Before you can start scrolling down the list of available vacuum sealers in the market, you need to decide why exactly do you want to buy a vacuum sealer? There are many variations of vacuum sealers available in the market, hence firstly you need to decide for what purpose and specific item do you want the sealer. Another thing to consider is what options would you like to have on your sealer, and how much is your budget? That being said, first thing to consider is the types of vacuum sealers available:
Types of Vacuum Sealers:
a) Nozzle Type Vacuum Sealers: These are the fastest available machines in the market, they are called nozzle type as they have a retractable extension pipe or nozzle which is placed inside the bag for suction to occur, and after suction the nozzle is retracted. For home use these units can be very reasonable in price yet provide very good performance. Some of the nozzle type sealers also work with special bags with textured air channels, known as channel bag type machines.
b) Chamber Type vacuum sealers; Ideal for heavy or commercial usage. They are the fastest sealers out there and can handle all types of food items. There are cheaper table top variants of chamber vacuum sealers as well, which can be ideal for your kitchen. These are the small cousins of the large commercial machines used in industrial food processing applications. Promarksvac T-280F model is a very good choice if you want to go for this type of sealer.
Features to look for:
a) Your sealer should have one touch operation. You shouldn’t have to meddle with a big control panel in order to do some simple sealings.
b) It should be interruptible i.e. for delicate food items you should be able to hold the vacuuming and begin sealing process.
c) It should have manual controls i.e. option to go through additional vacuum cycle or option to seal without removing any air at all.
d) Moist/dry mode is useful if you want to seal juicy foods like steaks or dry food like spices.
Tips and Tricks before purchasing:
Before making a purchase, you should cross check the following list of criteria:
a) Vacuum sealer should have effective sealing capability, which should remove all of air inside, for prolonged freshness.
b) Strong suction system is a must for avoiding freezer burns.
c) Additional features should be thoroughly checked before buying, such as bag cutters and bag storage. These features make vacuum sealing easier and faster.
d) Make sure replacement warranty and free services for some period of time is applicable to your chosen model, as some models tend to wear quicker due to type of their manufacturing material.
e) Decide whether you want to seal dry or wet food and then look for a best suited model. If you want to re-use bags, try considering zip-locks.
f) How much will you be using your appliance? Some models can handle more extensive sealing while others cannot.