Pumping speed
Air pumping speed provided by the vacuum sealer.
The
higher the speed, the less time it will take to operate the device. In addition, "faster" models tend to be more powerful and can deliver deeper vacuums. On the other hand, in normal household use, these points are not critical, and when choosing a "home" sealer, you can not pay much attention to the pumping speed — unless you have to regularly pack large volumes of products, or storage time is crucial.
Power consumption
Rated power consumption of the device. Usually, the characteristics indicate the average power in normal operation; peak values can be much higher, but this mode does not last long.
On the one hand, the efficiency and speed of vacuuming directly depend on the power consumption, on the other hand, the consumption of electricity. And heavy high consumption industrial-grade devices may require a three-phase connection (see "Power supply").
Programs and modes
Programs featured in the vacuum sealer. The capabilities of the device depend on their number. However, it is important to clearly understand the purpose of your appliance, as there's no need to overpay for unused modes. According to the general principle of operation (air extraction), all devices have a basic program. It is intended for dry products. This program is ideal for storing grains, nuts, dried fruits, pasta, tea, coffee, spices, and other loose or solid products. Operating in this mode allows you to extend storage time without the risk of oxidation, preserving the aroma and crispness of products without excess moisture in the packaging. Below are more specific modes:
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Moist (products containing moisture). A program for packaging moderately moist products, such as marinated meat, fresh fruits, raw vegetables with juice, or semi-finished products. In this mode, an almost complete vacuum is created, but with a slight adjustment to the suction speed to prevent moisture from being drawn into the pump. This is the optimal choice when the product contains some liquid but is not immersed in it.
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Liquid (liquid products). The program is very similar to the one described above, but designed for packaging very juicy or liquid products, such as soups, sauces, stews. In this mode, the vacuum sealer operates even more cautiously: the vacuum is minimal or controlled intermittently to avoid active
...liquid suction. It often accompanies immediate sealing without achieving a complete vacuum.
— Canister (vacuuming containers). The ability to use the device for extracting air from containers with special valves is almost mandatory for handheld sealers (see “Purpose”), but also found in other varieties — they typically use a special hose connected to the container.
— Marinate. The mode is designed for accelerated product marination under vacuum. Unlike the regular vacuuming mode, the Marinate program often operates cyclically: a vacuum is created, then briefly released, and the process repeats several times. This simulates the “breathing” of the product, significantly speeding up the marination process — what usually takes several hours can be reduced to 15-30 minutes. The Marinate mode is especially useful before grilling, baking, or frying, allowing dishes to quickly gain rich flavor without a long wait. For operation in this mode, a special vacuum container is most often used, rather than regular bags.Control
Control panel device of the vacuum sealer.
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Button-based. A classic control system of the vacuum sealer using physical buttons on the body. This solution is considered reliable and intuitively understandable, especially for users who prefer simplicity and tactile feedback. Each function (vacuuming, sealing, stopping, etc.) has a separate button, which simplifies operation and reduces the likelihood of errors.
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Touch-based. A modern format for controlling the vacuum sealer using a touch-sensitive panel. Instead of physical buttons, flat touch zones with backlight or pictograms are used. This interface makes the device more stylish, easy to clean, and modern in appearance.
Material
The main material used in the construction of the body of vacuum sealer.
— Plastic. Plastic is inexpensive and quite practical, but noticeably inferior to metal in terms of strength, heat resistance and scratch resistance. Therefore, it is mainly used in devices that are not designed for large volumes of work and high loads — namely, manual and low-power desktop vacuum sealers.
— Metal. Metal cases are extremely strong and reliable, but they are more expensive and weigh more than plastic cases. Therefore, they are found mainly in powerful industrial models, for which strength and reliability are of decisive importance.
— Plastic / metal. Usually, in this case, plastic cases are meant, in which especially critical places are reinforced with metal inserts. This option is typical mainly for desktop models of intermediate and advanced levels. See above for details on plastic and metal; Here, we note that such a combination makes it possible to combine the advantages and, to some extent, mutually compensate for the shortcomings of both materials. So, the cases are not as expensive and heavy as all-metal ones, and at the same time more reliable than all-plastic ones.