Edge sealers need embossed bags with tiny channels so the pump can pull air out. Chamber sealers don't, so they use cheaper smooth pouches.
Side by side
| Chamber pouches | Embossed bags | |
|---|---|---|
| Works with | Chamber sealers only | Edge sealers (and most chamber sealers) |
| Surface | Smooth | Textured channels inside |
| Example | Avid Armor 8 × 10 in, 250 for $28.95 | Avid Armor 8 × 12 in, 100 for $16.99 |
| Per bag | About 12¢ | About 17¢ |
Why smooth bags fail in edge sealers
Avid Armor notes that smooth bags stall in edge sealers: without channels, the bag walls seal together before the air is out.
Saving on bags
- Buy rolls for edge sealers and cut bags to size.
- Leave enough extra length to re-seal a bag once or twice.
- If you seal hundreds of bags a year, cheaper chamber pouches help offset a chamber sealer's price.
