I Had My Doubts This ‘Vacuum Sealing’ Gadget Would Be Worth the Cabinet Space, but It's Surprisingly Versatile and Will Definitely Help You Waste Less Food

Countertop kitchen appliances don't have too much bearing on how you design your space, usually. Yes, you might require a little more storage if you've got everything from a food processor and mixer to an ice cream machine, but you'll probably know whether or not it's worth adapting your design to how much you use these culinary gadgets.

However, what piqued my interest in Bora's range of QVAC appliances originally is that one of the models can be directly installed into your kitchen countertops, meaning you don't have to have any extra appliances on show, nor heave another thing out when you want to use it. But, I'll admit, I was intrigued as to whether a vacuum sealing machine was something I could justify using enough in my kitchen to ever consider installing it in my kitchen.

To see whether it was a design application worth the time, I asked kitchen appliance brand Bora to try its QVAC Move (a portable appliance that offers the same applications, but that doesn't require you to make a hole in your work surface) to test out how much I could see myself using it. And, I'll admit, its versatility did surprise me.

It felt like the perfect time of year to test Bora's QVAC Move out — after all, over Christmas, not only have I been cooking a lot more than usual, but I've also found myself with a lot of leftovers to deal with. This is one of those kitchen gadgets that will help you waste less food.

Armed with instructions and an ideas book from Bora, I got to work testing out the QVAC Move in a few different applications.

How Does It Work?

The QVAC Move itself is a sleek pill-shaped box, shorter, but with about the same footprint as a super basic pod coffee machine. It doesn't give much away to the naked eye (something reflective on the built-in version of the QVAC, too), but you press down on a circle on the top to release the mechanism with the vacuum hose. You then pull this out to its full length, where it looks into place (giving it a little tug for it to instantly retract), before fixing it to your sealing medium.

Now, it's important to point out that the Bora QVAC Move comes with two applications for vacuum sealing. There are traditional bags, which you might be familiar with already with other vacuum sealers, but the QVAC range also has specific storage containers that can be vacuum sealed, too. These interested me a little more, as they felt like I was more likely to use these regularly than having to deal with the bags.

For vacuum-sealed storage, you put the sealing nozzle onto the standard lid of the storage container and simply press the appropriate button on the device. It then quickly seals the box, and you remove the nozzle. What you need to remember when it comes to accessing your stored leftovers again is that you need to flick the valve open before you open the box to release the pressure.

To use the marinade function on the boxes, you need to swap to a different valve on the box, which comes supplied as standard, before fixing the nozzle and choosing the marinade function. This programme lasts around 10 minutes, and pressurizes and repressurizes the box (or bag) to recreate the effect of marinating something for hours.

There are also bottle stoppers to vacuum seal bottles, which I haven't utilized quite yet, but I can see how they'll come in handy, especially for things like half-finished bottles of wine, or dressings and vinaigrettes.

How Effective Is It?

As a device itself, I had no problems operating the Bora QVAC Move, at all. It's so simple to use (though I recommend acquainting yourself well with the instruction booklet, just for any peculiarities in using it safely), so, for me, it's more a question of whether vacuum sealing is something I really need to bring to my kitchen.

Image credit: Future

Image credit: Future

Let's start with marinating. If you're using fresh ingredients, but only want to start cooking as you're ready to eat, not hours before, I can vouch that it did make a big difference to the marination process. I found that it added more flavor to my meals, specifically when used on meat, or for softer, more porous vegetables. It definitely improved the flavor of my carrots and parsnips, pictured, on Christmas Day, but not quite as dramatically as in other applications. On reflection, I think I should have run the marinating cycle at least one more time — something you're encouraged to do where you think it might be necessary.

Vacuum sealing is meant to not only help food last longer, but also preserve it in a way that helps it retain moisture, so your leftovers actually taste better. If you're big into food prep and freezing, it'll actually help prevent 'freezer burn' from occurring, too.

I did a control test with the leftover turkey this year, with half in a standard storage container and half in a Bora QVAC container, and the latter clearly preserved the meat better, offering a better texture when coming back to these leftovers a day later.

Is It Worth It?

If you're into home cooking in a more serious way, then yes, this gadget is going to give you access to vacuum sealing for methods like sous-vide cooking in a whole new way. For the less serious, it's a way into marinating without pre-planning, cleverer food prep, and making a stand on making less food waste.

However, it's worth remembering that Bora is a premium brand, so the quality you get with this system comes with a price tag. The Bora QVAC Move retails at £429 usually, however, is on sale for £266 right now. With that in mind, it's not a gadget you're necessarily going to take a huge chance on without knowing that you'll definitely use it, so whether it's worth it or not for your kitchen will be a question only you know the answer to.

Alternative Vacuum Sealers