what's a good vaccum sealer?

[squirrely]

I've seen people buy these things before and end up with a lemon.

Desirable qualities include:

1. solid, works, built to last
2. Easy to get the bags
3. Bags don't cost a fortune

thanks.

[Steeleco]

I use a "Food Saver" it's near 10 years old and still works fine, the bags can be a little fussy, but overall they are great units.

[MB_Boy]

If I was going to recommend one thing....make sure whatever one you get it can accomodate the heavier grade (I think it's 5mm or a #5 thickness...something like that) of bags.

We did a bunch of fish 2 summers ago with the lighter 3mm bags (didn't have anything else to use where we were) and a bunch of them ended up with the seal not holding and there was air in the bag after about 4-5 months and we did make sure there was NO air in them when sealing them up. I have never had a problem with the thicker bags......and thus far the stuff I did back in May is holding up just fine.

[goatdancer]

I use a "Food Saver" it's near 10 years old and still works fine, the bags can be a little fussy, but overall they are great units.

Gotta agree with this. I've found some 'lost' deer meat at the bottom of my freezer that was 8 years old and it was just like the day I put it in there.

[Sitkaspruce]

Did the "Food Saver" vacume sealer for a few years, but it just would not do the heavy work, like 50 lbs of salmon. It just got tired and finally died.

Since we do a lot of sealing; fish, smokies, pepperoni, veggies etc. we decided to spend the $$$ and buy one of these.

http://www.vacsealers.com/ (2300 model is what we bought)

He is very easy to deal with and since the Can. $$ is pretty good, the price is not that bad.

It now a year old and can still crush a beer can. Amazing suction.

One thing to look for is the thickness of the actual seal. The FS one is very thin, while this one is ~1/4" thick.

We just use the bags from Costco and they work fine. No problems so far.

Cheers

SS

[Buck]

Cabelas has a very good one commercial grade pricey though

[stroh72]

Costco has some on sale now. $200 bones ,and I think the heavier rolls are $30.

[martyonthewater]

Food saver guy here, only trouble it has ever given me is when I don't pinbone out fish fillets, they puncture the bag and result in a pooor vacuum seal

[Johnnybear]

If I was going to recommend one thing....make sure whatever one you get it can accomodate the heavier grade (I think it's 5mm or a #5 thickness...something like that) of bags.

We did a bunch of fish 2 summers ago with the lighter 3mm bags (didn't have anything else to use where we were) and a bunch of them ended up with the seal not holding and there was air in the bag after about 4-5 months and we did make sure there was NO air in them when sealing them up. I have never had a problem with the thicker bags......and thus far the stuff I did back in May is holding up just fine.

Exactly my findings MB_Boy. I have the Turbo Pro (top end model) and I have switched to the Heavy duty bags. I pick them up at Save-On Value seal (used to be Smart Seal) bags or something like that. They are more expensive but really what is the cost of the bag compared to wasted fish or game?

A buddy of mine puts a double layer of waxed paper over the pin bone section of the fillet of fish inside the bag before sealing. He say's it works and I tried it this year on the Food Saver (thinner) bags that I had left over. Time will only tell. An idea anyways.

I am going to look into those ones posted by Sitka Spruce or get the Cabela's commercial grade one soon. The cost of the unit out weighs the lost fish or game IMO big time!


Food saver guy here, only trouble it has ever given me is when I don't pinbone out fish fillets, they puncture the bag and result in a pooor vacuum seal

See the above suggestion:D.

[martyonthewater]

Thanks JB, sounds like a viable solution and worth a try.

[Johnnybear]

Since we do a lot of sealing; fish, smokies, pepperoni, veggies etc. we decided to spend the $$$ and buy one of these.

http://www.vacsealers.com/ (2300 model is what we bought)

He is very easy to deal with and since the Can. $$ is pretty good, the price is not that bad.

It now a year old and can still crush a beer can. Amazing suction.

One thing to look for is the thickness of the actual seal. The FS one is very thin, while this one is ~1/4" thick.

Hey SS they sure look impressive. Are they the company that makes the Cabela's units?

[Salty]

The high end Food Saver is the way to go. (Pro or commercial model - can't remember exactly what they call it).

[newhunterette]

I use the pro food saver - and once things get really busy for me with my food packs and such then I will upgrade to commercial sealer

[Sitkaspruce]

Hey SS they sure look impressive. Are they the company that makes the Cabela's units?


Not sure, but they look the same, so probably are.

It does put the "Food Saver" to shame when doing the heavy work. If all you do is a few lbs of food when ever you use it, the the FS will work. But after doing 50-60 lbs of springs in one setting, the FS would crap out and over heat, and this was the Pro model. It would just up and quite. After letting it sit and cool down (1/2 hour) it would do 3-4 packs then quite again. Makes for doing the fish a painfull and drawn out affair. Cuts in to the sit back, relax and draink a beer time:tongue:

The first time we used it, I put in an empty beer can and it crushed it. We were very impressed. No FS that I know can crush a beer can. Not that we freeze a lot of crushed beer cans:wink::tongue:, but it is good to know that it has the power to do a days fish catch and keep on sucking......

Cheers

SS

[hotload]

Commercial is OK if you need it, then it justifies spending all the extra money, until then I will stay with my not new, sealed lotsa meat,still going strong,FOODSAVER. I too have pulled meat outta the lost and now found department that is down in the bottom of the dark freezer, and was still able to enjoy great meat.

[squirrely]

wow, lots to consider! Thanks everyone.