I agree with Digdirt's recommendation, there are some good discussions at the posted links. That being said... I have had good results preserving vegetables in vacuum-seal bags, but only if they were already frozen. Fresh vegetables proved to be too problematic, due to the fluid & debris sucked out during the vacuum process causing a bad seal. For cut vegetables, I freeze them first my old plastic freezer boxes (fortunately I kept them). Once the frost ends the harvest, I begin to transfer the vegetables (now frozen blocks) into vacuum bags. Without the fluid, there are fewer problems with bad seals, and the vacuum bags extend their storage life significantly. There are occasional problems with getting a good seal, especially for wider blocks, or re-cycled bags. For the most part, these can be avoided by leveling the bag before sealing (I place a small phone book under the bag to support it). For larger contents, the bag may tend to wrinkle, preventing a seal; after clamping the end in the machine, I pull the bag slightly to smooth it. I also make a point of wiping off any food that might be in the seal area. Despite all efforts, a few bags will still fail to hold a seal... I just eat them first (and toss the defective bags). The bags can indeed be good for seed storage, but this is best done on machines that have an impulse-only setting (no vacuum). It is _vital_ that the seed be completely dry before storage, or it will deteriorate quickly. For those in humid climates, that might necessitate drying in a food dehydrator, or using desiccant in a sealed jar. Once the seed is dry, it would need to be transfered quickly to the bags. Personally, I would only recommend this method for frozen or refrigerated storage... IMO, jars or ziplock bags are better for room-temperature storage.

I only use the food saver brand bags and i have never tried to reheat anything in them. Also, I'm not the only one in the family who notices the off taste. Perhaps the bags are too old? I would say around 8 years old? Maybe I should just buy some new bags to go with it and see where that gets me. Thanks for posting.

Cottage_Garden- Thanks for clarifying. I did talk with the folks at PumpNSeal and they've been selling these things since 1988 and they come with a 10 year warranty. I'm thinking of charging it with a credit card and giving it a good workout. The idea of not having to worry about an electrical device breaking, and not having to buy special bags looks attractive to me. I just did a Google search on "PumpNSeal +scam" and "PumpNSeal +problem" and got no hits indicating anyone was unhappy with theirs. If you look at the test results they have on their website, it looks like they pull a better vacuum that the powered competitors I know I'm starting to sound like a commercial, but I'm leaning toward getting one. However, I'm holding off for a day or two in case I hear from any of you who have had any bad experiences with PumpNSeal not performing.

Kris, I confess to having the jar sealers for several years and never used them. Now I'm going crazy with the canning jars because I have a collection of cracked FoodSaver canisters. soften the lids in hot water - I microwave a little water to boiling then drop in the lid dry lid clean jar rim put lid on jar place FoodSaver Jar Sealer over jar remove air with hand held until light turns green OR with FoodSaver unit using hose attachment when fully vacuumed, take the jar sealer off the canning jar put the ring on if you choose to - it's optional