# Vacuum Food Sealer (cryovac)



## Amber Fluid (9/1/12)

I am wanting to buy a Vacuum Food Sealer for storing hops but would like to know what you recommend.

I have been told THIS one on Ebay may be a good buy and will do the trick.

What do you use and can you recommend anything?
I understand you get what you pay for but I am obviously trying to find a good cheap one that will do the job I am after.

Cheers
AF


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## stux (9/1/12)

Looks okay to me, separate seal functionality is worth having. With the sunbeam I have to go through a full vacuum cycle just to add a seal. That's four full vacuum cycles to make a double sealed bag


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## snoozer (9/1/12)

I'd look at getting one with "ports" on it that u can connect hose to, then u connect the hose to a specially designed bottle stopper or jar that has a hose connector on it. Then u can vacuum seal the bottle or jar, VERY handy if u can't/don't want to seal in bags. The storage jars & bottle stoppers should come with the unit as a package. U can usually buy seperate containers/stoppers if u need extras.


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## Yob (9/1/12)

Amber Fluid said:


> I understand you get what you pay for but I am obviously trying to find a good cheap one that will do the job I am after.



That didnt take long AF... been thinking of this over the weekend too, will follow this topic with interest h34r: 

Yob


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## Lecterfan (9/1/12)

Stux said:


> Looks okay to me, separate seal functionality is worth having. With the sunbeam I have to go through a full vacuum cycle just to add a seal. That's four full vacuum cycles to make a double sealed bag




My sunbeam just seals on its own if I want it to, but mine was a gift - the big shiny faux steel one. I've used a friends maxkon (or something similar on ebay) one and it does the job perfectly well also.


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## benno1973 (9/1/12)

The Maxkon ones on ebay get a good rap by a few people here. $60 delivered is pretty good for a vacuum sealer. Never used one myself. 

I have a DZ300A which used to be sold by www.thepackagingcentre.com.au but is now stocked by sealandpack. I got mine on special for around $130 I think. If I had to buy another, I'd probably try a Maxkon, as the price looks so good. 

Whatever you buy, check out the packagingcentre for bags, as they seem to be far cheaper.

Also check out this thread...


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## DU99 (9/1/12)

Maxkon ones are good value..


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## keifer33 (9/1/12)

Yeah I got a Maxkon one and it does a great job.


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## fraser_john (9/1/12)

Kaiser Soze said:


> The Maxkon ones on ebay get a good rap by a few people here. $60 delivered is pretty good for a vacuum sealer. Never used one myself.
> 
> I have a DZ300A which used to be sold by www.thepackagingcentre.com.au but is now stocked by sealandpack. I got mine on special for around $130 I think. If I had to buy another, I'd probably try a Maxkon, as the price looks so good.
> 
> ...



I have the one shown in the packaging centre link above and us the foil bags you can buy through them for packing 1kg hops into 100gm bags before chucking into freezer. Works a charm.


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## taztiger (9/1/12)

A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html


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## benno1973 (9/1/12)

fraser_john said:


> I have the one shown in the packaging centre link above and us the foil bags you can buy through them for packing 1kg hops into 100gm bags before chucking into freezer. Works a charm.



Hey John,

I find that about 10% of the time, the clear plastic bags lose vacuum - do you find that it's better with the foil bags? (i.e. less leaks)


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## Amber Fluid (9/1/12)

iamozziyob said:


> That didnt take long AF... been thinking of this over the weekend too, will follow this topic with interest h34r:
> 
> Yob


lol yeah mate, my birthday is just around the corner so I thought I might start spreading the word :icon_cheers: 




taztiger said:


> A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
> http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html



Thanks for the link. That one looks good value as it appears most here recommend the Maxkon.



Kaiser Soze said:


> Hey John,
> 
> I find that about 10% of the time, the clear plastic bags lose vacuum - do you find that it's better with the foil bags? (i.e. less leaks)



If your bags are vacuum sealed and you are losing vacuum then it sounds like something is faulty there. I would think that a product should do what it is intended to without a % of being faulty.


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## felten (9/1/12)

I have a sealandpack one from ebay, it's great but is a little broken ATM. But the seller is great and I'll be shipping it back to him so he can fix it.


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## benno1973 (9/1/12)

Amber Fluid said:


> If your bags are vacuum sealed and you are losing vacuum then it sounds like something is faulty there. I would think that a product should do what it is intended to without a % of being faulty.



It's generally because the plastic bags aren't sitting flat when you close the seal lid. Any small wrinkle in the plastic and when the heat selaer seals the bag, it can create a small leak in the bag. I'm sure any of the sealers have similar sorts of issues. Doesn't happen that often - 10% might have been an exaggeration. More prone to happen when I an rushing or when I have a lot of bagging to do (like 5kg of hops in 100g bags or something). I just thought that the foil bags might have a bit more rigidity, so it might not be such a problem.


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## [email protected] (9/1/12)

The Maxkon are great for the price.
I have had mine almost 3 years still going strong. It gets used more for other things around the kitchen than hops.


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## cam89brewer (9/1/12)

Wow am I the only one with a sunbeam vacuum sealer? I recommend the sunbeam which is $120 at big W but if the maxkon ones are fine then you may as well save a few bucks. I was just turned off the maxkon brand due to our last vacuum which only lasted about 3 months (which was a maxkon). I also seal small amounts of speciality grains but just make sure get better quality bags if sealing larger amounts of anything as they seem to leek with some of the cheap ebay rolls.


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## [email protected] (9/1/12)

If get any liquid into them, prob more so with the cheaper ones, they will shit themselves.
My mum did it with a sunbeam she had had for 2 weeks...no good, lucky the big chain dept stores usually just swap no questions.

If i am doing something that has any moisture content at all, i fold up a piece of paper towel and put that inside the bag between contents and the end of the bag.


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## cdbrown (9/1/12)

I have one like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-2011-Vacuum...=item1c167a8ceb and has done a great job for the past year.


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## DU99 (9/1/12)

My daughter has the above model of sealer


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## ashley_leask (9/1/12)

+1 for the Maxkon. Haven't had it long, but it's working great so far. If you go another way, make sure you can get bags / rolls for a reasonable price.


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## fraser_john (9/1/12)

Kaiser Soze said:


> Hey John,
> 
> I find that about 10% of the time, the clear plastic bags lose vacuum - do you find that it's better with the foil bags? (i.e. less leaks)



no the foil bags are real good......with a caveat, they have tendancy to form a crease if you try seal with too much content, so I just pack them light and they seem to work real well in the long term, I threw out some home grown hops that were almost two years sealed in foil bag no problems!


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## Lecterfan (9/1/12)

Stux said:


> With the sunbeam I have...






Lecterfan said:


> My sunbeam ...






cambrew said:


> Wow am I the only one with a sunbeam vacuum sealer?




No.


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## beerdrinkingbob (9/1/12)

Lecterfan said:


> No.



Gold!! :beerbang:


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## 1974Alby (9/1/12)

fraser_john said:


> I threw out some home grown hops that were almost two years sealed in foil bag no problems!



if they were sealed no problems!, why did you throw them out?

:icon_offtopic: will you have any rhizomes this year?..im keen to grow my own 

Al


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## Whiteferret (9/1/12)

taztiger said:


> A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
> http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html




I made sure I did the hover over this link <_<


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## Wimmig (9/1/12)

Kaiser Soze said:


> The Maxkon ones on ebay get a good rap by a few people here. $60 delivered is pretty good for a vacuum sealer. Never used one myself.
> 
> I have a DZ300A which used to be sold by www.thepackagingcentre.com.au but is now stocked by sealandpack. I got mine on special for around $130 I think. If I had to buy another, I'd probably try a Maxkon, as the price looks so good.
> 
> ...



I have the same model (the DZ300A). The packaging centre sells it under that name, but after a bit of digging around if you order 1000 of them the factory will call them whatever you like. Sealandpack sell them as well

Got mine of ebay, this ebay one to be exact;

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220880541517


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## almopec (9/1/12)

Ive also got a maxkon sealer. Works well, cheap and can use rolls too.


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## Amber Fluid (10/1/12)

taztiger said:


> A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
> http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html




With regards to the unit holding the bags, is there a limitation as to how long the bags are? What I mean to say is, the one in the link shows 3 meters of bags, could you fit something like a 20 meter roll in it or are you stuck with only 3 meter rolls?

I also assume these will do individual bags as well.


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## QldKev (10/1/12)

Kaiser Soze said:


> It's generally because the plastic bags aren't sitting flat when you close the seal lid. Any small wrinkle in the plastic and when the heat selaer seals the bag, it can create a small leak in the bag. I'm sure any of the sealers have similar sorts of issues. Doesn't happen that often - 10% might have been an exaggeration. More prone to happen when I an rushing or when I have a lot of bagging to do (like 5kg of hops in 100g bags or something). I just thought that the foil bags might have a bit more rigidity, so it might not be such a problem.



I've got a couple/few year old DZ300A and the same thing, you have to keep the bag pretty flat for it to seal. But in saying that, and knowing to keep the area to be sealed smooth and clean of crap, it is very rare for a bag to leak, maybe 1%. I do find it easier to have something under the bag of hops to help hold it level to the machine. 

QldKev


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## Logman (10/1/12)

I've got a Maxkon and bought some of *these* replacement rolls. Sometimes I can't get it to vacuum with these. They are flat on one side with the small ridges on the other - I think the originals had ridges on both sides of the roll. Anyone had troubles with replacements - what's the trick?


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## DU99 (10/1/12)

i buy these rolls  and cut to suit on a cheap paper trimmer


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## [email protected] (10/1/12)

Logman said:


> I've got a Maxkon and bought some of *these* replacement rolls. Sometimes I can't get it to vacuum with these. They are flat on one side with the small ridges on the other - I think the originals had ridges on both sides of the roll. Anyone had troubles with replacements - what's the trick?



I bought the same rolls for my Max.
They definitely do not work as easy as the original.
However i worked out the trick with them, now they work no worries.

Place the edge to be sealed as usual in port, close lid fully so it locks.
Pop the locks, do nothing else and start the vac/seal cycle, after a couple of seconds push it down so it locks.
This method always works for me with those bags.
I thought when i first got them that my machine may have been starting to fade, was driving me nuts as to why it would not complete the vac/seal cycle.
Got me beat why doing it this way works? but it does


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## cdbrown (10/1/12)

Amber Fluid said:


> With regards to the unit holding the bags, is there a limitation as to how long the bags are? What I mean to say is, the one in the link shows 3 meters of bags, could you fit something like a 20 meter roll in it or are you stuck with only 3 meter rolls?
> 
> I also assume these will do individual bags as well.



It looks like there's a fair amount of space in the holder - but remember it's only used to store the roll. Just store the bigger rolls elsewhere, eventually you'll use enough of the roll to store it. You don't need to use the storage compartment. All the sealing is done from the front of the machine so you have to cut the size of bag you want and then seal it up (the holder doesn't feed the roll through the sealer).

Individual bags are just made from the roll.


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## mmmyummybeer (10/1/12)

I brought the same replacement rolls of ebay and found them to work great, at lot cheaper price than others on the market. I also use a craft cutter when cutting the bags, which I would recommend as it works so much better than scissors. Bags are cut to size with easy nice straight cuts.


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## Logman (10/1/12)

Beer4U said:


> I bought the same rolls for my Max.
> They definitely do not work as easy as the original.
> However i worked out the trick with them, now they work no worries.
> 
> ...


Thanks mate, I'll give that a go... :icon_cheers:


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## Fents (10/1/12)

taztiger said:


> A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
> http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html



just brought this now, cheers looks the goods.


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## drsmurto (10/1/12)

I've bought the DZ300A or whatever name it was sold under before and have had 2 die (removed filters and still no good).

The Maxkon feels like a more solid unit and so far seems like a far better product.


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## argon (10/1/12)

Got the Maxkon here. Done 2 sous vides so far and sealed up some random shot around the house. Works a streat ans very easy to use. Really have to make sure when vacuuming that there is little to no moisture in the what your sealing. It really sucks it up and i can imagine if anything got sucked in it would be royally fucked.

Still yet to organize myself and vacuum up the 3-4kg of hops i have in the freezer at the moment.


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## Amber Fluid (10/1/12)

argon said:


> Got the Maxkon here. Done 2 sous vides so far and sealed up some random shot around the house. Works a streat ans very easy to use. Really have to make sure when vacuuming that there is little to no moisture in the what your sealing. It really sucks it up and i can imagine if anything got sucked in it would be royally fucked.



The moisture issue is the only thing that is concerning me atm. Where as the one I listed HERE will handle moist and dry operation.


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## DU99 (10/1/12)

looks like in the pic it has a dry/moist selection


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## Tony (10/1/12)

Def looking into geting one of these for hops, chilli's, and other stiff.

Love the pics of a 20c half tomatoe vac sealed in a $1 bag 

Just eat it all FFS 

Maxkon unit is looking very popular and well priced.

I have seen a couple comments on bags... but whats best?


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## mgill (10/1/12)

Tony said:


> Def looking into geting one of these for hops, chilli's, and other stiff.
> 
> Love the pics of a 20c half tomatoe vac sealed in a $1 bag
> 
> ...



I have done 3 seasons of hops in the sunbeam VAC440, never had any issues, always seals well and no deterioration in the hops.

As for bags, I have always just used the sunbeam ones (I do meat, jerky, hops etc) and never had an issue. Admittedly I always use those because I have been too lazy to look around for other bags.


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## CONNOR BREWARE (10/1/12)

Tony said:


> Def looking into geting one of these for hops, chilli's, and other stiff.
> 
> Love the pics of a 20c half tomatoe vac sealed in a $1 bag
> 
> ...


get you bags from master butchers association if you have em over east, should get your costs down to 20 cents a bag last time bought em.


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## CONNOR BREWARE (10/1/12)

Duke of Paddy said:


> get you bags from master butchers association if you have em over east, should get your costs down to 20 cents a bag last time bought em.



I got a sunbeam VAC 440 a few years ago, the bigger unit, when they are getting rid of the old model and bringing in the new for $150 with bags and the wine bottle devise. Big unit that's has traveled up the north end of WA to do its job vac sealing fresh fish running off a generator.

judging by the cascade it just tore in half off one of my first year plants it will now be doing more than vac sealing hop pellets, malt and food


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## mgill (10/1/12)

Duke of Paddy said:


> get you bags from master butchers association if you have em over east, should get your costs down to 20 cents a bag last time bought em.




Not a bad idea, will talk to the local butcher next time I call in and see where they get them from and how much.


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## Amber Fluid (16/1/12)

taztiger said:


> A woman i work with has one of these and loves it.
> http://www.crazysales.com.au/maxkon-vacuum...-bag-rolls.html



Well I took the plunge today and bought this one, thanks for the link taztiger. I also got the canisters and spare bags but no idea what use the canisters will do me yet. I thought the bags were cheap and saved postage to get them at the same time. 28cm bags are only $28.45 for 2 x 10m rolls.

Thanks for everyone's discussion here.


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## Fents (16/1/12)

Amber Fluid said:


> Well I took the plunge today and bought this one, thanks for the link taztiger. I also got the canisters and spare bags but no idea what use the canisters will do me yet. I thought the bags were cheap and saved postage to get them at the same time. 28cm bags are only $28.45 for 2 x 10m rolls.
> 
> Thanks for everyone's discussion here.



i brought the same one and got it deliverd last week. its great. missus loves it too.


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## hopie89 (16/1/12)

Just got the sunbeam vac660 as a 7 month early birthday present. looks pretty good so far have split up a big pack of hops and resealed them.
Hopie


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## DU99 (17/1/12)

just got an email from packaging centre with an offer of free postage


> Simply enter the promotion code TPCFREE at checkout


 available till end of jan..


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## benno1973 (17/1/12)

DU99 said:


> just got an email from packaging centre with an offer of free postage available till end of jan..



Check these out. They are the same model as the packaging centre ones (maybe the older version, but same specs?), just rebadged. $55 delivered.


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## komodo (17/1/12)

I have one of the vac sealers that someone organised a bulk buy on a little while ago.
Whilst im happy with it 90% of the time its not without flaws. Sometimes it doesnt seal properly and you go to the freezer only to find that air has made its way into the bags and you might as well have used an ordinary freezer bag.
I'l had to strip the machine several times after some moisture has made its way into the pipes and caused it to block.
The vacuum mechanism often creases the bag which leades to a crease along the seal - again leading to leaks.

I'm going to buy one of those pressurized chamber vacuum sealers eventually because having a vac sealer is great!


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## Deebo (17/1/12)

I have one of those rebadged packaging center type sealers. The left clip to hold the lid closed on mine doesn't lock half the time (can be really annoying).


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