Can external (FoodSaver-style) sealers handle liquids?

Not well. Across the reviewers we read, external suction sealers struggle with soups and brines because they pull liquid toward the seal bar. A common workaround mentioned in r/sousvide threads is freezing liquids flat first or folding a paper-towel strip to catch juices. For routine liquid sealing, reviewers steer buyers toward a chamber model.