I am thinking of getting a vacuum sealing device to help with my food storage. Can anyone give me tips or recommendations? I would want to also be able to pull a vacuum in a canning jar, for some of my dehydrated things - I've read that this is possible, but any of the vacuum sealers that I've looked at in the stores don't seem to have (or at least to advertise) that option. I assume one needs some sort of added attachment, but will that work with only certain models? I am quite clueless about these machines, so any and all information will be helpful. Thanks.
Vacuum sealer?
- Thread starter ORChick
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Bubblingbrooks
Made in Alaska
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One word of advice. Buy an expensive commercial model.
No cheap as seen on TV or at WalMart.
They work well for a short time, and then start causing failure.
This happened with all the sealers that various family have tried.
Except the commercial.
Check out Cabela's.
No cheap as seen on TV or at WalMart.
They work well for a short time, and then start causing failure.
This happened with all the sealers that various family have tried.
Except the commercial.
Check out Cabela's.
framing fowl
On a mission
There's 2 different sorts of products. There's the vacuum sealer that seals stuff in bags and then there is something that takes air out of containers. I don't know anything about those. Which one are you thinking about?
2dream
Flibbertigibbet
I bought a Seal-A-Meal from Wally World. It did not even last 2 weeks into the first harvest. I took it back and was surprised they let me exchange it for a Food Saver brand. Thank goodness I still had my receipt. I had to pay the difference but loved it. That first Food Saver brand lasted through two gardens before it died. I bought another one but moved up a couple of notches. The one I have now does have the attachment for pulling a vacuum on special made canisters but I don't know if it has an attachement available for jars. I do have to replace the gaskets about every 7 to 8 months but they are cheap. I would love to have a commercial machine and when this Food Saver dies I will probably bite the bullet and move up to commercial. But I will probably stay with Food Saver if at all possible.
Edited to add: I use my Food Saver almost everyday and have for the last 2 years.
But now that it is aging, I notice I can't vaccum and seal more than 6 or 7 bags before I have to let it rest.
Edited to add: I use my Food Saver almost everyday and have for the last 2 years.
But now that it is aging, I notice I can't vaccum and seal more than 6 or 7 bags before I have to let it rest.
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
Having gotten several Food Saver brands second hand, I think they are a fairly good deal. They have their quirks, but we manage to make them work. Each one we got had the part where you attach the vacum device for canning jars. It fits over a jar with the lid on it and sucks out the air. I don't know excactly how it works, we haven't done it very often, but I keep meaning to.
You should also know that the bags are pretty expensive. Wally world usually has a good price on them and it is one of the few things I'll go into that store for
But the bags are reusable, if you are carefull how you cut them open and wash them well.
We also use the sealer to reseal packages of frozen food or chips and such.
Maybe you can find one at your Goodwill store?
You should also know that the bags are pretty expensive. Wally world usually has a good price on them and it is one of the few things I'll go into that store for
But the bags are reusable, if you are carefull how you cut them open and wash them well.
We also use the sealer to reseal packages of frozen food or chips and such.
Maybe you can find one at your Goodwill store?
2dream
Flibbertigibbet
The food saver bags are cheaper online if you order 5 or 6 rolls. I watch for sales at Jardens.
THEFAN
Lovin' The Homestead
We do the food saver. I would go with mid grade model to the high end . The canesters you can get off-line cheap. The bags are the trick. They can be expensive. I cost everything when I bulk buy and seal. Now that Wally-Crap-Mart- Eat _Your_Soul is selling food saver brand bags. I think the price on-line will drop a lot. It is nice to buy full pork loins and cut my own chops. Used to be 3.99 cut or buy the whole loin for 1.99 on sale 2.29 off sale. I think I'll save 1.79 to cut my own. I usually can get 2 roasts out of it too. Seal and stack them nicely. I also seal matche,s seeds now, ammo ( water proofs them in the backpack) , and lots of other items. Good luck
I also seal matche,s seeds now, ammo ( water proofs them in the backpack) , and lots of other items. Good luck
Emerald
Lovin' The Homestead
I've had the Food saver for over 6 years now and just had to buy/replace the two foam rubber gaskets as they were starting to crumble a bit. It now sucks a vacuum much faster with the good gaskets-just like brand new again. they only cost $6 for two of them.
I also have the lid/mason jar sealer for wide mouth jars and I am hoping to buy the small mouth sealer too, but that is another cost I have to save for.. lol
The rolls at Sam's club are around $40 for 4 large rolls and two of the smaller rolls(wide wise not long wise if you know what I mean)
I use mine tons and tons for all kinds of stuff. It works great on cereal box insides but I don't always suck all the air out as it crushes the stuff inside. It even works on some potato chip bags and the heaver plastic food bags. I also use the odd little ends of the bag rolls for the matches and other things for in the camper and car so that the stuff that needs to stay dry will year round.(for you gal's it works great for the feminine stuffs that really need to stay dry)
If you have a food saver that is not sucking the air out very well- try taking the foam rubber gaskets out of it- pour really hot water on them and then take a towel and lightly get the water out of them but try not to wring them as they might break- put them back in and it will help them "form the vacuum" better.
All the jar lid sealer and extra gaskets and other things like the wine bottle tops(for keeping wine fresh and not oxidizing it if you only drink half) and the little attachment that hooks to the hose so that you can use the ziplock brand's new freezer bags.
There is one thing that I do no do-I only reuse the bags that have veggies or breads in them as the fats in cheeses and meats will break down the plastic after awhile. I also pour boiling water into the bags when I am going to reuse them just to make sure that the bags are really clean. I have mold allergies and all those grooves are hard to clean, so I am probably a bit paranoid about cleaning them!
I also have the lid/mason jar sealer for wide mouth jars and I am hoping to buy the small mouth sealer too, but that is another cost I have to save for.. lol
The rolls at Sam's club are around $40 for 4 large rolls and two of the smaller rolls(wide wise not long wise if you know what I mean)
I use mine tons and tons for all kinds of stuff. It works great on cereal box insides but I don't always suck all the air out as it crushes the stuff inside. It even works on some potato chip bags and the heaver plastic food bags. I also use the odd little ends of the bag rolls for the matches and other things for in the camper and car so that the stuff that needs to stay dry will year round.(for you gal's it works great for the feminine stuffs that really need to stay dry)
If you have a food saver that is not sucking the air out very well- try taking the foam rubber gaskets out of it- pour really hot water on them and then take a towel and lightly get the water out of them but try not to wring them as they might break- put them back in and it will help them "form the vacuum" better.
All the jar lid sealer and extra gaskets and other things like the wine bottle tops(for keeping wine fresh and not oxidizing it if you only drink half) and the little attachment that hooks to the hose so that you can use the ziplock brand's new freezer bags.
There is one thing that I do no do-I only reuse the bags that have veggies or breads in them as the fats in cheeses and meats will break down the plastic after awhile. I also pour boiling water into the bags when I am going to reuse them just to make sure that the bags are really clean. I have mold allergies and all those grooves are hard to clean, so I am probably a bit paranoid about cleaning them!
Wifezilla
Low-Carb Queen - RIP: 1963-2021
I have a seal-a-meal and it works, but I have had to take it apart and tinker with it a couple of times. When it works, it does a great job, but it can be ornery. I would be mad about it if I hadn't paid only $3 for it at a garage sale
k0xxx
Mr. Sunshine
We've used our Food Saver for over ten years now, and it's still going strong. It came with an attachment for vacuum sealing canning jars, bottles, and canisters.
Recently, we have been doing a lot more vacuum sealing, and sealing canning jars with dehydrated foods. We wanted a second sealer to speed things up, and after doing some research, we bought A Pro-2300 vacuum sealer. The new sealer allows for more flexibility, has a stronger vacuum pump, and also works with the accessories for the Food Saver. It is called a Pro-2300. It works in an auto mode like the Food Saver, but it also has a manual mode that lets you vary the amount of vacuum depending on what you are sealing. It's a bit more expensive, but it's been worth it.
Recently, we have been doing a lot more vacuum sealing, and sealing canning jars with dehydrated foods. We wanted a second sealer to speed things up, and after doing some research, we bought A Pro-2300 vacuum sealer. The new sealer allows for more flexibility, has a stronger vacuum pump, and also works with the accessories for the Food Saver. It is called a Pro-2300. It works in an auto mode like the Food Saver, but it also has a manual mode that lets you vary the amount of vacuum depending on what you are sealing. It's a bit more expensive, but it's been worth it.
