Food is expensive, and keeping them fresh and healthy requires investment in the appropriate storage options. As such, vacuum sealing is undoubtedly the most effective means of increasing the lifespan of food items. With a Cryovac machine, you can save money by reducing food wastage caused due to poor food storage. The machine removes air from the plastic bags and seals them tight, locking all the food’s vital nutrients.
So, buying a vacuum sealing machine is the best option if you wish to find a solution to your food spoilage issues. However, if you don’t know about the types of machines available and how to make the right choice, check the following details:
Machine Types
You must know about the different types of vacuum sealers available and their specific purposes. So, the three different types of machines are:
1. Chamber Vacuum Sealers
Chamber vacuum sealers are ideal for commercial usage. However, you can use them in homes too. In this type of sealer, you must place the packs inside the machine. The sealer removes air in both pack and chamber without suction; hence, it is best for packing wet foods and liquids as there are no leakage risks.
2. External Vacuum Sealers
External vacuum sealers are appropriate for domestic use where you don’t need to seal foods daily. They are also cheaper than chamber sealers but lack the latter’s performance and adaptability. Also, you cannot use external sealers for sealing liquids.
3. Pistol-Type Vacuum Sealers
Pistol-type vacuum sealers are handheld sealers with built-in valves. These are appropriate for smaller kitchens for sealing small amounts of food.
Tips for Choosing the Right Sealer
Think About Usage
Before buying a Cryovac machine, you need to determine the frequency of its usage and the number of products you want to seal at a given time. Hence, list your expectations and assess them against the capacities of different types of sealers.
Consider Portability
If you want to move your sealer from one place to another, a portable machine will serve you well. However, you should remember that small sealers do not offer the durability and performance of their larger counterparts. This is because large or fixed sealers are capable of sealing more bags and even liquids.
Know Your Products
The type of sealer you purchase depends on what kind of product you need to pack. For example, an external sealer will be best if you want to remove most of the air from the bag to pack an item. Moreover, for sealing sensitive food items, you might need a chamber sealer that doesn’t suction the air.
Ensure Proper Packaging
Your Cryovac machine must do the job effectively so that you don’t have to worry about resealing. Therefore, before purchasing, check the effectiveness of its sealing.
You should be careful while looking into specs and features, suction power and vacuum speed so that you are not disappointed later. Also, if you can find a video demonstration of how the sealer works, you can judge its effectiveness and make an informed purchase decision.
Check Sealing Speed
The quicker the sealer seals a pack, the more packs you can seal in a given time. Meanwhile, speed can be critical if you’re using a sealer for commercial purposes, as you have many items to seal in a day.
Vacuum sealers can be used for both personal and commercial uses. So, assess your needs carefully and make the right pick. Now you also have the choice of manual and automatic machines. So, manual sealers allow you to adjust sealing time which can help in packing delicate items. In contrast, automatic sealers are more efficient and effective in packing durable items.