Foodsaver help

[venture]

Will be buying a foodsaver soon.  Reading reviews is getting mixed results.  It seems the cheaper horizontal models get better reviews than the more expensive vertical models.  Can anyone who has experience with both advise me?

Also, on bags.  Costco has a combo bag offer with a coupon for $8 off.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...tt=409153&No=0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode matchallpartial

Then again, I have heard people say just to make your own bags from the 11 inch rolls.  Any experts able to advise me on the combo pack versus the roll pack question?  I don't want to lay out $120 on the combo packs if I will be buying a bunch of stuff I don't need and won't use.

Thanks for your help!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[aeroforce100]

http://web.iwebcenters.com/professionalmarketing/Nozzel.ivnu

Go to the above site, read everything.  Then Go to Ebay or Craigslist and search fore one of the machines mentioned.  Also bookmark the above site, so when you get that "In excellent condition" machine and there is something not quite right, you know where to go to troubleshoot or order replacement parts.

 

[adiochiro3]

I make all mine custom from the rolls.

 

[Bearcarver]

Merv,

I use rolls.

I use about five 8" rolls to every one 11" roll.

The 8" rolls are longer, instead of being cheaper, so as long as you don't need the width, you get more bags from an 8" roll.

You can get more money's worth by custom cutting them only to the length you need too.

Bear

 

[alblancher]

Merv,

Take a good look at what you are planning on doing with it.  Are you going to do a lot of packaging putting up 40 or 50 gallons at a time?  If so buy a small commercial unit.  I bought the foodsaver available at Sam's and it works just great, but I can't sit and pack all morning.  The vacuum pump heats up if I try and push a lot through in a short period of time.  I have found no real difference between the no name bags and the FoodSaver Tilla bags, they are a lot cheaper and seem to hold up.  As sure as I say that you will have an experience where a year after packing you go to pull out a rib-eye frozen in the cheap bags and it will be freezer burned so you take your chances.  You can get the no name textured rolls on line about 30% less then what is available at Wall mart.  Most of my stuff doesn't get saved longer then 6 months and I have had no problems.

The premade bags are convenient.  Also look to see if you want to be able to put a vacuum on jars.  I have the feature available but never use it.

 

[SmokinAl]

I make all my bags from the rolls too, and Bear is right, you use a lot more 8" rolls.

 

[alelover]

I also get the 11" and cut my own.

 

[theblackcrab]

After my 3rd, increasingly expensive, Foodsaver mistake, I stepped up and bought the large semi-commercial model: CG15, from Cabela's. It's awesome!, and ended up costing about the same as all of the unrepairable foodsavers. The foodsavers all had problems with a gasket or some other small plastic piece that wasn't available for purchase, they always offered a discount to buy a new one. I quit biting on that bait! The foodsaver bags do o.k.,for everyday vac-sealing, but the heavy-duty bags from Cabela's are the best to protect your valuable meat treasure! I also cut my own bags from the roll. I see that Cabela's now has a smaller, but similar model. Good Luck! from a Cajun smoker!  

 

[nwdave]

This is the machine I and several others on this site have.  I bought mine from one of our members and if you can get your hands on one, I highly recommend it.  If you don't want it, let me know, I want to get another one for my kids, who live far, far away (well, Denver, anyway).  Like others in this thread, I've been through several of the "New" type Food Savers, and since this is a family site, I'll edit my remarks just to say, they're quite unsatisfactory.  HOWEVER, others here swear by them, not at them.  It does seem they have poor quality control issues at the miniumum.

As to the bags....here's my .03 cents (inflation).  This subject passed through the site several months ago, as I remember, and then it was popular to cut your own, about 18 inches long (the length I settled on), then after use, trim neatly, clean real good and RECYCLE that puppy.  I'm averaging 3-4 uses per piece.  Is it worth it?  I think so, I'm not buying as many new bag rolls as I seemed to.

Interesting about that 8 inch wide roll.  I don't remember that.  Just bought the new Costco coupon offer of FoodSaver Bags and I've been staying away from the 8" rolls.  Seems reasonable though.  Well, they ought to work just fine for bacon, and the like.

Here's an idea, if you decide on the vertical Food Saver, buy it at Costco, if available.  If it dies within the year, TAKE it back.  I don't have a

Sam's in my area so I don't know their return policy. 

Good luck.
 

http://web.iwebcenters.com/professionalmarketing/Nozzel.ivnu

Go to the above site, read everything.  Then Go to Ebay or Craigslist and search fore one of the machines mentioned.  Also bookmark the above site, so when you get that "In excellent condition" machine and there is something not quite right, you know where to go to troubleshoot or order replacement parts.

 

[venture]

Thanks to everybody for the input.  As always, the folks on this forum are a great help!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[tyotrain]

I use my foodsaver on everything so i go throw a lot of bags. Here is a site where i get my bags they are great and i like them better than the Foodsaver brand.. You can't beat the price..

http://www.thesweetattack.com/page/page/2380629.htm

 

[grizzb]

On the Treasure Net they were talking about food savers and one gal told what she did and it works.

I bought the heavy duty Zip Lock bags, put the meat or veggies in it, zip it almost closed then insert a small straw and suck out the air and close the bag.

Works great and cheaper than the food saver I have that stopped working in a month and buying the bags.

Just a thought.

 

[Bearcarver]

On the Treasure Net they were talking about food savers and one gal told what she did and it works.

I bought the heavy duty Zip Lock bags, put the meat or veggies in it, zip it almost closed then insert a small straw and such out the air and close the bag.

Word great and cheaper than the food saver I have that stopped working in a month and buying the bags.

Just a thought.

Tried that in the past---They don't hold up like vacuum pack bags.

Try it with liquid, like when curing, and you'll see what I mean.

Bear

 

[grizzb]

Oh, for anything with liquid I always add bourbon, and more bourbon.

I just tried this so don't know long term but I can see what you mean. Better re-think this, except for the bourbon.

 

[Bearcarver]

Oh, for anything with liquid I always add bourbon, and more bourbon.

I just tried this so don't know long term but I can see what you mean. Better re-think this, except for the bourbon.

It might be OK if you keep the zip-lock upward until it's frozen. Then you can put the zipper up or down while it's frozen. But I would put it back up while it's thawing, so it doesn't leak.

This liquid leakage puts the ability to keep air out, suspect. This is my opinion, and my past observation, but others could have different results.

The Bourbon doesn't count, because I don't think that will freeze!  

Bear