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There are plenty of vacuum storage bag brands on the market, but for many, Spacesaver is their preferred choice. The bags are sturdy, made to work with multiple vacuum systems and traveller friendly.

Most of us have seen the videos where someone puts a pile of clothes in a plastic bag, seals it and then uses a vacuum cleaner or pump to suck the air out — reducing a previously unmanageable pile to a third of its starting size. These seemingly magical bags really do exist, and Spacesaver likes to call itself 'the original space saving solution.'

And when do you need to save more space than when travelling? We’ve all experienced that moment when you have to accept that you won’t be able to bring that outfit or those shoes with you on your holiday. You just don’t have the space in your suitcase.

Read more: How to pack a suitcase like an expert

Vacuum storage bags are basically giant plastic sealable bags with built-in valves for suctioning out excess air. When you remove most of the air from the bag, the size of the bag — and whatever you have stored inside it — shrinks dramatically.

It seems like witchcraft, but it’s really just science. With all the air gone, all that’s left in the bag is a solid brick of matter that your clothing, bedding, etc. are made out of. Of course, removing the air doesn’t change the weight of your items. Since your items to store are now taking up less space with the same amount of weight, they just might seem to be a bit heavier than before.

There are a variety of vacuumable storage bags out there. We think that Spacesaver Vacuum Bags in particular offer the best quality for your money, but all vacuum storage bags tend to work in the same way. The main difference you’ll find is the way you’re meant to suck the air out of them.

You don’t necessarily need a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of your storage bags. Some bag sets — including Spacesaver — come with a hand pump to manually pump out the air from your bags. Other bag sets don’t and are meant to be used with a typical home vacuum cleaner equipped with an accessory hose.

The main determining factor is the valve built into the bags. Some valves are too small or too large to work with certain vacuums or hand pumps. Spacesaver bags are great because they come with their own compatible hand pump (great for travel), and they also have a valve that is sized to fit most (if not all) vacuum cleaner nozzles.

The amount of time your bags will stay suctioned depends on a few different factors. How well is the bag made — are the valve edges and bag seams tight? Where are you storing your suctioned bag? Is it folded in storage or lying flat?

For optimal suction staying power, you’ll want to store your bags flat and in a place that doesn’t experience extreme temperatures. By folding the bags you will wear out their seams faster, causing air leaks. Temperature extremes can also cause changes in air pressure within the bags.

Of course, if you’re using bags that have higher quality valves and seam construction, then you’re already one step ahead of the game. Spacesaver bags definitely fit the bill in this department, though no vacuum bag is truly indestructible.

If you plan on being gentle with your vacuum bags, you could go for a less expensive alternative. These Suob Vacuum Storage Bags, though not quite as sturdy, will still save you space and stay well suctioned.

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There is no hard and fast answer to the question of how much space you can save by using vacuum storage bags. This mainly depends on the items you are storing in the bags and, consequently, how small the bags can become once the air has been sucked out.

The size of the bags post-vacuuming mainly depends on the relationship between the starting volume, the quantity of air contained within a given object and, of course, the type of material the object is made from. For example, you could vacuum a pillow into a much smaller shape than you could a thick bulky sweater, even if the pillow initially takes up more space.

If you use thicker bags with strong valves — like Spacesaver’s — you can get a bit more air out of them and thereby make them a bit smaller.

By now, you’ve probably started to realise how useful vacuum bags can be for travelling. As long as you and your luggage item can cope with the extra weight, you can potentially increase the amount of clothes and other squashable items you take on your travels quite a bit.

Of course, the trick isn’t getting all of your stuff to your destination; it’s bringing it all back with you. Regardless of whether you’ve acquired more clothing and storable items on your trip, you won’t be able to vacuum pack anything without a vacuum. If you’re staying in an Airbnb or with a friend, you might have access to a vacuum cleaner, but in most situations (like in a hotel) you won’t.

Great news! Spacesaver Vacuum Bags come with their own portable hand pump for removing air without the need for an electric pump or household vacuum. The hand pump is fairly small and light, making it easy to bring with you on your travels. You’ll be able to bring everything you need and maybe a bit extra with all the space you’ll be vacuuming away.

Read more: Best luggage sets for your next getaway

Yes, some of us on the editorial team have used vacuum bags specifically for travel, including myself.

I used vacuum bags for travelling from my home in the United States to London. After stuffing my travel bag to its max, there were still a good amount of things — mainly clothes — that I wanted to bring with me. After my mom suggested trying vacuum bags, I was able to pack all of the things that I thought I would have to leave at home.

As a note to other travellers: vacuum bags are not for everyone nor every trip. They were worth it to me on my trip so I could bring the things I needed, but I should have brought a rolling suitcase; they made my backpack almost impossible to carry.

Additionally, it does take a bit of time and finagling to get all of your clothes stuffed into the bags and situated the way you want them. If you’re only travelling for a short time or you will be constantly moving locations while on your trip, I would not recommend using vacuum bags. But if you are staying in one place, then vacuum bags are honestly a lifesaver!

While it's true that vacuum storage bags can greatly simplify packing, they do have a few downsides to consider.

For one, when you remove all of the air from your clothing etc., the bags and items inside tend to get a bit crinkly. In other words, the bags don’t uniformly shrink down into smooth, convenient ovals or bricks. Their strange lumpy shapes can make them difficult to pack, and you can end up wasting a bit of your newfound space by virtue of their not fitting snugly into your luggage.

Another downside to vacuum storage bags is that they can get very stiff as they shrink. If you want to be able to bend, fold or roll your bags after you’ve removed the air from them, you’ll need to avoid vacuuming out absolutely all of the air; leave a little in there to allow the bags inside to stay flexible.

And of course, the most obvious downside: if you don’t have access to a vacuum cleaner or hand pump, these bags are just giant plastic zip bags with annoying valves that poke out. (Avoid this while travelling by always bringing your hand pump with you!)

They come with a portable hand pump for travel.

They come in multiple sizes. 

Their valves work with a variety of vacuum cleaners and pumps.

Though stronger than other brands, they can still puncture and rip.

They can be more expensive than other brands.

After learning about what vacuum storage bags are and how they work, the question still remains: are Spacesaver Vacuum Bags good for travel? Our answer is yes — but consider your travel. If you are planning on hopping between various locations or only travelling for a handful of days, you probably won’t benefit from using vacuumable bags on your holiday.

But if you are planning a longer stay, or if you simply just want to bring more stuff with you, then vacuum bags will be your best friend.

Spacesaver Vacuum Bags in particular are great for travel because of their sturdy construction, size variety and the portable hand pump that comes included. Vacuum a small bag or two for your carry-on and vacuum a stack of medium and large bags for your checked luggage. The portable hand pump will allow you to vacuum-shrink your squashable belongings for the homeward journey.

And while we do recommend Spacesaver bags as a top-of-the-line option, there are a wide variety of vacuum storage bags out there that will do a similar job. If you need to save money as well as space, you could try this Suob Vacuum Storage Bags 6-Pack or Packmate's Vacuum Storage Bags. And if you want to store your vacuum-packed items on a clothing rack instead of on a shelf, you can try these hanging vacuum bags.

Prices updated on 04/10/2022. We are not responsible for any changes made to the prices listed.

Adventurous at heart, Annelise is an experienced editor with a passion for scoping out innovative products from up-and-coming travel and tech brands. In her spare time, she loves developing new talents, such as photography and playing bass guitar.

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