Vacuum sealers, are they all made equal?

This thread is relevant to my interests.

This is the front-runner for me at the moment, but I've got no experience:

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Adv...UTF8&colid=1LQP32XWAOW36&coliid=IGDLCW4YJR6TX

 

It sounds like you need to spend $80-130 for a decent sealer. They're not all made equally, but think for the price I'll stick with ziplock bags and mason jars.

 

I've got a 5+ year old Black & Decker that seems to work just fine...it's the bags (over time) you seem to drop the most coin on.

 

Foodsaver V2240 has given me many years of reliable service

 

I loved my FoodSavers, but I can't recommend them.

I have had three different FoodSavers from Costco. there are a few thousand models of FoodSavers though. they all worked really well for a few years then it's always something. heater element went on one. pump wouldn't vacuum on one. the plastic storage containers get warped in the dishwasher and wont seal properly. sometimes they need to be dismanted for some DIY TLC. FoodSaver bags however are great. pricey, but great. Costco has a real generous return policy, but it is hard to return a two year old appliance that's stained with tomato sauce and keep a straight face.

Cabella's has some real nice vacuum sealers. expensive. deer hunters need something to store all that venison I suppose.

Our FoodSaver hasn't worked for a few years. just tired of replacing them. they really do a great job of preserving food however, and the bags are great for freezer storage. one families experience. hope it helps.
Cheers.

 

I'm also in the food saver camp. Got mine at Walmart a few months ago for like 30 bucks and its awesome. I like buying there custom bag rolls that you can cut to whatever size you want.

 

+1 on FoodSaver. I haven't had reliability problems with mine, but that's definitely something to consider. Great for storing individual cuts of meat. You can buy a whole Rib Eye for $5.99/lb at Costco (price varies) and store individual steaks (or two-packs, or three-packs, etc.) for months without fear of freezer burn.

For hops, I buy them by the pound at harvest time, then seal them in approximately batch-sized increments - maybe 1 or 2 oz Magnum packs for bittering, 4 oz Cascade packs for a APAs, etc.. You could even plan your recipes in advance and package hop blends for specific recipes.

FWIW, many people throw the 1 lb bag in the freezer, then vacuum seal the leftovers only after they open the original bag to brew a batch, on the assumption that the original package (nitrogen-flushed?) is superior to anything you could provide at home. Seems reasonable enough. The problem I see with this approach is that, when you open the bag of frozen hops, moisture immediately begins to condense on them, coating them with a source of O2 before you seal them back up. Not sure that's the best approach. I package mine as soon as I get them to avoid this. I may be wrong, but it seems less risky this way.

 

FoodSaver user here also. Don't recall the exact model #, but it I bought it at target for around 70$.

 

I use a Foodsaver, also. I've had it for 12 years or so. I recently had to replace the heating element. I believe it failed because it had a kink in it where it eventually broke. Fortunately, there is an online source for replacement elements. If anything, the new element produces a superior seal due to its slightly larger width.