The Best Vacuum Storage Bags, According to Us

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For every type of storage need.

Jamie Fischer is a former writer for Real Simple. She has experience writing shopping content and is passionate about home, lifestyle, and beauty products.

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Whether you’re looking to store out-of-season clothes or save space in your vacation carry-on, vacuum storage bags are a must-have. They easily compress bulky linens, winter coats, and even thick comforters, helping you declutter your closet, under your bed, and beyond. Still, finding an option that’s easy to use, effective, and durable can be a challenge. That’s where we come in.

To find the best of the best, we tested some of the most popular picks, including cubes, hanging bags, and traditional bags. Our top picks were simple to use—either with a pump or vacuum—and spacious enough to fit even our bulkiest items. Stick around for our favorites, including our clothing- and travel-friendly options.

The bags are durable and easy to compress.

Air may leak if you don’t apply enough pressure while sealing the bag.

Simply put: These bags are incredible. We were able to compress all of our heavy winter items to less than half their original size. Before using the bags, we could only fit about half the gear in the container, but after compressing it, there was even room to spare for boots. No matter how much we stuffed in, the plastic never felt like it was going to tear or stretch—and we packed a lot in there.

The pack includes 12 bags in four sizes: small, medium, large, and jumbo. We found the bags super easy to pack, seal, and compress with a vacuum nozzle. The set also comes with a hand pump for travel, though we found it more time-consuming than the vacuum.

We heard some air leaking from the zipper after decompressing the first bag, but once we realized it needed more pressure when sealing, it was smooth sailing. The bags didn’t lose any air during testing, nor did they experience any damage either.

Number of Bags: 12 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: Jumbo: 40 x 30 in.; large: 32 x 24 in.; medium: 28 x 20 in.; small: 24 x 16 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: Hand pump

The bags are large enough to fit bulky linens but easy to shove under the bed.

All of the bags are the same size, and it doesn’t come with a pump.

Bedding takes up lots of space, and whether you’re storing a bulky duvet insert or a bunch of pillows, you need a vacuum storage bag that can handle the load. For that, we love the MagicBag Vacuum Storage Cubes.

It comes with four bags, all the perfect size: large enough to store multiple thick jackets without issue yet still easy to slide under a low bed. The extra-large cube bag was able to hold two pillows and three sets of sheets—and likely even more.

During testing, we were impressed that the air didn’t leak at all; the seal comes with an extra tool to run over the ziplock to ensure it’s secure. Each bag reduced the size of our clothing and pillows by about 45%, and the plastic felt sturdy and well made. However, after day one, it seemed to lose a bit of compression, so you’ll want to make sure your items aren’t too close to the seal.

We would have preferred if the helper tool was a bit sturdier, but it still did a great job at preventing air from escaping. Just keep in mind that this pick doesn’t come with a pump, and there isn’t a connector to hold the vacuum to the valve when removing the air, which makes the process a little awkward.

Number of Bags: 4 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 28 x 40 x 13 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: N/A

This is the most heavy-duty option on our list.

The zip seal is hard to install.

If you’re looking for extra storage, you need the Vacwel XXL Vacuum Storage Bags. The pack comes with five bags, each measuring 47 by 35 inches, which is ideal for holding hefty items. We found the plastic sturdy enough to accommodate almost any bedding, linen, and clothing items.

Our puffy winter jackets compressed by 70%, while our sweatshirts and gloves shrunk down to about 50% of their original volume. Yet, despite their size, the bags still fit neatly under our bed (with room to spare).

We’re impressed by how easy this bag is to use. It takes less than 30 seconds to remove the air with the vacuum, and after a week of use in our testing, the bags were still fully compressed. We found the zip seal (which is packaged separately from the bags) a bit tricky to install, but we didn’t mind too much.

Number of Bags: 5 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 47 x 35 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: N/A

The pumping process is quick and intuitive.

The bags don’t lay flat, so they’re less stackable.

While some electrical pumps are confusing to operate, the Spacesaver Clothing Vacuum Storage Bags are super easy to use. To operate the pump, simply plug it in and flip the switch. There are no extra hoses or parts to keep track of—because we all know those are easy to misplace. Plus, taking all the air out of the medium-sized bag took less than a minute.

The pack includes nine bags spanning three sizes: small, medium, and large. We fit two sets of full-sized flannel sheets in the large bag and nine sweaters of varying thicknesses into the medium-sized one. Unfortunately, the bags don’t always lay completely flat, so they aren’t super stackable. However, if you load them strategically, you’ll be able to maximize space.

After looking at the Amazon photos, we expected the bags to be flimsy and thin, so we were pleasantly surprised that they were actually sturdy and well constructed. Plus, their lightweight design makes them easy to store when not in use.

Number of Bags: 10 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: Jumbo: 30 x 40 in.; large: 24 x 32 in.; medium: 20 x 28 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: Hand pump

It reduces the size of clothing by around 80%, and the hanging design makes it easy to store alongside the rest of your clothes.

The curved shape caused by the hangers takes up slightly more space than a normal garment.

If you don’t have space under your bed, don’t worry—the Taili Hanging Vacuum Storage Bag is designed for closets, which makes it perfect if you have vertical space to spare. We tried out the smaller bag and were able to fit three heavy-duty winter puffer jackets (with oversized hoods) into one. We were amazed that it reduced the size of our jackets by around 80%, which saved us valuable closet space.

Using it is super easy, too: Just place your items on hangers, hang them inside the bag on the built-in plastic piece, and seal it up. The vacuum port was easy to lock and unlock, and we didn’t notice any air leaking during the testing period.

The bag slid easily on our regular closet rod and hung normally with the rest of our clothes. Because of the hangers’ shape, though, the bag has a slight curvature, so it takes up a bit more room than a typical garment would.

Number of Bags: 4 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: Long: 53 x 28 in.; short: 41 x 28 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: N/A

The manual pump makes it great for taking on trips, and you get multiple sizes.

The bags are more lightweight than we expected and felt somewhat flimsy.

When you’re on the road, you may not have room to tote a bulky vacuum or large electric pump. That’s why we love the AirBaker Vacuum Storage Bags for travel—the handheld pump is lightweight, easy to use, and surprisingly effective.

We found that the manual pump actually works better than the vacuum and sucked out all the air in less than two minutes with minimal effort. Using the pump, we reduced the size of our linens by 75%. We were able to fit three coats, a queen-size comforter, and eight heavy sweaters under our bed with zero hassle.

The bags held air well after resealing, with no damage during testing. We did notice some air leaking after our bag sat for a couple of days, but once we took the air out and tightened the lid, it stayed secure. The material felt a bit thin and flimsy, though, so we’re not sure how well the bags will hold up to frequent use.

Number of Bags: 12 | Material: Plastic | Dimensions: Jumbo: 40 x 32 in.; large: 32 x 24 in.; medium: 28 x 20 in.; small: 24 x 16 in. | Seal Type: Zipper | Included Accessories: Hand pump

We recommend the Gongshi Vacuum Storage Bags as the overall best pick for most household storage needs. The bags are super durable and easy to compress, and we love that it comes with four different sizes. If you need a closet- or a travel-friendly option, we also recommend the Taili Hanging Vacuum Storage Bags and the AirBaker Vacuum Storage Bags, respectively.

To find the best vacuum storage bags, we tested seven popular options. First, we gathered all of our items—sheets, pillows, duvets, coats, jackets, and more—to see how much space they took up in the closet before compression. Then, we packed everything into the bags, evaluating how much space they took up and how heavy they felt before removing the air.

Now for the fun part: compressing. For bags with pumps, we used them to remove as much air as possible. Then, we decompressed and re-compressed the bags using the vacuum to see how easy the process was. After sealing each bag, we evaluated how heavy it felt and how tightly the items were packed.

At the end of the testing period, we checked for any air leaks or damage. Once we released the air, we inspected the items inside for odors or wrinkles. Finally, we replaced the items and compressed the bags again to test their durability over time.

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When shopping for vacuum storage bags, size and quantity are two of the most important factors to consider. For storing bulkier items, like pillows or winter clothes, go for an extra-large or jumbo option, like the Vacwel Vacuum Storage Bags XXL.

During testing, these were spacious enough to store our bulkiest bedding and winter coats, shrinking our items by around 70% once compressed. If you want to use the bags for travel, opt for a set with small and medium options and a manual pump, like the AirBaker Vacuum Storage Bags, as these will fit better in luggage.

If you’re planning to store a variety of items, or don’t have a clear intended use, go for a variety pack with different size options. For example, the Gongshi Vacuum Storage Bags include four different sizes: small, medium, large, and jumbo.

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While material can vary, all of the options on our list are made of plastic. We found the best ones to hit the sweet spot—thick enough to withstand heavy loads without stretching but thin and flexible enough to fold.

The vacuum storage bags we tested use Ziploc-style zipper closures. In terms of removing the air from the bags, all of them were compatible with vacuums; some, like the AirBaker Vacuum Storage Bags, also come with pumps as an alternative to deflate the bag.

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This article was written by Jamie Fischer, a writer for Real Simple with nearly two years of experience creating shopping content. Her closet is chronically cluttered, and after researching vacuum-sealed storage bags, she’s adding them to her summer shopping cart ASAP.