quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

Over the years, I burned through three or four $200 FoodSavers (which is nearly enough to pay for a VacMaster). While they did OK, I found them to not have very good pressures, not have consistent seals, and overheat after only two or three seals requiring you to wait for it to cool down before continuing. You'll have none of this with the VacMaster. You get as much negative pressure as you want, double seals, the ability to bag liquids, and no overheating/waiting. I've done over fifty in a row while processing animals, one right after the other.



This is a great example of the old axiom: You get what you pay for.

Now that's interesting about overheating after 2 or 3 seals as ours never did that in all the time we have had it.

We buy jalapeno bacon around 10 pounds at a time and bag it in bags of 8 pieces, perfect for one meal for 2.

So we bag around 20 bags, one after the other in an assembly line fashion without any overheating at all.

We do the same with steaks, coming up with 15 packs or so and also with brats, again doing around 15 to 20 packs in succession with no overheating.

Makes you wonder how one unit can have these problems and another unit doesn't.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Now that's interesting about overheating after 2 or 3 seals as ours never did that in all the time we have had it.

It was probably my biggest complaint with the FoodSavers that I had and each one of them did it. Maybe they've figured out how to fix it?

just ordered a VP230 last night

will be replacing a 550 duo Ive had for a number of years

vacmaster is offering a $250 off sale currently. sone of the online retailers are passing it along, but not all. it came out cheaper to order direct from vac master, than from someone else I found

I already have a shipping notification fedex ground. estimated deliver Thursday. this the free shipping option...realistically $48 because of the shipping surcharge

This message has been edited. Last edited by: snwghst,

That's a great deal.

The main reason I went with the 210 was the "maintenance free" motor. I wasn't sure how much of a PITA it would be to service it or how often it would have to be done. I figured it'd be easier to not have to worry about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Now that's interesting about overheating after 2 or 3 seals as ours never did that in all the time we have had it.

It was probably my biggest complaint with the FoodSavers that I had and each one of them did it. Maybe they've figured out how to fix it?

We've been using the heck out of Food Saver vacuum sealers for years. We're on our third one & never had a problem with overheating until we bought our current one, which just happens to be the most expensive one we've bought. It'll seal 2 or 3 bags, then you have to let it cool off for a couple minutes.

absolutely amazed!! ordered Monday night, shipped Tuesday Fedex ground and was delivered Thursday afternoon. Vacmaster is on it. This thing is a beast!! I've got some work to do

26# Choice bone in ribeye
17# Prime lip on boneless Ribeye
8# Prime PSMO

Got the Vacmaster 210. Got everthing set up.

Turned it on, put a bag of bacon in.

Shut the lid. Nothing. Front panel lights up but nothing else seems to work.

Waiting on a tech rep to call us back.

This is what I use:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0...arkle_mcd_asin_0_img

I would prefer the next model up, that allows you to customize the seal time. I couldn't get one when I needed one, and this one was in stock.

I've have about 5 years of pretty heavy use on this, I've had to replace the seal tape once, but overall I'm pleased.

I've had food savers...and once they sold out to china, they went to crap. The original commercial model was great, I got nearly 10 years out of it. Not a single model since they moved to China has been worth crap.

You'll get 100 recommendations for a food saver, because people don't know any better. Once you've used a quality sealer, you'll never go back. They really don't cost any different, food saver is all hype.

I don't use foodsaver bags. My Westin will use any bag you can find. Walmart used to have an off-brand of bags, they've actually been the best ones I can find. Lately I buy whatever I can find on amazon as the local stores only sell foodsaver, and I prefer not to have failed seals.

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:
Got the Vacmaster 210. Got everthing set up.

Turned it on, put a bag of bacon in.

Shut the lid. Nothing. Front panel lights up but nothing else seems to work.

Waiting on a tech rep to call us back.

Bummer. Have you tried the troubleshooting section in the manual?

I'm not at home so I can't test this out, but maybe your settings are too low to get it going?

Vacmasters manual is less that informative. I followed the directions they had in the book. Which basically were none.

I pulled the sealer bar out of its packaging and dropped it on the two nubs in the unit.

I had to call and find out what the tape and other items were for.

When you say "shut the lid" did you press down on the lid and hold it down until the vacuum held it shut? Just closing it won't do anything. Sorry if you already know this.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
When you say "shut the lid" did you press down on the lid and hold it down until the vacuum held it shut? Just closing it won't do anything. Sorry if you already know this.

I shut the lid, held it down. Nothing. I counted to 10, then turned it off and tried it again. This time, I counted to 20. Nothing.

Have about 20 pounds of bacon to seal before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, this will get resolved.

I'm betting you've got a bad switch on the lid.

Mine starts up about 1" before the lid gets all the way down.

If it were me, I'd pop off the back panel and take a look see. I've never look at the guts of mine, but maybe you've got a loose connection there.

Sorry you're having the trouble. Hopefully you get up and running soon. When you do, you're going to like that thing.

I can hear the lid switch click when I push the lid down. I'll take the back off and see if there is anything obvious.

Went out to the local thrift store and found a Foodsaver and will use that to get everything packed and in the freezer.

Thanks.

I've burned through a few over the years. I'm very happy with this one.

https://www.meatyourmaker.com/...1117067.html#start=1

quote:

Originally posted by snwghst:
just ordered a VP230 last night

will be replacing a 550 duo Ive had for a number of years

vacmaster is offering a $250 off sale currently. sone of the online retailers are passing it along, but not all. it came out cheaper to order direct from vac master, than from someone else I found

I already have a shipping notification fedex ground. estimated deliver Thursday. this the free shipping option...realistically $48 because of the shipping surcharge

That VP230 looks like a beast. I have the 550 Duo myself. I've only used the chamber and never used the vacuum option. Did you go to the 230 for a larger chamber or did the 550 give you problems?

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Yarchin:
I've burned through a few over the years. I'm very happy with this one.

https://www.meatyourmaker.com/...1117067.html#start=1

That's where we got our dehydrator.

Fixed.

Their tech support is excellent. There is a fuze on the power block. Pulled it, squeezed the contacts together and put the fuze back in.

Had to take four screws out of the tray and lift if to get to the damn thing.

Good deal. Glad it was something simple.