Vacuum Sealers for Food – Cheap Vs. Expensive
A friend was recently talking about vacuum sealers for food, and I thought it’d be a good idea to review a couple products for you.
I had one of these several years back and it worked alright to seal the fish I caught, though I have no idea what brand it was. I believe it was a gift. The seals would sometimes separate in the freezer, which led to freezer burned fish. Let’s get started!
Introduction to Vacuum Sealers for Food
In this review I’ve selected two products for you to examine. They are on opposite ends of the pricing spectrum. I thought it might be interesting to take take a look at each, and see what the price difference entails.
First let’s take a look at the more expensive model.
Weston 65-0601-W PRO-1100 Stainless Steel Vacuum Sealer
Product: The Weston Pro 100 Vacuum Sealer.
Overall Ranking: 89 out of 100 people approve this product.
Price: Higher Range. Includes free shipping.
Owner: Weston Products, LLC. CEO: Michael Caspar.
Website: Westonproducts.com
Product Details
- Weight: 18.8 lbs.
- Dimensions: None found. Will update if possible.
- Stainless Steel: The stainless steel frame is durable, and built to last for decades.
- 11 Inch Bag Maximum: Weston does state that it easily fits and seals an 11″ roll bag.
- Roll Holder and Cutter: Features a rear mounted bag roll holder and cutter.
- Adjustable Sealing Time: Change the set sealing time if you want more or less pressure.
- Digital Display: Display notifies you each step of the process.
- Auto Mode: One touch and watch it work.
- Manual Seal Setting: You stop it at the exact pressure you desire.
- Double Piston Vacuum Pump: The Weston 65 0601 W Pro 1100 comes with a pump that has 28 HG vacuum strength, and puts out 680 watts of power.
Pros and Cons of the Weston Pro Vacuum Sealer
Pros:
Frame and Build: The stainless steel frame adds a sturdy build to this product. It’ll last much longer than the plastic products out there.- Warranty: The Weston Pro 1100 comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.
- Power Cord: Comes with a detachable power cord, and a slot for easy storage.
- Reviews: Amazon customer reviews gave it 4.4 stars.
Cons:
- Price: The biggest concern for me is the price. Pretty steep for a Vacuum Sealer of this size.
- Warranty: Like always, good that it has one. However, I would expect more of a promise with a price like that.
Who does the Weston 65-0601-W PRO-1100 Stainless Steel Vacuum Sealer Cater to?
The two main features of this product really designate the likely buyer. It would go well in a nice kitchen with it’s stainless steel and sophisticated look. It also has a powerful pump that’s capable of getting a better seal than most like products. This fits with any serious fisherman or hunter that wants to store meat for periods of time.
Training/Tools Overview
Weston Vacuum Sealers will come with a full owner’s manual describing safety, setup, and proper use.
Customer Support
Weston Product customer care includes warranty information, FAQ’s, and instruction manuals. They can also be contacted by phone or email, and provide that information. All easily found on their website, westonproducts.com.
Price
Now let’s take a look at the less expensive model!
Seal A Meal FSSMSL0160
Product: The Seal A Meal FSSMSL0160 Vacuum Food Sealer.
Overall Ranking: 76 out of 100 people approve this product.
Price: Low Range.
Owner: Jarden Corporation
Website: SealaMeal.com
Product Details
Weight: 4.2 lbs.- Dimensions: 17.1×9.3×6.2 inches.
- Removable Drip Tray: Catches any leakage that occurs while sealing. Easily removable for a quick clean after use.
- Bag Size: Uses 8′ and 11′, quart and gallon size bags and rolls.
- No Hands Feature: Position the bag, press the button, and watch it work.
- Seal Indicator Lights: Lets you know when sealing has started and finished.
- Package Contents: Comes with Seal a Meal easy sealer, 4 qt starter bags, and user manual.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Price: Coming in at such a low price is something we like to see.- Size: The Seal a Meal is small and made for easy storage.
- Warranty: 1 year manufacturers warranty.
- Reviews: Amazon customer reviews gave this product 3.7 out of 5 stars. This is out of 1,365 reviews.
Cons:
- Motor: No mention of the motor gives me concern over its power and durability.
- Reviews: While the product did get 3.7 stars, many reviews I scanned are tainted. Common complaints are…
- Heat seal goes bad: Won’t seal at all when this happens.
- Doesn’t seal wet or oily foods: Customer complained only dry foods would seal.
- Seals don’t last: Customer complaints stating the seals don’t last.
Who is the Seal a Meal best suited for?
The seal a meal is an affordable addition to any kitchen. If you like to cook extra portions, this would be a useful food storage device.
Training/Tools Overview
The Seal a Meal comes with an owner’s manual which gives instructions on proper and safe use of the product.
Customer Support
Online support at SealaMeal.com includes –
- Product Registration: Activates your warranty.
- Product FAQ’S: Get answers to all the usual questions.
- Online Instruction Manuals: Recycle your user manual. It’s all here.
- Troubleshooting: Tips if your Seal a Meal isn’t working.
- Contact us: Email form and support phone # are both available.
Price
Final Opinion
I really do like the Weston Pro Vacuum Sealer, however it might not be quite enough bang for your buck.
The Seal a Meal has an impressively low price, but I’m concerned about the build. I’m not sure the trouble I’d go to if it broke, and I’m guessing Jarden Corporation counts on this.
It might be better to pick an option in the middle of these two reviews. Amazon does have plenty to offer. All bags and rolls that match products are also available on Amazon. You’ll want to pick these up too as they are sold separately. This completes my review of two vacuum food sealers on quite opposite ends of the market. I hope you found valued information here. Please spend a minute and leave a comment in the box below. Thanks as always for your time.
Geoff@FishtFight.com
With a vacuum sealer you can store all kinds of ready-made cake or corn bread mixes. The shelf life of brown rice, sugar, pasta, grains, crackers, spices and most types of pantry staples can be extended many, many times their normal shelf life with best vacuum sealer
Thanks for commenting Spela. That’s great additional info on this article. Absolutely use your sealer for dried foods, and spices. Use it for all sorts of other uses. Anything you can think of. Geoff.
Great informations on vacuum sealer. I am currently doing some research and found exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for guide!
Hello Jessica, and thanks for your comment. I jumped over to your site, took a look at your food sealer article, and was quite impressed. I’m glad my research was able to assist in the formation of such an indepth article. Please keep in touch. Geoff.
The biggest concern for me is the price. I just want to have one that is not too expensive but still good for sealing the leftover. I think The Seal A Meal FSSMSL0160 Vacuum Food Sealer is the one I need. Thanks Geoff Stadnyk for your review.
You’re very welcome. Glad you found the information helpful. Please let me know how it works for you. Thanks for commenting. Geoff.
Weston 65-0601-W PRO-1100 is great vacuum sealer. Takes generic bags very well. No issues with it whatsoever.
Thanks for your feedback Margaret.
well done Geoff……….. you have done a great job by explaining about the vacuum sealers available in the market. You have perfectly differentiated the products and gave a clear information about its pros, cons, features and specialties. I will surely recommend this article to my friends.
Well thanks Amy. I appreciate the compliments. There’s a gold mine of different models available. So much so I could continue writing about vacuum sealers for some time.
But fishing calls so I chose a cheap one and decided to showcase a more expensive model on the other end.
So glad you enjoyed the dual review and I always accept word of mouth publicity. Geoff. :):)
Very informative. Thank you very much.
Sure thing. Food savers can go a long way towards keeping good flavor in frozen fish.