The 6 Best Vacuum Sealers of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

Aug 16, 2025

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These are the smartest ways to extend the life of your produce and proteins, or to get ready to sous vide.

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No one likes throwing away food. Finding ways to extend the life of your groceries and reduce food waste can help save both time and money. Vacuum sealing is an easy way to buy some extra time when it comes to groceries, preserve your summer garden produce well after the season is over, and break up big portions from warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club.

A vacuum sealer is an excellent tool for meal prep and bulk-buying since it allows you to break a large batch into individual portions to preserve and freeze separately. This appliance is a worthy investment if you want to save money on groceries, marinate meat in minutes instead of hours, preserve homegrown or foraged food, cook sous vide, and much more.

Over several years, we've tested (and re-tested) more than 20 of the best vacuum sealers, including countertop, chamber, and handheld varieties, to find the perfect option for every cook and kitchen. Read on to find out which vacuum sealers met our high expectations.

The Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer was easy to use, even for beginners, and it did an excellent job of removing air without crushing even delicate foods. If you're looking for a chamber sealer, we recommend the versatile Lem MaxVac Pro Chamber Vacuum Sealer for its large chamber and customizable settings.

We loved how well this sealer removed air, even with delicate foods, and it was so easy to use.

This machine has a longer refractory period than others, which will slow you down if you do a lot of sealing at once.

Even for a total beginner, the Nesco VS-12 was an easy-to-use and effective vacuum sealer. We noticed that the bag adhered tightly to the food inside, and we felt that it truly removed all the air. We didn't notice any pockets or bubbles, and our sous vide setups with both carrots and meat had zero leaks. For our tomato sauce test, we used the double-seal option, which strengthened the seal and prevented tears or bursting even when we threw the bag at the test kitchen wall.

We tried this sealer on a few delicate cereals, with no breakage on some varieties and only up to about a 20 percent rate on the most delicate kinds. It had no problem sealing a whole peeled banana while keeping it intact, though we recommend the pulse button over the automatic cycle to keep from smashing soft, ripe berries.

We don't have many negative things to say about the Nesco VS-12. It's quite fairly priced, and though the instructions were a bit difficult to understand, this machine was incredibly easy to use once we got the hang of it. The only issue we could see is the refractory period. You have to wait 2 minutes for the motor to cool down between sealing cycles. This didn't bother us much during testing, but if you were trying to vacuum-seal dozens of individual chicken breasts from a warehouse-sized pack or portion out lots of individual servings for meal prep, it might be an annoyance.

Dimensions: 15.75 x 8 x 4.5 inches | Settings: Dry, moist, double-seal, gentle pressure, pulse, manual seal | Bag Storage: Yes | Bag Cutter: Yes | Includes: 8.6 x 9.85–inch bag roll, 11.8 x 9.85–inch bag roll

We were thrilled with how well this model sealed moist and liquid foods, and the settings and many included bag sizes make it more customizable.

It doesn't excel at sealing dry or delicate foods.

No more leaky bags of marinating chicken dripping all over the fridge, or soggy sous vide steak — the Nesco Premium Vacuum Sealer is all you need. This machine is almost infinitely customizable, with settings for dry or wet foods, gentle or normal pressure, canister vacuuming, and more. Plus, it comes with two sizes of rolls and six sizes of bags.

The seal from this machine was exceptional. Where other sealers struggled with bags containing liquid, the Nesco Premium Vacuum Sealer had no trouble whatsoever. We saw no leaks, issues with seals, or backflow on all our moist foods and liquids. It also sealed very well around sharp or jagged edges, like cheese wedges.

During our most recent round of testing, it crushed our chips and popped some grapes as we were sealing them. If you plan to use your sealer for dry storage or delicate foods, we wouldn't recommend this one. However, it did exceptionally well with wet foods, so it's the right choice for pickling, fermenting, marinating, and sous vide.

Dimensions: 15.2 X 10.43 X 4.96 inches | Seal Settings: Dry, liquid, normal, gentle, marinate, canister, pulse, seal, vacuum and seal | Bag Storage: Yes | Bag Cutter: Yes | Includes: 2 (11-inch x 20-foot) rolls, one (8-inch x 20-foot) roll, 10 (1-quart) bags, 10 (1-gallon) bags, 5 (1-quart) zipper bags, 5 (1-gallon) zipper bags, 10 (1-quart) stand up bags, 10 (1-gallon) stand up bags

We liked that this machine was portable, and were impressed with how well it handled soft and delicate foods.

It doesn't come with many accessories.

Campers, hunters, foragers, and gardeners: This is the vacuum sealer for you. The LEM MaxVac Go Cordless Plastic Vacuum Sealer doesn't require an outlet, so you can seal anywhere. The battery takes just an hour to charge and can seal up to 100 bags before running out. The manufacturer doesn't specify a refractory period, and during testing, we didn't have any issues sealing bags back to back. The controls are straightforward, and we appreciated the clips and seal guides on the edges to ensure a straight and even seal every time.

We sealed a banana, berries, and cereal — all three remained intact, and there was a tight fit with no air pockets. We saw no crushing whatsoever on all our foods. The seal held up well when submerged in water, making this a good match for sous vide. We just wish the MaxVac Go came with more accessories. The included roll is only 8 inches wide, though the machine can accommodate up to 11 inches; if you want larger bags, you'll have to purchase another roll separately. You also have to purchase a hose separately to use the canister setting. And it would have been nice if this portable sealer included a case or other way to keep track of the cord and charger while on the go.

Dimensions: 15.25 x 6 x 3.25 inches | Seal Settings: Dry, moist, pluse, canister | Bag Storage: Yes | Bag Cutter: Yes | Includes: 8-inch x 10-foot roll, charger and cord

This chamber sealer is endlessly customizable and can deal with most any food.

It's expensive and not geared toward beginners.

Chamber vacuum sealers are the type you'd typically find in restaurant kitchens. Where most home vacuum sealers suck the air out from one end of a bag, a chamber model removes the air from its interior chamber all at once. It's much better able to deal with irregularly shaped items and liquids.

The MaxVac Pro Chamber Vacuum Sealer is even more versatile than other chamber models because its large chamber can accommodate canning jars, and the included riser (which is top-rack dishwasher safe) makes it easier to seal smaller containers as well. A small magnet holds the bag in place while sealing, which was very helpful when we were dealing with moist foods and large quantities of marinades.

Everything we sealed was tightly suctioned, even oddly shaped items, and there were absolutely no air pockets in any bags holding liquids. The customizable settings gave us more control over the sealing so we could tailor the power and time to each situation; this was especially helpful with delicate foods requiring more precise sealing.Like most chamber vacuum sealers, this model is not cheap. For casual users, the extra bells and whistles and the price tag that accompany them may not be worth the investment. We love the options for so much customization, but the numerous settings may be confusing for beginners.

Dimensions: 11.24 x 11.81 x 3.93 inches | Seal Settings: Stop, auto, seal, canister, marinate | Bag Storage: No | Bag Cutter: No | Includes: Vacuum hose, heat seal bar, chamber gasket, port filter cover, chamber riser, 40 (1-pint) bags, 20 (1-quart) bags, 20 (1-gallon) bags

We loved the versatile settings and smart design features of this reasonably priced machine.

It's big and bulky.

Our favorite thing about this sealer was its different settings for dry, moist, and liquid foods. The INKBIRD machine automatically adjusts the suction power and time for the perfect seal regardless of what's in the bag. During our most recent round of testing, we used this machine to seal a few steaks for sous vide. After 24 hours of cooking, we noticed no leaks or air bubbles. We also used this sealer to marinate meat several times, and the bags were sealed perfectly each time. Overall, we were really impressed with the seal and this machine's ability to truly suck out all the air without any backflow issues or air bubbles.

The display includes a countdown timer, which made it easy to monitor the progress of each seal. The handle is a convenient design feature, allowing one-handed operation and eliminating the need to apply extreme pressure like some other sealers require. We also loved the integrated bag storage, but some of these design features make this sealer a bit bulky. It takes up more counter space than some chamber vacuum sealers, and because it's so wide, it can be even more difficult to store.

Dimensions: 15.6 x 9.4 x 4.5 inches | Seal Settings: Dry, moist, liquid, gentle, normal, canister, pluse, vac and seal | Bag Storage: Yes | Bag Cutter: Yes | Includes: Air suction hose, replacement foam gasket, sticky notes, power cord, 11-inch x 16.4-foot roll, 5 (8 X 11.8 inch) bags

This no-nonsense machine was easy to use and did a great job sealing, especially with liquids.

Its lack of a gentle mode made it easy to crush delicate foods.

If you're new to vacuum sealing, you'll want a machine that is easy to use and control without sacrificing functionality. That's where the Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro comes in. It has a few clearly labeled buttons that don't require switching to different modes or toggling; just one button does the vacuuming and the sealing. There are options for dry or moist food, a pulse setting, and a separate button to control the hose port, but all of those are totally optional.

The biggest issue in multiple rounds of testing was that the Anova crushed cereal and smushed strawberries using its automatic mode. We were able to get better results with careful use of the pulse function, but a gentle setting would really have come in handy. On the other hand, it was one of the best machines we tested at sealing liquids. We didn't see any backflow or weak seals on our bags of tomato sauce and marinated carrots.

Dimensions: 14.75 x 7.0 x 4.3 inches | Seal Settings: Dry, moist, pulse, external pulse, seal, vacuum and seal | Bag Storage: Yes | Bag Cutter: Yes | Includes: Hose, 1 bag roll

Vacuum sealers are invaluable tools for storing food bought in bulk, meal prep, or preserving food you've grown or caught yourself. Vacuum sealing prolongs shelf life and prepares food for freezing (without freezer burn) to get more mileage from your groceries or summer garden. Vacuum sealers also come in handy for sous vide cooking, and sealing meat or veggies with flavorful liquid accelerates both marinating and pickling.

Over the course of four rounds of testing dating back to 2022, we've assessed more than 20 vacuum sealers, including cordless, handheld, and chamber models. We performed a series of standardized tests to evaluate setup, cleanup, versatility, performance, ease of use, and noise level. We also collected subjective observations on features and extras we especially liked, and any unique annoyances or problems the units presented.

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After testing, we revealed retail prices to assess the value of each vacuum sealer. At the time of testing, the least expensive vacuum sealer we tested was $37, and the most expensive was $499, with an average of $145.

At their most basic, vacuum sealers have two functions: sucking out air and sealing a bag. The most basic machines don't allow any adjustment to either step, but many have at least separate settings for dry and moist foods. These change the power and cycle time to avoid crushing dry cereal or sucking liquid into the machine.

More comprehensive vacuum sealer may have separate settings for marinating, pickling, and other wet applications. Vacuum sealing foods with a marinade or pickling solution forces the flavorful liquid into the food to drastically cut down on the amount of time it needs to sit. A specialized liquid setting makes these tasks much easier. Some machines also offer the option to double-seal the bag, adding another layer of insurance against any liquid breaking through.

If you know you'll be using your vacuum sealer for jars, you'll want either a chamber vacuum sealer large enough to accommodate them, or a more compact sealer with a canister setting and attachments. Some sealers come with the hose and jar topper you'll need, while others with a canister mode still require you to buy them separately. It's not a huge expense but should come into consideration as part of the price of the sealer.

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Most vacuum sealers are countertop models. They're wide and flat, and just the edge of the bag sits inside the machine. Some have internal storage for bags or rolls of plastic that can be cut into customizable sizes. They take up less space than chamber models but can't do as much.

Chamber vacuum sealers involve putting the whole bag or jar into the machine, and the entire chamber has the air removed. These types of sealers are much larger, much more powerful, and usually pretty heavy. However, they're worth the counter space for more advanced users because they're better suited to techniques for infusing, compressing, pickling, and fermenting. The increased versatility and power also come with an increased price tag.

Handheld vacuum sealers are small machines that don't need to sit flat on the counter and can attach to the top of a jar or a special bag with a valve to remove air. They're cheaper and more compact than countertop or chamber models but are generally less powerful and don't do as good of a job as the other types. None of the handheld models we tested performed well enough to make our list of favorites.

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Vacuum sealing requires special bags made to remove air thoroughly and hold a strong seal. Many vacuum sealer machines include a few bags to get you started, but you'll eventually need to buy more. You can either buy pre-cut bags or long rolls that can be cut down to whatever size you like. Vacuum sealers with onboard storage are most convenient since you don't have to worry about keeping track of bags and rolls, and most sealers with internal bag storage also include a cutter to slice the bag off the roll once it's sealed. However, the effectiveness of these cutters was hit or miss in testing. We recommend keeping a sharp pair of kitchen shears on hand for easier cutting.

It takes a powerful pump to create a vacuum seal, and the motor of a vacuum sealer can be prone to overheat if it runs for a long time. Most machines require a refractory period — a little downtime between cycles. Some models only need a few seconds, while others can take as long as 2 minutes. If you plan to use your sealer for meal prep or preserving many individual portions of something larger, a longer refractory period will slow you down. But if you only plan to seal a bag or two at a time, it won't matter as much.

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A vacuum sealer is a versatile tool that many types of home cooks will find useful. If you find yourself frustrated with freezer-burnt meat from a club-store multipack or wasting veggies from your garden because you can't eat them fast enough, you'll love a vacuum sealer. Even if you just want to reduce food waste or get more shelf life out of your groceries, a vacuum sealer is an invaluable tool. Forgot to put the chicken into the marinade last night? A vacuum sealer can marinate it in just a few minutes. Plus, a vacuum sealer is pretty much a necessity for sous vide cooking.

The exact procedure will vary depending on the brand, but for most countertop models, you fill the bag, place the edge into the sealer, close the lid, and select a cycle. The machine will remove the air and then heat-seal the bag pretty much automatically, but if you're using a bag roll you'll also have to cut the sealed bag off the roll. Check the bag at the end of a process: You shouldn't see any bubbles or air pockets in the bag, or liquid in the seal.

Chamber vacuum sealers work similarly, but you place the bag inside the chamber with the opening laid over the edge before closing the lid. You can also seal jars in a chamber vacuum sealer by simply putting them in the chamber and closing the lid.

Once you've used your vacuum sealer a few times, you can experiment with different settings and find the best combinations for the foods you're sealing. Wet foods and liquids, like those used for marinating and pickling, will need different types of vacuum sealing than meat for freezing or snack for storing.

The shelf life of vacuum-sealed food depends on the food itself, but vacuum sealing greatly extends shelf life. Vacuum-sealed meat can be frozen for up to 3 years, and pantry staples like flour and sugar can stay fresh for up to 2 years. Vacuum-sealed coffee will keep its flavor for up to 9 months. Nuts, which have volatile oils that can go rancid quickly at room temperature, will stay fresh and delicious for up to 2 years. In the fridge, vacuum-sealed cheese can last for up to 6 months, and summer berries can last until the holidays.

The main foods to avoid vacuum sealing are bananas, mushrooms, whole apples, raw onion and garlic, and soft or unpasturized cheeses. Bananas and mushrooms will actually go bad much faster when vacuum sealed. If you want to seal raw apples, just make sure to slice them first so they stay fresh. Raw onions and garlic pose the risk of botulism when vacuum-sealed. Soft cheeses release gases that need to dissipate, or they will develop off flavors.

Liquids can be hard to seal but are not impossible. For liquids like soups and sauces that you plan to store in the freezer anyway, simply freeze them first and then vacuum seal the frozen blocks for a much easier time.

You should never vacuum seal hot or even warm food. Steam will accumulate and cause the bag to burst or interfere with a strong seal. Always cool food down to room or refrigerator temperature before attempting to seal it.

Unfortunately, no. Vacuum sealer bags aren't like regular zip-top bags. They're made from a special type of thick plastic that creates a strong heat seal, often with a textured interior that helps all the air get sucked out. Standard storage bags won't work properly, so be sure to buy something explicitly labeled as a vacuum sealer bag. (Most brands that sell vacuum sealers also sell bags and rolls, and you can't go wrong with a option especially meant for your machine.)

Mueller Vacuum Sealer ($50 at Walmart)

The Mueller was easy to use, and we thought it has an excellent price for its overall performance. However, when we began sous vide cooking, we noticed some air bubbles in our bag of chicken, and it crushed much of our cereal, so it didn't make the final list.

Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer ($350 at Amazon)

This chamber sealer was one of our top picks in a previous version of this roundup. We were very impressed with how customizable the settings are and the efficient sealing. The MaxVac Pro edged it out in our latest tests but it's a solid deal for a high-end chamber machine.

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Geryon Food Vacuum Sealer ($51 at Amazon)

This used to be our top value pick because it excelled at liquid sealing and handled delicate items well. However, it's not recommended for sous vide cooking because it can't make a strong enough seal. We've since tested other value picks that can handle sous vide, making them more versatile.

FoodSaver Handheld+ 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System ($150 at FoodSaver)

This machine was extremely easy to use during testing, and we appreciated that there is no refractory period. And the best feature is that it comes with a handheld sealer for canisters and jars — no hoses necessary! The compact size is nice, but there's no bag storage and it's on the higher end of the price range.

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Over several years of testing, there were a few vacuum sealers that couldn't stand up to our rigorous testing. The Anova Culinary Precision Port Handheld Vacuum Sealer had confusing instructions, and lining the sealer up with the mouths of our jars or bags was too tricky. Another handheld sealer, the Vesta Precision Handheld Vac 'n Seal, was also hard to line up, and we noticed some air pockets developing a few minutes after sealing. The Potane Vacuum Sealer Machine thoroughly crushed our cereal, and it isn't recommended for liquids, so we just couldn't endorse it.

Nick DeSimone is a Food & Wine writer with nearly a decade of professional cooking experience. They have often used vacuum sealers to preserve food at home and make pickles and infusions in restaurant kitchens. You can find more of their work at Allrecipes, EatingWell, and The Kitchn.