My old Food Saver vacuum sealer is iffy. I need to replace the vacuum sealer, esp. for the sous vide projects.
Suggestions for a current generation vacuum sealer for the home chef? Don’t need/want a fancy, $$$ chamber device.
Thanks,
Bruce
Hey Bruce…what’s going on with your Food Saver? We have one too, and have been able to keep it working great by replacing those foam gaskets every year or so. I’m guessing you’ve done this…something else go wrong with it?
just return it to Costco and get another. you have to spend too much to get anything good/better.
Was going to get a new foodsaver at Costco last week and they didn’t have them anymore.
Order online:
I haven’t used a vacuum sealer for sous vide for a long time, 2 or 3 years probably, just no need. Pushing the bag under the water to get the air out is faster and I think works better than a Food Saver style machine because you won’t be sucking any liquid in the bag into the vacuum machine. I’ve done everything from carrots to a whole 15lbs brisket for three days this way and it worked perfect. When I first started with low temp cooking I was looking into a vacuum chamber, glad I didn’t go down that road.
The foam gaskets are fine. The problem is that the seals on the bags aren’t holding 100% any more. I’ve cleaned the sealing bar on the bottom so I’ll try it one more time.
But the last steak I bought I sealed and put in the freezer. I then thawed it overnight and it was dripping a bit in the fridge. Somewhere the seal in the bag opened, and this is after
double sealing it on both the top and bottom!
Bruce
Food Saver opined that it might be a defective roll of bags, so I’m going to get a new set of bags and see if that fixes it.
Bruce
Vac-Fresh Roll Vacuum Sealer Bags, 11 inch x 50 feet, 3.5mil, Compatible with all Food Save Vacuum Sealers, 1 Roll
by Vac-Fresh Roll
Link: Amazon.com
We’ve had rolls that didn’t work. 3rd-party cheap bags from Amazon. Now we stick with brand-name.
If you have to replace, I recommend reading this thread: Home food sealer durability/recommendations - Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes - WineBerserkers
Bruce,
I have had my food saver for more than two years now and I have never replaced anything. Sounds like it is working harder, but I notice no difference in the seal.
And the generic bags are just not as good. I use them, but have been getting away from them.
I found with my first 6 machines…of the cheaper kind, that the less I used them the longer they lasted. So, time of possession is not indicative of much.
Generic bags are fine!
Steve-clean and/or replace those rubberish gaskets and it will be fast and efficient again. You can find them on Amazon and other places.
Thanks Dan - will do. It does seem like it is working harder and slower.
Yeah…ours did the same for a long time. There are a few different versions of the gaskets, you just need to search with your Foodsaver model # and you’ll find them. I would order a few sets to save on shipping later. Whenever I hear it working harder to get the seal, or get into the second gear, I clean the gaskets with the scotch brite side of a sponge. When that no longer gets the job done, I replace them, and the unit works like new again.
Thanks for that info Dan.