[Reel Cajun]

Is there a decent brand out there? Food saver is junk. The one we had wouldn't seal the bags very well and just bought another and it won't vacuum all of the air out while trying to package deer meat.

 

[w_r_ranch]

The last time we bought one, we got the Cabela's CG-15 & it's on year 9... it will suck the chrome of a trailer hitch (935 watts). Unfortunately Carbela's came out with 'new' models, which aren't as heavy duty. The good news is that you can still get one from the company that originally manufactured them AND from Amazon no less!!!

Weston 65-0201 Pro-2300 Vacuum Sealer, Silver

 

[kinja]

Vacmaster VP 210. Amazon. I buy heavy mil bags. Bird bones cannot penetrate. It's been a great unit. High use. Zero issues. Well worth the dollars if you can swing it. Great for liquids and sous-vide. If that's your thing.

I went through 8-10 foodsaver crapass units over the years. Anyone who says their foodsaver is the tits is questionable.

 

[bowmansdad]

Another vote for the Weston-2300.

 

[floppodog]

Jeez.. you boys got money

 

[cva34]

Jeez.. you boys got money

We bought our Food Saver prolly 30y ago (long time guess)..3 to 6 deer per year..and many many fish..Still going strong...

 

[JuiceGoose]

I've got the cabela's brand cg-15(weston 2300) and it is indeed a beast. I went through the same food saver **** until I ponied up and bought something worth having.

 

[98aggie77566]

I'll be watching this one.....friend and I have been talking about going in on a commercial model together.

I have a Foodsaver....what a piece of crud.....lasted less than a year on light duty.

I have been looking at the Weston's....looks like that may be the ticket!

 

[PassingThru]

The food saver I bought from TEXAN1 when I lived in Bayou Vista is still working fine. It's about 10 years old I think.

 

[Empty Pockets CC]

I like mine.

 

[Hooked]

Another vote for the VacMaster. Yes, it's pricey on the front end but worth every penny once you start using it. No more problems with moisture inside bags, not sealing completely, no more fighting to get the bag lined up correctly, blah blah blah......lol We love ours.


edit: Empty was posting at the same time. Ours is NOT that size. lol

 

[brian02]

Vac master all the way

 

[big bluemarlin]

vacmaster 112 here 4ml bags , bags are sooo much better sooo much cheaper ,will do gumbo ,stews ,everything .

 

[SeaOx 230C]

I have had two food savers. One was the lowest level one they made. It had to have been at least 15 or so years ago when I got that one after a load the boat tuna fishing trip in Port A. I vacuumed more dear, pigs, and fish than I care to count with it. Only reason I chunked it was the rubber seals went bad. I could have bought new seals but chose to upgrade models instead.

I used it for around ten years with no problems.

Next Food Saver I bought was the one that could do the hard plastic containers they sell. Again I vacuumed bagged more dear, pigs, and fish than I can count. NO problems with it at all.

About two years ago I was given a fancier upright space saver type Food Saver with a few more bells and whistles. Been using it regularly with no issues. I really like the marinating containers, I use them for to marinate jerky in half the normal time.

The only problem/issue I have found is around the bags, and I bet all of them have this issue.

I say that because the problem is not the machine it is the bags.

Do not use the cheaper off brand bags. I have used several brands of bags including Rival, Kroger, Wal-Mart, and the Food Saver brand.

I could not get the cheap bag material to vacuum very well at all and when they did the seal was unreliable. The cheap ones are just to thin and don't seal well. They also will get a hole from bones really easy.

Once I started using the better quality bag Food Saver brand bag material those issues went away. Last weekend I butchered and vacuum bagged three deer. The Food Saver never missed a beat. All bags vacuumed all the way down and sealed perfectly.

I also make my own sausage and vacuum all of that every year. I have never had any freezer burn or freshness issues when using the Food Saver and good quality bag material.

 

[popeye_iv]

One of those things where you get what you pay for. I'm on my second foodsaver in 10 years. Grant it, it's one of the higher end models and not the $50 black Friday special. First one got dunked, otherwise I think it would still be going.

 

[stxhunter23]

I have the Vacmaster VP215 and that thing is a machine. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

[Snookered]

was the rubber seals went bad. I could have bought new seals.

this is the issue most of the time, NOT the unit itself....

if you pull the seals out and work them in some warm/hot water in the sink before your session, you won't have issues...some people will steam them to add new life....or just pony up, spend the $8 bucks and get new seals....

but if you have a unit that's not working properly, try the trick with working the seals before and see if that's the issue...then you'll know which way to follow with your money....
snookered

 

[Snookered]

oh yeah, I forgot, you can pull the seals out and flip them over too....get several uses out of them....also, when you store your unit, don't store it in the locked position, as that creates memory in the seals and you won't get as much life out of them....leave it open...
snookered

 

[rebelrancher]

Vacmaster Duo 550


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gottagofishin]

Is there a decent brand out there? Food saver is junk. The one we had wouldn't seal the bags very well and just bought another and it won't vacuum all of the air out while trying to package deer meat.

They changed the bags and sealers a couple of years ago. The new bags work with the old sealers, but the old bags don't work with the new sealers.

I ran into this problem when we bought a new one a couple of years ago. We had to buy all new bags, but it works fine now.