Food Vacuum machine - anyone have suggestions ?

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Funny, you asked this Mark. I was going to post myself....

The local Sam's Club has a Foodsaver Model 750 "with bonus pack" for $149.99.

I would appreciate it if those who have one know if this a good machine at a good price?

Thanks!
 
The VAC750 is one model up from the VAC550, formerly known as the Foodsaver Compact II in some channels. The 750 includes a manual seal override, the value of which I am not sure. Depending on what's included in the "bonus pack"-- the website doesn't spell it out-- I would have to say $149 doesn't sound too bad. The 550 usually sells for $129.

Sam's usually has packages that include items not found at other retailers that make what they offer very attractive. I'm still eyeballing a Kitchenaid stand mixer every time I go in there that has a great complement of accessories, power, and unbeatable price.
 
Pat....

I have the Model 750 from Sam's and love it. I do use the manual seal function, but only when marinating my steaks in olive oil and garlic.....I don't need a seal, just a nice comfy tight fit.

As far as price, someone, somewhere, mentioned that Traget had an even better deal, but I have never checked that out. I believe it was for the Model 1050...one step up and the price was the best I had seen. Like I said, I never checked it out locally, but a stop at Target would be worthwhile.
 
Has anyone ever used the "Mini Pack" available from Allied Kenco? I know the Tilia models are popular, but I hate the idea of having to buy those expensive bags. The Mini Pack uses standard commercial vacuum pouches which are MUCH cheaper than the FoodSaver bags (though you do usually have to buy mass quantities). For instance, Allied Kenco sells 50 pre-cut 8"x11.5" FoodSaver bags for $29.95, or roughly $0.60 per bag. They sell 1000 pre-cut 8"x12" standard vacuum pouches for $80. Even with the $12.50 shipping surcharge this is just a bit more than $0.09 per bag.
 
That's intriguing, but, since I already have a Foodsaver, I need the bags with the channels. If I'm thinking correctly, the bags you're mentioning at $80 per thousand are "sans channels". What perplexes me, though, is that the Mini-Pack appears to be designed similarly to the Foodsaver, therefore how does it pull vacuum in its bags without the channels?
 
Jay,

The MiniPack system you saw at Allied Kenko is $75 cheaper at this link:
http://www.dougcare.com/foodstorage/homeequip.htm#sinbo

The product model is "Simbo" and if you check the images of the machine on the Kenko site, you'll see the machine is identical.

The machine uses a special retractable nozzle that slips inside the bag, sucks the air out, then retracts and seals, - bingo, no need for the expensive channel-type bags.

Click all the links they have on that site, they go into very detailed info on the system, the bags are so inexpensive compared to the FoodSaver brand machine, pretty nice for somebody just getting into the hobby, and just planning on buying a new food vacuum machine.

I'll have give Google credit for my find, typed in a few keywords "mini pack vacuum machine" and came up with that link in 2 mins. Anyway gotta love the power of the Internet.

Night.
 
Buying bags is not an issue if you just use some common sense.

When I go my first vacuum sealer, I sealed everything is site. A HUGEwaste of time, effort and money.

I now only seal solid foods that are to be frozen or that have unlimited life in the fridge...parmesan cheese for instance. There is no need to seal leftovers that will be eaten the next day. There is no need to seal any liquids...simply use a Freezer baggie and squish the air out.

Once you eliminate those things, the bags are realy not a big issue. I have cut my bag consumption big time since doing these things.

I would also be interested in how the non-FS bags hold up in boiling water. That is the best way to re-heat frozen Q and in my mind, is worth a little extra cost of the bag.
 
Thanks for the link, Mark. I'm pretty sure I was at that same site last night because I remember looking at the Best-Vac and MiniVac. Somehow I overlooked the Sinbo. That looks like a pretty good deal. I like the special that includes 500 bags of various sizes and is still cheaper than the other site. I may have to give one of these a try. The price is about the same as the FoodSaver and the 500 bags would be a several year supply for me.

If anyone is looking for a cheap way to vacuum seal jars, I can recommend the Pump'n'Seal. It looks kind of cheesy, and try not to laugh too hard when you see their "hole punch", but it does work. Punch a hole in the lid of a jar, put on one of the little band-aid-looking "tab-chek valves", and pump away. You'll have a vacuum in the jar in nothing flat. Despite what they say on the web site, I do not recommend it for sealing bags. You need to be an octopus to be able to hold the bag and work the pump at the same time. Great job on jars though.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I would also be interested in how the non-FS bags hold up in boiling water. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I don't believe the standard bags are recommended for boiling. They do have boilable ones listed among their commercial pouches. The 6"x8" boilable pouches are about $0.05 each in quantities of 2000. ($93.42/case of 2000)
 
And I would also be interested in hearing from others who may concur with my experience that FS bags are pretty useless after you've boiled them to reheat their contents. Is there such a thing as reheating them gently in sub-boiling hot water and have them come out resealable-- correction-- re-vacuum-able?
 
I'll add another comment about the Sinbo VS-280. I bought one a few months ago from Sorbent Systems, and have been very satisfied with it. It only seals bags (no port for a hose to seal jars, etc.). The deal I got (which is still on Sorbent System's website) included the machine, 30 bags that normally come with it, plus another 200 1-quart bags, for $139 including shipping to anywhere in the continental US. Considering that 200 quart bags for the Food Saver would cost you about $80, I thought this was a decent price. Ironically, the 200 free bags are the same patterned bags that work with the Food Saver.
See http://www.sorbentsystems.com/sinbo_bag_special.html
for details.
Apparently Sorbent Systems used to sell patterned bags, but Tilia (the patent holder) objected. I guess they're giving them away since they can't sell them any more. The VS280 can use flat vacuum bags as well, which Sorbent Systems sells in a wide variety, and much less expensive than the patterned Tilia bags.
 
An update on the boilable bag situation. I just found this place that has a wide array of sizes available and claims that all of them are boilable. They also have a great price on the Sinbo if you're willing to buy three of them ($99 each). I'd suggest a group buy, but by the time they were redistributed the extra shipping costs would probably eat up the savings.
 
Did I read some time ago that you could use the bags made for the Kenmore machine on the Tilia machine??


Norm /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif
Finnally in Florida
 
Yes Norm,

Tila makes the Kenmore machine. The Kenmore bags are the same quality, boilable etc. I sometimes also use the Foodsaver bags with my Kenmore machine, since they have some different sizes.
 
That's pretty expensive for that model, even with bags and accessories.

I have a FoodSaver Compact II which has seen a lot of use. I've had it for at least 5 years now and would highly recommend getting one.

However, at my local Costco, they have the Vac 1075 with bags and canisters for $159. Don't know why the lower end model would be more expensive for you...?
 
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