GERYON Vacuum Sealer E2900-MS In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
In our testing, the GERYON E2900-MS vacuum sealer delivered a rather mediocre performance in its price range. It handled dry foods well but struggled with producing consistent suction for moist foods, resulting in very poor performance in this test. If you primarily vacuum-seal dry items like grains, this sealer should do the trick. However, if you frequently deal with moist foods like marinades and fresh fruits, you may have to look elsewhere.
Aside from its vacuum-packing performance, the GERYON E2900-MS performed well in other aspects. It boasts good build quality and a user-friendly control panel. Despite some minor drawbacks, such as the absence of extra features and a locking mechanism that can’t be operated one-handed, our reviewers generally found it to be a well-designed sealer.
Things We Like
- Fairly affordable
- Decent build quality, with simple-to-use and responsive control panel
- The lid is detachable for easier cleaning
- Has a good safety rating
- Relatively smooth using experience
Things We Don’t Like
- The lid lock is difficult to operate one-handed
- Loud (85.5 dBA)
- Dim indicator lights
Our team picked up a CALOTO AP-12X unit for review on account of it being one of the more popular sealers out there. However, it has a number of troubling red flags. One of the most troubling was how it completely lacked warranty information, which was reported by past customers and confirmed by our team. As such, you’d take on quite some risks by getting this product.
However, if you did decide to take the plunge, what would you get for your money? Here's what we discovered after a week of testing the CALOTO AP-12X vacuum sealer in our lab.
5.2 Performance
The CALOTO AP-12X's performance is quite disappointing. In our tests with both dry and moist foods, this sealer had trouble removing air from the bags, especially with moist items. Although it works reasonably fast, it can't make up for the weak suction. Since the AP-12X leaves more air in the bags, it could affect how well your food stays fresh.
Additionally, after looking at many customer reviews, it's clear to us that this unit's inconsistent suction is a common issue, which is quite alarming.
5.6 Dry Food Test
The GERYON E2900-MS's suction power during the dry food test is just okay. It reached its highest suction levels at 46 kPA in the first test and 44 kPA in the second test. We packed the food bags tightly for the sealer test, but due to the relatively weak suction, some air pockets remained within the folds of the bag and among the rice grains. In other words, the GERYON couldn't create a strong vacuum seal.
We were quite impressed by the sealer’s quick cycle times, ranging from 20 seconds to 19 seconds. However, even with these speedy cycles, it still falls short of achieving a passing score in this test segment.
4.7 Moist Food Test
The GERYON E2900-MS also faced challenges in the moist food test. Unfortunately, its performance only showed a slight improvement, which wasn't enough to reach a passing grade in this section.
During the first and second test sessions, the sealer achieved peak suctions of 9 and 24 kPA, respectively. The first session was particularly concerning, as the sealer's suction was unusually low. We didn't find any issues with the bag — no leakage or puncture — so we had no choice but to attribute the issue to the sealer itself. The second test went better, with fresh mango slices tightly sealed within the bag, leaving minimal air behind.
On a positive note, the sealer excelled in cycle times, consistently ranging from 21 to 24 seconds. In fact, it ranks among the fastest sealers we've tested for moist foods, which is quite impressive.
7.3 Design
The GERYON E2900-MS has a budget-friendly design dominated by lightweight plastic. Despite this, important components like the lid, sealing bar, and vacuum channel foam are well-made without any obvious flaws. The touch-sensitive control panel is user-friendly, but the lid's locks can be tricky to use one-handed.
There’s a special feature in this model, too: you can detach the top lid for easy cleaning, which is a rather unique design for a sealer in this price range.
In the Box
The GERYON sealer comes in a cardboard box with a number of accessories:
- A roll and several pre-cut sheets of plastic bags
- Air hose and adapter
- User manual and troubleshooting guide
Dimensions
The GERYON E2900-MS weighs 2.6 pounds, which is typical for models in its size class, like the Nutrichef PKVS18BK and the BonsenKitchen VS2100.
Its dimensions are also standard, taking up a bit more countertop space compared to compact sealers like the CALOTO AP-12X, but still less than full-size models like the Nesco VS-12.
8.0 Build Quality
At first glance, it's clear that the GERYON E2900-MS is a budget-friendly sealer due to its housing, which is crafted from affordable and somewhat flimsy-looking plastic. The lid's top features a faux-metal plating (plastic textured and painted to resemble metal), creating an illusion of premium quality from a distance. However, upon closer inspection, its budget nature becomes quite evident.
There are non-slip feet underneath the sealer, which does a decent job at gripping the table surface even when it’s wet.
Nevertheless, in terms of build quality, the sealer is surprisingly sturdy. The lid hinges smoothly without any creaking, and all the touch-sensitive buttons functioned well during our tests. Key components like the foam seal around the vacuum channel and the heating bar performed flawlessly without any apparent defects.
7.5 Control Panel
The control panel has six touch-sensitive buttons, all of which are decently responsive.
Starting from the left, there's the "Canister" button, used with the included air hose accessory and adapter for vacuum-packing canisters or food boxes.
Next is the "Vac Seal" button, which will let you start a full working cycle, including vacuuming and sealing.
Moving on, we have the "Mode" and "Food" buttons. "Mode" lets you choose the suction strength, with "Gentle" for delicate foods and "Normal" for airtight sealing of hardier foodstuffs like dry grains. "Food" allows you to pick between "Moist" and "Dry" settings.
To the right of these buttons, you'll find the "Seal" button, handy when you need to seal off a bag without vacuuming. You can also use this function to strengthen the sealing of a bag by giving it extra seams.
Lastly, if you need to stop a cycle for any reason, simply press the clearly labeled "Stop" button on the far right side of the control panel.
9.0 Lid
When we initially unboxed the sealer, we noticed that the lid was quite loose. After a while of fiddling, surprisingly, we could pop the top portion of the sealer from the base with ease. There’s no mention of such a feature in the online product description when we first ordered the unit, so this was a rather panicky moment for us.
It was only after consulting the manual that we discovered this is a feature, not a bug. The top portion of the sealer contains all of the essential components, from the vacuuming motor to the heating bar. By popping off the top, you can clean the bottom part, which contains the vacuum channel, more easily without risking damage to the sensitive electronics.
Although it is convenient to clean, the removable design also equates to a more flimsy lid overall. It creaks and doesn’t feel solid when we lift or lower the lid.
0.0 Extra Features
The GERYON E900-MS doesn’t come with any extra features.
7.3 Usability
The GERYON E2900-MS received a "Good" usability rating from our reviewers. The control panel is easy to use, but the lid lock can be a bit finicky. Safety features, including warning stickers, are in place. However, the sealer is quite loud at 85.5 decibels, and the button and indicator lighting is somewhat dim, which can be a bit annoying for some users.
7.0 Ease of Use
The GERYON E2900-MS has a handy instruction sticker on its front lid. For users brand-new to using a vacuum sealer, the sticker will be a useful quick guide to help people learn how to set it up and use it properly.
Although the detachable lid of the GERYON is great for cleaning, it doesn’t contribute a lot to usability. The locks on the lid (which are ordinary latch locks) don't feel solid or evenly-placed. We had to use both hands to press down firmly on the lid to get it to click close. This can be an issue if you ever find yourself having to use the sealer one-handed.
9.0 Safety & Noise
The safety features of this model are impressive, especially when compared to others in the same price range. It comes equipped with a highly visible safety sticker on the heating bar, which serves as a warning to prevent accidental touches by new users.
The sealer is quite loud, hitting 85.5 dBA during operation. This was a bit of an issue for us, as the noise level was quite disruptive in our testing environment.
7.0 Indicator Lights and Chime
Apart from the four indicator lights that show the chosen suction and food modes, there are also small lights under the "Vac Seal," "Seal," and "Canister" buttons to indicate when they're active. However, these additional lights are somewhat dim and can be hard to see in bright conditions like studio lighting or direct sunlight. This can make the user experience a bit frustrating at times.
As expected, the sealer doesn’t come with a chime.