Chamber vs traditional vacuum sealer

[rdurning]

What are you guys running this year for a vacuum sealer? I don't have one right now but I am in the market, would it be better for me to go ahead and make the investment for a chamber sealer? Going to be processing my own deer this year.

 

[Antarctica]

I just picked up a foodsaver from costco. Most people that use them a lot will tell you they suck, and they're probably right. But I just can't justify $600+ on a chamber sealer as much as I would like one. Hell I've been putting everything in plastic zip locks and squeezing or sucking the air out my whole life, so this will be a step up. If I think there is that much of an advantage, and this crappy foodsaver is the bomb, maybe I'll be able to justify a chamber sealer when it dies.

 

[muddydogs]

I'm with Antarctica, my $100 food saver does just fine for what I package in food saver bags which isn't a whole lot. Frozen meat isn't going bad overnight frozen in plastic wrap and butcher paper which is a lot cheaper then food saver bags so the majority of meat that will be eaten in a year or less gets wrapped in plastic and paper. I save the food saver for sealing things like blocks of smoked cheese, summer sausage that might be around for a year or two and other specialty items that won't get consumed as fast. For ground meat the 1 pound poly bags are cheap, easy to fill with a stuffer and keep freezer burn away for years.

 

[colonel00]

If you can afford a chamber sealer get one. In my opinion they are vastly superior. There is a reason that fish and meat processors use chamber sealers. There is a complete evacuation of air. Also, on a plus side, you can get bags cheaper and in different mil thicknesses. I like thicker bags for fish like salmon that might have bones that could poke through.

Only downside of a chamber sealer is it can take longer which is quite apparent when doing a large batch of sealing.

All that said, for typical use around the house, I just use a cheap Foodsaver sealer that has been running like a champ for 10 years or more. It's just easier for leftovers and stuff that won't need to sit in a freezer for a year or more.

 

[PNWGATOR]

I’ve been through a half dozen food savers from Costco over the years. They’re disposable. Hindsight being what it is, I’d bite the bullet and buy a ‘real’ vacuum sealer. My next vacuum sealer will be a Weston 2300 Pro. Based on my research it’s as good of a value as you can find for the money.

 

[Lawnboi]

Get the chamber vac if you can. Bags are dirt cheap, don’t need to worry about liquid in the bag and say faster

Vacmaster 215 or something is what I use

 

[LOCALAK907]

Look at the Minipack MV31 or MV45 these are up there in price but are worth it if you will be doing large batches. Can vac soups and also strong enough for retort canning bags.


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[Boarmaster]

I use a Foodsaver model. I use it for game and I use it every week for about a dozen different things like repackaging fish for freezing. When it craps out
I will probably buy another.

 

[MtnMuley]

VacMaster 215 chamber sealer. Best money I've spent in years on hunting and fishing.

 

[deerkiller]

I just picked up a foodsaver from costco. Most people that use them a lot will tell you they suck, and they're probably right. But I just can't justify $600+ on a chamber sealer as much as I would like one. Hell I've been putting everything in plastic zip locks and squeezing or sucking the air out my whole life, so this will be a step up. If I think there is that much of an advantage, and this crappy foodsaver is the bomb, maybe I'll be able to justify a chamber sealer when it dies.

$600 won't get you much of a chamber type either - I'm of 2 schools; 1) buy two Foodsavers and keep the extra for when the frontline quits 2) there's a company in Seattle (cannot remember the name to save my life) that sells reburbished commercials for reasonable, a close friend/fishing guide buys chamber models refurbed and has excellent luck - that company also does the rebuilding of the ones they sell - all that said, I have a Weston Pro 2300 I got at Cabela's for $499 that has worked great for 7 years now - Actually, it's all about the BAGS more than the machines

 

[Rich M]

I've got a food saver and use it for fish - it helps keep better. Like the premade bags better than the rolled material but have several boxes of rolled material for use in vacum packing "emergency clothes" for duck hunting and cold weather sports. You can pack up all kinds of things you want to stay air-tight/water tight.

For deer, etc. I will either use zip locks if gonna eat it in 2 or 3 months and freezer paper if longer. I've had 2 yr old venison out of freezer paper without any freezer burn or funky tastes.

 

[Sawfish]

I have a Gamesaver which is the sportsman version of the Foodsaver. Biggest difference is that it will run on either 12 volt or 110 v.. Ten years old and still going. Replaced the seals nd the cutter blade once and that was my only maintenance. Parts and bags available on Amazon.

 

[Bubblehide]

I have both. If I was only doing an animal or 2 every year, I would go with the Food Saver type. But with that said, and has been said, the chamber sealer type if far superior; but unnecessary. I need to order my chamber bags online. The food saver bags I purchase at Costco.

If you have the money to burn, purchase a Chamber Sealer. If you need to pinch pennies, hands down, go with the Food Saver type of sealer. The only time you will be disappointed with the food saver type is if or when it takes a crap. Mine lasted about 8 years before it took a crap, and I process a lot of fish and game animals, do some soups from time to time...

 

[Wetwoodshunter]

I use a promarks tabletop chamber sealer. I think the machine was around $2,500 but running charter fishing it gets used for 2,000+ bags per year. It takes 15 seconds per bag and hasn't had a bad seal in the first 12,000 shots. In 15 mins you can do what would take 2 hours to do with a food saver.

Chamber sealers are worth every penny.

 

[Jimss]

I bought a Cabelas brand vacuum sealer last year for relatively cheap. I brought home around 200 lbs of Alaska halibut and salmon, last year plus vacuum packed jerky, summer sausage, smoked turkey/fish, etc and had 0 problems once I learned how to do it properly. I paid around $150 for the sealer on sale and $20 for a roll of bags.

 

[pahunter3]

I have a Weston vacuum sealer for a few seasons now, no issues at all and it does roughly 5-10 deer a season between everyone that uses it.

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[manitou1]

For those of you using sealers... is it faster than wrapping in freezer paper?

 

[khel]

I have a Gamesaver which is the sportsman version of the Foodsaver. Biggest difference is that it will run on either 12 volt or 110 v.. Ten years old and still going. Replaced the seals nd the cutter blade once and that was my only maintenance. Parts and bags available on Amazon.

I just got Gamesaver last year. I hope mine will last that long - lol

 

[pahunter3]

I think it's faster, no need to rip sheets of paper and tape. Plus seems neater to me and lasts longer in the freezer

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[deerkiller]

like I said earlier, the BAGS make all the difference - I now buy "commercial" bags on ebay