What Kind Of Food Sealer?

[chefjake99]

What kind of food sealer do you all use. I have a foodsaver v3880. Its a stand up stainless looking on from Costco. I am not to impressed with it. Often it does not pull all the air out and leaves small pockets of air before it seals. I am wondering if there is another one I should look at as I use food sealers a lot. :chef:

[Bodofish]

I've got an old manual foodsaver and I've found it's really a two person job. One to hold the bag and push the button and the other to push bubbles.

I don't think you get to the place where there are no little bubbles until the vacuum pump is rated in HP.

Mine seems to keep the fish for over a year.

I guess it really depends on how much you want to spend......

[Matt]

I am not positive which model I have (It is a Foodsaver brand), but it is "automatic".... meaning you put the bag in, then it automatically closes down on the bag, and starts sucking out the air. It is a HORRIBLE design. If the bag doesn't seat just right it gives an error, makes you wait as it opens back up, then you have to reposition the bag.

I got it as a gift, unfortunately, and didn't forsee such a problem at first. My next unit will definitely be one with a manual hinged lid for closure.

[Mike Carey]

the jump from consumer grade to the next level isn't cheap. I've seen the higher level ones in action and they are quite impressive.

VacMaster

They also cost about 7x as much as consumer grade.

[Gringo Pescador]

Mine is the old school foodsaver - put the bag in, close the lid, push on it down while it vacs & seals. Bought it at Costco close to 10 years ago. I thought about upgrading but then I start priced them, cringed and decided to wait until this one craps out completely.

[kzoo]

My foodsaver does the same thing. It seem lose it's vacuum over the years.

I've been looking around, this one from cabelas got good reviews.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cab ... t104668380

Same model on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Weston-65-0201-Pr ... 113&sr=8-3

[racfish]

Chefjake I have the same model you have and it is horrible. It dosent do well at all with moist foods. Ive havent had problems with dry food. Its a lousy design also. My old foodsaver was better but it got to a point where the seal broke. A commercial sealer really is the way to go.

[A9]

Foodsaver v3460 owner here. It does a good enough job that I wont complain and I don't store fish in freezer for longer than 6 months. however, if your serious about you vacuum packing, spend as much as you can afford. The commercial grade units are slick

[natetreat]

I have the Foodsaver Gamesaver Deluxe Plus. It has 2 settings, dry and moist a canister vac tube and does a pretty good job. It sucks until there are no more bubbles and then some. My only complaint so far is that the thing over heats before I can get through a limit of fillets. It has an auto shut down function when the element gets too hot and won't let you seal until it cools off. No problems besides that so far, but we've only had it a year and a half now. It was a gift from the inlaws so I don't know how much it goes for, but it's pretty good. I've used commercial vacuum sealers in jobs I've had before and you can't really compare it with that at all, but for a days worth of fish for one guy it does well.

[Toni]

I had a food saver for probably 20 years. It was getting old so I got a newer Food Saver. It lasted just over a year. Just past the warranty. So I got a Food Saver that cost a little more, a V3240. worked pretty good but then the handle stuck. It would not work any more. I contacted the company since it was less than a year. They sent me another one. That one did the same thing. I contacted them again and they sent me another one. That one broke after the 2nd use. I sent it back when I received the new one. All the same model. This one has held up so far. I am afraid to move it in case it breaks again.
This is one with a handle.
I will not buy another Food Saver even though they keep supplying me with a new one. I just want one that works.

[Bodofish]

Besides the foodsaver I have now the last one I bought was used for $150,000. Yeah that's a comma. 48 up 6x10 self formed pouches, if you could fill it fast enough it would pull the pouches then pull the vac and seal and cut in a 30 sec cycle. Pretty slow by todays standards but none the less a little better than anything you can get at Cabelas.

[Matt]

Nate, I know what you mean man, that's a real pain too! That stupid sealing strip always overheats after doing like 6 or 7 pieces and you're left waiting with a huge pile of fish to do. It makes what could be a 20 minute project into a 2 hour project.

[natetreat]

Nate, I know what you mean man, that's a real pain too! That stupid sealing strip always overheats after doing like 6 or 7 pieces and you're left waiting with a huge pile of fish to do. It makes what could be a 20 minute project into a 2 hour project.

I know right? But I really shouldn't be complaining about having that much fish to seal up, but it's annoying as hell. It makes sealing fish an all night affair. Some day I'll get a nice one.

[hewesfisher]

I have a VacuFresh that we bought over 20 years ago. Never have a problem with it sealing and it is a simple unit to use. You can see it here.

I'd buy another one if I were in the market for one, it works that well.