Vacuum Sealer

[droid_ca]

I'm looking for a good brand of Vacuum sealer, as I'd like to buy more bulk and cook more bulk and use it for some small leather forming, plus socks that are dry when hiking are PRICELESS ..Any brands you could recommend as I have heard there is a lot of Junk out there and would like something to last me a while

[Woodbutcher]

I have a Food Saver but do not know the model number. I buy the bags in a roll and cut and seal them to what ever size I need. Works great!

[Shadow Catcher]

Arguably the best vac, http://www.pump-n-seal.com no power needed.

[droid_ca]

Rob have you ever thought about making one with a pump from a fish tank?
You can run those on 12 volt and their very small.

How the heck do you do that I'd love to see a 12volt vacuum sealer please tell me more...I'm just thinking of the possibilities now I could go camping and come back with more food then when I left

I have a Food Saver but do not know the model number. I buy the bags in a roll and cut and seal them to what ever size I need. Works great!

Thanks Woodbutcher I'll look at those ones and see the price range

Arguably the best vac, http://www.pump-n-seal.com no power needed.

Shadow Catcher ...no power is a good thing Hmm thanks for the link

[droid_ca]

Just take a 12 volt pump, put the suction end in a baggie and away you go!
If you want to see a a big vacuum machine I have one for drying and bending wood!

Ooh that would be cool just think of what could be done with that

[asianflava]

Don't know if you can still get them, but Hefty used to make a hand held battery operated vacuum that used zip top bags. I haven't seen the Hefty bags in forever, but the Ziploc vac bags work with it. I also have a food saver which works better, but I use the hand held when I'm not home.

[capy235]

Hated the Hefty one. Could never get the bag port to seal. We have a foodsaver from Wal-Mart. Cheap and work great.

[nevadatear]

I have a food saver that I have only had for a few months. I do like it, however, I have just gotten into doing multiple freezer meals and was doing some other research just last night. If I were to do it again, I might go with the seal a meal as they now have a more "upright" version to fit better on a counter. I have discovered with my food saver you have to put the bag full of food out in front of the 10" food saver, which takes up about 18 or so inches of counter space to seal it right and not have the bag hang off the front of the counter. When I checked the reviews before I got mine, food saver and seal a meal were pretty much the same, but this more upright style might put the nod to seal a meal after using one for a while. pricier though and must have electricity.

I had the hefty hand held one first. Worked sometimes. Gave up when bags were hard to find. but could use it camping.

[asianflava]

My food food saver is vertical, I've had it for a couple years now.

[Shadow Catcher]

The big advantage to the Pump-n-seal is that it does not require special bags that need to be heat sealed and it achieves a higher vacuum using conventional plastic bags.

[droid_ca]

The big advantage to the Pump-n-seal is that it does not require special bags that need to be heat sealed and it achieves a higher vacuum using conventional plastic bags.

Sounds like it would be good for camping in remote places where you could catch some fish and seal them up right there to take home or save for the next day

[Verna]

I use the Ziplock vac bags. Advantages: they do work, it's easy to use, there's a couple of brand names of bags that work, you can take the pump with you because it requires only people power to use it, no more freezer burn. Disadvantage: here's only two sizes of bags.

I have a friend who uses a straw to suck most of the air out of Ziplocks. It works well enough for her.

[droid_ca]

I have a friend who uses a straw to suck most of the air out of Ziplocks. It works well enough for her.

I knew peole that do that and it seems so unhygienic to me

[Verna]

I have a friend who uses a straw to suck most of the air out of Ziplocks. It works well enough for her.

I knew peole that do that and it seems so unhygienic to me

A fresh straw each time, if that helps. And, it's just her and her husband. I'll bet they've swapped germs a lot in 50 years of marriage!!!!

[Bogo]

I've partially submerged generic ziplock bags under water. Close the zipper most of the way except for an inch or so at one end. I usually use a three finger hold to keep the air passage open. Thumb on one side of the bag zipper, finger on the other, and the third finger goes down into the zipper opening to spread the zipper open to better allow the air to escape. Submerge all but that corner under water. The air will escape out that corner. You may need to fiddle with the bag some to get air pockets to collapse. When all the air escapes, seal the corner and finally lift out of the water.