Vacuum preserving

Nica

Nica

New member
Last summer and the first part of this summer the stuff I froze and dehydrated went into zip lock freezer bags.

About 3 weeks ago Judy found a vacuum sealer at Wal-Mart and the vacuum bags that go with it. See pic.

I did about 40 ears of corn today and after blanching and putting into bags I vacuum sealed them.

The vacuum sealer she got was a cheapie, about 14 bucks total, plus the cost of the bags.

I'm not sure this is the best way to vacuum seal, but it seems to work. It's kinda fun to watch the bag as the air is sucked out.

My question.......what equipment do YOU use to vacuum seal? I've seen a pump system on the internet for about $40 and wonder if this is any better. I'm looking for the best and need your opinions.

Hey.....this is fun!!!!!!

Have I said recently how much I like this FORUM......thanks doc!
 

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Sorry, and I would hate to burst your bubble, but I'm about to tell you that I bought that exact same unit in December, '07 and it worked very good for a while. No problems at all!!

Then in February last year, when the batteries needed to be replaced, that's when the problems and headaches came!

Every 2 weeks the blasted batteries had to be replaced! I spent more money replacing the batteries in this thing than I did for the unit in and of itself!! Frustrated and enraged with anger, I threw that piece of junk in the trash!!

I even bought another unit from the supermarket. That one never worked at all! Oh. It came on, but it just wouldn't suck the air out! Tossed that on out as well!

Went out to BB&B and bought a new more inproved FoodSaver to replace the ill-fated no-working Kenmore unit that would suck the air out of the bags but wouldn't heat-seal them. That one, (the Kenmore unit) I've already thrown away.

Then I heard that Ziplock had introduced theirs which is a hand-pump unit. Bought it and have been happy with it ever since!! No blasted batteries to have to replace at all!!

I used this one mainly for short-term storage of cold cuts, cut onions, green pepers and celery, as well as cheese and other stuff stored in the fridge. Saves having to cut open the FoodSaver bags all the time, which are now mainly used for long-term storage of foods in the freezer. Couldn't be happier!!
 
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I use a handi-vac and a FS and sometimes the batteries will last in the Reynolds unit and sometimes not. Certainly not like the ones that came with it, but I've had some duracells in there for probably a couple months now working fine. There is definitely a difference in batteries. I have a driveway alarm that eats ennergizers like candy, but again, the duracells only need replaced a couple times/year.
I also find that moving around the "mouth" of the handi-vac until you see it starting to suck air out of the bag helps a lot.
For 10 bucks I'm pretty happy with it, but I do know there are others who aren't.
 
I have this. It works great. I cut the bags a little bigger than I need so I can wash them and use them again.

31WBHJ1QMWL._SS500_.jpg
 
I too have a FoodSave and a HandiVac. The FoodSaver, I use for longer term storage. The HandiVac for shorter term storage and things that I would like to open, take part of the contents and reseal.

I griing my own burgers and put them up 8 or 12 to a gallon HandiVac bag separated by freezer paper, then I can take one ou however many I want out and reseal. I also put up Canadian Bacobn in individual slices so that I can take out whatever quantity I want and reseal.

I have done a bit of research as to why HandiVac's have problems. First ther have been some runs of bags that just are not made right. they say that they are fixed. Next, is the ump inside the unit. I have taken one apart. It is a piston pump. The rubber, neoprene, or whatever it is either wears or gets dry and the unit cannot pull a good vacuum. Put it on the end of your finger and turn it on. If you do not feel a pretty good vacuum and the motor is running, batteries are probably not going to help.

andy
 
My unit just like that sits on top of my toaster oven until I need it and I don't know how it happened, because I only use the TO for minutes at a time, but boy did the bottom melt. And the hose brackets in the back are hanging down now, too. It was fine for a couple years.... It has me dumbfounded, But it still works fine :^)
 
Mama said:
I have this. It works great. I cut the bags a little bigger than I need so I can wash them and use them again.

31WBHJ1QMWL._SS500_.jpg
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This is the exact same unit that I have as well, Mama! And I also make the bags a little bit larger.

People told me that I should try another Reynolds unit again, but no, I won't. Same can, different label! They are all cut from the same cloth as far as I'm concerned. :twak:
 
I had an early Food Saver for 10 or 15 years. It had no bells or whistles, and worked great. It finally died and I got this one (see pic).

It's got a lot more features, but I still just use it like my old one - to suck air out of plastic bags.
 

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SilverSage said:
I had an early Food Saver for 10 or 15 years. It had no bells or whistles, and worked great. It finally died and I got this one (see pic).

It's got a lot more features, but I still just use it like my old one - to suck air out of plastic bags.
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I found out about that one after I bought the one like Mama's, that I got now.

And I wanted that one so bad!! But the one that i have works quite well. Should it ever crap out, the one like yours will be the next one I get!

It looks so space-age, sleek, ultra-modern and futuristic - as though it was designed years ahead of its time!!!:applause:
 
I looked at that one too but I saw complaints about the the vacuum on the upright not working right so I went with the older model.
 
Yeah, I saw it in three colors; white, black and stainless steel.

Mine works quite well, so no need to even think about getting another one until or unless mine decides to give up the ghost.
 
SilverSage said:
I had an early Food Saver for 10 or 15 years. It had no bells or whistles, and worked great. It finally died and I got this one (see pic).

It's got a lot more features, but I still just use it like my old one - to suck air out of plastic bags.
Click to expand...



I ended up buying this exact same one because the one pictured above had also crapped out! Seems as though the blasted heating strip in the units stop working too prematurely!

I hope that THIS one lasts.
 
Nica said:
Last summer and the first part of this summer the stuff I froze and dehydrated went into zip lock freezer bags.

About 3 weeks ago Judy found a vacuum sealer at Wal-Mart and the vacuum bags that go with it. See pic.

I did about 40 ears of corn today and after blanching and putting into bags I vacuum sealed them.

The vacuum sealer she got was a cheapie, about 14 bucks total, plus the cost of the bags.

I'm not sure this is the best way to vacuum seal, but it seems to work. It's kinda fun to watch the bag as the air is sucked out.

My question.......what equipment do YOU use to vacuum seal? I've seen a pump system on the internet for about $40 and wonder if this is any better. I'm looking for the best and need your opinions.

Hey.....this is fun!!!!!!

Have I said recently how much I like this FORUM......thanks doc!
Click to expand...



And BTW, I was told that THIS unit is no longer in production. The plastic piston that is in the pump fails too prematurely.

Which is probably why the two that I had wouldn't suck the air from the bags! :yuk:
 
I have one of the older ones that is still sucking fine but one of those vertical ones looks very handy, should mine happen to die.
 
I wish I had my old one back - this one overheats after every few bags. I have to quit and come back in a half hour or so to finish.

When I make a trip to Costco in Tampa I like to stock up on large purchases of meat and seafood a lot less expensively than at Publix. But that means I have a couple hours of portioning and vacuum sealing when I get home. Since the FS only works for a little while, it can take me 2 or 3 days to get through the chore.

I took the first one back, and got a replacement. It's just as bad. I'm about ready to throw this one in the trash and find an old one on eBay or Craigslist.
 
You can still get a new one on [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAYD6W/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000OWLQ9S&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1NYF9V0CH5K3WPHJ249Q"]Amazon[/ame]
 
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