Vacuum sealers

[Cooter]

Am looking at vacuum packagers and would like some input - mainly are the $80 units decent or a waste of money? Use would be minimal, mainly for a few deer each year.

[Finns]

I bought one from Sears two years ago. $79.00. Uses about any bags that I've come across. Make sure the goods are dry or slightly frozen (eliminate the wettness) before sealing. Finns

I use it four or so times a year and no trouble.

[frabillfisher]

got a rival vacume packer for x-mas and its been nothing but trouble ...pay an extra 50 to get a better brand like the foodsavers

[jbjr]

We have used the foodsaver for four years now.

works great for all seasons, garden veggies, fish, venison, non wild meat.

typically we use the rolls, it works nice because you can cut to order.

here is a tip, fold the open edge over before placing items in the bag to keep the edge dry for sealing, and for items like sweet corn we freeze the corn (off the husks) in small tubs and vacuum seal to prevent moisture problems at the seal.

jbjr

[BarryG]

That is an Excellant idea of folding the edge over to keep it from getting wet! I wish I had thought of that about 4 yrs ago when I got my foodsaver. It will really help! Thanks!

[89Bronco]

I have the basic Foodsaver and I'd have to say I'm very pleased with it. No complaints at all.

[kjgmh]

When you get your vac packer besure to get a marinade container. It really works great for getting the marinde into the meat quickly.

[Walleye Guy]

Get the Foodsaver 1050. The best feauture on it is the manual seal feature that allows you to start the sealing process whenever you want (versus when then machine thinks it has sucked enough air out of it). One other idea that works great for me is putting a strip of paper towel just below the seal line when sealing fish. The vacuum sucks the moisture up and the paper towel catches it before it hits the sealing area. Works great. Slightly freezing also works well too.

[hunt4food]

I love my Foodsaver and use it all the time. I second the marinating container too. I also use mine to store frozen soup or stew. I simply put leftover soup in a plastic storage container, freeze it, run hot water over the container to remove the frozen soup and then seal the frozen block of soup in a foodsaver bag. Then, when I am out ice fishing, I can bring along a pot, put some lake water in it and boil the bags of soup in it over my Mr. Heater Cooker! MMM nothing better than pheasant wild rice soup while watching my tip-ups. I also use it to keep things waterproof like matches, disposable camera etc.

[fishtrap3]

I have foodsaver as well works great. The vac750 that I have also has the manuel seal on it.

[friendlyfisher]

I too like the foodsaver brand. I am a chef in a resturant and have tried most of the different brands and have had problems with them all, but way less problems with the foodsaver. I like the foodsaver professional, I think this is the largest one they have. It may be to much $, if so buy the cheepest on that has the manual seal button on it. Clean it very good after every use.

[Cooter]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

If you have not bought one yet, I got a Black and Decker from Wal-Mart. Cost only $58 and the rolls of bags are really cheap. They have containers that I bought to marinate stuff in as well as a mason jar sealer attachment. I really put mine to the test each year as I seal all the walleye that our family catches up in Cass Lake. The last few years we have taken home 66 walleye and a dozen pike or so. We have 11 adult tickets and we fill them up along with a huge fish fry while we are up there. Last year my Black and Decker started acting up on me and I took a chance and brought it to the Wal-Mart in Bemidgi. I did not buy it there nor did I have a receipt but the manager told me to go get a new one and he exchanged it without question. Thanks to Wal-Mart for saving our vacation and we enjoy those fillets through out the year till July when we return. I am even doing up a few fillets for Easter.

Later, Curt