Chewin'

the News

January 2002

Vacuum Sealer FAQs

1. What are they and what do they do?

Vacuum packaging machines remove the air from food storage containers, then seal the containers so that air cannot re-enter. In the case of foods going into the freezer, removing all of the oxygen doesn’t prevent spoilage (since nothing “goes bad” in the freezer) but it can improve the quality and extend the fresh taste longer than ziptop freezer bags. Many of the vacuum sealers are also designed to preserve foods kept in the refrigerator and the pantry.

2. What are the benefits for freezer cooks?

• No more sucking the air out of the freezer bags with a straw (commonly referred to as the “Nanci and Tara” method).
   

• No more struggling with the zippers on some of those ziptop bags. I have found some open in my freezer and have also had to mop up marinade from my counter after a bag that I thought was tightly sealed somehow wasn’t.
   

• Many Foodsaver owners say that they take advantage of meat sales more often now because they know that the meat will stay fresh tasting for months using the vacuum sealer.
   

• Best way to package “tv dinners” for one person. It’s hard to make a plate of food, put it into a freezer bag and get enough of the air out to preserve the quality. The Foodsaver bags also go from freezer to microwave which is great for “tv dinners” or single servings.

3. What are the drawbacks?

• The “liquids” problem is definitely #1. Since the machine is designed to “suck out” the air, it will suck your soup or marinade right into the machine. Clever vacuum packers have figured this one out and explain it pretty well in the “Vacuum Sealer Reviews”.
   

• Cost of the bags is a biggie. To suck the air out and seal the bag you have to use their bags. You can’t stick your ziploc bags in there and make them work. (Okay, yes, I tried it.) You can use it to SEAL other bags (like potato chip bags) but it won’t suck the air out. Actually, I thought that it was nice of them to allow this feature since stale potato chips are a big problem at our house (when I’m sticking to my diet).
   

• Foods squished beyond recognition. This was actually a big factor for me personally. I knew that one of the things I wanted to use the thingie for was to keep our lettuce lasting longer since I’m spending about $5 a week feeding a finicky iquana. If the lettuce is a few days old, he’s not interested.
  SO – I wanted to pay a little more and get one that has a manual override so that you can stop the sucking (kind of reminds me of a breast pump I once had. Bob still tells people how I just stuck it on first without reading the directions and couldn’t get the thing off me.)

4. How many kinds of vacuum sealers are there and which one is the best?

• Pump-n-Seal $19.95 – I’d be interested to hear from any of you who have used this. It looks like the difference between using a manual bike tire pump and an air pump. Probably easier than the straw method, though. Here’s some info if you want to take a look: http://www.pump-n-seal.com/pumnseal2.htm
   

• Seal-A-Meal by Dazey $50 – Well, unless they’ve gotten a lot better since my mom’s version, I think I’ll pass. Same with the Hamilton Beach Vac-U-Pac. Not much info available but from what I gather they seal but don’t suck the air out.
   

• Black and Decker $125-$150 – There was a discussion about a B & D vacuum sealer on a cooking egroup that I’m on. The consensus was that if they are any good why aren’t they more popular and available. Personally, I’m thinking “do I want to buy something from a company that specializes in Tool Time stuff?” Which brings me to our finale:
   

• Tilia Foodsaver $99-$299 – The brand of choice seems to be the Foodsaver and believe me, they’re not paying me to say this. One of our cooks called their customer service and asked them a zillion questions and actually told them that they should call me and give me a free one to try out. Haven’t heard from them yet – imagine that.

The price range, like most appliances, just has to do with bells and whistles. I wanted the manual override so that I didn’t have to suck every molecule of air out of everything (like bagged lettuce). Some people buy the pricier models so that they can also seal canisters and jars. Best to check out the www.tilia.com website and read the differences yourself.
 

All Foodsavers have a one year warranty (if the kids don’t try sealing the cat’s tail).

5. Where can I get more information or ask specific questions?

30 Day Gourmet Message Boards
As usual, the best place to ask questions that will get answered quickly and in detail is where cooks hang out. We’re creating a section on our message boards for topics that we introduce in the newsletter. Head there and post your own experience with your vacuum sealer.

Yahoo E-Group
There’s also yahoo egroup list specifically for food savers. It’s free to join and this list won’t bring hundreds of e-mails to your box every day. Here’s the link to join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodSaver

Tilia Website
Tilia also has a website (www.tilia.com) and a toll free number for questions (1-800-777-5452). You can also e-mail them at: customerservice@tilia.com
Tilia’s list of faq’s is extensive and will answer almost any question you’re thinking of. Check it out at: http://www.tilia.com/faqs.htm

Just remember that they want to sell product so they’re not going to give you any great tips on extending the life of your bags. (I’m such a cynic.)

6. Where’s the best place to buy a Foodsaver?
 

STORES

Sam’s Club, Costco, Walmart and Kohl’s seem to be the stores that I have heard the most. I bought the 750 model which I think has been discontinued. The features look like the Foodsaver 1050. Mine was on sale for $149 at Kohl’s. If I had taken my dad and gone on a Wednesday I could have saved another 15% (and gotten an early birthday present). My Walmart only had the cheapest model and it doesn’t have the manual override button or the ability to use the hose for sealing jars or canisters.
 

ONLINE

Most of what I read said to avoid buying online if possible and that the Tilia website wouldn’t save you any money. Shipping charges are steep but can be worth it to people who don’t live close to stores or have time to shop.
 

What about ebay? There are quite a few of these on ebay. One guy has bunches of them and it says that they are all new and in the original package with the warranty. Hmmm…. makes you wonder doesn’t it? Why would some guy in California have 20 of these? I have no idea. He has the $219 ones for $169. Buyer beware. Make sure you know what the shipping costs will be and how you pay. Read the comments about the seller to see if anyone has posted any problems. I almost did this but didn’t want to wait.

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

People tease me about this all the time but whenever I’m looking at a big purchase I always “put the word out”. I shoot an e-mail out to my 50 closest friends and tell them what I’m looking for. I found a great couch and loveseat that way last year. If you can wait until garage sale season (not now in Indiana) I predict that you’ll see some of these Foodsavers. They were a big hit for Christmas this year. If you don’t have time to garage sale – tell a friend who does. My dad goes to auctions every weekend and loves to be “looking for something”.
 

7. Where’s the best place to buy the bags?

• The bags are available where the systems are – Sam’s Club, Costco, Walmart, Kohl’s.

• Most people seem to think that the best savings is in buying the rolls and making your own bag each time.

Here are a few websites where the bags are available if it’s easier for you to order through the mail.

http://www.oster-sunbeam.com/main.htm
http://www.sorbentsystems.com

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