We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. Some of these may be affiliate based, meaning we earn small commissions (at no additional cost to you) if items are purchased. Here is more about what we do.
Vacuum sealers are an underutilized small appliance that can be incredibly useful for any home. Although plastic freezer bags will get the job done, you’re far more likely to end up with freezer burned food when using them and they take up more space in your freezer.
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer V2244 System available on Amazon
If your freezer is anything like mine, there is a serious game of Tetris happening and every bit of space is precious. These sealers are an excellent solution for anything from meat to soup to leftovers you know you won’t get to for a while.
When looking for a vacuum sealer, I wanted something that wouldn’t take up too much space in my kitchen, powerful, easy to clean, and durable. My fiancé and I typically work long hours, so the time I save preparing food means more time we can spend enjoying it!
I found that the FoodSaver V2244 Vacuum Sealing System works perfectly for our needs.
In this review, we’ll be covering:
- Size and Appearance
- Operation
- Accessories
- More than your Freezer
- Other Considerations
- Overall Rating
Size and Appearance
Although there are some super vacuum sealers out there, I can’t quite justify the storage space I’d have to give up to own one. The FoodSaver V2244 measures in at 5.9 x 10.6 x 17.7 inches and just one pound, making it a dream to store.
It works well with quart, gallon, and 11-inch roll size bags, giving you plenty of variation when it comes to what you need to store. Most of the time, you’ll likely find yourself reaching for the precut bags, but the rolls come in handy for food items with unique shapes, like racks of ribs.
The vacuum sealer is available in both black and white and each feature a sleek design that will blend seamlessly into nearly any kitchen.
Operation
I absolutely love how simple the FoodSaver V2244 is to operate. There are three options: seal, vacuum seal, and off. I use the seal option for more delicate foods, like bread, that I don’t want to crush.
The vacuum seal setting is what you’ll use for all your meat products and other foods that are tough enough to keep their shape. If you’ve got something that falls somewhere in between, just set the appliance to “vacuum seal” and turn it off when you can see that it’s done its job.
The FoodSaver V2244 has a strong motor that operates quickly and quietly. Many older or cheaper models have very loud motors that can make operating them unpleasant, but this one will still let you listen to some music while you work!
Accessories
In addition to the sealer, which alone is an invaluable tool, FoodSaver V2244 includes an accessory port and hose. You can use this to suck all the air from FoodSaver containers, of which you can find many varieties, such as deli, large canisters for dried goods like cereal, and jars. You can even get an attachment that allows you to suck the air out of standard wide mouth mason jars.
It’s also an excellent tool for achieving the same effect as marinating meat or veggies for several hours in just a few minutes as shown in the video above! You can do this with the FoodSaver Quick Marinator , an accessory sold separately.
More than your Freezer
Although we typically think of using vacuum sealers for food items we plan to throw in the freezer, the FoodSaver V2244 can also significantly extend the life of food stored in your refrigerator or pantry.
For example, cheese typically only lasts one or two weeks in the fridge, but when vacuum-sealed, it can last four to eight months.
I know when I got to a farmer’s market, my eyes always end up being a little bit bigger than my stomach. A device such as this will keep berries fresh for up to two weeks instead of the standard few days.
I like to buy dry food goods in bulk when they go on sale. Although many of these items have a long shelf life all on their own, the FoodSaver V2244 system can quadruple it.
Flour and sugar will typically stay good for up to six months, but when sealed, they’ll last for up to two years. The same goes for rice. It’s also works wonderfully to make baked goods last for as long as possible without freezing them.
Cookies will last three to six weeks, out of the fridge or freezer, when sealed! This is a great way to stock up for long camping trips or to help you plan far in advance.
Other Considerations
The FoodSaver V2244 Vacuum Sealing System comes with a one-year warranty, so you’ve got some time to figure out if this is the right small appliance for you.
Keep in mind that when properly using one of these devices with the intent of freezing your food, it’s always a good idea to pre-freeze the food to make sure the machine works properly, especially when working with food that contains a lot of liquid. Although this can feel inconvenient, it’s fairly standard to do this when working with any vacuum sealer. Watch the video below to see how it is done.
If you accidentally make a mess with liquid-heavy food items, don’t fear! This machine is easy to clean. There’s a removable drip tray in the machine that’s dishwasher safe or easy to clean by hand. To clean the outside of the machine, just wipe it down with a warm, wet washcloth.
Make sure you let the machine cool for a bit if it gets warm after several uses. If not, it won’t properly make a seal on the bags, leading to freezer burn or poorly stored food.
Foodal’s Rating
All in all, I love this small appliancee for its simplicity, reliability, and the accessories available. It’s perfect for storing the mass amounts of fresh elk and tuna I get from my dad as well as keeping all the squash I like to puree at home nice and fresh.
It also comes in handy for individual meals I like to prep ahead of time for my fiancé and I on those nights when I just don’t want to turn on the oven. We’ve saved a lot of money by buying in bulk and having a way to save leftovers for a long period of time without having to throw food out. It’s been a great purchase. Check out some customer reviews on Amazon!
Are you still trying to identify your perfect vacuum sealer? Take a look at Foodal’s complete buying guide now.
About Chelsea Miller
Chelsea Miller, born and raised in Portland, Oregon, graduated from the University of Oregon where she discovered both her love of football and cooking great food. She's the founder of the food blog "A Duck's Oven" and began writing for Foodal in 2014.
Very Interesting. My kitchen could use a handy appliance like that to take care of preserving left over food and much of it which is left back from prepared meals during the weeks. Even though the vacuum sealer is rather large, room could still be found for it here. I just love the fact that it can effectively store and keep things fresh for long. It certainly prevents having to throw out food spoiled food.
I have been wanting a vacuum sealer for a while now. I think it would make saving food so much easier. I have looked at them before but can’t make a decision. I like the look of those model though. I am going to try and buy one next month! Sooner if I can find a good deal.
Vacuum sealers would be a great addition to any kitchen, especially if you like to buy in bulk for savings. It helps to keep food fresh for much longer than normally possible. In addition, you could consider vacuum sealing meat in marinade, it helps to get the flavor in faster in my opinion.
This vacuum sealer model certainly looks sleek and compact, I think it is a great improvement from the normal ones on the market!
I’ve seen this product on TV, but I’ve never ordered it. I think the bags for this can be expensive, but I suppose you do end up saving a lot of money by not wasting so much food. It looks like it is worth the investment. I’m glad to see that this particular model is small and won’t take up too much counter space. It could also probably fit very nicely in a cabinet.
Nids,
The bags can be a bit expensive if you buy the name brand pre cut bags. The trick is to buy by the 50ft rolls such as this one on Amazon.
Oooh, thanks, Lynne. This seems like it would be much more economical.
I used to have one of these appliances, and I definitely miss it. I really would like to get a new one. They are so handy and versatile.
I wonder if the the boil in bags are still available as well? I guess these days, they be used for microwaving more often than boiling, but that used to be a great trick. Plop a frozen meal in boiling water and have great food in no time…
I wouldn’t mind getting a vacuum sealer and adding it to my kitchen repertoire, if you will. I like to buy in bulk (when I can) and freeze the food. I usually will grab extra plastic bags in the meat section of a store if I buy large packages of chicken or ground beef to divide and freeze. Sometimes I wrap my food in aluminum foil and freeze it that way.
Freezing is always a good way to go, reminds me of when I was a little girl and my mom did a lot of canning and such. I haven’t thought about buying a vacuum sealer in awhile because they have not been on my radar, but this has me thinking about one again, especially with the holidays coming soon.
Thanks for linking ways to save money with extra bags! This is a good device that I hope works out in the long run, cost-wise. 😉
I don’t know where I have been hiding but I have not seen this before, and I love it! I will be picking one up, so mnay uses I can’t even start to list them.
I can truly see the benefits of sealing your food in a airtight bag. This seems like something I might want to try somewhere down the line once I do my research first. I will probably purchase some lesser know brand vacuum sealer that does the job just as well as the Foodsaver v2244.
I had a mini vacuum sealer for a short while. They’re super convenient but I feel like they break down so easily. Mine broke down within a few weeks! Maybe if I purchase the larger one it will last longer. I liked to store fruits and all kinds of meats into separate pouches for 1 time meals.
I have the same foodsaver, and I love it! I usually buy meats in bulk when they go on sale at the store, and I use a vacuum sealer to preserve it until I’m ready to cook. I also use it to keep vegetables and fruits fresh when I find ones that are usually not grown near my house at a farmer’s market. I highly recommend this and storage in a freezer to save money.
Oh, this is such a good idea! I and so many of my friends and family are scattered across several countries, but we rarely send edibles to each other for fear of spoilage. This would work, and be useful for the house food as well.