vacum foodsavers?

[BK19]

does anyone know which one to get that will do whole chickens say a 6 pounder

[Tom Linderholm]

Most of the middle of the road vacuum packers should be able to do this. It really comes down to the size of the bags you purchase. I usually go thru one vacuum packer a year just from overuse. This year I bumped up to the cabela's commercial version, hopefully this one will out last the others.

[harvey lee]

I wood agree with Cheffery. I have purchased the less expensive model Food saver and usually they only last for a short time if you use it alot. I will be upgrading before this fall.

[BK19]

thanks guys

[muc33]

I agree, as much as I use it, I wish I would have spent the money to get a commerciail grade. Live and learn.

[Lunger]

A few months back I called Foodsaver(toll free number on their HSOforum) to ask a few questions about the machine I was looking at. The guy I talked to suggested that if I was going to be using it for fish and game alot that I get the one that was $299 because it had 2 vacuum motors in it, a more heavy duty unit. Also on some of the lower end units you have to wait like 30 seconds between each use, not the case with the $299 model, just run them one after another. He also said he would give a better price than was listed on their HSOforum so it might be worth a call, also I got the feeling that if you bought direct from them and you ever had a problem that since they had record of the purchase any replacement or repair would be handled much quicker.

[IFallsRon]

I've had trouble with the sealing element going bad but I'm generally happy with the units we've bought.

[sparcebag]

Lunger your right I'm on my third unit each time it wears down I contact them and get last one the 160$$ model for 44+S&H.They are refurbashed.but good deal!

Chefry How your model workin?? I now think I want a professional model.Do they use larger bags??

[Jim Almquist]

I have both the Foodsaver and a Vacupack and overall I think the vac is a lot better product. It seems to get rid of the air quicker and make a tighter seal and the overall build just seems better. If someone has a higher end unit and has had foodsaver let us know how it compares. I myself will not get a foodsaver because of how slow and I had to get a new gasket and the unit was 5 years newer then my vac and did not get as much use.

[Tom Linderholm]

sparcebag, got the CG-15 for Christmas so I haven't tried it out yet. Mine usually gets the most workout on my Algoma trips. Last year we packed 28 limits of King Salmon in 5 days on 2 mid range savers. Both were smoked after that week. I think I will be putting it to the ultimate test this year about mid July.

[tweedlap]

Is there a site or place to buy replacement bags at a resonable price? The cost of the Food Saver bags is killing me.

I use mine a lot for fruits and vegies, too.

Thanks,

tweed

[sparcebag]

Chefry Let me know I'm not getting a new one till fall.Are the bags the same material and size as foodsaver??

Jimalm; I have two foodsavers now both working the refurbashed one works twice as fast as the one I bought new and it is working as it did new?? wonder whats up with quality control at foodsaver??They work fine ones just quicker.I got refurbashed cause seal strip was bad but spliced it on first sealer.

[Lunger]

I bought some at Mills Fleet Farm that were cheaper than the Foodsaver brand bags, they are called Simply Smart, to me they seemed just as heavy as the Foodsaver bags. A box of 40 bags that are 11x14 gallon size was $16.99.

[Tom Linderholm]

All bags pretty much are universal, just different quality. I buy mine at Sams Club in bulk to save some change.

[tweedlap]

Thanks, Lunger and Cheffrey, for the replacement bag info !

tweed

[BLACKJACK]

I usually buy the rolls of bags and then cut the bags to the size I need. I might just have a few fillets that I'll freeze in a small bag until I have enough for a meal. Or you can cut a big bag for a 6 pound chicken, like the original poster asks.

I think for the average person that is doing a few fish fillets, a couple of pheasants or ducks, maybe a pork loin, the Food Savers work just fine. I like mine, no more freezer burn. I also got the one with the 'drip tray' so its easier to do moist foods without sucking moisture into the motor. If you're doing a lot of sausage, more than 2-3 deer, or a LOT of fish all at once, then the commercial units might be necessary but for $120 I can vacumn pack a lot of stuff with my Food Saver.

[PRWoody]

I have gone through several of the Tilla models. I am currently

on my fourth year of the professional II. The equivalent today

would be the turbo plus. I have had a few seal problems and

had to purchase new seals directly through Tilla and had great

customer service. Each year I probably seal over 200 bags.

Hope that helps. Plus, I have sealed 10lb chickens with my

current unit.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

I will throw my 2 cents in on this topic. I got a Black and Decker as a Christmas gift a few years back and just love it. We use it quite often at home for repackaging bulk hot dogs, cheese, meat etc but it really comes in handy when we make our two week visit to MN for our walleye fillets that fill our freezer for the year to come. We usually take back around 50-70 fillets as we have a fairly large family that makes the trip and the Black and Decker has done well. It runs about $58 at Wal-Mart. Mine broke down about two years after purchase in Illinois and I returned it during our vacation last year in MN at the Super Wal-Mart in Bemidji. They swapped it out without a receipt and no questions asked, very impressive! The second one has yet to fail so I think a middle of the road unit is the way to go, unless you are pounding the usage like I am sure Cheffrey is.

Windy