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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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Vacuum sealers
What brands and models do you have? Pros & Cons?
It'll be used for stuff purchased on occasional (monthly) shopping trips to Constitucion or La Paz (chicken, cheese, does it work for a loaf of
bread?) Don't need a commercial quality but would like one that won't burn up after a few uses.
Won't need it for fish very often- usually eat what we catch the same day (if that makes a difference in the size to look for).
Right now I could use one for tamales.
Online reviews are not very helpful and any input is appreciated.
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losfrailes
Senior Nomad
Posts: 577
Registered: 11-16-2004
Location: Ejido San Lucas near Santa Rosalia
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Mood: Good!
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Foodsaver is an excellent unit.
Bags available in various sizes.
And they do seal very well.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13050
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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I'm lovin my Foodsaver I think is from costco so its easy to find replacement bags and parts...it also has some cool containers too that vacuum pack.
One tip though...never store it locked shut as it destroys the gasket seal thingy...smart to have a couple spares on hand. Somebody told me to freeze
soft stuff first so it doesnt squish when vacuumed.
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losfrailes
Senior Nomad
Posts: 577
Registered: 11-16-2004
Location: Ejido San Lucas near Santa Rosalia
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Mood: Good!
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Here is one on Ebay. Brand new and pretty reasonable.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tilia-Foodsaver-V2060-Vacuum-Sealer-New_...
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
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I have the Foodsaver and I love it. Get the one that sits upright on the counter. I use it everyday. It has so many uses.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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Mood: up on step
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weve had several foodsavers over the years and thought they couldnt be beat...uh oh....beachgirl found a portable one at walmart made by reynolds that
is handheld about the size of an electric shaver..has a little suction dohicky on the end of it....the bags are ziplock with a oneway valve on
them...just place the suction dohicky over the one way valve and push the button...eureka!!!...it is a TON better than foodsaver!!!...takes up almost
NO room, is cheap, available and uses very few batteries....the proper name for this new toy is Handi-Vac and like i said is made by
reynolds...wow!....this is a toy everyone should have...and no cutting and sealing bags; they come in quart and gallons sizes..
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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lingililingili
Nomad
Posts: 449
Registered: 2-24-2008
Location: La Paz, Bahia Asuncion
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Ditto on the Foodsaver. Love ours which we have had for over 25 years!
•Life is just one damned thing after another
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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Don't buy a 'vacuum' unit that uses a fan to pull the vacuum (i.e. Seal-A-Meal). We bought our first vacuum sealer in 1988 when a company started
importing the Tilia Food Saver from Italy. We still use it today although not frequently.
We've also used some of the hand pump units (i.e. Pump-n-Seal) and found that they will pull a good vacuum on zipper type bags and jars that have a
pop-top lid or canning lid.
Bags are always a problem. Easy to puncture, ziplocks especially. The special Food Saver bags that you must use because of the heat seal are stronger,
but vacuuming anything with a sharp edge (a bone, pointed almonds, rice, etc.) on it will often put a hole in the bag. Food Saver bags are sometimes
reusable depending on what was stored inside them but you lose some each time you cut them open. They are somewhat expensive.
We found it's much easier to put foods like fresh fish into all the bags and put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer before sealing. When the fish
is partially frozen and no longer 'juicy', vacuum and seal the bags and finish freezing.
Another problem is making sure your heat seal does not have a wrinkle in it. You'll lose your vacuum if the seal is not perfect. Vacuuming products
like flour to prevent bugs from hatching can also cause problems if you suck the dust up and it gets between the layers of bag that need to be heat
sealed.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
weve had several foodsavers over the years and thought they couldnt be beat...uh oh....beachgirl found a portable one at walmart made by reynolds that
is handheld about the size of an electric shaver..has a little suction dohicky on the end of it....the bags are ziplock with a oneway valve on
them...just place the suction dohicky over the one way valve and push the button...eureka!!!...it is a TON better than foodsaver!!!...takes up almost
NO room, is cheap, available and uses very few batteries....the proper name for this new toy is Handi-Vac and like i said is made by
reynolds...wow!....this is a toy everyone should have...and no cutting and sealing bags; they come in quart and gallons sizes..
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I haven't tried this one yet but we did see another version of it at a trade show several years ago. If it is a pump like the one I saw, it probably
pulls a pretty good vacuum. Problem is still that bags are relatively fragile so care must be taken. Also, the bags are relatively expensive.
Doesn't look like they have an attachment that allows you to re-vacuum jars. In many cases, jars are much better than bags.
Reynolds Handi-Vac
I think the world is run by C- students.
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AcuDoc
Nomad
Posts: 331
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: The Seven Seas and Thailand
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I've also been using the Foodsaver for years to seal my fish etc. I bought it in a kit from Costco at the time for $100 and it has saved me a lot of
money. The kit also contains hard plastic containers that work great.
I recently bought a new unit for $150 at Costco. I use this one at home and use my "old" unit just for fish now. I would not be without it.
I have not used the hand pump styles that came out this year.
You can also use the "Mexican" food sealer. Put your fish in a zip lock, hold it underwater keeping the top above the water and then seal the bag.
This works well in a pinch.
PS it keeps your Baja Catch frozen without freezer burn for a VERY long time!
[Edited on 1-2-2009 by AcuDoc]
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Foodsavers...are air sucking gadgets.
I can pinpoint the moment Old Baja started it's slow decline on the Road to Ruin. It was when my wife, another addicted gadget lover, said we needed
a...Foodsaver.
I gave her one for Christmas. A gallon-size Ziplock and an empty coffee can of water.
I saved about 25 Mirrolures.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Great minds...
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
I gave her one for Christmas. A gallon-size Ziplock and an empty coffee can of water.
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As I told the ex, when she complained about washing my clothes that it was the washing machine that did all the work. It wasn't like she was
beating them on a rock. She never learned to appreciate the logical mind.
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
As I told the ex, when she complained about washing my clothes that it was the washing machine that did all the work. It wasn't like she was
beating them on a rock. She never learned to appreciate the logical mind. |
Dave,
Them's fight'n words.
No wonder she's your ex.
And my better half is a gadget lover.
I believe we have around 3 of the vacuum gadgets and according to her they all work about the same.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: up on step
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you guys just dont get it....the portable one is the size of a flashlight and the bags are cheap...you can put them in your suitcase with no
problem....do you want to continue to cut and seal bags?....geez...this is a no brainer...wish i knew how to post photos and i would show you just how
small this gizmo is...alright...fine...we brought a few down and gave them to amigos down here just because we're,(beachgirl), is/are so sold on
them...you will be shocked!...at how simple this makes the whole process...
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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| Quote: | | As I told the ex, when she complained about washing my clothes that it was the washing machine that did all the work. It wasn't like she was
beating them on a rock. She never learned to appreciate the logical mind. |
Sort (so dumb-head doesn't end up with pink skivies)
Go through pockets & remove money/pens/screws/bolts dumb-head left in his pockets
Pre-treat stains
Load washer
Remove from washer
Put in dryer....OR....hang outside
Remove from dryer....OR....take off clothesline
Fold or hang or iron
Accept sincere appreciation for a job well done from what's-his-name
Vandenberg nailed it....no wonder she's your ex- is right!!! Why do I
doubt she's ever regretted becoming your ex- for a split second?
Edit: Oladulce, sorry!! I figured you wouldn't mind this mini-hijack from the original topic. 
[Edited on 1-2-2009 by longlegsinlapaz]
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lingililingili
Nomad
Posts: 449
Registered: 2-24-2008
Location: La Paz, Bahia Asuncion
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Don't get her steamed up boys!
•Life is just one damned thing after another
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
you guys just dont get it....the portable one is the size of a flashlight
.
beachgirl found a portable one at walmart made by reynolds that is handheld
..has a little suction dohicky on the end of it
just place the suction dohicky over the.....
and push the button...eureka!!!...
...wow!....this is a toy everyone should have..
we're,(beachgirl), is/are so sold on them...you will be shocked!...at how simple this makes the whole process...
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ahem...well, we might just try one at that.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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Mood: up on step
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thank you, roger....aren't we supposed to keep this forum SIMPLE????....or???...what am i thinking???
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
you guys just dont get it....the portable one is the size of a flashlight and the bags are cheap...you can put them in your suitcase with no
problem....do you want to continue to cut and seal bags?....geez...this is a no brainer...wish i knew how to post photos and i would show you just how
small this gizmo is...alright...fine...we brought a few down and gave them to amigos down here just because we're,(beachgirl), is/are so sold on
them...you will be shocked!...at how simple this makes the whole process... |
I find that the vacuum is not as strong as a Tillia Food Saver and we started developing areas of freezer burn after a short time in the freezer. We
thought this would be the answer when we were in areas with no electricity but were sorely dissapointed in the preservation qualities. I decided to
buy a good inverter and now use the FoodSaver with an inverter. But then, I always buy all the "good stuff" that they advertise on TV, and one of
these days I am going to sell my collection of Salsa Makers.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
thank you, roger....aren't we supposed to keep this forum SIMPLE????....or???...what am i thinking??? |
You nailed it, Mike. Give my best to beachgirl. Liked you two the first time I met you. We use our 3 Foodsavers at various places..wouldn't be
without them. Those handhelds of yours sound perfect for a Baja camping trip this winter. 
Next thing you know, you will want me to try another wierd device..like a KINDLE.
[Edited on 1-3-2009 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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