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I guess if I left it out someplace where it was showing I would care, but it is in my pantry so the industrial look doesn't bother me. I would rather have an industrial machine rather than some fancy thing with bells and whistles. but that is just me.

I'm pretty sure it showing 3 phase on the Katom site is a typo. The Henkelman site shows it as single phase. 3 phase is used on large loads to reduce the amp draw per phase and increase efficiency, which is not needed on a unit this size. I don't think Busch even makes a 3 phase vacuum pump that small. 3 phase power is almost always available in a commercial building, I have never seen it in a residence. The bigger issue is 50hz European vs 60hz US. It would run slightly faster on 60 cycles and may or may not be detrimental to the motor. MOST loads are OK on 60hz, but not all. I would not want to risk it on a $3k sealer unless the manufacturer stood behind it. Why not just buy a Minipack and be done with it? They are readily available and every bit as good as a Henkelman. Same Busch pump.

It is made by Minipack so should be a decent unit. Much more info on the Minipack site, comes in colors too! https://www.minipack-torre.it/en/packaging-machines/mx-2 It is a DVP pump so pretty decent, but not a Busch. The chamber is pretty deep and a 10" seal bar, but not very wide or long, only 6". They are marketing it as a infuser for marinades with a vapor sensor to prevent boiling. I am wondering if it can stop right at the point before boil over and then maintain that level of vacuum for a period of time by turning the vac pump on and off as needed? So set it for 30 minutes at 89%? I can infuse in my Minipack MVS45x by turning the machine off using the main power switch when it hits the vac level I want. It will stay in a vacuum for a while but eventually leaks allow air into it. I haven't done any that are very long. Might be nice to play with but I doubt I would use this feature very much. I REALLY like having a large chamber and a wide bar.

I agree. I also have minipack torre and it is an incredible machine. Made in Italy with a Busch vacuum pump. The only other machine that I feel is equal is a Henkelman which also uses the same Busch pumps. Minipack may be making them for PolyScience, but why? Just find a good Minipack and call it good. You can find great used machines on eBay or CL. One nice thing on the minipacks is the label shows the manufacture date and the software shows the number of cycles on the machine. This counter is like an odometer and cannot be reset, so is a great indicator of how used it is. There are a couple if their lower end models that use a DVP pump instead of a Busch. Still good and maybe a little bit cheaper. Hope this helps

Have you tried looking at the bladder modules? I ran into this bladder rebuild kit/info page (below). It is for a Minipack MVS (which I have) but I am pretty sure all chamber vacs with an internal seal bar that extend and retract function about the same. I would open it up and inspect them for defects etc. I am betting some moisture has gotten inside. Doug Care Minipack MVS Bladder Rebuild Lots of good info on his site. Hope this helps!

Oh and what city are you located in?

Who makes the Polyscience 300? I don’t think they make it themselves. How old is the machine? How many cycles? Have you pulled the cover and looked at the sealing plungers and the bellows? It sounds like a mechanical issue, maybe a split tube, or they plungers need to be lubed.

Also here is Busch's info for Finland. Email them and ask who the dealers are. They will have oil. Busch Vakuumteknik Oy Sinikellontie 401300Vantaa Phone: +358 (0)9 774 60 60 info@busch.fi www.buschvacuum.com/fi

Your Henkelman Jumbo has a Busch pump, not sure of the size though. Busch recommends their R580 oil which is a synthetic. It looks like R530 can be used as well. Busch Vacuum Oil Specs Honestly I only use Busch oil. I don't change it that often due to relatively low use, so the price or having to order it isn't a big issue. Hope this helps.

Its been interesting read the posts the last few days. I have a few comments, take them for what they are worth. I have a Minipack MVS45x which like someone mentioned, is WAY overkill for home use. But I happened upon it on Craigslist a few years ago and bought it for a song. It had a grand total of 212 cycles on it when I bought it!! It has literally become something that is used every single day! For example I seal all my cheese, usually in a long bag leaving enough excess bag that I can cut off 1/2" when I need some cheese, and then reseal it in the same bag. I also vacuum seal most of our leftovers. Everything keeps so much longer! We found one crazy use for it this summer, home made gelato and sorbet otter pops! I made my own narrow otter pop bags from some large 12''x16" bags, filled them up with homemade sorbet and gelato, sealed them and popped them back into the freezer. Delicious! They are quite labor intensive, but very fun to make. Henkelman, Minipack and Sammic are the top of the line chamber vacs, all with the premium Busch pumps. Honestly if I had the choice I would never buy a vacuum sealer without a Busch pump. They are built incredibly well. I do not feel that the size of the pump isn't really a concern, waiting a few more seconds per cycle shouldn't be a deal breaker in a home environment. I have soft air release on my MVS45X, it is a +/- knob on the front to adjust the return air. I have it set to almost the lowest, but I do not find it to be an indispensable feature honestly. On a unit that does not have it, I assume you could open it up and manually restrict the flow to the return port or hose to slow the return air if desired. So for me the Henkelman would be my first choice over the VP215, although it too should last a lifetime in home use with proper maintenance. Good luck with your purchase!

I agree with what several have said, you MUST put it someplace where it can be used without having to get it out. I have a Minipack MVS45x which is an amazing machine. It sits on a rolling cart in a craft room just off the kitchen, so easily accessible. Honestly, it is used daily and usually several times! We use it for leftovers rather than tupperware since food lasts so much longer. I vacuum pack all of my cheese, usually in a larger or longer bags so that when I use it, I just barely cut off the seal and have plenty of extra bag left to reseal it without changing the bag out. I vacuum seal any meat that is purchased, for freezing or even if left fresh to be used in a few days. Removing the oxygen definitely extends the life beyond the typical meat market loose cellophane wrap. If something is going to be frozen, it almost always is vacuum sealed. meat, garlic, lemon juice, Instant dry yeast, fish fillets etc. Cut an avocado in half and vacuum seal the other half (keeping the stone) and it will keep quite a long time in the fridge. I am an avid sous vide cooker, so it is used for that as well. The list is endless! I even use it when I travel or go camping to reduce space. It is amazing how much items shrink in a vacuum sealer! The bottom line is that you should put it where it can be used. If I had to take mine out every time I needed it or even to to the garage, it would never get used like it does. Enjoy your new sealer, mine is indispensable!

How does the gas flush work for things such as Artisan Breads? Does it help at all if I was going to freeze a loaf? How long would it extend the life at room temperature on the counter? I know there is nothing better than a fresh loaf out of the oven, or merely a few hours old, but I often bake a bit too much and would like to save a loaf or two for a few days. Also would Nitrogen or carbon dioxide be best?

So I took the back off of my MVS45XII last night and it looks like there isn't anything already installed for the gas flush kit other than the wires for the gas solenoid and pressure switch and holes drilled in the tub for the nozzles (plugged with an allen bolt with a nut on the backside). So I would need everything in the KR450A13 kit, including the plumbing parts. I am pretty confident I could source the pressure switch and solenoid at a significant savings. The pressure switch just closes the circuit when there is adequate pressure (~20-50 psi) on the gas inlet. This is to avoid the gas flush running without anything attached or when the gas tank is low. The solenoid is a very common item easily sourced locally. But it may not be worth it after looking at all the various plumbing parts and needing to rig some type of bulkhead fitting for the nozzles that protrude through the chamber tub (they would have to withstand the vacuum as well). I guess I will start to save to justify the ~$625 kit price. :-)

I did get a great deal, only 2000 and it is essentially new! :-) I did some more work on the gas kit. There is a description of the kit on this schematic. Look at the bottom of page 2 and the diagrams http://helpcenter.minipack.us/faqbookpro/Mike/FM112215_1_Ricambi_MV45X_2_Barre_Laterali_1.pdf It looks to be some plumbing and tubing parts, 4 nozzles and a "Solenoid valve for gas" Part # FE140003 and a pressure switch part # FE470000. Maybe I will open mine up and see if I can find the wire harness. If so, it shouldn't be too hard to change one of the programs to gas flush and see if I get output on the wires and at what voltage. I am guessing it will be 120v line voltage since I don't think there is a low voltage control circuit in this unit. Does anyone have a closeup pic of what the gas flush nozzles look like on a minipack, or actually any unit?

I just did some looking at the gas flush option on the Henkelman, Sammic and Minipack. Henkelman charges ~$212 for the gas flush option. It comes standard on the Sammic S series and the cost is close to the same as the T series (which is without gas flush). On the Minipack, gas flush is a $625 option on a new machine! So their add-on kit is the same price as when ordered new with a machine. I wonder what the kit contains to make it nearly 3 times the cost of the Henkelman? How would you rate these three units? I know all have Busch pumps, so they are even there. How would you rate the other items? (overall construction, user controls, ease of use etc).