How to Choose the Best Bag Sealer For Your Business

What do coffee beans, mushrooms, raw meat, tea powder have in common? At first glance, you might say that each of them makes something to consume. However, there is a deeper connection that binds these items together.

Each of these products becomes damaged if they're exposed to high oxygen levels. Exposure to oxygen causes meat to rot and degrades the freshness of others. 

To prevent oxygen from affecting products, shipping and packing companies rely on bags that keep the air out. So, how can you ensure your bags have this level of protection?

A bag sealer is the solution to this problem. These tools seal plastic bags to keep products within them safe from outside forces. 

Other industries such as the medical field, law enforcement, construction and manufacturing use sealers to assist with their everyday operations.

However, several types of bag sealers exist. Different companies may require various versions of sealers to meet their needs. So, in this guide, we'll give you the tips you need for finding the best bag sealer on the market.

Types of Bag Sealers:

Impulse Sealers

Impulse sealers are the most popular sealer, as they seal Polyethylene and Polypropylene materials.  These materials are a popular choice since they are versatile and are economically friendly. These sealers can also be used for other materials including:

·         Polyutherane

·         Polyvinylchloride

·         Polyflex

·         Kel-F

Hand sealers can be purchased for materials up to approximately 6mm thick.  They can create very thin seals using a round wire element and pull the material away in what is called a tear away method, allowing for the appearance of the material being cut.  Round wires are also used when shrink wrapping products.  If you need a clean cut you should choose a machine with a built in cutter.  2mm thick seals are the most popular in most industries.  It is the choice for most seals, unless you are sealing heavy items, liquid, powdered or granular type items.  If you are sealing bags with these types of products you would opt for a 5mm seal.

These products also have a significant size range. Some offer a seal width as small as 4 inches wide, while others may have widths of 40 inches or more.

A Hand Impulse Sealer is ideal, if you are doing up to 200 seals each day.  

A Foot-Operated Bag Sealer utilizes a foot pedal to close your sealing bar. Since you use your feet to operate the product, your hands are free to feed the material into the sealer. This freedom allows you to achieve higher productivity and efficiency.  Using a foot sealer increases the seals efficiency to approximately 500 seals per day.

Like hand impulse sealers, these options can utilize either round or flat wire seals. They include a thickness range from 2mm-10mm. Foot Sealers can seal up to 32 inches in width.

An Automatic Impulse Sealer is best if you have a high volume of seals needed.  You can adjust the timer for sealing interval allowing the jaws to automatically close at the time interval you set. This increases the volume of seals you can do to approximately 2000-3000 seals per day. 

These machines can be purchased as a benchtop model or foot operated stand model.  They can do 2mm-10mm seals and widths up to 24 inches.

Other materials require different types of sealers. In those cases, you may need a constant heat sealer.  Impulse sealers operate by delivering a short burst of heat, which an electrical impulse generates. While these work for many materials, as we showed above, some require a more constant heat output. 

Constant Heat Sealer

Constant Heat Sealers produce a continuous temperature which allows for sealing thicker and blended materials. 

Also known as direct heat sealers, these devices maintain constant heat in both jaws of the device. These machines produce heat for as long as they remain on, allowing them to penetrate thicker materials with ease.  

These sealers create robust, durable, and attractive wide seal areas. In many cases, you can purchase constant heat sealers for affordable prices. In return, you can expect an increase in productivity and efficiency. 

So, what materials can a constant heat sealer work with? Typically, they handle materials used in packaging coffee, grains, spices, and other items.

As such, industries usually use constant heat sealers for cellophane and aluminum-based bags. Other materials they work with include:

·         Coated aluminum foil

·         Polycell film

·         Coffee bags

·         Cellophane

·         Thicker Mylar

However, different operations may require varying types of constant heat sealers. Like impulse sealers, these come in two primary kinds: bench and foot-operated sealers. 

Benches provide increased stability and allow for significant output, especially if you purchase an automatic model. However, a foot-operated sealer can also generate enough output to keep your workday efficient.

Find Your New Bag Sealer Today

Pack Secure mainly offers two brands of sealers American International Electric and Midwest Pacific.  We have been selling both brands for over 15 years with confidence in their warranties and product performance.  Their machines are durable and easy to service if needed.  Consumable parts, as well as repair parts can be easily obtainable, which makes them our brand of choice.

As you can see, the type of bag sealer you choose can significantly impact your productivity. So, consider these factors.

How many bags do you need to seal each day? How many of those may need round wire or flat wire? What materials do you need to seal?

Lastly, think about the thickness of the materials you seal. Would these require constant heat, or could an impulse heater suffice?

Please use this handy device to help you choose the right sealer for your job.

The answers to these questions can help you determine what type of bag sealer to get. Once you have an idea of what you need, check out our supply today! We offer several sealers and sealer parts to keep your operation stocked. 

Contact us if you need assistance choosing the correct sealer for your needs.  We can also have you send in a sample of your material to have tested to determine the best machine for your job!