The world has limited resources for producing food. Almost one-third of the total production of food is wasted every year. There are such places in the world where people don’t have anything to eat. So, wasting food is the worst thing you can do. We need such a thing that can reduce food wastage and spoilage. Vacuum sealer!
A vacuum sealer is a gadget that can help to avoid food wasting. Vacuum-sealed foods last about 2 to 6 times longer than normal foods. It doesn’t mean that the preserved food will taste worse. Even vacuum-sealed foods taste fresher than normally preserved foods. So, it is very useful for those who need to preserve foods.
Vacuum sealer started to become very popular among our community in the late ’90s. Vacuum sealers are still in the market for the service they provided throughout the last two decades. So, let’s crack the vacuum sealer mystery and get ready to choose the best one for you.
What is a vacuum sealer?
A vacuum sealer is a kitchen tool that removes air from plastic containers to preserve the food inside them. If I speak more specifically, then a vacuum sealer removes oxygen from the container to increase the shelf life of the food. After removing air, the vacuum sealer seals the opening of the plastic container. So, the package becomes air-tight. Vacuum sealing is also known as vacuum packaging. You can preserve both solid and liquid foods with different vacuum sealers. Before preserving juicy foods in cold storage, you need to freeze the food and then start the vacuuming process. Because it will keep the juiciness of the food. A vacuum cleaner can keep the food fresh because, the food can’t get exposed to oxygen, liquids, or any bugs.
What are the types of vacuum sealers?
According to the working process, a vacuum sealer can be of two types. They are chamber-type machines and external-type machines. These two types are different from each other by user, workload, working place, budget, etc. So let’s know the details of these two types.
Chamber type vacuum sealer:
Chamber type vacuum sealer is also known as a commercial vacuum sealer. By hearing the name, you’ve already got the idea about its working purpose. Though these machines are best for industrial use, they can also be used at home.
In a chamber-type machine, the whole package is placed inside the machine for the vacuuming and sealing process. For this reason, chamber-type machines are best for liquid based food packaging. You will face No spilling out and no mess. You can also seal gravy type foods easily with this type of sealer.
Chamber type vacuum sealer can do tons of work. They are designed for doing vast work for professional purposes. So they have higher level vacuuming power. The sealing bar is also longer. The whole process is done inside the machine’s chamber, so it is considered asfast. Chamber type machines are expensive than external machines.
External type vacuum sealer:
External vacuum sealer machines are best for household works. They are perfect for occasional work, as they are designed for home use.
In an external type sealer, the package remains outside while vacuuming and sealing. These machines are not good for liquid foods, as the liquid can spill out. The external machine lacks versatility. Their performance is only good for normal duty.
But external vacuum sealer machines can do excellent seals. They can vacuum and seal any size of bag. And the machine is really easy to use.
External machines can be of different types. They are Foodsaver vacuum sealers and Portable vacuum sealers. One of the famous portable vacuum sealers is a pistol-type vacuum sealer. These models are portable and designed to be handheld.
In an external machine, you can hold and check the package. These machines are less expensive than chamber types.
Things to consider before choosing a vacuum sealer
Before buying a vacuum sealer, you need to keep in mind some factors. Because the different type of vacuum sealer serves different purposes. You need to decide which type is perfect for you to match your criteria. So, let’s talk about the factors that should be considered by questioning and answering.
- What is the purpose of your vacuum sealer?
First of all, you need to think that for what purpose you are buying a vacuum sealer. Is it for home use or commercial purpose? If you need to use it in industrial or commercial purposes, then must buy a chamber vacuum sealer. Otherwise, it will be a better option to buy an external machine for home and portable use. - How often you will need to use a vacuum sealer?
If the answer is occasional, then go for an external vacuum sealer. External vacuum sealers are good for occasional use. They are not that fast workers. On the other hand, if you need to seal a lot of packages every day, then you must buy a commercial chamber-type vacuum sealer. Because you will need a fast vacuum sealer for a lot of products. A chamber vacuum sealer is very fast and efficient. - What type of food you will need to preserve?
This is another question that you should ask yourself before buying a vacuum sealer. You can’t preserve all types of foods with all vacuum sealers. If you’re planning to preserve liquid-based or juicy-type foods, then buying an external vacuum sealer won’t be a good choice. Because the liquid will spill out when vacuum sealing with external machines. So, for gravy-type food and liquid-based food, you should use a chamber-type vacuum sealer. - Will you use it for sous vide cooking?
Well, sous vide cooking can be very easy with a vacuum sealer. A vacuum-sealed package is kept inside hot water to cook. Sous vide immersion circulator controls the temperature of the water. So, for sous vide cooking you will need a good vacuum sealer that can handle wet foods. If you want to work with marinade, then you will have to handle liquids. So, use a chamber-type vacuum sealer. Or, I can suggest you buy a food saver vacuum sealer that has a removable drip tray. You can remove the tray and wash that with a dishwasher. - Do you need an automatic or manual sealing feature?
Some vacuum sealer has automatic options. You just put the bag in a vacuum sealing place and it will automatically make the bag vacuum sealed. Sometimes you might need to push just a button.
But for the manual feature, you have to vacuum and seal the package manually with the machine. Here our suggestion is the same: if you need to pack tons of products every day, then you can go for the automatic feature, otherwise not. And one thing to remember is that if you need to vacuum-seal soft foods like muffins or cupcakes, go for a manual machine. Because you will be able to adjust the suction pressure so that the food’s shape won’t be destroyed. - Will you need an additional feature?
Many vacuum sealer offers you additional features like gas flush, roll storage-bag cutter, pulse mode, etc. features. The gas flush feature eliminates oxygen from the bag and replaces it with carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Roll storage-bag cutter allows you to cut the bag after sealing. Pulse mode allows you to vacuum as per your need. So, consider which one is necessary for you, and then look for that feature in your vacuum sealer.
If you consider these questions or matters before selecting your vacuum sealer, you will get the right one for sure.
Benefits of Vacuum sealer
A vacuum sealer can benefit you in many ways. Do you want to know what are those? Here are they:
Better food quality: Vacuum-sealed foods can hold their quality for a long time than non-sealed foods.
Can be time-saving: Vacuum-sealed foods can be used in sous vide cooking. Sous vide cooking is very easy and time-saving. You can also cook a large amount at one time. And then keep the food vacuum-sealed. So, it will save your time from cooking again.
Reduce waste: If you have a vacuum sealer, then you can store the leftovers for eating later. This will reduce food waste a lot.
Money-saving: Saving food means saving money. If you preserve foods and don’t waste foods, then your food expense will be less. And you can save that money.
Which foods can be vacuum sealed?
Almost all foods can be vacuum sealed. From vegetables to meats, you can pack them all. But there are always some exceptions, right? Some foods need to be processed before sealing. Some foods shouldn’t be vacuum sealed.
There are vegetables that produce enzymes. Boil them and after boiling put them in cold water. After that, you can pack them. This process is called blanching. You have to blanch cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli-type vegetables before sealing them.
And you shouldn’t seal some foods. They might contain bacteria that can continue reproduction even in oxygen-free space. So, those foods will be wasted. Unpasteurized cheese, garlic, and mushroom these types of foods shouldn’t be vacuum sealed.
The final thought
You have already known the ins and out of a vacuum sealer. You will understand how effective a vacuum sealer is, after buying one. Consider the key factors that we have discussed before buying one. And ask yourself which features you actually need.
Then select a vacuum sealer that can fulfill your criteria. Thus, your selected vacuum sealer will be the right choice for you. I hope after reading this article, you are now able to select the right one by yourself.
