Do you have a favorite food saver device?

It depends what you want to use it for and where you want to store it - how much space and how much will you be taking it out and putting it away?

I use mine to seal full dinners during once a month cooking, but I don't use it day to day to reseal chips, lunchmeat, etc. So mine is stored in a closet where I have plenty of space. Counter space wasn't an issue.

I recommend buying from somewhere with a great, easy return policy. Not Amazon. Bed Bath and Beyond or Costco are good choices. These things can be prone to failure (my first one died in the first 2 months), and a strong return policy is valuable IMO.

Mine has roll storage, a gentle/standard speed setting, and a moist/dry sealing setting and I do use all of those regularly. I do not use the hose attachment (canning or the special containers). I buy rolls and precut bags from a 3rd party on Amazon, and I strongly recommend the precut bags for most things. It saves a ton of time over having to cut the roll, guess the size, seal at least one extra end, etc. It isn't that much more expensive to get the bags on Amazon than rolls.

Costco!

I stopped using mine very frequently until I got a Sous Vide and now it gets used a couple of times per week.

I just bought a mini hand-held so I can vac seal cookies and brownies and such to send in care packages to my sailor DS. I just got it this week and haven't had a chance to use it but it was highly recommended by all the Navy moms sending goodies to their kids on deployment. It was on sale last week for $16ish and bags were on sale also. Let me find it.

Looks like it still on sale at Target

I got mine at Kohls last year for $69 between the sale and the % off coupons they put out during BF last year. I researched what I needed and decided I did not need any bells and whistles. I only splurged an extra $10 for the model with the roll storage.

Unlike AN, I prefer the rolls, so I don't have any waste. This was one of the reasons I did not buy a self-rolling model. Reviewers said they had waste.


I got this one: Kohls

Also.... Foodsaver.com has the bags/rolls buy 1 get 1 free right now. Some are even better priced. + Free Shipping!

My machine is stored on a shelf in the pantry, easily accessible. I don't use it weekly.


ETA:  I used Ebates also.

I bought mine from QVC and use it at least once a week. You can vacuum pack lots of things, not just items for the freezer. I use it for blocks of cheese too.

Got mine at Costco when it was on sale. I prefer the rolls too.

I'm both for and against buying one from Costco.

I bought my last one from Costco and it lasted about 2 years. I bought it on sale there for about $45; it was a discontinued model. I didn't use it a frequently, but I used it for a long period of time when I did use it, like putting 40 lbs of chicken in one day. Since I bought my Sous Vide, I was using it more frequently. It died the day before my order of Zaycon chicken was due in. I called Foodsaver and they were willing to replace it IF I sent it to them AND they judged it worthy of replacement. I took it back to Costco with apologies and they were laughing, saying not to worry.

I bought the new model that Costco is currently selling, at twice what I'd paid for the previous model, and used it to get my chicken ready for freezing. The thing is, I REALLY dislike this model. It is awkward to use and I don't feel like I can clean it as well as I want to if I'm going to use it for both raw and cooked foods. After using it that day and twice since, I've pretty much decided to take it back. I haven't used any of the rolls that came with it and everything but the actual machine is still sealed.

I found a non-foodsaver brand sealing machine at Aldi's for $29.99. I'm going to try it out to see if I like it. For that price, I can handle it dying in a year or so. If it doesn't do what I want, I'll take it back as well. Either way, the Costco one is going back.

Marcy