Best vacuum sealers to keep food fresher for longer

The best vacuum sealer is a nifty device that can help extend the shelf life of your food. According to FoodSaver, the sealing process can help keep produce fresh for up to five times longer than standard storage methods, depending on the type of food and where you store it. So you’ll soon find that you throw less away, not only doing your bit for planet Earth, but saving precious money on wasted food too.

When food is stored normally (even in a top-of-the-range American fridge freezer), it can come into contact with oxygen, which can cause it to rot or attract bacteria. A vacuum sealer can delay this from happening by removing air from the bag and creating a tight seal to preserve it for longer. Food which has been vacuum packed tends to take up a lot less room than a standard lunch box too, so this storage method may save you space in your fridge or freezer. They're also a handy buy if you like sous vide cooking, so experimental chefs and kitchen gadget aficionados alike will get plenty of use out of one.

To help you find the best vacuum sealer for your kitchen, we’ve extensively researched the top makes and models on the market, scrutinising experts’ recommendations, bestseller lists and authentic consumer reviews. Here are the best vacuum sealers in buy in 2026.

What is a vacuum sealer?

A vacuum sealer works by sucking out the air from specially designed storage bags and then sealing them with heat. Stopping the food coming into contact with the air means it’s less likely to attract bacteria and will therefore stay fresher for longer periods of time.

Sealing food also helps prevent freezer burn and can keep food moist for longer. The more comprehensive models can seal moisture rich foods, dried foods and have attachments for liquids, but different models have different primary functions.

Vacuum storage is also a great space saver for your fridge, as it's likely to take up less room than the original packaging, so you can store more for longer – win, win!

How do you clean a vacuum sealer?

One of the downsides of a kitchen gadget is that they can be a pain to clean. If your vacuum sealer has a removable drip tray you can take it out and give it a good wash. You’ll also need to make sure you give the machine, including the heat seal, a good wipe down and use an antibacterial spray to avoid the spread of bacteria. Some machines also have a separated design, meaning you can lift the lid off to clean too, which is handy for cleaning.

Products with LED screens as opposed to dials and buttons will also leave less hiding places for germs. You should also read the instructions provided to see if there’s any care and cleaning requirements for your machine.

Is a vacuum sealer worth having?

If you're a fan of prepping meals ahead of time, a good vacuum sealer may well be a worthy investment. Many people swear by them as an essential for sous vide cooking. They will keep food fresh, reduce food waste and benefit the environment.

What to consider when shopping for food vacuum sealers

If the world of food vacuum storage is new to you, there's a few questions you may want to ask yourself before investing in a new gadget.

Storage bags

Ordinary food bags aren’t fit for purpose when it comes to using a vacuum sealer. You’ll need to purchase specially designed bags which will allow the vacuum to suck out all of the air from the inside and that won’t melt with the heat of the sealer. Some machines only accept bags of a certain size or are only compatible with particular brands so double check before you buy.

Are you cooking sous vide?

All our recommended products can cope with the sealing of basic foodstuffs and leftovers but if you plan on using a sealer for sous vide cooking you may have to spend a bit more as cooking food in a water bath requires a tighter seal and therefore a more powerful machine.

Can it handle liquids?

If you plan on sealing liquids you’ll need to make sure your product creates a reliable seal. Many find it tricky as the liquid can get sucked up into the tube and damage the machine so you’ll need to be careful. If you’re planning on sealing liquids regularly, you need a machine that is capable. Real-user reviews are also good for making sure they’re fit for purpose too.

Which is the best vacuum sealer?

Based on its overwhelmingly positive reviews, the Bonsenkitchen Vacuum Sealer is our top pick. It promises to keep food fresh for up five times longer, and we love that it has all the added extras and even comes with starter pack.

This vacuum sealer will suit nearly all your sealing and vacuuming needs whilst representing excellent value for money. A clear winner in our eyes.

How we chose our recommendations

It’s always daunting buying a product that may be new to you. That’s why we’ve spent an extensive amount of time researching the brands, models and makes rated by food experts. We also scrutinised bestseller lists and authentic online reviews to check we were bringing you the top sealers that real people love and use every day.

We took into consideration price, functionality and reliability; leaving us with a comprehensive list of products that customers love and we hope you will too.

Why you should trust us

We base all of our product recommendations on unbiased, independent advice that you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.