Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV20 Ultra Series

Curated from 86 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: April 17, 2025

Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV20 Ultra Series

Brand: Avid Armor
Price: $296
Snoop Score:
6.7
Sentiment
8.4
Popularity
9.5
Technical
5.1

Snoop's Take

The Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV20 Ultra Series is designed to efficiently vacuum seal a variety of food items, particularly those with high liquid content like soups and marinades. This compact and user-friendly machine is equipped with an 11.5-inch sealing bar, allowing for effective marinating and food preservation, making it an excellent choice for both home chefs and food enthusiasts. Consumer feedback highlights its ease of use, with many users noting, "the simplified control panel on the USVX was really helpful," and praising its compact design as space-saving while delivering reliable performance for bulk food packaging. Despite its higher upfront cost compared to traditional vacuum sealers, users generally recommend upgrading to this chamber vacuum sealer due to its superior sealing capabilities and efficiency. Many have commented on its durability and the ability to use wider bags, noting that the Avid Armor has been a reliable choice for everyday use. Overall, based on user sentiment and functionality, the Avid Armor USV20 is highly recommended for those seeking a powerful and efficient vacuum sealing solution.

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I love my Avid Armor. The price is high, but not "chamber vacuum" high.

Positive Feedback

Appears that the parts are available. The Avid doesn’t appear to be repairable, also you can’t do mason jars with this unit.

Negative Feedback
Product
6.7
Avid Armor Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine USV20 Ultra Series
Home Kitchen Food Storage
5 / 10
Sous Vide Meal Prep
6 / 10
Commercial Food Packaging
6 / 10
Outdoor & Travel Preservation
5 / 10
See how this compares to all Vacuum Sealers

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Easy to use with straightforward controls
I love my Avid Armor. The price is high, but not "chamber vacuum" high.
Favorite vacuum sealer? I’ve been considering getting one for years and more seriously considering it again.
vacuum sealer looking to get a decent vacuum sealer for all my meats, but reviews arr all over the place so im looking for people who like the ones they have and what it is?
I have a food saver. It gets the job done just fine.
Compact design saves counter space
I'd like to be able to buy a huge bunch of food, prepare and store them in the vacuum bags an then have them last a decent while.
Impressive ease of use and quality
I have a vac sealer and it's amazing. But if you have the space, and like to work in bulk, I think it's great.
**Abso-fucking-lutely** I have one and it is leaps and bounds above any freezer bag.
It vacuums and seals wonderfully and it doesn't waste as much of the bag/roll as the upright Foodsaver it replaced.
I have the USV20, going on three years now, and use it daily for sealing leftovers, and for general food prep.
Users recommend upgrading to a chamber vacuum sealer
A100 avid armor. It’s expensive, but it works.
Chamber sealer all the way. We love ours! [Avid Armor]
Reliable performance and functionality
Seems very similar to Cellar series. Only complaint is that there's not a spring to lift the lid.
The USV 20 vacuum sealer for almost 2 years. I live in the tropics and I've never had an issue.
I’ve had mine now for probably almost 2 years, use it everyday and it’s great!
Ability to use wider bags
I liked the ability of using wider bags rather than narrow short bags.
Nice size for sealing most items
The usv20 is a nice size for sealing most items, but if it is too small you can external seal on it.
Simplified control panel is helpful for beginners
Since this was my first machine, the simplified control panel on the USVX was really helpful.
Max vacuum is achieved when gauge stops moving
Yes, when the gauge stops moving that is max vacuum.
I have this chamber vac myself and love it. ​ 1. Yes, when the gauge stops moving that is m
Helpful community answers enhance understanding
Air is evacuated from the entire chamber, but the opening of the bag is pinched between the sealing bars so it takes a little more time for the air in the bag to blow out.
Wow great answer and really helpful.
Reliable performance and durability
it’s been bulletproof.
We’re able to vacuum seal our proteins to reduce freezer burn and to make it last in the refrigerator and freeze, got the canisters a week ago looking forward to experimenting with those,
Larger chamber size compared to other models
Looks like the Avid is a bigger chamber.
Efficient sealing for bulk food packaging
And I've never understood the huge difference in price.
What do you mean by "run continuously with no downtime"? We use our external sealer for an hour at a time.
Cost-effective with cheaper bags
the bags are a LOT cheaper. They don't need to have the air channels in them since you're not sucking air out of the bag, you're evacuating the entire chamber at once.
Durable and long-lasting performance
Mine was 1200 or so. This one should last me for about 10+ years once it comes in.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Not repairable and lacks mason jar sealing capability
Appears that the parts are available. The Avid doesn’t appear to be repairable, also you can’t do mason jars with this unit.
Dry pump is louder and has a shorter service life
Dry pump of course needs no oil. But it's also louder, doesn't make as strong a vacuum, doesn't vacuum as quickly, and has a much shorter service life.
Learning curve for achieving a good seal
There’s a learning curve to be sure, and sometimes you have to give it a few tries to get s good seal for the vacuum pump to work correctly, but the results have been excellent
High upfront cost compared to traditional sealers
I've read that chamber sealers are better, but I've never understood why. And I've never understood the huge difference in price.

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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Discussion about limitations of chamber size for long items
Aren't you limited to the chamber size? What if I want to seal long pieces, like salami?
Brand of vacuum bags impacts performance more than the sealer brand
I do feel the brand of bags make a bigger difference than anything.
the last 3-4 feet were significantly wrinkled (wrinkles of 3-4 inches every 2-3 inches, angled at ~45°), requiring multiple offset seals in an attempt to ensure a complete seal, but not always being successful.
FoodSaver brand bags have always been the most reliable for me when used for both sous vide and freezing.
Weight difference compared to other models
A lot of that is the pump. A real oil filled pump has a lot more metal.
User experiences with different pump types
I decided all dry pumps were out. The availability of parts and servicing the machine were huge deciding factors that led me to purchase the JVR.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Alternative vacuum sealing methods discussed
If you use a zip lock bag and submerge in a tub of water, leaving a open corner for the air to escape you can achieve the vacuum seal.
Users recommend bulk vacuum sealing for efficiency
The chamber vac has been a game changer for those days.
Exploration of sealing techniques for different food types
It's a quick job with my VP215.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Users recommend upgrading to a chamber vacuum sealer
Chamber vacuum, next! You will love it!
Price variations on Amazon
Current price: $599.00
Discussion about upgrading to a larger model for bigger items
Debating between the avid armor usv20, usv32, or the usvx.
Sometimes I wish I would have bought the USV32, but I’ll use make-your-own Foodsaver bags and do an external vacuum with my USV20 for larger items…
Discussion about the best model for different cooking needs
I really would like the usvx but concerned it’s too small and was wondering everyone’s thoughts if the usvx would be a good choice.
Discussion about vacuum time and its impact
Once the maximum vacuum is obtained there is no advantage to letting it run longer - unless marinading
Yeah, when the gauge stops moving it will be at the max vacuum.
Comparison of Avid Armor and Anova models
Looks like the seal bar on the Anova is bigger, but does that translate to bigger bags?
So far people seem to be having good results the the APCVS, but it's still early days, so no idea about longevity.
They do both have a pretty small chamber (with a slight advantage to the Anova which also has a longer sealer bar).
the anova is discounted now to like $250 so I'm curious if Avid Armor is worth the nearly $220 add'l price tag

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Concerns about durability of bar style vacuum sealers
All of the "bar style" ones stink
Preference for traditional sealing methods over vacuum sealers
Honestly I have only ever been kinda disappointed with vac sealers.
Concerns about authenticity of the product
I’m torn between this and the Vacmaster VP95. I’m just worried this isn’t actually an Avid Armor, because, like OP said, i can’t find it on AA’s website…
Discussion about different vacuum sealer brands
I have the power XL sealer and it's garbage, so uh, stay away from that one.

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