Comparison Steba VK 12 vs Caso GourmetVac 480

The length of the welding slat for sealing bags provided in the vacuum sealer. In fact, this is the maximum seam length that the device can create; the size of the open side of the package should not exceed this length, otherwise it will not be possible to vacuum and seal the package normally. If bags in rolls are used for packaging, the length of the welding slat corresponds to the maximum width of the roll. And powerful industrial models have large slats on which several packages can be placed at once.

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.

Suction power provided by the vacuum sealer.

This parameter directly characterizes the capabilities of the device to create a vacuum. Suction power is the difference between normal atmospheric pressure (1 bar) and the lowest pressure that this model can create inside the package. For example, a figure of 0.8 bar means that the packer can create a pressure of 1 – 0.8 = 0.2 bar. Accordingly, the higher the number in this point, the more powerful the sealer, the deeper the vacuum it creates.

In general, if the products are packed at home for relatively short storage (or vacuuming is combined with freezing), this indicator can be ignored. But for professional use, high suction power is fundamental.

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").

— Vacuuming of containers. The use of a device for extracting air from containers with special valves is essential for manual packing purposes, and it is also employed in other variations where a dedicated hose connects to the container.

— Vacuuming of bottles. Using a device to extract air from bottles extends the shelf life of air-reactive liquids, such as wine and certain vegetable oils. This process involves vacuuming the bottles using specialized stoppers equipped with valves, which are typically provided with the device.

— For moisture-containing products. The device can be used for packaging products with high moisture content. These models have a unique feature of slightly longer sealing time, where the packer carefully heats the seam to allow any moisture from the contents to evaporate. This ensures the quality of the final seal remains unaffected by the moisture.

— Double welded seam. Using a double welding seam involves creating two parallel seams on a package, spaced a few millimeters apart. This approach significantly boosts the package's reliability because if one seam becomes defective, the second seam can serve as a backup and remain intact, ensuring the package's durability.

— Vacuum adjustment. The device offers the flexibility to select the desired level of vacuuming for p...ackaging. This feature provides various options to suit specific situations. For long-term storage, users can opt for the deepest vacuum possible, while for delicate products, the vacuuming degree can be reduced to prevent excessive compression that might damage the items. It's important to note that this functionality goes beyond just pausing the process; instead, the device offers multiple distinct programs, each with its predefined degree of vacuuming.

— Container for a roll. The device includes a built-in container for a roll of packaging film, ensuring convenient access to the packaging material. The container is designed with a user-friendly unwinding mechanism, and it may also feature an integrated film cutter, though this is not always a mandatory component (see the relevant section).

— Built-in film cutter. The presence of a built-in knife for the film in the design of the packer. Own knife allows you to accurately cut the right amount of packaging material without resorting to the use of scissors or other additional tools.

— A container for collecting liquid. The packer is equipped with a dedicated container designed to collect both the liquid drawn in by the vacuum pump and the extracted air. This feature is particularly beneficial when packaging moisture-rich products, as it prevents the liquid from entering the pump or spilling out. Instead, the liquid accumulates in the container, allowing for easy and convenient disposal.

— Automatic vacuuming. The presence of an automatic vacuum mode ensures the most convenient use of the device. All stages of this process are fully automated - from removing air to sealing products in airtight packaging. It is only possible to regulate the sealing time - the vacuuming speed and the air pumping process are completely assigned to the automation.

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.