Worth it? FoodSaver Vacuum Food Sealer

By Sarah

Since we do things like butcher our own pork tenderloins, we decided to invest in one of those fancy FoodSaver contraptions. There's just no point in putting in all that work, only to have freezer-burned meat, you know? But, for $150 PLUS replacement bags running anywhere from $10 to $30, I wonder, is it worth it? Let's discuss.

Pros: No freezer burn! Or, alternatively, no sore lips from sucking the air out of ziploc bags.

Cons: The contraption takes up a lot of room. We have a lot of storage in our kitchen, but if you don't, this might be a difficult purchase to justify.

Also, the FoodSaver peters out and needs a break after sealing about five bags. Not a huge deal, but c'mon, for $150, I expect a top-quality machine.

So, is it worth it? If you buy meat, cheese, vegetables, and other freezeable perishables from Costco, then I'd say yes. We only make a few major Costco trips a year, but we buy and freeze enough to make a FoodSaver worth it. That being said, I do wish the quality was a little better, given that it costs a pretty big chunk of change.

Do you have a vacuum food sealer contraption? What are your thoughts? Worth it or not?

{Photo credit: amazon.com}

Comments

[badger reader]

I received a smaller version years ago as a gift (how romantic) and it is still going strong. The cost of the bags annoys me greatly, but it really works well. I love being able to put dressings or flavorings in with the meat and popping in the freezer. That way I can marinate and thaw at the same time.

[Andrea]

I have one (also a gift) and like it. I only use it a couple times a year, so if you don't have the space and wouldn't use it a lot, it might not be worth it. But I love that my food isn't freezer burned, and I can save individual portions of lasagna. I just food-saved two pans of lasagna last night. My machine doesn't seem to need a break, but maybe thats my method (make a few bags, add food to all bags, seal, repeat). I was cursing last night because I inevitably waste some of the bags because I cut them too short.

I'd say shop around for a good price, or use a 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon.

[Shannon]

My husband loves using the Foodsaver for fish and meat portions. We've tried three different models, and found that there is a huge difference in reliability. We found that the one pictured in the post(we got ours as Costco) never worked right. Another more "advanced" model was a little finicky as well. The "basic" model has been great though, and I would recommend it.

[Caitlin]

Zach uses one at work and swears by it so much that we recently caved and bought one. I'm not sure what brand ours is, but it's really been great for all the reasons you mention. It's annoying to have to buy the bags, but I think it's worth it because we're not throwing out nearly as much food.

We vacuum meats, seafood, leftovers, cheese, and anything that freezes.

Pro-tip: For soft things like bread and baked goods, freeze them first and then vacuum and put back in the freezer. Otherwise they squish up.

[Alicia C]

I have one. I found it in The BF's kitchen when I moved it; it was still brand new.

I might use it more if we didn't have to store it on TOP of the high cabinets. So far, I only used it once, to individually seal up vanilla beans when I bought several pounds.

[Alicia C]

Sorry. when I moved IN*

[danish]

I just wrap the meat with a couple of layers of plastic wrap, tightly, and then a layer of foil on top of that and I have never had an issue with freezer burn. I have trouble with the cost of the Foodsaver bags--I do feel like any savings on buying in bulk go out the window with the bags!

[Debbie]

I love my food saver unit. I avoid the high cost of the bags by purchasing the generic ones at WalMart. I like to buy bulk at Costco and then use my food saver unit. I save money by saving trips to the store.