The freezer generally is a lovely place stuffed with half-eaten casseroles and final yr’s vacation fruit cake. Nonetheless, it will also be a headache, between the freezer-burned pancakes you swore you’d get to and the cracked meals storage containers that may’t face up to freezing temperatures. Each chef we spoke to about freezing meals long-term emphasised that plastic wrap and storage containers can solely achieve this a lot if you wish to freeze your meals for prolonged intervals. As a substitute, these strategies of storage might even be damaging to your meals.
Vacuum sealing is the one method to keep away from “altering the composition of the product itself” when storing meals within the freezer, says Matthias Merges, chef and proprietor of Mordecai in Chicago, Illinois. Merges, together with different professional cooks, swear by vacuum sealers of their kitchens. Listed below are a few of their go-to fashions and some of our favorites on sale, together with ones from Anova, Nesco, and extra.
Chef-Really useful and Editor-Cherished Vacuum Sealers
- Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Professional, $95, initially $150
- Nesco Deluxe Meals VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, $118, initially $140
- Mueller Compact Vacuum Sealer, $30, initially $70
- FoodSaver PowerVac Compact Vacuum Sealing Machine, $70, initially $95
- Inkbird Vacuum Sealer Machine, $53, initially $59
- Geryon Meals Vacuum Sealer, $39, initially $46
Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Professional
Amazon
David Rose, an govt chef with Omaha Steaks, recommends vacuum sealers for “making certain freshness and high quality over time,” particularly for storing meat. The hermetic seal created by vacuum sealers protects the meat from freezer burn, which might “drastically have an effect on taste, texture and look.” The Anova is chef Rose’s go-to vacuum sealer and certainly one of our examined favorites. It’s simple to seal otherwise sized meals, and chef Rose appreciates the moist perform, which can be utilized to seal high-moisture meals with marinades and sauces. It’s additionally 37% off.
Nesco Deluxe Meals VS-12 Vacuum Sealer
Amazon
Once we examined vacuum sealers, the Nesco Deluxe was our prime decide. It excels at eradicating air and even has a double-seal perform to successfully lock in liquids with regards to moist meals. Its mild sealing possibility was additionally delicate sufficient to seal Chex Combine with out vital crushing.
Mueller Compact Vacuum Sealer
Amazon
A favourite vacuum sealer of Steven Chiapetti, govt chef at the Albert in Chicago, Illinois, the Mueller compact vacuum sealer is “simple to retailer, geared up to protect each moist and dry substances,” and has various tightness ranges which can be easy to manage. “Air and water destroy most merchandise,” says chef Chiapetti, who shares that “the worst method to retailer your substances is by wrapping the objects in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.” Even plastic containers can “simply crack” and “take up a number of area” in your freezer. At solely $30, the Mueller may also help you “keep the integrity” and “lengthen the shelf life” of your meals.
FoodSaver PowerVac Compact Vacuum Sealing Machine
Amazon
One other nice compact vacuum sealer, in line with our exams, is the FoodSaver PowerVac that’s on sale for $70. We like that it’s simple to retailer vertically or horizontally, due to its streamlined design. Throughout testing, it left no air bubbles, and its seal stayed robust. Plus, with a refresh interval of solely 20 seconds, you don’t have to attend very lengthy between sealings.
Inkbird Vacuum Sealer Machine
Amazon
In case your curiosity is piqued and also you’d like a beginner-friendly vacuum sealer, we suggest the Inkbird, which is highly effective but inexpensive. It gave a good seal in every spherical of testing and confirmed minimal oxidation on a sealed avocado after 5 days of storage.
Geryon Meals Vacuum Sealer
Amazon
When you don’t plan to prepare dinner sous vide and simply desire a vacuum sealer for meals storage functions, this meals vacuum sealer is our price range decide. It has moist and dry choices, mild mode, handbook seal, and an extra accent port. It’s a really inexpensive mannequin that carried out nicely in all our exams.