Preserve Food With Vacuum Sealers – Get the Most For Your Money
Vacuum sealers are a great way to preserve food, and can be found in many shapes and sizes. There are manual models that require you to hold the button down until the vacuum is complete, as well as more expensive ones with push button convenience. Many people have reported returning high dollar vacuum sealers because they didn't work any better than low priced models.
I bought an older used Foodsaver after using my aunt's and I'm very pleased with it. It was originally sold as Foodsaver v845 Gamesaver Sport, and has options to cut only, vacuum and seal, extended vacuum, vacuum and extended seal, and an attachment hose to vacuum seal ball jars. It also holds a roll of bags so you can cut them to size with the onboard cutter. The motor for the vacuum pump is strong enough to hold the vacuum while you prepare another bag - making it hands free.
You can find these on Ebay, although there are videos available online about repairing them if needed. The antibacterial tray is hard to see but it's included in the model. Bags come in rolls or pre-made; you can even use regular plastic if you use a strip of the vacuum bag so you can suck the air out. You can buy bags from Amazon at reasonable prices. Not all sealers use generic bags, so check your model/make to be sure which type of bags will fit.
The 1790 brand is not too expensive yet we've used it for several years without issue. It vacuums and seals well, plus you can just seal if desired with wet and dry settings. My advice would be not to fall for proprietary Food Saver bags; there are sources for different size bags or a roll where you can make your own sizes at reasonable prices.
I have a Foodsaver, one that came with a sous vide machine, and a Vacuvita. I like the Foodsaver best as it's easy to use and allows me to open and reseal bags like zip locks. Vacuum sealing is great for preserving food and reducing freezer burn, plus it's worth learning how to do some manual operations such as twisting bread bag plastic across the zip lock's sealing strip to allow the vacuum function to happen before sealing on the heat strip.
What type of vacuum sealer should I buy?
Consider buying an older used Foodsaver, which has a better motor for the vacuum pump and was originally sold as Foodsaver v845 Gamesaver Sport. It holds a roll of bags so you can cut them to size with the onboard cutter, and it has options to cut only, vacuum and seal, extended vacuum, vacuum and extended seal, and an attachment hose to vacuum seal ball jars.
Do the bags come in long tubes or what?
The bags come in a roll or you can pay more and buy them pre-made. You can use any bag in this model, you can even use regular plastic if you use a strip of the vacuum bag so you can suck the air out.
Are the bags proprietary to each manufacturer?
Not all sealers use generic bags, you need to check that madel/make to be sure but any size that fits in a foodsaver will work. I think it's up to 11" wide bags/rolls.
Can I open and reseal the bags like a zip lock?
Vacuvita allows you to open the bags, and reseal them, like a zip lock. However, Foodsaver is setup to do the automatic vacuum and seal, but you can do a sort of manual operation and they do hold.
Is it worth the trouble to know you can freeze without worrying so much about freezer burn?
Yes, it is really worth the trouble to know you can freeze without worrying so much about freezer burn. The Foodsaver brand has the most support throughout the different stores, and it is also very friendly to those "manual" operations.