Buying your vegetables and meats in bulk is a great way to save some money while streamlining your meal prep — but have you ever noticed how quickly those larger quantities go bad? If you’re into bulk buying or meal prepping and/or using your Instant Pot to create amazing meals, but all too often accidentally let your goods go bad in the back of the fridge, it may be time you invest in a vacuum sealer. The practical kitchen tool is well-loved by professional chefs and home cooks alike for its foolproof ability to extend the shelf life of everything from fresh caught fish and meats to vegetables and fruit preparations.
Vacuum sealers essentially protect and preserve your leftover food by blocking and removing all oxygen from the storage bag — which can easily extend the shelf life of your leftovers or meal prep by weeks and months. How does it extend it so effectively? Oxygen is by far the worst culprit when it comes to food going bad, so creating a zero-oxygen environment for your leftover meats, vegetables, and pre-prepared dishes allows you to pop them in the freezer for the long-term.
The main use of a vacuum sealer is to extend the shelf life of your foods from just a few days to weeks or even months. Vacuum sealers are also a great alternative to a freezer bag when preparing food to be cooked in via the sous vide technique.
While there are a lot of decent vacuum sealers out there, you’ll want to look for very specific tech specs and uses if you’re planning on using your device for preserving wet foods versus dry foods or sous vide as opposed to just food preservation.
Automatic, semi-automatic, and handheld: Most vacuum sealers will fall into one of these three categories, each of which offer a totally different experience. If you’re looking for something that does all the work for you, opt for automatic. If you want something with a little more control for more delicate foods, consider semi-automatic. Finally, if you're looking for something portable that you have full control over, a handheld sealer will be your best bet.
Sous vide versus food preservation: If you’re planning on using your vacuum sealer for both sous vide preparation and food preservation, you’ll want to opt for a heat sealing model, which offers the most reliable, air-tight seal — a vital feature for sous vide cooking.
Batch sealing: While they may be the most reliable, most heat sealing models require a cool down period after 20-40 back-to-back seals. While this may not be a huge deal if you’re just looking to preserve last night’s leftovers, it could become a hassle if you’re planning on doing more batch sealing. If that’s the case, you may want to consider a sealer that doesn’t use heat to seal.
With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of some of the absolute best vacuum sealers you can buy. Whether you’re looking for a top-of-the-line sealer that will work with your delicate vegetables and fish, or you want something that’ll preserve your meals and help prepare your sous vide meats, these are the top vacuum sealers that will give you the most bang for your buck.
With nearly 12 thousand positive reviews on Amazon, the NutriChef Automatic Vacuum Air Sealing System is well-loved — and for good reason. The automatic vacuum sealer rings in at a very affordable price while still offering high quality heat sealing that allows for safe and easy use for both sous vide cooking and preserving fresh or prepared food. The NutriChef also includes a comprehensive starter kit that includes five medium-sized reusable vacuum bags as well as one extra large bag roll that works for both dry/solid and moist/liquid-based foods.
“It looks nice and sleek on my counter top and is super lightweight (something I did not expect). The instructions were so easy to read and it was a simple plug and start,” explained Amazon reviewer Melly5886, “The first thing I did was salmon, it vacuumed it and sealed it beautifully. I will freeze some and make some at the end of the week and post an update to see how the salmon held up. I was able to do 5 packages without any issues.”
Boasting everything you need to properly seal and store your leftovers or bulk meals, the Entrige Vacuum Sealer Machine is compact and lightweight in size without sacrificing power. The vacuum sealer easily fits 12-inch width Entrige or other brand vacuum sealer bags and rolls, which makes it easy to restock as you work your way through your starter kit.
“I buy a lot of meat in bulk and freeze it and needed a new vacuum sealer. This one is easy to use and clean which I love. The options of dry and moist for the food that you are vacuum sealing are perfect for me as I also use it a lot to marinate meat,” said Amazon reviewer Pam, adding that, “It's much easier to use than my old one where I had to hold down the top while it worked. This one all you do is position the bag and lock the top into place. Once you select the best way to vacuum and or seal your food it does the rest. Cleaning it is super simple as the top lifts right off to wipe it down. Great product at a reasonable price for anyone looking for a vacuum sealer.”
The Foodsaver V4400 claims that meat preserved before being put in the freezer will stay fresh for an impressive three years. Thanks to the fully automatic operation that uses exclusive technology to automatically sense the bag and type of food, this premium vacuum sealer creates a customized, airtight vacuum seal every single time, which makes it a great option for anyone looking for a two-in-one device for both storing and sous-vide cooking.
Amazon reviewer Walt Lumley particularly liked the Foodsaver V4400 for its built-in roll cutter, which makes it easier to create portion controlled meals. “Throughout the summer I have visited a farmers market at least once a week and purchased blueberries, corn, strawberries, when on sale. They will taste great in January when the snow is flying. I also purchased chicken and other meats on sale. All of these foods were packaged and frozen for future use. This practice makes it possible to portion control the meat selection resulting in little or no leftovers.”
The Foodsaver FSFSSL2244-000 V2244 is a great example of a vacuum sealer that allows the user a little more control. Rather than detecting and sealing foods automatically, this model allows the user to control the amount of plastic used, cutting out waste and in turn saving money on roll refills.
Amazon reviewer Cissy P particularly liked this vacuum sealer because it’s not automatic — which results in much less plastic waste and more control. “The reason I chose this style vs. the most expensive was that it's NOT automatic. The more expensive models cut the roll for you and it wastes a lot of plastic. It takes no time at all to cut the size you need and the plastic isn't cheap! Being an "empty nest" now, I noticed food was ruining due to freezer burn before my husband and I could eat it. I got used to buying in bulk when we had a house full of kids and now I don't want to pay a higher price for a smaller amount of food.”
This fully automatic and easy to use vacuum sealer by Mueller features unbeatable Austrian engineering that is designed for reliability and long-term use. It includes two selectable modes to ensure your food has the best possible preservation depending on whether it’s more dry or moist, which increases both immediate freshness and the overall amount of time food lasts.
Amazon reviewer CynthiaA tried out other vacuum sealers in the past but prefers the Mueller machine for its whisper-quiet motor and compact design. “This is so much smaller and quieter than my old vacuum sealer. It worked wonderfully right out of the box. It’s easy to figure out how to use and seals great. I used bags from a roll I already had of a different brand and it worked well. Great value for the money.”
The GERYON Vacuum Sealer Machine is at the ideal intersection of aesthetics and practical design. Featuring a super-fast sealing time, easy to clean parts, and everything you need to get started (including five pre-cut bags and a generous vacuum roll), this stylish sealing machine is user-friendly, well-made, and looks pretty great on your counter.
“I found this one, and am VERY pleased. It really is an exceptional little machine,” said Amazon reviewer NscaledT5WT. “I particularly like the buttons. They are touch sensitive, no other moving parts to get dirty. As is so often when working with food, your hands are not always clean, so with these buttons, no food particles, or water from hand washing, can get down into the machine electronics. The accessories, and extra seals are a nice bonus.”
The KitchenBoss Vacuum Sealer Machine for Dry & Moist Foods is an ideal option for anyone looking for a smaller vacuum sealer for easy portion control. Available in a wide variety of cool colorways, from coral orange to graphite grey, this compact vacuum sealer makes it easy to seal and store single servings of everything from dry bulk ingredients to more moist prepared meals or fresh meats. What’s more, the small sealer comes with a generous starter kit that includes ten small-sized food saver bags as well as ten medium-sized bags.
Amazon reviewer Schultzda tried a ton of more expensive vacuum sealers but actually prefers the features that the Kitchen Boss Vacuum Sealer has to offer. “I have owned vacuum sealers costing hundreds of dollars. Other than cutting and storing bag material, this unit does compare with the more expensive unit for speed and ease of use. Dollar for dollar why spend three to four times more for a unit that offers very little advantage? I use my KitchenBoss for freezing individual meals, sealing foods for cooking with my Sous Vide, and packing treats for brown bag lunches. Solidly built, small for storage, and large enough to handle the same sealing requirements as the more expensive unit.”