Many people swear by vacuum sealers while others detest them to the utmost degree.
The question arises…
Are vacuum sealers worth it?
From the infomercials seen on TV, to the shelves of clearance items at your local general store, vacuum sealers are all over the place declaring their superiority over simple human packaging. Has the thought ever crossed your mind; “Are vacuum sealers really worth their high price and cheep looking design?” Well, if it has, you are in luck because we are going to take a look at what makes a good vacuum sealer and if they are really worth all of the hype.
Sealing mechanism
It doesn’t matter how much air a vacuum sealer can suck out of a package. If the mechanism used to seal the package does not work properly or leaves holes in the seal, you might as well have thrown your money into a fire. Some vacuum sealers have specialized bags that work specifically with the sealer to make sure the sealing mechanism doesn’t cause holes or tares.
The sealer works by slightly heating up the sides of the bag and pressing them together in order to melt the plastic to a point where no holes occur. Some sealers get too hot and end up burning through the plastic, creating possible entry points for air. When choosing a vacuum sealer, usually the ones with specifically designed bags work best because the plastic is composed of the exact make-up needed to prevent melting or holes.
Suction
Just like melted bags, a vacuum sealer is completely pointless if it doesn’t do what it says it will do; vacuum. Some of the sealers on the market today, either because they are poorly powered or do not have the best hardware, have extremely low amounts of suction for their intended use.
There is, of course, a flip side to this situation, which is a vacuum sealer with too much power behind the vacuum. When there is too much suction, the food inside the pouch can actually become crushed. Another problem with a lot of suction is that food can become partially dehydrated, which we discussed, leads to an increased chance for freezer burn. It is important to look for a vacuum sealer, which can control the amount of suction it puts on a piece of food as to not demolish it.
Worth it?
As many variables as vacuum sealers can have, it is not worth investing the money unless you do some serious research first and are willing to give up a few green ones in place of the Ziploc and straw method. If you have the time and patience, you could try numerous ones out to see if the work well, but you can get the same freezer results if you take the time to correctly package your foods.
In the end, it is eventually up to you alone whether you want to spend the money on the vacuum sealer, just remember to check for holes in your bags and also to initially freeze your bagged food to keep it from getting destroyed and helping to prevent freezer burn.