protects the food in the bag from oxidation, too much or too little humidity, mold spores, bacteria, and freezer burn. You still need to refrigerate or freeze food that requires cold storage, and it’s not going to last forever. But it will remain good to eat for a considerably longer time (up to five times longer) than it would have if you’d stored it in the fridge or freezer without sealing it.
There are three basic types of vacuum sealers. Consider what kind of jobs you want your vacuum sealer to handle and also your storage space.
If you plan to use your vacuum sealer mostly for smaller items such as deli meats, cheeses, small portions of produce, or single-serving leftovers, a handheld vacuum sealer, like the Chef Preserve Vacuum Sealer, may be your best choice.
These smaller devices are portable and easy to hold and use, and they don’t require much storage space. They typically run on rechargeable batteries, so if you want to use your vacuum sealer for extended sessions — for example, cooking and sealing several meals Sunday evening so you’ll have a week’s worth of meals in the freezer — you might have to stop and recharge halfway through. Handheld sealers don’t have the power of larger devices and sometimes struggle to properly seal large bags.
Once only found in professional kitchens, these counter-hogging appliances are now available for residential kitchens as well.
Chamber vacuum sealers are larger, more powerful and more expensive than the other types of vacuum sealers. But they do a great job sealing and preserving large batches of food or wet items like gravy and soup.
The entire bag of food goes inside the chamber, where the air is vacuumed out and the bag sealed. Some chamber sealers even have built-in cutters so you can customize your bag size.
External vacuum sealers, like the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer and the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro, are the most common type used in home kitchens. The sealer clamps down on top of the bag, vacuums out the air, and then seals the bag.
Because the entire bag of food doesn’t have to fit inside a chamber, these devices are excellent for preserving large cuts of meat or big batches of food. They also work well to seal food for cooking with a sous-vide machine.
Some models come with attachments for sealing jars and canisters as well. Most external vacuum sealers are reasonably sized and won’t take up too much counter space.
Vacuum sealers require special heavy-duty bags that are generally more expensive than the regular plastic bags used for short-term food storage. Some brands of vacuum sealers, including models from Nesco and Annova, work with any bag, while others only work with their own brand of bag.
Before selecting a specific vacuum sealer, check out its bag specifications and consider the following:
The cost per bag
Whether you can use other brands’ bags
The ease of finding bags at your local store
How many bags you are likely to use per week
Whether the bags can be reused
Some vacuum sealers have a single setting for vacuuming and sealing a bag, while others have multiple settings that provide more control over removing the air and sealing. Many models, including the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro and the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer, have a pulse setting that lets you slowly remove air to seal delicate foods like fish without crushing them.
You can also find vacuum sealers with specific dry and wet sealing modes. A dry function works well if you're only interested in storing and freezing your leftovers, but a wet setting is essential if you want to vacuum seal foods for sous vide cooking or in a marinade. Some models with a moist or wet setting also offer heated sealing to ensure that all the liquid remains inside the bag.
In addition to its gentle or pulse setting for delicate foods, the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer has a dry and moist setting. It even has a double-heat seal option for liquid-based recipes. Our tester was also impressed with the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro's pulse mode, which provided finer control over the vacuum sealing process. "I also like that it has a wet and dry mode," our tester said. "It's a reliable, clean-looking unit that does what it is designed to do well."
For the most effective food storage, a vacuum sealer must effectively remove the air from your sealer bags. A model should have enough suction power to draw as much air as possible from the bags, so you don't wind up with air pockets around your food. In general, a vacuum sealer should provide 13 to 25 inches of mercury (Hg) of pressure to successfully vacuum seal.
The Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer is one of the most powerful models on our list, hitting 25.1 Hg in its top mode. Our tester found this top mode to be one of the strongest among the models they've used.
A vacuum sealer's size is a key factor to consider when shopping. You can only seal foods that are similar in size to the machine or fit inside bags that correspond to the sealer's length. If you want to store and freeze large pieces or quantities of food, you'll need a bigger vacuum sealer.
However, if you opt for a larger model, it can be difficult to find a spot for it in your kitchen. We prefer external vacuum sealers like the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer and the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro because their compact design makes them easier to store in a cabinet or drawer.
Some vacuum sealers also offer built-in bag storage, so you don't have to worry about finding another spot to keep the rolls of sealer bags. They may even have an onboard cutter for customizing the size of your bag. Our tester loved the convenience of the Nesco Deluxe Food VS-12 Vacuum Sealer's built-in bag storage and cutter, which made storage much easier.
Many vacuum sealers come with at least a few sealer bags, so you can start sealing as soon as you get the machine out of the box. External vacuum sealers are designed mainly for use with bags, but many have ports that allow you to attach a hose for sealing jars and other canisters. Some models include the necessary hose, while others require purchasing it separately.
Our tester appreciated that the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro not only has a port for sealing canning jars and other containers but also includes the required hose to avoid any additional purchases.
Vacuum-seal potluck dishes to avoid spilling food in the car. Once you arrive, simply open the package and pour the food into your serving bowl.
Save lemon juice, chicken broth, minced herbs, crushed garlic, and similar ingredients that are typically measured out in small amounts by first freezing the food in ice cube trays, then vacuum-sealing the frozen cubes. Remove the cubes as needed, and then reseal the bag.
If you buy meat in bulk, separate it into the portion sizes that work best for your family, then seal and freeze.
To keep a bag of potato chips, cereal or other dry snacks fresh, turn off the vacuum and use the appliance to seal the bag so the food stays fresh but isn’t crushed.
Make sure you label sealed bags with the contents and date sealed before placing them in the freezer or fridge.
If you want to preserve powdered ingredients like flour, sugar, baking soda or boxed spices, vacuum-seal them in their packaging to prevent powdery build-up from sucking into your machine.
Leave some space at the top of bags you expect to open and reseal.
Some vacuum sealer bags can be rinsed and used again, provided you haven’t used them to store raw meat.
Stock up on bags for your vacuum sealer if you see they are on sale. They don't take up much space and you'll never have to worry about running out.
Consider how simple you want your sealer to be, and how much you’re willing to pay for it. Some vacuum sealers can be operated with one hand (or no hands), while others require two.
A vacuum sealer with a large, strong sealing bar will provide the best protection for your food.
If storage is a major issue, consider a handheld vacuum sealer. These are small enough to stow in a drawer.
A removable, washable drip tray is a must if you plan on sealing meats in marinades, gravy or sauce.
Vacuum sealers with manual controls let you decide exactly when to stop vacuuming and when to start sealing. This makes it easier to preserve delicate, wet, or bulky food items.
Perhaps you want to save soft fruit like berries, but you don’t want them to be crushed by the vacuum. First, freeze your clean fruit until it is just firm. Then go ahead and use your vacuum sealer to preserve the frozen fruit.
Look for a vacuum sealer that clamps down automatically rather than requiring you to manually keep the clamp closed with your hand.
While there are handheld options like the Chef Preserve Vacuum Sealer, which costs about $100, for the majority of cooks, an external vacuum sealer is the best choice. These handy devices are quite reasonably priced; expect to spend $40 to $95 on a quality unit like the Anova Culinary ANVS01-US00 Precision Vacuum Sealer, FoodSaver Compact Vacuum Sealer, Mesliese Vacuum Sealer Machine or the Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Machine.
However, for top-end models with multiple settings, built-in bag storage and other accessories, such as the Nesco Deluxe VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro, Potane Precision Vacuum Machine and the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer, you'll typically pay $100 to $200.
A powerful commercial-grade option, like the PrimalTek 12-Inch Commercial-Grade Vacuum Sealer, typically costs around $300 and up.
A. You can vacuum seal just about any food. For delicate foods, however, it’s better to preserve freshness by sealing the bag without vacuuming out the air.
Notably, most vacuum sealer manufacturers recommend that you avoid sealing mushrooms and soft cheeses, as the lack of oxygen in the sealed package can encourage mold growth in these items.
A. A vacuum sealer can help you save money in several ways. Vacuum-sealed foods stay preserved much longer than foods that are stored the “regular” way. Therefore, you can save money with a vacuum sealer because you’re not throwing away as much spoiled or stale food.
Food vacuum sealers make it very easy to buy economically in bulk, then seal and store portion-size bags of food for later use. This is another way you can save money in the long run with a vacuum sealer.
A. No. You can also use your vacuum sealer to seal toiletries before travel (no more leaking shampoo in your suitcase); protect photos and important legal documents; preserve garden seeds for next year’s planting; keep small items like game pieces, craft supplies, or tiny nuts and bolts together; and create small first-aid kits for travel.
A. Plan your meals, use a shopping list and avoid impulse purchases at the grocery store. Brown-bag your leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch or freeze them for use at a later meal. Store cereal and other grain-based products in airtight containers. Use slightly wilted produce in smoothies, soups or stews. And don’t automatically toss food just because it’s reached its expiration date; many foods are perfectly fine to eat even several days past that date.
