Chamber Vacuum Sealers, 2014–

[Mjx]

The previous section of the ongoing Chamber Vacuum Sealers discussion reached the 20-page mark (after which point topics cause the site to slow significantly whenever they load), so we've split the discussion, which continues, here.

[rotuts]

here it is at 'home butcher' where I got my VP-215:

 

https://olivia-hayse-r7le.squarespace.com/meat-packaging-vacuum/vacmaster-vp115

[Raamo]

edit: Bah never mind the problem with split threads...  In case anyone else is confused...  (Or maybe it's just me)

 

https://olivia-hayse-r7le.squarespace.com/meat-packaging-vacuum/vacmaster-vp215

 

That's the VP-215 - rotuts linked the 115 at the same site.... 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Raamo (log)

[rotuts]

my link was a ref to KB's post on the VP-115.  its at the end of the previous CVSeal thread.

[philie]

just because this thread is still fresh and i am seeing 2 very interesting machines right at the start with and even more interesting price tag.

are these two the to-go-for machines one should buy when getting into the chamber topic or are there other  better/ cheaper alternatives?

thanks a lot in advance!

[Raamo]

just because this thread is still fresh and i am seeing 2 very interesting machines right at the start with and even more interesting price tag.

are these two the to-go-for machines one should buy when getting into the chamber topic or are there other  better/ cheaper alternatives?

thanks a lot in advance!

 

In all the research I've done those are your two cheapest bets,  the 115 is a dry-piston pump and the 215 is an oil-pump.  The more expensive ones come down to features (or branding).  As long as you understand the limitations of any of them as well as dry vs oil.  You'll likely come back to these 2 as options representing the lower end cost wise.  Also the more expensive ones can be slightly lighter as these are not light machines.

[alanz]

Also keep in mind some other features which vary significantly from model to model: the width of the seal bar, the dimensions of the chamber, and external hose port.

I like the 12" seal width of my VP112.  I tend to use larger bags than I originally anticipated, so I also appreciate the length of the chamber.

I wish the chamber height was a little taller, so it could accommodate a 16oz wide mouth mason jar (it's just a tiny bit too short for that).

I use the external hose connection to vacuum seal mason jars... very handy storage containers.

[Martin Fisher]

I wish the chamber height was a little taller, so it could accommodate a 16oz wide mouth mason jar (it's just a tiny bit too short for that).

 

Have you tried the Collection Elite pint jars?

They're wide mouth and only about 3.75 inches tall with the band on.

Edited March 5, 2014 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[alanz]

DDF,

 

I had never seen that size before... I just ordered a few and they will likely work out well.

Edited March 5, 2014 by alanz (log)

[paulraphael]

Any possibility that someone will do for vacuum sealers what they did for immersion circulators (make a fully functional one for 80% less money)?

[rotuts]

very unlikely.  expensive to pull a vac and have a chamber that doesn't crack nor implode.

[weedy]

Any possibility that someone will do for vacuum sealers what they did for immersion circulators (make a fully functional one for 80% less money)?

I said exactly the same thing in the other part of the thread.

 

 

despite the naysayers, I predict it's a year or two away (maybe not 80% less, but under $300)

 

 

 

they said the same about immersion circulators

[mgaretz]

Due to some unexpected tax refunds coming my way, I'm thinking of getting a chamber vacuum sealer.  Probably the VP112.  Is webrestaurantstore still the least expensive?  Anybody in the SF Bay Area looking to upgrade and wants to part with theirs?

[weedy]

... Probably the VP112.  Is webrestaurantstore still the least expensive? 

seems to be, still

[imafoodie]

I have just purchased the Polyscience 300 chamber vacuum sealer. So far, I am quite happy with it, although I need some tips for sealing liquids. Has anyone else yet purchased this unit?

I've had good results with sealing things for sous vide cooking, and since this is my first time owning a chamber vacuum sealer, the first thing I did was compress fruit.

[lesliec]

Hi, imafoodie.  Welcome to eG.

 

I'm jealous - I want a chamber too!  I think the two main considerations for sealing liquids are having an angled surface inside the chamber so the liquid doesn't spill, and the temperature of what you're sealing.  You probably already know that boiling point drops as pressure is reduced, so if you try to seal anything much above room temperature you may end up with it boiling all over the place.

 

Good luck - let us know about your experiences.

[nickrey]

Stuff at room temperature boils. Chill it before sealing.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I have just purchased the Polyscience 300 chamber vacuum sealer. So far, I am quite happy with it, although I need some tips for sealing liquids. Has anyone else yet purchased this unit?

 

I have mine on order for delivery in about ten days.  It was that or a digital scale.

 

How high a temperature are the Polyscience bags rated, if you know?

[imafoodie]

I don't know, Jo, about the bags. But it says the bags are BPA free & safe for sous vide & microwave cooking, in case that helps.

Edited March 14, 2014 by imafoodie (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks, I'll plan to check with Polyscience once I get my machine.  I'd like to be able to use them in the pressure cooker as well as other things.

[dcarch]

very unlikely.  expensive to pull a vac and have a chamber that doesn't crack nor implode.

 

The pump is the cheap part. A $20.00 tire pump can be easily turned into a vacuum pump. I have done it.

 

 

It's all the other controls, heat seal, etc.

 

dcarch

[btbyrd]

Thanks, I'll plan to check with Polyscience once I get my machine.  I'd like to be able to use them in the pressure cooker as well as other things.

 

Normal sous vide bags won't work in a pressure cooker. You'll need retort bags for that. Not all chamber vacs will seal retort bags.

 

 

The pump is the cheap part. A $20.00 tire pump can be easily turned into a vacuum pump. I have done it.

 

It's all the other controls, heat seal, etc.

 

dcarch

 

Not quite. That pump isn't going to be strong enough to pull the sort of vacuum that chamber machines are capable of. It wouldn't, for example, be able to boil water at room temperature or compress plant material. The pump in the video you showed is more akin to the pump inside a FoodSaver/edge sealer rather than the ones in a chamber vac. There's a reason that commercial chamber vacs weigh 100lbs or more... the pumps are huge. Chamber vacuums also keep the air pressure the same on the inside and outside of the container being sealed. Since the entire chamber is being evacuated (and not just the inside of a bag or bottle) it's possible to pull a vacuum on liquids wiithout them being sucked into the pump.

Edited March 14, 2014 by btbyrd (log)

[rotuts]

ditto

[Martin Fisher]

I paid $3 for a vacuum "pump" that'll boil water at room temperature (actually much less than room temperature) and compress plant material......a faucet vacuum aspirator.

So far, I prefer the faucet vacuum aspirator for such tasks rather than the chamber vacuum.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Help, please!  My Polyscience came today and I am confused (as well as totally exhausted from uncrating and trying to carry it).  Most of the instructions make at least some sense, but for the following:

 

"Lay bag flat in the vacuum chamber with the opening of the bag across the seal bar."  So far, so good.

 

"If packaging relatively dry products, use one or more of the volume plates supplied with your unit to keep the top of the bag level with the seal bar."  What is "relatively dry"?  And what is a "volume plate"?  I have gone through the packaging multiple times and cannot find anything that might reasonably be a volume plate, nor are volume plates listed in the package contents.  Imafoodie, did you get a volume plate with yours?

 

"If packaging a bag containing liquids or wet product, use a liquid tray and keep the bag below the height of the seal bar."  This seems reasonable, but what is a liquid tray?  I thought it might mean something like a quarter sheet pan, but a quarter sheet pan doesn't quite fit in the chamber.

 

"Secure the underside of the vacuum bag mouth in the clamp."  This is the hard part.  I don't see anything that looks like a clamp.  Even though there is a very small and useless illustration of the unit with an arrow pointing to "clamp".

 

My dinner is marinating at the moment in the refrigerator.  I hope to figure out how to seal a bag in the next hour or I will be eating late.  Suggestions would be most welcome.

 

 

Edit:  I found a picture of a Polyscience liquid tray.  Nothing like that came with my unit, nor can I find them for sale.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/polyscience_culinary/8006175457/in/photostream/

 

 

Edit 2:  I may have figured out the clamp.  I'll find out when I try to put my pork chop in.  The manual for the 300 is not that good but it's in French as well as English.

Edited March 18, 2014 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)