FoodSaver V2244 Vacuum Sealing System

I’ll admit I was skeptical at first – I wasn’t convinced that vacuum-sealing would make any impact in reducing the outrageous quantity of food my family wastes in the deep, dark, forgotten recesses of the freezer. But in just two months of use, it actually has. Granted, much of the savings are attributable to more enthusiastic management of the freezer, but it’s working. We are now also purchasing meats, cheeses, poultry, etc. in quantity when they’re on sale and also cooking sauces in quantity and sealing in multiple bags. The unit has officially paid for itself in our two months of use. The ability to freeze “pre-leftovers” is convenient and saves money. And the quality of the vacuum sealed foods is practically the same as fresh-prepared.

Based on reviews (though mostly of other models), I was concerned about the quality and durability of the sealer, but this unit is well built and performs very consistently. No doubt in my mind that it wouldn’t hold up to commercial use, but for family use – weekly and occasionally in-between – I’m confident it will last at least one or two years without problems. Certainly, vacuum pumps are never long-lived and will probably be the demise of the unit, but a unit with a serviceable, commercial grade vacuum pump would cost much, much more and would also require periodic maintenance. This unit is inexpensive enough to justify replacement should it fail.

When ordering we also purchased an assortment of rolls along with the two standard sized bags. I wish we had passed on the rolls – we haven’t sealed anything yet that didn’t easily fit into either the quart or gallon bags, but I suppose if you are sealing excessively long (and narrow) items like full racks of ribs the rolls would be helpful. The bags are far more convenient and not that much more expensive. Here’s another trick – when you need an ice pack immediately or for food transport, just seal some cubes in a bag. For some reason, the ice seems to melt much more slowly in a vacuum bag, and you can even reuse it.

So, my advice is go ahead and try it. If you’re not running a home meat packing business I’ll bet it will be a good fit for any average family. Read the instructions – an hour of pre-freezing before sealing prevents the vacuum from sucking out juices and is essential when packing sauces and liquids. Doing this I have not even had to clean the sump tray even once. And besides quantity of use, I’m certain aspiration of contents into the vacuum pump is the primary reason the units fail.

I received this sealer and it was defective. So I recommend people unpack and check it right away. I called Food Saver and the rep was courteous and helpful. Very pleased that Amazon replaced the item in about a day.

The replacement works very well. It seals quietly and in about 10 seconds. It has sealed well although I am not pre-freezing the items prior to sealing. I am cooking the veggies, cooling them off and sealing while still warm or at room temp. A nice feature is that I can push the buttom for “seal-vacuum” and when it has drawn the air down to the point I want it, I can then push seal and stop it from continuing to pull a vacuum. It can also do this with a minimum of waste of bag length. Seal and vacuum as expected is a little bit noisier but still not as noisy as my previous model, a Rival Vacuum sealer.

I learned from my previous Rival and the defective sealing strip in the one that I had to return that it is essential to keep the sealing strip perfectly flat and to keep pressure from the gaskets. So I recommend gently lowering the lid when using it and storing the sealer with the lid propped open (same way as it is shipped).

I have had several food savers over the past few years, but this one has the strongest motor and works the best. It really does extend the life of foods in both the refrigerator and freezer. Being able to reseal crackers, cereal and other cabinet foods helps keep them fresh as well. Am very pleased with this item and would recommend it to friends.