VacMaster VP215 Chamber Vacuum Sealer review and price compare 2024
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you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand
Vacmaster
Material
Stainless Steel
Color
Silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH
20 x 14 x 15 inches
Item Weight
84 Pounds
product features
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Equipped with a 1/4 HP rotary oil pump that can manage larger loads.
Overall Dimensions (WxDxH): 14” x 20” x 15” | Chamber Size (WxDxH): 11.25” x 15.25” x 5” | Weight: 84 lbs
Heavy-duty yet easy to use, the VP215 extends food's shelf life up to five times longer.
A double seal on each bag ensures a complete and lasting seal that's twice as strong as other machines.
This reliable and quiet vacuum sealer is perfect for small restaurants, culinary institutions, delicatessens, catering, or hunters and fishers.
The VP215 can vacuum package liquids and liquid-rich foods like fresh meats, soups, marinades, and stews.
From the manufacturer
Take on even the toughest jobs!
With its heavy-duty oil pump the VacMaster VP215 will take your vacuum packaging experience to the next level! Buy the VP215 and enjoy all the benefits of a chamber vacuum sealer with an oil pump. Unlike run of the mill vacuum sealers, the VP215 can be run continuously. Because of its oil pump, this machine doesn''t need any cool-down time in between bags. Oil pump machines like the VP215 are also much quieter than other machines that have a dry pump! The VP215 is the solution to all your storage problems, no matter how heavy the load. The VacMaster VP215 Chamber Vacuum Sealer is the last chamber vacuum sealer you will ever need!
product description
The VacMaster VP215 Chamber Machine is engineered for superior performance and is the cornerstone unit of our VP Series machines. This machine is efficient, reliable and easy to use, making it an essential part of any operation. The VP215 is perfect for small restaurants, culinary institutions and delicatessens. It is also a valuable tool used by serious hunters and fishermen. With a 1/4 horsepower rotary oil pump, the VP215 is efficient and dependable, runs fast and quietly and performs consistently, making it a top-seller. The VacMaster VP215 Chamber Machine is the last vacuum packaging machine your customer will ever need! How does the chamber machine work? When sealing with a chamber machine, the vacuum pouch is placed inside the chamber and the lid is closed. Air is sucked out of the entire chamber, not just the pouch itself, allowing air pressure on both the inside and outside of the pouch to remain equal and liquids to stay inside the pouch. The pouch is then fully sealed and air is returned back into the chamber. It really is a whole new way to vacuum package. The VP215 accepts chamber pouches up to 10"W x 13"L.
product details
important information
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Questions about VacMaster VP215 Chamber Vacuum Sealer
Q:
Has anyone tried to seal Quart Jars in this units yet and if so how well did it work or not
Answer: Yes, I seal quart jars (both regular and wide mouth) by leaving the bands loose and placing the jars on their sides. You can seal up to three quart jars at a time. I set the vacuum cycle to 70 seconds, seal to 0 seconds, & cool for 0 seconds. Since the jars must be placed on their sides, vacuum packing flours does not work well for me, but larger particle contents like beans, peas, or even steal cut oats works very well.
Answer: I do it all the time. Just put the lids and rings on loosely and lay the jars on their side for non-liquids only. (Liquids will spill out sine the lid is loose). I also remove both of the white plates, and lay a tea towel down and pull some of the fabric up between the jars when sealing multiple jars so they don't bump together. Be sure to set the heat sealing to 0.0 so you don't damage or wear out the seal tape unnecessarily. When done, remove the jar rings as they are no longer needed.
Answer: Ok, on youtube there is a guy who does video on most of the VacMaster models. He sells these products. He will show you how to operate and how to do the jars and other things. You can even wash your kids stuffed animals and vacuum seal them.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: No. I don't think it is intended for such. We've sealed thousands of pounds of 'wet' and dehydrated produce over the past few months without a hiccup. Sliced dehydrated apples have sharp edges and can pierce the bags if not wrapped with a paper towel on inside or bag or similar approach. We didn't have this problem with dehydrated pears or other fruit. We're very pleased with product thus far.
Answer: The chamber would not be tall enough for that
Answer: No I haven't but that is not a good idea. Use it for as intended and you will be more than satisfied.
Q:
Is this machine fit for home use? Or just commercial use?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Yes this if fit for home use. It's heavy duty and works awesome. I use it for home use and it's used often. I was recommended this model by my brother in law who has two of them. One in Alaska and the other in Michigan. If you don't mind spending the money it's worth it! It is rather heavy at just over 100 lbs. So it's not something you will be moving around much!
Answer: I use it for a commercial kitchen but it would easily work for home use as long as you have counter space for it.
Answer: It can fit for home use for sure
Answer: home use, but it is really heavy so we have it on a cart and it stays on the rolling cart. we use it to pack our subsistence fish in our home every summer. You have to either put it in one place and use it there or do like we did because you can't move it around. It is awesome.
Answer: I both to use in my house
Answer: I use it in my home kitchen, but I am slightly ridiculous.
Answer: It is a bit big about the size of an electric roaster for a turkey. However it will change your life with the easy of packaging your food either cooked or not. Even liquids can be sealed in less than two minutes.
Answer: We use it for both, it's large and heavy but does a great job vacuum packing
Q:
Does this do retort sealing?
Answer: The vp215 is NOT approved for sealing retort pouches.
Answer: No,
Answer: I have been using this unit with retort bags for three years now, occasionally a bag will fail during pressure cooking, typically its the factory sealed portion of the bag that fails. Inspect each bag completely after processing/before opening as you would any other method.
Q:
Does it give loud noises when it's working?
Answer: The only 'loud' noise (by comparison with generally quiet operation) is when the vacuum sealing process completes. This unit is much quieter that my FoodSaver unit .
Answer: There is sound from the vacuum pump removing air from the chamber, but I would not characterize it as either loud or noise.
Answer: Not really: when sealing, the hum is so quiet I would use it under the bedroom of a light sleeper. It's practically unnoticeable. But when the seal releases and the air rushes back in, there's a sudden poof and rushing air noise, louder than when the air is being removed, and because the sound is sudden, it could wake someone, especially if you keep doing it. It's far more quiet than a Food Saver type of machine, even when the air rushes back in.
Answer: That's one of the advantages of an oil based vacuum pump is how quiet they are. When it first starts to evacuate the chamber, there is a slight sound, but its no more than that. It quickly gets quieter as it pulls the remaining air out of the chamber. Then when the process is complete, there is a release of vacuum chamber vacuum, which refills the chamber with air to release the lid. All in all, a pretty quiet routine. Love the machine.
Answer: The unit is much quieter then the food saver unit I had been using. Very happy with the purchase. Seals great.
Answer: No I don't think it's noisy at all
Q:
Does it come with bags?
Answer: what size bags does this machine take
Answer: yes-it comes with a good number of bags in an assortment of sizes.
Answer: what size bags does this machine take
Answer: Comes with a small assortment
Answer: Yes. I can not remember how many, but mine came with 2 sets probably 50 small and 50 large (just guessing on #)
Answer: Just a few you will have to order more. Be sure to get the different sizes. This machine is something you will treasure for what it does for you.
Answer: Yes it does. Love this machine
Answer: A small assortment
Q:
Watching this item is rediculous. the price goes from $659 to $904... all within two weeks. at $659, is it worth it? i know it's not @$900.
Answer: Different sellers have different prices and they will usually update them to match others. Sometimes Amazon will also show you different sellers depending on when you open the page so that can also contribute to the massive fluctuation.
Q:
Will this work with Mylar bags?
Answer: I haven't tried Mylar Bags, but I don't see why they wouldn't work. The sealing element on the VP215 just heats up the bar that the plastic bags rest on and seals the bags, in the same way that an iron heats the Mylar Bags and Seals them. Should work just fine in my opinion.
Answer: http://goo.gl/P1SSmA is a link to a review of mylar bags from a VP215 owner. He shares his settings.
Answer: Yes sure will. Increase seal time
Q:
Can I seal a lamb leg or arm?
Answer: Sure - use a foil lined heavy bag designed for vacuum sealing, subsequently placed in freezer.
Q:
Oil on machine
Answer: Not a lot to go on. This model is the smallest version that uses oil for the vacuum process. If you have oil leaking from the machine, remove the rear access cover and check the oil tank and oil lines. Beyond that I have not a clue.
Answer: Yes you have to put oil inside. Machine comes with it. I still do not suggest buying this machine.
Answer: Don't know. Call manufacturer.
Answer: I don’t understand your question.
Q:
does it come with oil and what kind is it?
Answer: It does come with oil. I am not sure what type of oil.
Answer: It does come with some oil. It is a 10 wt, non-detergent, hydrolic oil, kind of like air compressor oil.
Q:
Does the free shipping include Alaska
Answer: NO, They will ship it Alaska Marine Lines and or Alaska Airlines any where they go in AK. but it's weight is W/ palate attached quite expensive. I guess it
Answer: With Prime I was charged $28 to ship to Wasilla. 2 two shipping. Witht he shipping cost still saved a couple of hundred from the Bass Pro shop price.
Q:
Can you fit roasts in this chamber? And what about multiple cuts side-by-side? The shape of the lid makes me think you can only fit 1 item at 1 time.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: You are only restricted by the size of the vacuum bag. Inside the chamber you have white plastic type boards that can be removed to increase the volume of the chamber. You can only do one bag at a time as their is only one heat bar. I suppose you can do several bags at a time if they are thin and can be placed side by side on the heat seal bar. The vacuum time and heat bar time can be adjusted as the factory settings are very conservative. If you want to do multiple items at a time I would suggest a much more expensive commercial sealer.
Answer: anything at will fit under the dome lid with the 2 inserts out should seal.
Answer: Thon meats side by side Roast sliced would work. We use it to package pepperstick and jerky. Works great.
Answer: No, you can't do either. Just one at a time. Also , ours broke about 6 months in.
Q:
Has anyone tried using the clear plastic foodsaver containers in this unit? I am wondering if they will successful seal when the vacuum is removed??
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: HAVE not tried it but don't see any reason to do so. The VacMaster pouches are less expensive, much thicker and perform superbly even in the microwave where if the contents boils the pouch will simply expand.
Q:
Is it possible to adjust the vacuum setting and to seal original potato chip/ cracker bags without crushing the contents?
Answer: Yes, you can adjust the vacuum time to whatever you want,I keep mine set at 40 seconds and stop the vacuum sooner for items that are more fragile
Q:
Can i use a regular zip lock bag on this machine? thanks.
Answer: No. They are not thick enough. Zip-loc bags will not keep a vacuum once sealed.
Q:
Can I use food saver style bags with this unit ?
Answer: NO, I've have 3 of these in AK. and 1 @my home and these require there own vacuum seal bags. there are 4 mil. bags that you can buy
Answer: The answer should be; why would you want to use foodsaver bags? They are extremely expensive compared to regular bags for this unit. It is something like 72 cents per bag vs 17 cents per bag in most cases. The two biggest selling features of this machine is it's much easier and effective than foodsaver and it gives about 45% better vacuum than foodsaver. If you can use the bags, you should not use them is my answer. Hope this helps
Answer: The bags that VacMaster says the bags that can be used with this machine are All Purpass VacStrip Storage Bags, Full Mesh Storage Bags and Bag Rolls.
Answer: Yes you can, but if you buy in bulk, there is a tremendous savings.
Answer: Yes, but it is way more expensive.
Q:
This machine is designed for continuous work 8 hours or more?
Answer: It is quite sturdy and will crank out cycles. I wouldn't want it to be used like everyday, but surely would feel comfortable with it a few days a week. I would change the oil every hour or two if you are running non-stop (i.e. 40 second draws, 60 times an hour); I believe in keeping things well maintained. Never want to overstress vacuum pump oil, AC servicing machines recommend changing the oil every time you evacuate a system (15-60 minute runs). I think I've done about 20 cycles in a row no problem; it was still ready for more.
Answer: I am pretty sure it would. Have only used for an hour or so, but this is a commercial machine and very heavy duty. Weighs about 65lbs
Answer: I have used it for 5-6 hours without any problems, it's definitely a heavy duty machine
Answer: Yes, this machine is designed for commercial and continuous use.
Answer: I have used mine for a couple of hours straight. Oil gets hot and breaks down. Don't think it would run 8 hours.
Answer: Yes. As others have posted, just keep the oil changed. Me and the wife have used this on all day "family projects", running it when my entire family goes to the big discount stores and buy large quantities of things on sale. We make an all day family thing out of it. This machine has run non-stop with no problems doing bags and 1/2 gallon mason jars one after the other with fast cycle times. Like I said, just keep the oil changed and you should be good to go.
Answer: Maybe 5 at most before a 15 minute breather
Q:
What’s the machine weight without acessories (bags and plattes)?
Answer: Never weighed it but my guess would be 25-30 lbs, It’s a solid machine. I’ve had mine for about three years and I love it
Answer: About 85 lbs. I am a 70 year old man in good shape. I can still move it around from table to table but don't care to. Not for a woman to move. For a younger man with good strength, should be no problem moving.
Answer: Did not weigh it, but it is very heavy, near 80-100 pounds.
Answer: I think it's 85 pounds by itself. That said, a healthy tall lady could not lift it, but a brawny man can just manage to carry it around a short distance.
Answer: HEAVY!!!! Takes 2 people to move or carry it!
Q:
i want to use this for commercial use, for ham, chicken, fish. is this good for it ?
Answer: Works good for any fresh product for freezing. Not sure how many cycles the vacuum pump is good for but spare parts are readily available from Indiana. Will handle a
Answer: I believe it would be good for lite commercial use. It is heavy duty with an oil pump. I can vac bags in rapid fire, but modern does not get daily he y use.
Answer: Although it is commercial grade, the process is slow for doing large volumes. Also it can only do one pouch at a time as it only has one sealing bar.
Answer: You can vacuum pack anything. This is a great sealer. I would advise reading the book because of the liquids that might be with the items but other than that you are good to go
Answer: Yes! I bought it for home use, but I believe it was designed for commercial use...
Answer: Technically yes, we used it for commercial. Unfortunately it broke after a year
Answer: Yes would work fine
Q:
How wide a bag can be sealed? My 210 will do 10". How about this one?
Answer: I experimented and found out that you can fold the sides of a bag over and it will still seal. Interestingly, the inside of the bag will bond to itself, but the outside won't bond to the outside. The bag can be unfolded after sealing, but it will still be sealed all the way across. Doing this, I found a 16"x18" allows using the entire volume of the chamber with some slack in the bag for ease of handling. Not worth going any bigger unless you've got a bigger machine. I use 1.8sec sealing time for this.
Answer: I have successfully sealed larger than 10" bags with this by sealing the left side of the bag, and then placing the bag at a slight angle and sealing the right side of the bag... making sure the seals cross over each other. The result is a seal resembling an X. This has worked for me but the only reason I did it was to reseal a larger bag that my butcher had packaged steaks in. I wanted to re-use the bags for aging purposes after seasoning the steaks and then was able to use them for Sous Vide.
Answer: 10 inches wide and 13 inches long
Answer: 10 inch as well
Answer: 10 inch
Answer: Same
Q:
Would this machine be okay in a garage during cold winters? Or would that not be sustainable for the mechanics or oil etc..
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Well i am not an expert but the oil will not freeze. It might get thick. But should not hurt the machine. Mine stays in the Kitchen
Answer: We keep ours in the garage. Our garage is sheetrocked and insulated. Also our winters don’t get cold for very long. 30-40 degrees. We keep a towel draped over it to keep the dust out. Hope this helps.
Q:
Do you have stock with 220/240volts 60hz for shipment to manila, philippines? where can i get one with this electrical specification?
Answer: In the U.S. we only stock 110/120 volts. We do have other voltages available from other distributors in Europe and Asia Pacific.
Q:
Do vacmaster make this model for eu too?
Q:
How deep is the vacuum chamber?
Answer: HI William E,
Answer: Hello,
Answer: It has two plastic boards that you use to take up space for smaller items. Once removed, I can easily do a large chicken or rib roast. A turkey would be pushing it. The depth on the sides is about 4 inches.
Answer: About 5 inches in the center, less on the sides. A one quart canning jar fits on it's side.
Answer: I am able to bag 6 lb chickens , not sure if that helps you out
Answer: two & a half inches
Q:
what is the difference between the vp15, 12 and the 10 ? Thanks
Q:
Am I allowed to return this? It is not mentioned on the page. Thanks
Answer: Look under delivery or pricing option s most items have a 30 day return policy.
Q:
does this have a port for doing mason jars?
Answer: The model does not have a port for doing mason jars. However, you can vacuum seal jars if they fit inside the chamber. I have sealed pint and quart jars. Pints will sit upright. Quarts you have to lay on the side.
Answer: no, but i have use a half pint jar with in a bag for crab so it does not squeze out the juice
Answer: It does not have a port. Smaller jars will fit right inside. And works great.
Answer: We have been able to seal 3 pint jars at a time
Answer: I beleive they just fit inside of it
Answer: It does not as far as I can tell
Q:
how do you seal a pint jar? do you use the canning jar lid or do you have to put it in a bag?
Answer: The VacMaster doesn't have an accessory port. You could put a pint jar in a bag, but you could just seal the contents (liquid and all) in a bag by itself. One of the advantages of a vacuum chamber!
Q:
Any knowledge based suggestions on the oil change interval based on no more than 5 bags per week?
Answer: Every 60 hours, approximately every case of 1000 bags. Any other questions can be answered from their company, 1-800 821-7849
Q:
Do they have covers for this sealer?
Answer: Yes go to the manufacture they have covers for all
Answer: No - easy to make. Or just throw a large bath towel over it.
Answer: No. Most people who own one use it frequently. It IS a good looking countertop appliance.
Answer: I have not seen any, but my wife made one out of extra upholstery material.
Q:
what are the dimensions of the vacuum port in the inside of the chamber (back left)? I need to know the diameter and depth.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: The port diameter is 1-1/4", and it sticks out 1/2". This is measured from inside the vacuum chamber.
Q:
Is it support 220vAC power?
Answer: Mine is 120 volt
Answer: Mine does not.
Q:
Where is this made?
Answer: Mine has has "Made in China" on the label. Built 12/2017
Answer: This machine is not made in china but the USA
Answer: CHINA
Q:
Is there a variety pack for different sizes of the bags that one could buy?
Answer: Not on Amazon from what I have seen but this website here does offer a variety pack http://shop.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/300-Chamber-Bag-Combo-Pack-CHCOMBO6810.htm
Answer: Yes, I've seen them Sept. 2018.
Q:
What is the maximum size bags for the machine?
Answer: I've found you can use up to 16"x18" by folding the sides over to fit at the seal bar. That's large enough to use the entire volume of the chamber with some slack in the bag for ease of handling. Not worth going any bigger unless you have a bigger machine.
Answer: I'm not sure about maximum size, but I've used bags as large as 10"x13"...
Answer: Supports pouches up to 10-inches by 13-inches, as per factory information associated with the product pages. We have successfully used pouches of that size for strip loins.
Answer: When reading the description it clearly states The VP215 accepts chamber pouches up to 10"W x 13"L.
Answer: I have been using 10" x 15" for larger items. You must be sure you don't block the air valve in the back.
Answer: 1 gl
Answer: 11x13 i believe
Q:
will this can tomatos
Answer: No. You need heat to seal the jars and keep the content sterile. You can't put hot-pack jars in a vacuum-sealer, because room-temperature liquid can 'boil' during the vacuum process. You could dehydrate tomatoes and pack them in jars and vacuum seal the jars, and they should keep on a shelf. You could vacuum-seal tomatoes in plastic bags and freeze them. But you can't put tomatoes in jars, vac-seal, and keep them on a shelf. They'll spoil. It might extend their refrigerated life span a few days, though.
Answer: It can certainly pull a vacuum and seal mason type jars, I do that all the time with things like guacamole. However, tomatoes and other preserved items typically require boiling in a water bath to make them safe.
Answer: we had nothing but problems with this machine. after sending it back the second time they finally refunded us our money.
Answer: It will seal them in plastic but not sure what you mean by can them. This is a fantastic device.
Answer: Not safely. You need a pressure cannner for that type of process.
Answer: In short jars.
Q:
Will this do two bags at a time ? What's the dimensions
Q:
With the inserts removed does it measure 5" to the top of the dome? Or is it 5" deep plus the height of the cover?
Answer: The measurement of approximately 5" is with the inserts removed, lid closed to the top of the dome. Have had this machine and have never had an issue of there not being enough room based on the height.
Answer: mine is 2 inches from the bottom to the metal top of the chamber. 5 inches to the top of the dome. What are you trying vac? Mine will only do 2 pint jars standing up. but plenty large for any bag I've tried to use. Hope that answers your Q.
Q:
Can I do retort bags with this?
Answer: The VacMaster is designed to pull all the air from the pouch then seal it, product is then usually frozen or has a limited refrigerated life ie: cry o vac meat. The retort bags are designed to allow food to be put into the pouch and sealed, then go through the sterilization process with high heat. There is a lot of info on the web about the use of retort bags and they say the 1/8 inch seal that the vacuum pack machines make is not enough to go through the heat process, they recommend 1/2 inch wide seal, and they don't use a vacuum. So I would say probably not, as it is two different processes
Answer: No! The heat bar is not wired correctly and the transformer is to small. There is no way to upgrade this unit as it is a China knockoff of a real commercial unit. Sorry
Answer: I do not see a reason why you could not use them. It vacuums up everything we have thrown at it. A+ machine.
Q:
Can I use this machine to vacuum seal foods that are already frozen?
Answer: I don't see why not. I repackaged some frozen meat that I had vacuum sealed with an inferior vacuum sealer and it worked just fine. Good luck
Answer: Absolutely! I've used mine used mine to break down larger packages from warehouse stores, items for sous vide, smoked meats of all types. The VP215 has helped us reduce food waste and help us with portion control.
Answer: yes, must be sure there are no sharp ice points and can make a hole. Also if you let it start to thaw it will loose its seal
Answer: There is no reason why not. Could help prevent freezer burn too!
Answer: Yes
Q:
Can I seal And vacuum bags of plaster?
Answer: I don’t know of any reason you can’t. I vet used mine to seal bags of powdered sugar with no problem.
Answer: Probably can IF you stop the process about half way through.
Answer: Excellent machine.
Answer: As long as it fits in the bad
Q:
Does this machine overheat and needs time to cool with continuous use??
Answer: I have never had it overheat, even with heavy use.
Answer: I have never had this overheat or have any issues what so ever. I wish I would have got this 10 years ago vs the 8 other ones we have owned.
Answer: We have not had any issues with overheating. We buy Costco sized packs of meat that we breakdown into smaller packages. We also do our own meat cutting and canning. This is the best vacuum sealer we have owned.
Answer: I have never had a problem with overheating
Answer: I have never had a problem with it overheating
Q:
The chamber and seals are dirty with a grease that comes out when wiping them. Is this normal? Is this safe from a food contamination perspective?
Answer: No not normal there should be grease from the machine. Is there any chance it could be from the food that your sealing?
Q:
Can somebody tell me if these come with oil' the vessel to fill the oil and the white trays you see when open. .Thanks
Answer: It includes enough oil for the initial fill and then enough for roughly 5 oil changes which should last the average home user at minimum a year. it is suggested to change the first oil after 25 hours of use but after 60 hours after that which is over 3000 bags. Of course sealing in high humidity areas or items with lots of liquid could force oil changes more often.
Answer: Yes it does, comes with everything you need
Answer: It has all of that.
Answer: Mine included both.
Q:
Is it safe to seal ammunition in bags at the 60 second setting?
Answer: Somewhere I came across this on the internet. They said you can seal ammo, but do not vacuum, because it may pull the bullets out of the casings. I don't know enough science to explain that. If you simply seal the bags and nothing more, it will protect the ammo from corrosion or whatever happens to it on the shelf. Sealing your ammo would also make it waterproof.
Answer: The boiling point of wzter changes dramatically with the amount of vacuum. In space fir example, our blood would boil us inside out. That being said, I have no idea what effects vacuum has on gunpowder or primer. I would imagine that this is a question for manufacturer of ammunition. No you can seal bags with no vacuum, or various degree amounts of vacuum. I simply don't feel qualified to give you a yes or no answer to something potentially dangerous. Sorry
Answer: Not sure, when I sealed water it came to boil. It's something I would definitely find out about before I tried it.
Q:
Dose it work for the bags with flat surface instead of texture surface?
Answer: We recommend using the chamber pouches (flat surface) but the texture surface can be used as well.
Answer: Flat surface are the only bags I've used , never realized they had textured bags
Answer: Yes. The bags we use have no texture. We use the bags the manufacturer and Amazon sells.
Q:
Has anyone used ultrasource vacuum chamber pouches with this chamber vacuum?
Answer: It won't matter what bags you use as long as they can hold a vacuum and can be heat sealed. There are adjustments for how much vacuum to use and how long to seal the bags
Q:
What different types of bags can be used?
Answer: It will seal bags made for vacuum chamber machines as long as the bag isn't wider than the sealing bar. I do not know if it will seal the foil bags used for canning products eg. fish.
Answer: It will take any plastic bag in my experience. I have tried a bunch of old sous vide bags that I had, plus the bags it came with and it sealed them all fine. I haven't tried the "roll" style bags because I'm too lazy for that- seal something twice? I'll go to the gym if I want to work out. It can also reseal all kinds of stuff that came in its own bag like chips etc, although results vary.
Answer: There are a variety of sizes that are offered by the VacMaster company. I would not recommend other brands as these work so well and have a heavy gauge to them. This is one very fine well engineered piece of equipment that will last you for years. It could not be simpler to use. We own two of them at our different homes.
Q:
Can I seal mylar bags with this unit??
Answer: I use the bags that are food safe and sold by amazon, uline or the company that makes the machine, they are very strong and work very well under all storage conditions. I poke a small hole if I reheat in microwave If you are referring to the silver mylar bags, they are mostly used for electronics and I don't think they are vacuum sealed only heat strip sealed
Answer: Unfortunately, mylar bags will not work with our machines.
Answer: Not designed or recommended for mylar but hear you can do it by increasing seal time.
Answer: I do not know, have only used their bags which work extremely well. They are more then adequate for storage in freezer, for heating in the microwave, or in a SouVide water bath. They are also low cost from Amazpn. Suggest you call the manufacturer.
Q:
How long is the cycling time
Answer: For your cycle time, add together your vacuum time, seal bar time, and seal bar cooling time, plus maybe 2 seconds for the air to rush back in and the lid to pop open by itself. A normal seal would be 40 sec vac, 1.2 sec seal, 2 sec cool, and 2 sec to pop open, or 45.2 seconds per bag. There is no wait time; just take out the bag, pop a new one in, and off you go, as long as you're using the same settings. Once your bag is in place, you need to hold the lid down with a finger for 2 seconds until the chamber seals and the lid stays down by itself. So you have 43.2 seconds of time to do something else.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: It depends what you are sealing, if it's going in the freezer for a period of time I will go 40-50 seconds ( watch the gauge you can adjust the time) salads in the fridge, 3 seconds. All depends what you are doing, awesome machine
Answer: The cycle time is 20-40 seconds.
Answer: ...depends on what your packing we do mostly fish and ours is set at 1 minute 20 seconds.
Answer: I pack fruit at about 40 seconds per bag.
Product reviews of VacMaster VP215 Chamber Vacuum Sealer
Chad Cardinal : I really liked to vacuum pack food that I dehydrate and Always ...
Just got it today. WOW. Over the last 15 years I've gone through about 5 or 6 foodsavers. I really liked to vacuum pack food that I dehydrate and Always vac-pac meat before freezing. I wish I had found this thing 15 years ago! Yes, the upfront cost is a little high, and it weighs a TON! A bit unwieldily to move around by yourself, so find a place and call it home. :) Here are my first impressions. 1. Whisper quiet! Compared to a regular foodsaver this thing just a light buzzing noise, not as loud as a portable space heater. 2) Build Quality, Fit and Finish. Excellent! I was worried that it was made in China, but hey, Most Apple stuff is and they have good build quality, so fingers were crossed. I was not disappointed. This is NOT a toy!! It is a heavy well made tool. 3) Ease of use. I've not had a chance to give it a workout yet, but everything I did with it tonight has been a snap! Practically 0 learning curve. The buttons are very easy to use, and there are a few You-Tube vids out there to explain things if the rather clear instructions cause confusion. so far I give it a MUST HAVE to anyone who hunts, fishes, or gardens. It's a prepper's dream. :) 4) no funny smells. Some people on here have complained about an oil smell. I have not noticed anything like that.
The only negative is not really a negative. It is very heavy. It's a negative if you don't have a dedicated space to put it, but it's not really negative, because to me (at least) the weight comes from the solid metal construction, beefy pump and motor. Yes VacMaster makes a plastic model at 1/2 the weight, but hey... I like Heavy Metal!. :) I highly recommend.
D. Modisette : This product is solid
This product is solid. I had a FoodSaver for years and got tired of the really expensive bags. If you are going to bag in any real quantity the VacMaster will be cheaper in the long run, and is a superior unit. This thing is a tank, weighing in at 85 lbs. Highly recommend to someone who wants to store a lot and have a good seal that lasts.
jesus rodriguez : Very good sealer
Works perfectly very well built seal perfectly and can be adjusted to the suction you desire
Daniel Skauge : great machine
little spendy but wish I had one long ago
Kathy : Great for sealing liquid... meat vegetable anything love it
Best sealer on the market I promise you will not be disappointed. I've done liquid I've done soup and lots of meat. This product is truly amazing well worth the money in the long run it is an investment
Scott M. : Expensive But Worth It
Have only had the vac sealer for a short period and so far it performs as it should. Directions for initial setup were clear and easy to follow. There is a learning curve as others have said but overall, it hasn't been very difficult to learn how to vacuum and seal a bag. Of all the bags I have tried to seal, there have only been a few "failures" but those were due to user error and not a fault of the machine - overfilling the bag. The VacMaster VP215 is a major step up from the external bag sealers and I am glad that I made the decision to purchase one.
XUCHUAN L. : Very bad quality
Bought on May 17th, gone bad on Dec 26 just 7 months
Rick M : Meets expectations
Have only had this sealer for about a month, but am very pleased. Did I need this, no. Am I glad I got it, yes. I'm lucky to have the counter space to put this on. Otherwise, it could prove a bit of an issue moving it around. But, it can be done. So much better than the suction sealer that I have used for years. I would recommend this, or maybe the non oil version, for anyone who does more than just an occasional sealing. Lets you buy in bulk, marinate and store without a mess.
GottaHaveCute : Worth the investment
Exactly what I needed! Pricey but worth it. Easy to use. I put mine on a rolling cart because this machine is extremely heavy and takes a lot of space but it works out great this way.
andrew frano : Happy with this product
Works great Easy to use would highly recommend it well worth the money.
Chad Cardinal : I really liked to vacuum pack food that I dehydrate and Always ...
Just got it today. WOW. Over the last 15 years I've gone through about 5 or 6 foodsavers. I really liked to vacuum pack food that I dehydrate and Always vac-pac meat before freezing. I wish I had found this thing 15 years ago! Yes, the upfront cost is a little high, and it weighs a TON! A bit unwieldily to move around by yourself, so find a place and call it home. :) Here are my first impressions. 1. Whisper quiet! Compared to a regular foodsaver this thing just a light buzzing noise, not as loud as a portable space heater. 2) Build Quality, Fit and Finish. Excellent! I was worried that it was made in China, but hey, Most Apple stuff is and they have good build quality, so fingers were crossed. I was not disappointed. This is NOT a toy!! It is a heavy well made tool. 3) Ease of use. I've not had a chance to give it a workout yet, but everything I did with it tonight has been a snap! Practically 0 learning curve. The buttons are very easy to use, and there are a few You-Tube vids out there to explain things if the rather clear instructions cause confusion. so far I give it a MUST HAVE to anyone who hunts, fishes, or gardens. It's a prepper's dream. :) 4) no funny smells. Some people on here have complained about an oil smell. I have not noticed anything like that.
The only negative is not really a negative. It is very heavy. It's a negative if you don't have a dedicated space to put it, but it's not really negative, because to me (at least) the weight comes from the solid metal construction, beefy pump and motor. Yes VacMaster makes a plastic model at 1/2 the weight, but hey... I like Heavy Metal!. :) I highly recommend.
Fred E. Elum : Buy Local.....
I bought this vacuum sealer after giving up on a second FoodSaver. The bags are much much less expensive if you buy them by the case (otherwise they cost about the same).
My experience buying this machine through Amazon was a joke. The delivery driver dropped the machine (that weighs 100 lbs) off the back of the UPS truck. It damaged the main body. I contacted the seller (not Amazon) and was strung along offering a replacement part until the return period ended. I called the manufacturer (got a hold of them after several tries) and was told the part is not available separately anyway. I wrote an unflattering review of the seller clearly explaining their treachery.
A few days later I discovered Amazon struck out my review and "took" responsibility for the poor delivery experience. I then called Amazon CS so they could remedy the problem. Mind you this thing weighs nearly 100 lbs. It should be crated to ship properly. Amazon offered to have someone pack it up for me and return it. By then the price increased 20%. We settled on a 70 dollar credit to live with the damage. I spent an hour hammering out the bent sheet metal with a chisel and body block to get it close to normal.
In the end I should have purchased locally from a restaurant supplier. It appears UPS is not willing to deliver it with 2 people as required, and shipping it back is nearly impossible. It is an industrial device assembled in the USA from mostly China and some USA made parts. It can have problems and industrial equipment manufacturers are not set up to deal with consumers very well (hence the poor CS reviews). They usually deal with suppliers and professional repair techs that know how to fix the problem. Since my mechanical skill is above average I am comfortable fixing industrial equipment. If you are not then stick to FoodSaver. If you can handle the mechanical repairs then buy local. If it breaks quickly you have someone you can take it to to get it working (the seller).
I love the machine. The better/cheaper bags save us $$'s and it pulls a much better vacuum then the consumer grade junk. Most of the parts are replaceable (except the main body). It can be used continuously all day without stopping. It is large and heavy. I had to buy a heavy duty cart for it and reinforce the top with sheet aluminum. Overall, I would buy it again (should not need to since every wear part can be replaced), but not via Amazon. The other brands with cycle memories may be more convenient if you use several bag thicknesses, but I chose price first.
Kathy : Great for sealing liquid... meat vegetable anything love it
Best sealer on the market I promise you will not be disappointed. I've done liquid I've done soup and lots of meat. This product is truly amazing well worth the money in the long run it is an investment
Amazon Customer : first Vac chamber purchase
this is the first Vac chamber machine I have purchased, I have always bought food saver machines, I don't think this VAC215 machine will totally replace my food saver but it does a better job at vacuum sealing foods for either freezing, long term frig storage and liquid types like soups chili anything with lots of moisture. Not to mention the bags are CHEAP! only thing I wish the VAC215 had a port on the machine that I could use the hose and mason jar attachment that came with my food saver, I would just drill a hole in the plastic top and then put a plug but I am afraid the top would crack over time. So far I give it a 5 star, changing oil in the unit is no big deal especially if you are handy and I think the novice could to it too
Donald Blauser : Chamber Vacuum Sealer
This was purchased for household after seeing & using one like it at the son-in-law's. If you have purchased numerous vacuum sealers that do not last long; purchase one of these. It is worth every penny. It does weigh about 80 pounds & will require a sturdy counter or cart. We have ours on a wheeled toolbox; it works perfectly, has storage for the oil, bags, etc., & can be wheeled to where we are going to seal foods for the freezer. Be sure to read the instructions completely. When sealing be sure to hold lid down until the needle on the gauge begins to move; it will stay closed. Love it!! One of our better purchase decisions!
Russ : Amazing Machine
So far an amazing machine. Bought this in lieu of a weston suction unit not working well on unfrozen deer meat. Setup was easy, as is actual use. If you butcher your own meat, pony up for a chamber sealer and save yourself the hassle.
DCG : Super High Quality
Wow! This thing is HEAVY. And that's good. No cheap parts here. It built like a tank and will be passed down to my kids. Professional quality through and through.
ALVARO CASTILLO : Great Machine
Great machine, machine I brought it to Ciudad Bolívar Venezuela, it comes well protected, I am very happy with its power and easy operation
Judy L. : Too many years with a FoodSaver. This is a dream come true. See final update.
First of all, I want to disclose that I did not buy this chamber sealer from Amazon. I bought it from another site because the price was $100 less. I have been using a FoodSaver vacuum sealer for over 15 years. We buy organic veggies from local farmers every year and often grow our own, but late summer and into the fall, I spend a lot of time blanching and packaging vegetables so we have enough to last the winter. We buy only grassfed and finished meats and wild-caught fish to maintain a healthy diet, and most often I cook enough for more than one meal so that we have leftovers to freeze for future meals. Needless to say, I do a lot of packaging and freezing. In the years that I used the FoodSaver, it cost a few hundred for rolls to make bags, and dealt with the idiosyncrasies of this type of food sealer - trying to stop the vacuuming before liquids were drawn into the machine even for meat leftovers, sealing 5 bags at a time before the machine had to be allowed a cooling time, seals that didn't hold for sous vide cooking, etc.
I finally decided to look into the chamber sealers and researched the pros and cons of the various models for a couple of months. At first, I eliminated the ones that required oil and oil changes. I guess I felt a bit intimidated with the extra work in monitoring this. After doing more research, I found that the sealers using oil lasted longer and were a lot quieter. Since an oil change would be required only once or twice a year, depending on use, I didn't feel quite so intimidated by this chore. Considering all of the pros and cons of the various models, not to mention the price, I finally decided to get this VacMaster VP215 Chamber Vacuum Sealer.
If you are considering this vacuum sealer, It would be a good idea to consider buying a cart for it. It weighs over 80 pounds and is not something that you would want to lift. I bought a cart that is 36"; x 24"; so that there is room on the cart to put a serving board to stack product as I seal it and to move it to the freezer. This cart also has a shelf for storing the bags that I use for the sealer. (Pics 1 & 2)
When you get this sealer, it comes with a number of parts, some are explained in the documentation and some are not. You get 25 each of 6" x 12" 3 mil bags that are good for individual or small portions, 8" x 12" bags that are good for larger portions or 2 smaller portions, and 12" x 13" that are good for roasts and larger portions. You also get 2 spacer trays for raising products to be sealed, 2 fuses, 2 22" seal bar wires (not sure what these are for yet), 1 roll Double-Sided Tape for the seal (according to the tech you will probably never need it, but it's included in case you do.), 1 11"; Brown Teflon Tape which is the seal bar tape, a 5mm Hex Wrench to remove the hex nut to add oil. (Pic #3 & #4)
So now we get into the initial use of this sealer. If you follow the instructions, you take off the back panel, put in the oil until is is 1/2 to 3/4 up the view window, set the vacuum time to 40 seconds, the seal time to 1.2 seconds, and the cooling time to 2 seconds. The only other thing that puzzled me at first was that the sealing bar was not set as it should be when I got the unit. It has to be set so that the teflon strip is up and fits on two pegs.
OK, so far, everything was self explanatory, but why have adjustments for vacuum time, sealing time, and cooling time if they don't need to be adjusted? The sealing time and cooling time is easy enough to figure out as thicker plastic would need a longer sealing time, and the cooling time should always be twice the sealing time. (Pic #5 and #6) I just had to know why I would want to adjust the vacuum time. My research showed that 25-35 seconds was the best choice for some jobs, so why does the user manual suggest selecting 40 seconds? For answers, i had to call VacMaster tech support, and got some interesting and useful answers,
From what I was told, the vacuum time does not have to be set up to more than 30-35 seconds in most cases, and generally should be less. Depending on the food you are vacuuming, the gauge on the front should be watched. This takes some trial and error depending on the food your are sealing. You can stop the vacuum process at any point by pressing stop and the package will be sealed.
Another question that I asked of the tech was that many reviews of the product mentioned that foods should be cooled before using this sealer. The explanation that I got was that the sealer did not heat the food, but sped up the molecular motion. He called it a "cool boil". To me this made sense since heating foods increases the molecular movement. Increasing the molecular movement could create the impression of boiling without increasing heat.
I am still learning about the various setting on this machine, and can safely say that it wouldn't be the best for all sealing applications such as soft products like bread and rolls, but it is most certainly a good option for anything that has any kind of liquid in it, It also doesn't overheat and quit after 5 bags, and the bags are so much less expensive than the FoodSaver bags. Although this may not be the total food sealing solution, it does certainly address many of the frustrations presented by other sealers. Yes, it is expensive, but what is your time and frustration worth?
I will update this review as I learn more about this vacuum sealer, but at this point, i would highly recommend it!
Update: 5/24/18 Having done a lot of research on how to effectively use this chamber sealer, I have found many YouTube videos that said nothing but how to do the initial setup. i found nothing on how to actually "use" this vacuum sealer. For this reason, I have added a video that demonstrates how to use this vacuum sealer based on what I learned from the tech support person I talked to and my own experimentation. If you find this review helpful, please click helpful so that it is rated higher and can be found by other prospective buyers or users.
UPDATE 6/21/18: After 5 weeks of light use, my VP215 suddenly quit in the middle of a sealing. Naturally, I was upset about it, but called VacMaster tech support and was able to get through to an agent quickly. After answering a few question, the agent determined that I needed a new circuit board. The replacement circuit board was sent out the same day and I received it a couple of day later. Since I have experience with computer repair, it wasn't difficult for me to install the new circuit board. Unfortunately, the sealer still wouldn't turn on, and the lid was still stuck shut as it had a partial vacuum in it. Again, I called tech support and was connected to an agent quickly. He had me take off a hose that released the pressure in the chamber and open the lid. He told me to push down on a cable assembly unit, and the sealer then worked, but he is sending me a new cable assembly in case there is a bad wire in the one I have.
At this point, I couldn't be happier with VacMaster customer/tech support. They have been very easy to reach and have been extremely responsive. As far as I am concerned, any mechanical or digital product can have problems - even when they are new. The quality of a product is greatly determined by the quality of customer service offered by the manufacturer. In my experience, VacMaster is one of the best!!
UPDATE 7/31/18:
With the replacement parts that VacMaster sent to me, my sealer is again up and running perfectly. I did change the oil and didn't realize how dirty it can get. Dirty oil can cause problems in sealing, but it's fine now. At this time of year, I am blanching, packaging and freezing a lot of vegetables to last us for the winter. Knowing how to adjust the vacuum time has been very helpful in this process. I have found that a vacuum time of 10-15 seconds works best for leafy vegetables, and 20 to 25 seconds works better with more solid veggies, meats, and frozen products you repackage. I very much like that I don't have to worry about water content in the veggies for sealing. When I was using the FoodSaver, I had to freeze the packages before I sealed them so the liquid in them wasn't sucked up by the sealer. I also found out that the VP215 will vacuum and seal the textured FoodSaver-type bags. Although this sealer is limited to 10"; bags, it will seal 11"; FoodSaver type bags since each end of the 11" bags and rolls include a 1/2 " seal on each side. This also means that you can make custom sized bags using the textured rolls. When making bags, set the seal time down to the lowest setting which is 6 seconds to seal one open end. The seal time and cooling time can be left the same. I usually cut the bags rolls for the estimated amount of bags I will need and seal the ends all at once. Making your own bags can come in handy when the standard bags are either too small or too large.
UPDATE 8/12/18: Since we are nearing the end of summer and approaching fall, my husband has been buying a lot of veggies from the local farmer that i have to clean, blanch and freeze. Although the cleaning and blanching requires the same time that it always has, this vacuum sealer has made that process so much easier and faster. There is no required cooling time between sealing of the bags, and I love the double sealing. I have not once had to worry about moisture in the bags or manually double sealing bags. I love this sealer. It saves me so much time when doing the annual vegetable processing, and is handy on a daily basis for sealing leftovers. Granted it cost a lot more than a FoodSaver or similar product, but it has saved me a lot of time and grey hairs. I wouldn't want to be without it!!
For those that have had problems with this vacuum sealer, I can only say that VacMaster was super helpful with the problems that I had. Even if I have problem in the future that happens after the warranty period, I am certain they would help and advise what parts I need to repair the machine. Although I may have to pay for the parts at that time, which would be expected, having had excellent correspondence with their tech support, I am confident they would help to diagnose and fix any problems. If my future experience with this company changes, I will definitely update this review. Have I mentioned that I am extremely happy with this vacuum sealer and would highly recommend it??
UPDATE 12/30/19: At this point, I have had this vacuum sealer for over 18 months, use it almost daily, and absolutely love it. I have added the video in this review and a follow-up video on YouTube to demonstrate many ways to use this sealer, but I will try to summarize the advantages of this sealer here. One advantage that I totally appreciate over the FoodSaver sealers is that there is no required cool-off time. I often need to seal 20 or more bags of food for freezing. With the FoodSaver sealers, I could seal only 5 at a time before it would quit because of being overheated. With this vacuum sealer, there is no waiting for it to cool off. I can do 20 or more packages non-stop.
This sealer provides a double seal that doesn't leak over time. All too often, when sealing with a FoodSaver, I would find air had leaked into the package after I sealed it. This caused freezer burn on foods that just shouldn't happen when they are vacuum sealed.
I can still use FoodSaver bag rolls to make bags if I need larger or customized bags. The 11" wide FoodSaver bag rolls can be used in this sealer as the sealed sides of these rolls fit outside of the sealing strip on this vacuum sealer. Using the bag rolls, I can customize the length of the bags I need. The 8" bag rolls are also handy as you can make bags 8" wide of any length.
Foods with a lot of liquid stored in either bags or containers can be easily sealed without sucking up the liquid as the FoodSaver machines do. This is possible with this vacuum sealer because it doesn't suck the air out of the package to be sealed. The air is sucked out of the area outside of the package, and then the vacuum created equalizes to pull the air out of the package. The important thing here to remember is to make sure foods with a lot of liquid are completely cool before sealing them.
I have also save a few microwaveable containers from foods we have purchased in stores. These are useful for sealing whole meals like pot roast with veggies and casseroles. Simply fill them with a meal, fit them in a seal-able bag, and vacuum them. For these, I generally use 15-20 power for the vacuuming setting. For veggies in bags, I use 15 for the vacuuming setting, and for meats, usually 20-25. Since I use the same types of bags all the time, the other two setting remain the same. If you seal heavier bags or Mylar, you may have to adjust the seal time and cool time.
I hope this review was helpful for you.
Buyer : This is an excellent machine in nearly every respect
This is an excellent machine in nearly every respect. Super top shelf chamber vacuum sealer. Dont waste your money on suction sealers. It is very, very heavy -- but that's just an indicia of quality. It is extraordinarily well built. Solid.
Amazon Customer : powerful
Hate we wasted money on cheaper brands.
Kelly Hardesty : Received same damage machine twice and never fixed.
Bought this machine a month ago and received it damaged (piece that holds the oil broken). Received replacement product and GOT THE SAME MACHINE NOT FIXED. Moving on to a new manufacturer since Vac Master and Amazon cant seem to correct a problem.
Daniela : SENT IT BACK, WAITING FOR REFUND:-(
Awful. It worked poorly on the first try and then completely stopped working. The company sent a technician who couldn’t fix it so we sent it back. Terrible:-( We are bummed and waiting for our refund.
Alex Lukas : Best vacuum sealer!
Forget store bought sealers this is the best!!!
ALVARO CASTILLO : Great Machine
Great machine, machine I brought it to Ciudad Bolívar Venezuela, it comes well protected, I am very happy with its power and easy operation
J. Twing : The last vac sealer you’ll ever need
Great product! Does as advertised. I love how much more efficient it is than my old vacuum sealer. It allows me to continually bag meats and veggies while the last one is being sealed. Processed 30 fish in about 1/3 the time as my last machine.
eli : Great IF you have an industrial amount of vacuum packing to do.
This works beautifully as advertised. We have run more than 1000 cycles and changed the oil a couple times as specified in the manual and it shows every sign of being the kind of industrial equipment which will last practically forever with proper maintenance. Note that as specified it weighs about 80 lbs so is no easy thing to lug around, but it's worth the weight compared to the external bag kind if you pack 1000 things a year or so. We split the cost between 10 families who use it whenever needed, and it is worth sharing despite the weight. We use it for packing subsistence fish and game in the fall and bulk foods all year round (for long term storage of dry goods be sure and use desiccant and oxygen absorber packets). It saves us a ton of time and frustration compared to the external bag packers (especially when dealing with a lot of cold fish slime), and eventually will save us some money in bags and less spoiled food as well. This definitely will not be worth it unless you really have a nearly industrial level of vacuum packing to do at times though.
J. Twing : The last vac sealer you’ll ever need
Great product! Does as advertised. I love how much more efficient it is than my old vacuum sealer. It allows me to continually bag meats and veggies while the last one is being sealed. Processed 30 fish in about 1/3 the time as my last machine.
Donald Blauser : Chamber Vacuum Sealer
This was purchased for household after seeing & using one like it at the son-in-law's. If you have purchased numerous vacuum sealers that do not last long; purchase one of these. It is worth every penny. It does weigh about 80 pounds & will require a sturdy counter or cart. We have ours on a wheeled toolbox; it works perfectly, has storage for the oil, bags, etc., & can be wheeled to where we are going to seal foods for the freezer. Be sure to read the instructions completely. When sealing be sure to hold lid down until the needle on the gauge begins to move; it will stay closed. Love it!! One of our better purchase decisions!
Amazon Customer : This thing sucks!
I was fighting the food savers for years and eyeballing this unit for a while. After trying to seal some chicken in a bag with marinade for twenty minutes and making a god-awful mess, I was ready to take that &%$@ machine up in my airplane and drop it into the open pit mine near town. Fast forward to this unit. Soooo easy to use! From bags of smoked ribs to bags of water (had to try it!) to sealing small canning jars with dry goods. Note: The wide mouth pint jars fit but the narrow mouth are slightly taller and will touch the vacuum chamber lid as it sucks down. Cycle time is about 40 seconds but probably 30 seconds is sufficient. This thing is HEAVY! Another person here bought a cart to set it on. I finally did the same a couple days ago. So far, loving it!
Rick M : Meets expectations
Have only had this sealer for about a month, but am very pleased. Did I need this, no. Am I glad I got it, yes. I'm lucky to have the counter space to put this on. Otherwise, it could prove a bit of an issue moving it around. But, it can be done. So much better than the suction sealer that I have used for years. I would recommend this, or maybe the non oil version, for anyone who does more than just an occasional sealing. Lets you buy in bulk, marinate and store without a mess.
GottaHaveCute : Worth the investment
Exactly what I needed! Pricey but worth it. Easy to use. I put mine on a rolling cart because this machine is extremely heavy and takes a lot of space but it works out great this way.
greenscar : Great product and amazing service from the seller.
First, let me speak for the seller: I received my unit in the mail with the box in perfect condition. I got everything opened & there were no dents anywhere. When I finally got the unit out, I found the lid cracked & was fearing the repackaging & shipping of the entire HEAVY unit just for some thick plexiglass. I contacted the seller that night with a picture early the next morning I received an email they would be sending me a replacement lid immediately. Soon thereafter, I received the shipment notification & a few days later, the lid. A+++ seller.
Regarding the unit: You get what you pay for & if you do a lot of vacuum packaging, this unit is well worth it. I don't pack commercially, so I'm not going at the unit 40 hrs / week; however, I purchase a whole pig & a 1/2 a cow every couple of years. I also fish quite a bit so am regularly sealing what I catch. The cost of the bags is a fraction that of standard home units & I don't need to worry about freezing anything before sealing.
Only regrets: I should have bought this thing, from this seller, years ago.
D. Modisette : This product is solid
This product is solid. I had a FoodSaver for years and got tired of the really expensive bags. If you are going to bag in any real quantity the VacMaster will be cheaper in the long run, and is a superior unit. This thing is a tank, weighing in at 85 lbs. Highly recommend to someone who wants to store a lot and have a good seal that lasts.
Mikeiscool : Impressive unit
I bought this because I was sick of burning up a cheap vacuum packer ever year. I'm extremely happy with the unit, it's incredibly powerful and efficient. We use it for everything now, buy in bulk and freeze the extras. After a fishing trip this summer we packed up about 150 pounds of halibut in less than an hour. I would encourage anyone on the fence to jump in, you won't be disappointed. Spend the money on good bags, they last much longer in the freezer.
PJ : This is an amazing machine! Update: 4 months in,....leaks oil bad!
Update: 8 months later and its leaking oil again. My husband replaced the o ring twice. Its sad because we love it, but I wish we had bought the less expensive one if its going to keep failing with minimal use.
Update: 4 months in and this is leaking oil horribly. We use it a couple of time a week, so there is no reason for it to be failing already. It weighs a lot, so shipping it out for repair isn’t feasible. Glad I bought the extended warranty! I will update as to whether or not it can be repaired.
Absolutely awesome technology! So glad we bought this! It can seal things that regular vacuum sealers cannot, such as soups and flours. Its supper fast with an adjustable vacuum pressure. It amazes me to watch it do its thing. Excellent addition to our prepper life. I wish it had an attachment to seal mason jars, so we wouldn’t need the old vacuum sealer at all.
PJ : This is an amazing machine! Update: 4 months in,....leaks oil bad!
Update: 8 months later and its leaking oil again. My husband replaced the o ring twice. Its sad because we love it, but I wish we had bought the less expensive one if its going to keep failing with minimal use.
Update: 4 months in and this is leaking oil horribly. We use it a couple of time a week, so there is no reason for it to be failing already. It weighs a lot, so shipping it out for repair isn’t feasible. Glad I bought the extended warranty! I will update as to whether or not it can be repaired.
Absolutely awesome technology! So glad we bought this! It can seal things that regular vacuum sealers cannot, such as soups and flours. Its supper fast with an adjustable vacuum pressure. It amazes me to watch it do its thing. Excellent addition to our prepper life. I wish it had an attachment to seal mason jars, so we wouldn’t need the old vacuum sealer at all.
Elizabeth Felterman : Quick and easy!
Totally satisfied, just what I thought it would be. Commercial power, excellent seal and very easy to use.
charles_atx : but it works good. Shipping was a real pain
I wish it had gas flush, but it works good. Shipping was a real pain, since the first two I received were damaged in shipping by UPS dropping them and bending the chassis. Still, I use the thing daily to vac and freeze all my leftovers and for sous vide. Good product for the price, and it looks like it may be hackable to add gas flush. If I ever get around to that, I'll make a youtube video and update this comment.
Amazon Customer : first Vac chamber purchase
this is the first Vac chamber machine I have purchased, I have always bought food saver machines, I don't think this VAC215 machine will totally replace my food saver but it does a better job at vacuum sealing foods for either freezing, long term frig storage and liquid types like soups chili anything with lots of moisture. Not to mention the bags are CHEAP! only thing I wish the VAC215 had a port on the machine that I could use the hose and mason jar attachment that came with my food saver, I would just drill a hole in the plastic top and then put a plug but I am afraid the top would crack over time. So far I give it a 5 star, changing oil in the unit is no big deal especially if you are handy and I think the novice could to it too
Ethan A. Olson : No more problems with moisture getting in the pump!
No dislikes, this is my 4th vacume machine. All the others were exterior sealers and I hated dealing with moisture getting into the pump. This unit solved my problem. I love it and it works flawlessly, whether bagged goods or in quart jars, wet or dry. Marinating problems are gone.
Amazon Customer : first Vac chamber purchase
this is the first Vac chamber machine I have purchased, I have always bought food saver machines, I don't think this VAC215 machine will totally replace my food saver but it does a better job at vacuum sealing foods for either freezing, long term frig storage and liquid types like soups chili anything with lots of moisture. Not to mention the bags are CHEAP! only thing I wish the VAC215 had a port on the machine that I could use the hose and mason jar attachment that came with my food saver, I would just drill a hole in the plastic top and then put a plug but I am afraid the top would crack over time. So far I give it a 5 star, changing oil in the unit is no big deal especially if you are handy and I think the novice could to it too
CARMEN LAGRUTTA : Mi máquina de vacío vino rota por dentro
Compré dos maquinas de vacío vac master vp215 y una de las máquinas trajo el filtro roto y le faltan un pieza
VAM : Five Stars
Great and very robust machine! "Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten!!"
Micheal Hendrix : Great machine, we really like using it. Weird white mist.
Great machine, we really enjoy how well it works. Deducted one star because every time is runs, a white mist comes from the machine, almost like smoke but without the smell of smoke.
Amazon Customer : powerful
Hate we wasted money on cheaper brands.
drbius : Very happy with my unit
Awesome unit. It produces so much vacuum that water boils at room temperature in this thing while operating. I’ve used mine for awhile and I’m very happy with the purchase. This thing weighs 80 pounds.
Rick M : Meets expectations
Have only had this sealer for about a month, but am very pleased. Did I need this, no. Am I glad I got it, yes. I'm lucky to have the counter space to put this on. Otherwise, it could prove a bit of an issue moving it around. But, it can be done. So much better than the suction sealer that I have used for years. I would recommend this, or maybe the non oil version, for anyone who does more than just an occasional sealing. Lets you buy in bulk, marinate and store without a mess.
Der w3A : Awesome Custumer Support
Awesome product. When you first use the machine be sure the seal bar is sitting on top of the pistons. Mine wasn't and I damaged the bar when I first used it (burnt through the wire). Called custumer support and talked with Larry and Gary. Turns out VacMaster supplies a tool kit with the unit and all of the material to re-build the sealing bar. Gary explained the procedure to me (easy) and I rebuilt the bar in about 10 minutes -- worked great!! They also sent me a back-up bar in case of any future problems!! AWESOME COMPANY AND PRODUCT!
LeeAnn : Great product
Great product. Makes saving food much easier.
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