With the widespread adoption of sous vide cooking, vacuum sealers, once niche gadgets, gained popularity. While traditional sealers are bulky and space-consuming, I’ve had hands-on experience with both external and chamber sealers. So, when I came across Anova’s petite handheld sealer, I was intrigued. Could this compact device deliver as promised? To find out, I rigorously tested it over a month.
Testing Methodology
- Crush Test: Assessing how the sealer handles delicate items like cereal.
- Moist Food Test: Examining its capability to seal moist foods like pork chops and chicken thighs.
- Freezer Tests: Analyzing the performance of sealed items in the freezer over two weeks.
- Sous Vide Tests: Testing the seal integrity with bone-in pork chops cooked sous vide.
- Usability Tests: Evaluating ease of use, clarity of instructions, and overall performance.
Key Findings
- Intuitive Operation: The sealer’s simplicity made it easy to use, with minimal instructions needed.
- Effective Sealing: When operated correctly, the sealer showed minimal leakage, maintaining seal integrity even during sous vide cooking.
- Proprietary Bags: The sealer only works with specific reusable bags, limiting customization and storage flexibility.
- Bag Rigidity: Initially, the bags were stiff, making sealing challenging, but they softened after use and washing.
- Sustainability: Despite bag limitations, their reusability enhances sustainability, offsetting some drawbacks.
Conclusion
Anova Precision Port Handheld Vacuum Sealer offers a compact, efficient solution for food storage and sous vide cooking. Its ease of use, effective sealing, and portability make it a valuable addition to any kitchen. While it has some limitations regarding bag compatibility and initial rigidity, its overall performance outweighs these concerns.
FAQs
1. What sets the Anova Handheld Vacuum Sealer apart?
The Anova Precision Port Handheld stands out for its compact size and reliance on proprietary reusable bags, enhancing portability and sustainability.
2. What can you do with a vacuum sealer?
Beyond sous vide cooking, vacuum sealers extend the shelf life of foods, aid in meal prep, and facilitate wet aging of meats and aging homemade cheese.
