Vig says you may not always need a vacuum to seal vacuum storage bags. She notes, “Many vacuum storage bags now are able to be sealed by rolling the air out of the bag, which makes them excellent for using with air travel.” According to Moore, “For best results, a vacuum is recommended and will remove more air than other methods, such as pressing on the bag to force out the air manually.” Other bags may come with a pump, though they still allow the option of using a vacuum for sealing. This was tied at the 2nd fastest pump, but significantly smaller and slower at removing air than the large pump. This change of mind return policy is in addition to, and does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law including any rights you may have in respect of faulty items.

Michele Vig, founder and chief organizer of Neat Little Nest, says it depends. “While a vacuum seal bag can save space by shrinking items down, the result of a large plastic bag filled with stuff needs a place to go,” she says. “Without having a good place to store those vacuum bags (a proper-sized shelf, for example), you might not have gained that much storage space.” Vig recommends viewing vacuum storage bags as long-term storage since it can be difficult to access items and reseal frequently. You may not want to use these for storing zippered or embellished clothing since the thin plastic could tear. The bag includes a bit of bubble wrap, so it has some cushioning for delicate clothing. We observed that the bag felt thin, but found it held up to the compression process with no tears—just a bit of wrinkling afterward. However, it might be wise to avoid using them to store zippered clothing or sweaters with metal embellishments in case they tear the thin plastic. Vig adds, “Unless there is a clear reason items need to be stored in the bags for a long period of time (like a large home renovation), there is a chance that what gets stored in the bags might never be used again.”Jill Moore, owner and certified professional home organizer of Organized Jill Professional Home Organization advises, “Be sure to not overstuff vacuum bags and utilize the correct size.” She adds, “It is better to place less things in more bags for easier retrieval without having to dig through a large pile.”

These perform slightly better with the hand pump, so you may want to skip sealing with a wet/dry vacuum. We loved the capacity of the larger size bag, which fit five hip-length coats along with their hangers. We didn’t love the thinner plastic that didn’t feel terribly sturdy, yet it held up to the 24-hour compression test with no tears. We measured a decrease in size of nearly 12% immediately after sealing the bag, with a negligible increase in size after 24 hours. Plus, the bag didn’t allow water in when it was submerged for a full minute. In terms of the type of items you’re storing, you’ll want to consider how the material might interact with the bags. Vig explains, “Some types of materials store better in containers/bags that can breathe—like natural fabrics (think cashmere). I would prefer to use linen boxes to store those types of items than plastic airtight bags or bins.” Moore agrees, adding, “Different fabrics may react differently to being stored without air circulation and ventilation. Damage could occur to certain fabrics if they were not intended to be stored in this manner.”This the best vacuum storage bag if you have extra bedding to stash away. It was able to handle two pillows as well as three sheet sets. And despite holding that much, the bag’s circumference shrank by more than 10 inches, making it especially handy for smaller storage spaces. We could easily place it under a bed, and it still fit nicely in this 12-inch space after we folded the bag and its contents in half—meaning it’s perfect for storing lots of items in a compact area. Pros: Small, lightweight, removable USB cable allows you to use a shorter or longer cable as desired.

After 24 hours, the bag was still sealed and measured only about 2% larger than the initial seal, so it kept out air quite well. Even after being submerged in water, the towels were protected and dry. The valve did leave an indent in a towel resting against it, which we were able to fluff away. You may want to avoid placing more delicate clothing closest to the valve to keep from potentially damaging your favorite sweater, however.

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The price feels a bit high when you consider that the bags are all the same size, which doesn’t provide much variety. We didn’t feel that using the bag was very easy, though. We struggled to lay the coats flat within the bag because of the zipper’s placement on the long edge of the bag. We also had to search for sealing instructions online, and found it difficult to properly align the vacuum with the bag’s valve. The bag’s design meant the coats were pressed up against the valve, interfering with airflow, which then led to a longer compression time—about 2.5 minutes.

This change of mind return policy is in addition to, and does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law including any rights you may have in respect of faulty items. To return faulty items see our Returning Faulty Items policy. After testing, we found that the Gongshi Vacuum Storage Bags are the best vacuum storage bags. They earned top marks in each of our categories, plus they’re easy to use, durable, stored five sheet sets, and kept air and water out. and eco-friendly Materials - this travel vacuum bag is made of premium and high-quality PE+PET materials that are durable and able to last for years. High quality & reusable, double zippers and sealing clips ensure a secure seal for optimal compression every time. Durable material will last indefinite uses without hindering vacuum capacity.If you’re after generously sized storage options, then these are the best vacuum storage bags. They come in a set of six, and we found that one bag held two pillows plus three sets of sheets without even meeting the maximum fill line. In part, that’s thanks to their cube-shaped bottom design, which means the bags stand upright, allowing for an easier loading process. Depending on the vacuum storage bags you buy, you may find that accessories come with them. You can buy just the bags by themselves, of course. But some brands include a hand pump or even an electric pump as an alternative to using a vacuum cleaner—which can be ideal for traveling when you typically won’t have access to a vacuum for sealing the bags. Using a wet/dry vacuum, we found it simple enough to remove the valve cover, attach the hose, and replace the cover. It took about 15 seconds to compress the bag, but we felt the end of the bag could have benefited from more compression, so we gave it another 10 seconds of sealing time but didn’t see a significant change in size. Vacuum sealing the bags with a wet/dry vac allowed us to fit all five sheet sets in the bag while the hand pump only allowed for three sheet sets. We found the sealing process for both options to be quite simple and straightforward, with both the vacuum nozzle and the hand pump fitting easily into the bag’s valve. Sealing with the wet/dry vacuum took only 18 seconds, while the hand pump seal took a full minute—something to note if you’re in a time crunch. Both sealed bags fit nicely in the 12-inch storage space under a queen bed and on a shelf meant for cube storage. With bag options that included a hand pump, we sealed one bag using the hand pump and the second using a vacuum. Interestingly, we found that the hand pump worked better with some options than others—though not in all cases.