Got a FoodSaver FM2100, wont suck air out Zip Lock bags?

[doctord1955]

How much is your time worth to mess with the cheap bags with no mesh?

 

[petewoody]

Not sure if your cheap shot is aimed at me but the quality of the rolls I have obtained from eBay suppliers is equal to or better than the Foodsaver and other retail brands.

 

[doctord1955]

Was not meant to be a cheap shot at anybody or anything! Was simply asking if the hassle of using less expensive bags was worth the time it takes to mess with them! I apologize if you took it i orif anybody took it as a cheap shot!

 

[petewoody]

Sorry, I took it the wrong way. I agree it can be a hassle using smooth bags. I use the UMAI bags for salumi and charcuterie and you need to use their "mouse" material to form a channel to extract air. This can be a real PITA depending on your vacuum sealer type. The end product is great though.

 

[mummel]

Guys, so I tried the hack in the video.  It did not work 100%.  It did suck out a lot of the air, but but left maybe 15% behind.  Not bad, but I think I will rather try the Amazon bags.

 

[gpb11]

Can't say I'm surprised; if it worked consistently and reliably for most things, I'd expect to see that tip shared more widely.

The trouble with smooth bags and clamp-style sealers is twofold.  First of course is clamping the top of a smooth bag closes it up tight and the sealer can't suck the air out.  Second is that inside the bag there's more potential for parts of the bag to seal against the smooth bag and isolate areas further down.

With this tip a strip of mesh is inserted to get around the first problem.  Conveniently, a rice mix is rather porous and so theres no issue with the second potential trouble I mentioned above.  :)  I'm not alleging they planned that, probably just happenstance with what they use the machine for usually.   I doubt this trick would have worked very well with the meats I've been vacuum sealing.  

In contrast, full-mesh bags get around both potential issues.  (mostly, one side is smooth and can leave some small bubbles). They also cost more to make and of course cost more to buy, partly from cost but also from the printer/ink or razor/blade style of pricing model.  Lure in with an attractive price then milk you on the supplies.

VacMaster does something a little in between.  VacuumSealersUnlimited has a good description: https://www.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/Economy_Bags_vs.html

Do please report back on your success with the Amazon bags you cited.  I'm particularly curious as to how thick the material is relative to the name-brand stuff such as FoodSaver's.  (do you have a micrometer to measure?)

 

[goliath]

have a look at this older thread i did...

just cant say enough about the Vac master bags .....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/157014/lem-max-vac-and-vacuum-sealers-unlimited-premium-bags

there is a you tube link on there ... impressive

Goliath

 

[gpb11]

Hey folks. On a lark I ordered these and they came in today:
FWIW I weighed a 12" long piece and the same length piece of gen-u-ine FoodSaver brand 8" roll material and both were 10gm on a scale accurate to the gram. Although the embossing is thicker on the FS brand material the mass is the same for both, suggesting the same plastic thickness.

The 3rd party stuff sealed just fine the two seals I tried.

I think there's good stuff and crappy stuff out there, the trouble is discerning which is which.

 

[mummel]

Thank you for the review.