vacuum sealers for cryovac foods

see also:

• bushwalking in Australia
• heaters for camping
• keeping warm when camping or hiking
• risk management when camping
• comparison of full fabric 2P and 3P tents for colder nights
• shelters and tents for car camping or alpine 4 season use
• tips for camping in the rain
• camping recipes
• cooking options when camping
• how to reduce your risks in lightning storms
• hot water and showers for campers
• wood stoves for camping
• gas or liquid fuel stoves for camping
• electric induction stoves for camping

• vacuum sealers allow packaging foods with the removal of air which reduces the rate in which food deteriorates and can provide alternate re-heating methods at camp
• there are now lithium powered models which allow sealing foods cooked at camp for reheating the next day or two (stored in a car fridge)
• most campers though would only need the AC powered versions for food preparation use at home
• ensure you can readily buy the correct plastic bags or rolls of plastic for the device and that the device and bags are large enough for your needs
  • most are 30cm wide and apply ~ 3mm seal
  • the better ones offer single and dual seal options, at least 75kPa vacuum pressure
  • some allow use of a roll of plastic bags to be mounted in the machine but this makes them more bulky for transport
• for juicy or wet foods, you may need to partially freeze them before vacuum sealing
• for the entry level devices, generally need to wait at least 20 seconds between each seal to let the sealing strip cool down. Overheating can melt the bag.
• for those travelling in caravans, a sealer with built in lithium battery is generally the better option

• in general, vacuum sealing food increases safe food storage life span of perishables up to 5x and for some foods much more when compared to normal storage
• frozen chicken normally should be used within 2 weeks but when vacuum sealed and frozen it can last months

• usually called cryovac machines
• seal the food inside a chamber by extracting the air and then heat-sealing the bag
• excellent for liquids
• unlike standard external suction sealers, chamber sealers evacuate air from the entire inside of the chamber rather than just sucking it out of the bag - this equalized pressure prevents liquid from spilling out of the bag during extraction, allowing you to easily seal liquids, soups, and marinades without messy seals
• used commercially in Delis, butchers, and food stores
• they are quite bulky, heavy (usually over 20kg), tend to have much higher power consumption of 260-1000W, and expensive
• eg. Vevor budget chamber vacuum sealers

• these are the types most campers and home cooks will use

• some foods would be suited to re-heating in a frypan or pot but then you would have to clean the frypan or pot as well as stirring utensils and it can risk burning the food and the pot

• if you have a camp microwave and sufficient AC power to run it, a microwave may be the most efficient option as the cryovac can be emptied into a microwave safe dish for each camper and the only clean up is the dishes and cutlery

• Campfire Vacuum Sealer 12V/240V
  • 1.4kg; 110W; 60~80Kpa; 12~14L/min under 240V AC, 7-8L/min under 12V DC; 30cm width; 3mm seal thickness;
  • Multi-function control panel allows you to select the right mode for the type of food - dry or moist; Pulse function to adapt the vacuum time and speed;
  • ~$AU119
• Dometic Vacuum Sealer
  • 1.4kg;
  • ~$AU225

• VS-C3 Food Vacuum Sealer - commercial
  • 28x3m plastic vacuum roll inside device;
  • Dual Pump Vacuum Technology - Heavy Duty DC Motor means this machine is able to work continuously for 150 cycles
  • 3 Sealing Time Settings - Dry, Moist, Extended; 2 Pressure Settings - Normal, Gentle;
  • Canister Vacuum Function; Marinate Vacuum Function; Pulse Vacuum Function
  • ~$AU399

• Kickass Lithium vacuum sealer
  • 0.95kg; 30cm plastic bags, 3mm seal depth takes 10-20secs; 60kPA vacuum pressure;
  • three modes: Manual Vacuum, Automatic Vacuum-and-Seal, and Seal-only
  • optional external vacuum pipe to evacuate air from external plastic bags designed for vacuum
  • can do up to 42 bags on one charge; 11.1V /1500mAh (16.65Wh) Li-ion battery charge via 10W USB-C which takes ~2hrs;
  • ~$AU59
• Pro-line VS-B1 Cordless Vacuum Sealer
  • uses Vacuum Sealer Bags (20cm x 30cm)
  • 75kPa vacuum pressure, drip tray; up to 50 Seals on a Single Charge (1.5Ah Battery Power);
  • ~$AU199

• SealIt Turbo Seal Pro
  • for reusable Seal-It bags only (cost about $3 per bag but do come in larger 30x34cm bags); very compact; 60 kPa suction with a 3 L/min extraction rate;
  • 1200mAh lithium battery
  • ~$AU72
  • best for caravanners who mainly seal small and light meals and want an easy to use device you’re already on the road

• Pro-line VS-B2 Cordless Vacuum Sealer
  • 28x3m plastic vacuum roll inside device; max 30cm sealing width;
  • single and dual seal options, 75kPa vacuum pressure, drip tray; up to 50 Seals on a Single Charge;
  • ~$AU279