[Hardluk81]

Looking for a good reasonably priced vacuum sealer. Any of you guys have one you recommend?

 

[DuckNut]

Nope. Don't stock freezer with fish that might not get eaten.

Fill the belly with fish caught that day.

 

[Hardluk81]

Ha, the primary use wasn’t for fish exactly. Fish usually doesn’t make it out of the fridge before it’s cooked. I’d be lying if I said I never freeze any though.

 

[topnative2]

Fibbing or bragging?

 

[msmith719]

They're not just for freezing fish! If we find a good deal on quality produce we buy a bunch and freeze it. Meats also. Venison stays fresh at least a year and no freezer burn. Now fish; I'm not going to the Keys for a week or two and just catch enough snapper for a meal for my wife and I. How about a Yankee Capt trip? You going to catch one grouper or mutton snapper and call it a day?

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Geeze the guy asks for reviews of a vacuum sealer and is automatically a meat hauler that freezer burns fish...lighten up guys.
I love my FoodSaver for FISH, steaks, all kinds of things. It’s big enough to vac pac a 24” flounder whole.
https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Vacuum-Sealer-System-Starter/dp/B00DI342IW

 

[Fritz]

VacMaster!

I know you said ‘reasonably priced’ and you will not be pleased with the upfront cost of a VacMaster.

The VacMaster is a chamber type vacuum machine, it does not try to pull the air out of a bag, but evacuates the chamber. The upside to this is anything that fits in the chamber can be vacuum sealed and that includes liquids and fine powdered things, stuff you would never vacuum seal on the cheap counter top type machines. You can also regulate the amount of vacuum, less for bread, more for fish.

They do a near perfect, commercial quality job, are very durable and the bags are quite cheap. Counter top vacuum machine bags need to have special ridges to allow the bag to stay ‘open’ while the air is evacuated, not required for chamber machines. I won’t say the machine will pay for itself, but yeah, it will pay for itself. I’m still eating the NY strip steaks that went on sale last December, I buy big when things are on sale, seal and freeze.

I bought mine for fish, but use it for everything. If it blew up tomorrow, I would have another in the mail the next day... maybe even that very day. I went with the VP215 because it had the more durable and quiet oil pump, but it’s still makes a lot of noise when in use. And it’s big and it’s heavy, like a hundred pounds heavy, that can’t be helped.

 

[makin moves]

Ive got the cheap food saver ones. Ive had it for several years and it gets the job done. I don't freeze alot of stuff but it comes in handy when I do. Doesn't do well with liquids but fish, steak, chicken, it does just fine.

 

[Pole Position]

I don't have a brand recommendation, but from someone who never buys an extended warranty ......buy an extended warranty on these units as they are temperamental as hell--I've never had one run more than a year. That being said, we use ours constantly and have saved a ton of money.

 

[Ben]

Bucket or large bowl of water and ziplock bags. Works for me when I must freeze things but whatever Im freezing doesn’t stay in there for over a month. Would love one of those commercial type vacuum sealers but can’t justify getting one.

 

[MatthewAbbott]

Foodsaver.

 

[Fishshoot]

If you buy from Costco and it breaks they have a great return policy, that is where I got my foodsaver

 

[fjmaverick]

I have this one. I think I only paid $50-60 for it
https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Va...ver+v2244&qid=1561995108&s=home-garden&sr=1-3

It doesnt get easier. One button to seal and another to vac/seal. I use it mostly for beef. If it wasnt for this thing I wouldnt eat frozen meat.

 

[DBStoots]

Seal-a-Meal. It's easy and works great--no freezer burn. I use it for many different foods and it's great to prep food for camping--cook it, seal it, freeze it and throw it in the cooler. Helps to limit the amount of ice you have to take also.

 

[EasternGlow]

x2 on costco food saver. works good and doesn't break the bank. Funny enough, I just finished up sealing about 50 bonita strips about 10 minutes ago.

 

[Hardluk81]

Thanks for all the replies! I’ll do a little research on what has been recommended. @Fritz that Vacmaster is a beast. Looks like something the bomb squad would bring out on a call.

 

[Pudldux]

Whichever you end up with here is a tip that will really help. Always fold down the top few inches of the bag before filling w product. This keeps the edge that will seal clean and dry.

 

[fjmaverick]

Whichever you end up with here is a tip that will really help. Always fold down the top few inches of the bag before filling w product. This keeps the edge that will seal clean and dry.

I usually seal the top on an angle and leave a few inches open. Then I vaccum seal twice straight across.

 

[CaptDanS]

I have a FoodSaver and buy premade bags of different sizes of Amazon,great prices.