Best Vacuum Sealers (2025), Tested and Reviewed

For dry products, we used dry pinto beans and dry basmati rice and noted how much air or movement was left in the bag (i.e., they should feel rock-solid). For moist products, we used chicken thighs and salmon fillets and noted any air gaps left by the reduced suction power. For the wet test, we put a pork chop in ¼ cup of liquid marinade and noted whether we could perform a vacuum cycle without spillage into the drip tray. For the fragile items, we used the “pulse” mode (if available) to seal multigrain crackers and soft chocolate chip cookies. We also put these items through a regular dry seal to see how squished or damaged they became.

We also made batches of bags by hand from the roll (as opposed to using premade bags). Finally, we tested any accessories that came with the vacuum sealer when applicable, but did not let that impact the head-to-head testing.

Other external vacuum sealers we tested

The box this vacuum sealer comes in says “Made for sous vide” right on the front, and we’d agree this is a great edge sealer for that job. The Moist mode removed air effectively without letting liquid leech too far toward the chamber. With the meat in a marinade, I tried it on Pulse and was similarly able to pull sufficient air out without spilling. It also puts a double heat seal on every bag, ensuring a strong seal for submerging in water. Oddly enough, I found the Dry function a little lacking on this unit, as my rice bag and beans bag were both able to flex and move around a little more than with other sealers. Another slight minus is that this machine doesn’t beep or do anything other than shut off the Seal light when it’s done. To be fair, the Nesco doesn’t beep either, but it does have a countdown to zero to remind you things are all done. On the plus side, making bags is just as easy as with the Nesco and by contrast, Anova’s is much more attractive in a glossy black finish that won’t stick out as much among your more modern appliances.

If sealing bags that stand up (or minimizing liquid leaching into the machine) is not a priority for you, then you could save some dollars by opting for this low-to-the-ground FoodSaver model instead of the FoodSaver Elite. One attribute of the Premier Multi-Use that I prefer to the Elite is that I found batching out bags extremely easy. But this is a loud machine with relatively few presets (compared to the Elite). There is a fixed handheld attachment that sits on the top corner of the unit with the hose coiled up. It’s not as slick as the retractable hose on the Elite, but it does expand the possibilities.

Two appliances in one sounds like a good prospect, but I found this compact, multi-use machine to be a bit lacking. This very counter-space-friendly unit does not store any bags, but it does come with a cordless, rechargeable handheld vacuum sealer that can be used with compatible zipper-top bags and containers. However, there was too much air left in the bags of salmon fillets and no adjustable suction settings, meaning it isn’t really suitable for wet ingredients. The only real use case I see for this one is for someone fully bought-in on the FoodSaver reusable bags and canisters to store pantry snacks, then this could be a convenient, streamlined expansion allowing for both the frequent use of zipper bags (and containers and wine stoppers like the other FoodSavers) and the occasional vac-packing for the freezer.

With 250 watts of power, this had the fastest vacuum seal function we tested at just 17 seconds, and everything we sealed was sufficiently airtight. But all that power comes at the expense of your eardrums; the LEM has a very loud motor. While it does store bags on board, the bag cutter jammed on the edge of the bag, and the storage feature makes its footprint quite large (as large as a chamber sealer). Aesthetically, it looks like something that might live behind a deli counter rather than next to your espresso maker. What really knocked this vacuum sealer out of contention for the food storage category were that I had to run a short vacuum cycle to seal each bag and the locking mechanism on the lid required so much force to disengage that I felt like I might be breaking it. That said, if you’re a hunter who breaks down and keeps large amounts of meat, the MaxVac 250 would fit the job just fine.

If you’re not in the market for a heavy-duty device like the LEM, but still want to freeze lots of food, consider this model from Weston, which included an integrated date stamp feature that heat seals the month and day or two-digit year right on the bag. With only two modes (Dry and Liquid), this one fell a little short of others by not having a Moist mode for items that fall in between. I used the Dry mode on chicken thighs and salmon and still found some air gaps in places where two pieces of meat met. Aside from the date stamp, this sealer also has storage for two bag rolls. This storage turns what would otherwise be a “flat” sealer into a standing sealer like the FoodSaver Elite. It also features a port for a hose that could seal jars and other compatible containers if you buy the accessories, which are not included.

Interestingly, Avid Armor’s USV20 chamber sealer and Anova’s Precision chamber sealer are very similar. The size, capacity, bag clip, soft-close glass lid, and carrying handles were all identical.