Which vacuum sealer?

[spencer rifle]

So, I'm about to bite the bullet and get a sealer, for both food items and firearm, etc. storage. Mainly food. So far I've narrowed it down to this:

FoodSaver V3240 Vertical Vacuum Sealer,White: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

Good price, good reviews. These have a reputation of getting stuck closed, but the fix is either warranty or some screwdriver work. Not scared of that. I'm not doing food production here - just for the family. Am I missing something? Are there other alternatives to consider?

 

[Survivalcookie]

So, I'm about to bite the bullet and get a sealer, for both food items and firearm, etc. storage. Mainly food. So far I've narrowed it down to this:

FoodSaver V3240 Vertical Vacuum Sealer,White: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

Good price, good reviews. These have a reputation of getting stuck closed, but the fix is either warranty or some screwdriver work. Not scared of that. I'm not doing food production here - just for the family. Am I missing something? Are there other alternatives to consider?

I have the same one in black, works good...just cannot seal frozen meat in them...if ordering from BBB get the jar dealer...I use that a lot...I have only tried the wide mouth one.

 

[mrjarrell]

Hard to go wrong with the original. We've got a Kenmore we got from Sears many years back and it's been doing a good job for us. I use Food Saver bags in it and it has a lid sealer, too. No complaints about it.

 

[XDLover]

We use our food saver and actually bought a new one this spring. Well worth it.

 

[PAMom]

I just finished taking care of two deer and a pig. I have a foodsaver v2420, which I have had for quite a while. Have been very happy with it. I also use the canning jar sealer accessories that go with it. No complaints so far.

I have 'canned' noodles, brown sugar, chocolate chips - that type of food items. Hoping to do some jerky soon. I have not tried flour and dry powdery things, but have heard that does not go so well. I usually dry can flour in the oven.

 

[whipfinish]

Personally I have used the foodsaver brand for several years and like the product. Regardless of brand, make sure that you have a supply of rolled bags available locally and not just online. My 2cents worth.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Why can't you sealed frozen meat in them?

 

[hountzmj]

I"m late to the party... but don't buy a foodsaver. They are consumer grade junk. Even the expensive ones. Add in the cost of the bags and it just doesn't pay to have one.

Look into commercial, chamber style machines. I have an ARY VP215 and love it. You can buy cheaper non-embossed bags that are roughly 1/2 the cost of the embossed bags. You can even get retort pouches to use and make your own MREs.

When I bought mine I did the math on the lifecycle cost of the machine + bags and the Chamber style machines were leaps and bounds ahead of the foodsavers.

 

[PAMom]

I"m late to the party... but don't buy a foodsaver. They are consumer grade junk. Even the expensive ones. Add in the cost of the bags and it just doesn't pay to have one.

Look into commercial, chamber style machines. I have an ARY VP215 and love it. You can buy cheaper non-embossed bags that are roughly 1/2 the cost of the embossed bags. You can even get retort pouches to use and make your own MREs.

When I bought mine I did the math on the lifecycle cost of the machine + bags and the Chamber style machines were leaps and bounds ahead of the foodsavers.

I have checked these out before. They appear to be amazing, however completely out of my price range. At this point, I cannot imagine I would use it enough to make it pay. $1,000 would buy alot of bags for my use. If someone has the space and budget for such a purchase, I say go for it!

 

[Survivalcookie]

Why can't you sealed frozen meat in them?

Every time I tried it would not seal...I think it has something to do with the meat not moving enough to allow the bag to get close enough get all the air out.

 

[Apokalypsi]

I"m late to the party... but don't buy a foodsaver. They are consumer grade junk. Even the expensive ones. Add in the cost of the bags and it just doesn't pay to have one.

Look into commercial, chamber style machines. I have an ARY VP215 and love it. You can buy cheaper non-embossed bags that are roughly 1/2 the cost of the embossed bags. You can even get retort pouches to use and make your own MREs.

When I bought mine I did the math on the lifecycle cost of the machine + bags and the Chamber style machines were leaps and bounds ahead of the foodsavers.

Have you ever tried vacuum sealing a long gun with a chamber style machine? Some have mentioned storing long term this way and I'm curious if it'd work with a chamber style unit as opposed to a foodsaver.

 

[PAMom]

Have you ever tried vacuum sealing a long gun with a chamber style machine? Some have mentioned storing long term this way and I'm curious if it'd work with a chamber style unit as opposed to a foodsaver.

I believe these sealers have a small chamber, like ~11 x 13.

 

[6mm Shoot]

You can vacuum seal flour and such by putting a coffee filter over the four inside the jar. It stops it from pulling fine stuff in to the pump.

 

[Apokalypsi]

I believe these sealers have a small chamber, like ~11 x 13.

And the bag has to be in the chamber to work, I'm assuming. You can't switch it around to outside the chamber and it will work?

 

[PAMom]

And the bag has to be in the chamber to work, I'm assuming. You can't switch it around to outside the chamber and it will work?

I have not used these, but I do believe that is the case.

 

[hountzmj]

Have you ever tried vacuum sealing a long gun with a chamber style machine? Some have mentioned storing long term this way and I'm curious if it'd work with a chamber style unit as opposed to a foodsaver.

I can't say I have done a gun, but I have done longer items than will fit in my machine.

You have to buy the embossed foodsaver bags on an endless roll. Then you change up all the settings on the machine to seal those bags. When you need to seal it you place the open end of your bag in and run a sealing cycle. Cut it off the roll, put your item in and flip it around. Put the open end in the machine and run the cycle. You have to run the cycle for longer as instead of sucking the air out of the chamber you have to pull it out of the bag. It's not easy but it can be done.

99.999% of stuff I will ever want to seal will fit in my machine. My largest bags currently are 10"x12" IIRC. That will hold 5lbs of deer burger.

 

[hountzmj]

I believe these sealers have a small chamber, like ~11 x 13.

Mine is 11"x16" IIRC. It seems small at first but I can't see why you would really need much more.

For me in sealing up deer, hogs, leftovers, veggies, etc it's a non issue.