Channel vacuum bags and chamber vacuum bags look similar in the pack. They are not interchangeable. Each type is designed for a specific machine, and putting the wrong bag in the wrong machine means you won't get a seal.
Here's how they work and why it matters.
What is a channel vacuum bag?
Channel bags are embossed — the inside surface has a texture of tiny, raised ridges running the length of the bag. A domestic vacuum sealer pulls air out through the open end of the bag. For that to happen, air needs a path to travel from inside the bag toward the suction port. The embossed ridges hold the two inner walls slightly apart, creating those channels for air to move through. Without the texture, the walls press flat against each other, the suction port can't draw air through, and you get no vacuum.
Channel bags only work in domestic vacuum sealers.
What is a chamber vacuum bag?
Chamber bags have a smooth inner wall — no texture, no embossing.
A chamber machine works differently to a domestic sealer. Instead of pulling air through the bag, the machine seals the entire chamber and drops the air pressure inside it. The bag sits in that low-pressure environment, and because the whole chamber depressurises at once — inside and outside the bag equally — air doesn't need to travel anywhere. The smooth wall is no problem at all.
Chamber bags only work in chamber machines. Put one in a domestic vacuum sealer and the suction port has nothing to work with. You'll get a bad seal or no seal.
Which bag do you need?
The machine you own decides this, not the type of food you're sealing. If you have a domestic vacuum sealer, you need channel bags — embossed. The smooth chamber bag will not work in your machine. If you have a chamber machine, you need chamber bags — smooth. The embossed channel bag is designed for a different sealing method and is not compatible with chamber machines.
They are not interchangeable. Get the bag that matches your machine.
FAQ:
Can I use chamber bags in a domestic vacuum sealer?
No. Chamber bags have a smooth inner wall and need a chamber machine to work. A domestic sealer can't pull air through a smooth-walled bag. You'll get no vacuum and no seal.
Can I use channel bags in a chamber machine?
No. Channel bags are embossed for use with domestic vacuum sealers. They are not compatible with chamber machines.
How do I know which bag I have?
Run your finger along the inside of the bag. If it's textured with raised ridges, it's a channel bag — for domestic sealers. If it's completely smooth, it's a chamber bag — for chamber machines only.
What micron are the Foodtek channel bags?
All 90 micron across the full range — every size, every roll width.
What sizes do the channel bags come in?
Bags come in 150x300mm, 200x300mm, 250x350mm, 300x400mm, and 300x500mm — all 50-packs. Rolls come in 20cm, 22cm, and 30cm widths at 500cm lengths.
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