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Moist Food for Vacuum Sealers

To find the best vacuum sealer around, we use several top-performing sealers to package 12.4 oz of fresh mango slices in this moist food test.

By , , and ·Updated

This test is part of How Shouldit Tests Vacuum Sealers v1.0

Vacuum sealers arranged around a bag of fresh fruit slices and testing instruments, which include a vacuum gauge, timer, and a noise level meter.

High-moisture foods like fruit slices have a short fridge life, typically a few days, according to the USDA. By vacuum-sealing the food, which removes the air around it, extends freshness significantly.

To find the best vacuum sealer, we tested various models, focusing on fresh mango slices. While moist foods need less suction power for a complete vacuum compared to dry foods like rice, the key remains effective air evacuation and fast operation.

Testing Procedure

Fresh mango slices that will be used in the vacuum sealer performance test, weighing 12.4 ounces (350 grams.)
Fresh mango slices that will be used in the vacuum sealer performance test, weighing 12.4 ounces (350 grams.)

We’ll fill a bag with 12.4 ounces (about 350 grams) of fresh mango slices, vacuum it, and seal it. The bag will be connected via an air hose with a vacuum pressure gauge, which measures the pressure in kPA. A timer is placed next to the sealer to count the time it takes for the sealer to finish a working session.

As part of our quality control process, we perform two tests for each model to ensure the data we collect is accurate and reliable.

The lower the pressure reading (in negative kPA,) the more air that has been removed from the bag. The time indicates how quickly the vacuum sealer can evacuate the air and seal the bag. Faster times are better for efficiency.

Scoring Metrics

The total score that the sealer gets in the moist food test is the sum of two sub-scores — suction strength (60%) and cycle time (40%.)

As mentioned earlier, since we perform two separate test sessions to ensure accuracy and reliability, the sub-score you'll see in our review, which contributes to the overall performance score, is an average of data from these two tests and is not derived from a single test.

The FoodSaver VS0100 vacuum sealer vacuum-packaging a bag of yellow mango slices. To the left is a vacuum gauge reading 45 kPA.
The FoodSaver VS0100 vacuum sealer’s first moist food test. It achieved a peak suction strength of 45 kPA (equates to 9/10) and a cycle time of 39 seconds (5/10.)
The FoodSaver VS0100 vacuum sealer’s second moist food test. It attained a peak suction strength of 58 kPA (equates to 10/10) and a cycle time of 33 seconds (6/10) — resulting in a total score of 7.9/10.
The FoodSaver VS0100 vacuum sealer’s second moist food test. It attained a peak suction strength of 58 kPA (equates to 10/10) and a cycle time of 33 seconds (6/10)

Resulting in a total score of 7.9/10.

Suction Strength

Suction strength is measured by the vacuum pressure gauge in kPA.

  • Above 50 kPA - 10 points
  • 45-50 kPA - 9 points
  • 40-44 kPA - 8 points
  • 35-39 kPA - 7 points
  • 30-34 kPA - 6 points
  • 25-29 kPA - 5 points
  • 20-24 kPA - 4 points
  • 15-19 kPA - 3 points
  • 10-14 kPA - 2 points
  • 5-9 kPA - 1 point
  • Below 5 kPA - 0 point

Cycle Time

Cycle time is measured by the timer that starts from when the sealer’s vacuum activates to when it turns off and the bag is sealed.

  • Under 15 seconds - 10 points
  • 15-19 seconds - 9 points
  • 20-24 seconds - 8 points
  • 25-29 seconds - 7 points
  • 30-34 seconds - 6 points
  • 35-39 seconds - 5 points
  • Above 40 seconds - 0 point

References

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-long-can-you-store-fruits-and-vegetables - How long can you store fruits and vegetables? - USDA

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