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Mueller Vacuum Sealer Review

This relatively low-cost machine offered a consistent performance across the board and excelled in gentle sealing
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Mueller Vacuum Sealer Review (The Mueller is a champ when it comes to quick sealing times but it requires a cool-down period after sealing 9...)
The Mueller is a champ when it comes to quick sealing times but it requires a cool-down period after sealing 9 consecutive bags.
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $70 List
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Manufacturer:   Mueller
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Feb 15, 2022
69
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 11
  • Sealing Performance - 40% 6.0
  • Convenience - 30% 6.0
  • Delicate Foods - 20% 10.0
  • Suction Power - 10% 7.0

Our Verdict

If you're looking for a lightweight, compact, and efficient vacuum sealer, the Mueller is it. This puppy brings a powerful pump to the table to increase productivity and decrease package air content. At the same time, its simplistic controls are responsive, and it has a soft hand for tender foods. Indeed, this is our top recommendation if you plan to seal softer items. On top of that, consider that this tantalizing kitchen machine seals the deal with a very manageable bottom-line price. Need we say more? If you want to see how the rest of the competition stacks up, check out our best vacuum sealer review.
REASONS TO BUY
Powerful suction pump
Gentle on food
Manageable size and weight
Great price
REASONS TO AVOID
Narrow seal
Overheats quickly
Finicky touch screen
Editor's Note: This review was updated on February 15th, 2022. We provide additional information on what we would buy and more details on product comparisons.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best for Delicate Foods
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Vacuum Sealer
   
Price $70 List$50 List$70 List
$59.00 at Amazon
$70 List
$35.70 at Amazon
$90 List
$76.26 at Amazon
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Bottom Line This relatively inexpensive unit is packed with convenience features, is easy to operate, and has a soft touch for delicate foodsThis affordable and convenient unit can seal up to 30 bags in a row while remaining gentle on tender foodThis sealer offers above-average performance particularly in delicate foods assessmentWhile not a leader in any of our evaluations, this model is nonetheless functional and quite inexpensiveFinishing with a very low score, it's hard for us to get excited about this sealer
Rating Categories Mueller Vacuum Sealer Amazon Basics Vacuu... NutriChef PKVS18BK Geryon E2900-MS Nesco VS-02
Sealing Performance (40%)
6.0
7.0
6.0
4.0
4.0
Convenience (30%)
6.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
Delicate Foods (20%)
10.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
2.0
Suction Power (10%)
7.0
5.0
6.0
6.0
7.0
Specs Mueller Vacuum Sealer Amazon Basics Vacuu... NutriChef PKVS18BK Geryon E2900-MS Nesco VS-02
Measured Vacuum Strength @ 6200' 19 -inHg 14.5 -inHg 18 -inHg 16.5 -inHg 18.8 -inHg
Measured Weight 2.7 lbs 3.1 lbs 2.9 lbs 2.2 lbs 4.8 lbs
Air Suction Hose Included? Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Removable Tray? No No No No No
Built-in Roll Storage? No Yes No No Yes
Built-in Bag Cutter? No Yes No No Yes
Measured Seal Thickness 2 mm 3 mm 2.5 mm 2 mm 1.5 mm
Measured Average Seal Time 6 seconds 9 seconds 7 seconds 6 seconds 6 seconds

Our Analysis and Test Results

In a competitive class of vacuum sealers, the Mueller establishes itself as a leader for having a steady but gentle action. This machine makes quick work sealing up foods as it has a fast-acting pump that won't leave you hanging. Additionally, it has a responsive control interface that makes it easy to pulse the pump to treat delicate items gently. As if these achievements were not enough, the machine's manageable size is matched by a very budget-friendly price tag.

Performance Comparison


mueller vacuum sealer - the simple and efficient design of the mueller makes basic sealing a...
The simple and efficient design of the Mueller makes basic sealing a breeze. We know this because we sealed just about everything we could think of during our testing process.
Credit: Laura Casner

Sealing Performance


Our sealing performance metric looks at all aspects of quality sealing except suction (which is addressed separately). We ran the machines in our lineup through several tests for suction speed with various foods. We also looked at the number of continuous bags that the units could seal before the accumulated heat from the sealing element required a cool-off period. Finally, we looked at the width of the heat seal, as wider seals are more effective at maintaining a vacuum. All told, the Mueller received a slightly above-average score for its sealing performance. This score is on par with the NutriChef PKVS18BK and the FoodSaver FM5200.


We broke up our sealing analysis into four sections covering speed, continuous sealing volume, seal strength, and the ability to maintain suction gains between pump pulses. We used four foods of varying consistency (ground beef, bread, dry rice, and sausage links) to test speed and timed the complete vacuuming/sealing cycle. The Mueller was a leader in this series of tests, with times well below a minute and lower than the class average. As for maintaining suction pressure during the sealing process, the Mueller delivered a perfect performance.

mueller vacuum sealer - the "vac mode" on this unit is very efficient. it rapidly evacuates...
The “vac mode” on this unit is very efficient. It rapidly evacuates air from the bag and the pump holds suction when pulsing for gentle closures.
Credit: Laura Casner

Conversely, the Mueller did not fare so well in the other sealing performance tests. Specifically, the unit has a relatively narrow heat seal, just 2mm, and we prefer the thicker 3mm found on the Amazon Basics Vacuum Sealer. The unit also overheated after sealing just nine bags. These unimpressive stats offset the steller sealing time and vacuum holding results resulting in an average score.

mueller vacuum sealer - while this unit is quite fast at sealing up food, it has a narrow...
While this unit is quite fast at sealing up food, it has a narrow heat element that both overheats quickly and is just 2mm in width.
Credit: Laura Casner

Convenience


When you get down to it, vacuum sealers are all about convenience. These simple machines make buying in bulk and keeping food fresh more attainable. Fewer trips to the store mean saving in time and cash. When you buy a convenience machine, you don't want the device to come with a new set of inconveniences. This metric identifies all the nuisances common to these machines and rates them based on how well they avoid them. Specifically, we look at the size, weight, and whether the bags and cutting tools are integrated. We also assessed the user interface, the ease of clean-up, and the presence of an auxiliary suction pump. Considering all these aspects, we can say that the Mueller provides an average level of convenience to users.


There are a lot of factors at play here, so let's be clear. The Mueller has many helpful features. However, its lack of onboard bag storage and bag cutter dragged it into a middling position in this evaluation. Other than that, the unit is lightweight (just 2.7 pounds), has an auxiliary pump, has effective and easy to operate controls, and the sealing process is largely automated. So, if you don't mind getting out a roll of bags and a pair of scissors when you're working, this machine has everything else that one could want to ease them through the sealing process.

mueller vacuum sealer - we preferred machines that have tactile push-buttons as they...
We preferred machines that have tactile push-buttons as they self-confirm function actuation and they are hard to accidentally press.
Credit: Laura Casner

Delicate Foods


While many foods that are good candidates for vacuum sealing are not what we'd describe as delicate, we wanted to know which machines could be gentle on food for when the occasion to seal up tender items arises. This analysis focused on the units' ability to control suction rate through pulsing the suction pump on and off and how the overall sealing process affected the test food (two slices of white bread). Make no mistake; the Mueller is a total boss. There are very few better-performing products in our opinion.


The Mueller received top marks for its treatment of delicate food because, above all, the unit pulled the air from the package very evenly. Air trapped in the bag had time to work its way out without compressing the food. Also, the on/off button is responsive, instantly turning off the pump when pushed while maintaining suction. This feature allows the user to work in increments that, in the end, preserve the integrity of soft, airy, and delicate items like bread or smoothie berries.

mueller vacuum sealer - the mueller has a feather-soft touch on food with special needs.
The Mueller has a feather-soft touch on food with special needs.
Credit: Laura Casner

Suction Power


Unlike other portions of this review, the suction power test is an entirely objective analysis of the amount of negative pressure the sealers can exert on a vacuum bag as measured in inches of mercury (in. Hg). The Mueller is a leader in the class due to its ability to pull an impressive 19 in. Hg of pressure. We made this analysis with our custom-built suction gauge that mounts to the vacuum bag for consistent and accurate readings.


Should You Buy the Mueller Vacuum Sealer?


This thorough review of the Mueller vacuum sealer addresses every practical aspect of this machine's functionality. More than just a basic test drive, we conducted structured, reproducible evaluations of the suction power, the time to seal, and the ease of use. Bottom line, this sealer is one of our favorite vacuum sealers we tested, and is clearly the top dog for anyone needing to seal delicate items. We recommend it to anyone looking to complete their collection of home appliences.

What Other Vacuum Sealers Should You Consider?


The Mueller offered above-average performance in our analysis contrasted with a below-average price point, making it easy to definitively say this is a value, nay, a high-value item. While this machine will satisfy most people's needs and budgets, it lacks some convenience features that some people value. If you count yourself in that group, then you may want to take a look at the FoodSaver V4400, which earned one of the highest convenience scores in our testing.

David Wise and Austin Palmer