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The standard vacuum sealer bag sizes are pint, quart and gallon pre-cut bags and 8 in. and 11 in. rolls, but exact dimensions vary by brand. A quart bag is usually about 8 x 12 in. and a gallon about 11 x 16 in. What actually decides whether a bag works is your machine: an external sealer needs a bag no wider than its seal bar (often about 11 to 12 in., but some compact models only take 8 in.), and a chamber sealer needs a pouch that fits inside the chamber.
Below are the common sizes, a chart of popular machines' limits, and how to pick the right size for what you seal.
Common vacuum sealer bag sizes
| Size | Typical dimensions | Example from a brand listing | Holds about | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pint | About 6 x 10 in. | Beelicious Pro pint: 6 x 10 in. | One chicken breast, two burgers, a block of cheese | See options |
| Quart | About 8 x 12 in. | Beelicious Pro quart: 8 x 12 in.; Anova and Nesco quart-size: 8.6 x 11.8 in.; NutriChef: 7.8 x 11.8 in. | Two steaks, a pound of ground meat, fish fillets | See options |
| Gallon | About 11 x 16 in. | Beelicious Pro gallon: 11 x 16 in. | A family pack of thighs, a pork loin, a small roast | See options |
| 8 in. roll | 8 in. wide, any length | FoodSaver 8 in. x 20 ft; NutriChef 7.8 in. roll | Portions, sausages, snacks | See options |
| 11 in. roll | 11 in. wide, any length | FoodSaver 11 in. x 16 ft; Avid Armor 11 in. x 50 ft; Anova 11 in. x about 19.6 ft | Roasts, ribs, bulk packs | See options |
| Wide roll | 14 to 15 in. | LEM 14 in. x 20 ft; Weston 15 in. x 50 ft | Briskets, whole fish (needs a wide-bar sealer) | See options |
Dimensions come from each brand's listing. "Pint," "quart" and "gallon" are capacity names, not exact sizes, so compare the inches when you switch brands.
Maximum bag size by machine
| Machine | Type | Max bag width or pouch | Source | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NutriChef PKVS18BK | External | About 8 in. (NutriChef says 11 in. bags will not seal) | NutriChef page and Q&A | |
| NutriChef PKVS90BK | External | 11.81 in. sealing width | NutriChef | |
| Nesco VS-C1, VS-09, VS-12 | External | 11.8 in. | Nesco | See options |
| GERYON E2900-MS | External | 12 in. | GERYON manual | |
| FoodSaver V4400, FM2100 | External | FoodSaver 8 in. and 11 in. rolls and bags | FoodSaver | See options |
| Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer Pro | External | 11 in. rolls | Anova | |
| Avid Armor USV1 | Chamber | Pouches up to 10 x 10 in. | Avid Armor | |
| Avid Armor USV20 | Chamber | 11.5 in. bar; pouches up to 11 x 10 in. | Avid Armor | |
| Avid Armor USV32 | Chamber | 11.5 in. bar; pouches up to 11 x 13 in. | Avid Armor | |
| VacMaster VP210, VP215 | Chamber | 10.25 in. bar; pouches up to 10 x 13 in. | VacMaster | See options |
| Anova Precision Chamber | Chamber | 11.8 in. bar; 12 x 8.6 x 3 in. chamber | Anova |
If your machine is not listed, look for "maximum bag width" or "seal bar length" in the manual. Our Avid Armor chamber sealer review has more chamber sizes.
How to choose the right bag size
Width: match the food, not the machine
Pick the narrowest bag that lets the food lie flat with about 1 in. of film on each side. An 8 in. bag for two burgers wastes far less film than an 11 in. bag, which is why a roll pack with both widths saves money. Our vacuum sealer rolls guide compares rolls by width.
Length: add headspace
For external sealers, the bag needs room above the food so the open end can sit flat in the vacuum channel. Most brands suggest about 3 in. of empty bag above the food. A simple rule for cutting from a roll:
Bag length = length of the food + its thickness + about 3 in.
Thick items like a roast take up more film as the bag wraps around them, which is why the thickness goes into the sum. If you want to reuse a bag by cutting off the seal and resealing, add another inch or two.
Chamber pouches: fit the chamber
In a chamber sealer, the whole pouch sits inside the box with its open end across the seal bar. The pouch must be no wider than the bar and short enough to lie inside the chamber. A 6 x 10 in. pouch fits even compact chambers like the USV1, 8 x 12 in. fits most mid-size machines, and 10 x 13 in. suits bigger ones like the VacMaster VP210. Taller food also needs chamber height: Avid Armor's USV models have chambers about 2.25 to 3.5 in. tall, and VacMaster's VP210 has 5 in. Our chamber vacuum sealer bags guide lists pouch sizes by brand.
Which size for which food
| Food | Best size | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Burgers, chicken breasts | Pint or 8 in. roll | Lay flat in a single layer |
| Steaks, pork chops | Quart | Two per bag for sous vide; pad bone ends |
| Ground meat (1 lb) | Quart, pressed flat | Flat packs freeze and thaw faster |
| Fish fillets | Quart | Pre-freeze soft fillets on a tray first |
| Chicken thighs, family packs | Gallon | Split into meal-size bags instead if you can |
| Roasts, pork shoulder | Gallon or 11 in. roll | Add the roast's thickness to the length |
| Racks of ribs | 11 in. or wider roll | Cut long; pad the bone ends |
| Brisket, whole salmon | 14 to 15 in. roll | Needs a wide-bar sealer |
| Cheese blocks | Pint or 8 in. roll | Leave extra length to reseal after use |
| Coffee, nuts, snacks | Pint or quart | Or a jar with a jar sealer |
| Soups and stock (chamber) | Quart or 8 x 12 in. pouch | Fill no more than about half; chill first |
| Rice, beans for long storage | Gallon Mylar (about 10 x 14 in.) | Use oxygen absorbers |
Bag thickness
Size is not the only spec. Thicker film resists punctures from bones and lasts longer in the freezer. Chamber pouches are commonly 3 to 4 mil (Avid Armor's ACPA32 is 3.5 mil); Bonsenkitchen lists its rolls at 4 mil; LEM's Mylar bags are 7 mil. FoodSaver says its Heavy Duty rolls are 30% thicker than its standard bags and rolls. For bone-in cuts, choose heavier film or pad the bones.
Mylar bag sizes
Mylar for dry storage comes in its own sizes. Wallaby's gallon bags are 10 x 14 in., which is why a 12 in. impulse sealer is handy, and its 5-gallon bucket liners are 20 x 30.5 in. LEM's MaxVac Pro Mylar bags are 8 x 10 in. Remember that smooth Mylar cannot be vacuumed on an external sealer; see our Mylar vacuum seal bags guide.
FoodSaver bag sizes
FoodSaver sells pint, quart and gallon pre-cut bags, 8 in. and 11 in. rolls (in standard and Heavy Duty versions), and quart and gallon zipper bags for its handhelds. Its 120-count variety box has 20 pint, 60 quart and 40 gallon bags. Our FoodSaver vacuum bags guide explains which work with which machine.
Common mistakes
- Buying 11 in. rolls for a narrow sealer. Check your machine's maximum width first.
- Cutting bags too short. Without about 3 in. of headspace, the bag will not seal cleanly.
- Using one size for everything. Oversized bags waste film and trap more air.
- Buying smooth pouches for an external sealer. External machines need embossed bags; smooth pouches only vacuum in a chamber sealer.
- Overfilling chamber pouches with liquid. Keep liquid well below the seal line.
If you are still choosing a machine, bag width is one of the specs we compare in our best vacuum sealers roundup.
FAQ
What are the standard vacuum sealer bag sizes?
Most brands sell pint, quart and gallon pre-cut bags plus 8 in. and 11 in. rolls. Exact sizes vary by brand: Beelicious Pro lists pint bags at 6 x 10 in., quart at 8 x 12 in. and gallon at 11 x 16 in., while Anova's and Nesco's quart-size bags are 8.6 x 11.8 in. Chamber pouches commonly come in 6 x 10, 8 x 12 and 10 x 13 in.
What size bags fit a FoodSaver?
FoodSaver machines are designed around its 8 in. and 11 in. rolls and its pint, quart and gallon pre-cut bags. Other brands' embossed bags and rolls up to about 11 in. wide also fit most FoodSaver countertop models.
What size bag does the Anova vacuum sealer use?
Anova's pre-cut bags are 8.6 x 11.8 in. (22 x 30 cm), and its rolls are 11 in. wide, about 19.6 ft per roll. The Anova Precision Vacuum Sealer and the Pro take standard embossed bags up to about 11 to 11.8 in. wide.
Can I use 11 inch bags in any vacuum sealer?
No. Most full-size external sealers take 11 in. bags, but some compact ones do not. NutriChef says 11 in. bags will not seal in its PKVS18BK, which takes bags about 8 in. wide. Check your machine's maximum bag width or seal bar length first.
What size chamber vacuum pouch do I need?
The pouch must fit inside the chamber with its open end across the seal bar. Avid Armor lists maximum pouches of 10 x 10 in. for the USV1, 11 x 10 in. for the USV20 and 11 x 13 in. for the USV32; VacMaster's VP210 takes pouches up to 10 x 13 in. A 6 x 10 in. pouch fits even compact chambers like the USV1; 8 x 12 in. fits most mid-size machines.