Best Vacuum Sealers in the UK

Review & Comparison, Last Update November 22, 2024
If you want to extend the shelf life of food, a vacuum sealer is an appliance you surely need. Thanks to a vacuum sealer, you will ...Read more
PROS

Equipped with a powerful 280 W motor, the device can vacuum up to 70 litres per minute; the maximum vacuum cycle time is 99 seconds. Featuring an 80 mm deep chamber, it will allow you to easily pack liquid-rich foods and even clothing items.

CONS

Sealer bags are not included in the box. 

OUR VERDICT

The SousVideTools IV2.5 is a professional quality appliance that will allow for up to 5 times longer storage of dry, moist, and liquid foods. Offering adjustable vacuuming modes and sealing time settings, the vacuum sealing machine boasts a user-friendly design and intuitive operation.

detailed parameters
Type

Chamber vacuum sealer

Application Area

Kitchen, Light commercial use

Vacuum Power

280 W

Functions

3 vacuum modes (liquid, normal, strong), 3 sealing time modes (eco, normal, extended), Seal, Marinating, LED progress lights, Auto, Cancel, Smart low profile design, Hinged transparent tempered glass lid

Compatibility

Bags and rolls (up to 25 cm wide), Canisters

Package

1 x accessory hose

Warranty

1 year (parts and labour)

PROS

You can choose between one of three pre-set speed modes to control the vacuuming process with more convenience. An accessory hose comes with the package too. 

CONS

It might take you some time to figure out the controls. 

OUR VERDICT

Powerful and functional, this vacuum sealer by Food Saver will let you keep your food products fresh 5 times longer than without the seal. Choose this model and enjoy the taste of your favourite food whenever you want.

detailed parameters
Type

External vacuum sealer

Application Area

Kitchen

Vacuum Power

140 W

Functions

Automatic vacuum and seal, 3 speeds, 2 food modes (dry/moist), Canister mode, Pulse button, Seal only function, LED progress lights, Integrated roll storage and cutter facility, Vertical design

Compatibility

FoodSaver® bags, Rolls, Canisters, Bottle stoppers, Quick marinators, Containers

Package

5 x 0.94 L bags, 5 x 3.78 L bags, 1 x roll (28 cm x 3 m), 1 x storage canister, 1 x accessory hose


Warranty

2 years

PROS

The LED progress lights are noticeable but not bright enough to be distractive. The integrated 12-inch (30 centimetres) heat strip will let you seal multiple bags simultaneously, whilst the built-in cutter will enable making custom-sized vacuum bags from vacuum rolls. 

CONS

The housing's not smudge-resistant. 

OUR VERDICT

Despite being the most affordable machine on this list, the Bonsenkitchen VS3802 is also the most attractive one. What looks like chrome treatment with an elegant grainy texture on top gives the unit an elegant appearance, with the control buttons and LED progress lights following the suit.

detailed parameters
Type

External vacuum sealer

Application Area

Kitchen

Vacuum Power

125 W

Functions

Automatic vacuum and seal, 2 food modes (dry/moist), Seal only function, LED progress lights, Integrated roll storage and cutter facility

Compatibility

Bags and rolls (up to 30 cm wide), Canisters, Bottles, Lunch boxes

Package

1 x roll (25 cm x 3 m), 2 x accessory hoses, 5 x vacuum bags (20 cm x 30 cm), 5 zipper bags (25 cm x 28 cm), wine cork

Warranty

1 year

PROS

The machine comes supplied with a few bags of various sizes which will allow you to try it out right after unpacking. Also, the kit includes one 3m roll.

CONS

Some find the appliance somewhat loud. 

OUR VERDICT

The FoodSaver FFS017 can be trusted to save food. You'll be able to keep different food items as delicious and flavoursome as the day you bought them. You'll have no issues with plastic and glass containers/lunch boxes/bottles too.

detailed parameters
Type

Stationary

Application Area

Kitchen

Vacuum Power

140 W

Functions

Automatic vacuum and seal, 2 food modes (Dry/moist), Seal-only function, LED progress lights, Marinate feature, Integrated roll storage and cutter facility, Vertical design (for saving countertop space)

Compatibility

Bags and rolls of various sizes, Canisters, Bottles, Lunch boxes

Package

3 x 0.94L bags

2 x 3.78L bags

3 x 0.95L zipper bags

1 x roll (28cm x 3m)

Warranty

2 years

PROS

The unit looks very high-tech with its unique luminous LED ring that lights up to inform you when the process of sealing is done. In addition to that, it has an indicator light that will remind you to clean it after each use.

CONS

It has no cutter.

OUR VERDICT

The FRESKO V8 is one of the best vacuum sealer machines for home use. Besides offering you a fully automatic performance, it provides five types of vacuum functions so that you can vacuum seal with it pretty much everything. More to that, you get as many as 20 bags with the purchase.

detailed parameters
Type

External vacuum sealer

Application Area

Kitchen

Vacuum Power

130 W

Functions

Automatic vacuum and seal, 2 food modes (dry/moist), Seal only function, Luminous LED ring, Clean indication light, Removable magnetic drip tray

Compatibility

Works with vacuum bags, Containers, Canisters and bottle stopper, Maximum sealing size - 300 mm

Package

20 x food vacuum sealer bags (20 cm x 30 cm), 1 x vacuum tube

Warranty

1 year

For Freezing Large Batches

Vacuum sealing is a great way to preserve fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish in your freezer and fridge to enjoy delicious and nutrient-rich meals all year round. This machine by SousVideTools will make a great addition to any kitchen; moreover, the unit is appropriate for light commercial use. Though more expensive than external sealing machines, chamber vacuum sealers are also more powerful, and they are second-to-none for packaging moist foods.

So, the SousVideTools chamber vacuum sealer is equally good for sealing dry, wet, and moist foods and it has 3 vacuuming settings (Light, Normal, and Strong) and 3 time settings (Eco, Normal, and Extended) to suit your every packaging need. Providing a higher level of vacuum compared to its rivals, this efficient unit will maintain the same pressure both outside and inside the bag, thus preventing liquids from spilling and delicate foods from crushing.

Offering 280 watts of power, the appliance can vacuum up to 70 litres per minute. It has a 250 mm sealing bar and an 80 mm deep chamber allowing you to pack large pieces of meat and fish, liquid-rich fruit, and even clothing items. Protected from freezer burn and bacteria growth, vacuum-sealed foods will remain fresh and delicious up to five times longer. Because seasonal products are cheaper, the investment will surely pay off. Meanwhile, vacuum sealing clothes will help you to free wardrobe space.

Vacuum Sealing and More

Simple in operation, the appliance has an ergonomic control panel and integrated side handles. Efficient as it is, the unit is quite portable. It can be used to remove the air from both food bags and vacuum canisters and the hose attachment is included in the box. The only downside is that there are no bags provided; you can buy them additionally to use the unit right from the box.

Oh, and one more awesome feature. Great for vacuum sealing, this machine can also be used for pulling vacuum without sealing; this function is great for marinating foods. It will just take 99 seconds to prepare fantastic pickled cucumbers!

To sum it all up, the SousVideTools chamber sealing machine will allow you to quickly and easily vacuum seal wet, dry, and liquid foods and prepare marinated goodies. Powerful and functional, it will become a great buy for a big family or a small business.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £249.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B08FWWYVCK

Save Your Food Save Your Money

The Foodsaver FFS005 Vacuum Sealing System will help you keep your food products fresh up to five times longer in comparison to traditional preservation methods. The appliance boasts the power of 140 watts that provides fast and effective air removal from a bag. Five 0.94-litre and five 3.78-litre bags are included so you can use the sealer as soon as you bring it home. And if you need to preserve large quantities of food in one go, you’ll definitely find the roll included in the box useful. Thanks to a special roll storage space and a cutting facility, sealing big-sized foodstuffs will not be a problem. One more advantage of this model is a retractable hose that gives you a chance to remove air from food containers and bottles – quite a useful function, isn’t it?

Although the Foodsaver FFS005 Vacuum Sealing System has a lot of buttons on the control panel, we want to reassure you that handling the device is as easy as it can be. Control buttons are marked with signs, not words, that’s why it’ll take you some time to learn what each button is used for. But as soon as you remember their functions, using the appliance will become a fast and simple process. Moreover, light indicators located near every button inform you which function is currently being performed. 

As for the sealing process itself, it is carried out with only one button. However, you can adjust sealing parameters by changing operation speed and choosing dry/ moist mode. The pulse button will come in handy to vacuum seal fragile food products (cookies, snacks, crisps, etc.) because this very option gives you full control over the sealing process. One more advantage you’ll like about the Foodsaver vacuum sealer is its vertical design. By this we mean it can be stored in a vertical position when not in use, thus clearing space for other kitchen appliances.

Marinate in Minutes

In addition to all the common functions a vacuum sealer usually possesses, the Foodsaver FFS005 boasts a marinate mode that may come helpful in situations when you need to quickly organise a BBQ party. To marinate fish or meat in the twinkling of an eye, you’ll need to buy a special container from Foodsaver company, put ingredients inside, season them, close the lid, and connect a built-in hose. As soon as you do it, choose marinate (with all other models) mode on the container and push an accessory button on the sealer. The appliance will remove the air from the container in several seconds and you’ll be able to cook freshly marinated fish/meat in 10 minutes.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price £153.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B01HRSEUWQ

Elegant Grainy Texture

We're not quite sure what the reason is but, more often than not, vacuum sealers look gorgeous, much more expensive than these appliances usually are. The Bonsenkitchen VS3802 fits the same mould. Looking at it, you cannot tell that the unit costs less than 40 quid. No, the appliance presents a stunning front, with this chrome-treated finish sporting an elegant grainy texture that makes the model look elegant but not flashy. The lines are clean, the company's logo is discreet, and the edges are rounded, making the unit safe. There's a certain streamlined aesthetic to this appliance, an aesthetic that even much more expensive vacuum sealers cannot quite match.

When you start nitpicking, the one issue that we have regarding the model's appearance is that, despite looking the part, the housing is not smudge-resistant, so you'll have to wipe the appliance with a damp cloth every now and then to maintain its elegant appearance. Other than that, even the low-profile control buttons and the LED lights above them contribute towards making this unit as sleek and streamlined as possible without losing the practicality sight. Borrowing from the competition, these buttons include Dry, Moist, Stop, Seal, and Vac Seal.

Sealing Multiple Bags Simultaneously

As you can imagine, the Dry and Moist buttons let you control Dry and Moist modes. While the latter will prove excellent for steamed, poached, or simmered food, the former, surprisingly enough, will prove more suitable for dry food.

The more interesting part is the 12-inch (30-centimetre) heat strip that this machine comes armed with. Using this strip, you can seal multiple bags at the same time, reducing the workload and saving time. In the same vein, there's a storage compartment embedded into the appliance, so you can keep these bags within reach. Well, technically speaking, you'll be storing rolls, but the integrated cutter will let you make custom-sized vacuum bags from these rolls without using scissors.

Setting the appliance aside, you'll receive one roll (25 centimetres x 3 metres), two accessory hoses, five vacuum bags (20 x 30 centimetres), five zipper bags (25 x 28 centimetres), and a wine cork. Needless to say, the wine cork will let you preserve red wine.

Without discussing the details or features that vacuum sealers these days do not come without, the Bonsenkitchen VS3802 is an attractive-looking machine that will enable you to reduce spoilage and food waste.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price £45.99
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B07DZZP4B1

Removing Air

The FoodSaver FFS017 is effective and efficient. Before that though, the machine's good-looking enough too. It is stylish and streamlined, matching silver housing with black buttons and black removable parts.

The machine measures 46.4 x 17.4 x 14.8 centimetres, pretty standard as far as these sealers go. However, the difference here is that this appliance can be placed and used vertically too, so you'll be able to save countertop space.

Of course, first and foremost, the appliance will let you extend the lifespan of every single food item/meal/dish, from leftovers to the food you've just purchased. You'll be able to keep the food fresh and tasty, cutting down on waste and taking full advantage of store promotions. Removing air, the biggest culprit behind mould and spoilage promotion, from different food containers, the appliance is able to create this airtight seal that locks the freshness inside.

LED Progress Lights

Everything above sounds somewhat complicated, right? That's not necessarily the case though. The machine does pretty much everything for you. You press one button and the appliance automatically vacuums and seals food. At the same time, you can choose the seal-only function when you don't want to vacuum the container.

The machine's appearance is streamlined. Its operation is streamlined too though. You can use the aforementioned automatic modes. You can also choose between dry and moist modes.

The LED progress lights will tell you what stage the machine's currently at, so you'll be able to figure out how long the entire procedure will take and how long you'll have to wait.

The machine also lets you select the marinate feature that, oddly enough, will enable you to quickly and easily marinate meat.

Saves Food

In addition to the appliance, the people behind this product send you three 0.94-litre bags, two large 3.78-litre bags, three 0.95-litre zipper bags, and one 28-centimetre x 3-metre roll.

We especially like the roll because you'll be able to make your own storage bag, choosing the size that's right for you. The integrated roll storage and cutting mechanisms let you quickly and easily cut the company's rolls and heat-seal them into bags using the aforementioned seal-only function.

As far as the product's downsides are concerned, some find the appliance somewhat loud.

Other than that, the FoodSaver FFS017 can be trusted to save food. You'll be able to keep different food items as delicious and flavoursome as the day you bought them. You'll have no issues with plastic and glass containers/lunch boxes/bottles too.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £99.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B0757VDGDG

Helpful Assistant

When you look at the tech of the FRESKO Vacuum Sealer Machine, you'll know it's not for commercial use. However, it's not what it was designed for in the first place. What it's meant for is to help all regular home cooks who often buy products in bulk to extend the shelf life of the products and keep them fresh and delicious for longer, making it a helpful little assistant in every home kitchen.

Speaking of performance, the FRESKO Vacuum Sealer Machine isn't the most powerful unit out there, sure. Yet, with its power output of about 130W, it is not that incapable either, needing only around 25-30 seconds to get the job done. Besides, it doesn't tend to overheat even if you use it continuously, so if necessary, you can safely vacuum seal multiple bags in succession.

Using it is also quite easy. It features a fully automatic function, meaning it pulls bags and vacuum-seals them hands-free, with no assistance required. All you need is to slide the bag in and press the ON button. For your convenience, 20 reusable vacuum bags (20 x 30 cm) come already included with the purchase, but any other bags that aren't larger and thicker than 300mm and 3mm will work fine in this machine, too.

5-in-1

Digging deeper, let's cover the functionality.

Similar to all other units on this list, the FRESKO V8 offers a one-touch operation. This means once you place the open end of the bag in the drip trap and choose the mode (dry or moist), the machine will do the rest for you. Also, like most other vacuum sealers, the FRESKO V8's made looking very nice, so even if you decide to not hide it away after use, it won't clash with your kitchen interior.

What's unique about the FRESKO V8 is the luminous LED ring. It's used there to give users a sign of cold and hot, as well as informing you when the process of sealing is finished so you can effortlessly remove the bag after use.

Finally, the FRESKO V8 combines five types of functions. In addition to vacuum sealing food products, vital documents, and medications, it can also be used to vacuum seal liquids and for preserving wine bottles thanks to the built-in external vacuum function.

In general, the FRESKO V8's a fantastic appliance for home use. The only reason we've detracted a few points from its merits is that it's got no cutter. This means you'll need to either use scissors or buy pre-cut bags. Surely, it's not that big of an issue in the grand scheme of things, but including it in the unit would make things a tad bit easier.

Other than that, we see no reason why not to buy the FRESKO V8 hands-free vacuum sealer machine.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B08L4SKK94

Infographics


What Is a Vacuum Sealer?

Whether vacuum sealers are a new thing for you or one you've been contemplating for a while, you may have a few questions.

To start off with the main one, a vacuum sealer is a home appliance used to preserve food. You can use it to store perishable foods such as chicken, meat, cheese and everything else that you usually buy in bulk for an extended period of time.

Besides that, vacuum sealers can be used outside the kitchen. All those things like documents, medicine, car titles, etc. that tend to degrade over time can be vacuum-sealed to stand to test of time. So, with the help of a vacuum sealer, you can not only reduce food wastes but actually preserve any product you wish, making it a universal helper.

On the note of kitchen appliances that can come in handy for prolonging the life of perishable foods, you may want to read about dehydrators.

Another appliance that you're sure to find helpful in your kitchen is a food processor. Check out our top 5 and make a choice.

What Features to Compare

Application Area

When choosing a vacuum sealer, first things first, make sure to consider its application area. All food savers can be divided into the three common categories that define what they are best used for—kitchen, outdoor, and industrial. Let's take a look at each of them:

  • Portable - as the name suggests, this type of vacuum sealer is quite small. As a rule, portable vacuum sealers are also battery-powered, which allows you to use them anywhere. On the flip side of the coin, because of their small size, portable sealers are not a suitable option for sealing food in large amounts.
  • Kitchen - kitchen vacuum sealers are best suited for home use. The distinguishing features of this type are moderate capacity and their ability to seal different types of packaging material.
  • Industrial - these are the most powerful models that are best suited for use by commercial facilities, public catering, shops and other big establishments. On top of the huge capacity, they stand out for their ability to vacuum seal almost any packaging material.

Functions

You should also check additional functions. While all vacuum sealers can remove oxygen from the pack, not all of them are made equal. Thus, you can find both automatic and manual devices offering a different range of sealing options.

Vacuum sealers can also include wet/dry pumping, broadening the range of food products and items that can be vacuum sealed with it.

Some things may differ with the type of device. Chamber vacuum sealers are great for sealing larger batches and liquid-rich foods; external vacuum machines are less versatile and are more appropriate for occasional use, however, they are also more affordable. If you buy a vacuum sealer that works with food film, most likely your food saver will include a knife and a bar in the purchase as a nice little addition. Other than that, these machines usually come supplied with different bags and rolls, letting you start using the appliance from the get-go and even sometimes make customised bags from the supplied rolls.

Maintenance

Last but not least, check out what bags and materials the food saver uses. There are two main types: packaging film and reusable bags. Some vacuum sealers use only branded bags, which eliminates the hassle of having to choose the right bags for your device. The good news is, you are not limited in options. Apart from that, these machines will allow you to work with different food storage containers, too.

Sources:

1. Vacuum packing, Wikipedia. November 16, 2016.

2. Al Mamun How To Choose The Best Vacuum Sealer, EzineArticles. July 25, 2016.

3. Laurie Neverman 5 Uses for a Vacuum Sealer Everyone Should Know, Plus a Review, COMMON SENSE HOME. December 12, 2014.

4. 15 Brilliant Things You Can Do With a Vacuum Sealer, ONE GOOD THING BY JILLEE. November 5, 2016.

5. Ken Jorgustin The Things You Can Do With A Food Saver Vacuum Sealer, Modern Survival Blog. September 7, 2015.

6. How Chamber-Style Vacuum Sealers Work, ChefSteps.

7. Elizabeth L. Andress Should I Vacuum Package Food at Home? nchfp.

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