Vacuum sealers. Educate me

[2ski]

I want to buy a vacuum sealer but there are so many options out there. And it's not like there are a whole lot of different brands. It's all Foodsaver. I'm kind of lost. What is that $150 one getting me that I don't get with the $90. And then you have the gamesaver line. Costco has a $149 for sale for $119 right now. They also have a Gamesaver for $190. Is the cheap one not going to perform as well? Give me some help here.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[BKhunter]

I was using the $150 version from costsco, and this year I think I am actually going back to cling wrap and freezer paper. Feel like it is less time consuming and protects just as well. Also for what they get for bags it gets pricey.

 

[bonehunts]

I think it really depends on what you're using them for and how much you use them. I've got a FoodSaver 12" as well as a Cabela's 15" version. I use them both a lot primarily for packaging and selling BBQ as my hobby. The Cabelas version is more heavy duty for what I do, but for sealing steaks from Sam's, etc. the FoodSaver works just fine.
For bags, I go directly to Weston's webiste or wait until FoodSaver puts them on a deep discounted sale.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

They usually run sales around the holidays if you aren't in a rush watch the site around black Friday. If in a rush a $40 remanufacturered V2222 isn't a bad unit: FoodSaver(R) V2222 Vacuum Sealer

You can get 50' rolls of bags off amazon rather affordably (<$10/roll).

 

[2ski]

I'm looking for all around use. Steaks from the store, fish I catch and wild game.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[Calbuck]

I have a Costco Foodsaver sealer and it's done just fine by me..4 or 5 deer, 3 elk and miscellaneous other meat/fish/poultry. No issues

 

[Blockcaver]

We have an ancient....15 or 20 year old?.....Cabelas brand that has worked well. Periodically you have to remove the foam gasket on the vacuum system and wash it and dry it to keep it operating correctly. Make sure that the bags are well sealed. If they leak air the meat will freezer burn.

We found a package of 6 year old elk meat in the freezer that was as good as the day it was packaged. It is worth the money for the excellent meat storage the vacuum seal bags provide.

 

[FreeRange]

The cheapest food saver unit got me through 7 deer, almost. I think it was the 2000 model, basically the cheapest, smallest one. It worked OK til it died and it wasn't due to poor gasket seal, the vac pump itself was shot.

I've got now the 2435 which is a bit more robust of a unit it seems. One feature I really like is it has a dry/moist select option, it seems the difference is how much it heats up on the seal as a little moisture on the low end model would prevent it from getting a good seal. Not too much an issue with game meat but when preparing pre-made meals it's a hassle pre-freezing them to lock up juices to prevent them running towards the machine and creating a bad seal. This 2435 model just irons out the bag material no matter what is in between the plastic layers, juice, oil etc...

Regarding bags the generic rolls and generic bags on Amazon that are of the same material and are well reviewed were the same price/sq ft when I ordered them. Making bags from a roll is a bit time consuming.

I don't mind the cling wrap/freezer paper method, it definitely preserves just as well but is a bit messier when defrosting, I like to be able to throw a handful of bags in the fridge and not worry about them for a few days til I want to cook the meat. If you get too aggressive rummaging around in your freezer you can poke pinholes in vac bags and that will eventually lead to freezer burn.

 

[jmez]

I've had three of them and they all work about the same. I don't know the numbers on them but I started out with just the basic FoodSaver model. It worked well for several years and the pump finally quit. I replaced it with the same basic model and the pump on that one lasted about three years. I then bought the Game Saver model which I currently still use.

The biggest issue you will have is if you are sealing a lot of meat at one time the sealing unit gets too hot and you have to let is cool down as it just quits working. Both of the cheaper models did this and my Game Saver does it as well. If you try to seal more than 8-10 bags is succession it will shut down on you. You then have to wait 15-20 minutes to start again. If you don't wait 15-20 minutes it will do one bag and then just shut down again. The Game Saver was not supposed to to this like the cheaper model but it does.

I would recommend getting one where you can put the bag roll in the machine. You can pull out the bag, seal the bottom and then pull out the size you want and there is a sliding razor that cuts the bag. This feature is worth paying for as it saves a lot of time as apposed to just cutting the bags with scissors.

As far as function of the machine itself there is no difference between the Game Saver and the cheap model.

You can also get big boxes of the Food Saver bags from Sam's Club and they are pretty reasonable. As far as the generic bags, you need to be careful which ones you buy. Some of them are absolute junk. The don't seal well and you'll end up repackaging about 3/4 of the stuff you put in them. I've quit using generic bags all together.

 

[Beendare]

....
We found a package of 6 year old elk meat in the freezer that was as good as the day it was packaged. It is worth the money for the excellent meat storage the vacuum seal bags provide.

^^^This. Vacuum sealed is the way to go.....which is the best....I don't know. I've had a Cabelas unit for about 6 years and it works fine.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I've had three of them and they all work about the same. I don't know the numbers on them but I started out with just the basic FoodSaver model. It worked well for several years and the pump finally quit. I replaced it with the same basic model and the pump on that one lasted about three years. I then bought the Game Saver model which I currently still use.

The biggest issue you will have is if you are sealing a lot of meat at one time the sealing unit gets too hot and you have to let is cool down as it just quits working. Both of the cheaper models did this and my Game Saver does it as well. If you try to seal more than 8-10 bags is succession it will shut down on you. You then have to wait 15-20 minutes to start again. If you don't wait 15-20 minutes it will do one bag and then just shut down again. The Game Saver was not supposed to to this like the cheaper model but it does.

I would recommend getting one where you can put the bag roll in the machine. You can pull out the bag, seal the bottom and then pull out the size you want and there is a sliding razor that cuts the bag. This feature is worth paying for as it saves a lot of time as apposed to just cutting the bags with scissors.

As far as function of the machine itself there is no difference between the Game Saver and the cheap model.

You can also get big boxes of the Food Saver bags from Sam's Club and they are pretty reasonable. As far as the generic bags, you need to be careful which ones you buy. Some of them are absolute junk. The don't seal well and you'll end up repackaging about 3/4 of the stuff you put in them. I've quit using generic bags all together.

My 7yr old V2224? will seal a dozen back to back rapidly from cold start before it gets too hot. After a minute or so it will again seal one or two more before being too hot. A good 5-10min (not 15-20 in my experience) has it mostly cooled back down. I also have a yellow one that is a similar model I got cheap last year that seems to get more like 15seals before it gets too hot. For the price point I like them fine, I just make up some bags before I start stuffing meat into them. Stuff a batch full of meat and seal those, repeat. When it comes to ground mean I make up a pile of bags ahead of time while watching some TV.

I personally don't see a use for the inmachine roll feature since 50' rolls don't fit. Personal preference though.

Yeah there are some crappy generic bags. I've been perfectly pleased with the "food vac bags" 3mil ones off amazon for the last 2-3yrs. Occasionally I get a finicky section of the sheet material in terms of sealing but its not a regular occurrence and repositioning the bag in the unit usually addresses it.

 

[duchntr]

Here is a good video by Rinella on vac sealers. How to Vacuum Seal Your Meat with Steven Rinella - YouTube

I dont vac seal red game meat either.

 

[jmez]

pods, that sounds about right. I just threw the 8-10 out there. Mine doesn't cool down quite as quick as yours does. I don't use the big rolls so I like the bag cutter.

I've tossed around the idea of buying one of the underwater vacuum sealers, the commercial grade ones. I just haven't been able to talk myself into spending that kind of money.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Roger that. I know the ~dozen pretty well since as noted I'll sit down and knock out waves of bags while watching some TV before I grind the meat.

 

[charvey9]

Most of your basic counter top ones are 11", which is what I have. I make due, but if I had to do it again would get a bigger one for sealing larger things like a whole turkey or bone in hams.

11" you can do a whole pheasant or duck sized item. If you do get one that sized, make sure it has a vacuum accessory attachment. For larger items, like a ham, I will wrap it in a thick mil trash bag and use the accessory attachment to suck out most of the air. Pinch it off, tie it. Its better than nothing, but would be nice to have a bigger sealer.

 

[Calbuck]

I would recommend getting one where you can put the bag roll in the machine. You can pull out the bag, seal the bottom and then pull out the size you want and there is a sliding razor that cuts the bag. This feature is worth paying for as it saves a lot of time as apposed to just cutting the bags with scissors.

This is the one I have

 

[Mark]

I went through dozens of Food Saver models over the years. They work, and I had okay results with most of the models I owned. I think the price of the bags is ridiculous. The rolls are cheaper, but the time it took to seal and cut to size slows down the process. Factor in the cooling time and I got more annoyed every time we processed meat. These machines aren't built for fast paced packaging, at least in my opinion.

Enter the Vac Chamber... Two years ago I bought a VacMaster VP215.

Sure, they're a big investment up front, but it's one of the best investments I've made for a home processing center. The bags are $0.05 each, I can run continuously for a hours at a time and they seal better than any of the vac sealers I owned over the years. We packaged three deer, two antelope and three elk this year. My cost for bags was less than $20 for all eight animals.

They don't draw blood up to the top of the bags so the seal is always dry. You can also vac seal liquids (soups, stews, etc.) if you ever have the need. The sealer bar time can be adjusted and the amount of vacuum time can be adjusted for the bag size as needed.

I've saved a lot of time and money processing meat with the vac chamber. It's a heavy machine so it doesn't lend itself to being stored in a cabinet. Mine sits out on a dedicated countertop for easy access.

 

[Daniel_M]

I went through dozens of Food Saver models over the years. They work, and I had okay results with most of the models I owned. I think the price of the bags is ridiculous. The rolls are cheaper, but the time it took to seal and cut to size slows down the process. Factor in the cooling time and I got more annoyed every time we processed meat. These machines aren't built for fast paced packaging, at least in my opinion.

Enter the Vac Chamber... Two years ago I bought a VacMaster VP215.

Sure, they're a big investment up front, but it's one of the best investments I've made for a home processing center. The bags are $0.05 each, I can run continuously for a hours at a time and they seal better than any of the vac sealers I owned over the years. We packaged three deer, two antelope and three elk this year. My cost for bags was less than $20 for all eight animals.

They don't draw blood up to the top of the bags so the seal is always dry. You can also vac seal liquids (soups, stews, etc.) if you ever have the need. The sealer bar time can be adjusted and the amount of vacuum time can be adjusted for the bag size as needed.

I've saved a lot of time and money processing meat with the vac chamber. It's a heavy machine so it doesn't lend itself to being stored in a cabinet. Mine sits out on a dedicated countertop for easy access.

I'll echo this. I went through a pile of Food savers, tossed out plenty of fish that didn't seal right and freezer burnt before I too invested in the VP215 from Costco. It is an investment, however worthwhile when you store 50+ salmon a season and bag a lot of your own game. I'm using 4mil bags for camp foods right now, pre-cooking and freezing before my trip next week. Not to mention it will keep fish and game fresh for upwards or 4 years, I found a bag salmon filets last week that were mint from 2012 hiding in the bottom of the chest freezer.

 

[Mark]

I'll echo this. I went through a pile of Food savers, tossed out plenty of fish that didn't seal right and freezer burnt before I too invested in the VP215 from Costco. It is an investment, however worthwhile when you store 50+ salmon a season and bag a lot of your own game. I'm using 4mil bags for camp foods right now, pre-cooking and freezing before my trip next week. Not to mention it will keep fish and game fresh for upwards or 4 years, I found a bag salmon filets last week that were mint from 2012 hiding in the bottom of the chest freezer.

I learned the hard way that the re-therm bags are more reliable if you plan to re-heat your foods in boiling water. I've had a couple of bags fail. I've used a lot of the 4mil bags to re-heat foods in boiling water, but when they fail they pretty much ruin the meal.

 

[colonel00]

I love my Foodsaver for "kitchen" use. It's great for packing up leftovers. For instance, I love to BBQ and when I do a whole brisket, a couple pork butts and some ribs, that's a lot of meat leftover. The Foodsaver does fine to seal this up for later use in small portions.

For long term storage of "premium" raw meats, the VP215 is fantastic. We've had one for several years now. It's somewhat slow but does a fantastic job. It's the go to for when we come back from Alaska or other trips and have a lot of meat or fish to pack up for long term storage. Yes, as others have mentioned, the initial investment is steep but you will save a ton on bags.