Any one here have any experience with a Foodsaver?

[geezerbiker]

I bought one of these 10 or so years ago and I've hardly used it.  It's been sitting in a bottom drawer in my kitchen since I've moved so I decided today that I was going to drag it out and try it again.  Back before I put it away it worked perfectly now in the vacuum pack mode it never get to were it thinks all the air is out and keeps on pumping.  So far my solution has been to open it quickly so it shuts off, switch it to seal only and then seal the bag.  This gives a mostly vacuum packed item and that may or may not be good enough. 

What I'm trying to do is make up a bunch of breakfast burritos for when I just don't feel like cooking.  My usual breakfast scramble will make 5 burritos but I only need one for breakfast.  Usually I'd just stick the pan in the fridge until I eat the rest but there's not always room for it and that's where vacuum packing and freezing comes in.  These reheat well in the microwave so that's not going to be a problem.  Right now I have 4 breakfast burritos in the freezer and I'll see how they come out over the next week.

I was thinking that maybe the softness of the burritos could be the issue so for an experiment, I tried to vacuum pack a handful of sugar free chocolate chips.  I gave it almost 2 minutes but the pump didn't shut off even though it looked like it was going to squish the chocolate into a solid lump.  At this point I'm not sure if there's anything to do but continue with my work around or replace the thing.  Any suggestions?

Tony

[Casull]

My wife usually does the sealing, but I believe you can simply heat the seal button and it will stop pulling air and seal the bag.

[O-mega]

When it doesn't go to seal mode automatically, it usually means it either has a leak in the bag, wrinkle in the sealing area, or still pulling air.  But when you want it to stop the vacuum, you can press the seal button and it will seal at that point.  Comes in handy when vacuum sealing something that can get crushed, like bread.

[Mule 11]

Mine does not have a seal button... model 550

[JoeG52]

Sometimes the foam rubber seals get worn or damaged. I have found that if you leave the lid locked down when you store it the seals don't work very well. I replaced the seals on mine and it made a big difference.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EU84KDA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[geezerbiker]

The seals look like new.  I tried cleaning them with a paper towel and some spray kitchen cleaner.  They look great.  The lid is spring loaded by the activating switch so the seals weren't in contact during storage.  I'll give them a closer inspection and replace them if needed.  I'm thinking the vacuum sensor might have gone bad during storage.

Mine must be too much of a cheapo model, no seal button.  It's a model 370 and likely a bottom of the line unit.  If I can't resolve the problem, I'm going to live with the workaround until I can afford a better model. 

Back when I was with the old lady we bought a roll pack of bags at Costco so I'm set for that for awhile...  I also bought a jar sealer for it and that's the main reason I got it in the first place.  I still have a couple new jars in the box and I'm going to try sealing on of them tonight to see if it shuts off.  I don't think it could pump out too much air and implode the jar so I should be ok...

Tony

[geezerbiker]

I suppose it's case closed now.  I experimented with it some more and it definitely will suck all the air out of a bag to where it's crushing the contents but it never senses that it's time to stop pumping and seal.  Flipping the switch from vacuum to seal only while it's pumping does nothing.  I have to open it quickly and close it again to change the mode.  Also the accessory port no longer functions at all. 

My choices are to work around the problem or replace it.   The new one I like is $135 and considering what the economy has done to my finances, I'll work around the problem until it no longer works for me...

Next I'll have to try microwaving the breakfast burritos in the bag to see how that works...

Tony

[Mule 11]

For short term freezer use I use freezer bags. Glad seems to work the best over time. 3 months no problem. Sometimes that gets stretched a bit... quart and gallon size.

[Ranger99]

For short term (week or thereabouts)
I'll use the "disposable " plastic storage
containers.  They'll last a long time
if kept out of the microwave and
dishwasher machine.
I'll use regular freezer bags for things
that will be frozen for weeks and months

I've always wanted one of the vacuum
packers, but the cost of the machine
itself and especially the bags always
kept me from buying one

[Mule 11]

Like most tools the accessories are most important. Ya can use a harbor freight sawzall butt ya better by good blades. Same with vacuum packers. Buy good bags.

[Ranger99]

True
If all of it ever dropped some in price,
I might consider that way of packaging,
But  I don't think I'd ever gain anything by
investing at the current price level

[O-mega]

I hunt and process my own venison, so the investment in a vacuum sealer was not even a question, but the wife and I (she bought a model V4440) also buy large packages of chicken, pork and beef and vacuum seal them into smaller portions since it's usually just the two of us.  She bought one of the newer, then, models, which I didn't end up liking as much as my manual one.  It wastes too much bag material having to insert it until it triggers the sealing process.  So when my older Black and Decker model went out I found a Gamesaver Outdoorsman model which was under $100 on sale, which is like the older models mentioned in the posts above, except with upgraded pump, sealer and buttons.  I like this model because it doesn't overheat as fast as the model V4440, and though the more expensive one has a bag cutter and roll holder, I'm ok cutting with scissors if I needed to.  My venison has been able to keep for 5 years, tested due to a package getting lost at the bottom, though they don't recommend you doing it that long.
Gamesaver Outdoorsman


Foodsaver V4440

[Dixie-Dude]

We use ours all the time.  Seal up venison we get during deer season.  We have eaten meat 3 years old with no freezer burn when it is vacuum sealed.  Everything lasts longer with the vacuum seal bags.  We buy bulk foods at Sam's and vacuum seal it when we get home, like 10 lb. boxes of bacon.  We have the one with the jar lid attachment.  We get the half gallon jars to seal dry goods in without crushing them like beans and pasta noodles.  Keeps food fresh for months. 

[ulav8r]

My wife buy roast on sale, grinds it, then vacuum seals it.  Buy the rolls and cut to the length you need.  With most roll bags, you can heat up by boiling in a sauce pan, though the microwave will be much quicker.

Hey geezer, how about a recipe?

[DEACONLLB]

My adult son has one he got from BassPro and he swears by it and he has had good luck with his but I think he paid over 200 for his. I had one of the older food savers that I got new unused at a garage sale for 20.00 people got it as a wedding gift. But sometimes it sealed and sometimes not. I usually wrap my meat in saran wrap and then with regular freezer paper and I have not had any freezer burn but most of the time I have used up my meat in a year. The Saran wrap helps to keep the air away from the meat. Years ago when I lived in California and worked at a large sporting good store long before all new stuff came along one of the men I worked with canned all most everything he caught or killed with a pressure cooker.

Deaconllb

[geezerbiker]

Hey geezer, how about a recipe?

Do you mean for the breakfast scrambles? 

Tony

[ulav8r]

Yep.

[curteric]

We use them for storing things other than food. In fact when our youngest was in Washington state and would fly to Minnesota she would pack anything that she didn’t care if it wrinkled, shrunk the size of her luggage. We know salt water boaters that store parts this way, keeps things from corroding.

[geezerbiker]

Yep.

I covered this on the old site but I'll give it a go here.  The idea is to add vegetables to a couple eggs to make a full pan full of food.  Going on what's good in the south beach diet, I leave out the starchy stuff.  I pretty much use what I have on hand with the basic stir fry method.  I've recently found that sweet potatoes are on my diet.  Previously I was using butternut squash as a spud replacement.

Anyway I divide my vegetables in 2 groups by cooking time, 3 groups if I'm using butternut squash.  I'll dice up a sweet potato and an onion and put them in the pan.  Sometimes I'll also add celery or carrots to this group.  My old lady gave me a tool that cuts julienne strips and I can now add carrots to the second group if I'm in the mood for them.   In the second group and depending what I have on hand, it could be, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach and green onions.  If I have some on hand, I'll add bean sprouts near the end just before I scramble in 2 or 3 eggs.  I have some Swiss chard planted in my garden and I'm hoping for a good crop to use in this dish.

After getting all the vegetables cut up, I put the pan on medium-high heat with a little canola or olive oil. about midway in the cooking, I'll add a dash of lemon juice if I have it or water if I don't.  Lately I've been adding a little toasted sesame oil but honestly I don't think it's worth the cost.  When the first group of vegetables is half done, I dump in the bowl with the second group and continue cooking.  When the vegetables are all about tender crisp, I crack in the eggs and finish cooking.

I've experimented with other vegetables and most we good.  Use what you like and at the time that keeps them from turning to mush and I'm sure it'll be good.

I serve it in a whole wheat wrap or sometimes just on a plate with some cheddar cheese grated on top and sometimes some salsa dolloped on top.   Avocado added after cooking is also good.  Like I said before it makes about 4 or 5 servings and that's why I've been experimenting with making wraps and freezing them. 

Anyway I can't have salt so I tend to use more of other spices.  I like white pepper and I think it's a great spice and way overlooked by most people. I also always add garlic, smoked paprika, oregano and coriander.  Again, use the spices you like.  There's really no right or wrong here...

I almost never cook to a recipe, I cook by method. I add what I like and use as much spice as seems appropriate at the moment...

Hopefully you find some of this useful.  I have tried not to ramble and be more specific but this isn't a very specific dish...   

Tony

[Mule 11]

geezerbiker. I’ve read that lime hits on the same tastebuds as salt. Maybe lemon does the same. Don’t know.

[ulav8r]

Thanks, tony.

[geezerbiker]

A nurse practitioner recommended lemon as acidic foods are supposed to help with the salt craving.  Maybe it helps a little but everything tastes like it needs salt.

Well not everything.  I used to put salt in my vinaigrette salad dressing but I stopped that right after I got home from the hospital after having COVID19.  Even if I don't add grated cheese to my salads, the don't taste like they need salt.

Tony

[DEACONLLB]

I have read from those who use the food savers that you are better off buying the ready to go bags in place of the roll and making your own. Our problem here in Oklahoma is all the dispensaries selling  the leafier drugs is they pack them in vac. seal bags and the bags are in short supply but I see they are listed on eBay.

Deaconllb   

[O-mega]

I have read from those who use the food savers that you are better off buying the ready to go bags in place of the roll and making your own. Our problem here in Oklahoma is all the dispensaries selling  the leafier drugs is they pack them in vac. seal bags and the bags are in short supply but I see they are listed on eBay.

Deaconllb

I disagree, while bags are fast and convenient, they are more expensive than the rolls, and there is a bunch of waste because one size doesn't fit all.

[Mule 11]

I always buy rolls and cut them that way I can adjust the size and save. I also buy them in value packs to get more for my buck and there not cheap.

[Casull]

I have read from those who use the food savers that you are better off buying the ready to go bags in place of the roll and making your own. Our problem here in Oklahoma is all the dispensaries selling  the leafier drugs is they pack them in vac. seal bags and the bags are in short supply but I see they are listed on eBay.

Deaconllb

I disagree, while bags are fast and convenient, they are more expensive than the rolls, and there is a bunch of waste because one size doesn't fit all.

Agreed.

[geezerbiker]

I was going too but I bought a new vacuum packing machine.  Amazon has a variety of them pretty cheap.  I found one I liked for 32 bucks and I had a $10 off coupon.  So for 22 bucks with their happy or send it back guaranty, I couldn't resist.  It also came with a surprising amount of bags and a couple rolls.  It also has more features than the food saver machine that gave out on me.  It's a little slower than the food saver but not so much for me to bitch about it.

Tony

[DEACONLLB]

Well I sprang yesterday and bought me one and so far with the ready made bags it is working great. I hope I get a Deer or 2 this year and give it a good work out. But in the mean time I can buy some bulk meet and repack it. I did hear that if you get one of those plastic things like you use for canning it will keep the sealing area free and clean and the bags will seal better. My son also showed me that he presses a little on the bag when vacuuming and they seal better.

Deaconllb