The short answer
- For serious home cooks, hunters and most small businesses, an external sealer with embossed bags is the practical choice; chamber sealers suit liquids and high volumes.
- The seal bar sets the widest bag: 34cm covers most kitchens, wider for big cuts and fish.
- Double or triple seams, pressure control for soft food and a liquid separator make the difference in daily use.
- Check how hard the machine can work, and who supplies parts and repairs in Australia.
External or chamber?
An external sealer, like every LAVA V-model, draws the air out of the bag's open end and seals it. It takes little bench space, works with embossed bags, and can vacuum containers and jars through a hose. A chamber sealer puts the whole bag in a chamber; it handles liquids easily and works with cheaper smooth bags, but it's bigger, heavier and costs more. For most homes, hunters and small businesses, an external sealer does the job.
The checklist
- 1 · Seal bar length It sets the widest bag. LAVA: 34cm from the V.100 to the V.300, 36cm V.350, 46cm V.400, 72cm V.500, 121cm V.1200. Bag sizes per sealer
- 2 · One, two or three seams More parallel seams mean a pack doesn't fail at one weak spot. LAVA: double seams from the V.100 to the V.300, triple from the V.350 up.
- 3 · Pressure control Stops the vacuum before soft food is crushed or liquid reaches the seal: built in from the V.300 up, an L+ add-on for the V.100 and V.200. Sealing soft food
- 4 · A liquid separator Catches moisture before it reaches the pump; removable so it can be cleaned.
- 5 · How hard it can work A weekend's game or a café's prep means many seals in a row. LAVA rates each sealer with a Performance Class from 1 to 7 by motor power; compare them on the vacuum sealers page.
- 6 · Manual control and sealing time A manual mode and an adjustable sealing time let you seal thin film, delicate food or a chip packet without melting it.
- 7 · Containers and jars A hose connection vacuums containers, jars and bottle tops as well as bags.
- 8 · Bags you can get Embossed bags from any maker should fit; check the price per bag, since it adds up over the years.
- 9 · Parts and service here Seals and sealing tape wear with use. Ask who supplies parts and repairs in Australia, and for how long: LAVA supplies spare parts for 20 years, stocked here.
A sealer against the alternatives
| Item | Keeps air out | Freezer burn | Space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacuum sealer and bag | Yes | Prevented | Flat packs |
| Zip-lock bag | Partly | Likely over months | Flat-ish |
| Plastic or glass container | No, air inside | Likely on the surface | Bulky |
| Cling wrap or foil | Partly | Likely | Irregular |
Vacuum containers are the exception: with the air drawn out they keep food like a bag does.
LAVA AustraliaOfficial LAVA distributor and vacuum-packaging specialists since 2018.
