food vacuum sealer recommendations?

[shireen]

i'm interested in getting a food vacuum sealer. Are there any decent models for under $150? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

:hi:

[grasswire]

1. sore subject around these parts

Up until a couple of months ago, you could buy a very nifty gadget from Reynolds Corp. Called a Handi-Vac, it used special zip bags and a handheld gadget to suck allllll the air out. A gadget plus some bags would cost less than ten bucks and you could buy boxes of bags separately, in various sizes for home freezing and preservation.

Well, Reynolds stopped making the Handi-Vac. There was a thread about it here. Those of us who loved it are stuck with a gadget and no bags.

Bah, humbug.

[shireen]

2. thanks, grasswire

after some checking around, i decided to get a FoodSaver V2440 Vacuum sealer. There's lots of negative reviews for Foodsaver in general, and even worse for other brands. This one seemed to have the least negatives!

Anyhow, i'll know soon enough if this was any good. :D

Sorry to hear about the handi-vac. That's a real shame. You'd think it was a good thing, they'd keep it around. So much for a sound business plan ....

[Jazzgirl]

4. I have an older model Food Saver that I really like.

I just got through freezing some African Curried Beef I fixed a couple of days ago. I know that none of my food is ever freezer burned anymore. I wouldn't freeze anything for a long time without it.

[Love Bug]

10. I really like my foodsaver

It's the second one I've owned because my sister borrowed my first one and ruined it by sucking liquid into the motor, which is a big no-no.

[pengillian101]

13. Oh, Lovebug, the newer ones are much better.

There is a variable button for liquids and you can just suck air out to a point and then just stop and seal. I do that sometimes.

But I get a better seal for long-term storage, like this:

My best way is to freeze a single portion and freeze in a container for a few hours (or days) and then pop the food out and vacuum seal in a bag and freeze it.

[jmm]

5. So that's why they're on sale near me.

I better stock up on the bags while I can still find them ;(

[Lugnut]

12. That's the problem.

There are no bags available. I am so ticked at Reynolds.

[Duer 157099]

6. But there's another version coming out (or is already out)

I can't recall where I saw the ad, but I was surprised that a competitor was putting essentially the same device on the market after Reynolds had just pulled theirs. I figured that maybe they got it right? It might even be the FoodSavr brand, but I'm really not sure.

[pengillian101]

7. This might be it.

FOODSAVER® FreshSaver® Handheld Vacuum Sealing System

KEEPS DELI MEATS AND CHEESES FRESH LONGER

The FoodSaver® FreshSaver® Handheld Vacuum Sealing system is great for keeping your expensive deli meat and cheeses and other everyday refrigerated foods fresh longer.

Model # FSFRSH0057-000
$39.99




http://www.foodsaver.com/Category.aspx?id=c&cid=1152

I haven't used this hand-held one, but I absolutely love my full-sized Foodsaver. I never throw food away anymore. Just the savings in cheese alone is unbelievable. A vacuum-sealed block of cheese stays fresh for months - honest!

This hand held version looks interesting and would certainly save counter space.

Does anyone have one?

[BattyDem]

14. I LOVED that thing!

It was cheap and it worked great! I wanted to cry when I found out it had been discontinued. :-(

[Phentex]

3. I got a free Ziploc vacuum...

there's a reason they can't sell them! It was easy to use and seemed to be removing the air. However, everything turned brown and icy in a short time. I'm out 2.49 for the bags.

I'm still pissed at the Reynold's people. Those really worked!

[pengillian101]

8. Holy smokes

Posted by Phentex

I got a free Ziploc vacuum...
And only wasted $2.49 for bags?

- mellow out pal :-)


there's a reason they can't sell them! It was easy to use and seemed to be removing the air. However, everything turned brown and icy in a short time. I'm out 2.49 for the bags.

I'm still pissed at the Reynold's people. Those really worked!

[Phentex]

9. well, that's what I meant!

It was free and only a mere 2.49 for the bags. I meant it like "whoop-tee-doo, it's crap but whaddya want for 2.49?"

Not like those spending 150.00 for a foodsaver!

It's hard to read the tone of a post sometimes.

[pengillian101]

11. Gosh, I'm sorry - I did misunderstand.

"Not like those spending 150.00 for a foodsaver!

It's hard to read the tone of a post sometimes."

You are so correct - a tone can get lost on readers. Sorry I didn't catch what you meant!

:hi:

[BattyDem]

15. I bought a FoodSaver about a month ago.

Model V3825. Got it at Costco. They sell it for $160, but I had a coupon and got it for $130. It came with an 11" x 18' roll of bags (which can be cut to any size), 12 pre-made quart size bags and a 2.25 quart Marinator Canister.

So far, I love it! Yeah, it was a little pricey, but in the long run, I've saved money because I buy in bulk and I don't lose anything to freezer burn. It's also great for freezing leftovers. The food tastes as good as the day it was made. :-)

The one I have is an upright model. FoodSaver makes other upright models and they sell for as little as $140 on their web site.