Author Topic: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240  (Read 15572 times)

blairw75

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #15 on: November 30, 2010, 10:12:30 AM »
Got the foodsave 660. Found it locally

Sealed up a few cheeses and it seems to work a treat

Much better and defiantly much easier to use than the last one I had

Good strong vacuum around the cheese and it seals with a strip not a single thin wire

Ken, buy the wife one for Christmas :-)

Ken

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2010, 05:49:42 AM »
Thanks for the ingfo blairw75. Where did you buy it?  and good idea, I might ask the wife to buy me one for christmas.

blairw75

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #17 on: December 03, 2010, 07:03:57 PM »
I got mine from the local retravsion store. Most appliance stores would have them I think.
They had a few different models but as I had a cheap one that was no good I didnt want to muck around this time.
Get heaps of bags, I'm already out.
The wife has been using it more than me!
I hope Santa gets you one

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #18 on: December 04, 2010, 01:42:46 AM »
Okay you guys I've been good this year so I think that for the holidays I too deserve a proper FoodSaver.  I have had it with my lame vacuum sealer and now that I do lots of sous vide cooking too, I just can't afford unreliable bags.

Which model would you recommend?  Please keep in mind that I am a Manhattan apartment dweller so counter space is at premium. I would like something that can be stowed away.

susanky

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2010, 12:44:05 PM »
I have an email from Foodsaver to get 60% off and free shipping on the V3460, which looks fairly compact.  I think you need to click on the link in the email for the discount to be applied at checkout.  If you are interested PM me your email address and I will forward it to you.  Says normailly $139, now $55 with this deal.  Only good for 2 more days.  Merry Chistmas to you!
Susan

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #20 on: December 06, 2010, 10:47:05 PM »
Ooooh I hope I am not too late Susan, will PM you immediately!

Thanks!

By the way... it's "happy Hanukkah" in our house :)
Merry Christmas to you though! ^-^

susanky

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #21 on: December 07, 2010, 12:09:44 AM »
Sorry.. Happy Hanukkah!  And Happy Holidays to all.  That offer expired midnight last night.  But will keep you posted if I see another.
Susan

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #22 on: December 08, 2010, 09:16:48 AM »
Used the other coupon and got the top of the line model v3840 - I think it's the best band for the buck (and frankly I don't have space for all the accessories that comes with the more expensive kits).

The original $173 deal includes 1x 2 ¼ Quart Size Oval Marinator, 2x Heat Seal Rolls - 11in. x 10ft. each, 6x Pre-Made Heat Seal Bags - Quart-size, 4x Pre-Made Heat Seal Bags - Gallon-Size. They also added a free FreshSaver (their handheld electronic portable cordless sealer which they sell on the site for $20), free shipping (love it) and ...the coupon knocked the price down by $60 to $113 for all of that. Not too shabby!

Thanks for the coupons!

msandlie

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #23 on: December 08, 2010, 06:08:39 PM »
Hah great idea.. I got my wife the 5 quart kitchen...  I could ask her to buy me the food saver :)  Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for the ingfo blairw75. Where did you buy it?  and good idea, I might ask the wife to buy me one for christmas.

tananaBrian

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #24 on: December 08, 2010, 06:57:10 PM »
Hi Everyone

I have just been thinking of getting one of these vac sealers myself. Bad thing is I can't get access to the foodsave brand over here in New Zealand, and I suspect they run on 110v. We use 220v here

So I'm looking at one of these
http://www.fridgetech.co.nz/page/2276/
Could someone with experiance in these things check it out and advise if they think its suitable?
Or compare to the V3240
What pressure does the V3240 vac too?

I know there is a lot of junk out there that doesn't vacuum or seal very well

Any advise would be great


For what it's worth, I think the FoodSaver brand is OK for low-use households.  They built their reputation long ago, but have been since purchased by another company (can't remember the whole story) and the quality is no longer the same.  I have, here in Alaska where hunting and fishing is a way of life, vacuum packed thousands of pounds of food ...and while my FoodSaver was up to the task for awhile, it failed.  First the sealing became unreliable, then the vacuum pump failed to draw a high enough vacuum.   I was surprised to open it up and find the cheap little plastic pump with plastic piston ...surprised that it worked and lasted so long with components like that.  Again, it would be fine if I only needed a light use packer and wanted to save money, but my needs are greater than that.  I ended up replacing the unit with a Magic Vac Maximum that cost a little over $200 at the time.  It's no longer made, but it continues to work like it did on the first day that I got it, and it's been used very heavily.  Here are the features that I would personally look for in a vacuum packer (reasons in parenthesis):

  • $200 minimum price (seems to be the dividing line between units that have cheap pumps versus those that have better pumps)
  • Adjustable vacuum from 0" Hg to 25+" Hg (highest level for meats/cheeses and items that don't get damaged by pressure, lower levels for those that do)
  • Continuously adjustable sealing time, not just High and Low and allows fine control (allows you to use any manufacturer's bags, including resealing such things as potato chip bags)
  • Dual-piston pump (faster, lasts twice as long).  Nice if they advertise steel pistons and what not so you know you are getting higher quality
  • Built-in bag cutter with or without roll storage (nice clean cuts without resorting to scissors, allows you to use rolls rather than bags to save money).  I find that built-in roll storage is a hassle more than anything, but some folks like it.
  • Strip sealer rather than thin wire (mine seals a 1/8" (2mm) wide strip and has an easier time giving the bags a good seal without burning through)
  • Vacuum port is ABOVE the bag, not below (FoodSaver used to, and maybe still does, have the vacuum port below the bag and liquids from the bag (or juice) can get sucked through the pump and cause earlier failure, while having a port ABOVE the bag prevents this issue entirely)

Just my 2-bits and my experiences... we vacuum pack an average of 300 pounds of meat and around 30 to 50 salmon and other fish every year.  My Magic Vac model is no longer available, but we've had it for 10+ years now and it's still going strong.  The heat sealer is showing a little age but operates just fine.

Brian
« Last Edit: December 08, 2010, 07:27:59 PM by tananaBrian »

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Vacuum Sealer - FoodSaver Brand, Model V3240
« Reply #25 on: December 20, 2010, 09:21:33 PM »
I ended up getting the v3840 using the coupon that was on this thread. I have been vacuuming everything in site!!! It's a strong, high quality machine and the bags are of very good quality. This is meant for long time sealing and not something that would lose vacuum within a few days, weeks or even months. The plastic is also heavy and won't tear. As I said before, I use it for Sous Vide as well as cheese and it is safe for cooking in it! (it is made for cooking so no chemicals go into your food). It has multiple settings for soft or hard food, dry or wet food so you can seal gentle or seal very hard. It works with pre-made bags AND with rolls that let you create your own bag in your desirable size (there is a built in apparatus to place the roll and cut it with a guillotine style slider - very nice!) It also has a retractable bag opener (cutter) and a retractable hose attachment that connect to hard vacuum containers that you can use for storage or marinating. It's the best thing if you don't want to spend $1000 on a commercial vacuum chamber. I couldn't be happier. The only drawback is the size - made for the suburban American person with a 2-car garage and a kitchen the size of an Olympic pool. I cannot store it in my New York City kitchen.

As for 220V - just use a power inverter/converter. I go to Europe and Israel a lot and I always take them with me. Just make sure to buy a good quality one: good brand, certified (such as ISO9000, UL Listed, CE etc.) built-in fuse. Make sure it converts the voltage from 220V-250V to 100v-110v as well as the Herzage from 50Hz to 60Hz -and make sure it has enough amperage to support what you are connecting to it.  Most of these units are good and trustworthy, but some cheap ones can malfunction and burn your unit.

Like many appliances, it is possible that FoodSaver brand is sold under a different name in different countries.  FoodSaver is a one of many subsidiary brands of consumer appliance giant Jarden. Other Jarden brands you probably know may include Sunbeam, Crock Pot, Bionaire, Rival, Mr. Coffee, Holmes, VillaWare, Oster (and others). Each one of these brands have additional brands under it. FoodSaver is part of the Sunbeam brand for example. A Vaccum sealer similar in power and components to the basic FoodSaver models is also sold under the Rival brand in some international markert under the name Seal-a-Meal.  Where in the world are you? There is probably a local version of it wherever you are