Which Container Kept Food Fresher Longer: FoodSaver, Lasting Fresh, or Zwilling?
We loved only one of these vacuum food bowls because it kept our strawberries and spinach looking as good as new for 10 days
When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.
Food prices are on the rise, which means preserving your food has become more important than ever before. In fact, the Department of Agriculture recently reported that the price of groceries in 2024 has increased by 1.2 percent compared with last year at the same time. Takeout and restaurant meal prices have gone up 4.2 percent since early 2023.
Bottom line: It’s a good time to cook or grill at home and cut down on your grocery bills as much as possible—but that’s easier said than done.
The Zwilling Vacuum Starter Set was the best vacuum container set we tried. It includes seven pieces: a rechargeable pump, two storage containers in medium and large sizes, and four reusable bags (two small and two medium) that are free of bisphenol A (BPA’s) and can be used for sous vide cooking or storage (for the purpose of our evaluation, we only used them for storage). The manufacturer doesn’t provide measurements for the storage containers, but we estimate that the small container can fit about 1.5 portions, while the large container fits an entire cut-up melon, or about three to four servings.
The containers are easy to seal, with lids that snap on tightly. Once they’re closed, place the included electric pump on the seal, activate it with a push of a button, and let it run. It will stop automatically when a strong seal is created. The smaller container took about three seconds to seal, while the larger container took five seconds. The pump’s combo of LED lights and buttons includes a battery indicator light, a light that shows that the vacuum seal is running, and a third light that shows if the pump is on. The button easily turns the pump on and off, and the whole thing operates silently.
To test the Zwilling containers, we cut up strawberries and tomatoes and added them to the container. We also added a handful of spinach leaves. Then we sealed them up, according to the directions, and placed them in the fridge. Unlike the other vacuum bowls we tried, our strawberries, spinach, and cherry tomatoes were as good as new after 10 days in the fridge in a Zwilling container. The fit is so tight, in fact, that you can’t take the lid off without opening the rubber seal manually by hooking your fingernail on it and moving it to the side to let the pressure out—even after 10 days.
The Zwilling container are durable, too. We dropped them from counter height many times, while full of water, and there was no mess to clean up, nor cracks to be found. They’re also safe in the freezer, microwave, and dishwasher. We tested the plastic version, but you can also purchase them in glass.
The FoodSaver cordless vacuum sealer and vacuum containers appeared to have a solid seal on day one of testing. However, when we assessed for durability by dropping them from counter height, the smaller 3-cup container lost its seal (the 10-cup container remained sealed during this test). This suggested a lack of sturdiness and a less-than-optimal seal, which became apparent during further evaluation.
This system is less convenient than the Zwilling because it sells its containers (a 3-cup and 10-cup container) separately from its pump. Similar to the Zwilling set, this system comes with an electric pump and charging dock, which makes it easy to operate. Once you put the lids on, place the pump over the green knob on top of the lid and choose the only mode available on the pump, which is called “vacuum.” A small rubber bubble on the lid will indent to show proof of a good seal. It took about three seconds to seal the 3-cup container and eight seconds to seal the 10-cup container. The containers are BPA-free and safe in the dishwasher and microwave.
But there’s bad news: When we opened these containers a week after putting strawberries, spinach, and cherry tomatoes inside, the food had started to mold. At 10 days, the food was inedible, and the seals had completely relaxed. This wasn’t the worst vacuum food container system we tried, but it’s inferior to the Zwilling.
The Lasting Freshness Vacuum Seal Container Set was the most affordable set, but there was an obvious difference in quality. It only comes with four containers with lids in varying sizes, and one manual pump. During durability testing, the containers survived waist-height falls without leaking, but one of the latches broke off almost immediately. The seals were very easy to pop open, too, and two of the four containers arrived already broken and unsealable.
This system also requires the use of a hand pump, which is inferior to the others we tried because it introduces human error. Electric pumps work better to push past the point of human hand strength, and there was no way to tell when the seal was strong enough for the Lasting Freshness set—you’re simply left to guess. We used the pump (which is built like a bike pump and requires you to push the handle in and out to reduce pressure inside the container), until we couldn’t push it any further, and hoped that was enough. While the food wasn’t moldy after 10 days, the spinach was wilted and the tomatoes were pruney. There was no seal left on the containers, either. Overall, this is one to skip.
Is Food Getting More Expensive?
Historically, food prices have increased at a gradual, consistent rate. But beginning in 2020, prices began to increase more drastically, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, meat, poultry, and fish prices have increased faster than other types of food. Dairy prices were lower than they were compared with the same time in 2023, as were costs for fats, oils, sugar, sweets, cereals, and bakery products. Prices for produce—including fruits and vegetables—are expected to increase, but at a slower rate than what you’ll find yourself paying for meat, poultry, and fish.
Keeping food edible for longer is an ideal way to save money. It is also helpful for our environment, as food waste is the most common material filling U.S. landfills. Over one-third of the food that is produced in the U.S. is thrown away. That waste is typically incinerated, which can cause extra greenhouse gas emissions.
Tips on Preserving Food
You have many options for preserving your food:
- Freezing: Freeze your food in containers, with limited air circulating around them, at 0° F. This works especially well with meat, bread, fruits, and vegetables, and can keep them edible for several months, if not more.
- Fermenting: There are many ways to ferment foods. The Cordon Bleu cooking school recommends that you begin fermentation by brining your vegetables. Mix salt and water, then submerge vegetables in that brine. You can also dry salt or pre-brine them.
- Drying: You can dry fruit, vegetables, meat, herbs, and more to keep them edible for longer. Try using a dehydrator or, depending on the food, a low-heat oven.
- Storing: Using products like vacuum containers or bags, remove oxygen from the container to keep food from spoiling, and extend its life for at least twice as long, sometimes up to five times (according to popular vacuum seal brands).
How We Evaluated Vacuum Food Containers
We cut up strawberries and cherry tomatoes and added them to each of the vacuum food containers, along with spinach leaves. We then timed how long it took each pump to seal the container lids and observed how well they were sealed and whether the lids fit well on their containers.
We placed each container in the fridge and checked on each every two days until the 10th day. We observed which fruits and vegetables were fresh and which had wilted or become moldy. Additionally, we filled each container with water, sealed it with its respective pump, and dropped it several times from waist height. We made notes on which container leaked and which did not.
