These Vacuum Seal Bags Are Some of the Best I’ve Ever Used — Here’s Why

There’s no greater feeling of defeat than when you buy fresh produce with every intention of using it throughout the week, only to find it spoiled in the corner of your fridge a few days later. You purchased it with every intention of actually “using it this time” for that weeknight dinner recipe you saved and to plan your meals for the week, but then life, work, and the new Netflix series you’ve been binging for three days straight get in the way. Next thing you know, your garbage bin has more food than your fridge. The following week, you tell yourself that things are different and that you’re a changed person, but it happens again. It’s basically a vicious cycle full of frustration and food waste. 

That was my life until I recently started using Zwilling’s Fresh & Save Pump and Bag Set, a vacuum sealing system that comes with reusable bags and a handheld pump. 

The reusable and eco-friendly storage bags come in various sizes to help store everything from snacks or large fruits to meat and poultry. If you cook in batches, they can keep entire meals that you can use to meal prep or freeze for later consumption. The bags are made of a durable BPA-free plastic material and include a valve that allows you to remove excess air using the included vacuum pump (which you can also buy a la carte). The pump is cordless and rechargeable with an included USB. It’s also easy to use — all you have to do is attach it to the valve and simply press the button. After that, the pump does the rest by extracting the air from the bag, stopping automatically once it’s done. 

The Zwilling vacuum pump and bag set is more expensive than your regular resealable storage bags, but I found that I’ve saved money in the long run since I’ve been able to reduce my food waste. Sure, the resealable storage bags helped store food, but they didn’t help keep it fresher for longer and did a horrible job at preventing freezer burn. 

Shopping director Jada Wong also has also been using a larger version of the vacuum sealing system that includes containers for the past three months to prevent food waste. She often shops at Costco so she preps, seals, and freezes a lot of her produce and meat before they can go bad, saving a ton of money in the long run, too. “This has been so helpful in keeping my grocery budget in check,” she says. “And the handheld pump is really easy to store in my cabinets, unlike the vacuum sealing systems of yore that basically took up the entire kitchen counter.” 

Our former executive lifestyle director Lisa Freedman has also used the same 7-piece set to store prepped vegetables, leftover avocado halves, and even bagels to maximize her grocery haul. Basically, we’ve all converted to vacuum sealing our food!

Zwilling claims the system keeps food fresh five times longer, and although I didn’t do the math, there is a clear difference in how long my food remains fresh. Thanks to this nifty gadget, my produce is still fresh in taste and bright in color days later, my frozen fruit contains zero freezer burn, and I’m a changed person with a lot more change in their pockets.

Buy: Zwilling’s Fresh & Save Pump and Bag Set, $49.99 (originally $100)