Vacuum Sealer for Mason Jars: Machines and Attachments
To vacuum seal mason jars, use an electric jar sealer kit, a cordless jar sealer or a jar attachment on a compatible FoodSaver machine. Use the jars for dry goods like flour, sugar, oats, nuts and coffee, and keep low-acid foods in the fridge or freezer.
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You can vacuum seal mason jars with three kinds of gear: an electric jar sealer kit, a cordless jar sealer, or a jar attachment for a FoodSaver machine. Each one pulls the air out of a jar through a lid and a sealing head.
Jars work best for dry goods that stay dry, like flour, sugar, oats, nuts and coffee. They're also handy for spices and dried herbs, since a sealed jar keeps out moisture and air.
Vacuum sealing doesn't make all food safe for the shelf. Low-acid foods such as vegetables, meat, soups and beans need the fridge, the freezer or a tested canning method.
Vacuum sealer for mason jars: electric kits
An electric jar sealer kit is a handheld pump that fits the lid of a mason jar. You press it on, and the pump draws the air out of the jar.
LOVE MOMENT's kit is cordless and has an auto-pause feature, so the pump stops on its own once the air is out. The kit comes with a wide-mouth sealer and a converter for regular-mouth jars.
Kits like this suit a few jars at a time. For a large batch, a machine with a jar port may be the better fit.
Jar attachments for a FoodSaver machine
Mason jar vacuum sealer attachment for FoodSaver
If you already own a FoodSaver machine, a jar attachment is the simplest add-on for sealing jars. The jar sealer connects to the machine's accessory port with a hose.
FoodSaver's plastic jar sealer works with regular and wide mouth mason jars and comes with an accessory hose. FoodSaver says it's good for sauces, mustards and jams, and it's dishwasher safe.
Keep jars of those foods in the fridge, since vacuum sealing is not a canning method.
Check the accessory port on your machine before you buy. Not every FoodSaver model has the same port, so the hose and sealer must match your model.
Cordless sealers for the pantry
A cordless sealer works without a machine or a hose. It's the easiest option if you want to seal a few jars at once and store the sealer on the shelf.
Plateful's VacuFresh is rechargeable and comes with lids. It fits regular mouth jars and wide mouth jars, so one sealer covers most jar sizes in the pantry.
Keep the charger with the sealer. A cordless unit only works while it has charge, so store it near an outlet.
What to put in a sealed jar
Dry goods are the right choice for a sealed jar. Flour, sugar, oats, rice, nuts, coffee beans and dried spices all keep well when the air is out.
Make sure the food is fully dry before you seal it. Moisture in the jar can cause mold, and a seal won't stop it.
Label every jar with the date you sealed it. A jar of flour looks the same in six months, so a date tells you when to use it.
Low-acid foods need cold storage
Low-acid foods are the main safety issue with jars. Vegetables, meat, soups, beans and most sauces can carry botulism bacteria, and those bacteria grow without oxygen.
Vacuum sealing is not a substitute for refrigeration, freezing or canning. A sealed jar of low-acid food at room temperature can be a risk, not a safeguard.
Keep those foods in the fridge or freezer. A sealed jar is a good container for cold storage, but it isn't a shelf method for low-acid food.
For shelf storage of low-acid foods, follow a tested home canning method. The National Center for Home Food Preservation explains which methods are tested for shelf storage.
Jar, lid and seal checks
Use jars with no chips or cracks around the mouth. A chip can keep the sealing head from making a good seal.
Check the lid. A lid that's dented or bent won't sit flat, so it may not hold the vacuum.
Store jars upright in a cool, dry spot. Heat and moisture shorten the life of dry goods, even in a sealed jar.
Storing sealed jars
Store sealed jars in a cool, dry cabinet, away from the stove and direct sun. Heat and light speed up the loss of flavor in dry goods, and moisture can get in through a bad lid.
Check each lid before you shelve a jar. A lid that has lifted or lost its seal is a sign to open the jar and check the food.
Label each jar with the date you sealed it. A date tells you which flour or oats to use first, so older jars don't sit at the back.
Which jar sealer fits your setup
Pick a cordless or electric kit if you only seal a few jars a month. It's the simplest way to start, and it doesn't need a machine.
Pick a FoodSaver jar attachment if you already own a compatible machine and want to seal jars in batches. Check the port and the hose first.
If you're deciding whether a full machine is worth it, is a vacuum sealer worth it walks through the costs. If you plan to use jars with sous vide bags too, the best vacuum sealers for sous vide compare the machines that do both jobs.
For bags and rolls that go with your machine, the best vacuum sealer bags cover the main options. Do you need a vacuum sealer for sous vide explains where a sealer fits into that cooking method.
Frequently asked questions
Can you vacuum seal mason jars for long-term storage?
For dry goods like flour, sugar, oats and coffee, a sealed jar keeps food fresher than an open one. Low-acid foods need the fridge or freezer, since vacuum sealing isn't a canning method.
Do I need a special machine for mason jars?
Not always: a cordless jar sealer works alone, and a FoodSaver accessory works with a compatible machine. Check that the accessory fits your machine's port and that the jar mouth matches the sealer head.
What jars fit a vacuum jar sealer?
Most kits fit both regular and wide mouth mason jars, usually with a converter or a second head. Plateful says its VacuFresh fits regular mouth jars at about 2.68 inches and wide mouth jars at about 3.27 inches, so measure your jar mouths first.
Is a vacuum sealed jar safe at room temperature?
Only for dry foods. Low-acid foods like vegetables, meat, soups and beans can carry botulism bacteria, and a vacuum seal doesn't stop that, so keep them cold or follow a tested canning method.
