Sunbeam Vacuum Packaging System

We just bought the bigger model. It works really well. I don't think the procedure is exactly identical to cryovaccing (I hope double c is correct, I've just posted a few entries on the bad spelling Thread) but I expect the food to last a couple of weeks using this machine. We will find out next month.

You can't always find butchers who will cryovac so I figure this is the next best thing.

Buy a couple of extra roles of plastic too.

Don't know about Check Point procedures.

Not an answeer Matt and Julie, but I'm also looking at geting a vacuum packing machine.
I've found it hard to get the specs on the 'suction power' of the Sunbeam. I'm told it is around -350 mBar, but have not seen this is a spec sheet.
Other slightly more expensive machines have a power of -800 mBar.

I know people with the Sunbeam and it clearly works well. I'm trying to work out the 'bang for your buck' equation and am leaning towards the more powerful machines available from Vacuseal and others.

Anybody got any specific knowledge or experience in terms of machines of different 'suction power'.

Norm C

Matt and Julie, have a Sunbeam and it seems to do a pretty acceptable job. Don't bother with some of the high moisture veggies so much. Fruit may have been treated by the vacuum but don't expect exceptions to be made. The effect it has on meat and fish has been good in our experience. I smoke my own salmon portions and have cold and they seem to go well. Bacon life extended for weeks with butchers bacon. Stops lots of mess too.

I recently bought a "nozzle" type of vacuum sealer off eBay. The very significant advantage over the Sunbeam is that it doesn't need the textured bags. The textured bags are between 3 and 10 times more expensive than the smooth bags. There are 4 regular sellers of the same machine on eBay and the prices vary between $65 delivered (what I paid late on a Sunday night) to $159 for BuyItNow.

I bought (again on eBay) an ebook called the Vacuum Sealer Guide for 99c US. Some very good information. Hints like putting meat into the bag then into the freezer for an hour prior to sealing to reduce liquids seem to be just pedantic hassles but after sucking meat juices into the sealer the first time and having them go off inside the pump I now prefreeze.

Very happy so far. I'm starting a few experiments. One at the moment is comparing cut brocollli just vacuumed & in the fridge to blanched/vaccumed and in the fridge and blanched, packed then frozen.

A dramatic difference is that frozen meats don't end up with freezer burn even after months of storage.

Adrian

Hi Mattt and Julie
We have the Sunbeam model and pre freeze then vacupack meat veg and pre cooked meals, helps pack them flat in the Engel Freezer section, saves a lot of mess and room. Lets you take all those yummy casseroles and such like with you.
Well worth the outlay IMHO. I the vegies are cooked and frozen the boarder patrol are not interested, they only go for fresh, as I have learnt from talking to the quarantine blokes.

mate we have the small sunbeam unit bought from kmart on sale $175 less 20 % and it does a pretty good jobe and as its a small size we can take it with us on trips so can seal stuff while away - use to seal fresh meat fish bait etc but do put tissues or a paper napkin at opening to soak up juices and not get into unit when air is sucked out - very happy with out unit
see you greg

Bought the Mezzo from Aldi when they had it for $99 complete with bags and a roll - they sold out very quickly.

It sure seems to suck out every trace of air.

I'm using it at home to stop freezer-burn on meat.

I'm also finding it useful for bushwalking to pack things that are rarely used so they will be fully protected - I've packed some of the white Firelighter blocks as emergency cooking fire or firestarting and packing first-aid supplies. These bags are stronger than ziplock bags and you'll know if there's the tiniest leak.

The main lesson I've learnt is to not have the food within 3cm of the sealing edge because it may put a wrinkle in the plastic and fail to seal.

Matt and Julie
I have the Sunbeam Food Preserver VS5200. We bought it from Retravision and they always stock the rolls of bags. We bought it in July 2005 and paid $179.00 for it. I take it with me in the car when we go on trips. On our last red centre trip our meat lasted 2 weeks in the fridge until we got to Alice and then restocked for another 2 weeks.
I have just gone through the instructions and read everything that came with the machine and it doesn't say anywhere the power of the thing. Either way I am very happy with mine. Others in our club even used it in Alice and then went and bought one as well.
To stop juices getting into the machine I just buy the continuous roll of bags and cut them extra long. It stops stuff leaking through the fridge and makes cooking very easy and convenient.

Go for it.
120scruiser

This maybe of interest to read for people vac sealing some good hits.

http://www.sunbeam.com.au/product_documents/VAC550-420_IB.pdf

Brian