Amazon Basics Vacuum Sealer Review

What sets the Amazon Basics sealer apart from the pack is that it has a simple design that is both effective and affordable. The dimensions of the unit are relatively compact, and the weight is no burden at all. The unit has welcome features such as integrated bag storage and a bag cutter. Additionally, it has a hose that allows you to remove air from common food and beverage containers. All and all, one would be hard-pressed to beat this sealer at any price.

Performance Comparison

This sealer is a leader in our review for its all-around top-notch performance throughout our testing regimen and an unbeatable price point.

Credit: Laura Casner

Sealing Performance

Amid stiff competition, the Amazon Basics secured a leading position in this metric because it can seal an awful lot of bags at a go. Where much of the competition required a cool-off period after sealing around 10 bags, this one will keep up the pace for 30 or more. Add to that an above-average seal width (3mm) and it is clear that this machine is designed for regular use.

We employ a few basic tests to inform our appraisal of vacuum sealers. As was mentioned above, we measure the width of the heat seal. We do this because a thin seal is indicative of a subpar heating element that produces a poor closure of the bag ends. The Basics seal is robust while not being over the top for common applications. We also tested the unit for the number of bags sealed. We used dry rice in this procedure and were nearly exhausted when this machine finally threw in the towel. Finally, we measured how much time each sealer needed to package certain foods.

Our analysis of the machines' start to finish sealing times was conducted with four variations of the bag contents — bread, dry rice, ground beef, and sausage links. While the Basics didn't perform terribly, its sealing times were clustered around the class averages. Despite its middling pace, this sealer remained an overall leader in the sealing evaluation.

This unit has rapid sealing times that set the standard for the review class.

Credit: Laura Casner

Convenience

The convenience metric concerns itself with the machines' ease of use as defined by the presence of specific features that reduce the workload and make the machine more versatile. The Amazon Basics did not fail to impress in this category as it is choke-full with nifty doodads including a control interface that is both simple to learn and responsive.

We have found that an integrated bag holder and cutter are a great time saver as one is never looking for materials and tools, so we're glad the Amazon Basics sealer offers these features. It was also pleasing to see that this unit has an auxiliary pump for removing air from a variety of containers such as wine bottles. Additionally, this sealer is operated with push buttons as opposed to the overly sensitive (and annoying) touch interfaces used by some of the competition. Finally, the dimensions and weight of this unit are reasonable and manageable. If there is one thing the Basics is missing, it's a removable drip tray that would help to streamline clean-up.

This machine has the convenience of onboard bag storage and a cutting tool.

Credit: Laura Casner

Delicate Foods

No one wants to take the time to preserve food with a vacuum sealer only to have it be the worse for the wear. As such, we took the time to test how the sealers in our review handled delicate foods. Happily, the Amazon Basics has a gentle touch as was demonstrated using a pair of soft and airy white bread slices.

It doesn't take an experimental physicist to show which sealers can pull air out of a vessel slowly and steadily enough to prevent constriction of the contents. For this test, we placed two slices of bread into a bag and began to remove the air by the usual means. However, as the negative pressure reached the point of compression we began to pulse the on/off button to allow the remaining air to work its way to the bag opening. The Basics performed well in this evaluation due to its immediate response when the on/off button is pressed and because it did not release the suction when cycled off. As such, the bread in question was near-perfectly preserved both in form and quality.

The ability to pulse the suction pump at the end of the sealing process allows air to escape the bag without overly compressing the contents. This is great for more delicate fare.

Credit: Laura Casner

Suction Power

While there is a certain measure of subjective analysis in any product review, we love it when we get to run a purely objective test. Such is the case with the suction metric. This category relies on a single test that quantifies the amount of suction produced by each machine as measured in inches of mercury (in. Hg). We used a built-to-purpose gauge that tied directly into a vacuum bag as it was being suctioned. In the case of the Amazon Basics, the machine can pull 14.5 in. Hg which is quite low for our tested sealers. This is the one metric where this sealer scored poorly, though we don't feel it negatively affected its overall performance.

Value

We account for value by weighing performance against cost. Using this measure, the Amazon Basics is undoubtedly a hot deal. This machine performs at a level comparable to much more expensive products and yet costs the same as some of the budget models. Now, that's value.

Conclusion