MC@H and vacuum sealers

[Anonymous Modernist 13366]

I've been doing my sous vide cooking with Ziploc bags, and after borrowing MC from the local library I was all set to buy a VacMaster chamber sealer for home. Sounded like it was a big step up in terms of safely storing cooked food in the fridge for more than a couple days. Then I received MC@H for Christmas. Reading MC@H presents no urgency at all for acquiring a chamber sealer. I'd guess it was because it's an expensive piece of equipment for home, but they do still have a one-page spread on the pacojet.

My best guess so far is that home refrigerators and freezers aren't cold enough and/or stable enough to reap the storage benefits that a chamber sealed pouch would bring over edge-sealed or Ziploc. Can anyone shed additional light on this for me?

[Anonymous Modernist 13366]

I've been doing my sous vide cooking with Ziploc bags, and after borrowing MC from the local library I was all set to buy a VacMaster chamber sealer for home. Sounded like it was a big step up in terms of safely storing cooked food in the fridge for more than a couple days. Then I received MC@H for Christmas. Reading MC@H presents no urgency at all for acquiring a chamber sealer. I'd guess it was because it's an expensive piece of equipment for home, but they do still have a one-page spread on the pacojet.

My best guess so far is that home refrigerators and freezers aren't cold enough and/or stable enough to reap the storage benefits that a chamber sealed pouch would bring over edge-sealed or Ziploc. Can anyone shed additional light on this for me?

[Anonymous Modernist 14040]

I am curious about why MC@H excludes the chamber sealer also. To me it has three factors that make it superior to the standard vacuum sealer:

1) LIQUIDS - you do not have to pre-freeze them! Plus, you can use it for sucking our out of them. In an edge sealer the liquid gets sucked out.

2) Stronger seal - higher compression rate, stronger seal, plus it is tuneable. Edge sealers often leave a little bit of air, which expands when heated and makes sous vide balloons . . .

3) Powders - you do not have to worry (as much) about the powder being sucked out of the bag. Edge sealers have a tendency to suck out really light powders, if you do not use a big enough bag.

Biggest drawback is they take a ton of space.

And I have no idea why they left the Pacojet in, other than to brag about having one. It is cool, but there are so many things I would rather have first: centrifuge, chamber sealer, combi-oven, etc.

[Anonymous Modernist 14040]

I am curious about why MC@H excludes the chamber sealer also. To me it has three factors that make it superior to the standard vacuum sealer:

1) LIQUIDS - you do not have to pre-freeze them! Plus, you can use it for sucking our out of them. In an edge sealer the liquid gets sucked out.

2) Stronger seal - higher compression rate, stronger seal, plus it is tuneable. Edge sealers often leave a little bit of air, which expands when heated and makes sous vide balloons . . .

3) Powders - you do not have to worry (as much) about the powder being sucked out of the bag. Edge sealers have a tendency to suck out really light powders, if you do not use a big enough bag.

Biggest drawback is they take a ton of space.

And I have no idea why they left the Pacojet in, other than to brag about having one. It is cool, but there are so many things I would rather have first: centrifuge, chamber sealer, combi-oven, etc.