Need a new FoodSaver recommendation

[Allen]

Well, the old FoodSaver 840 finally bit the dust (broken cutter assembly and no parts available). So I need to get a new one. Any recommendations from the peanut gallery on all the new models?

Standup vs lay flat on counter, etc, etc. Mine generally only gets used to package 2-4 deer, a bunch of fish, and a few things out of the garden each year.

Thoughts?

 

[fullrut]

Had to bite the bullet recently and replace mine. Went with the Cabelas 12" commercial. Only used it a few times so far. Impressed with the locking feature and parts availability. Wife is a kitchen manager for a Cenex kitchen and they've been using the 15" model for quite a few years now with no issues. Snagged mine on sale for $289.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/home...sealers/_/N-1101302/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104668380

 

[remm]

Had to bite the bullet recently and replace mine. Went with the Cabelas 12" commercial. Only used it a few times so far. Impressed with the locking feature and parts availability. Wife is a kitchen manager for a Cenex kitchen and they've been using the 15" model for quite a few years now with no issues. Snagged mine on sale for $289.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/home...sealers/_/N-1101302/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104668380

I've had 2 of these, I think it was the larger commercial model as it was close to $400 bucks I think, both of them went to hell after about a year. My dad has the same one, been going on a few years with no problems. My next one will be a chamber vac.

 

[Ericb]

That Cabelas one looks nice! Im a cheap ass and bought this oliso on sale a scheels awhile ago for $100. Ive packaeged several deer and tons of fisb with no issue. My only complaint is the bags claim 12 uses. Cleaning them is a pain and after cleaning the bags are hard to seal. It is nice to take camping and have your fish all packaged up before you get home.

 

[Allen]

Me being a cheap-ass as well, went back to the FoodSaver well, so to speak. They have a 20% off and free shipping option due to Memorial Day that is still in effect today.

I ordered one out of their "GameSaver" line.

http://www.foodsaver.com/gamesaver-landing/gamesaver-landing.html

- - - Updated - - -

In particular, this is the one I ordered:

http://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-sealers/the-foodsaver-gamesaver-bronze/FSGSSL2835-000.html

 

[Bed Wetter]

I really only use the 8" bags. They sell the uncut 20' rolls in 6 packs. If I buy 8 boxes (48 rolls) I save 30%. I don't need 8 boxes. Anybody wanna split an order with me? Don't necessarily need to go 1/2 and 1/2 on it, I just don't need 48 rolls. I'm in Fargo.

 

[LBrandt]

I get my bags from cabelas. 100 to the box for the smaller ones. Hard to beat their price if you can combine to get free shipping. they are in catalog under food processing. Good quality bags I have had no problems.

 

[all4eyes]

Get my bags off amazon for around $20 for 100. I have been using a kenmoe for about 10 years now. Cost $40 back then and still prefer it over my brothers new food saver and it's even faster.

 

[Bed Wetter]

Get my bags off amazon for around $20 for 100. I have been using a kenmoe for about 10 years now. Cost $40 back then and still prefer it over my brothers new food saver and it's even faster.

Winner. Pass on the food saver bags, going with the Amazon bags. Thanks!

 

[Lycanthrope]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GP81R2/?tag=nodakangler10-20

 

[fullrut]

I've had 2 of these, I think it was the larger commercial model as it was close to $400 bucks I think, both of them went to hell after about a year. My dad has the same one, been going on a few years with no problems. My next one will be a chamber vac.

What went bad on them? When I bought mine I see they had the heating coils on the shelf next to them. That's what crapped out on my last two foodsavers.

 

[remm]

What went bad on them? When I bought mine I see they had the heating coils on the shelf next to them. That's what crapped out on my last two foodsavers.

Not sure what part went bad, took the first one back and they exchanged it for a different one, got pissed at the 2nd one and threw it in the garbage. Both of them seemed to have the same issue, would suck most of the air out of the bag but would get to a point where it wouldn't seem to finish off the suck- that'll piss you off- I tried everything from completely drying the meat so no liquid in the bag at all to using different kinds of bags. Nothing seemed to work so I said the hell with it. Like I said though, my dad's got one that has never had any issues, works really good. Possibly I got 2 lemons, if I was closer to cabelas I would have brought the second one back, but by the time I drive to forks, stop at cabelas, scheels and wild wings, I'm out $500 minimum anyway so in the garbage it went.


I think a few years ago I got a pretty good deal on bulk bags off of ebay, that would be another option to try other than amazon.

 

[dust in the wind]

I've been buying my bags here - http://shop.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/ULTRA-Bags-Rolls-for-FoodSaver-VacMaster-Weston-etc_c278.htm

from what I see, a better price than amazon and they are quick to ship.

They also have the sealers - vacmaster which might be my next one when my current food saver dies on me or I might go to a chamber machine instead.

price on the vacmaster is better than the weston


ETA - when I used the food saver bags/rolls I had issues with them not sealing correctly and letting air back in.

In the hundreds of bags I've used from the above link, I've only ran into about 3 or 4 that didn't seal completely and some of that was my fault for trying to fill the bag too much and not having enough room.

 

[deleted member]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UEKBCK/?tag=nodakangler10-20

i still like these. i've had 3 vacuum sealers over the years and they all have went to shit within 1-4 years. one absolutely sucked at sealing. the above works out to about 25 cents per bag. but, they are reusable at least a couple of times after being frozen. if you just use them for sealing meat and cheese and shtuff in the fridge, they seem to last forever. and when you reuse them, they aren't subject to becoming smaller because you don't cut them to reopen them. and the hand pumps are practically free. if i knew for a fact i could spend $300 and have a unit that would do a good job and be guaranteed to last 5-10 years, i would buy another full size unit. but, i don't dare take the chance again. i can buy a lot of bags for $300.

 

[guywhofishes]

On my old school bagger I would always wipe the sealed lip clean of juice/oil/whatever - then put another seal on the wiped section for leak insurance. The new chamber vac has two sealers... so the double seal is automatic. :;:rockit

No matter what brand you have, buy some of these. Worth their weight in gold. Also GREAT for protecting the tail/fins on fish you vacuum whole for taxidermy - or place them on sharp spines of fish you seal for later smoking (white bass).

No more opening the freezer looking for a bone-in cut of meat months later only to find out that sharp bone poked through days after you put it in the freezer. ;:;banghead

 

[fullrut]

Any of you ever try slightly freezing your fish before packing them? When I fished AK and was dealing with huge amounts, that's what had to do to get them to seal. No moisture problems.

 

[guywhofishes]

Any of you ever try slightly freezing your fish before packing them? When I fished AK and was dealing with huge amounts, that's what had to do to get them to seal. No moisture problems.

yep = stack them up in a pan like a loaf of sliced bread. Let them freeze - vac the next day. Works great.

or buy a chamber vac - it's fun to bag water just to watch the water boil before the seal gets finalized and pressure is re-introduced

 

[fullrut]

yep = stack them up in a pan like a loaf of sliced bread. Let them freeze - vac the next day. Works great.

or buy a chamber vac - it's fun to bag water just to watch the water boil before the seal gets finalized and pressure is re-introduced

Chamber vac sounds like a way to really marinate cheap cuts of meat.

 

[dust in the wind]

Any of you ever try slightly freezing your fish before packing them? When I fished AK and was dealing with huge amounts, that's what had to do to get them to seal. No moisture problems.

I've done that with items that may present a sealing issue. Works very well.

 

[Zogman]

Three of us share a Vacmaster VP 210. It is somewhat pricey but the bags are only about .04 cents each. We went through four foodsavers before we got this,

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary...JjVt7jhiT6Y2AjefJ48cusZIJGT08_GzhAaAu3n8P8HAQ

Worth every penny. MHO.