Vacuum sealers are by no means a required tool in your kitchen. Freezer-safe plastic bags are one of the best ways to preserve food for the freezer and have many purposes beyond your kitchen. But once you try a vacuum sealer, you realize how much better your kitchen operates with one. I’ve always been hesitant of vacuum sealers because they seemed like a one-use kitchen appliance. Then I got the Anova Precision vacuum sealer and saw how easy and helpful it is to have around for sous vide cooking, freezer stocking, and meal prepping.
Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer
The Unboxing
I received my Precision Chamber vacuum sealer with vacuum seal bags as a sample for this review and straight out of the box, it’s ready to use. There’s no setup required aside from plugging in the power cord.
Pros
- Immediate use out of the box — no tools required for setup.
- Inside chamber set up for sealing liquids.
- Lots of easy-to-use settings for infusions, pickling, and drying or cooling.
- Can use jars and containers for preset options in addition to vacuum sealing.
Cons
- Bulkier and takes up more space than traditional vacuum sealers.
- Chamber size restricts how much you can seal at once.
- Flimsy bag holder clip.
- Expensive for basic needs.
Specifications
- Price: $299.
- Dimensions: Approximately 13.6 inches long x 10 inches deep x 9 inches high.
- Weight: Approximately 18 pounds.
- Warranty: Two years.
The Setup
To use, plug in and switch on the power button. A digital control panel on the top back includes pre-programmed and manual settings, a timer status and a start/stop button.
Open the chamber from the front recess and lift away. For vacuum sealing, put the bag of contents in the chamber so it’s in the circle in the center. Lift the bag holder, slide the bag underneath it, and then push it down to secure it. Close the lid, then select the preferred settings. When ready, start your seal.
The Experience
Regular vacuum sealing is very straightforward, but it doesn’t act the same way a traditional vacuum sealer does.
Normal vacuum sealers pull the air out of a bag and seal it closed. Chamber vacuum sealers use pressure to remove the air from inside and outside the bag, throughout the chamber. While this is happening, the bag is also getting sealed. Once the air is removed, the pressure is released. It doesn’t pull air out of the bag but uses high pressure to pump the air out of the chamber. It gives you more than just a vacuum seal because you have so many more options to use with it.
I was worried about the bag holder clip inside the chamber. This clip is necessary for holding the bag in place. The glass door doesn’t touch the bag, but the sealing strip inside the top door does. When the bag goes onto the sealing element, the clip keeps the bag in place before closing the door. It moves easily but feels like it would come loose or break with ongoing use.
For the few weeks I’ve had it as a vacuum sealer, it’s been easy and quick to use. But it’s got a hefty price point for just a vacuum sealer. If you’re looking for that sole feature, you can find it in plenty of more affordable options.
Because it’s more than just a vacuum sealer, however, it becomes more than just a one-purpose appliance. Chamber vacuum sealers are almost exclusively reserved for commercial kitchens, but this one is shrunken down for home use, which allows it to have extra features that others don’t. The inside chamber has a slight dip, giving solid placement for bags of liquid. When you put a bag of liquid inside, it won’t spill all over the chamber. This is ideal for sealing soups, sauces, or premade drinks.
Within the dip in the middle of the chamber is a flat circle where you can put glass jars to infuse liquids or pickle veggies. There are also presets to speed up a drying or cooling process. Realistically, you don’t need the chamber for these things, but the extra features are helpful if you want to speed up something that usually takes longer.
The Maintenance
Since it’s a chamber and not a traditional vacuum sealer, it takes up vital countertop real estate. I’m fortunate enough to have storage space and can pull it out as necessary, but not everyone has kitchen space for a bulky item. Even though it’s a scaled-down professional version, it might still be too big for some kitchen setups.
Aside from wiping it down and putting it away, no other maintenance is involved.
The Takeaway
The Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer is a great product. I like how many different functions it has and how it’s become a helpful companion to meal preparation. But for the price point, it’s too high for those who only use it as a vacuum sealer. Other vacuum sealers are on the market for much less, including others from Anova.
Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer
But this one offers more than just vacuum sealing. If you want to get your money’s worth, you’ll exhaust those extra perks and nifty features. The chamber vacuum sealer is a nice addition for professional cooks who want a better option at home or home cooks who want to up their culinary game.
