INKBIRD vacuum sealers deserve your attention. I’ve tested a number of vacuum sealers, and it’s hard to argue against the value INKBIRD offers with its INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer. The combination of product benefits, low price and reliability make it a great option for any home kitchen.
A vacuum sealer is a powerful kitchen tool that no one should be without. No other kitchen tool has the power to save you money the way that it can. And given how affordable the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer is, you’ll likely save what you spend on it within months.
Let me tell you why this INKBIRD vacuum sealer is my best value pick amongst ALL vacuum sealers.
- Built-in 11.8’’ Cutter & Bag Storage (Up to 20 Feet Length)
- 7 Operable Modes of Moist/Dry/Pulse/Seal/Canister/Stop/Vac & Seal
- -85KPA Strong Suction Keep Food 10X Fresher
- Easy to Clean and Store
There are a handful of key dimensions I look at when testing and using vacuum sealers. Those key dimensions are: ease of use, size, noise, features and suction power.
I examine the INKBIRD vacuum sealer (INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer) along these dimensions below and provide specs and other useful information.
Table of Contents
My Video Review of the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer
Below you can view my in-depth review of the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer. I walk you through why it makes sense to purchase this machine along with demonstrate how to use it.
INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer: Our Best Value pick among all vacuum sealers
Ease of Use
Not all vacuum sealers are easy to use. Do not take this for granted. I’ve owned and tested more than a few in my time and I can tell you that is not the case.
Straightforward controls, an easy bag feed and locking mechanism, and a status indicator are the key areas to focus in on when determining ease of use. The INKIBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer checks the box on all of these.
Controls
There are only 6 buttons on the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer, each of which are clearly labeled.
- Seal Only – This seals the bag without the use of vacuum.
- Food – This is a button that toggles between Dry and Moist mode when sealing food.
- Vac & Seal – This initiates the process of vacuuming and then sealing the bag.
- Pulse – This is also referred to as Manual mode. This operates the vacuum functionality manually so you can vacuum as much or as little as you need.
- Canister – Used when making use of the included air suction hose with applicable accessories.
- Cancel – Stops the ongoing process.
There is no power button. The unit is ready as soon as you plug it in.
Bag Feed and Locking Mechanism
The vacuum channel is obvious, so it’s a matter of placing the bag down correctly before locking the unit. This is not a blind setup where you feed the bag back through a slot before engaging an action.
Feeding the bag for vacuuming and sealing is about as easy as it gets with the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer.
The locking mechanism is spring loaded and just takes pressure on either end of the unit until you here a click to indicate it is locked. The amount of pressure needed is appropriate. You will neither accidentally nor struggle to lock the unit.
Status Indicator
The INKBIRD Vacuum Sealer uses several LED lights above the buttons to the indicate the status of the process. Sequential white lights indicate vacuum progress while a single red light indicates sealing is in process. All of the lights shut off when the process is complete.
Size
The obvious implications of size are capacity and storability.
From a capacity perspective, the max width of bags that can be sealed is your standard 11.8 inches. The unit also holds a standard 20 foot roll of bags.
The ability store a roll of bags for ease and convenience should be kept in mind when thinking about the dimensions of the unit. The unit measures 14.7″L x 6.1″W x 3.1″H and weighs 3.2lbs without a roll of bags and just under 4lbs with a roll of bags.
The INKBIRDPLUS is about as small as vacuum sealers come that include bag roll storage. At under 4lbs with a 10ft roll of bags, this model can easily be stored away when not in use.
Noise
The reality is all vacuum sealers are noisy, which is bearable given the length of noise lasts seconds, not minutes. That said, the quieter the better.
At 74dBA the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer is the quietest vacuum sealer I’ve tested so far.
For points of reference, the Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro measured 82 dBA and the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer Machine FM5400 measured 97 dBA. The ambient noise in my kitchen is 39 dBA.
Features
Must Haves
In my opinion, there are two must have features on a vacuum sealer:
The first is the aforementioned bag roll storage, which the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer has. I have enough trouble organizing my kitchen items and really prefer not to have to store these items separately. Furthermore, having the roll built in makes cutting and creating bags much simpler and eliminates waste.
The second is the ability to control the duration of the vacuuming of air. INKBIRD has this with “Pulse” mode.
You simply hold the Pulse button down when you want the vacuum to start and release when you want it to stop. You can do so repeatedly to your liking.
This comes in handy when sealing delicate foods like baked goods or fruit.
Nice To Have
A nice to have feature is a port and related hose attachment to seal containers, open bottles of wine, etc. using 3rd party products. The INKBIRD Vacuum Sealer has this too.
A double seal provides some extra assurance which can be particularly worth seeking when sous vide cooking. Though the INKBIRDPLUS does not have a double seal, you can simply move the bag up or down a tad and hit the Seal Only button for an added seal.
Bonus
I think of bonus features as things that I can appreciate, but wouldn’t pay much extra for.
The first bonus feature worth looking for is a way to see where your bag is lining up, even with the lid shut. This implies the cover that locks the bag to seal has some transparency to it, whether a window or a fully transparent cover. If the vacuum sealer is easy enough to use without this feature, there’s not a lot of added value here.
The second feature worth looking for is an explicit countdown to completion. This is one step beyond LED indicator lights. This is nice, but use a vacuum sealer a few times and you get a pretty good sense of how long it’s going to take. That’s why I put it in the “bonus” section.
The INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer does not have either of these bonus features, which I certainly wouldn’t expect at its very affordable price point. However, if these features are important to you, INKBIRD does make a modestly more expensive vacuum sealer, the INK-VS03, with these features.
Bottom Line: The INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer has all the features you need and then some at a great price point.
Suction Power
The INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer is rated for -85 kPa. Without getting technical, the lower the number, the stronger the suction. That is -85 kPa has more powerful suction than -70 kPa. The general range for home vacuum sealers is -60 kPa to -85 kPa, making the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer at the strongest end of home vacuum sealers.
Getting away from technical measurements, an underpowered vacuum sealer is going to lead to air pockets in your vacuum sealed bags. Air pockets lead freezer burn and other structural integrity issues for the food being stored that compromises its quality. I haven’t experienced any air pockets using the INKBIRD Vacuum Sealer.
Bottom Line: The INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer is at the very high end of suction power for home vacuum sealers. This assures your food stays fresher longer.
How To Use the INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer
1. Line up end of bag roll to seal one end of the bag
Pull the end of the roll out and place it over the sealing strip, leaving a bit of excess.
2. Close and lock
Close the vacuum sealer and push down both sides to hear a snap to indicate it is locked.
3. Seal the first end
Press the Seal Only button.
4. Size the bag
Open the vacuum sealer, run the bag roll under the cutter and size the bag appropriately.
5. Cut bag
Cut the bag with the built in cutter.
6. Place food in bag
Insert food and place the open end of the bag in the vacuum channel.
7. Lock
Close and lock the vacuum sealer by pushing down firmly on both ends until you here a snap from each end.
8. Vac and seal
Select the appropriate mode (Dry or Moist) with the Food button and then press the Vac & Seal button.
Other Notes
Warranty
INKBIRD vacuum sealers are covered by a one year warranty. INKBIRD is a highly reputed company with many business lines away from sous vide. This leads me to believe you can count on INKBIRD to stand by their warranty.
Additional Contents
The INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer packaging includes replacement parts to make downtime minimal. Both a replacement sealing strip and a foam gasket are included in the contents.
The full list of package contents:
- Vacuum sealer machine
- 10′ bag roll
- 5 pre-cut bags (8″ x 11.8″)
- Air suction hose
- 16 bag labels
- Replacement sealing strip
- Replacement vacuum sealing gasket
- User manual
Sous Vide
We take comfort that INKBIRD not only makes vacuum sealers but also makes sous vide machines. Vacuum sealers complement sous vide cooking. Sous vide cooking puts vacuum seals to the test.
We know INKBIRD views the two products as complementary and likely tests the vacuum sealer in sous vide conditions given they categorize their vacuum sealers under the sous vide category on its product page.
INKBIRDPLUS Vacuum Sealer vs Comparable Vacuum Sealers
| VACCUM SEALERS | INKBIRD INK-VS02 | FoodSaver FM2100 | Nesco Deluxe VS-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| List Price | $79.99 | $87.99 | $134.99 |
| Dimensions | 14.7″ x 6.1″ x 3.1″ | 16.3″ x 9.2″ x 4″ | 15.8″ x 8″ x 4.5″ |
| Weight | 4lbs | 6.6lbs | 6lbs |
| Status Indicator | Yes | No | Yes |
| Wattage | 160 | 126 | 130 |
- Built-in 11.8’’ Cutter & Bag Storage (Up to 20 Feet Length)
- 7 Operable Modes of Moist/Dry/Pulse/Seal/Canister/Stop/Vac & Seal
- -85KPA Strong Suction Keep Food 10X Fresher
- Easy to Clean and Store
Click here for our list of best vacuum sealers. You can find our best sous vide starter kits here. We hope we can be a resource to you going forward!
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