The 7 Best Vacuum Sealer Bags

You love your new vacuum food sealer. How did you ever live without it? There have been so many ways that it has made your life easier. Meals have become easy to fix.

You have been able to store leftovers, bulk foods, fruits, and vegetables. Unfortunately, your sealing frenzy has left you with no bags. You have used every bag that came with your new sealer.

Where do you find replacement bags? How do you know that they are good quality? Let me help you with a Guide and Review of the Vacuum Sealer Bags.

7 Vacuum Sealer Bag

1. Vac-Fresh Roll 11″ x 50′ Vacuum Seal Bag

As the name implies Vac-Fresh bags come in a roll. The 50 foot roll allows for custom lengths to fit your needs. Their 11 inch width makes them a universal fit.

Vac-Fresh bags feature cross venting channels. They allow the user to extract the maximum amount of air while sealing. The bags are thicker than most with a 3.5 mil thickness.

The extra thickness means they offer the ultimate protection for your freezing needs. The added thickness may cause problems for some vacuum sealers.

Look at manufacturer’s thickness recommendations before purchasing.

Silver and jewelry can be stored in Vac-Fresh bags. The bags will prevent your valuables from tarnishing.

2. FoodSaver 11″ Roll

FoodSaver bags are designed to work exclusively with FoodSaver vacuum sealer units. No length figures are available.

There are three rolls in a package. There’s no way to discern the total footage. FoodSaver bags are available in either an 8” or 11” width.

Bag thickness is also missing from the packaging. The bags are multi-ply so at least a 3 mil thickness should be assumed.

They are good for multiple uses. FoodSaver bags can be used with other units.

3. Weston 8-by-12-Inch Vacuum-Sealer Food Bags

Weston bags are the only conventional pre-sized bag in our review. That fact really limits the utility of this item.

However, Weston sealer bags are available in three different sizes. There is the choice of a smaller 6” x 10” and a larger 11” x 16” bag.

With 100 bags per container, Weston bags are the best value in the review for the price. They are a 3 mil, 2 ply design.

The bags seal consistently, unlike some others in our review. Weston bags can be used with Weston sealers. They can also be used with external-clamp vacuum sealers.

Fishermen found Weston bags especially useful. The smaller bag size made it easier for them to package filets.

4. Seal-A-Meal 11-Inch by 9-Foot Rolls

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Seal-A-Meal is one of the most recognizable names in vacuum food sealing.

Small size rolls (only 9 feet) designate this more for occasional use than some other reviewed sealer bags. Each package contains 2 rolls.

As with the FoodSaver bags there is no information regarding bag thickness.

Nor is there any mention of the number of layers (plys) each bag is constructed with.

5. FoodSaver Gallon-Sized Vacuum Zipper Bags

The final review is another FoodSaver product. This product differs from all others reviewed so far. The bags are individual and not a roll.

The biggest difference from the other reviewed bags is the zipper lock system. The zipper allows these FoodSaver bags to be used as more than just a vacuum freezer bag.

Although the bags have a zipper they can still be vacuum sealed. This bag is designed for a hand-held vacuum sealer and not the larger units.

The bag is multi-ply constructed. Each bag is capable of holding a gallon for storage. No dimensions are available.

FoodSaver zipper bags are more versatile than the other reviewed products here. They can be used in the same manner as a zippered plastic bag. One drawback of this product is the lack of more than a single use per unit.

Reviews for the FoodSaver gallon-sized vacuum zipper bags are mixed. Some consumers praise the bag’s versatility. Other consumers noted trouble creating a permanent seal when frozen.

High cost when compared with any of our other reviewed vacuum bags.

6. FoodSaver 8″ and 11″ Vacuum Seal Rolls Multipack

This pack contains three vacuum seal rolls of 11×16 inches and two vacuum seal rolls of 8×20 inches. The bags come with a BPA-free and multi-layered pattern design that helps in creating an airtight blockade around the food items to preserve the freshness and flavor.

These rolls are highly-customizable and can be cut to the desired length. This helps in reducing the generation of the waste material and provides an ideal airtight fit for the food items that you want to seal.

These bags are crafted from a durable and pliable material that effectively blocks the oxygen and moisture and protects the food items from spoilage and freezer burns for up to five times longer than the other vacuum storage methods.

The bags are compatible to use with vacuum sealing systems. The sealing strip heats up to a precise temperature that works along with the material of the food saver bag to provide a secure and airtight seal. It also assists in sous vide cooking.

Pros

• Suitable for storing cooked and raw foods as well
• The bags are refrigerator, freezer, boil, and microwave-safe
• Resists the tearing and punctures
• Prevents the food items from floating

Cons

• The bags might develop wrinkles and crease lines

7. Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags (Jumbo 6 Pack)

If you are looking for a handy and convenient way for vacuum sealing, then this product is worth considering. This pack contains six jumbo-sized bags in which each bag can fit four pillows or a queen size bedding set at a time. You can utilize these for storing your duvet, towels, blankets, and bedsheets.

It features an innovative dual-zip seal along with the triple-seal turbo valve that is made specifically to get the air out of the bag during the suction process. These bags are easy to store and would occupy less space in your wardrobe.

It also comes along with a travel pump that allows you to re-seal the items and delivers an airtight vacuum sealing during the traveling. It helps in keeping all your bedding and clothes in pristine condition for quality maintenance.

These bags keep your clothes protected from odor and water. The zipper seal ensures that your clothing stays compact and airtight. The bags are designed to deliver the best-in-class air suction.

Pros

• Reduces the original volume of clothes and bedding by 80%
• Suitable for on-the-go application
• Convenient sealing and vacuuming integration
• Made using high-quality, thick and sturdy plastic

Cons

• Not ideal for storing food items
• No additional customizations for sealing

Also read Best Vacuum Sealer Reviews

Can you use any bags with vacuum sealers?

Vacuum sealing is a complicated process and not all bags are suitable. Regular plastic grocery bags will leak oxygen, which can ruin food in the fridge or freezer because it causes bacteria to grow faster than usual.

So when looking for vacuum sealer bag material make sure that you buy an airtight “barrier” type of bag with good quality, strong seams so there’s no leakage.

Do you need special bags for vacuum sealers?

All vacuum sealer bags are not created equal. You need to make sure the bag you buy is compatible with your specific brand of sealing machine before using it or else there will be no suction.

Can you use Ziploc bags in a vacuum sealer?

A vacuum sealer is an excellent tool for preserving your food. It removes air and seals the item tightly, making it last much longer than without a vacuum sealer.

Ziplock bags are great because they can be sealed with FoodSaver to have stronger protection from spoiling as well.

Are vacuum seal bags universal?

One of the first things you should invest in when planning to be a food saver are vacuum sealer bags. Vacuum sealers have different brand names, but they all work in similar ways and will use universal vacuum sealing bags like FoodSaver Bags or Generic Vacuum Sealer Bags which can allow for some savings on your grocery budget.

Can you reuse vacuum seal bags for clothes?

You can vacuum seal your clothes as often as you like. You just have to make sure the bag is in perfect condition with no punctures or tears beforehand so that it doesn’t rip and ruin all of your hard work while stuffing them into a tight space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do they fit my machine?

• Every vacuum sealer manufacturer makes their own replacement bags. In addition generic replacement bags are available.
• If you aren’t happy with the bags that came with your sealer you have options. The most important consideration is size. Most vacuum sealers for food have a 12 inch sealing width. The great majority of replacement bags available come in 12 inch width or less.
• Always double-check the width before purchasing replacement bags. You want them to fit your particular vacuum sealer. If you have a hand-held vacuum sealer look closely for compatibility with your unit.

Are they good quality?

• Bag sealability and thickness are the important issues here. Again, check for compatibility with your machine. Some bags might not work as well with your sealer.
• Bag thickness can play a huge role in the quality of food stored. A thinner bag won’t be as durable. It may also puncture during the vacuuming process. A multi-ply bag that’s 3 mil or thicker will stand up to use in a freezer.
• When shopping look for “heavy duty” bags. Some of the less expensive brands may not seal as well as higher quality bags.

Can they be cut to different lengths?

• Almost all replacement bags can be cut to any length you desire. Depending on price replacement bag rolls come as long as 50ft.
• A few brands come in pre-sized, single bags. Those bags normally come in an 8” x 12” size. Zipper bags are also used for vacuum storage. They come only in separate units.

Are they reusable?

• Not all vacuum bags are reusable. Again, it’s a question of bag quality. A thicker bag can be washed, dried, and reused. Zipper-style bags are especially long-lasting.

Other considerations

• Look for bags with cross-channel or texturing. Those features are designed to maximize air removal during sealing.
• Some replacement rolls may not fit into your sealer’s internal storage. It is possible to use bag rolls that are larger than the storage compartment.
• Make sure the bags are BPA-free and FDA listed as safe for food storage.

Final verdict

Each of the reviewed bags has it’s strengths and weaknesses. A 50 foot roll gives the Vac-Fresh an advantage for vacuum freezing large quantities or large items. The Vac-Fresh is also the thickest bag at 3.5 mil.

The FoodSaver 11” roll rates high for use with multiple vacuum sealers. High consumer ratings speak of high quality.

Weston’s 8” x 12” 100 count bags offer the greatest value for cost per bag. They were rated highest alongside the FoodSaver 11” bags.

Neither the Seal-A-Meal nor the FoodSaver Gallon sized bags is in the class of any of the aforementioned products.

If purchasing a vacuum sealer and replacement bags for my own use I would go with Vac-Fresh bags. Their bag thickness, 50 foot roll, and relatively low cost come out ahead of the other reviewed products.