Home » Vacuum Sealers » FoodSaver 4980 vs 2100: Which Vacuum Sealer Is better?

Wasting food is not good for your pocket or the environment. Thinking of all the hungry people in the world should be enough to motivate you to reduce the amount of food you throw away. In reality, you wouldn’t have to throw out so much rubbish if you had a proper preservation system.

The FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 are two examples of how you can make your food last for longer. We are going to compare the two units and with the help of a comparison chart and some pros and cons, we will decide which one is the better option.

We will start by talking about what the FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 have in common.

FoodSaver 4980 vs 2100

Quick Glance

Uses

These vacuum sealing units automatically remove all of the air from specially designed bags and then seal them tight. The FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 can be used on all types of food including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, pantry products like flour, and baked goods.

Handheld Vacuum

As well as being able to vacuum and seal with the main unit, the FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 come with a handheld vacuum for convenience. The FoodSaver 4980 has built-in storage for the handheld vacuum

Roll Storage

Inside the FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 there is storage for the rolls, keeping everything tidy. They also have built-in roll cutters so you can quickly cut the bag to the exact size you need, greatly reducing the amount of plastic you use.

Drip Tray

If you happen to be sealing foods that have some liquid, there might be some spillage. For this, the FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 have patented drip trays. These trays are removable so they can be easily cleaned.

Accessory Port

The FoodSaver 4980 and the FoodSaver FM2100 have accessory ports that are compatible with all other FoodSaver accessories.

Now that we have the similarities covered, let’s take a look at the differences.

Differences Between FoodSaver 4980 and FoodSaver FM2100

Appearance

There is no doubt that they are vacuum sealers, but they do look quite different.

FoodSaver 4980

The overall dimensions are 19.4 x 10.2 x 9.4 inches and it weighs 10.8 pounds. Being larger, it has the space for the built-in handheld vacuum storage.  It is silver with black features and the control buttons are at the front, on the top.

FoodSaver FM2100

Here, the vacuum sealer is 17.8 x 5.9 x 13.3 inches. It weighs 6.6 pounds. It is black with the control buttons on the top but at the back. There is also an easy latch and lock bar on the side.

The Winner Is- The FoodSaver FM2100

Read next – FoodSaver 4980 vs 4840: Which Vacuum Sealer is Better?

Sealing Abilities

Without a strong seal on the bags, the food won’t last as long as it should.

FoodSaver 4980

The vacuum sealing is advertised as producing an airtight heat seal.

FoodSaver FM2100

This unit has dual heating strips for a completely airtight seal.

The Winner Is- The FoodSaver FM2100

Read next – FoodSaver V2244 vs FM2000: Which Vacuum Sealer is Better?

Additional Features

If you want to be able to do more than just vacuuming and sealing, you may want to choose the vacuum sealer with extra options.

FoodSaver 4980

It has a PulseVac setting, so you can control the air that is vacuumed, which is perfect for softer foods like cakes. It also has a Marinate Mode that will marinate food in minutes, rather than having to wait hours.

FoodSaver FM2100

There are no additional features with this vacuum sealer. That being said, there is a 5-year limited warranty.

The Winner Is- The FoodSaver 4980

Read next – FoodSaver 2800 vs 4800: Which Vacuum Sealer is Better?

What’s Included

Both come with a starter kit so that you can start preserving your food straight away. What comes in the kits is different.

FoodSaver 4980

This kit has an 11 x 10-inch vacuum seal roll, 5 1qt heat seal bags, 5 1qt vacuum zipper bags, 4 1-gallon vacuum zipper bags, one leftover container, and a bottle stopper.

FoodSaver FM2100

It comes with an 11 x 10-inch vacuum seal roll, 3 1qt vacuum seal bags, 2 1-gallon vacuum seal bags, and an accessory hose.

The Winner Is- The FoodSaver 4980

Pros and Cons

Let’s finish off by looking at some pros and cons of the FoodSaver 4890 and the FoodSaver FM2100.

FoodSaver 4890

Pros:

  • The PulseVac is ideal if you want to seal cereal and even chips
  • The meat stayed fresh for several weeks
  • No leaks when sealing liquids

Cons:

  • On a similar note, it will struggle to seal bags that are wet, so you need to be careful

FoodSaver FM2100

Pros:

  • You can manually stop the vacuuming for delicate food
  • Good compact design to save space
  • Excellent value for money

Cons:

  • You will have to wait for about 30 seconds between seals

The Final Verdict

We felt that when it came to vacuuming and sealing, both the FoodSaver 4890 and the FoodSaver FM2100 had great abilities and the food that we preserved was much fresher than we had expected. We preferred the design of the FM2100 because it was quite a bit smaller.

Nevertheless, our preferred buying choice was the FoodSaver 4890. The extra features were quite useful and if you have never marinated before you will probably be tempted to start now. Also, we felt that the starter kit for the FoodSaver 4890 was far more generous.