# Teach me about foodsaver/vacuam sealers



## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

What's good and why?
Is there models that can vacuum seal most any shape/size items?
What should I look for in a unit?
Is there a standout company for these?
Thanks,
Cakes


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

You can buy rolls of bagging and cut to whatever length you want.
Further you can cut the width to your needs. 
You are limited only by the machine's width.
You must use the "waffled" bagging, whatever brand.
I have two Foodsaver brand machines, one is over 20 years old and still works fine.
The newer one is about 8 years old, works well.
The newer one has the ability to vac out their jars and holds a roll of bagging you cut to length in the machine.
They work great for everyday use, I buy large flats of meats from BJ's and pack and freeze most for later use.

You cannot bag items like rice, the grains will pierce the bag wall.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

My take is,after many hours of internet research we settled on a foodsaver model#v3425.we got it a wallymart at $50.00 and a bunch of rolls of bags.there are better and more expensive models like the ones at Cabelas,etc but the one we bought had a 4 star rating and not a lot of warranty problems.it works fine for us,we have had it 3 years now,no complaints.I just in the past few weeks have cleaned,frozen and vac sealed 20-25 lbs of tomatoes and 10 lbsgreen beans for future use for when my wife gets back from Wash.state this coming week.at first,read the instructions 2-3 times and practice on something inert like ammo,trinkets,etc.that way you dont become fed up by ruining perfectly good food.after a few reps,you will find that you wonder why you didnt buy one years ago.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

We have had a Foodsaver 3200 model for a few years. We use it a lot. 
We find the Ziplock bags to be less expensive than the foodsaver brand.
Don't buy the pre- sized bags, buy in bulk and make them to fit.


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

I'm looking at the Foodsaver #4840 it comes with the Built-in retractable hand
How do you use the Zip lock bags? No zipper, I assume.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

I have a Foodsaver V2865. It is a current model that will use bags or rolls. I buy the bags for convenience and they have a zipper as well. for use and reuse. I USE mine. The model above mine has the wand which I find unnecessary in the processes I use the most. It is handy for many preps. I have a freezer full of items sealed in the garage, including 30 lbs of beef jerky!!

I gave about $90 at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Gotta get you one!


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

UC,
the bags come in a roll, no zipper.
You just cut them to length, seal one end and proceed.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I bought my first TILIA brand food saver when they first came out, maybe 25 years ago. I'm on number 4 now, but still have the first and it still works fine. Back then I was 2 pieces with 2 big A$$ plug in transformers. I prefer the old Vacuum unit for vacuuming the air out of mason jars when I am doing a bunch at a time. Like the commercials, I buy big cuts of meat, cheese, etc. and cut to size for meals and then bag 'em. Flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, etc. go in the mason jars. Because it's just the 2 of us now, we don't use the stuff in jars as fast, so I've started adding an oxygen absorber and wrap the jar in foil to keep out the light. 
About 8 months after I bought the last one, it wasn't working quite as well as normal. E-mailed Tillia and described the problem and told them how much I use it. They sent me 2 sets of foam rubber gaskets for it. Works great again. *Hope you get the idea I like it.*


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

I use my Foodsaver for so many things. You can make your own prepackaged food for your vehicle. You can make a water proof container for emergency essentials. I could go on and on. You are only limited by your imagination of things you can do.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

SOCOM42 said:


> You can buy rolls of bagging and cut to whatever length you want.
> Further you can cut the width to your needs.
> You are limited only by the machine's width.
> You must use the "waffled" bagging, whatever brand.
> ...


SOCOM42 I am drawing a blank on BJ's . Can you refresh my memory?


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

It's like Costco/Sams Club and some are like hookers....


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Thanks, I do Sam's since it is an East Texas rooted available source, I have seen Costco and hookers before, but haven't applied for membership. Can you get a single membership instead of a family ...... so as to protect the identity of the innocent? 

You can heat seal some bags whether it is a product of the manufacturer or not, it seals below the zipper and designed to be used with heat sealers. For some uses that my large storable amount may be more than a single serving, I use bags with zippers. Simply de thaw, use what I want, then heat reseal for the next go around. Some like zippers for certain applications, others stick with cut and seal rolls. My unit uses either.

Zippers allow my junior preppers to nick away at the jerky and I can follow up and reseal easily.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

A Watchman said:


> SOCOM42 I am drawing a blank on BJ's . Can you refresh my memory?


BJ's Wholesale.
It's a membership club like Costco and Sam's club.
They started in this state 30 years ago, got my membership a week after they opened the doors.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

SOCOM42 said:


> BJ's Wholesale.
> It's a membership club like Costco and Sam's club.
> They started in this state 30 years ago, got my membership a week after they opened the doors.


Do not believe they have a presence in Texas. Sam's rules here. A little Costco presence.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

SOCUM 42 ......And I apologize for my bad manners. Thanks for answering my question and educating me. As much as I know through my life's broad and long journey.... it continues on, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to be educated.

Carry on Sir.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

A Watchman said:


> Do not believe they have a presence in Texas. Sam's rules here. A little Costco presence.


Those two are prevalent here too.

BJ's was the first around here, Sam's came about four years later, but it is an added 8 miles on city streets..

I stay with them since they are the closest, plus I know where everything is and can get in and out fast.


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## Mish (Nov 5, 2013)

This is what we have. We love it! We buy meats in bulk and freeze them. =) Steaks a year old taste amazing!!
Amazon.com: FoodSaver V3240 Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Kit: Food Saver: Kitchen & Dining


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

A Watchman said:


> SOCUM 42 ......And I apologize for my bad manners. Thanks for answering my question and educating me. As much as I know through my life's broad and long journey.... it continues on, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to be educated.
> 
> Carry on Sir.


??? Did nothing to apologize for.

I am somewhat short on here because it takes me forever to type something, hunt and peck.

I just checked, all on the eastern seaboard, Main to Florida.

OH! I just noticed, I WILL accept your apology for calling me CUM though!lol


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Have to check on the ziplock bag thing....


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Socom why don't you get the Dragon software. Dragon NaturallySpeaking - world's best-selling speech recognition software | Nuance


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Auntie said:


> Socom why don't you get the Dragon software. Dragon NaturallySpeaking - world's best-selling speech recognition software* | Nuance


Thanks for the suggestion, tried a different one a while back, not for me.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Big Tip: Don't stuff a stuffed toy into a bag and vacuum it down to 1/2" thick and seal it. Out of state friends left Barney (purple dinosaur) behind after visiting. Thought I'd save some money and make a joke by vacuum saving Barney and then put him in a manilla envelope. The Friends got it, stuck it away for a week or so before opening it. Friends thought it was funny as hell, but when he didn't expand back to normal, the daughter put me on her $hit list. Mother tossed him into th dryer with a load of wet clothes and he kind of came back to shape. Father still thinks it's funny.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> You cannot bag items like rice, the grains will pierce the bag wall.


I very much disagree. Using the standard "ox of bag rolls" from Sams, we have a ton of rich (sealed in 4 cup batches) that are just fine. Originally we went a little "food sealer nuts" and started sealing things into "per meal" batches. lol Now we just seal rice in 5 gal buckets in mylar. But point is, we only ever had one leak, and that was because it didn't seal properly.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

egyas said:


> i very much disagree. Using the standard "ox of bag rolls" from sams, we have a ton of rich (sealed in 4 cup batches) that are just fine. Originally we went a little "food sealer nuts" and started sealing things into "per meal" batches. Lol now we just seal rice in 5 gal buckets in mylar. But point is, we only ever had one leak, and that was because it didn't seal properly.


that is fine for you. In my experience, i lost vac integrity on about 100 pounds of rice, this was about 1987, the loss was slow, over about a month.
I chose not to risk the loss of the stores and went through a different process, 
purging the containers with co2 and adding o2 eaters.
I litterally have 2,000 pounds stored in five gallon airtight food grade pails.
Now I have tanks of nitrogen(15 years of use) that I incorporate into the process that replaces the co2 injection.

The rice and beans are the two most important foodstuffs for survival, those alone will keep you alive without anything else not including water.
People can choose what to do with their own survival, i will do what i need to ensure the quality of my foodstuffs.
I vac different types of beans into 5 pound bricks with o2 eaters in a wooden mold that fit nicely into 20mm cans, 
The cans keep the air pressure constant and the product rodent proof.
I have been doing food storage for over 30 year, i know what works and what does not.
I give my viewpoint based on that experience, people can do what they want, take my advice or not, i don't care.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Socom the wooden mold is a great idea!


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Auntie said:


> Socom the wooden mold is a great idea!


Thanks, it was made to dimensions so the bricks would fit with the least amount of lost space in the cans.
the bricks are not exactly 5 pounds but close enough. 
I fill the mold almost full, pour the contents into the bag with the o2 eaters (homemade ones) then put the bag in the mold and shake it around till all settled in,
There is extra bagging to reach the vac machine and for resealing.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Having the necessary equipment and nitrogen bottle on hand, I follow SOCOM42's 
method of purging the Mylar bag and adding an oxygen absorber. I don't do very 
much prepping foods in a vacuum food saver bag. As an example, I put away 
matches with a soft vacuum (just enough to shrink the bag down) but that's more 
for water proofing. Same with the little cash I keep at home.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Socom42, Thanks for the info. Based on what you said, I went downstairs last night and went through the Rubbermaid bins that have the packages of rice in it. 2 of them had "leaked" and were no longer sealed. 

You indeed appear to have been correct. Fortunately it's not too late to reseal the others, and I only lost 8 cups of rice. Thanks!


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

egyas said:


> socom42, thanks for the info. Based on what you said, i went downstairs last night and went through the rubbermaid bins that have the packages of rice in it. 2 of them had "leaked" and were no longer sealed.
> 
> you indeed appear to have been correct. Fortunately it's not too late to reseal the others, and i only lost 8 cups of rice. Thanks!


i am glad you found them. Would hate to see you have a loss when it is too late, failures like that could cost lives down the road..


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