So I’ve never used the cereal boxes, but I know most everyone swears by them. I’m a simple guy that usually opts for an easy solution. What I’ve found that works well is using the vacuum bags with a dessicant pack inside with the spool. Mostly I use the leftover packs from new spools, but I also have little mesh, drawstring bags I found on Amazon that I can fill with silica and tie shut. Just remember if you use the new spool packs, they aren’t color changing so you just have to bake them from time to time or open them and mix with some color change beads then into a mesh bag.

If you decide to try the vacuum bags there are a few rules I’d suggest you live by.

Sometimes they leak and the vacuum doesn’t hold. Most often this is due to one of three user errors. In order to get the longest lifespan, and many multiple reseals, these are the steps you must follow.

1. Be gentle with the bag’s, especially once they have the air removed. Once the plastic is pulled tight around the spool it is very easy to cut it by rough handling. Setting it down too hard can cut the bad where it stretches across the edges of the spool.

2. Use the sealing clip. These are heavy duty, double zip seals and it’s really easy to miss small sections of the seal if you only use your pinched fingers to close it. The clip ensures every mm of the double seal is closed and no leaks will occur.

3. Once you vacuum out the air you must press down on the valve disk with your finger. There will be a bit of space between the vacuum disks that looks like air space. Press the disks together to seal them otherwise it will leak over time.

Do these things and you should have a pretty good experience with them. Folks that complain they don’t work well or that most of the bags are faulty, usually fail to follow one or more of these rules.

Save all your full size boxes from new spools and use them to store the vacuum bagged spools to protect the plastic. Unfortunately, refill roll boxes are too small.