Half-opened packets of pasta and taco seasoning mixes are a plague in the Aussie pantry. But Kmart has done it again, with a $4 ANKO bag sealer that claims to “keep your food fresher” with quick and efficient sealing. It’s a $4 investment to keep your snacks and food staples as good as new, but does it actually do the job well?
We gathered a few testing experts from the BHG team to try out the Kmart bag sealer on several pantry products. And unfortunately, we found it a little trickier than advertised. Here’s what we truly thought of this viral gadget:
Meet the testers
- Tahni Mesann, Digital Editor, always strives to find products that make cooking that little bit easier. Testing out viral trends is her forte, and she never turns down a bargain gadget!
- Sarah Murphy, Senior Food Editor, spends her days testing recipes and food products in the BHG test kitchen. She knows when a product is worth the spend, weighing up functionality and ease of use over even the lowest of price tags.
- Jada Susas, Content Producer, and Jo McKinnon, Senior Sub-Editor, never miss the opportunity to test out affordable products that could improve organisation in the home.
How we tested the Kmart bag sealer
Using numerous different food packaging items collected from the BHG test kitchen, we aimed to try out the bag sealer on different thicknesses and types of plastic. Each time, we swiped across the opened flap slowly, until it was completely sealed. This did require going back and forth a few times.
We tested a variety of products with plastic packaging, including:
- Cornflakes inner plastic packet
- 500g pasta package
- Baking chocolate buttons
- Packet of chickpeas
- Taco seasoning sachet
- Packet of salted peanuts
Functionality of the ANKO bag sealer
As Sarah Murphy puts it, the Kmart bag sealer “takes a few goes to get used to.” Unfortunately, this sealer seemed to be more challenging to get started than originally thought.
After putting in the batteries, there’s no on and off button to get the gadget going. Maybe we’re a little slower to get the gist, but we found that it was a little confusing not have anywhere to press ‘start’. Instead, you can simply move the safety guard off the heating element and go ham.
Once we figured out the process, we went ahead and tested out all of our pantry items, with varying success. The sealer needed a few swipes for it to get hot enough for quality sealing, and needs to be dragged across the opening “very slowly and intentionally”, Sarah explains.
Jada doesn’t think it works well on all types of packaging, and, after 24 hours, some of the packets have already lost their seal (salted peanuts). As Tahni, digital editor, says, “it’s meant to make pantry organisation easier, so it definitely shouldn’t be this hard to work out.”
Overall, it is mostly effective, especially for thinner plastic packaging like the cornflakes packet. However, you may need a couple of practice runs before you seal the deal.
Safety concerns
There are several warnings listed on the sealer instructions that are provided, including not keeping it near water or liquid and not attempting to fix electronic products with it. However, it doesn’t seem to include any mention of keeping out of reach of children.
Not having an on/off switch seems confusing for functionality, but it also could become a safety concern for anyone who has little ones in the house. The safety guard is helpful when not in use, but it is very easily maneuvered, and small fingers could definitely fit in between the heating elements. Understandably, it is a quick, easy-to-use product, but it might require further consideration for those with small families.
Final thoughts
Overall, it works well enough for Sarah to buy one for her own home – “I’ve already used it on a corn chips packet, and it worked perfectly.” Regardless of the confusing start we had with the gadget, it does perform a reasonable seal. For all the snackers out there, this may be the perfect gadget for you.
On the other hand, what’s wrong with a regular rubber band? Jada doesn’t think it saves that much time, and is “just another unnecessary gadget” for her.
Where to buy the Kmart bag sealer
The viral Kmart bag sealer is available in-store and online at both Kmart and Target. It is currently sold out for online delivery on the Kmart website.
If you’re shopping in-store, Sarah warns that it may be difficult to find: “The box is so small that I walked past it several times before finding it! Make sure you keep your eyes peeled in the kitchen gadget section.”
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