I love barbecued back ribs – all juicy and tender that it melts in the mouth.
But my first barbecued ribs were burnt, tight and dry. Years later, I discovered the secret of extremely succulent ribs – SOUS VIDE cooking.

Table of Contents
- Why Do We Need Best Vacuum Sealers For Sous Vide?
- How We Picked And Tested
- What Is The Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealer For You?
- Reviews on vacuum sealers for sous vide
- How To Vacuum-Seal Sous Vide Bags Correctly?
- When Can We Skip The Vacuum Sealer?
- Recommended Sous Vide Tools
Why Do We Need Best Vacuum Sealers For Sous Vide?
First, we need to know about the superiority of sous vide compared to traditional cooking:
We all should try sous vide at home!

Yeah, there is a pretty common question:
Do we need a vacuum sealer for sous vide cooking?
Maybe no, but:
The limitations of ziplock bags:

To overcome these limitations, we strongly recommend that all home cooks use a vacuum sealer + vacuum-seal bags for sous vide cooking to replace traditional zipper bags.
TOP 3 sous vide vacuum sealers for home cooks:

You will get countless benefits from the useful kitchen appliance!
Benefits of vacuum sealer for sous vide cooking

In short, if you want to achieve perfect doneness in sous vide, the vacuum-sealing is critical.
As home cooks, you SHOULD invest in the vacuum sealer!
It will be a super guard in your kitchen…

Foodsaver v4840 | Foodsaver FM5200 | NutriChef Model |
---|---|---|
$$+ | $$ | $ |
2-in-1 model | 2-in-1 model | Single model |
Excellent | Great | Good |
How We Picked And Tested

The right choice is always the balance between the two KEY factors: budget and needs.
We have picked the top 3 models listed above after carefully considering many aspects when applied to cook sous vide.
They all fit our criteria:
- Budget-friendly
- Good performance
- Simple to use
- Easy to clean
- Reasonable size
- “Sous vide-friendly” features
Let’s dive in…
1- Budget-friendly
Important is that it does not break your budget.

Vacuum sealers for sous vide at home cost between a few dozens and several hundred dollars.
Of course, the better the model, the higher the price.
We found that…
2- Good performance

3- Simple to use
We appreciate user-friendly vacuum sealers, they should have:
We especially like advanced models with bag auto-detecting sensor, included useful add-ons and accessories like retractable sealer, built-in rolls holder and cutter…
These utilities make your work faster and more convenient than ever. No stress, no discomfort!
We’ve got rid of hard-to-use models no matter how good they are.
4- Easy to clean
We also pay attention to this aspect.
We have noticed that it is essential because it is related to our food hygiene and kitchen.
Besides, an easy-to-clean model helps us to extend its lifespan.
We prefer the vacuum sealers…
5- Reasonable size
In general, models with a length of approx. 11 inches sealing strip are sufficient for the needs of most households.
We do not usually sous vide large pieces of meat at home, right?
Also, we do not need giants like chamber vacuum sealers in our kitchens.
The external vacuum sealers are sized to fit our countertops and kitchen cabinets.
As compact as possible!
6- “Sous vide-friendly” features

How do you cook sous vide?
What foods do you usually use for sous vide?…
We love sous vide recipes with…
Also, we always add cooking oil such as olive oil, canola oil into sous vide bags for our food to be more flexible.
From there, we prefer to choose vacuum sealers with “sous vide-friendly” features:
What Is The Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealer For You?

As mentioned, we’ve recommended the following top 3 vacuum sealers for you.
Let’s check it out…
Vacuum Sealer | Name | Our rating | Power | Size | Automatic sensor | Handheld sealer | Roll storage | Cutter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | [BEST] | 127 watts | Standard | |||||
![]() | [Great] | 113 watts | Vertical | |||||
![]() | [Good] | 110 watts | Compact |
All models are high quality with outstanding features. They met the selection criteria we indicated above.
They have also passed our hard tests such as the well-done testing sous vide brisket.
Correctly, we placed vacuum-sealed brisket bags by using the three models in a water bath with an immersion circulator set at 185°F / 85°C for 8 hours and waited…
We have also placed vacuum-sealed food bags in the freezer. After about a month, our meats still have had the same quality as the first day without any freezer burn.
It can say that they are the most suitable models for sous vide at home.
So which model is best for you?
Which model should you pick?
Let’s go into the detailed evaluation of each model based on unbiased opinions from our sous vide experts to make the final decision.

Reviews on vacuum sealers for sous vide
First is a resourceful guy…
1- Foodsaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer [BEST]
It is a trusted unit that comes from the famous Foodsaver brand with a sleek design and high quality.
Our rating:
Let’s check what it has…
Features + Specs | FoodSaver v4840 |
---|---|
Power | approx. 127 watts |
Size | 20 x 12 x 11 in |
Weight | 11.8 pounds |
Wide bags | up to 11 inches |
Automatic bag detection | |
Retractable handheld sealer | |
Built-in roll storage | |
Built-in cutter | |
Cancel function | |
Food mode | |
Rapid marinating mode | |
Progress lights | |
Removable drip tray | |
Full tray warning | |
Finishing material | Stainless steel |
Starter kit | |
And more... |
Why we love the vacuum sealer?
The Foodsaver model works automatically
A good performance vacuum sealer
Did you know?
Best vacuum sealers for sous vide must have the ability to create authoritative seals.
The model has that ability! Its seals are airtight, durable even with cooking at high temperatures for long periods of time.
Great 2-in-1 combination
I really like the 2-in-1 Foodsaver model.
For sous vide cooking, it not only works well but it is also very flexible.
This Foodsaver unit is an excellent combination of a countertop sealer with a handheld sealer.
The handy sealer is very worthwhile because it can be used with a wide variety of accessories.
Useful accessories help us optimize the usability as well as expand the utility of the vacuum sealer for sous vide and preserving food.
There is a small note that to vacuum-seal the mason jars we need to use a wide-mouth jar sealer (it is sold separately.)
Friendly add-ons for sous vide
We appreciated the friendliness of the Foodsaver vacuum sealer.

What’s more, the Foodsaver unit has a five-year warranty, and spare parts are always available from the Foodsaver brand.
The opposite side…
Some limitations of this model
– You fret a bit about its price tag but remember you get what you pay for!
Besides including a value startup kit, you also get a 5-year warranty for this model from Foodsaver. It is a guarantee of the future that was included in the initial cost.
– Automatic bag detection – while very convenient – also used a bit more bag material because it automatically puts about 2.5 to 3 inches from the top.
We think it will be comprehensive if manual pressure mode is available.
Hint: learn how to press the SEAL button at the right time or perform a pre-sealing process.
– The retracting and pulling out of the handheld sealer is quite annoying. This will require a bit of magic.
Hint: we usually wipe coconut oil on its tube. That’s easy!
– Also, the Foodsaver unit is quite picky! It usually does not accept cheap bags. So to avoid the risks of sous vide cooking, you should use high-quality
Foodsaver bags.
Hint: should be available for both pre-cut bags and rolls with many sizes in your kitchen.
Final thoughts
Overall, we have been delighted with the vacuum sealer since buying it.

We noticed that it is the best Foodsaver model not only for sous vide but also for general food preservation.
In a nutshell, purchasing the Foodsaver V4840 is a wise purchase.
A great addition to the kitchen!
The next position is also a Foodsaver model.
It has a stylish and innovative design compared to the Foodsaver V4840 above.
2- Foodsaver FM5200 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer [Unique]
Our rating:
Let’s check what it has…
Features + Specs | FoodSaver FM5200 |
---|---|
Power | approx. 113 watts |
Size | 17.6 x 9.4 x 9.5 in |
Weight | 8.9 pounds |
Wide bags | up to 11 inches |
Automatic bag detection | |
Retractable handheld sealer | |
Express bag maker | |
Open roll storage | |
Built-in cutter | |
Cancel function | |
Food mode | |
Rapid marinating mode | |
Progress lights | |
Removable drip tray | |
Finishing material | Stainless steel |
Starter kit | |
And more... |
As you can see, the Foodsaver FM5200 is also an automatic 2-in-1 vacuum sealer like the V4840 model.
Overall, our two Foodsaver models have similar functions and features.
So in this reviews, we’ll show the most significant differences between them to help you better understand.
As well as the reasons that we have chosen it for sous vide.
Let’s go…
Why we pick it?
Super convenient for making bags from rolls
The Foodsaver FM5200 model owns two sealing bars, in which the lower sealing bar along with the attached cutter acts as an express bag maker.
Keep the latch unlocked; we only need to pull the bag from the roll holder to the desired length, then turn the latch on the SEAL mode to seal the mouth of our pack.
Finally, it’s easy, slide the bag cutter to get a pre-sealed bag.
We appreciate the Express Bag Maker, it is useful:
The FM5200 unit helps users save time, effort and money for making bags.
It can be said that it is the best Foodsaver model for heat-seal rolls.
“Optimized” design for sealing sous vide bags
We particularly like its vertical design with a vacuum & seal slot on high.
As you know, our sous vide bags usually contain fresh meats rich in juices or marinated with spices and sauces.
Consequently, the design of the Foodsaver FM5200 is very friendly for sous vide cooking!
Also, the ergonomic sealing angle design + transparent vacuum window allow us to control and hold food bags during vacuum sealing more easily.
Besides the two most prominent features, as well as the Foodsaver V4840 model, it enjoys five years warranty and excellent after-sales service from the reputable Foodsaver manufacturer.
What are its cons?
Yes, it seems to be over-designed. We think so,
– Placing the vacuum & seal slot on high accidentally made our sealing more difficult than other Foodsaver models.
The effectiveness of vacuum-sealing depends mostly on the user skill.
If you are not careful, the seals may fail!
– Its vacuum suction is not as strong as the V4840 due to its power is smaller than about 10%.
– Lack of full tray warning light also creates some risk of dirt or even damaging your model from overflowing liquids.
Final thoughts

We’ve rated the Foodsaver FM5200 as a top vacuum sealer for sous vide cooking:
However, it requires relatively high vacuum-sealing skills that can make it difficult for newbies.
But it is strongly recommended for proficient users,
Great choice for experts!
The last position in our list of top models for sous vide cooking is a little guy.
It does not belong to the advanced product line like the above Foodsaver models, but it is an affordable vacuum sealer.
3- NutriChef Vacuum Sealer [Affordable]
Our rating:
Who is the guy?
Features + Specs | Nutrichef Model |
---|---|
Power | 110 watts |
Size | 14.1 x 6.0 x 3.0 in |
Weight | 2.9 pounds |
Wide bags | up to 11 inches |
Stop function | |
Food mode | |
Pressure mode | |
Progress lights | |
Finishing material | ABS composite |
Starter kit | |
And more... |
Why is it picked?
First, through our tests, we have noticed that its vacuum capacity and the seals that it produced are acceptable. It works pretty well!
The Nutrichef model is enough for the needs of homemade sous vide.
Second, the Nutrichef stands out from other models in these two points:
And thirdly, the machine has quite a lot of functions to control the vacuum-sealing process like food, pressure, stop modes.
Also, it is quite eye-catching (glossy, beautiful) with sensor buttons attached LEDs.
However, the Nutrichef vacuum sealer has many limitations on functionality and convenience.
This is logical because the cost we spend is low and we cannot ask much from it
Limitations of the Nutrichef sealer
About how it works
Pretty troublesome!
The machine lacks a lot of add-ons
We think designers have sacrificed useful add-ons for its compact size.
Besides, it also lacks a handy power button or marinade mode.
About vacuum-sealing performance
Through our experience, to create decent seals, we need to know how to use it.
If done incorrectly, you will get the failed seals with high rates.
Also, we also noticed the quality of Nutrichef’s sealing strip was not as good as Foodsaver’s.
It usually produces heterogeneous seals, has hotter spots and cooler spots.
Pro Tips:
Furthermore, we also evaluate the customer support service of the manufacturer is poor.
You should consider this because the Nutrichef unit only has a 1-year warranty while Foodsaver is a 5-year warranty.
Final thoughts

The Nutrichef vacuum sealer is responsive for sous vide cooking with a bit of patience from the user.
Its seal is guaranteed when you operate the machine properly!
Why do we recommend it for home cooks while it’s less convenient?
Because the Nutrichef is very affordable and we can say that it is the best sous vide vacuum sealer for the money.
Everyone can approach it easily!
And it’s compact and lightweight, especially suitable for those with tight spaces.
Sous vide vacuum sealer comparison chart
Vacuum sealer | Foodsaver v4840 | FoodSaver FM5200 | NutriChef Model |
---|---|---|---|
Power | approx. 127 watts | approx. 113 watts | 110 watts |
Size | 20 x 12 x 11 in | 17.6 x 9.4 x 9.5 in | 14.1 x 6.0 x 3.0 in |
Weight | 11.8 pounds | 8.9 pounds | 2.9 pounds |
Wide bags | up to 11 in | up to 11 in | up to 11 in |
Automatic bag detection | |||
Handheld sealer | |||
Removable drip tray | |||
Roll storage | |||
Built-in cutter | |||
Rapid marinating mode | |||
Power button | |||
Cancel function | |||
Food mode | |||
Pressure mode | |||
Progress lights | |||
Full tray warning | |||
Express bag maker | |||
Finishing material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | ABS composite |
Get started >> |
The WINNER

Based on our detailed reviews of each sealer and the full comparison chart above, you may have chosen a model that suits your needs and budget.
On our side, we love the Foodsaver V4840 model most!
Right, we’ve picked it as the best vacuum sealer for sous vide cooking, because of:
How To Vacuum-Seal Sous Vide Bags Correctly?
Here are some tips that you should take to enhance the effectiveness of vacuum-sealing. From there, we create authoritative seals, less broken.
That is the premise that we get consistent results during sous vide cooking with excellent taste and texture.
But the first thing, you should practice vacuum-sealing many times to understand precisely how your model works.

Let’s get started…
>> Read more:
Also, there are other tips & tricks for sous vide preparation that you should know:
When Can We Skip The Vacuum Sealer?
Yes, there are some cases where we may not need the model:
With eggs, we do not need to wrap them with anything, so vacuum-packing is not necessary.
For other dishes, we can use food-grade zipper bags instead.
Recommended Sous Vide Tools
If you want to cook sous vide, you need sous vide tools.
The vacuum sealer is just one of the essential tools for perfect sous vide dishes.
Check out the following items to help you craft the legendary dishes at right your kitchen, making your loved ones amazed:

Happy sous vide!
(*) Last updated by Abigail on Oct 11th, 2021.