Best affordable vacuum sealer: Nesco Deluxe Vacuum Sealer VS-12
This vacuum sealer very nearly made our top spot. If it had a built-in handheld sealer, it probably would have. It was almost identical in performance to the FoodSaver, but even quieter. Just like the FoodSaver, it had wet and dry modes as well as pulse for fragile items. It similarly had built-in bag roll storage and a cutter to make it easy to make your own custom bags.
An extra feature we liked was its digital display that counted down, so we knew just how long it the vacuuming and sealing would take. It also gave the option of selecting a double seal for extra protection, and the unit is lower profile than the FoodSaver too.
Overall, it’s a solid machine that performs as well as our top pick. It lacks a few of the FoodSaver’s details but offers others, and it’s quite a bit cheaper. If you can live without the handheld sealer, or would rather purchase one separately, get the Nesco VS-12.
There was really nothing not to like about this one. It lacked a handheld feature, but that’s more of a bonus for the FoodSaver than a drawback of the Nesco.