Finally got a Foodsaver!

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try putting the shredded cheese on a cookie sheet with wax paper and let it freeze spread out then vaccume pack it.    We do it that way as well as for berries and such that would just crush when we seal them up.

Steve
Sounds good.  She has put some shredded cheese into a bell jar and vacumned that.  So far, it looks like that worked.  Do you store the sealed shredded cheese in the freezer or the frig?

Another thing that was a slight problem was she dehydrated some cooked angle hair pasta and then vacumned it.  The pasta poked holes in the bag and that did not work.  But if she put the pasta into an open ziplock bag it vacumned just fine -- except that the pasta got broken up some.

Something else we are wondering -- sealing up various Christmas cookies.
 
Hey Meateater.... isn't that your car out in the parking lot?
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LOL! Johnny, you are a hot mess! Yea, meateater, I would sooooo spend $8,456.34 in plastic wrap to do that to your vehicle. I don't get out much, what can I say!!
 
Being an owner of a foodsaver for 10+ years here are a few things that I have learned.
  1. I do use the paper towel trick when packing wet foods like chicken or fresh fish.
  2. When thawing out wet or fragile foods like berries or Dales shredded cheese, cut a slit at the top of the bag just below the seal to release the vacuum. This prevents the vacuum from pulling out the blood or other juices from the meat. In the case of frozen berries if you don't release the vacuum, you will crush the fruit or for shedded cheese you will just end up with the same compreesed lump as if you didn't freeze it first.
  3. They claim that you can keep foods for up to a year........Don;t you believe it!!!! Heres how long I have kept some things without Ill effect,
           A. frozen venison  4 years

           B. frozen catfish   4 years

           C. green beans    3 years

           D. fresh cheese   6 mo. in fridge. (Thats an eterinty around here!)

    4.   The bags are also dishwasher safe.

   If you fish, hunt, garden, BBQ, or buy foods in bulk you have got to have on of these. You'll wonder how you ever got by without one.  Enjoy your new toy.
 
Well I'll just be darn. My new sealer stoped working today. It will seal but quit vacuuming. I did fill out the warranty info and registration the day I brought it home and I emailed FoodSaver today so we'll see. I remember reading that others had this problem but customer service was good. I did use it a heck of alot since I got it though. Certainly not enough to warrant the cost, so I sure hope they replace it. You would know that I threw away the box already though. I hate clutter. Poo.
 
Mine did the same and i just swapped it out for a new one . wally world has a 90 day warrenty. new one works fine .
 
I guess I dont want to have to buy a new one. Ours is at least 10 years old and still going strong (knocking on wood)

Most of the folks have had good customer service from them.  If you dont get what you want let me know and I will call them and explain how many posts I have done for them here to see if I can help
 
Gary! I got this response today and I'm not sure about the "upper and lower gasket" part. I have taken out the drip tray and cleaned it, which is on the bottom, I have taken out some removable part from the top and cleaned it. What else? What do they mean about "flip it over" like left to right or upside down? Wha??? Blonde girl mode kickin' in about now. Let me know if you want me to take a picture of the inside of this thing! Thanks for your help!

Here are some troubleshooting tips to try:

1) Check the upper and lower gaskets of the machine. If either of these is damaged or dirty, the unit will not vacuum properly. Clean any food materials from the gaskets. Remove the lower gasket, flip it over, reinsert it into the unit and test the unit.

2) Make sure the open end of the bag is resting entirely inside of the Vacuum Channel. The edge of the bag should not go beyond the Vacuum Channel. Do not make your own side seams for a FoodSaver Bag. They are manufactured with special side seams sealed all the way to the outer edge.

3) Check the bag for leaks. Seal the bag with some air in it. Submerge it in water and apply pressure. Bubbles indicate a leak. If the bag has a leak, a new bag is needed.

4) We recommend you pre-freeze meats and other moist foods for 1-2 hours before vacuum sealing. Excess liquids from moist foods can cause the unit not to vacuum and permanent damage can occur.
 
 
Wow !! Where did you all find these amazing little units. I thought they sounded like a great idea and just had to have one. Went to Wal-Mart and got the middle unit and it worked just great for about two weeks and then quit. Took it back four times and even upgraded to the next higher models as time progressed. Never did find one that worked properly. What a piece of cr@P. Go to Cabelas and spend the extra for a quality unit that will last.
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Gary! I got this response today and I'm not sure about the "upper and lower gasket" part. I have taken out the drip tray and cleaned it, which is on the bottom, I have taken out some removable part from the top and cleaned it. What else? What do they mean about "flip it over" like left to right or upside down? Wha??? Blonde girl mode kickin' in about now. Let me know if you want me to take a picture of the inside of this thing! Thanks for your help!

Here are some troubleshooting tips to try:

1) Check the upper and lower gaskets of the machine. If either of these is damaged or dirty, the unit will not vacuum properly. Clean any food materials from the gaskets. Remove the lower gasket, flip it over, reinsert it into the unit and test the unit.

2) Make sure the open end of the bag is resting entirely inside of the Vacuum Channel. The edge of the bag should not go beyond the Vacuum Channel. Do not make your own side seams for a FoodSaver Bag. They are manufactured with special side seams sealed all the way to the outer edge.

3) Check the bag for leaks. Seal the bag with some air in it. Submerge it in water and apply pressure. Bubbles indicate a leak. If the bag has a leak, a new bag is needed.

4) We recommend you pre-freeze meats and other moist foods for 1-2 hours before vacuum sealing. Excess liquids from moist foods can cause the unit not to vacuum and permanent damage can occur.
 
There should be a rubber gasket that runs around the lower part of the unit where there is a recess in the unit. That is where the open end of the bag needs to rest when sealing. They are asking you to remove the rubber gasket and reinstall it by flipping it over. I will send you a PM with my home # so we can chat if you need
 
The best Foodsaver to buy is made by Vac-U-Pac in Italy.  It was marketed under several different names and is repairable and doesn't quit if you get liquid in them,,, In fact you clean the vacuum pump by vacuuming warm water through it.

http://www.vacuumpacker.com/index.p...pack-Vacuum-sealer-Foodsaver/Home/cat_id/3837
[h1]Maintenance and Cleaning of your Vacupack[/h1]
  Maintenance and Cleaning of your Vacupack

Unplug the Vacupack.  Do not use abrasive or petroleum-based cleansers when cleaning your Vacupack.  Do not immerse in water.  Use a washcloth and warm, soapy water to clean the body of the machine.  Periodically clean the nozzle (remove by pulling up) and liquid separator (under the machine) with a soft cloth and warm soapy water.  Dry before re-assembling.

When using your vacuum packer, if you ever pull liquid into the machine.  It is important to clean out the pump as soon as possible!!!

 

To Clean the Pump:

Turn the selector knob to bag setting.  Place an old towel or paper towel under the Vacupack.  Put 2oz clean warm water into a channel bag.  Insert the bag onto the nozzle, and start the vacuum.  Allow the water to be sucked through the pump and exhausted through the exhaust opening underneath the Vacupack.  Keep the pump running for at least 30 seconds after all of the water is exhausted.  Repeat if necessary.

 

Periodic Lubrication:

Occasionally it is a good idea to lubricate the Vacuum Nozzle O-ring and bottom/drain plug gasket.  To lubricate the Vacuum Nozzle O-ring, lift the nozzle from its seat and spray or rub the O-ring with “Armor-All” or Vaseline.

 

view.php
  To lubricate the Drain Plug Gasket, turn the Drain Plug on the bottom of the unit and lubricate the rubber gasket.  With the plug out, reach into the trap and remove the white Umbrella Gear.  Clean it and the interior of the trap with warm soapy water. 


 

To Clean Vacuum Gauge:   
view.php


The vacuum gauge may become stuck from dried liquids such as fish and meat juices.  Turn selector knob to canister setting.  Put 3-4 drops of “Armor-All” into the port.  With the pump running, place your finger over the canister port.  Lift your finger up and down several times.  This action will loosen clean and lubricate the vacuum gauge.  This will cause the vacuum gauge to move freely from red to green.

 

To Clean Liquid/Particle Filter:    
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Remove the vacuum nozzle by lifting it straight up from the unit.  Remove the filter from the stem of the vacuum nozzle, wash with mild soap, and rise under warm running water.  Pat dry, and reinsert the filter into the nozzle.  Replace vacuum nozzle and firmly “seat” the nozzle back into place on the bottom pressure pad.  If the nozzle was hard to remove, you can lubricate the nozzle “O-ring” with a light coating of a silicon based cleaner or lubricant like “Armor-All” or petroleum jelly.  In a pinch, vegetable oil will work.

If the filter becomes destroyed and unable to replace, you can replace it with a breath-able foam such as the foam from the coat hangers from the dry cleaners. Also clean unused cigarette filters work well.  You can also call 1-800-227-3769 and get replacements.

 

These and many more valuable tips on caring for your Vacupack are found in your owner’s manual.  If you need assistance further you may call customer service at 1-800-227-3769  

Professional Marketing Group

16817 188[sup]TH[/sup] Ave SE

Renton, WA  98058                       On the Web  www.pmgquality.com
VacUpack Sealing Bags from Frontier Media Inc. on Vimeo.



The VacUpack from Frontier Media Inc. on Vimeo.
 
I have the cheap handheld unit and have not had any luck with the zipper bags, they just dont hold the seal long, so i emailed them and they sent me out free replacement bags and guess what they suck too, so i just emailed them the other day just to tell them that i wanted to tell them i wont be buying any more products and i wasnt wanting more free bags.
 
The best Foodsaver to buy is made by Vac-U-Pac in Italy.  It was marketed under several different names and is repairable and doesn't quit if you get liquid in them,,, In fact you clean the vacuum pump by vacuuming warm water through it.

http://www.vacuumpacker.com/index.p...pack-Vacuum-sealer-Foodsaver/Home/cat_id/3837

VacUpack Sealing Bags from Frontier Media Inc. on Vimeo.



The VacUpack from Frontier Media Inc. on Vimeo.


They should have paid someone to do the videos lol that guy will put you to sleep
 
I'm gonna try to take it back to Sam's. I threw out the box already, but have everything that was in it. If they don't take it back, I'll just cut my losses and chalk this one up to a learning experience, a pricey one, but no point in crying about it.
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 It'll be a while before I get anything else, I've been spending money like a mad woman lately! LOL! Plus I need a new printer for my work, so maybe I'll treat myself to a nice one for Christmas!!
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