Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
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Credit:
Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
While basic in its features, the FoodSaver FM2000 is easy to use and includes helpful information in its instructions. Read More
Great features, such as multiple suction settings, optional accessories, and a cord that winds away neatly make this a great vacuum sealer. Read More
It sucks out air thoroughly and includes a pulse option for sealing items that break easily. It takes hand strength to activate the machine, however. Read More
Even though it has a small footprint and produces good results, the Ziplock V203 sealer is difficult to use and doesn't include storage for materials. Read More
Food waste is one of the hottest topics in the food world right now. The FDA estimates 30 to 40 percent of our food supply is tossed into landfills (or spoils before it's eaten), so more and more consumers are trying to help lower that statistic. One great option: Buy a vacuum sealer.
These kitchen tools are among the best ways to keep food fresher longer. Vacuum sealers can extend the shelf life of fresh and frozen items in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry—at times longer than the best food storage containers, not to mention your items will take up less space.
Vacuum sealers also come in handy if you like to cook with an immersion circulator and sous vide your food.
To help you spend wisely, we chose four highly-rated vacuum sealers and used each one to see how well they sealed frozen meats, potato chips, fresh and frozen fruit, and bread. Our winner, the FoodSaver FM2000 Vacuum Sealing System (available at Amazon for $115.00) takes the cake for both Best Value and Best Overall, being easy to use and affordable.
If you're looking for a basic vacuum sealer at a lower price, our pick for best value is the FoodSaver FM2000.
Offers multiple settings for suction
Countdown display
Includes onboard bag cutter and storage
Manual light on food safety info
Removes air thoroughly
Pulse feature helps with delicate jobs
Includes progress bar and chimes when done
No onboard storage or cutter
Must press vigorously to use
Compact
Instructions included on machine itself
Seals as well as higher end models
No onboard storage or cutter
Must press vigorously to use
Hi, I'm Sharon Franke, and I’ve been reviewing kitchen equipment for more than 30 years. Before that, I cooked in New York City restaurants for seven years. Increasingly, I’ve been concerned about food waste and its effect on climate change.
That’s why I’m doing everything I can to keep food fresh and toss less. Now that I’ve tested vacuum sealers, I know they’re an easy way to preserve everything from frozen meats to items I buy in bulk like blocks of cheddar, nuts, and raisins.
We tested some of the most popular vacuum sealers out there. In each one, we sealed, then froze, hamburgers and chicken breasts and checked them for ice crystals and freezer burn after two, and again at three weeks.
We sealed delicate items like fresh and frozen raspberries and bread slices to see if they got squished. After sealing potato chips, we subjected the bags to a hot and very humid climate to see if the chips stayed crispy over four days. In a bag from each sealer, we sealed a piece of paper and then submerged the bag in water to see if the paper stayed dry.
Of course, we also evaluated how easy each machine was to use, how quickly it sealed, how much noise it made, what special features it offered, and how much room it would require on your countertop or cabinets.
We vacuum sealed potato chips as part of our testing to see if they would stay crispy.
These electric appliances suck air out of a plastic bag or canister and then seal it. They are very effective at producing a tightly sealed package. In our tests, even when packages were submerged in water, nothing seeped in. Vacuum sealers work very well for frozen foods, as they remove any air that could cause ice crystals or freezer burn from dehydration.
In addition, they’re great for packaging items like blocks of cheese and dried fruits that easily dry out if not tightly covered. However, our tests found that when vacuum sealed packages of chips were left in a warm, humid environment, they didn’t stay fresh and crunchy. Our deduction is that moist air traveled into the bags through the plastic itself.
In fact, chips stayed crispier in conventional storage containers.
Every manufacturer offers pre-cut bags as well as rolls of plastic that you can cut to form the right vacuum sealed bag customized to your needs. They also offer canisters to use for food storage or marination that you can vacuum seal by connecting them to the machine with a hose.
Sharon Franke
Contributor
Sharon has been testing kitchen equipment for the past 30 years. Before becoming a cooking tools maven, she worked as a professional chef in New York City restaurants for seven years.
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