[diego]

Are vacuum sealers as good as the commercials say? For the price ( from $50 to $150 ) I would expect them to last for years and really remove all the air from a package. I usually suck the air out with a straw just before zipping
the storage bags closed and do a reasonably good job.

[jenni belle]

I have a Deni vacuum sealer and I love it. Going to Sam's Club is worth it now that I can divide up the bulk portions and freeze for later use. I would most definetly recommend the investment.

[Mezzaluna]

I've had a FoodSaver for a few years. It's definitely superior to sucking the air out with a straw! The only thing to remember is that if you're going to seal up raw meats, fish, poultry or cooked food, you need to freeze the food solid before vacuum sealing. Otherwise, the sealer will pull out juices or liquid. I just wrap the food closely in plastic film or foil, set my kitchen timer (so I don't forget the stuff is in the freezer), and vacuum seal the food. No freezer burn! Unless, of course, you leave the food in there for more than a year.

If you're inclined, you can cook 'sous vide' (under vacuum) in FoodSaver bags as well. There's a thread on this technique here .

[liv4fud]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

I've had a FoodSaver for a few years. It's definitely superior to sucking the air out with a straw! The only thing to remember is that if you're going to seal up raw meats, fish, poultry or cooked food, you need to freeze the food solid before vacuum sealing. Otherwise, the sealer will pull out juices or liquid. I just wrap the food closely in plastic film or foil, set my kitchen timer (so I don't forget the stuff is in the freezer), and vacuum seal the food. No freezer burn! Unless, of course, you leave the food in there for more than a year.

If you're inclined, you can cook 'sous vide' (under vacuum) in FoodSaver bags as well. There's a thread on this technique here .

mezzaluna!
you read my mind, I was going to put up that question myself
love curries and stir frys and gravies and was seriously concerned about how to use the food saver or any other vacuum packaging device. it did n't help my doubt when they crushed a bunch of cans on tv.
but you solved my query... time for me to look up a good price on it and buy!

[Mangilao30]

I had a Deni and it was not up to par, then I bought a FoodSaver from Target and it transformed my pantry. No more bugs, stale anything, I could buy in bulk etc...I would recommend buying 2 sizes of bags at least and getting a few of those containers to save delicate stuff that can be crushed in the bags, like crackers or cookies.

For the meats and poulty, I sometimes would freeze them first but I would also put them in the bag raw and then line it with a paper towel towards the opening and seal. The blood and juices got trapped in the paper towel and did not affect the seal. I know this is not ideal but there was no change in the taste, (I'm talking about a thin folded up paper towel not touching the meat and not touching the seal) Worked every time. The best use is to prevent brown sugar from turning into a brick.

[Chef Mike]

Much as I hate going there, I've found that WalMart has a good assortment of containers, etc.
I didn't like the results when I purchased the "generic" brand of roll plastic, to make one's own bags.

The great feature is that sealer that vacuums the metal lids on ball or mason jars.

They recommend some cheesecloth or paper towel in front of your juicy items to stop the juice/blood flow going up to the vacuum.

[Nicko]

I have a food saver as well and I am pretty happy with it but it would be nice if it was a bit stronger. I often wonder if I got a bum one. Mezz I never put 2and2 together and thought to freeze the meets before using the food saver that makes complete sense. Thanks for that tip.

[Mezzaluna]

Nicko, I think I read that in the manual that came with the machine.

Mangilao, I love the paper towel idea! That would eliminate all ice crystals on the food. I'm going to give that a try. I have the marinating dish and am going to try to seal some cake in it today. I had friends over for dinner on Saturday, and have 1/2 of a 9x14 iced carrot cake leftover. It can be frozen, and I sure don't want it sitting in my fridge because I'll nibble on it!

[phatch]

Wow, people reading the manual. Makes my technical writer heart happy to read that.

Phil

[MikeLM]

Some good tips here, and I appreciate them. I've had the FoodSaver for several years and am well satisfied.

You can usually get a pretty good deal on bags on eBay. That's where I stock up. Matter of fact, I think I bought the FS itself on eBay at a considerable discount. Got my Bron mandoline there, too; paid $110 when it was retailing for around $160. I have the impression it's somewhat cheaper now.

Mike

[panini]

Nicko,
I have had a 1075 for years. It's pretty strong. Do not hesitate to contact FoodSaver. I have a few now since nuts have gone through the ceiling. I take the time to break down the 30# cs's into the large bags to preserve them. I have gone to driving down to the farms and buying them right from the picker for pecans. I never freeze anything before sealing, meat,fish etc. I use the paper towel, no color design.
I also stock up on ebay. I usually go in and put minimums on all I need listed and see if I win.
Phil, never read the papers. Think I went through 15 ft of bags, gave my wrist a hickey, demolished a piece of pie, and drew blood playing with the tube attachment while trying to figure it out.

[foodsaver]

I have just had one for several months but we love ours if you want to stock up on meat when it is on sale you can't go wrong. I also have found that its great for sealing things you might not want to vacuum pack like chips.