What you need to know:

Chamber vs External Vacuum Sealers: Which Do You Need?

Needing to marinate chicken for tomorrow’s cook, and freezing individual portions of steak for a banquet the next week are two very different jobs. These differences in food and task should be what guide you in which commercial vacuum sealer you need, not just the budget.

While cryovac can also be called vacuum sealing in Australian kitchens, there are two different tasks and machines at hand. This is what you need to consider before choosing one.

Chamber vs External Vacuum Sealers

How Each Type Works

Both external and chamber vacuum sealers remove air and heat-seal bags to remove air to stop spoiling and freezer burn or to lock in flavour. How they create that vacuum seal is different; this changes the bags you can use and what can be packed.

  External vacuum sealer Chamber vacuum sealer
Bag position The open end of the bag sits inside the sealer while the product stays outside The entire bag and product is placed inside the chamber
Vacuum process The vacuum sucks air directly through the bag opening Air is removed from the chamber and the bag together
Seal process The opening is then heat-sealed once the air has been extracted The bag is sealed while the chamber is still vacuumed
Bag required Use embossed or channelled bags that give air a pathway out Use smooth vacuum pouches
Pack size Limited to the width of the seal bar Limited by the chamber’s internal size
 

Essentially, external cryovac machines give you more flexibility for long or bulky foods, while a chamber vacuum sealer gives you more control, but sizing can be limited.

What to Consider When Buying a Vacuum Packaging Machine

Sealing Liquids and Marinades

If you’re going to be sealing a lot of marinated meats, sauces, soups or other liquids, a chamber vacuum packaging machine is going to be an easier option than an external cryovac machine. Chamber sealers remove the air around the entire bag, so liquids are kept in place until the bag is sealed.

In the process of drawing out air, external sealers also pull marinades, meat juices and sauces towards the seal bar. This gets messy fast, also weakening the seal. However, chilling or partly freezing wet ingredients can help, but it is an additional step.

Bags and Running Costs

As well as the upfront cost of the cryovac machine, there is also the ongoing cost of sealing bags the food will be placed in, which can be very different between the two types.

  External sealer Chamber sealer
Bag type Embossed bags or channelled rolls Smooth vacuum pouches
Bag cost Generally higher cost Generally lower cost
Sizing Rolls can be cut to length Usually purchased in pre-cut set sizes
Best value for Occasional sealing Regular or high-volume packing or for liquids
 

Before choosing a machine, work out how many bags you would roughly use in an average week. While the type of food is important in your decision, cheaper smooth pouches can offset part of a chamber model’s higher purchase price over time.

Throughput and Speed

A kitchen with a lot of prep can lose a lot of time with the wrong sealer. For example, a butcher or deli using a commercial slicer before sealing needs something that can keep up. So, considering speeds and performance is important before choosing a model.

External sealer speed and performance

  • Can be the faster option for small batch sealing
  • Best for occasional packing
  • Light-duty models may need recovery time between uses

Chamber sealer speed and performance

  • May outperform for large batches
  • Built for regular production with larger pumps
  • Ability to seal several smaller bags in one cycle, depending on the model

Comparing pump capacity and recovery time can help you get a good idea of individual cycle times.

Sous Vide and Extended Storage

Two of the main reasons a kitchen uses a commercial vacuum sealer is to prepare food for sous vide or to store sealed portions to help prolong the shelf life and to prevent freezer burn.

Preparing food for Sous Vide

Once food has been sealed in a heat-safe pouch, it can be placed in a controlled water bath or sous vide machine. By vacuum sealing the bag, the trapped air is removed, helping the bag to stay submerged to keep the food close as it cooks in the water bath.

As mentioned, an external sealer is better for dry portions, like plain proteins and vegetables, while an external vacuum can better contain marinades, butter, oil or sauces.

Storing sealed portions

By removing air and sealing the bag, the food inside is better protected against oxidation, moisture loss and freezer burn. Sealed and labelled portions can then more easily be stored in underbench freezers close to the prep area.

However, vacuum sealing does not make food shelf-stable. It still must be refrigerated, frozen date labelled and the stock rotated, depending on the food.

Bench Space and Power

Aside from the food, how much space you have in the kitchen may also impact which vacuum packaging machine you choose.

  External sealer Chamber sealer
Footprint Compact and shallow Larger and deeper
Weight Usually light enough to move Often needs a permanent position
Clearance Needs minimal space above the machine Needs room for the chamber lid to open
Power Commonly available in standard benchtop configurations Requirements vary considerably between models
 

Like any other appliance, always check the machine’s dimensions, weight, lid clearance, voltage, phase and plug-type, as well as that the chamber or seal bar can accommodate your kitchen’s largest regular portion.

Which One Suits Your Kitchen

So, should you choose a chamber or external commercial vacuum sealer?

Chamber sealers may be better for:

  • Sealing liquids, marinades and moist proteins
  • Regular sous vide prep
  • Large or frequent portioning runs
  • Kitchens using enough bags to benefit from cheaper smooth pouches

They’re often ideal for butchers packing moist cuts throughout the day or restaurants preparing marinated sous vide portions.

External sealers may be better for:

  • Sealing cheese, cured meats and other dry foods
  • Occasional or smaller packing runs
  • Long products that may not fit inside a chamber model
  • Kitchens with limited bench space or a lower upfront budget

An external sealer may be better for cafés sealing a few dry portions for the next day’s service or mobile caterers needing easily portable equipment.

Shop Vacuum Sealers at AGC Equipment

Find a commercial vacuum sealer that fits your kitchen’s prep needs and available space with AGC Equipment. For foods that don’t suit vacuum packaging, explore our range of commercial food storage containers.


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