- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
Has anybody tried one of these units? Are they a good idea, or just something that will sit unused in the back of a kitchen cupboard? Any brand recomendations?
Vacuum Sealers
- Thread starter Workin Man
- Start date
The cheap ones are, well, cheap. 
I have used a commercial one (friend had a small meat shop) and it is the only way to go. They can handle the quantity and can deliver the quality. His was expensive (don't recall $$) and so was the 'plastic'.
I have used a commercial one (friend had a small meat shop) and it is the only way to go. They can handle the quantity and can deliver the quality. His was expensive (don't recall $$) and so was the 'plastic'.
We bought a Tilia Food saver. Best investment we made.
Our group actually vacumm seals our venison instead of , or even after it has been wrapped in the brown wrap. I left some in the freezer un vacuum sealed for a month and could see the crystals and freezer burn setting in.
Not wasting my money and time and letting my food get burnt, so I vacuum sealed all of it with the sealer, and now after it is thawed, it comes out just like the day I put it in there.
Here is a good note as well. If you make a bag larger than what you need, you can use it to marinade the meat, by putting the meat in the bag and some liquid marinade, and then vacuum seal the bag. Be careful not to get liquid in your sealer.
The cheaper models, may have an issue with where the vacuum port is on the bottom of the chamber and the liquid can get in there. We ruined our first one ( don't stand them on their ends for any period of time ), The new one we bought is the Tilia Foodsaver V2460. Great unit.
We use ours for lots of things, especially making large batches of homemade spaghetti sauce, and portioning it out and freezing it. Just drop the frozen bag in a pot of water and boil it till it is thawed and warm and use it.
Freezing fish, cheese, chili....I could go on and on.
I would like to get some info on a commerical unit though...
Lildave
Our group actually vacumm seals our venison instead of , or even after it has been wrapped in the brown wrap. I left some in the freezer un vacuum sealed for a month and could see the crystals and freezer burn setting in.
Not wasting my money and time and letting my food get burnt, so I vacuum sealed all of it with the sealer, and now after it is thawed, it comes out just like the day I put it in there.
Here is a good note as well. If you make a bag larger than what you need, you can use it to marinade the meat, by putting the meat in the bag and some liquid marinade, and then vacuum seal the bag. Be careful not to get liquid in your sealer.
The cheaper models, may have an issue with where the vacuum port is on the bottom of the chamber and the liquid can get in there. We ruined our first one ( don't stand them on their ends for any period of time ), The new one we bought is the Tilia Foodsaver V2460. Great unit.
We use ours for lots of things, especially making large batches of homemade spaghetti sauce, and portioning it out and freezing it. Just drop the frozen bag in a pot of water and boil it till it is thawed and warm and use it.
Freezing fish, cheese, chili....I could go on and on.
I would like to get some info on a commerical unit though...
Lildave
Last edited:
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
Has anyone checked out the Rival unit that Canadian Tire carries for $150? They also have one for $40 (Salton), but it really looks and feels like junk. I used Glad "press and seal freezer wrap" on last years deer with good results. Its a bit of a pain to work with though and pretty thin, so I ended up putting it in ziplocks to keep it from getting torn open ( the individual packages also like to stick together in the ziplock bag). I also grow and freeze my own vegetables, so the unit will be used for those as well. Any specific model of Foodsaver that you guys could recommend (or models to avoid)? Also where is the best place to get them and the bags/rolls for them?
We tried a rival - i don't know if it was just our unit but it had a bad habit of losing seal a few weeks after it went in the freezer. Took it back.
I love the idea - if they hold their seal they'd make a lot of sense. Obviously based on the comments of others some do.
I love the idea - if they hold their seal they'd make a lot of sense. Obviously based on the comments of others some do.
I purchased a rival unit last fall to speed up our sealing as we usually have around 200lbs of sausage and jerky to seal every year.It has only been used once so I can't comment on it's durability or lifespan,but it did work well when it was used.
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
I meant to add, I have worked with other heat sealers (no vacuum) that had teflon strips over the heating elments that needed periodic replacement. Do these have something similar?
Gatehouse said:This is the one I use, and it works very, very well. Far better than any foodsaver vac machine.
I'd have one too if I could find one cheap!! But I do have a foodsaver, had it for about 5 years, Very good for the low use home user. I have found the bags a little pricy although you can reuse them. That and they are very sensative to puncture, every now and then I'll find a bag that has lost it's seal. After eating the contents, I've always found a pin hole leak after filling it with water. Sometimes you can cut out the damage and make a smaller bag or just make two.
When they get too small I save them for my daybag, keeps first aid stuff tidy and back up food clean from rain and dust.
Bags are not cheap for me, either...But I buy them by the 2000 lot in various sizes. And these are heavier duty than the home sealer units.
I have no idea if the units liek the Foodsaver can use heavier bags, but they are available if they can.
I have no idea if the units liek the Foodsaver can use heavier bags, but they are available if they can.
I too have one of those that the local grocery store threw out, the rep said too expensive to fix. Score! It has some electrical issues that I'm working on but the vacuum pump works great.
Where in BC can the bags be bought Gatehouse?
Where in BC can the bags be bought Gatehouse?
Gatehouse said:This is the one I use, and it works very, very well. Far better than any foodsaver vac machine.
Sealers
WOW! Gatehouse. I have one of those that I built in my basement. It is very large. I use it as an inter spatial transporter, if i have to go someplace in a hurry.
What brand/model is that unit, and where do you buy your bags?
WOW! Gatehouse. I have one of those that I built in my basement. It is very large. I use it as an inter spatial transporter, if i have to go someplace in a hurry.
What brand/model is that unit, and where do you buy your bags?
THat brand is a Vacmaster. They sell various models of various sizes and prices. The one that I use is about $3500.
I buy bags in great quanitity, they are still expensive. Gotta look up the supplier since I order infrequently.
I buy bags in great quanitity, they are still expensive. Gotta look up the supplier since I order infrequently.
- Location
- Near Coldwater, Ont
Well it seems like everyone with a Food Saver unit likes it, and it turns out Zellers carries them for $100. Happened to be in there today, spotted it and bought one. Thanks for the help guys. Any one have a cheap source for rolls or bags?
