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I couldn’t stand wasting food in the freezer.

I’m in a longstanding cold war, no pun intended, with my freezer. I stock it with good intentions: with lidded trays of homemade chicken stock, pre-rolled cookie dough for spontaneous sweet treats and bags of frozen spinach and strawberries for smoothies. But even when I retrieve my stashed goods for use within days, freezer burn has taken a bite out of my food first. I simply can’t watch good money turn into shriveled berries, dried bread and gray meat anymore. Air is the enemy of frozen food, and air’s enemy? Vacuum sealing, especially with a handheld pump like Zwilling’s Fresh & Save.

Zwilling Fresh & Save Handheld Vacuum Sealer Pump

$80 $69 at Amazon

First, let’s discuss freezer burn—without getting bogged down in the science of it all, there’s an annoyingly simple explanation for it. The process of freezing is a little bit like culinary magic: It slows down spoilage and other chemical reactions by deactivating the microorganisms or enzymes that thrive at fridge or room temperature. But when frozen food is exposed to air, moisture from it evaporates, leaving behind shriveled, puckered, discolored spots and that fuzzy layer of ice crystals. It’s irreversible, and while not technically unsafe, freezer burn certainly doesn’t improve food’s taste and texture. Luckily, vacuum sealers were made for removing air, so they’re a natural solution for limiting freezer burn and making your food last longer.

To prevent freezer burn, I recommend a handheld vacuum pump like Zwilling’s over a bulkier countertop style because it’s easier to use while moving around in the kitchen. Countertop models can have a steep learning curve for proper compression and often require stopping to load and align bags correctly; Zwilling’s sleek pump simply attaches to the corresponding vacuum sealer bag or freezer-safe container and saps air out in seconds.

Speaking of which: The coolest part of this handheld pump is that it coordinates with multiple types and sizes of containers and bags, including bulk storage binsfridge- and freezer-safe storage containers and wine stoppers. I prefer using bags to make my food last longer, because they can flex easily around awkward shapes and sizes, like the undulating surface of a salmon fillet or craggy mounds of cookie dough. I’ve found that the Zwilling makes each bag of food impressively flat without crushing delicate ingredients, so I can stack my freezer more efficiently, and the quiet pump recharges with a USB cable. And while the Fresh & Save bags and containers work beautifully for freezing, they’re excellent for refrigerator use, too—just see how green your guacamole stays without any pesky oxygen around.

While I haven’t personally quantified it, Zwilling claims that the Fresh & Save makes food last up to five times longer. I suggest pairing the pump with better freezing habits, too, for a more complete solution to freezer burn. For example, no amount of vacuum sealing can outrun time;  rotate your frozen food regularly so that you’re using up your oldest items first. Keep your freezer neat to limit temperature swings. And avoid thawing and refreezing food, because that will also speed up damage. These habits, together with the Zwilling Fresh & Save vacuum pumpwill have you well on your way to longer-lasting frozen food.

Shop More Zwilling Fresh & Save at Amazon

3-Piece Glass Food Storage Container Set

$49 at Amazon

30-Piece Vacuum Sealer Bag Set

$40 at Amazon

10-Piece Vacuum Sealer Bag Set

$19 at Amazon

6-Piece Cube Storage Organizer Set

$63 $58 at Amazon

At the time of publishing, the price was $69.

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