Equipment Expert's Guide to Vacuum Sealers

If you regularly buy or prepare food in bulk, a vacuum sealer can save you time and money-but only if the machine is quick, effective, and easy to use.
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[@jennteal5265]

My MIL gave us a FoodSaver in 2004 as a wedding gift. We're still using it! You want to keep it clean and replace the gaskets regularly. Since I now buy meat in bulk and weigh it out myself to save money, this thing has been a beast in the kitchen.

[@tomblanar2592]

I purchased the Nesco sealer based on an earlier Test Kitchen review. I've had it for about 2 months now and I'm extremely happy with it's features and performance...no regrets on this purchase. I like that I can select single or double seals and also a pulse mode, I use that a lot. If you're sealing something solid like steaks or chicken then the auto mode makes it easy. I like to freeze my excess soup and the pulse mode makes that possible. I roll up a bit of paper towel and put it in the trough to collect any drips that may get sucked out then I use the pulse to apply just enough vacuum to get the soup to flow up to the heat seal bar and stop. I then do a manual double seal. Lay the pouch flat in the freezer until frozen and you end up with a nice "square of soup" about an inch or so thick. Because I have this new option I've been cooking in larger batches just so I will have leftovers to seal and freeze for when we want a quick, but home cooked meal. The controls on this machine are very intuitive and allow you to operate it in full manual or full auto.

[@lsdxm]

I grew up eatin em like dat too! Momma would cut em up and we’d have soup squares for supper. Split pea squares were my jam!

[@Er-sv5tn]

I freeze my soup, chili, beans etc. in a square plastic container. This makes a flat brick of frozen food which I then vacuum seal. Good for at least a year.

[@lotmom]

I miss the old in-depth product showdown videos..

[@billy4072]

No. ...the Wham , bam, thank you mam, is perfect .👌👌👌 errr imo 🤔🙄😮‍💨

[@lotmom]

@@billy4072 I've never been a fan of people saying "buy this" without explaining exactly why.

[@billy4072]

@@lotmom you'll see , my opinion on gear.. common sense is your guide. This bit of gear... 👇. I was merely referring to the style of presentation..I prefer ..🤔🙄🥰

[@re-de]

I agree. Sometimes i’m looking for a certain feature, which may not be the testers favorite. This format is just the final recommendation

[@cloudyview]

I wish they could support both. The indepths were awesome, but so are the shorter form.

[@DanB718]

I have this vacuum sealer, it was given to me as a gift a few years ago. It seals well 95% of the time, but we have had a few bags go bad or puncture. The auto-seal feature stopped working after a year, which is annoying, but all it means is that I have to hit the "seal" button instead of doing it on its own, so it still works fine. Other than that, my only real complaint is that if you are sealing a lot of things at once as I sometimes do, the heat sealer can overheat and the vacuum sealer will shut off automatically for awhile to prevent damage. Again, it's annoying, but still works.

[@barcham]

Most vacuum sealers will indicate in the instruction manual how long a time-out period you should provide after sealing a particular number of bags, as well as how much time you should take between bag sealing. These are not industrial machines and are not meant to be used to seal dozens of bags at a time.

[@denisegaylord382]

Good to know. Thank you!

[@lindaholland1083]

I have the one that Eric Thesis sales on TV. It does the same thing. But I still like it

[@jerrysg7]

One thing that was not mentioned in the video was that these can be used to reseal open packages of cereal or chips. I keep mine on the counter because I use it every day to reseal my breakfast cereal. I have 4 different cereals that I rotate among and they stay much fresher than if I used a binder clip.

[@bigal6667]

With the same cereal bag?

[@cck6740]

@@bigal6667 yes.

[@BruiserFL]

Me too!

[@jerrysg7]

@@bigal6667 All the way to the end of the box.

[@kuntrasha]

One thing huh. Another thing that was not mentioned was any of the vacuum sealers in the video lol

[@kinjunranger140]

My mom was the queen of the "as seen on TV" gadgets. She gave me one of these 25+ years ago. I used it, somewhat, until about 2015, when I started using it fairly often. I am retired now, so last year, I made the commitment to calculate just how much I was spending, saving, time, etc. It was roughly $25/month savings for my wife and I and takes about an hour a month. Not a huge savings, but it absolutely makes a difference in the quality, longevity of our frozen foods.

[@Robert-ug5hx]

I remember the neverending seal a meal commercials

[@barcham]

@@Robert-ug5hx I had a Seal-a-meal machine and it served me very well for over 15 years until I upgraded and passed it on to a friend who is still using it today.

[@Drmikekuna]

I have used a vacuum sealer since the early 1990s (with a few lapses). No more freezer burn! They are fantastic devices.

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

My problem with using them is raw meat. That it would dribble out meat juice into the sealing area and not completely seal.

[@hobbyhopper3143]

@@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555 Just freeze the meat first. You can freeze it in a sealer bag but be sure you leave space at the top for the sealer lid to shut in order to vacuum & seal

[@hlhs42]

@@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555 We process our own venison. It would take too much time & space to pre-freeze the meat. I like to grind, bag & freeze right away. If there is a lot of moisture in the meat, I fold a paper towel so it is narrow & fits in the bag near the meat. The paper towel catches the juice. The bags seal & very little, if any mess.

[@TheQuietRiot]

Wow...the depth of testing is truly incredible. I can't tell you how many kitchen products I've got based on these recommendations.

[@gman9543]

For around the $400 range you guys were talking about on the top end here, you can now get chamber vacuum sealers that allow you to seal wet stuff like soups and sauces. Anova sells one as does the Ninja brand. They allow you to use any kind of bag, so you don't need to buy the dedicated and more expensive perforated bags.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

What good would a perforated bag be? Perhaps you mean textured bags.

[@gman9543]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Yes textured bags. The standard Foodsaver style bags with the stippling channels which allow the air to be passed out. Chamber vacuums allow you to use any plastic bags that you want as the chamber is drawn to negative pressure before the bag is sealed.

[@davestevens4193]

Not "any" kind of bag. Bags designed for chamber type units.

[@greggsteinke4990]

I've had a food saver for 25 years, excellent results. Won't change brands,ever!!

[@RAD6150]

Love my Food Saver! Freezer food, smoked cheese, jerky... I love it!

[@marley7145]

Gregg, cherish that thing. I loved my Food Saver that was about the same age. When it finally died I got a new one. I had problems from the start, and the company was no help at all. I wasted months trying to solve those problems. Got a Nesco now, and love it.

[@gelwood99]

@@marley7145 I just replaced a food saver with a new one I got from Costco and I still love it. the removable drip tray is very important for cleaning. Mine has functioned perfectly fine. You must have gotten a bummer. I will stick with my food saver.

[@marley7145]

@@gelwood99 Good luck with it, may it last forever. More importantly, may it never have problems that make you call the company for support. That's my biggest problem with Food Saver. I know from experience that even if I have a problem that's easy to fix, they aren't going to fix it.

[@jennteal5265]

What marley said - My FoodSaver is 18 years old and a beast but my MIL purchased another FoodSaver a couple years ago and it's trash. They're not even remotely comparable.

[@hansfritzmiller1846]

I find my vacuum sealer works better when I pre-dampen the foam gaskets. Also, while vacuum process is active, I keep a keen eye on moisture movement within the bag. Once juices start moving toward the machine, I press the seal button. When those juices get past the heat bars, the seal always fails.

[@ghanus2009]

Which one are you using? That would help.

[@rgruenhaus]

Stop vacuum sealing wet items you could have firmed up before in the freezer 20-30 minutes first then less worry about liquid being drawn inside.

[@hansfritzmiller1846]

True. I have tried that method before. It works well... If I don't forget to set the timer to remind me that open items are on their way to being ruined.@@rgruenhaus

[@hansfritzmiller1846]

FoodSaver, Model No. V2830 and their bags. @@ghanus2009

[@robertstrickland2121]

I have the vac master pro 350 and highly recommend it. I was going through the plastic ones about once a year, but I have het the pro for 4 years now and it’s still going strong. It’s stainless steel, heave, and larger than the rest, but it lasts. If you only use them occasionally, the plastic ones are ok, but if you use them a lot, go with the vac master pro. Wish they had rated durability but I suspect the winner was chosen before the test started.

[@daveholtarnp7691]

I purchased the Nesco because my previous unit had difficulty sealing the compostable bags. The best feature of the Nesco is that it forms a double seal however, I found the vacuum to be less than that of my old unit and one thing that was not tested here was vacuum storing of liquids like soup. I make lots of soups and store them in the freezer so I always have some handy for dinner. The problem with the Nesco is that you need three arms if you are sealing liquids, two to hold the liquid containing bag and the third to close the lid. Unlike the Foodsaver which simply allows one to put the unsealed end of the bag into the slot and automatically seals it, one has to lower and lock into place the Nesco. In addition, the Nesco doesn't have an attachment to seal reusable bags or the containers that require the same type accessory.

[@stevebean1234]

Is there a sealer you prefer?

[@daveholtarnp7691]

My main reason for getting the Nesco was to use the compostable sealer bags but in the end I had so many punctures and leaks with them that I gave up trying to use them. One thing that I miss on the new Food Saver is the pulse control which the Nesco has so I now have two sealers that I use for different foods. I use the Nesco for solid foods and things needing pulse control and the Food Saver for liquids and stuff that over flows as the cleanable spill tray is helpful. Talk about too many gadgets 🥴 @@stevebean1234

[@Slotcarking]

I have a Food Saver for the last 25 years & love it! Saved my venison and elk meat from freezer burn after hunting.

[@mgfroyo]

We bought the Zwilling Fresh & Save system last year and have been very happy with it. Only complaint is we froze some tomatoes from our garden that we intended to use to can sauce and after about 9 months they lost their vacuum seal in the deep freezer. Albeit probably due to rustling around in the freezer. Otherwise the glass containers have been so good for quick pickles, dips, pasta salads, egg salads, avocados, and other things that go brown quickly. The avocado saving has been worth it on its own because so many times we've bought an avocado, used half of it, and then saved the other half for the next day,.

[@sportswolf1]

I had one of the more expensive brands, it only lasted a year. I bought a $29 sealer from Aldi and it works good enough and most important is lasting.

[@davidotness6199]

Watching the coffee sealing you could see the grounds being sucked up toward the vacuum source. This is why when dealing with fine-grains and powders such as flour you would be advised to put it in a paper sack first or in the case of jarring/vac-packing, place a coffee filter over the top of your intended product. Otherwise it will suck up into the works and clog your machine. It is my understanding that once done, it is no easy task to get the clogging undone.

[@OmegaGamingNetwork]

I've had the nesco for about a year and I've enjoyed it but I do have one complaint. The tray where the edge of the bag goes isn't removable. This isn't an issue for fairly dry stuff, but moist things where some juices escape from the bag make it a bit of a pain to clean. While my food saver was not nearly as good of an overall machine as this one, that one feature was a big plus for it.

[@chinncannon]

I'm a hunter but I also process my own beef, so I use these a lot. I run at least 2 of these with a crew of 4 people to do an entire cow over a weekend. Also, they didn't mention the accessory port that can seal lots of other containers but especially mason jars. You can buy the specialized sealable jars, but a mason jar is glass and sturdy and cheap. They are best for things that will be crushed by atmospheric pressure.

[@4themotherload]

I have the food saver and its a game changer when putting food in the freezer, my freezer is no longer grave yard of ice crusted food. Being able to SousVide foods its a great kitchen appliance!

[@mastring1966]

I've been using food saver for years. Vacuum sealed food that's already been cooked and frozen can be thawed by sticking the bag in a pot of boiling water and it tastes about as good as when it went in, even after a year or so of being frozen. They're WELL worth it if you make spaghetti sauce or rice and beans or soups or chili

[@RiamsWorld]

There's less of a chance of overcooking it if you stick it in a pot of 140F water(ideally circulated to prevent cold spots). A 1" steak will thaw in about 10 minutes that way.

[@barcham]

Actually, Food Saver do not recommend putting the sealed bags in boiling water. I cannot recall what the max temp they state is, but I believe it is around 180 F.

[@MzShonuff123]

Hard same! I’m single and childfree so I can make a lot of meals and store them in the freezer but I also use mine to store everything in my fridge in Mason jars and seal those. Keeps food fresh and my fridge doesn’t smell! Plus if you can see it, you’re more likely to eat it 😜

[@barcham]

@@MzShonuff123 That is an excellent idea that never occurred to me! Looks like I'll be picking up the Mason jar sealing kit soon! 👍👍

[@gelwood99]

@@barcham There are great vacuum bags on Amazon that work great for any vacuum sealer that allows for sou vide cooking, and they are much cheaper buying the pre-sealed bags. I get gallon and quart sizes. I love them!

[@Jon651]

One important point I didn't hear was rating how easy each unit was to clean - mainly the vacuum channel when sealing moist items in bags. This is especially important for sealing items such as raw chicken parts where some of the juice can leak out the end of the bag and into the channel before the heat strip forms an airtight seal. Some sealers have a removable drip tray inside the channel that can be easily removed and cleaned, while others are one-piece channels that you must be very diligent in cleaning inside the unit itself. Another item not mentioned that is handy is the locking lid feature, which is nice when sealing bags that have thick, irregularly shaped items inside. I have found that the shorter the bag you use, the more important the locking lid is.

[@cameroni7798]

Great point. Cost of ownership may be decisive information, too.

[@OmegaGamingNetwork]

I own the nesco as well as several older food savers. Overall the nesco is the better machine, but that tray isn't removable which makes cleaning a bit of a pain. So I tend to pull out the food savers when I have stuff that I know is going to make a mess and use the nesco for everything else. If I had to pick only one, I would still go with the nesco, but it is something to think about.

[@carbar3936]

@@OmegaGamingNetwork Can you put the wet foods in a regular zip lock bag and the vacuum so that juices doesn't get in chamber. Only neg I've heard w/ Nesco is the unremoveable tray. Also he nor she mentioned that Nesco has svrl models. The VS12 I think it is was on sale at Xmas for $90 and it had something extra vs another & cheaper Nesco model, so unclear if it was the VS model or less functions model? Lately ATK in these segments are being as informative as they use to be. Hmm

[@OmegaGamingNetwork]

@@carbar3936 It's possible, but while cleaning is a pain it isn't that much of a pain to justify wasting another plastic bag. As for which model they had there, that was the full function model as it was identical to mine.

[@carbar3936]

@@OmegaGamingNetwork I thought about the wasting bag iidea when I read reviews about the cleaning is a big complaint w/ most owners on Amazon. I thought dollar store bags, wash once used, resuse next go round to save on vac bags. I buy the Hefty/Ziplock freezer bags, put meats in Dollar store bags wash and repeat. Really want to get a vac sealer machine (was on Xmas list) but didn't get it. Sniff Sniff LOL

[@supergimp2000]

I have that Nesco sealer. Purchased it to replace my FoodSaver after almost 12 years of regular use. WOULD NOT BUY AGAIN. Besides the fact that after about a year it's finicky, the nonstick heatseal sticker (the orange bar) is wrinkled and peeling and it occasionally leaks and loses suction, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN. The old FoodSaver had a removable trough to catch any moisture that makes it through (the Nesco has a 'moist" mode so they are obviously aware of that) but the "trough" in the Nesco is not removable and impossible to really clean. I sealed some frozen shrimp a couple of months ago and even after multiple cleanings with various (gentle) disinfectant cleaners it still stinks when in use. I generally trust ATK reviews but they obviously did not simulate normal use and missed the mark on this one.

[@cmquinn2000]

I bought a chamber vacuum sealer about 10 years ago. It is way better than the types shown in this video. It uses lower priced bags, you can do liquids without having to pre-freeze the liquid. Yes, it costs more, but it gives a better seal, the bags are way cheaper. It is larger. It is better.

[@itsonlybrad2278]

They're starting to come down in price a bit as consumer brands start making them (vs for commercial use). I got an Anova one under $300 on sale.

[@carbar3936]

I think Nesco is compatible w/ Food Saver bags I heard.

[@barcham]

@@carbar3936 You can use any vacuum sealer with any bags. The most economical thing to do is purchase bags and rolls from third party companies on Amazon, you will save at least 50% on the cost.

[@OptimusSatanas]

Who is this comment for? To boast? Whats the point if you dont even include the name of this supposedly superior product? Good for you, I guess? Totally pointless comment.

[@carbar3936]

@@barcham THANKS BARCHAM, WILL DO AS YOU SUGGESTED ONCE i BUY THE MACHINE!

[@ThoughtFission]

Not just the freezer, prolongs the life of food in the fridge too. This is one of the most used appliances in our kitchen. No more freezer burn or spoiled food. Also great for marinades and sous vide cooking.

[@AdrienneBoswell]

I also use mine to seal plastic bags, bags of frozen vegetables, bags of pasta, bags of coconut, etc. When I want to use what's inside, I cut the seal, take out how much I need, and reseal it. I do the same thing with my preformed burgers; each time I take out two burgers, I re-vacuum seal the package and put it back in the freezer. This is the only way I can make family-size packages work by portioning them out, bagging, and vacuum sealing. The best!

[@you6382tube]

Nesco doesn't have a removable cleaning tray -- juices can tend to get sucked up into the machine if you aren't careful and give it inches of extra bag beyond the food item. Just use a folded paper towel as a little absorbent pad to soak up juices -- placed in the bag nearer to the edge that will get sealed. The paper towel doesn't need to touch the food at all, and-- there's no problem with it in the sealed bag.

[@lupemartinez1411]

I appreciate the reminder of a necessary kitchen tool I need and don’t yet have. On my list. Frozen crystals no more!

[@Davidjune1970]

Pro tip. Freeze your meal in a portion sized glass storage container. Then when it’s frozen remove it from the glass container and put it in the sealer bag then seal it and put it in the freezer. This will allow you to have a portion sized frozen meal that is in a decent geometry for reheating. Not something that is squashed into a bag shape that is geometrically harder to reheat.

[@johnbrandolini2915]

Congrats creating an informative video strictly for the Nesco vacuum sealer. It was helpful for viewers not to be distracted by the irrelevant features of the other brands. After all who needs to be bothered with a fair comparison, right? That said I use a Foodsaver FM2100 vacuum sealer. It has a storage compartment with a cutter for creating custom bags from a roll. The door handle has 3 positions: lock when sealing, unlock, and storage which secures the door but doesn't compress the seal. It has 3 modes of operation: seal which will activate the heat bar without a vacuum being pulled so a bag can be created, moist for vacuum sealing wet food, and dry for everything else. It also has an accessory port for sealing Mason jars and using proprietary sealable containers. With a full roll in the storage compartment it weighs under 6 lbs and has a small footprint which means it doesn't take up a lot of counter or storage space. I have been using a vacuum sealer for years and my first one was a simple sealer with no roll storage. It lasted about a decade before I replaced it with the FM2100. I had the Foodsaver FM2100 for about 3 months and was quite happy with it until the heat bar failed. I contacted the company and they replaced it overnight without charge. This unit cost $140 at WalWart and, imo, has already paid for itself by allowing me to pack and preserve our favorite produce when on sale or in season. What's even nicer about their bags is that veggies like asparagus or corn on the cob can be steamed in the bag in the microwave once you break the seal and add a little water.

[@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654]

I’m so glad you did this, and I thought! I’ve been wondering whether I should buy a food saver or something else. This is amazing. OK it will actually save us room in the freezer because we don’t have to use containers.

[@karincope3019]

I have a FoodSaver, May hubby found a roast that was 7 years old and it was just as good as when we put it in there .

[@beverlyshaffer2464]

And the roast was nt jerky ? Wow I guess that's the one for me

[@michaelgiuseffi7434]

I have the Nesco food sealer, the winner here. I love it. My advice is to read and follow the directions that come with it. There are several options when sealing and you'll want to be familiar with each one. One other use for the sealer is when traveling by plane you can seal liquids that you've packed and not have to worry about leakage

[@PovlKvols]

I have pretty much the same model, sold under the brand name 'Caso'. Great little machine, does a lot of things perfectly. Only two slight issues that you did not cover: cleaning when used for wet foods and the ability to seal bags with aluminium.

[@galleta_2024]

A HUGE THANK YOU JULIA....I do not have a vacuum sealer yet, so I decided to try your 'straw vacuum' technique and it worked. Until I purchase one, I'm going to do this and hope I don't pass out 🙂

[@StopWhatYerDoing]

Damn, I just bought a vacuum sealer about a month ago! Thankfully my research and decision wasn't too far off. I got a Nesco, but it's the cheaper VS-02 model. It doesn't have the same push-down lever to seal, but other than that, it seems about the same. It was $20 cheaper than the deluxe and seems to function the same with several of the same key-features, so I'm pretty happy with it.

[@Blargaha]

A Vacuum sealer has been a gamechanger, and I got my, now discontinued, FoodSaver for abooouth... $110. It's easy to store everything economically in my freezer, including stocks, soups and broths, and having a vacuum sealer is a step closer to sous vide, which is great for hands-off cooking

[@DKWalser]

Thank you! Now do chamber vacuum sealers for the home. Please!

[@DKWalser]

@@sandrah7512 I understand that. Chamber vacuum sealers are more typical of a commercial setting. However, several are targeted at home chefs. They are still expensive, but these models well-under $1,000. Chamber vacuum sealers do things that cannot be done with the type reviewed in this video. For example, they can be used for items, such as liquids and powders that cannot be done with an external (or edge) sealer because the liquid or powder would be sucked up inside the vacuum pump. The ability to work with liquids allows chamber vacuum sealers to 'power marinade' meats, fruits, and vegetables. Also, it's possible to vacuum seal soup, chili, stew, stock, and similar items for freezing. Also, the bags used for chamber vacuum sealers are much less expensive than are the bags made for external sealers. That doesn't mean external sealers don't have advantages in addition to being less expensive. For example, to be sealed in a chamber vacuum sealer, the food has to fit within the chamber. The largest of these are about 11" square by 4" deep. A rack of baby back ribs won't fit, nor will a good sized trout. But, those items can be sealed by an external sealer using a roll over bag material that allows you to make a bag of any reasonable length.

[@SavianNet]

I use my chamber vac multiple times per day. It is way, way more cost-effective in the long term. Certainly big and heavy so I have it on a dedicated cart with supplies (ex. bags). Reuse the bags for cheese, as an example, over and over as you use the product. I have a VacMaster VP215 which cost $800 when I purchased it. The bags are super cheap, however, and the performance is far, far superior to these sealers with the special bags. You can even reuse the bags that products come in if they are sturdy enough. Worth every penny.

[@cypherpls]

Title should be "Experts guide to Nesco Vacuum Sealer"

[@Max_Maximus_69]

😆

[@JoeL-re1dc]

Why didn't you discuss BAGS ?? Generics? Costs? Sizing options?....

[@CitizenKate]

So the main criteria was ease of use? What about actual suction? I have a Nesco, which replaced a high-end FoodSaver in my kitchen. The FoodSaver was a pain to use, but when I used it to vacuum seal my meats, it got ALL the air bubbles out. The Nesco is really easy to use, but it leaves bubbles in the bags I seal meat in, which is not good because the meat gets freezer burn where those bubbles are. There just isn't enough suction. I'm now looking for one to replace the Nesco, and I'm sad to say this review wasn't much help.

[@notchipotle]

trust me you need one of these, even the cheap one is really useful and will save you a lot of money

[@Thomas-ck1tm]

i love watching your gadget reviews, I've never been disappointed with your advices

[@mrbear1302]

I wish they had talked about ease of cleaning. Whenever you vacuum seal something that has any kind of liquid in it, it tends to get sucked up into the machine.

[@OptimusSatanas]

@@sandrah7512 I generally watch youtube so as to avoid going and reading a website. If thats what I wanted to do I would have started with that and not youtube.

[@markzanetti6228]

I have a rechargeable handheld vacuum which works with special bags that have a built-in valve. It takes up much lessless space

[@fiend4mojitos]

I use a 20+ year old vacuum sealer for bags of coffee, chicken, etc. One trick I do is to put a small slit in the coffee bag, allowing the sealer to remove the air inside the bag, resulting in one solid brick.

[@theoversouls]

I'm a fanatic about these and love my Nesco after 3 years or so of use. Foodsaver and a couple of others I've owned were just terrible.

[@floief]

I don't have the winner here but I do have one. I can say I'm happy I made the purchase.

[@DarkKnight788]

Can you do a review of chamber sealers??

[@richtes]

My first thought seeing this was who would pay close to $400 for one of these and not just spend a bit more for a Vacmaster. That said, the VP215 sits on it's own cart so these can do most things and not clog up the kitchen.

[@DarkKnight788]

@@richtes Maybe, but I find they seal a lot better, option(s) for sealing bags is significantly more and if you understand the difference between 'Vacuum' sealing and 'Chamber' sealing, Chamber sealing will not make a mess like vacuum sealing. That's been my experience. I have owned numerous Foodsaver vacuum sealers and consistently, the bags would lose their seal....resulting in spoilage. I have yet to have my VacMaster let me down. That has been my experience.

[@lakota1947]

You guys are always the very very BEST!!! KC

[@Menditha]

Not gonna lie...I use Julia's method with the zip top bag and a straw. Will be watching for a deal on the Nesco sealer going forward.

[@VanyelStefan]

I bought that model and love it! Very easy to use and I save a ton of money now that I buy in bulk. Plus the bags I buy can be used in sous vide.

[@mattsnyder4754]

Gotta throw in one of those chamber vacuum sealers. Things are crazy. Can vacuum seal soup!

[@kswas2784]

I wish these reviews actually showed the testing content instead of just their final selection.

[@Chupabrah]

This dude is such a good speaker. You sure you don't wanna run for office my guy?

[@cecilpoiboy]

Would have been nice to hear a comparison with the water displacement method.

[@mikeschneider901]

NO mention of the ANOVA sealer?!?!?!?!? It's a beautiful bit of kit. I take mine out of the box, make my bag from the roll then put my product in then and seal. If it's something really soft I'll freeze it for a few then vac/seal it. I think it was $55 a few years ago.

[@motoscro951]

My Nesco vacuum sealer lasted about 3 months.

[@milliepena356]

Thanks for posting that info. I'd like to know why no other brand was reviewed.

[@markzanetti6228]

You can save a lot of money on bags by using an oversized bag by just cutting the top off and resealing it an inch shorter at a time

[@FrenchieFrench1555]

Why don't you test chamber vacuum sealers, far superior in every way? I used to own a Nesco , it never worked properly . I now own a Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer , no comparison, far far superior

[@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654]

What is a chamber sealer?

[@FrenchieFrench1555]

@@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654 look here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXymmHetg9h_Zrc Basically this is a professional vacuum sealer

[@davestevens4193]

I use canning jars and FS cannisters as well.

[@rebeccanater]

ive never tried this but i heard a good way to seal freezer bags is to slowly submerge them in water, the water pressure pushes all the air out

[@barcham]

That works well for sous-vide cooking, but not so well for long term freezer storage beyond three months.

[@userbosco]

That thing was HUGE! Screw that, go w the Food Saver! Small, powerful, simple, and reliable. Who vacuum seals strawberries?

[@milliepena356]

Thanks for the info.

[@jjrat]

Can you review the new anova chamber vacuum sealer

[@cloudyview]

It's too bad they didn't include any of the inexpensive chamber style vacuum sealers.... Extremely curious about those

[@Drmikekuna]

I have one and it is great. Plus is that the bag are much cheaper and they can seal liquids. Minus for the overall initial cost and they are bulky-you really need to have a dedicated space for them.

[@milliepena356]

I agree ! Why only review the Nesco ?

[@ShapezPuller64]

Not crazy about the infomercial presentation but underneath the soul leeching morning TV vibe was some good info! Could have been about more than the concept of sealer - going into different offerings and why they're good like other videos on the channel testing equipment, but I guess the mission accomplished anyway, so thanks Test Kitchen

[@barcham]

This is a quick summary, if you want the entire review, along with a ton of written details, just go to their website.

[@OptimusSatanas]

@@barcham Im on youtube for a f-ing reason.

[@romuloromero2268]

You can also test Oxygen introduction by using mushed avocado

[@Barbara-gy9jq]

You did not mention if it has an attachment for sealing canning jars. I use my FoodSaver with the adapter for sealing jars a lot. I seal my dried herbs in jars and reseal them when I use them. I also put my nuts, and other day items in the jars to keep them fresh longer. My machine is getting old and not vacuuming as well as it used to. So am looking for a replacement. .

[@thegoodplate]

I use mine all the time to reseal bags, frozen vegetables, potato chips, sugar, even an Amazon puffy mailing bag I was returning an item in.

[@EAZ36588]

Did you test the food savers and that's the one I've seen the most? How did it compared to the others?

[@victorbenner539]

I would like to see a full chamber vacuum sealer that can use less expensive bags. Also mylar bags that can be used as canned bags.

[@docmonty5859]

The fact that the vacuum sealer tray is not removable is a deal breaker for me. All 3 of my food savers have a removable tray and easy to clean.

[@mjfletch5737]

One or nothing? What were the other sealers?

[@ALEXI778]

Avidarmor is a USA company, very good chamber and vacumm sealers, check them out

[@ellengross1027]

What are your thoughts on the Zwilling Fresh & Save system?

[@wormulous]

I went overkill and have a chambered vacuum sealer. 10x more expensive depending on models etc, but the bags are way cheaper and I've probably saved on bags alone.

[@UTeewb]

I want to buy one but they seem really bulky

[@cloudyview]

There are some inexpensive (under $500) models out now that I'm super curious about

[@barcham]

I spend around $25/year on bags for my FoodSaver. Even at $500, it would take me over 20 YEARS to recoup the cost savings.

[@wormulous]

@@barcham that's situational per person of course. I can hear you on your use case though. Some people are vacuuming freezing tons of items, some aren't. Also have to look at the life of the machine. I'd like to think mine has lasted at least 6-7 years (still going strong) and I think we went through something like 1700 bags. We had a normal sealer that broke prior to that and one that we had to fix ourselves that wasn't probably 100%. Also mine will hold larger mason jars (yes I know the attachment for foodsaver exists). I just think the bags are better, the seal is better, and I'll be honest my sister has a foodsaver and I saw the difference again after years of foodsaver and it is really big. Was it 100% worth it, idk. But I am still happy with my purchase after many years.

[@barcham]

@@wormulous I previously had a Seal-a-meal machine and it last me around 20 years and is still working fine in the hands of a friend. I do not seal TONS of food, I live alone. If I needed such a machine, I would buy a commercial unit. But I don't. I have sealed steaks and chicken with my FoodSaver and kept them for over two years with no problems or degradation. I have NEVER had a seal break. The very few times, twice I believe, a bag has failed was due to a puncture from a chicken bone, which was negligence on my part when I packaged it. The bottom line is that you buy what you need and works for you, and I will do the same. I have no room in my apartment kitchen for a chamber sealer, no need for one and no intention to spend that kind of money on such a unit. For that matter, I will not spend 3 or 4 or 500 on a Kitchenaid stand mixer either. I do not waste my money on things I have little use for. Very few people have the need for a chamber sealer. But like many other products, those who own them always try to convince everyone that everything else is garbage and not worth buying. That is, to put it mildly, BULLSHIT.

[@sybilreneemcgowan1472]

I wish you would have shown and reported on the others you tested

[@sybilreneemcgowan1472]

@@sandrah7512 where is the full review? Thank you for responding

[@milliepena356]

Exactly , why didn't they talk about any other brand ?

[@millieh.-nyc6537]

This sounds like a great appliance for bulk meat purchase. However, are there any sealers that are compatible with regular freezer bags that are less expensive? Thank you. Be well.

[@barcham]

No, you cannot and would not want to use regular zipper freezer bags. For one thing, they are not thick enough for long term storage, second, they lack the textured surface on the interior which is what enables the machine to vacuum out all the air. When you buy the bags from third party sellers on Amazon, they will actually work out to around the same cost or cheaper than purchasing quality Ziploc bags.

[@brianskinner5711]

My Nesco failed a week after the warranty expired. My old seal a meal was a bit fussy but lasted 8 years.

[@YSColin]

Not even mentioning a chambered design?

[@Javaman92]

THIS was the video that convinced me to buy the VS-12. You let me down. Not that it doesn't seem to vacuum and seal well, but you missed that the canister accessory has been discontinued and NO ONE sells one for this machine. If I want to use that functionality, and I do, I will have to spend money on a FoodSaver accessory and hope that I can modify it to work. Not ideal.

[@deeanngunter1886]

I need one of these!!

[@XavierKatzone]

Boy, I'd NEVER suck the air off a contained raw steak!

[@3gok838]

My mother-in-law has been doing that since she got married in the 1940s. She is still alive!

[@Karin029_]

Just feels like a promotion video for the web page with the full review to be read.

[@mehart01]

OMG! I thought I was the only person who sucked the air out of the bag with a straw.😂

[@wmsatic]

It seems like they didn't test the most common issue: they quickly stop working. Another video on vacuum chamber sealers might be interesting. They're expensive but they don't require special bags and on first impression seem easier to use. But they've a hidden issue with bags not jars. The bagged vacuum depends on the amount of air in the bag prior to vacuuming. Unlike the models you're showing in this video: chamber vacuum sealers do not collapse the bags prior to sealing. They do suck out most of the air: but after sealing, when the bag does collapse, that same amount of air is now potentially in a much smaller volume which increases the pressure. Measure it and be concerned. Make sure you collapse your bags prior to vacuuming.

[@franks4973]

You didn't discuss cutting the bags.

[@philipp594]

Can you do this including chamber sealers? These just run to expensive on the consumables and there are no biodegradable bags available.

[@sweetpea6144]

I’ve had my chamber VacMaster sealer for about 5 years and my brother has had his for over 10. We both use ours 2-3 times a week. I do love it because you can seal a lot at one time. The machine keeps on performing. Because I buy in bulk, this feature is critical for me. Previous counter sealers would only last me a couple of years. Therefore I think the VacMaster is worth the price. Bags are cheap & easily found on line. I wish it could reseal the bag independently of vacuum. Sometimes I wish I could put a second seal on the bag. The bags can be purchased with a thicker plastic and they rarely fail. You can vacuum in mason jars as well. I would highly recommended a chamber sealer if you buy foods in bulk for the pantry or freezer.

[@wayneyeo186]

@@sweetpea6144 There are lots of models, which one(s) do you have? I have been using the a Foodsaver version (Costco) for years and it has worked very well. I have never done cereal, and really have no desire to. Certain things are tricky, and for a lot of sealing at once, it is a bit of a pain waiting for the unit to cool. Thinking an upgrade to a chamber unit would eliminate wait times on large sealing operations, and reduce plastic costs. Thank you.

[@sweetpea6144]

@@wayneyeo186 I have a VacMaster VP 215.

[@philipp594]

@@sandrah7512 I know. But these are the only ones worth having. Even at home. You can find them for less than 500$ these days.

[@barcham]

@@philipp594 And not everyone wants to spend that much on a vacuum sealer, or has the room required to keep one. They are basically a no-go for condo and apartment dwellers for one thing.

[@sharvo6]

I just wish the bags weren't so expensive.

[@gprovidakes]

An issue I have with vacuum sealer is their tendency to pull liquid as well as air. The bags seem to seal ok, but then I have the hassle of cleaning liquid that entered the machine was pretty nasty.

[@beverlyshaffer2464]

America loves you !!.... I have watched a very long time . Stay there !!!

[@walterspringer565]

The problem with this and almost all tests done by Test Kitchen is they never give info other than the one they like best. Often it cost the most $, to me that's not a reason not to buy the cheapest.

[@milunbosiljcic]

Wow Julia i haven't seen you for ages!!! You look beautiful. We love you. ❤️

[@weotu]

Wish they had talked about the bags themselves. Sometimes refills for devices cost more than the machine is worth. I'm looking at you printers!

[@barcham]

They do not talk about the bags because they are available from many different sellers on Amazon. No one purchases the brand name replacement bags.

[@weotu]

@@barcham and if you've never bought one like me, you wouldn't know that

[@barcham]

@@weotu And if you took the time to do a simple web search on the subject, you would find all the information you could ever want. I find a number of questions people post for these videos to be rather stupid, to be honest, because they can be easily answered with a web search or even a product search on Amazon.

[@weotu]

@barcham Did you forget what ATK does? Or do you just like to remind people about Google? And you have the gall to call other people stupid! 🙄

[@barcham]

@@weotu As a member of their websites, and owner of more than 30 of their books, I am very familiar with what they do, and they are very good at it. But they are not a substitute for doing some research on your own. I said nothing about Google in particular, in fact, I never use it myself, I prefer DuckDuckGo myself. Finally, I called no one stupid, simply stated that many questions I read here are stupid and lazy. If you feel that is a personal insult, that is more a statement of how you think of yourself than any feelings I may have. 😎

[@marilynnwright4764]

I would like to have seen how the rest of the sealers did.

[@DrMaserati]

Does ATK have any plans to test chamber vacuum sealers?

[@kr4dh4x0r]

Disappointed that no chamber machines were shown here.... they're much better than these smaller ones.

[@barcham]

And 10X the price, not to mention MUCH larger. They are simply not suited for everyday home use.

[@kr4dh4x0r]

@@barcham interesting. I use mine at home everyday. It's probably better for everyday use than these cheaper machines considering it's commercial grade.

[@barcham]

@@kr4dh4x0r Good for you. Personally, I have no room for such a machine and am more than pleased with my FoodSaver. I have no need to vacuum seal things every day. Sometimes I go over a week without sealing anything. Like I said, everyone has different needs and should get what suits those needs.

[@kr4dh4x0r]

@@barcham So if you understand that everyone has different needs, why would you shoot down the suggestion to review chamber machines? You think everyone doesn't have room or money? Do you work for FoodSaver or are an investor lol?

[@barcham]

@@kr4dh4x0r Also... ATK's focus is on HOME COOKS and HOME KITCHENS. If you want reviews of chamber sealers, I am sure you could find them somewhere, if you were not too lazy to look for them.

[@tonymcgee1146]

How long will a Food Saver bag retain it's vacuum seal if left untouched, stored in plastic tub?

[@JohnMartinson]

Does the Nesco come with a hose attachment? Are FoodSaver hose attachments compatible? Where can I get the hose attachments that are compatible with the Nesco? Thanks!

[@GadgetsGearCoffee]

any reusable options?