The �35 vacuum sealer (german) from this site

[dimmell123]

Hello everyone!
My first post as a newbie.
Just taken delivery of the german vacuum sealer available from this site (getting into curing bacon) and am completely puzzled by the roll of bags supplied. The roll is simply a continous roll of a flat polythene sheeting folded in half down one side. No sign of a 'bag shape' in sight! Does this mean you have to seal two sides first then use the open third side for air extraction and then, finally seal that one? Seems a long-winded way of going about it. Or am I just a total idiot and missing something obvious? Simply, would I be better off buying some of the other bags people here recommend?

[saucisson]

Yes and yes. It's the same as supplied with that sort of sealer wherever you buy it. The roll is useful if you want to make very small or very long bags, but as you have surmised ready made bags are easier. The freezer bags sold by Lidl seem to be fairly optimal.

Dave

Edit: Welcome to the forum!

[dimmell123]

brilliant - thanks so much! Lidl here i come!

[Ianinfrance]

Hi,
With respect, I can't agree. Dimmel talked about folded sheets, open along one side and that isn't what I've ever bought.

Yes and yes. It's the same as supplied with that sort of sealer wherever you buy it. The roll is useful if you want to make very small or very long bags, but as you have surmised ready made bags are easier. The freezer bags sold by Lidl seem to be fairly optimal.

I have the rolls, both wide and narrow. On my rolls, they are sealed along both sides, so I have to. a) seal one end. Then b) cut an appropriate length, fill and then c) extract and seal.

When curing a 2kg length of belly, which isn't excessive in quantity, it's far too long for any bought bags. (As you sort of suggested to be fair).

[Spuddy]

Different bags I think Ian. You are thinking maybe of embossed bags whereas these are just plain (it's a much cheaper sealer and works much differently).
Correct me if I'm wrong

[Ianinfrance]

Perhaps Spuddy,

The bags I got with the vacuum sealer were indeed embossed, but the roll I got for my old bag sealer was plain polythene, a total pig to open, I might add, but still a tube sealed along both sides. (About 1000 metres ong if I remember right. Certainly it's still going "strong" after 20 years!!!!)

[Spuddy]

The only reason I thought of it is that the first vacuum sealer I bought about 15 years ago was a "Salter" branded one (I still have it somewhere) and it came with a similarly constructed roll.
I thought we'd progressed since then, but maybe not.

[saucisson]

Maybe "all" was a bit strong Ian, I take it back unreservedly. But the Princess branded one I got recently (that looked just like the Salter one we were given as a wedding present 20 years ago ) came with exactly the same one sided roll that dimmel described.

Dave

[shanew]

I have just got mine from here too, my roll is just folded, the first time you use the roll just seal of the end as close to the end of the roll as you can, then pull out the length you need and seal of again, this leaves you with one open end now.

Is their a trick to getting a good seal with these as every thing i've seald lets air back in, i've used the roll it came with and sone heavier duty freezer bags but non retain a vacuum, i've ensured the bags are flat when sealed so it's not creases letting the air in.

[Lee]

I have just got mine from here too, my roll is just folded, the first time you use the roll just seal of the end as close to the end of the roll as you can, then pull out the length you need and seal of again, this leaves you with one open end now.

Is their a trick to getting a good seal with these as every thing i've seald lets air back in, i've used the roll it came with and sone heavier duty freezer bags but non retain a vacuum, i've ensured the bags are flat when sealed so it's not creases letting the air in.

I could never get anything approaching a vacume with this type of sealer. I tried some of the tricks talked about on here, but after a day in the freezer, all I had was a sealed bag, not an un-useful thing, but not a vacume in sight. I've just bought the reber from this site, (lot more expensive I know), and that is the dogs bollocks I have to say, I'm well pleased with it.

[Ianinfrance]

Hi,

the only way I ever got a good seal on my bags was to give it a double whammy of heat. This is true of both bag sealers I've owned. The first one wasn't a vacuum sealer, but still, if I wanted to ensure a good seal (for example when marinating, you really don't want to find the venison sitting dry and lonely in the bag, and half a litre of red wine pissed all over the bottom of the fridge!), I used to have to press the "seal" button twice. I now have a (cheap and nasty) vacuum sealer that I got from QVC before they withdrew it. Using that with embossed bags, I still find that if I want to be sure the seal is good, it's better to press the button a second time. Actually what I find is that when making my first seal - the one I make before filling , I make two parallel seals. Doing it that way I've not had a leak.

When I go back to the UK (less than a week now) I'll be getting a new sealer, from a chap who advertised on eBay. Let's hope it's a lot better than the one we are returning to QVC because both catches broke.

[saucisson]

Which one are you getting Ian?, because I got mine on Ebay and it's not very well made. In fact the lid was broken in transit and I had to mend it before I could use it. It's a Princess model.

Dave

[Ken Boy]

Hi folk's
Poundland do a nice line in polly bags @ THE RIGHT PRICE also the vac machine that I brought for �24 is still going strong
I Remember rick's little tip seal it first
Then snip the corner off then place the small hole over the pipe then vac it Then re- seal across the corner again works every time for me

[Ianinfrance]

Hi,

Which one are you getting Ian?, because I got mine on Ebay and it's not very well made. In fact the lid was broken in transit and I had to mend it before I could use it. It's a Princess model.
Dave

Fortunately the guy is only about 5 miles from where we're staying over christmas, so I'll be picking it up! Nope it's not the Princess. It was a huge extravagance, it's the "Magic Vac Maxima", made in Italy by flaemmnuova

http://www.flaemnuova.it/magic/macchine/maxima.html

this link may work to show you a pic. How's your Italian?

[saucisson]

That looks more like the business!

Dave