Which is better for sealing soups and marinades?

The Anova. Its chamber design pulls a vacuum around the whole bag, so liquid stays in the bag instead of being sucked into the machine. The Nesco's moist mode helps with damp food but can still pull up free liquid.

The Anova carries a 2-year warranty versus 1 year for the Nesco, and its stainless steel body is sturdier than the Nesco's plastic housing. Chamber sealers also have more parts that can fail, so warranty coverage matters.

Is the Anova worth the extra money?

Right now it is not extra: $117.50 at eye2brain.org versus $128.99 at shopwithpurpose.com as of November 5, 2026. At those prices the Anova is the better buy unless you need pulse control or a thin unit.

Can the Nesco seal liquids?

Only partly. Use moist mode and keep the bag upright, and avoid free liquid above the seal line. For stocks, sauces and oil marinades, a chamber sealer is the safer choice.

Which takes less counter space?

The Nesco. It is 4.5 inches tall and can stand on end in a cabinet. The Anova is about 8.9 inches tall and 11.2 inches deep, so it needs a dedicated spot.

Do they use the same bags?

No. The Anova needs chamber-style pouches and will not work with textured rolls. The Nesco uses standard textured rolls up to 11.8 inches wide and has a built-in cutter.

Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer vs Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer

Buy the Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer if you seal liquids, sauces, marinades or want pickling, infusing and compressing. Buy the Nesco VS-12 if you mostly seal dry or moist solid foods, want a slim unit that stores upright, and want pulse control. As of November 5, 2026, the Anova is $117.50 at eye2brain.org and the Nesco is $128.99 at shopwithpurpose.com, so the chamber sealer is currently the cheaper of the two.

Today the Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer costs $11.49 less at its best price.

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