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The creation of vacuum-sealed food isn’t an outright requirement of sous vide cooking. However, creating a sealed chamber to keep your food fresh is excellent for many reasons. One of those reasons: being a sous vide chef.
If this sounds like something you want, we’ve got a list of the best chamber vacuum sealers for sous vide.
The Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers
| Best Chamber Vacuum Sealers | Product Information | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Vertical Chamber Vacuum Sealer | Check Price |
Top
Top | Polyscience 300 Series Stainless Steel Chamber | Check Price |
Top
Top | SMAAK UNDERDOG Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer | Check Price |
Top | Chamber Vacuum Sealer by Vesta Precision | Check Price |
Vesta Precision Vertical Vac Elite
- EXTENDS FOOD FRESHNESS - sealers can preserve food from 3 to 5 times longer than traditional storage systems like zipper baggies and containers.
- This patent-pending concept is ideal for vacuum sealing liquids and fine powders. Fill your vacuum bags vertically and more fully without worrying about leaks and spills.
- Get a restaurant quality meal at home by cooking your food sous vide. This chamber vacuum sealer lets you vacuum seal your food to prep them for your immersion circulator.
The Vesta Precision Vertical Vac Elite is the best overall sous vide vacuum sealer because it is most suitable for home cooks. While other sous vide sealers seem suited to a small restaurant, the compact size makes it great for fitting into any small kitchen.
The small size of this unit limits the number of sealing bars available. The limited sealers mean you can only seal a few bags at a time, but this isn’t a problem for most households.
The Vesta Precision sealing process enables you to increase the shelf life of food by about three or five times. As a vertical sealer, it’s simply a process of hanging the sous vide bags up.
It is also the most cost-effective opinion on this list. You can get it in either white or black, making it blend in with most kitchen designs.
If you are looking for a tool to seal in moist foods, this is a significant investment.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Inexpensive compared to most vacuum sealers. | It cannot be used for more than two bags at a time. |
| Great for smaller household. | Be careful about the screws on the bottom of this unit. |
| Easy to use. | |
| Best Chamber Vacuum Sealers for Sous Vide Reviews |
Polyscience 300 Series Stainless Steel Vacuum Sealer
- Stainless steel housing
- Vacuum seals both dry foods and liquids
- Can be programmed to provide the exact vacuum levels, vacuum hold times and seal times for meats, fish and even infusions
The Polyscience 300 stainless steel vacuum sealer has sturdy housing that will last a great deal. Given the shiny surface, it is suitable for use in classic-style kitchens.
The sealer is specifically built to perform with liquid-rich foods, as it comes with a “marinade cycle” that has specific timers you can select. The programmable features make this unit suitable for a small restaurant.
It also has an external vacuum port making it great for sealing canisters and bags. This feature makes it more flexible than the average vacuum sealer.
The flexibility reflects in the pricing, as you will be paying for the additional privileges. But the addition of programmable features makes this suitable for those needing flexible sous vide cooking options.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Includes programmable features. | It is more expensive than our number one option. |
| Made of stainless steel . | It has a learning curve. |
| It has an external vacuum port. | |
| Best Chamber Vacuum Sealers for Sous Vide Reviews |
SMAAK UNDERDOG Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer
- Made in North America
- Electric cut-off sealing system: Cuts off the excess part of the bag for a better visual presentation. Make your product stand out on the shelf.
- Gas flush (MAP) with 3 nozzles: Increases the products shelf life and provides extra protection.
The SMAAK Underdog takes the title for the most unique name on this list. It is also the only chamber vacuum sealer that has two sealing chambers in one unit.
The Underdog has an electric cut-off sealing system that provides it with a clean visual appearance. This means that bags are cut off with greater precision, but this is only suitable for display foods on a commercial level.
It also has an industrial-grade 40 m3 vacuum pump, meaning that it can handle much larger cuts of meat. The item is ideal for long-term use, as it is made for commercial purposes.
The control panel upfront takes a bit of getting used to, but the owner’s manual is detailed enough to provide what you need. It is also easy to clean, but it is more at home in your restaurant over your home space.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great for commercial use. | Better for commercial purposes |
| Long-lasting stainless steel surface. | Expensive. |
| Made in North America. | |
| Best Chamber Vacuum Sealers for Sous Vide Reviews |
Vesta Precision Chamber Vac C25v
- Vacuum sealers can keep food fresh 3 to 5 times longer than traditional food preservation systems like zipper baggies and containers. Works best with Vesta sous vide products, vacuum seal pouches, and rolls.
- Food preserver vacuum makes vacuum packing quick and easy with its 1100-watt oil vacuum pump which delivers high vacuum pressure faster than dry pumps. Perfect for the fast-paced schedule of a busy commercial kitchen.
- The generous sloped chamber allows for sealing soups, stews, marinades, and other food - and is perfect for preparing food for sous vide cooking.
Vesta Precision is one of the top providers of chamber vacuum sealers. The C25v is no exception to this rule, as it has an 1100-watt oil pump.
An oil pump is more efficient than a dry pump because they have a liquid segment to them. This enables quick usage and application in any commercial kitchen.
In kitchens that make a lot of soup, you’ll find that this model is most suited to seal liquids. It also has a digital control panel with customizable vacuum times.
The sealing bars inside are 17-inches, excellent for larger packages of food. While it isn’t the biggest, you need to worry about oil, which is still convenient.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Oil pump makes it great for liquid ingredients. | Relatively limited space for commercial use. |
| Efficient pump speed. | It might be too big for some. |
| Not too big. | |
| Best Chamber Vacuum Sealers for Sous Vide Reviews |
What Should I Look for in Good Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers?
Here are some things to look out for when selecting a sous vide chamber vacuum sealer.
What is a Chamber Vacuum Sealer?
A chamber vacuum sealer is a device that you place sous vide bags inside of them. By connecting them to bars on the inside, you can hang the bag and allow the inside of the machine to remove air from the bag.
This sealing process ensures that the contents of the bag will not fall out. It also eliminates the cool-down time that comes with edge sealers.
Why Should You Pick A Commercial Vacuum Sealer?
You’ll notice that most of these vacuum sealers are suitable for use in small restaurants. That is because commercial vacuum sealers have several advantages.
First, because they are made for long-lasting use, they typically don’t give out within the first year. This can be handy for people who have already decided sous vide cooking is for them.
Also, standard sous vide sealers are great for steak and other meat but not good for soup. Typically, the horizontal sealers are much cheaper because there is no way they can seal soup.
That’s why you need these vertical chamber sealers to meet all sous vide and sealing potential. If you aren’t planning on packing soup, the compact sealers might be better for you.
Sous Vide Edge Sealers – How Do They Compare?
If you need an edge sealer, the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer is one of the better options on the market. These are suited to smaller applications and can address marinade due to the upward angle you need to put the bag at.
Edge sealers are great for smaller bags and specific types of bags. They aren’t suitable to option number three: the classic hand pump.
Edge sealers are sort of the middle ground of convenience vs. quality. If you are willing to give up sealing exceptionally moist foods, edge sealers will treat you fine.
How Much Do Chamber Vacuum Sealers Typically Cost?
Because these are commercial-level sous vide machines, they cost anywhere from $600 to $2500. Typically, those in the lower end of the budget lack programmable features and a digital display.
Lower cost also typically means you need to give up space and sealing power.
How Fast Should A Vacuum Sealer Be?
The answer to this question depends on what you are sealing. If you pack large pieces of meat, it can take up to ten minutes.
In most cases, these commercial-grade vacuum sealers take a few minutes to seal each product. Compared to edge sealers, which can take extended time if you need to pack multiple foods.
Chamber vacuum sealers also are faster due to not needing as much cool-down time.
Good Warranties in Vacuum Sealers
At the bare minimum, you’ll want a one-year warranty behind your vacuum sealer. Since these products are for commercial use, that’s about all you will get. After all, they are typically cited for continuous daily use.
If you don’t sous vide every day, these devices can likely last you a year. There will be cases where warranties can last up to five years but expect higher-level costs.
Oil Pump vs. Dry Pump
Wet pumps include an air compressor that enables the pump to go for a more consistent flow. As a result, they are most suited for large-scale commercial use, such as an incredibly popular restaurant.
Dry pumps can still be efficient, but not typically with the same speed as oil-based pumps. However, dry pumps lack the need to address waste oil, which is a significant reason why some chefs prefer dry pumps. Less cleanup saves you more time.
What Does Double Seal Mean With Vacuum Sealers?
With the vacuums and seals inside of these models, there are many buzzwords. One of these is a double seal, a technical term referring to multiple chambers in mechanical seals.
You’ll find it referenced a lot with commercial-grade equipment. However, in this case, it refers to an enhanced ability to seal your foods.
If you demand the best kind of seal, this isn’t a bad thing to look for.
What Good is an External Vacuum Sealer For?
An external vacuum sealer increases the flexibility of your sous vide machine by enabling it to vacuum seal things of unlimited sizes. The exterior sealer typically comes in some sort of hose or external port.
They are a unique addition to chamber sealers which ensure that you can seal more significant foods. However, you’ll need a massive pot to just if the use of it.
External sealers are also better suited for use with food storage jars. When making a steak of 15 inches or a small side, make sure you know how a vacuum sealer can help your stored food.
Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealer Brands
We covered a wide range of brands on this list. This section will show them a bit of love:
- Vesta Precision – Vesta Precision is owned by Precision Appliance Technology (PAT). Vesta is a Seattle, Washington-based company known for providing commercial kitchen electronics. They have 25 years of experience working in the kitchen appliances industry.
- Polyscience Culinary – Polyscience Culinary is another commercial brand known for its love of Sous Vide. They have a free PDF cookbook called the Intro to Sous Vide that is worth checking out for beginners.
- Smaak – Smaak is a Canadian company known for providing solutions for sealing food for about 30 years. Given their experience, they have a robust lineup of products and parts built for sustaining their vacuum sealers.
All three companies have solid offerings. However, you’ll find most of their products are geared for commercial usage.
Vacuum sealers are typically in their best form when bought from commercial groups, given the intense pressure.
Sous Vide Vacuum Sealer FAQs
Is Vacuum Sealing Necessary for Sous Vide?
The way modern sous vide is shaping out; you don’t technically need any fancy vacuum sealers. However, fancy vacuum sealers are great for sealing in flavors at excellent efficiency.
So you can use a standard ZipLock bag for sous vide. However, many people prefer bags and vacuum sealing from real deal devices.
Vacuum sealing food also has other applications.
How Long Does Sous Vide Vacuum-Sealed Food Last?
A sealed pouch for food is excellent at keeping unwanted bacteria out. With this in mind, some foods can last up to two weeks but typically only last between a week and ten days.
Why Do You Vacuum Seal Before Sous Vide?
You vacuum seal sous vide to ensure that no oxygen that creates bacterial is left behind. This is important, as sous vide food spends a deal of time in the danger zone of temperatures below 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does Vacuum Sealed Meat Smell Bad?
When you initially remove vacuum-sealed meat, you’ll probably notice a foul odor. This is not a sign that the meat has gone bad, but it is something called confinement odor. You’ll also see that the meat is darker.
This smell is expected for anything you seal for an extended period. After a few minutes, the odor should leave, and the meat will return to its regular color.
Can You Reheat Food in a Sous Vide Bag?
A sous vide bag is made of heat-resistant plastic. As a result, you can reheat food in a sous vide bag. However, it’s likely best for you to remove the food or sous vide it instead.
This is because microwaved food “zaps” your food into being cooked. As a result, it will zap the plastic, which might degrade some since microwaves are hotter than sous vide containers.
Final Thoughts
Out of all the options available, the best vacuum sealing unit for sous vide is the Vesta Precision Vertical Vac Elite. This unit is excellent at sealing all sorts of foods in a vertical form.
The suction power is more than suitable for all uses for the sous vide cooking process. Also, you’ll find it compact to fit in most kitchens comfortably.
If you are looking for something closer to commercial-grade, any of the other options on this list will be great for you.
Sous vide cooking can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want; check out some of our other posts on more standard sous vide devices if you want more information on that.
When you seal the bag of food for the first time, it’s always good to be comfortable. Always choose a vacuum sealer best suited to your family.
If any of these vacuum sealers helped you out, we would appreciate it if you clicked our affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon services, LLC, we earn commissions on those purchases. Those commissions help us keep writing on this and other delicious cooking topics.
