FoodSaver Review: Vacuum Sealing System and Tips For Use

Food waste is a huge area of opportunity in the United States.  According to Fox News, “The average American family of four tosses over 1,160 pounds of food a year — from scraps, to spills and spoilage.”  I am always looking for ways to cut back on waste myself. When I was given the opportunity to work with FoodSaver® brand, I was naturally excited!  Here is my review of the FoodSaver® V4865 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System and tips for using the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by FoodSaver through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about the FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer System, all opinions are my own.

FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System is designed to remove air from around the food. This extends freshness up to five times longer than conventional storage methods.  For example, a piece of pork may last about 6 months in your freezer. However, vacuum sealed in a FoodSaver® bag, that same pork could last 2-3 years.  I love reducing waste and I am excited about this can help me reduce food cost as well.

FoodSaver® V4865 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System Review

First I unboxed the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System and took a look at the appliance, the vacuum sealing bag options, and the manual.

I gave the manual a quick read through to make sure I was prepared to operate the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System and it all seemed to pretty easy. I looked over the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System and it makes a pretty nice addition to the kitchen with its sleek stainless steel finish and cute neon green contrast points.

How To Use FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer

First I removed all the labels, which had helpful little instructions on them like use the retractable handheld sealer on the valve of zipper bags (or with the marinate accessory sold separately).  Don’t forget to remove labels and tape inside the drip tray drawer and inside the bag compartment.

Then I turned the appliance around to the back side to locate the plug.  Although the plug is not apparent at first, don’t be alarmed!  It is hiding, neatly tucked away, underneath the FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System and you just un roll the plug when you are ready to plug it in.  It is very handy for storage and keeping things neat and tidy when not in use!

Then it is ready to use!  I tried the FoodSaver® V4865 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System to preserve food with both the zipper bag and the bags you make yourself from the roll.  

The zipper bags are super easy to use- you just insert food, seal the top with finger, and use the handheld sealer to suck the air out.  You place the sealer over the valve and it does all the work and cuts off when it is done sucking the air out of the bag.  

How To Make Vacuum Bags

Making the bags yourself out of the roll is also very easy though it does involve one extra step and somehow seems intimidating until you try it and realize that it is also super easy. The extra step here is of course, making the bag.

To make the bag you just pull the plastic roll that you store in the machine until it is long enough to hold the items plus 4-5 extra inches for making the bag and creating the suction needed to keep it vacuum sealed. Place the bag under the roll cutter bar and slide the bag cutter. After you have cut a length of the plastic you just push the seal button and feed your plastic (open end and curl down) into vacuum channel. It makes a noise as it creates and seal and then it releases the bag.  Fill the bag with food to save and then feed into the channel again without pressing any buttons.  It does all the work for you of sucking out the air and sealing the other end of the bag.

Order A FoodSaver

The  FoodSaver® V4865 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System gave me great results through both zipper bags and the make your own bags from the roll- both achieved a tight vacuum seal and both were very easy to use.

Find out more or order at FoodSaver.com or my affiliate link to Amazon.

FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System Tips

The  FoodSaver® V4865 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System really is easy to use in the kitchen for prepping or storing food.  Here are a few tips to get you going! What should I use my FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System for?

1.  Stuff you freeze.  

It keeps goods in the freezer fresh longer.  A bag of frozen fish may last up to six months in the freezer but in a FoodSaver® bag, it may last up to two years.  Your veggies may last up 8 months in the freezer in a conventional bag, but n a FoodSaver® bag they can last between 2-3 years!  You get the drift.  Almost everything in your freezer

2. Stuff you put in the refrigerator.

The vacuum sealing removes air and reduces oxidation (which affects nutritional value and flavor) to make thing in your fridge last longer.  Hard cheese typically last 1-2 weeks in the fridge once they are opened.  Now you can reseal your hard cheese in a FoodSaver® bag and they can last for 4-8 months.  If you have just had a large grocery delivery of soft berries like strawberries and raspberries, they can be a challenge to use up before they go bad.  Store them in FoodSaver® bag to increase fridge life from 1-3 days to up to a week.  This works for blueberries to and in a n a FoodSaver® bag they can last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge!

3. Stuff in your pantry.

Even things in your pantry can have their shelf life extended.  You can vacuum seal nuts, coffee, dry goods like rice and beans cereals, crackers, and more.  You can extend the life of coffee beans from 3 months to up to a year with a FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system.

4. Things You Want To Protect From Water.

Even unusual non food things can be vacuum sealed.  You can use the FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system for keeping things safe from water on a camping trip or canoe ride (like your matches, maps, or electronic key fabs).  

Food Saver Troubleshooting:   

If the suction continues for more than 30 seconds-

The FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system is super fast. If you hear the motor continuing for more than 30 seconds, you probably didn’t seal your zipper bag all the way or you may have developed a leak in your make your own bag sealed end.

Conclusion

Vacuum sealers are incredibly useful tools that offer a range of benefits, from extending the shelf life of food to reducing waste and saving money. By removing air from storage bags or containers, vacuum sealers prevent oxidation, spoilage, and freezer burn, ensuring that food stays fresh for longer periods. This preservation method is not only ideal for bulk buying and meal prepping but also helps in maintaining the quality and flavor of food items. Additionally, vacuum sealing is versatile, allowing you to store a wide variety of products, including leftovers, fresh produce, and even non-food items.

Overall, investing in a vacuum sealer is a smart choice for anyone looking to enhance food preservation and optimize storage space. Have you tired a FoodSaver® vacuum sealing system before? Is food waste an issue at your house? Do you want to try vacuum sealing?

Related Posts:

MOOSOO Robot Vacuum Review [MT-501]

Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Allergy Vacuum Review

Sustainable Agriculture Examples