The 6 Best Vacuum Sealers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Our Favorite Vacuum Sealer

The Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer was great at removing all the air from our bags, and its handy double-seal option made it perfect for moist foods. For beginners, the Inkbird Vacuum Sealer is exceptionally user-friendly, inexpensive compared to competitors, and got a tight seal every time.

• Factors to Consider

  Seal and Vacuum Settings

  Most vacuum sealers have separate settings for dry and liquid ingredients. The moist setting adjusts the level of power and the seal mechanism to avoid sucking any liquid into the machine, which can create a weak seal or damage the electrical parts. Some models also have a gentle mode, with low-power suction that helps protect delicate items from being crushed. Consider what you're most likely to be sealing to determine if these types of extra settings are worth springing for.

  Other helpful options include a double-seal for increased security. Liquids and items meant for long-term or freezer storage benefit most from a double-seal. Another feature to look for is an auxiliary hose. This plugs into the base to seal Mason jars, bottles of wine, and other vessels beyond just plastic bags.

  Countertop vs. Chamber vs. Handheld

  Countertop vacuum sealers are the most common type for home use. These work with bags that come in many different sizes, by removing air from the top of the bag and then heat-sealing it. These are smaller and cheaper than chamber models but also less powerful and less versatile.

  A chamber vacuum sealer pulls the air out of a chamber, into which you can put a standard bag, a jar, a bowl, or anything else that will fit. This type of vacuum sealer is more powerful and can be used for advanced culinary techniques like rapidly infusing oils or making unique pickles in addition to preserving and storing food. But it's also larger, heavier, and more expensive.

  There are also handheld vacuum sealers, small units that attach to a jar lid or special bag with a valve in it to remove air. They're space-savers, but none of the handheld options we tested was powerful enough to make the list of winners.
  

  Bag Cutting and Storage 

  Most countertop vacuum sealers include at least some bags to get you started, but not all of them give you a place to hold them. Models with integrated bag storage can be very helpful, as can a built-in cutter to slice a heat-sealed bag off the roll. However, some included cutters we tested aren't the best, and a sharp pair of kitchen shears could be necessary.

  Refractory Period

  The powerful pump in a vacuum sealer isn't meant to run continuously. In between sealing sessions, it needs some time to cool down, called a refractory period. The machine won't let you seal another bag until the time is up.

  Some vacuum sealers have a refractory period of as little as 10 seconds, while others need upwards of 2 minutes. If you're considering a vacuum sealer for big projects like meal prepping or large-batch preservation, all that waiting between bags can really add up, but if you only ever need to seal one or two at a time, it's less important to worry about.
  

• FAQ

  Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is it worth having a vacuum sealer?

    A vacuum sealer is a highly versatile tool for your kitchen. It allows you to prolong the shelf life of food, prepare food for immersion circulator cooking, and prevent freezer burn and dehydration. It can also be a great way to make rapid pickles and infusions. If you like to buy in bulk or meal prep, a vacuum sealer is particularly helpful and worth purchasing.

  • How do you use a vacuum sealer?

    "Place your food in the vacuum sealer bag, open the machine, place the open end of the vacuum sealer bag inside the drip tray, and you're ready to go," says King. When you close the lid and run the machine, "the air is then vacuumed out of the bag, and the bag is perfectly sealed so air, moisture, and freezer burn can't get in."
    

    
    

    Once you get the hang of regular suction and sealing, you can start to customize your sealing process. "On models with variable modes, users can select the best vacuum mode for their food. For example, pulse mode is great for delicate foods like crackers and baked goods, which can then be vacuumed without crushing the food," King says.

  • How long does vacuum sealed food last?

    "By completely removing the air from bags and containers, you can keep food fresh for up to five times longer than ordinary storage methods," says King. "This applies to products that go into your freezer, fridge, or pantry. For example, when vacuum sealed, beef and poultry can be frozen for up to 3 years, hard cheese can keep for up to 8 months in the fridge, and baking essentials such as flour and sugar are good for up to 2 years."

  • What foods should you not vacuum seal?

    "Some foods you should avoid vacuum sealing include soft cheese, bananas, mushrooms, whole apples, and raw onions," says King. Bananas and mushrooms will actually go bad much faster when vacuum sealed, while soft cheeses need to breathe and release gasses to keep them from developing off-flavors. Raw apples can be vacuum sealed, but you should slice them first. Raw onions and garlic can actually be dangerous when sealed; in the oxygen-free environment of a vacuum bag, they can quickly develop colonies of the bacteria that cause botulism.

    
    

    Liquids like soups, sauces, or brines can be tricky to seal. They can backflow into the machine, at best making a giant mess and, at worst, damaging the motor. The most effective way to vacuum seal liquids is to freeze them first in a standard zip-top bag, then transfer to a vacuum seal bag and seal as you normally would.

    
    

    In addition, you should always let hot food cool to room temperature before you vacuum seal it. Heat and steam will make the bag puff up and can break the airtight seal.
    

  • Can any bags be used with a vacuum sealer?

    Unfortunately, no. Vacuum sealer bags are made of special, extra-strong plastic, and they often have channels embossed in the inner surface to help all the air escape. Standard plastic bags, even freezer bags, won't make a good seal and are more likely to leak over time. Look for bags made explicitly for vacuum sealing; there are lots of brands and sizes available.

• Other Vacuum Sealers We Tested

  Strong Contenders

  Mueller Vacuum Sealer ($60 at Walmart)

  The Mueller performed well and is a great price for the quality, but it came up short for versatility since it crushed the cereal in our tests for delicate foods. If you're not storing berries or tender produce, this sealer will still be a good pick.

  Nesco VS-02 Food Vacuum Sealer Starter Kit ($76 at Amazon)

  This cheaper cousin to the Nesco VS-12 above is a good option for beginners but isn't ideal for delicate foods. It also needs a 2-minute wait period between seals to cool down.

  LEM Products MaxVac Vacuum Sealer ($110 at Amazon)

  We thought this vacuum sealer performed reasonably well, especially with delicate foods, but we felt that using it wasn't very intuitive.

  What Didn't Make the List

  The baker's dozen of other vacuum sealers we tested didn't live up to our expectations for a few reasons. While we can leave some leeway for sealers that don't have a delicate setting, the tools that couldn't seal proteins with any amount of moisture, took far too long for refractory periods between seals, or had extremely oxidized avocados at the end of testing did not make our top picks list.
  

• Our Expertise

  • This piece was written by Christa Glennie, a freelance writer and food editor for nearly twenty years. She is also the author of two cookbooks and specializes in food and drink trends, agriculture, the regional foodways of Western New York, and the restaurant business.
  • Jennifer Zyman updated this piece with new testing information. A Food & Wine commerce testing editor, she's written about food and restaurants for over 15 years and is a proficient home cook with a culinary school degree who is always on the hunt for the latest and greatest kitchen technique, trick, or tool.