Best Vacuum Sealer

[stick]

I just did a search on this site and a well-known outdoors store, but I didn't see much for reviews, and what I did see made me a little cautious. Can anyone recommend a good vacuum sealer and what they like, and maybe don't like as well. Got a bunch of venison (and future fish fillets) to get sealed up. It's time to make a quality investment in the outdoors meat aquired.

[BobT]

I use a Food Saver V2450 and it has so far given me over six years of trouble-free service. What I like about is is the roll storage bag cutter that allows me to make any size bag I wish. It handles 8" and 11" wide rolls and comes with two moisture settings for sealing. Mine is the stainless steel version so it is easy cleanup as well.

[lovebigbluegills]

+1 for FoodSaver. I'm not sure what model I have, but it sounds like the one Bob has, but it's not the stainless version.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I too own a food saver.. not sure which model.. but its worked great for me.

[pureinsanity]

I am my own food saver. I eat it all so it doesn't need to be saved~!

NOM NOM NOM NOMMMMMMMMMMM

[hoggs222]

I've had a food saver for around 6 years. No complaints here.

Make sure you get one that goes up to 11". They have a bunch of different sized jars that you can buy for freezing chili, soup, etc.

[reinhard1]

food save for me also. i agree on the 11in also. i sealed a bunch of jerkey yesterday with it. i have had mine for years with no problem. good luck.

[harvey lee]

I had a Food Saver but the heating strip went out to seal the bag.

I now have a Sears Kenmore and its great. It takes up to 11 inch bags.

It came with extra canisaters for saving food. Yes, one can trim the size of the bag needed.

Great unit.

[Jim Almquist]

I have a Food Saver Vac-750 and a Vac-U-Pak and I think the Food Saver is a better deal for the money. I like the 750 because it has the option to hook up the hose to use for canisters like Harvey lee and the thing I like is the adapter for putting canning tops on quart jars with vacuum. I make big batches of spaghetti sauce and I fill the jars to about a inch from the top and then vac them and freeze. 6 months later it is as fresh as the day I made it.

[BobT]

I actually haven't tried using the hose attachment on mine. My brother-in-law uses his for sealing ground coffee to keep it fresh and other things in jars.

[Jim Almquist]

I actually haven't tried using the hose attachment on mine. My brother-in-law uses his for sealing ground coffee to keep it fresh and other things in jars.

The wide mouth adapter works great. I have tried 2 different regular size and for what ever reason ( design flaw )they just don't work 100% of the time.

[KEN W]

I also have a food saver.My second one.....works great.Keep it on the counter and seal all kinds of bags....noodles,chips,coffee....anything in a bag.I go through a lot of bags in the fall....

One suggestion.....freeze anything soft or wet,then vacumn seal it.Put fish,meat etc on a cookie sheet and freeze them before you vacumn them.

[Opie]

Do any of you have issues when doing repetitive sealings. A couple times a year, I need to seal 40-50 bags in one session and my Food Saver just doesn't seal the best then. I try to give it a few extra seconds before I remove the bag, but also don't want to spend hours sealing up some fish/game. I know a commercial style vacuum sealer would be better, but for only twice a year....$$$$$.

Dean

[harvey lee]

I have never had that issue but I do not know how many times I have sealed 50 packages in one sitting. Maybe 35 at the most.

[Gadgetman]

I always seal each bag two or three times to make sure the seal is solid. I hate it when the seal doesnt hold

[Surface Tension]

I have a Food Saver V365.

Have had problems with it keeping a seal since day one. Half the time dry items sealed would lose their seal after an hour. Yes I tried sealing multiple times with limited success.

Freezing items with moisture first and then sealing is a [PoorWordUsage] shoot. Call Customer Service and they had me seal a spoon in a bag while on the phone. It made the vacuum and seal then was told it is working and that is that. Because of its fickleness the Food Saver is not a part of my valuable counter top space any longer so its use is very limited. Its probably sitting in some spot along with the Popel Slice & Dice.

My venison I just use freezer wrap like I used to as that has never let me done.

I did find the canisters that came with the saver useful and I like being able to vacuum a canning jar with a canning jar lid for a quick marinade.

[BobT]

If there's a lot of moisture in the bag I'll use the moisture setting, which increases the heating time for the seal. If I suspect that the seal may not be secure I'll leave it clamped, wait for at least 20 seconds, and then press the seal button again to reheat the seal one more time. I've never had a seal fail using this method.

For dry ingredients I've never had a problem using the normal sealing process.

You do have to make sure your bag isn't wrinkled on the seal strip as this will create a poor seal.

[DTro]

I also love my FoodSaver. Not sure which model, but it has a nozzle for jars, and also an "extended vacuum and seal" setting which I always use no matter what.

I don't use it a lot, but all game related items (fish, grouse, pheasant, venison) gets sealed.

I did have a few issues when I bought some cheap offbrand bags one time though.

[harvey lee]

I do agree Dtro that some of the cheaper bags are just that. I purchase the Food Saver bags and to date, have not had any issues with them.

It is tempting to go the less spendy route but with most items, it just does not pay to go that route.

[Surface Tension]

If there is the least amount of moisture I'll put a rolled up paper towel before the seal.

No wrinkles in the bag either. I don't have a moister setting.

After it shuts off a green light blinks for a while then turns off and ready to open. I've waited long past that hoping that the extra time would seal better. Believe me I've tried it all along with different bags besides the Food Server bags. IMO the heat element isn't hot enough. I think I have a lemon because all I hear are good things about Food Saver.

[buddha]

I've went through 2 foodsavers but I havn't really seen anything else that would seem to work. I'll try it again and see what happens.

[Walleye Guy]

I have two Food Savers and both have worked very well. If you buy one, look for a model that has the following features;

-Dry or moist sealing settings

-Removable moisture tray in the vacuum compartment

-Ability to do only a seal without vacuuming (saves wear and tear on the vacuum when sealing the first end of the bag)

-Ability to seal at any time in the process. Sometimes you seal stuff that are fragile and you dont want crushed.

[mnguy152]

Ijust got one at the big goose store they had the food saver for 149 plus with a rebate of a 100Qrt cooler for free. worrk good for my veni roast and chops

[croixflats]

Food savers are real good for their price. Though their bags do eventually let are permeate through after a few months.

But if one were real serious for longer storage times the Pragotrade vacuum sealer pro 2300 at a whopping $470 will do you better. They use a thicker bag.Its also a much heavier and bulkier machine.

[mtheis]

Food Saver v2240 for our family. We use it for everything. If your an outdoors person who lives and breathes hunting and fishing, you deserve one!