I would recommend that everyone have one... my freezer burns everything, and the food saver really helps prevent that. I kept a pumpin pie for two years and it looked just as good the day I threw it out as it did the day I put it in (I got in a cleaning frenzy one night and threw everything in the freezer away except the ice).

My tips would be alwaus get the Food Saver name brand bags, I tried generics and they just wouldn't hold a seal. I know some here have had success with them, but not me. It's not worth the risk and frustration.

Also, if you can leave it on the counter you will juse it much more often. When I got mine, I made it a rule to leave it out, and I did use it regularly. When I got a blender and a toaster oven, I lost counter space for the vacuum sealer and now it's in a shelf on the pantry and never sees use unless I'm specifically using the meat marinator (fabulous attachment by the way).

Good luck with your decision! My friend Larry just threw one away that his aunt gave him, it was an earlier model, but worked perfectly... he didn't want it taking up room in his small kitchen and he has a talent for wrapping things w/o freezer burn even without the vacuum sealer. I would have gladly sent it to someone here if I'd known he was going to throw it out before he did.

I also do not recommend boiling the bags as they advertise... it's messy and I'd worry about the plastic chemicals getting into the food!

GET ONE WITH A ROLL STORAGE AND SLICING RAZOR.... trust me you will be sorry if you don't... I could just kick myself every time I look at mine for not getting those features, but for 38 dollars at Target, I guess it's OK.

I am on my second one, the first one I bought probably 25 years ago. I used it then because my kids were home and I would buy cheese, lunch meat and other things in bulk.

I still use mine, but mostly for freezing. I buy seafood from Seattle and always freeze it in my foodsaver. Sometimes I use it for peppers, corn, onions, okra and other things from the garden. I don't think you will be disappointed!

I think a Foodsaver type of machine is very useful for many people, and a good thing to have, especially if you like storing nuts in jars for a long time.

However, I don�t see a need for me.

The first thing to realize is that, it is not a vacuum machine. It is just an air remover. A vacuum will cause water to boil even under room temperature. A vacuum will also subject your food to over 14 lbs per square inch (that is over 2,000 lbs per sq. ft. ) of pressure on your food.

I use those thin plastic veggie bags and a cordless hand vac to remove the air. I never have freezer burn problems. I save a lot of money not having to buy those special bags and the machine.

dcarch

We got a Foodsaver from Costco a couple of years ago and returned it because it would heat up after sealing a few bags and we would have to wait for it to cool down. We blanch and freeze a lot of our garden vegies and all our berries, so we want to be able to do a lot at once.

We wound up with a FS Gamesaver Pro and have been very happy with it. I like it for sealing nuts and grains in quart jars, too.

I've not tried the hand vacs...are they/the bags as good for long-term storage?

I have a love/hate relationship with my FS.
When it works right I love it.
When I find bags in the freezer that have lost their seal,
I hate it.
It's several years old now, and I feel sure the newer models are better.

I've always used only the FS brand bags.
Mainly the roll where I can make the size bag I need or want.
When I first saw the roll storage & slicer, I had to have one.
Waste of money.
The blade won't stay in the track,
I can cut a bag straighter and easier myself.
But there again,
The newer ones are probably a lot better.

As for nuts stored in jars,
They will get just as rancid just as quickly if they are 'sealed' in a jar on the pantry shelf,
As they would in a ziplock bag on the pantry shelf.
(that's normal room temperature pantries, not cool basement pantries).
But they do keep extremely well for long periods of time
if vacuum sealed in a FS bag in the freezer.

I have never figured out why some times the bags seal really well and stay sealed forever,
And other times they won't seal at all,
Or lose the seal after a relatively short period of time.

Honestly, I would love to have one of the new Food Savers,
The one with the different settings for dry and liquid, etc.

As for the hand vacs, I have a couple, and my favorite is the one that is a simple hand pump.
It, and its bags, do a great job.
A lot cheaper, too, but rather limited as to what can be sealed with it.
No jars, liquids, etc.

Rusty

I've had three Tilia Food Savers and have had problems with the bags on all of them... I will never try the bags again... But I totally love the last one I bought for jars and canisters... It gets it power ( suction ) from the Fresh Saver... That's a large mouth canning jar lid.

Hugs,
Rita

I love my Tilia Food Saver and recomend that you check their web site: at foodsaver@jardencs.com
They have had some very good sales during the holiday season and I purhased one for my DIL.

I also love my Fresh Saver for sealing jars of dried fruit, raisins, nuts, coffee; not necessiarily, freezer storage, just infrequent daily use, and for berries during the season. We grow and freeze many pounds of fruits, layering and quickly freezing fruit on cookie sheets, then vac sealing works beautifully. Nanny

Yet one more "loves it". I bought my first one used 25 years ago and have had 2 more (new) since and the next one is in the basement. I just wouldn't be without it!

I have the little hand-held one as well and my FoodSavers are used several times a day. I've had a model that holds and cuts the bag, and ones that didn't, and like both.

In the freezer all fruit/vegetables/meat are in FoodSaver bags. The bags are loaded in a single layer after the food is quick-frozen on a cookie sheet. Freeze food first, then bag and seal. I use parchment paper to separate pre-frozen individual pieces. So instead of having a "brick" of chicken tenderloins all fused together, they are separated so I can remove what is needed and reseal the bag. Place a wad of plastic wrap over any bones on meat that might poke a whole in the bag during storage.

When I want blueberries/cooked beans/cooked rice/cooked wheat (which were all quick-frozen on a cookie sheet before they were bagged) I cut the bag open, give the bag a tap and the food separates into individual pieces, so I can measure out a portion - flatten the remaining contents out in a single layer again and vacuum shut.

The bags are "filed" upright in plastic baskets in the freezer. At the top of the bag I write what is in them. Now I can flip through the "file" of food to see what's in each basket (I have one for fruit/vegetables, one for meat, one for breakfast meat, etc.).

I divide soup/stew/taco meat/spaghetti sauce/freezer mashed potatoes, stroganoff (without rice or noodles). etc. in 1 or 2 serving size plastic containers. Quick-freeze the containers of food, pop the food out of the containers, then stack the food "cubes" in FoodSaver bags. Now I can use my containers for something else and the food doesn't get freezer burn. Take out 1 or 2 servings, or more, as needed and reseal the bag. A 1/2-cup serving of chili will top a baked potato or make a taco salad. Quick-freeze a casserole in the baking dish lined with foil. Slide the whole thing out of the dish and vacuum-seal it. When you are ready to make the casserole, slide the frozen casserole back into the baking dish.

You'll get the most use out of it if you have it out and ready-to-use. I have a baker's rack where mine sits. You'll want a flat surface where your bags can lay flat while being vacuum-sealed. On the shelf below I have a pretty basket that contains all the "stuff" that goes with it - rolls of bags, jar attachment, hose, Universal Lids (which I LOVE), some canisters, scissors, and a Sharpie to mark your bags.

With the huge amount of food we keep in storage, the jar attachment is perfect for storing dry goods in glass canning jars and vacuum-sealing the canning lids on the jars (be sure to soften the sealing compound of the canning lids in hot water for a few minutes, dry, then vacuum-seal on the jars).

If you dehydrate food you can extend the shelf-life by vacuum-sealing it. It's amazing how many dehydrated apples and tomatoes you can seal in a quart jar!!! Nuts stay fresher longer. I buy most of my nuts when they are discounted after the holidays - enough to last until next year. I purchased enough raisins and dates from Aldi when they started having them in October to last a year. They are stored in quart jars. Aldi always has the best prices, but don't carry golden raisins and chopped dates any other time of the year. When I rotate food from storage in the basement to the kitchen pantry, I replace the canning lid on the jar with a Universal Lid, which are easy to open and close. Using the Universal Lid, you can make nearly any rigid container with a flat rim into a canister. The Universal Lids come in two sizes.

Hundreds of pounds of grains/seeds/beans are all vacuum-sealed and stored in the food storage room in the basement. I've never had a "pest" infestation in any of my grain in all the years I've stored it in FoodSaver bags.

-Grainlady

I love my Foodsaver! I'm on my second one, and I do think the new ones are dramatically improved. I like mine so much that I bought one for my daughter for Christmas. I'm a Costco shopper and I like to buy in bulk and then re-package things in smaller quantities. Also, my husband is a fisherman, so I use the Foodsaver for freezing fish - it's the best way I've found to keep fish for any length of time.

I love my Foodsaver. Would not be without it.

Having read Grainlady's post I have just discovered even more ways to use it. Great info grainlady !

Two thumbs up on a Foodsaver. I got mine at Costco and use it alot for freezer stuff.

What Grainlady said!

What I use several times a day is the hand held like the one Rita posted. Now I only use my large flip-up model for FS bags. I can't tell you how much I am enjoying the FoodSaver Hand Held model. I use the hand held for non-bag food vacuuming with the small and large FoodSaver containers, canisters, and marinade devices. To my surprise it works faster and provides the necessary seal for the canisters and for the mason jar sealers. I also use the handheld with an addapter that came with another vacuum sealer to seal the one-way bags like the FS freezer bags.

The Hand Held model has a stand with a very small footprint the size of a large glass. I keep it plugged in on the counter -- ready for instant use. Because of the ease of use and the ready accessibility of the unit on the counter I am using it numerous times throughout the day. I even bought two, one is a backup in case something happens to the first.

That's the good news. Now the bad news--the FS hand held has been discontinued. I gifted my backup to Claire de Luna because I knew she would appreciate it as I do.

I buy the Sam's Club size pickles just for the jars. Once I entice DH to eat more pickles, I use the jar to store bird seed and cat food. I seal them with FS universal lids or the electrical tape and hole punch method.

I find it fun to explore more ways to use this appliance. I think you will find it a useful everyday tool.

Let us know what your decision is.

Cathy

I'm going to be the naysayer, I think it's a waste of time and energy. Elery gave me one for my birthday, it didn't work, wouldn't seal anything. I called the tech support people and found out that it was defective (they make you try to seal a spoon), took it back to Kohl's and got it replaced. The new one works about half the time.

I can't seal anything wet because it interferes with the seal. I can't seal anything soft because it squishes it. My meat already comes vacumn sealed, so I don't need to do that. I seldom freeze individual servings of anything because I never have freezer room, I mostly just wanted one to do blueberries, sweet cherries, peaches and rhubarb. It won't seal any of those things very well, even if I freeze them first, it still squishes them until the juice runs and keeps the bag from sealing. Sweet cherries and peaches in particular are impossible.

Bobby, I don't know how the heck you managed to freeze a pie without crushing all the crust to pieces!

I spread sweet cherries on a sheet pan, froze them and tried to seal them and it still squished enough juice out of them that they wouldn't seal. I could put them inside a bag and then seal them in a foodsaver bag bug that seems to negate the savings if I'm using two bags, I might as well just buy the stuff at regular price and never mind.

Mine is now in the basement, I keep threatening to get some of the jars and lids and see if that's better, but I'm still so ticked at the 23 unsealed bags of frozen sweet cherries that I don't even want to think about the damnable thing.

My nephew did borrow it to pack venison and it didn't work any better for him than it did me, he said he was very glad he borrowed mine before he put any of his own money into one.

Bobby, I don't know how the heck you managed to freeze a pie without crushing all the crust to pieces!

And yes, I got the "name brand" Foodsaver. It sucks, I hate it.

Annie

It all depends on the user. I feel the same way Annie does and never use mine any more.

Beverly

The only time I have problems sealing is when I try to use a bag that's too short. If there's enough slack so that the end can lay flat without a fight, there shouldn't be a problem. I once had a bag fail over time. It was a long flat bag of chicken breast and my assumption was that it either got punctured or bent and broke. Either way it was the bag that failed not the seal, and I've only had it happen once. I've not had a crushing issue with anything, but then I'm not sure I've ever done berries.

That said, mine rarely gets used. Meat/chicken/pork are on the same sales that they've always been, so no need to load up the freezer with that. Same goes for veggies; if they're in decent shape when I buy them then they should be consumed before they spoil. And if they're not, then that's a pretty good indication that I have no use for them! My main use is with hunks of cheese. Cheese in vacuum-sealed packages lasts way longer than any other method I've tried.

FOAS, the bags I cut plenty long because Peppi told me to cut them longer than I needed and then I could cut them open, wash them and use them again.

Heck, I can't even get them to seal the first time, let alone use them again! Elery says he's going to take it to his house and "play with it". good riddance, it can take up HIS space....

Annie

I have the upright version, and so it takes up very little space on my counter. I got the jar lid attachment and use that frequently, especially for pasta sauce because I always make more than I want to use at once. I don't freeze things as much now as I used to because I now have a side-by-side freezer, and it does not hold as much as my previous freezer because the shelves are so tiny. I do use mine mostly for cheese, but also for bacon, and I use the "moist" setting when sealing bacon. The model I got was V3835.

Don't bother buying the square or rectangular plastic containers - they never keep a seal. I store crackers in mine now, and I'm wondering if I should try putting some mineral oil on the sealing surface. I forgot to hydrate a mason lid when I stored some black eyed peas, and so the seal did not last, but the peas were still fine.

I did notice that when I sealed hot pasta sauce, it started boiling inside the jar, despite not being that hot. I guess it should have been completely cool before I sealed it.

Lars

I have had my Food Saver for at least 25 years, and it has given me long and faithful service.....however, it is time for a new one. The sealing strip works only partially, so when sealing a bag I seal with the bag facing up and then I need to flip the bag over and seal from the other direction. After attempting a seal; hold the bag up to light and you will be able to view if it has sealed completely, or not.

Have also used a white folded paper towel for juicy sugared
fruits, and it does work!

I like the Food Saver bags for blanched vegetables. I add a pat of butter before sealing...then freeze. When I am ready to cook,just pop the whole vegie bag into boiling water and cook. I also freeze flat - single layer on a sheet (jelly roll) pan before stacking and storing.
Check here for more hints & ideas.......

Here is a link that might be useful: Tips & Ideas for your vacuum sealer

Here's another one that thinks Food Saver are well worth the money for food storage. We have had one for over 10 years. Wouldn't think of being without one. We buy meat, fruit, grains in bulk, portion it out into family sized, or single sized servings. Which ever fits our needs. Label it. Pop it in the freezer and we are done. Berries we freeze singularly on a cookie sheet first, place a single layer in FS bag, vacuum and seal it and into the freezer they go. No freezer burn either. I have been looking at the SS upright models that they now have. Mine is the white horizontal model. When this one goes(if it ever does!) I'll definitely get another. NancyLouise

Yes, do it! I realize you don't need my input by now, but I will say when ours died recently, we upgraded to a horizontal professional model which stores/slices the bags and is more automatic than the models I've used. It sits plugged in on my counter, under a window so it's ready to go. The advantage of the professional model is you don't need to let it cool off between seals, which has always bugged me a little in the past. (I do think the upgrades are FoodSaver trying to get it right, which is probably why there are so many different models. I also love the hand-held model Cathy so generously shared with me, but of course they're not making that one any more either. You don't actually need it, since there's another way to seal jar lids, but it's a handy little unit and I totally see why she loves it so much.)

Years ago I got tired of throwing so much food away, especially after I'd gone to the trouble of preparing it. Many complain the bags are expensive, which is why it's helpful to also use jars for things like soup, sauces, or marinading food. I find the bag cost worth every penny, and it truly is my most used appliance, at an average of around six times a day. To keep from dealing with soggy bag sealing, I simply freeze my food on a tray, set a timer for the length of time it needs to freeze hard, and put it in bags when the timer goes off. That takes care of the wet foods. Soft foods like berries need to be frozen until they are rock hard (sometimes I freeze them overnight), and can then be safely sealed whole. Forgive me if I'm repeating some tips others have already given; I haven't read the whole post!

You guys are the best, I KNEW I'd get all the info I'd need from you all!

I have determined from all of your replies that the small, inexpensive model would not be my best choice. I will start looking at the upright models that can be left out and not take up precious counter space.

I will also make note of all the tips on how to keep foods from leaking, running, oozing and smooshing!

Thanks everyone! I'll let you know which one I get.

linda

Annie, I quick froze the pie first, then vacuum sealed each piece individually after it was hard. :o)

Linda, I've seen those upright models at the stores, and they are really neat. I bet if you went to HSN.COM, QVC.com, or even Youtube, you could find some video demos of them if interested. I really enjoy watching that kind of stuff, especially if it's about a product I am considering.

Good luck on your search!

Annie, I think it's pretty obvious you have a lemon. I really believe if you had one that actually works, you'd be extolling the virtues of a FS too! It seems like your present experience will keep you from trying again though, which is too bad. I had one for a short time that was a dud, which didn't impress me at all. After having one previously that worked very well, I was willing to keep trying until I found a replacement because it was too valuable to me to give up on.

The nice thing about the newer upgrades is a wider sealing strip, along with a deeper well for putting the ends of the bag into, for vacuuming. My professional model will also allow me to choose the level of vacuum I want, which would be less for more squishy things like bread/cookies/cakes than for things that freeze hard like twice baked potatoes, casseroles or burritos.

Annie, I agree with Claire in that yours may be the same one that I bought for DIL maybe 8-10 years ago. It just doesn't do the job...even for me. I sure hope the new one that I gave her for her B-day this year is a keeper, but I haven't heard. My new one (2years old), I can stop vacuum sealing (if it were squashing a product like frozen fruit, probably bread and soft items too) and seal it whenever I thought it was vacuumed enough. Gee....come try one out. Or, purchase one where you can return it easily....like QVC or Costco. Nanny

We've had one forever, I don't use it much because I'm not a freezer fan, but when I do, its great.

When we remodeled our kitchen we had an outlet installed behind a lower cabinet drawer and the FS sits in the drawer. I pull it out, put it on the counter, do my thing, and put it back in. Thanks DH!

My sister also buys off-brand pre-cut bags from ebay sellers, cheaper than the rolls, and they worked fine. It was many years ago and I don't know the seller's name but bags are out there.

woot has a Rival model on sale for $30 including shipping for today only.

Claire, maybe it's the model, but I got one that didn't work at all, returned it, and got one that works half the time, so I can't imagine returning it yet again is going to make a difference.

I froze those sweet cherries on sheet pans for THREE DAYS. That should be hard enough, but they still got squished so much they exuded juice, and the bags all came unsealed. I did manage to seal some in plastic bags, then seal the plastic bags in plastic bags, but it's twice the time and twice the bags and twice the expense, which is twice as dumb on my part!

I did just send one of the hand held models to a friend, who may be more unbiased than I am, we'll see if she likes that one.

I've got one of the hand held ones too, but I haven't even taken it out of the box, the big one is such a piece of crap. And it has the attachment to do jar lids, but that doesn't work at all, or else I can't figure it out.

Annie

I don't love mine. Got it from Costco a few years ago.

I, like Annie, don't like all of its limitations. Especially having to put a paper towel in the bag to absorb liquid -- I don't like having to worry about liquid getting into the machine and breaking it.

Mostly though, I see no difference in the quality of meat sealed in a FS bag vs. a Zip-loc bag -- especially if used within a few months.

I do use the canisters for things like iceberg lettuce but it is a pretty expensive lettuce keeper!

These posts are always so timely. Every so often I get the notion that I need to have a food saver.

But once I read everyone's posts, I realize that I really don't need one at all.

Except for the occasional pasta sauce/meatballs/etc. I don't freeze for future meals. I don't keep a lot of meat in the freezer either. Occasionally if there is a good buy on boneless chicken breasts or prime rib, I will buy to freeze. But anything in the freezer usually gets used within the month. So no long term freezing.

If I was going to buy a food saver I think I might consider the small hand held model that Cathy (Mustangs) has mentioned a few times.

Ann

Dcarch:
What you said makes sense.
I'm going to try it with my Shark Vac.
It has a small nozzle.

I did it once before with a Zip Lock and closed it fast.

The Vac they sell uses bags with a Valve.
********************************************

Does anyone know if there is a 3 3/4 in., thin white plastic ring about 1 inch high on the market ???
I want to use them ; as a form, to make Crab Cakes.
That way they can be Vacumn sealed, without squashing them.

At the present, they have to be frozen before Sealing them,so they won't flatten.

I would appreciate any leads.
Thanks , LOU

Does the white pvc piping come in a 3 3/4" width? You can cut it to any height you wish. Check at a hardware or plumbing store. NancyLouise

Linda, a foodsaver is one appliance I would not be without.
I can buy tenderloins, shrimp, ground meats, etc, all on the "cheap" and not worry about freezer burn or icky flavors six months later. I have dinners ready after long days at work or when I am too tired to cook. My home grown produce is packed and ready to go. A double batch of something is no longer a leftover a month or two later. A freind has a baby or is ill and I can send dinner over in minutes.

Why are some of you using paper towels for moist items? Freeze them first!

Annie, return yours to Kohls, and grab one at Costco/Sams or at the FS site. I have known several people that bought the Kohls ones and they never worked. No clue why though. Make sure it has both the dry and moist setting for sealing. Moist does not squish the items as much.

And our dinner tonight? A brochole that Annie made at my house at the end of February last year. I froze it first, vac'd it, defrosted it this morning, warmed it up and we had dinner with great memories attached. Thanks my friend.

Nancylouise:
Thanks for your input but PVC is too heavy.

It would have to be something premade.
I thought there might be a food product;for serving, that I could purchase by the gross.
It would have to be about the thickness of a plastic milk carton.
I could ask a Catering Supply ?
Lou

Lou, Golda's Kitchen has rings, although I didn't see any white ones. Here is an example, but they have different ones:

Here is a link that might be useful: Rings

We have a small restaurant supply store near us. Didn't see anything pliable there. They have rings of all sizes but made of metal. Have you tried a craft store? They may have something pliable in large quantities. Or you could cut up quart sized soda bottles into rings. It shouldn't take that long to do, Lou ;). NancyLouise