Who has a vacuum sealer?

[Tom and Maje]

We have a low space Foodsaver. I couldn't be without it, especially when getting ready for a passage.

[chuckr]

By the way when I was certain that I was going to cross over I started getting really good stuff that I knew I would never find in the Carib like cheeses . No one can match Italian French and Spanish .. BUT I would buy any unless they vacuum packed it. I would have but why when I could get them to do it. Filled my reefer with cheese and pork products before I left Spain ..

[Mexican Hat]

I just bought a 120/12v model from Foodsaver. It worked beautifully... For 16 vacuum and seal cycles, then failed. My subsequent experience with their customer service department has been almost unbelievable. I cannot recommend that brand anyway. It's sort of amusing; after agreeing on a refund they shipped me another unit. I returned that one and we agreed they would proceed with the original refund. A month later I have just received an email telling me that the replacement unit is on the way!

Based on hours of online research, I have since bought a Weston 'professional Advantage'. It's not as convenient to use since it has no bag roll holder built in but is smaller, seems more solid and better built and has held up well so far. It also has a 'pulse' function which is handy for fine powders ( and please, no jokes about cocaine here, I have coeliac disease and so carry large quantities of various gluten free flours for my bread fix) or wet foods. I will have to use it with an inverter on the boat but ces't la vie.

And thanks for the great tip on using any bags Mike. That will make things much easier!

[Mexican Hat]

As an afterthought and slightly OT, any plastic chemists out there? My holy grail is a vacuum bag made for heating. This would allow for food to be vacuum sealed then heated to sterilize the contents. In essence, canning without the cans. I have not been able to find any bags that can tolerate the heat of pressure cooking. I know they exist as one can buy food in supermarkets like this. Anybody seen these available anywhere?

And for fine powders if your machine doesn't have a pulse function, placing a piece of paper towel over the top of the powder makes it much easier.

[bluedotvoyages]

Just used ours for the first time after catching 15 mahi in one morning. No way that would have fit in the freezer without vacuum sealing. it's a keeper.

[Waterdog247]

Originally Posted by Mexican Hat

As an afterthought and slightly OT, any plastic chemists out there? My holy grail is a vacuum bag made for heating. This would allow for food to be vacuum sealed then heated to sterilize the contents. In essence, canning without the cans. I have not been able to find any bags that can tolerate the heat of pressure cooking. I know they exist as one can buy food in supermarkets like this. Anybody seen these available anywhere?



And for fine powders if your machine doesn't have a pulse function, placing a piece of paper towel over the top of the powder makes it much easier.

There are several types of foil bags called “retort” pouches. If there is a portable food saver system that is capable of sealing them, I haven’t found one. One of the reasons I bought the VP210 was specifically for retort processing.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Mexican Hat

My holy grail is a vacuum bag made for heating. This would allow for food to be vacuum sealed then heated to sterilize the contents.

I don't think so. There are lots of processes that don't scale down from commercial to home/boat. I know just what bags you're talking about. It is my understanding (and I could be misinformed) the food is prepared and cooked separately and commercially vacuum-sealed in highly sanitary conditions. We just can't match that at home.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by Waterdog247

There are several types of foil bags called “retort” pouches. If there is a portable food saver system that is capable of sealing them, I haven’t found one. One of the reasons I bought the VP210 was specifically for retort processing.

Being able to work with the vacuum pouches intended for the chamber sealers is exactly why I bought the Sinbo DZ-280:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4M4abcGinI

[gazzah]

We use zip lock bags. Put item in bag, put bottom of bag in water and continue to insert in water to below zip lock to get air out of bag before zip locking. We find that biscuits do not need to resealed, placing them if fridge or freezer in there manufacturing packaging is sufficient. We also considered a sealer but power requirements, space to store, proprietary bags turned us off the idea.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by KP44

These are great devices and useful for what they do. They provide a vacuum seal that keeps out most of the air and delays freezer burn.

I have a large freezer box and a big cold box for unfrozen foods. Even with the large freezer, I seldom keep anything frozen longer than two months. So the foodsaver is not something I need on the boat.
When we were starting, I bought a bread machine. But we never brought it onboard.
We also carried a microwave for about 15 years. We used it less and less. I finally left it ashore two years ago.
I have a little 4-cup food processer that is small and very useful.
I have a full-sized coffee maker and a grinder that I use every day.
I still carry a good pressure cooker. But I think I have only used it once in many years of galley cooking.

Your needs will be different and your lifestyle is your own. That is our experience.

I have held off buying one as I don't like the garbage aspect of used plastic.
We also have a large, deep, top loading freezer.
We maximize space, while reducing plastic garbage, by prepairing, curries/stews/soups/sauces ahead of time to last months and store them in 4 serving sized, labeled Lock n Lock containers that are washed and reused for our favorite savouries.

Stacked and stored as tight modules ready to use when travelling, nothing moves around at sea.

Large capacity Lock n Locks with lid handles line the freezer bottom and store the trimmed meats, seafood, poultry in 3 seperate containers for when we want to BBQ or restock at local markets.

This all makes for modular packing, no deep diving to the bottom of the freezer and minimizes time opening the freezer.
With a Set Temp of -22°C frozen meats or meals are taken out days in advance and stored to thaw slowly in a similar sized Fridge box where veggies are storred in a similar modular fashion.

My mechanical spares are all wrapped in oiled cloths and placed in sealed boxes for storage mostly under the floor on a sub level.

So have still held off on buying a vacumn sealer.

[Juggerknot]

Originally Posted by Waterdog247

As the Admiral and I get closer to making the big shift off the hard, we are identifying items and devices that we will not need. One of the items still in the “undecided” pile is our vacuum sealer. We have a Vacmaster 210 that gets used a lot. Fishing here in the PNW has been amazing the last few years. Halibut, Ling Cod, Salmon, and several kinds of tuna, plus a couple deer, have kept our freezer full. The 210 has been invaluable.
There are several pros and cons, of course. I am not a big fan of the plastic bags, but the amount of space saved counters that. The size of the 210 is chunky; it takes up a little real estate. And I imagine the power draw for the pump is substantial. I’ve never had much luck with the food-saver type sealers, and their bags are expensive. Though they do take up much less space.
How do you all feel about yours, and would you change anything given the opportunity?

Besides the obvious uses, mine sure makes good use of space in my ditch bag, compressing wool cold weather survival clothes, sealing dry goods and also electronics. For storing off season cruising clothes it can't be beat either. Clothes go in fresh and 6 months later, come out smelling fresh plus, the space savings is huge. I won't be without a good vacuum sealer. Fair winds my friend...

[Dave22q]

As a single live aboard I portion control and freeze meat from the market and fish I catch. Used a vacuum saver for years but found plastic wrap plus freezer bages works as well or better. Next clean up will probably dump the vac unit.

[GoneDiving]

Originally Posted by Juggerknot

Besides the obvious uses, mine sure makes good use of space in my ditch bag, compressing wool cold weather survival clothes, sealing dry goods and also electronics. For storing off season cruising clothes it can't be beat either. Clothes go in fresh and 6 months later, come out smelling fresh plus, the space savings is huge. I won't be without a good vacuum sealer. Fair winds my friend...

Where do you get the larger bags or do you just use the regular 11" bags?

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

I can help here. The Instant Pot is a cult akin to that of Jim Jones. Don't drink the Kool-Aid.

It's called a multi-cooker. It is supposed to do a lot of things. It's an electric pressure cooker and like all electric pressure cookers does not perform as well as a stovetop unit. It's a slower cooker but doesn't do that well either - unnecessary complexity. The same with the yogurt maker; a pot is a yogurt maker. Same with the rice maker; use a pot. It's hard to clean compared to more straightforward devices. It's fragile. The circuit board behind the control panel is subject to splashes and spills from contents. The circuit board underneath is subject to flooding if you spill something on the counter. The lid is fussy to get on.

You've already decided a pressure cooker is not for you. There is good value in slow cookers if you have the electrical power which isn't much a manual slow cooker can be a real treat. You might also consider a Hot Logic Mini which can be had to run off 12VDC. Be careful about current draw - long term draw over 6A from a cigarette plug is dangerous. I'm not sure what the Hot Logic Mini draws; lots of over-the-road truckers use them.

If you decide to try the Instant Pot check eBay and Craigslist. Lots of people have the same opinion as I and they are readily available slightly used.

Respectfully disagree. I have the IP 3 qt model onboard and use it several times a week. It's an awesome machine for the boat but does take some time to learn. I have a friend who has the high end one and she bakes cakes in it. I ditched my microwave and reheat everything in the Ip using the pot in pot method. Fast, easy to clean. Brown rice, 15 minutes and perfect every time. BBQ ribs? yep. also about 15 minutes. Going online there are a ridiculous amount of recipes for everything. Wouldn't be without it. And in bad seas, fits in my sink and cooks fine. Can't go anywhere and if it did, the hot contents won't go anywhere.

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

Respectfully disagree. I have the IP 3 qt model onboard and use it several times a week. It's an awesome machine for the boat but does take some time to learn. I have a friend who has the high end one and she bakes cakes in it. I ditched my microwave and reheat everything in the Ip using the pot in pot method. Fast, easy to clean. Brown rice, 15 minutes and perfect every time. BBQ ribs? yep. also about 15 minutes. Going online there are a ridiculous amount of recipes for everything. Wouldn't be without it. And in bad seas, fits in my sink and cooks fine. Can't go anywhere and if it did, the hot contents won't go anywhere.

I have a 3 qt IP. I've tried some of the fancy meals in it, bread, etc. And have given up on them. It's not like they don't work, they aren't easier.

I use it for pot roasts, and I use it for sous vide.