Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Oliso PRO VS97A Vacuum Sealer

I became a believer in vacuum sealers a few years ago when I discovered that they prevent freezer burn and prolong the viability of refrigerated foods such as cheese. I was perfectly happy using a popular brand…until this revolutionary sealer came into my life. I’ve been testing it for months and it has delivered with speed, reliability, and ease of use. Why no one ever thought to put zip-tops on resealable bags before now is totally beyond me!

This new model was designed with outdoor enthusiasts in mind, and can run off of a car accessory plug (adapter included) so you can seal up freshly-caught fish right at the car before tossing it in the ice chest. I used it at home for sealing up my home-dehydrated foods, for freeze-dried meals that I split in two, as well as produce, leftovers, cheese and anything else not vulnerable to crushing from the vacuum action. The real beauty here is in the way the bags work: Load the bag, seal the zipper top, slide the side of the bag into the jaws of the unit. The bag is detected and is vacuumed and sealed. There’s a little round imprint where the seal is made, and depending on which size of bag you are using, each can be resealed about ten times. The bags are expensive (about $1 each), but at around ten uses per bag, the cost is quite reasonable.The Oliso Pro can also seal wet food such as soups. I loved using the test unit so much that I bought it and gave away my old vacuum sealer.

Bonus: The unit is small enough (7×8”) to reside on the kitchen counter.