Vacuum Machines

Vacuum chamber sealer machine SVC 250 Premium front view, suitable to vacuum liquids and juicy foodstuff Unlike an "external vacuum machine” or a “clamp vacuum machine”, the vacuum chamber machine requires the cooking (or storage) pouch, and the food it contains, to be positioned inside the chamber of the vacuum machine. Once the pouch is placed, the lid is folded down, forming a sealed "chamber" into which the air is drawn using a powerful pump. When the desired vacuum in the chamber is reached, a seal bar automatically seals the pouch. It is only after this last step that the air can be reintroduced into the chamber. This step has the effect of creating a "reverse" pressure which compresses the pouch on the food. It is then possible to open the lid of the chamber and remove the vacuum pouch.

The great advantage of this type of vacuum device is that it can vacuum liquids. In fact, because the pouch is located in the chamber, the air pressure is the same both inside and outside the pouch. This feature eliminates the risk of liquids escaping from the pouch. In addition, a vacuum chamber machine allows a vacuum of a much higher quality to be obtained than so-called "external" or “clamp” vacuum units. This last point is fundamental in sous vide cooking.

Understanding how a vacuum chamber machine is made Possible breakdowns Can a € 1,000 vacuum chamber machine be a good deal? The right questions to ask yourself before buying a vacuum chamber machine!

A vacuum chamber machine seems, at first glance, to be simple in design. However, it is a machine that must be robust in order to withstand very high pressures and a rate of use which places great strain on the wearing parts.

A vacuum chamber machine is above all a high quality pump. It is the heart of the machine. The type of pump used is usually an industrial pump with an oil lubrication system. These pumps are very heavy: 5 kg for a small pump of 4 m3/H, 10 kg for 8 m3/H...

The "chamber" is made up of 2 parts:

the metal structure forms the lower part of the chamber. Below is the pump and the electronics of the machine. It must be completely airtight and very robust to withstand pressures of up to a few millibars! Otherwise, your chamber would implode like a can of soda…
the cover (lid) constitutes the upper part of the chamber. It is often made of plexiglass and transparent so that you can see the condition of the pouch during the vacuum process. The lid is either flat or domed. A domed lid increases the height of the chamber and allows, for example, the vacuuming of jars.

The sealing bar : a vacuum machine usually has a single sealing bar. It can also include 2, located at each end of the chamber. The double sealing bar increases the rate of vacuuming the pouches.
A sealing bar can perform (depending on the model) one or two parallel welds on the same pouch.
Some sealing bars may have an automatic bag cut-off system.

Some top-of-the-range vacuum chamber machine may have a pressure sensor placed in the chamber. This sensor enables the vacuum quality to be set in millibar instead of a vacuum time. Which is more precise.

The breakdowns of vacuum chamber-type machines are often linked to poor maintenance of the pump or to normal wear of wearing parts:

Stucked pump: regardless of the trademark or quality of the pump, periodic maintenance (oil change and filter replacement) must be carried out to keep the pump in good condition. Otherwise, the pump may jam.

The vacuum is not well done in the chamber because the silicone seal of the lid is worn.
A silicone gasket is attached to the lid of the chamber to ensure a perfect seal between the lid and the lower part of the chamber. This seal is under very strong pressure and wears out over time. It is recommended to change it every 6 months to a 1 year. This seal is easy to replace.

The teflon tape on the upper part of the seal bar is damaged or shows signs of burn marks.
The teflon tape is used to cover the heating resistance wire which is used to weld the cooking pouch. Incorrect setting of the duration of the soldering time or a faulty solder wire can alter or burn the teflon tape which will then need to be replaced. This is not a big failure.

The vacuum system works well but the sealing bar does not or does not seal the pouch correctly :
This can either be from the heat wire of the seal bar which needs to be replaced, or from a pneumatic cylinder that no longer lifts the bar to the correct height to seal the pouch. The solder wire is easy to replace. The replacement of a pneumatic cylinder will require the intervention of a repairer.

The technical specifications of some vacuum chamber machines can be very tempting and sometimes at prices below € 1,000 excluding VAT. Make no mistake about it. At this price you cannot have quality components and in particular a good pump.

From experience, a quality, well-maintained machine will rarely have problems. A vacuum chamber machine whose design and manufacture are not clearly identified or (little recognized on the market) will be unreliable and cause you more worries and shipments for repair. Also, if you cannot clearly identify the name of the manufacturer, how can you be sure you will find the spare parts in 5 or 10 years?

Sealing bar
Determining the width of the seal bar on your vacuum machine will greatly reduce your choice. Note that the larger the seal bar, the larger and heavier your machine will be (pump weight).
You will need to ask yourself the following questions: What is the maximum pouch size I would need?
If you have a small kitchen with not much space and only want to make individual portions (duck breast, fish, foie gras...), a 200 to 250 mm seal bar is the right choice.
If you are a delicatessen and want to vacuum ham or salmon or other... a sealing bar of 300, 400 mm, or more, will be more suited to your needs.

Vacuum rate

The rate (the number of pouch put under vacuum for a determined time) will depend on 3 factors: the volume of the chamber, the power of the pump and the number of sealing bars.

The chamber volume: the larger your chamber and the smaller the pouch (or pouches) to be vacuumed, the longer the vacuum chamber machine will take to complete the vacuum cycle. In other words, if you are not planning on vacuuming jars or large pieces, for example, it may not be a good idea to buy a vacuum machine with a domed chamber. A flat lid will reduce the height of the chamber and take less time for the pump to complete the cycle.
Pump power: the more powerful your pump, the faster the vacuum cycle will be. Oversizing the power of your pump for your needs will allow you to increase your vacuum rate on the one hand, but will involve a higher purchase cost and a heavier and larger machine on the other hand...
Installing a double seal bar is also a solution to increase your vacuum rate. It is only possible on vacuum chamber machine with a sealing bar greater than 300 mm. This is an option that must be ordered at the time of purchase. It is not possible to install it after ordering.

SOUS VIDE CONSULTING's CHOICE

Professionals from all forms of catering, the food-related occupations and the hotel trade must work with robust and reliable equipment. In the medium term (3 or 5 years), the choice of a low-end vacuum chamber machine will risk jeopardizing the smooth running of your organization and could ultimately prove to be costly.

This is the reason why Sous Vide Consulting only offers quality vacuum chamber machines, designed and manufactured in Germany or Switzerland by companies with more than 30 years of existence! We offer 3 ranges of vacuum chamber machines depending on the length of the sealing bar: 200 mm, 250 mm and > 300 mm.

Our offer with 200 mm sealing bar

Our offer with 250 mm sealing bar

Our offer with > 300 mm sealing bar