# Recommendations for buying a vacuum sealer for food **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064 "2015-07-13T16:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/1 "2015-07-13T16:39:04Z")
We’re thinking we might like to get one, but it seems there’s a bewildering array of choices – FoodSaver offers 35 different models! Any advice on how to select one to suit our needs, features to look for, brand and/or model suggestions would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/2 "2015-07-13T16:42:09Z")
Like almost every topic, the first question is “How much do you want to spend?” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/3 "2015-07-13T16:53:45Z")
How much do we want to spend? Certainly not the $400+(!) I’ve seen for some units. It seems most are in the 50-200 range. I think we would go to 100 or so, maybe 150, without flinching too hard. I wouldn’t say 200 is totally out of the question but it would just about have to have an automatic nose wiper and butt scratcher if the less expensive units are suitable. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/4 "2015-07-13T17:11:28Z")
I bought the ZipLok model at WalMart and I’ve been very happy with it. I don’t recall what I paid for it, but it was cheaper than the Food Saver models. It only seals bags, not containers, but that’s all I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/5 "2015-07-13T19:17:22Z")
I got the Foodsaver one that’s in the $80-$100 range and I really like it. It will do the containers, but I don’t have them. The Foodsaver units have gotten much better than they were when they first came out. They didn’t work very well, especially with the containers which made the containers a waste of money. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/6 "2015-07-13T19:54:08Z")
I have a Food Saver in the under $100 range. Couple of things: 1. Clean the drip tray. Every time. 2. Bags and rolls usually go on sale right at the beginning of hunting season at places like Cabela’s. 3. I found the storage containers pretty useless, but I do have a jar lid sealer and I use it to store chopped lettuce after cutting. I’m not all about carting jars of salad around (heavy), but after I cut it, I store it in vacuum sealed jars until I’m ready to make the salad. As a single person, I find it nearly impossible to use up a head of lettuce before it goes bad any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/7 "2015-07-14T16:25:28Z")
I bought the [Ziploc Vacuum](http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Vacuum-Starter-3-Quart-1-Pump/dp/B003UEMFUG) over 4 years ago for under $5 and it is still working just fine. I use it for sous vide and for cheese. It probably doesn’t work as well as a $400 system but it does work well enough to suit me. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/8 "2015-07-14T18:30:22Z")
You could see if any of your friends have one and borrow it to try out. If they bought it more than six months ago, there’s a 90% chance they aren’t using it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-for-buying-a-vacuum-sealer-for-food/725064/9 "2015-07-14T18:46:21Z")
I bought a Kenmore, which is most likely just a rebadged Foodsaver. Been using it for ten years or more without a problem. I’d suggest buying the Foodsave rolls, however. They seem a bit thicker and more user friendly.