We research products independently. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read our affiliate disclosure.
You can vacuum seal without a machine by using the water displacement method: put the food in a zip-top freezer bag, seal it almost shut, and slowly lower it into a bowl of water so the water pushes the air out, then close the last corner just above the waterline. It is not a true vacuum, but it removes most of the air, which is enough for sous vide and short-to-medium freezer storage. For a tighter result, use a small hand pump with valve bags, or, for dry pantry food, Mylar bags with an oxygen absorber.
Each method below suits a different job. None of them changes the food-safety rules, which we cover at the end.
The five methods compared
| Method | What you need | Air removed | Best for | Weak point | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water displacement | Zip-top freezer bag, bowl or pot of water | Most | Sous vide, freezer meat for weeks to months | Zipper lets air back in over time | |
| Straw | Zip-top bag, drinking straw | Some | Quick freezer portions | Hard to get it tight; hygiene | |
| Hand pump with valve bags | Manual or USB pump, valve zipper bags | Close to a handheld sealer | Fridge leftovers, cheese, deli meat | Valve bags cost more; weaker for long freezer storage | See options |
| Vacuum containers | Valve-lid containers and their pump | Container vacuum | Berries, salad, soft foods, marinating | Bulky; fridge use | See options |
| Mylar plus oxygen absorber | Smooth Mylar bag, oxygen absorber, iron or hair straightener | Oxygen, not air | Long-term dry pantry storage | Dry foods only | See options |
Method 1: The water displacement method
This is the method sous vide cooks use, and the best way to vacuum seal without a machine for most foods.
- Use a freezer-grade zip-top bag, not a thin sandwich bag. Freezer bags are thicker and less permeable.
- Add the food in a flat, single layer. Leave a couple of inches at the top.
- Close the zipper all the way except for about 1 in. at one corner.
- Lower the bag slowly into a bowl, pot or sink of water, bottom first. The water presses on the bag and pushes the air out through the open corner.
- Stop when the water reaches just below the zipper. Do not let water in.
- Close the last corner while the bag is still submerged to that level.
- Dry the outside and lay the bag flat to freeze, or put it straight into your sous vide bath.
Cold water works for storage. For sous vide, you can do this in the warm cooking bath itself. Silicone bags designed for sous vide, such as Stasher's, are made to be used this way, since they have no valve.
How well does it hold? Better than a bag you squeeze by hand, worse than a heat seal. The zipper is the weak point, so for long freezer storage, double-bag or plan to use the food sooner. Our comparison of vacuum sealers vs Ziploc freezer bags goes into the difference.
Method 2: The straw method
- Fill a zip-top bag and close it around a drinking straw at one corner.
- Suck the air out through the straw until the bag hugs the food.
- Pinch the straw shut, pull it out, and close the zipper in one motion.
It works in a pinch, but it is hard to get the bag tight, the bag re-inflates a little as you pull the straw out, and putting your mouth near raw meat is not ideal. Use a clean straw and keep it for cooked or dry foods if you can. Water displacement does a better job with less effort.
Method 3: A hand pump with valve bags
This is the cheapest "machine" there is, and it is the step most people take after trying the water method. Valve zipper bags have a one-way valve; you press a small pump onto it and pull the air out.
- Manual pumps work like a small bicycle pump in reverse.
- Rechargeable handheld pumps do it with a button. The ZWILLING Fresh & Save pump charges by USB and stops automatically when it reaches vacuum, and ZWILLING rates its valve bags for sous vide to 197.60 °F. FoodSaver's Mini Handheld and Chef Preserve's compact sealer work the same way with their own bags.
Valve bags are reusable and great for cheese, deli meat, herbs and leftovers you open often. For months in the freezer, a heat-sealed bag is still more reliable. Our handheld vacuum sealer guide compares the pumps, and our reusable vacuum seal bags guide covers the bags.
Method 4: Vacuum containers (no bags)
If you want to vacuum seal without bags, use containers with a valve lid. A hand pump, or a sealer's accessory hose, pulls the air out of the container. They are ideal for berries, salad greens, pastries and anything a bag would crush, and some are made for quick marinating. They live in the fridge, not the freezer door, and they take up more space than flat bags.
Canning jars are another bagless option for dry food: a jar sealer attachment on a handheld pump or sealer pulls the air out from under a flat lid. That is storage, not canning, so only dry foods belong in the pantry this way.
Method 5: Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers
For long-term storage of dry food, you do not need a vacuum at all. You need to remove the oxygen. Fill a smooth Mylar bag with dry food, press out the air, drop in an oxygen absorber last, and heat-seal the top. Wallaby, for example, lists a heat sealer, impulse sealer or a household iron on medium as ways to close its bags; many people use a hair straightener.
Utah State University Extension explains that air is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen; once the absorber takes up the oxygen, the bag holds mostly nitrogen, which is why it does not shrink tight like a vacuum bag. USU also says foods stored with oxygen absorbers should be about 10% moisture or less. Stick to white rice, dry beans, wheat, oats and similar dry goods. Our Mylar vacuum seal bags guide covers bag sizes and absorbers.
Which method for which food
| Food | Best no-machine method | Store |
|---|---|---|
| Steaks, chicken, fish for sous vide | Water displacement | Cook the same day, or freeze |
| Ground meat portions | Water displacement, pressed flat | Freezer |
| Cheese and deli meat | Hand pump and valve bags | Fridge |
| Berries, salad, soft baked goods | Vacuum container | Fridge |
| Soup and stock | Freeze in a container first, then bag the block | Freezer |
| Rice, beans, wheat | Mylar plus oxygen absorber | Cool, dark pantry |
| Coffee beans | Valve container or pump bag | Cool, dark place |
For sous vide specifically, our best sous vide bags guide lists bags rated for the water bath.
Safety rules still apply
Removing air protects quality. It does not preserve perishable food. Clemson Cooperative Extension (HGIC 3865) says perishable vacuum-packaged foods must be kept in the refrigerator between 34 and 40 °F or in the freezer at 0 °F or below, and that vacuum packaging is not a substitute for safely processing foods meant for room-temperature storage. UConn Extension notes that dry foods such as crackers and rice, and dehydrated foods like dried fruit, nuts and jerky, are the ones safe in vacuum bags at room temperature. When you thaw sealed meat or fish, open the bag and thaw it in the refrigerator, as extension services advise.
When it is worth buying a sealer
If you freeze meat every month, the water method gets tedious, and zipper bags let air back in faster than heat-sealed film. A basic heat sealer costs less than many people expect; our best budget vacuum sealers list starts at the low end.
Common mistakes
- Using thin sandwich bags instead of freezer bags.
- Letting water into the bag during displacement. Stop just below the zipper.
- Freezing bags in a lump. Lay them flat so they freeze fast and stack neatly.
- Putting moist food in Mylar with an absorber at room temperature.
- Assuming a zipper bag lasts as long as a heat-sealed vacuum bag in the freezer.
FAQ
How do you vacuum seal without a machine?
The most reliable way is the water displacement method: put food in a zip-top freezer bag, close it except for a small corner, and lower it into a bowl of water so the water pressure pushes the air out, then seal the corner just above the waterline. You can also suck the air out with a straw, use a hand pump with valve bags, or seal dry food in Mylar with an oxygen absorber.
Does the water displacement method really work?
It removes most of the air, which is enough for sous vide and for a few weeks to a few months in the freezer. It does not create a true vacuum or a heat seal, so a zipper bag will let air back in faster than a vacuum sealer bag.
Can you vacuum seal a Ziploc bag?
Not with a standard countertop vacuum sealer, because Ziploc bags are smooth and have no air channels. You can remove most of the air from a Ziploc freezer bag by water displacement or with a straw, and some brands sell valve zipper bags made for hand pumps.
How do you vacuum seal without bags?
Use vacuum containers or canning jars. Vacuum containers have a valve lid that a hand pump or sealer hose can evacuate. For jars of dry food, a jar sealer attachment on a handheld pump or sealer pulls air from under a flat lid.
Is food sealed without a machine safe to store at room temperature?
Only dry, low-moisture foods. No home vacuum or air-removal method makes perishable food shelf-stable. Clemson Cooperative Extension says perishable vacuum-packaged food must stay between 34 and 40 °F in the refrigerator or at 0 °F or below in the freezer.