vacuum sealer.

[Worth1]

Vacuum sealer?
What should I get.
Worth

[encore]

Weston--or any that can seal something part way or all the way, and one you can push button and walk away or get another bag ready, as opposed to one you have to hold the button down til vacumn is complete then push another button to seal.--tom

[Rajun Gardener]

FYI I've read may times in some BBQ and sausage making groups about them returning high dollar vacuum sealers because they didn't work any better than a low priced model.


I bought an older used Foodsaver after using my Aunts and have nothing but good things to say about it. I liked it so much I researched and found they have a better motor for the vacuum pump and it was originally sold as Foodsaver v845 Gamesaver Sport.

It holds a roll of bags so you cut them to size with the onboard cutter. It has options to cut only, vacuum and seal, extended vacuum, vacuum and extended seal, and an attachment hose to vacuum seal ball jars. It's easy to use and once you press down and start the vacuum it's strong enough to hold the vacuum and then it's hands free.

You'll have to find one on Ebay but it's worth the trouble. There's videos on repairing these to which is usually the 1/4" air hose or the seal which is still sold.

This one has the antibacterial tray, it's hard to see but it's in the middle of the seal. It catches any liquid that comes from the bag and it's removable to clean. It doesn't have the hose and sealing jar lids but they're cheap. The last link is the type hose you'll need, I would check Ebay too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/FoodSaver-M....c100009.m1982

https://www.foodsaver.com/on/demandw...4_38740665.PDF


https://www.foodsaver.com/accessorie...0.html#start=3

[Worth1]

I can run a manual lathe and milling machine but I dont know anything about vacuum sealers.
Do the bags come in long tubes or what?
Are the bags proprietary to each manufacturer?
Worth

[Rajun Gardener]

The bags come in a roll or you can pay more and buy them pre-made. You can use any bag in this model, you can even use regular plastic if you use a strip of the vacuum bag so you can suck the air out. There's a vid on youtube about that. I order bags from Amazon, and it's cheap. You can also soux vide in these.

https://www.amazon.com/MARIGOLD-Vacu...ler+bags&psc=1

[Rajun Gardener]

I should mention that not all sealers use generic bags, you need to check that madel/make to be sure but any size that fits in a foodsaver will work. I think it's up to 11" wide bags/rolls.

[upcountrygirl]

worth, most vacuum packers use rolls of plastic that have been sealed on the 2 vertical sides. you cut to you desired length. seal one end. put whatever you want to seal in the bag, then seal the other horizontal side closed to preserve what's in the bag. rajun, I'm going to look into what you posted. we go through multiple sealers each year.

[mikemansker]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Vacuum sealer?
What should I get.
Worth

We have a 1790 (Yes, that's the brand name). Not terribly expensive, but we've used it for a couple of years so far and it vacuums and seals well. You can also just seal if you want and it has wet and dry settings.


https://amazon.com/Complete-Ultimate...+vacuum+sealer


My advice would be not to fall for the Food Saver bags. There are several sources for different size bags or a roll where you can make your own sizes at reasonable prices.

[Shrinkrap]

I have a foodsaver, one that came with a sous vide machine, and a vacuvita. I like the foodsaver best. The only thing I like about the vacuvita is that you can open the bags, and reseal them, like a zip lock. It's huge, and you are supposed to leave it on your counter and keep bread in there. It does an amazing job at the bread, but I don't eat much bread. I also like the containers, but I'm not sure how much difference they make in my lifestyle.


I think vacuum sealing is great, but wish I could afford the "chamber" kind that is used in restaurants and can handle liquids.

SousVide Supreme
https://www.amazon.com/SousVide-Supr...web_3041586011

Vacuvita
https://www.amazon.com/Vacuvita-Vacu...vacuvita&psc=1

Chamber Style
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities...m-sealers-work

[ContainerTed]

With a little practice, I've figured out how to use some of the zip lock bags, We have a Foodsaver and use all kinds of everybody's bags. It is setup to do the automatic vacuum and seal, but you can do a sort of manual operation and they do hold. I use a small twist of bread bag plastic across the zip lock's sealing strip to allow the vacuum function to happen and then the sealing is done on the heat strip. This type of deviation from the normal automatic operation is what I mean when I say, "With a little practice".

And, yes, ours has that liquid catcher and is easy to clean. We've done quite a lot of things like stew, soups, chicken pot pie base, and other wet stuff.

Worth, it is really worth the trouble to know you can freeze without worrying so much about freezer burn.

The Foodsaver brand has the most support throughout the different stores, and I feel that it is also very friendly to those "manual" operations I like to do.

[Rajun Gardener]

Another great use of a sealer is marinating really fast.

You also don't have to buy special bags to cook in, I use the normal cheap bags for boudin and I just drop it in a pot of boiling water to warm up.

Here's the video of how to use cheap plain bags using a strip of the vacuum bag to allow air to escape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJU8Z9gmDw0

[Worth1]

Thanks everyone for your help I cant express how much it means to me.
Here is a guy that pretty much expresses the reason I dont own one now.

BUT I am open minded.

Worth
https://youtu.be/0j6QjxHDiJk

[pmcgrady]

Food savers work, but you do too...
I'd wait in the weeds on an auction site, and buy a good one....
I'm bidding on a nice Weston meat mixer at an online farm auction for $20, sale ends the 19th.
Commercial stainless steel smoker is going for $5.00, 40 miles away, no shipping, I'm in!

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Thanks everyone for your help I cant express how much it means to me.
Here is a guy that pretty much expresses the reason I dont own one now.

BUT I am open minded.

Worth
https://youtu.be/0j6QjxHDiJk

Shotgun Red and Franchise Kicks has taken over my YouTube feed... Both suck!

[Rajun Gardener]

He's a joke.

1. He's a terrible Billy Mays and is doing an infomercial. There's a reason he turned off the comments.

2. You don't lose anything on the bottom, the bag doesn't have to go into the vacuum chamber to seal it. I leave a 1/4" space, sometimes I leave a 1/2" space and seal it again at the 1/4" line of the bottom. In reality I can seal twice within a 1/4" of the bottom if you want to save a 1/4" of the roll. I also always add another seal at the top too because it only takes a few seconds and it's insurance that it will last for at least 2 years in the freezer if it gets lost in the bottom.

3. You can buy those same bags and use a strip of a foodsaver type bag, check the video I posted.

4. I did the math on the bags I posted from Amazon and it's 14¢ for a 10" bag.

4. You can flatten your meat in the bag the way you want it before vacuuming==same thing so I call that a push.

5. It won't seal liquids like soup unless you used a longer bag or you can use a strip of paper towel to stop the liquid. I would freeze in a serving size container then vacuum seal.

6. I searched the "Chamber vac machine" and the cheapest is $380. so if we do a little math and say you vac seal 200 items a year using his cheap bags. You're paying 11¢ a bag unless you can find them cheaper. 14¢ vs 11¢, again I call that a push.

7.Saving 3¢ a bag and the cost of the machine isn't saving, you'll be dead by the time you get your money out of it unless you start a business.

8. You have the option of making bigger bags with the rolls. You can even make a bag long enough to put a shotgun in to prevent rust. Just Saying!!!

9. You can make any size bag you need out of the rolls. I can take an 8" roll bag, cut it 10" long then cut that in half and seal the side then seal both ends for a small amount of meat or peppers. By the way, peppers seal really good in these, especially dried pepper flakes.