Seal-a-Meal Vacuum Sealer Review – Is this Manual Sealer Any Good?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle has a lot to do with eating fresh and nutritious food. By investing in a vacuum sealer, you can preserve food by preventing the growth of bacteria or fungus. A lot of food gets thrown away because of this. Moreover, the average domestic kitchen waste produced in the US is quite a lot. This practice needs to be stopped since it is morally incorrect to waste good food. Through satisfactory sealing methods, we can save a lot of food for later use. Investing in a robust vacuum sealer for such homes is the need of the hour. Instead of throwing off food; the leftovers can be stored safely in hygienic food bags.
Vacuum sealing food has been an important tool in depriving your food of oxygen since it can protect the food from dehydration. They are one of the most common, efficient, and effective ways to preserve and store foods longer – dried, fresh, or frozen. They are powerful, trustable, and easy to operate, and compact. With the advancement of technology, they can make your life simpler in many ways. Storing sauces, marinades, liquids, soups or broths can be used any time if you have properly vacuum sealed them. In other words, vacuum sealers form an indispensable part of your kitchen needs. Among other popular options, the seal-a-meal vacuum sealer is a very sought-after model.
Seal a Meal Vacuum Sealer Review
Seal-a-Meal Manual Vacuum Sealer System believes in the motto of: “Air Out. Freshness In.” The Seal-a-Meal Manual Vacuum Sealer System is specially designed for the fresh solution for food storage. This vacuum system works on the principle of removing all the air from the specially designed bags and creating a secure, airtight seal so that you can store food in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry for a longer period of time as compared to non-vacuum storage methods.
| Dimensions | 17.1 x 9.3 x 6.15 inches |
| Weight | 16 Ounces |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Seal Width | 2 cm thick |
| Drip Tray | Removable |
| Built-in Bag Storage | Yes |
| Vacuum Strength | Upto 28 Hg |
| Transparent Lid | No |
| Modes | Manual |
| Motor Type | Fan cooled motor |
| Power | 935 watts (120 V, 60 Hz) |
| Vacuum Efficiency | ~95% |
| Material | Plastic |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Pros
- Hassle-free
- Microwave- and simmer-safe
- Easy to operate
- Great for items stored in the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry
- Prevents spillage
- Preserves food quality and its nutrients
- Quiet operation
- The cost for maintenance is low
- Can seal liquids
Cons
- Does not have an air sensor
- No inbuilt timer facility
1. Size, Portability, and Design
Seal-a-Meal Vacuum Sealer is a professional vacuum sealing system having a two-step system that does all the work; at a size of 17.1 x 9.3 x 6.15 inches this vacuum system is compact enough in size and doesn’t take much of your space. Its operation is simple and easy to carry out. The sealing band has a width of only 2 centimeters thick, which is smaller than most expensive models of vacuum sealers since some of them have a 6-centimeter seal band. The sealing band is strong and tight. For spill-proof and proper sealing, you have to hold the sealing bar down for about 15 to 20 seconds.
In terms of design, Seal-a-Meal’s design is relatively simpler and straightforward as it looks. The whole body of the sealer is primarily made up of white-colored plastic. The machine comes with an “Open or Cancel” button positioned on the top of the unit. There are also two indicator lights for indications. The indicator indicating “Sealing” lights up when the vacuum sealer is sealing. The “Hands-Free” light up lets when the sealing process is done.
The Seal-a-Meal Vacuum System is compact as compared to other vacuum sealers. Its dimensions are about 17 inches in length, 9 inches in width, and about 6 inches in height. It is easily portable and can be easily fitted into most kitchen drawers, cabinets, shelves without taking up too much excess space. Additionally, it’s also super lightweight, which in turn is a plus point as it’s easily portable and can be moved around the kitchen.
2. Ease of Use
The Seal-a-Meal Vacuum Sealer System is quite well in doing its job. All you have to do is fill up your food bag, and make sure that you leave about 2 inches of space between the food and the bag’s opening space. Afterward, the next step is to simply open the vacuum sealer by lifting it and accurately positioning the filled bag on the place allocated for the sealing bar. At the last, you have to close the sealer bar and press down each side. It also comes with a removable drip tray, which makes it kind of easier to clean up after use. It also comes with four pre-made bags which are designed in such a way that they suck up all the residual oxygen.
3. Performance
This vacuum sealer has a good Vacuum strength. After days of its usage, it still works super fine. Further, it can handle fairly rigorous usage. Owing to it’s fan-cooled motor, the machine doesn’t require a lot of time to cool down between sealing sessions. Quite comparable performance to the Weston Pro 2300 Commercial sealer that we reviewed earlier. Its seal robustness remains quite intact. Another important feature of this sealer is that it has absolutely no amount of operating noise while carrying out its job. Its adaptability for handling and its suitability for preserving delicate foods is also decent, the only thing it cannot seal properly are liquid items. However, there are some simple hacks you can use to effectively seal liquids using your vacuum sealer.
4. Versatility
Overall, this product comes off with flying colors in terms of versatility. if you’re searching for a portable, accessible, and easy-to-store vacuum sealer, you can pitch in for this product since it can store meats, fruits, veggies, condiments, herbs, etc. the Seal-a-Meal Manual Vacuum Sealer System is the go-to kitchen appliance if you want to safely store all these items. It doesn’t work that well with liquids or canned items though.
5. Value for Money
Seal a Meal vacuum sealing system can cost you around $30.00 to $50.00 per machine. For the specifications that it’s providing, it is considered to be a great purchase. You can purchase the Seal a Meal vacuum sealing system from Wal-Mart; online sellers include Amazon and eBay. At a price of $50, the Seal-a-Meal Vacuum Sealer System is still less in price as compared to other seal manufacturers like FoodSaver. However, you must also consider the fact that this one’s a manual sealer and has a lesser convenience aspect. At a low price like this, it does a pretty decent job of keeping your food safe, hygienic, and fresh for a great period of time. Other vacuum sealers can give you more specifications if you are willing to invest in a lot of money.
Related:
Verdict
Overall the Seal-a-Meal vacuum sealer is a pretty good vacuum food sealer for amateurs and beginners. If you happen to have leftovers often, It does a fair amount of job by sealing all your foods. However, we wouldn’t consider it a competent contender for commercial applications. You’d be far better off with a professional-grade vacuum sealer that’s primed for heavy-duty usage. Price-wise, it doesn’t cost a lot and is cheaper compared to most brands out there. There are multiple benefits of owning one Vacuum sealer and it’s a good alternative for simply freezing or refrigerating food. The seal a meal tends to check off most of its pros and can be a suitable sealer for your homes.
