Avid Armor USV20 Chamber Vacuum Sealer vs VacMaster VP230 Chamber Vacuum Sealer

Buy the VacMaster VP230 if you seal often, in volume, or for a living. Its ½-hp oil pump, stainless body, 12.5 x 15 x 5 in chamber and 89 lb build are made for daily commercial duty. The USV20 is the lighter, smaller home machine: 17.55 lb, a flat glass lid, and a 12.25 x 8.5 x 3 in chamber that fits under an 18-inch cabinet. Owners of both praise wide, wrinkle-free double seals and liquid handling; USV20 owners note touchy buttons and a lid that sometimes needs a press, while the VP230's main cost is its size and weight on the counter.

• Choose the USV20 if you seal at home in modest batches, want a machine you can lift and store, and need it to fit under a standard upper cabinet.
• Choose the VacMaster VP230 if you process large hauls, run a kitchen or catering operation, or want an oil rotary pump and stainless body built for heavy, repeated cycles.