# Pros/Cons on Vacuum Sealers



## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I've been contemplating buying a vacuum sealer to make storing smaller packages of dried goods, such as herbs, onions, etc. Seems if I put them in a ziplock baggie or jar, they end up absorbing moisture somehow. Are vacuum sealers good for long-term storage? Can you still get them and the bags? Anybody got one they want to sell?
Thanks! Catherine


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## mullberry (May 3, 2009)

I dehydrate,I hunt deer wild hog & turkey for the familys meat . Raise chickens , quail ,plus raise a 3 acre garden .. *I could not live without my VACUUM SEALER*.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

I certainly wouldn't lump all vacuum sealers together in the same category. There are some great ones and some not worth the money at all and a whole range of them in-between.

But assuming you take the time to do the research and then invest in a good brand, the only "Con" is the initial investment cost and the cost of the bag material.

I would agree with mulberry, I could not live without my vacuum sealer, but you list _storing smaller packages of dried goods, such as herbs, onions, etc._ so I will add that they aren't really for little small packages of things such as that and they won't keep dried things that weren't fully dried to begin with dry. 

Your moisture problems are coming from the food inside not being fully dried, not from the air outside your ziplock bags.



> Are vacuum sealers good for long-term storage?


 Definitely.



> Can you still get them and the bags?


 Easily and there are many discussions here about the various brands and sources for supplies.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

A re-useable option for your vacuum sealer is the jar sealer accessory. You can use canning jars & pre-used canning lids to store a good bit of your food. Reusing the jars & lids really stretches out our costs. 

I love the jar sealer for left-over food storage in the fridge. Sometimes when I have a lot of left-overs in jars I turn on the oven, place the jars in a cake pan with water in the bottom and heat them up all at once. Then everyone takes what they want.

I've even stored pre-frozen raspberries in the freezer this way. They will stick a little to the inside of the jar but a good shake is all it takes to loosen them up. It helps to place your canning jars in the freezer for a while before sealing the berries in the jars. 

We only use the vacuum sealer bags for meat, and then we do not reuse them for food, only non food uses. Our bags are purchased on ebay and we like them better than the foodsaver brand.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i agree that the jar attachment would be good for spices. i love my foodsaver and wouldnt want to live without it either. i use the bags for my fruits and vegies--i just freeze on a cookie sheet first and they dont stick together.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I have a food saver both bags and jar sealer if your food has any sharp edges the bags won't seal I fixed some chicken legs yesterday I put up last year and they were real good I use them for all my garden produce and most of my meats


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I vacuum seal ALOT!! I do use oxygen absorbers in the dry goods and dehydrated veggies and fruit.
I have recently upgraded to a Weston 2300 sealer.... I have no words to express the power of that thing. It is truly awsome. I recently opened a package of celery that I have had for 6 years... it was perfect. Just used what I needed and resealed until another time. 
Meat really lasts better when packaged in them.
Good luck!


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

Love my vacuum sealer! 
BTW: It's good for things other than food. Clothes for camping. Important papers ...anything you dont want wet.
TDD- Glad you like it!


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks for all the info!! Now it's off to figure out what brand and model I aught to get.
Catherine


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

I have a cheapo black & decker model and it still works pretty good. Over all I like it and glad to have it. One thing I don't like is anything with moisture in it, the squeezing action and the suction will pull juice up and it doesn't seal all the way because the moisture interfered. So some things I freeze first, then shrink and seal, like shredded zuchinni. Or, cut the bag longer than it needs to be so the seal will complete before the juice gets there. Like raw meat.


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## houlesranch (Apr 20, 2008)

I have had foodsavers vaccum sealers for the past 10 years, My whole family hunts elk and deer and a lot of fishing, plus we have our own vegetable garden, we vaccum seal everything that we can. I could not live without it. Plus a steer that we butcher ourselves and the meat stays good for years. We have even had deer and elk from 2 years ago that taste just as fresh as yesterday. No freezerburn, no mess.. Our foodsaver has the option of fast seal or slow seal and juice or no juice. We use all of it. I also do some canning with it too.


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