FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine with Automatic Bag Detection and Starter Kit | Safety Certified | Silver, 18.80 x 9.50 x 10.60 inches review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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 | FOODSAVER |
Material | Plastic |
Color | Silver |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 18.8 x 9.5 x 10.6 inches |
Item Weight | 10 Pounds |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- Save Money and Seal Freshness In: Meat Preserved With the Foodsaver System in the Freezer Can Last up to 3 Years and Still Taste Fresh, Flavorful, and Freezer Burn Free
- Automatic Bag Detection: Automatic Bag Detection Makes Vacuum Sealing Easier Than Ever: Simply Put the Bag in the Vacuum Chamber and the Machine Does the Rest to Ensure Your Food Stays Fresh and Flavorful
- Simple to Use: Built in Roll Storage and Cutter Lets You Easily Make Custom Sized Bags to Fit Whatever You Seal, While Led Light Indicators Easily Guide You Through the Vacuum Sealing Process
- Very Consistent Sealing: Guaranteed to Reach an Optimal Vacuum Level and Airtight Seal; The v4840 Is Durable, High Quality, and Backed by a 5 Year Limited Warranty
- Automatic Moisture Detection: Smart Technology Automatically Detects Moisture and Switches to the Correct Mode to Ensure an Airtight Seal Is Achieved
From the manufacturer
FoodSaver 4840 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System
Lock In Freshness
The FoodSaver 4840 2-in-1 Automatic Vacuum Sealing System helps keep food fresh longer. The system removes air, one of the main causes of mold and food spoilage, from bags and creates an airtight seal to lock in freshness.
One FoodSaver 2-in-1 appliance does it all: automatic bag detection and vacuum sealing mean two quick and easy steps to seal and save, and the built-in handheld sealer eliminates the need for additional attachments when sealing zipper bags and containers.
Key Features
- Vacuum sealing removes air, one of the main causes of freezer burn, mold, and spoilage
- Automatic bag detection and vacuum sealing means two quick and easy steps to seal
- Handheld sealer seals FoodSaver zipper bags, canisters, containers, and marinates food in minutes
Features & Benefits
| | |
Fully Automatic Operation Fully automatic operation uses exclusive technology to automatically sense the bag and food type to create a perfect, airtight vacuum seal. | Airtight Heat Seal The vacuum sealing system removes all the air from the bag, then uses heat to create an airtight seal, locking out moisture, air, and freezer burn. | Retractable Handheld Sealer Designed to work with FoodSaver vacuum zipper bags, containers, canisters, and all other FoodSaver accessories including wine stoppers, jar sealers, and the Quick Marinator. |
Top 3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer
| | |
Preserving Bulk Foods Take the guesswork out of smart shopping—buy in bulk and see all the savings by safely sealing and freezing meats, cheeses, vegetables, and even soups and sauces. Did we mention all FoodSaver bags/rolls are sous vide safe? Simmer away. | Jar Sealing Don’t let your garden's harvest go to waste—preserve fruit and veggies for salads, soups, apple sauces, and more. The FoodSaver Jar Sealers (sold separately) give you an easy way to enjoy or gift. | Prep Ahead Use your FoodSaver system to prep meals for the week for yourself or your whole family. It’s also great for sealing up the ingredients you need to blend ultra-fresh smoothies, like bananas, mangos, or blueberries. |
product description
Combining both a handheld and standard vacuum sealer, the V4840 2 in 1 Vacuum Sealer System with Automatic Bag Detection is vacuum sealing versatility at its best. Powerful technology eliminates air from specially designed bags, and automatic bag detection ensures a secure airtight seal to prevent freezer burn. When sealing Food Saver zipper bags and Fresh containers, the convenient handheld retractable sealer eliminates the need for additional attachments. One unit does it all. Pull-out drip tray drawer with patented removable dishwasher-safe drip tray helps keep your counters clean. Includes: (1) 11""x10' vacuum seal roll (3) 1-quart vacuum seal bags (2) 1-gallon vacuum seal bags (3) 1-quart vacuum zipper bags (2) 1-gallon zipper bags.
product details
important information
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Questions about FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine with Automatic Bag Detection and Starter Kit | Safety Certified | Silver, 18.80 x 9.50 x 10.60 inches
Q:
can it seal in liquids?
Answer: There is a wet and dry setting we have literally put several hundred pounds of meat through ours set it to the wet setting the vacuum isn't the same as with dry but it still seals very well and you will have to clean the tray for soups and such it's Abit tricky but some of the other comments here have explained it really well and you can always manual seal twice we bulk buy meats and such as there's 7 of us so we've vacuumed sealed just about everything
Answer: I put my liquids in the freezer for a while. Then seal when the liquid is more of a solid.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Take a paper towel and fold it to about one inch. Put it into the bag near the open end but leave enough room for it to seal. Make sure that the bag is lower than the Foodmaker, then vacuum seal. The paper towel will stop the liquid long enough to make a seal. Make sure that the paper towel goes from end to end inside the bag. We make about 25 cups of spaghetti sauce and that's how we do it.
Answer: The instructions show that there is a tray for catching excess liquids being removed during the process, and I find that mine unit does remove liquid so the bag can be sealed. Due to this, I find it highly unlikely that you could seal liquids in the bags. Also liquids can be a problem if they end up where the bag is being sealed. Foodsaver does offer the ability to vac-seal mason or canning jars, plus other containers that they offer. I have not attempted this yet, but the Foodsaver website does show more details and better explanations of their options.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Not without making a mess (at least in my experience). But there is a get-around to this problem. Put your liquids in a regular freezer bag/container and freeze it. Then take the frozen liquid out of the regular freezer container and you can vacuum seal the frozen solid liquids with no problem (and no mess).
Answer: I pour liquids into the seal bag, squish out as much air as possible and do a regular seal while still leaving room enough at the top for a second reseal.. After the liquid has frozen, I cut the bag open evenly across the top and then do a vacuum seal. The frozen liquid can't travel up and prevent a good vacuum seal.
Answer: It is not designed for liquids, but there is a seal (no vacuum) only option so I imagine it would be possible to bag liquids.
Answer: I freeze soups all the time in the bags you just seal them you don't vaccum seal them. You don't have to vaccum seal liquids.
Q:
Can you heat seal a bag without vacuuming out the air from the bag. If so can you use any bag to heat seal ?
Answer: Yes, I always pull out the sealed bag a bit, maybe 1/4 or 1/2 inch, and seal again to make sure it is sealed for sure. I've had just one seal not heat well and there goes the vacuum and the food!
Answer: You can seal bags without vaccuming the air out. I also reseal potato chip bags, brown sugar bags, etc without having to put the in foodsaver bags. any food that comes in a bag can usually be reseal with this.
Answer: To seal without vacuuming, press the power button, then the seal button before you insert the bag. As soon as the bag is detected, it will seal without vacuuming.
Answer: When you put a bag in to seal, it starts to suck the air out. If you let it go all the way, it will stop after a few seconds and then seal. If you want to seal only (not suck the air out), just push the "seal" button.
Answer: Yes you can just seal s bag, just hit the seal button once you insert the bag. I have never tried using regular bags, but I think they would be too thin and not melt properly, and possibly ruin the vacuum slot. Not recommended by Foodsaver.
Answer: Yes just use the seal button don't just slide the bag in or it will suck the air out press seal first then insert the bag repeat for both ends of the bag
Answer: I heat seal bags all the time...especially chips/pretzels, etc. It's easy and I find my chips stay fresh much longer. Hope this answer helps you.
Answer: Yes, you can heat seal without vacuuming. You do need to use the Foodsaver bags.
Q:
will this unit hold the bigger commercial rolls
Answer: no, it does NOT. Just cut off enough to make your next "bag". (You can also roll 25-30 feet off a large commercial roll & store this smaller amount in the compartment on the 4840.)
Answer: it'll hold 11" roll largest.
Answer: it does not, but you can still use them and cut them to size without having the roll "stored" in the machine.
Q:
What is the max width of bags it takes?
Answer: 11-7/16 is the size that came with my foodsaver and it is so tight that you can hardly get it in the slot for it.
Q:
Whats the difference between this product and the foodsaver v4440 2-in-1? the v4800 is $50 more than the v4440
Answer: The only difference between the V4800 and V4440 is the design. The V4800 has more stainless on it's housing compared to the V4440. Thank you!
Q:
what is the difference with V 4865 AND V4840
Answer: I called Food Saver and they told me that there was absolutely no difference in those two numbers.
Q:
does this run 220v?
Answer: The one I purchased was only for 110 volt, you will need to contact manufacture to see if they have one that runs on 220v.
Answer: will this model run 220v?
Answer: Appliances sold in the North American market are all 110-120 volt. 220 volt is Europe and other places that dont mind having such high voltage at ordinary wall outlets.
Q:
Are the plastic bags and rolls BPA free?
Answer: All of the plastic bags used in food saver applications are BPA free. In fact, every plastic in the world is BPA fre except for PolyCarbonate and PolyCarbonate blends. The Recycling number for PolyCarbonate is 7 and even then that number also encompases Nylons and Acrylic so it's only a partial indicator. PC would be too high heat and rigid to be used in a heat sealer application like this. They most likely use Polyethylene or Polypropylene or PET 1-5 on the recycling number system. Source- Chemical Engineer employed inthe Plastics industry.
Answer: Jarden Consumer Solutions is diligent in our efforts to ensure that our products are compliant with all industry standards, including the regulations set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada. In response to your inquiry, none of our FoodSaver branded bags, rolls or canisters contains Bisphenol A.
Answer: I only buy the Food Saver brand and they are BPA free. Cannot comment on other brands.
Answer: I can say if they are from foodsaver then yes
Answer: yes
Answer: yes
Answer: Yes i believe they are
Q:
Can you seal canning jars with this model?
Answer: Yes it does. With the attachment. I buy my spices in bulk, fill my small jars to keep in the house and then seal the rest in quart jars. It works beautifully! The wide mouth seem to seal better than the regular ones, though
Answer: it will seal Ball and Mason brand canning jars for certain...other brands as well might work but you would have to experiment since other brands are not guaranteed to work due to minor differences in the manufacture.
Answer: It has the attachment sealer option. Not sure if it will do canning jars. I would contact FoodSaver.
Answer: This vacuum sealer is compatible with both the wide mouth and regular size jar sealers.
Q:
How do I retract the handheld nozzle?
Answer: To retract a hose that has been pulled beyond the recommended length, please attempt the following:
Answer: It's somewhat tricky. When I first did it I had to pull up on the hose and then let it back. After three or four get a it retracted. Hope this helps
Answer: how to retract
Q:
Could I use any bag or should be the one from foodsaver
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Yes, you can; Remember FoodSaver bags are there cash cow and very expensive. I have been using Avid Armor (avidarmor.com) rolls and precut bags for over a year, they work great and are significantly less expensive than FoodSavers bags.
Answer: I have been using these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JFBZ24J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It is 100 quart size bags for $14.95. Speedy shipping also.
Answer: You can't use any kind of bag. It must be made of special material as to seal properly. Foodsaver bags are very expensive! Looks like after you purchased Foodsaver Machine they would price their bags in reason but they don't so we found generic bags on Amazon that work just fine and are affordable. My wife has already worn one machine out and purchased another on Amazon. Hope this helps you. Larry Marshall
Answer: Thank you for your inquiry. It is recommended that you use the food saver bags due to the material used for food storage and the method used to seal your food. Conventional plastic bags can break down under certain pressure and heat.
Answer: You can use any bag, including "zip lock" bags
Answer: have to use a vacuum bag. does not have to be foodsaver brand but has to be able to vacuum out the air.
Answer: It has to be a foodsaver style bag. You can't use any regular ziplock bag they will melt.
Answer: You should use the Food Saver bags or rolls and make bags from them. Regular bags, i.e. plastic, will melt when trying to seal them and make a very big mess in your sealer.
Answer: Any bags that are designed for vaccum packing and as long as the width is same or narrower than the sealer can be used, DO NOT get duped into having to purchase "Foadsaver" branded bags.
Q:
Do you need a hose adapter to use this with available rectangular containers?( lunch meat and leftover boxes)
Answer: The retractable handheld sealer that is incorporated into this FoodSaver replaces the need for additional adapters. You can easily vacuum the containers using this vacuum sealer.
Answer: It comes with an adapter, the hose is long enough. You remove the top and with the adapter it seals.
Answer: The attachment on the left is the pull-out hose and the end attachment that you press down on the opening, then push the button.
Q:
can i seal marinated meats
Answer: The best way to seal liquids or food with a lot of moisture is to pre-freeze it for about 1-2 hours. This will lock in all of the juices and help to guarantee a good seal. You can also take a look at the the http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T02-0050-05-Quick-Marinator/dp/B00005OTXS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447942268&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=FOODSAVER+MARINATORE which vacuum marinates meat, fish, vegetables and more in minutes and can also be used for storage.
Answer: yes you can as long as you place some small rolled up paper towel between the seal and the meat .to avoid the sealer getting messy
Answer: Yes, there is a moist food setting
Q:
were can I get 11-1/4 bags for the food saver plus the wine sealer
Answer: Amazon sells them http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-0024-02-3-Pack-Bottle-Stoppers/dp/B0000CFPH9 and the food saver bags come in 11" wide rolls on amazon too......http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-FSFSBF0616-000-11-Roll/dp/B00005OTXU
Answer: for wine it is T03-0024-02p listed as "bottle stoppers" sets of 3 available direct foodsaver.com check amazon also if available Bags are pint/quart/gallon and expandable and microwavable and zipper
Answer: You can purchase accessories, bags and rolls at out website. www.foodsaver.com
Answer: I get my bags at Kohls and Amazon.
Q:
What is the Model number?
Answer: This vacuum sealer is model number V4840. The part number for this model is FSFSSL4840-000.
Answer: Model number V4840
Answer: Just to be sure... you were looking at the Amazon page for the FoodSaver 4840 (as titled on the product page), and you are now asking what the model number is. Correct? I'm not sure if this is a test, or if you actually needed to know. But, just in case... the model number is - 4840. :)
Answer: 4840
Answer: looks exactly like the one in the picture and the # is next to it in the picture and I love it
Answer: The answer is on the post.you must not get out much
Q:
What exactly comes with this unit ?
Answer: This vacuum sealer comes with a starter kit that includes: (1) 11"x10' Roll, (3) Qt Heat-Seal Bags, (2) Gal Heat-Seal Bags, (3) Qt Zipper Bags, & (2) Gal Zipper Bags.
Q:
Do you have to use food saver bags? What about generic food sealer bags?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Absolutely Not! I find much, much cheaper and every bit as good online at Ebay. There are a number of dealers there. I examined them side by side and look identical. I have had zero issues with generic bags.
Answer: We have used high quality generic bags for about a year, with the same success rate (>90%) as name-brand bags.
Answer: You can use just about any sealer bag, but the generic ones do not always seal as well.
Answer: I have not tried other bags. Sorry.
Q:
Ok....before I buy this vacumm sealing machine....can I vacumm pies/cakes without squeezing them...? Thank you for your help
Answer: You can purchase the 4980 and it comes with a pulse vac feature that allows you to control how much air to suck out so it doesn't crush delicate items such as pies or cakes. If you would rather buy this model then when the bag gets to the point where you want it to stop sucking air and go to seal just press the vac/seal button.
Answer: Using this vacuum sealer along with the FoodSaver Expandable Heat Seal Rolls, you can vacuum pies and cakes without hassle. For optimal results, we advise pre-freezing all delicate foods overnight, prior to vacuum sealing.
Answer: I have not tried to vacuum these item, but if the pie is in a pan it should not collapse. As far as cake, you would have to try it. Hope this helps.
Answer: absolutely!! I suggest freezing them hard first and then popping in the packaging!! It's fabulous!!
Q:
Can you use ordinary ziplock bags?
Answer: No. This vacuum sealer is designed for use with FoodSaver brand bags only.
Answer: No they have food saver bags
Answer: absolutely not! It's a wonderful machine, my wife loves it and uses it all the time an what makes so wonderful we saved a bunch of money buying it through Amazon! Hope this helps you? Larry Marshall
Answer: No you have no outlet to pull the air out with.
Answer: No
Answer: No.
Q:
I purchase a food saver years ago, it had a sponge pad, that absorbed some of the juice. Does the newer on?
Answer: I just bought mine and there is no sponge pad. To prevent juices from collecting I flash freeze vegetables, fruit and meat before sealing. Just lay the food in a single layer on a cookie sheet and let it set overnight in the freezer then bag and seal. I've not had to clean my drip pan of juices very frequently and I'm on my third food saver. Hope this helps.
Answer: The newer models do not come with sponge, they do have a removable drip tray for easy cleaning. For liquids we would recommend to flash freeze before vacuum and sealing.
Answer: The newer one doesn't have a sponge, it has a drip pan that pulls out from underneath the machine and catches the excess moisture.
Answer: The newer one has a drip pan that collets the juices. It is the length of the sealer and about 1/2 inch wide. It can be removed for clean up.
Answer: Mine does not have a sponge pad.
Answer: No, mine doesn't, but it does have a removable drip tray and a warning light that tells you when it needs to be emptied and clean. Easy to remove and put back.
Answer: No it has a removable tray that can be cleaned. It is about 1/4 inch wide.
Answer: No it doesn't. It has a removable drip tray.
Answer: No, now it has a removable drip tray. You can sanitize it.
Answer: NO
Q:
Should i use moist mode for frozen peaches?
Answer: Since the peaches are frozen there should be no moisture so it is not necessary to use the moist setting, however you are not hurting anything by using that setting.
Q:
Will this overheat when sealing a large amount of food? Our old one does after about 10 times so anyone have experience with sealing large amounts?
Answer: Mine hasn't. And I use it for work in a kitchen. Sealed up 30 bags of sauce in half an hour and no issues.
Answer: No, I have not had any problems with overheating. If you are sealing a large amount of items just wait a couple of minutes between sealing and it should be okay.
Answer: not sure never noticed and we have done a lot a few times. We do love the machine
Answer: this food saver is very nice and easy to use.i have not had any problems so far
Answer: I have had no problems with my Foodsaver overheating.
Answer: have never had this problem about over heating..
Answer: So far so good,it has been working fine so far, and I have been using it quiet often. HL
Q:
does it cut the bags to size like a deni machine? or do you have to cut the bag material by hand then seal it>
Answer: some deni reviews vacmaster pro110: if you want to seal something with a liquid do not bother; Dont like that you have to push on each side of unit to click into place, i like the clamp down lever like the foodsaver has; not great with anything that's even slightly wet or oily.
Answer: This model FoodSaver does not have an automatic bag cutting feature. There is roll storage, and a manual slide bag cutter inside the unit that allows you to cut the bags to length with ease.
Answer: If you use the roll there is a cutter in the machine. It works really well. You have to seal it after you cut it
Answer: like the majority of foodsaver vacuum systems, you benefit by buying the biggest roll that fits your machine and can slice the length required by slicing the roll with the built in cutter system. When you state bag, obviously premade bag sizes, can not be adjusted. So I hope youy meant rolled material.
Answer: No it cuts for u has a razor bag slicer
Q:
can you cook directly in the bags
Answer: Yes and maybe. I use the food saver in conjunction with my Sous Vide all the time. I bring home the larger "family packs" of , season it for however it is to be used, and seal and label it. I freeze it for storage, then I thaw it out and toss it in the Sous Vide. I've heard of people cooking meals and portioning them in Food Saver bags then using like "boil-in-bags", but I've never done that myself. I don't see why it wouldn't work, though, as long as you double seal the bag to make sure the seam won't pop.
Answer: I use it with my Sous Vide Supreme all the time. One issue: I have had bags come unsealed while trying to lift a larger piece of meat out of the water bath after a long (24hr-72hr) cooking time. It doesn't affect the meat, but it's messy and ruins any plans to make a sauce out of the leftover liquid in the bag.
Answer: I would not do that.
Q:
How does the canning jar sealer attach to the foodsaver 4840, the built-in retractable handheld sealer does not appear compatible?
Answer: The retractable handheld sealer can be easily removed from the accessory hose portion of the vacuum sealer so you can use the FoodSaver with all other accessories.
Q:
How are repairs handled
Answer: For assistance with your FoodSaver, please give our Customer Care Team a call at 1-877-777-8042. We will be happy to help you get back to sealing more and saving more with your FoodSaver, and are here for you Monday-Friday 8am-8pm Eastern, and Saturday 9am-6pm Eastern.
Answer: does the hand held hose empty into the drip tray? my old one did not. called Food Saver and they said the accessory hose could not be cleaned. Eventually clogged and stopped working. That model is 3820.
Answer: My hand held sealer failed after 3 weeks so I called FoodSaver and they wanted me to send the whole unit back AT MY EXPENSE! Not going to happen...thank goodness I bought from Amazon and was still in the return window. Got my whole unit replaced within 2 days plus a prepaid UPS label to return the faulty unit. Yay Amazon!!!!
Answer: They are sent back to the factory. The warranty is in the box and you fill it out and send it in.
Answer: I don't know, mine works great! Haven't had to deal with that.
Q:
Can it seal canning jars
Answer: No,, in fact if you. Want to stack like burgers, get some freezer paper and cut it just a little larger then the meat. Be sure to cut 2 pieces placing the dull sides together , shinny sides out.Make sure that you leave a space between stacks for it to seal between them Don't put it more than 3 high, and 2 across they will seal good and you can open take out 1 or 6 then reseal same bag. You can season before freezing, you can use it to marinade, the rub or thick sauce. It works very well. You buy bulk grains or anything else like that even coffee and vacuum them in size you want it to be.
Answer: It can, with an attachment, vacuum seal lids to canning jars. HOWEVER, this is not a replacement for actually canning the food - if not heated/cooked as directed, you may be sealing botulism spores in with your food. The attachment is great for sealing lids to allow storage of dry goods under vacuum (like flour, sugar, etc), but should not be used as a replacement for properly canning wet, fresh, or cooked foods.
Answer: Yes, but you need an attachment to use canning jars. They make two options - regular and wide mouth. Each one is $10 and a great addition to this sealer.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: No, this unit is not capable of performing the pressure needed for canning. The food saver brand has special canisters for vacuum sealing foods such as grains, and other limited types of foods.
Answer: No, this unit is not capable of performing the pressure needed for canning. The food saver brand has special canisters for vacuum sealing foods such as grains, and other limited types of foods.
Answer: YES, I CALLED !!! Place 2 of the flat lids on till sealed then remove the top one and you will have a tight seal.
Answer: Yes I have both regular and the large jar sealers. Use 2 lids then take top one off.
Answer: I've been doing it since the lid sealers came out. It works wonders for storing bulk dry goods :) Im not sure why others are using 2 lids, I have always only used one with no problem:)
Answer: No, I'm pretty sure it can't, I don't see any way it could.
Q:
what is the difference between the 4840 and the 4420?
Answer: There is no difference in the quality or functionality of the two vacuum sealers. You may see a slight design change. Thanks!
Q:
Does this seal quart and pint size jars as well?
Answer: Yes, this machine is compatible with our https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-FCARWJAH-000-Wide-Mouth-Regular-Accessory/dp/B016OL1AB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1471541336&sr=8-2&keywords=jar+sealer Thanks!
Answer: I believe so, but found out that it needs their special lids for the sealing. It would be nice if it could with regular lids but it does not.
Answer: no it doesn't just makes bags from the rolls and seal pre sealed bags as far as I know and since using it it surely cannot
Q:
Do the settings stay set until I change them? I have older v3240 that resets for each seal which is irratating.
Answer: Everything stays exactly where you set it until you request (manually) a change. This unit is far superior to the old V3240. Have fun.
Answer: The settings do remain the same until you change them or the vacuum sealer is powered off.
Answer: You must press the "seal" button for each 'seal only' cycle.. "Seal" overrides the 'vacuum' action for a single cycle.. Necessary for making 'bags'.
Q:
Does this have a "Pulse" button and, if not ,how to you seal soft items without crushing them.
Answer: No, this item DOES NOT have a pulse button. I bought it based on the answer to this question by FoodSaver themselves. I tried to vacuum seal a roll and while you can press the Seal button at any time it totally flattened my roll because it vacuums too quickly to catch the right moment to stop it
Answer: This seems to be a newer model from the one i have, however mine has both a "Pulse" and a "Seal" button, i see that this one has only the "Seal" one, what i do sometimes is that i press "Seal" whenever i get the desired vacuum, this stops the process and seals the bag. I assume that will work on this model as well.
Answer: It sure does! Just press the pulse button to remove air bits at a time to avoid crushing delicate items.
Q:
Is the V4840 the replacement for the V4825?
Answer: I'm not sure but something should replace it! The V4840 has not been reliable for us. The element that seals the bag stopped working after less than 50 seals and so far we haven't been able to get that part replaced. They sent us a rubber gasket. Hmmm. At least they did respond to our negative review of the part though and perhaps after we email them back we'll get the right part. Should have lasted much longer before it stopped working though.
Q:
I'm going to rephrase my question. i want to know if the 4840 will handle the size of a cheesecake? i will freeze it first, then i want to wrap it.
Answer: Hello, this is Filip from FoodSaver Care. Thank you for contacting us regarding our FoodSaver V4840. It all depends on the size of the cheesecake, but we recommend cutting it and storing it in pieces.
Answer: Well, it depends on the size of the cheesecake. The widest roll of bags is 11" wide so you may have to cut the pie in half to have enough room for the seal. It's a good idea to freeze it first or it might smash the pie.
Q:
confused on bag sizes. is there a roll where i an choose how "long" i want it to be... such as 3 feet long for a rack of ribs?
Answer: You can make your own bags as long as you need them for the rolls. In a standard box of "bags" from Costco for instance, you get one 8" roll, 4 11" rolls, and 36 pre-made quart size bags.
Answer: Confused: I buy all my FoodSaver rolls at Sam's. Special value combo pack. It has 2 rolls 8 inches wide by 20 feet long and4 rolls 11 wide inches by 16 feet long. By buying rolls like this you can make your bags as long as you want. This box of rolls cast around 27-30 dollars.
Answer: Unfortunately, we don't offer custom size rolls. However, we will be happy to note and document your suggestion. Feedback from consumers, such as yourself, is routinely reviewed by our Product Development team. Thanks!
Q:
I had an older modell that could vacum seal a mason jar with an atatchment. Does this model have that feature?
Answer: Yes, this FSFSSL4840 can seal jars with the jar sealers.
Answer: Yes, but you need to purchase the attachment separately if you don't have it. I use the one from my older model. This is my third Food Saver. I've owned other brands as well.
Answer: Yes it does
Answer: Yes, it does.
Q:
How is this different from the V4865?
Answer: There really isn't any difference except the position of the buttons. I love mine. I use it every week
Answer: This is the first I've ever owned, and all I can say is that I'm a very satisfied consumer. I use the zip-lock bags to store my salad, and I can keep them a whole lot longer than before. My only regret is that I waited so long to get one. I think of all the food I've had to toss because it spoiled so quickly.
Q:
Does this work with the older style of attachments for sealing mason jars?
Answer: All of my attachments from older models work with this machine
Q:
hi... it's 220v ?
Answer: FoodSaver vacuum sealers run on 110/120 volts.
Answer: its a us plug 120v
Answer: It's 120V
Answer: Sorry, most US small appliances are 120V. You might want to check out a voltage converter.
Answer: No
Answer: No
Q:
How many bag can this machine seal in its lifetime?
Answer: The expected life of a FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer is based on the care and usage of the unit, and not by the amount of bags that it is expected to vacuum and seal over time. This model FoodSaver is an elegant home-use vacuum sealer, and is capable of vacuuming and sealing up to 5 - 6 packages at a time before it needs a brief rest to avoid overheating. If you were to package 5 - 6 packages 2 - 3 times a week, while pre-freezing moister food items and cleaning the unit regularly, this FoodSaver should last many years.
Answer: I'm not sure. My husband does whole sale food so we use it when he gets things from work. Sorry I can't answer
Q:
can this machine vacuum seal Mylar bags
Answer: Yes, it seals mylar bags
Answer: I don't really know. However, I think I would ONLY use this machine per its directions due to the cost. You could call the manufacturer and ask that question. They would have more insight into your inquiry.
Answer: Sorry, really don't know the answer to that one.
Q:
What’s the largest size bag that I can use
Answer: Hello, this is Karolina from FoodSaver care. Thank you for contacting us regarding our V4840 vacuum sealer. This model is compatible with all FoodSaver pre made bags and the biggest ones are gallon size bags. You can also use it with our vacuum seal rolls 8 inches and 11 inches.
Answer: The size of the bags can be various, this would be the width sealer and the reel containing the bags before cutting and how long you cut the length for the bag you are making, seen bags 11" x 50', so in reality you could have a bag 11" x 50', but this would not be practical. Common sense prevails.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: 11" wide bags are the largest that can be used in this. But any length. I'm not aware of a larger bag size except for a commercial grade vacuum sealer.
Answer: 11" wide is the widest you can go. I have made a bag 2' in length with no problems, it just takes a little longer to seal. So Honestly I don't think there are any limitations on the length but 11" is the widest you can go.
Answer: They can use bags up to 12" wide and can be cut any length you need from the roll. But any smaller bags can also be used.
Answer: Bag rolls come two sizes, I think 8” and 11” and you can use both.
Q:
I have wine stoppers from my old foodsaver. they are white and seem incompatible with this foodsaver accessory. does it work? do i have to buy new?
Answer: Yes they are the same. Your accessory attachment is actually two pieces. If you detach the longer piece from the black piece it will have a nipple that goes into the hole on the top of the wine stopper.
Answer: Sorry, can't offer you a correct answer. If it seems incompatible with the new food saver, them I would purchase a new one.
Q:
What’s the warranty situation? Purchased 8/10/17 and just stopped working!!!!
Answer: First, did you register your Food Saver, which you can do online and should have been done within 10 days? This registration should have been done on www.foodsaver.comFSVREG. Now, with such a problem you are experiencing, call 1-877-777-8042 and address your concern. Sunbeam Products does business with Jarden Consumer Solutions. Make sure you note who you spoke with, date and time and if your connection is with Sunbeam or Jarden. My paperwork DID NOT give a warranty. If you don't get a good response, provided you are registered, then contact the BBB in your city.
Q:
Does the hose need to be attached and removed in order to switch from bags to containers?
Answer: The hose is built in to the FoodSaver itself. If you want to seal container using the hose, you have to pull it our and set it on the container, then press the accessory button. On the other hand, if you're going to vacuum seal a heat-seal bag, you will use the slot on the bottom without pulling the hose out. For additional information, give us a call at (877) 777-8042. We are available Mon-Fri 8am-8pm and Sat 9am-6pm EST.
Answer: My unit came with the hose attached. I have not removed it to seal the bags and so far has worked perfectly.
Q:
Can i uses any brand of bags?
Answer: As long as it's a vacuum sealing bag then yes any brand is fine.
Answer: Yes of course you can. You can also reseal potato chip and pretzel bags
Q:
does it hold 50' roll
Answer: Yes. This 4840 will hold a 50' roll of srink wrap.
Answer: It does not hold a 50 foot roll. I re-rolled for 2 rolls at 25 feet.
Answer: The 8" x 20' FoodSaver Roll is the longest roll manufactured by FoodSaver. All FoodSaver Vacuum Sealers that have roll storage compartments, are able to accommodate rolls up to 20', but not bigger.
Answer: yes, i use the 50 foot roll, you may have to use some of the roll before it will fit in food saver
Answer: I had to use quite a bit of the 50 inch roll for it to fit but I really didnt mind.
Q:
how many watts?
Answer: Not sure but I use a 15 amp/120 volt GFI outlet with absolutely no problem.
Answer: have no idea but save your money. It was tough to use right out of the box especially on small bags. Then it would not run at all
Q:
Is this powerful enough to make things like compressed melon?
Answer: This will not actually compress anything solid into liquid, it will seal and remove all air and slightly compress the bag.
Answer: I would think so.
Answer: Yes. It even pulverized rocks.
Answer: yes
Q:
does any one know what is the Suction Flow and Vacuum Pressure for a Foodsaver 4800 unit? I tried different sites even of their web page and no luck
Q:
do you use different bags for storage and freezing?
Answer: Yes I order them on amazon the cheap off brand works great haven’t had a issue
Product reviews of FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine with Automatic Bag Detection and Starter Kit | Safety Certified | Silver, 18.80 x 9.50 x 10.60 inches
Kindle Customer : So far so good. This is my third one
So far so good. This is my third one. The others (Foodsaver too) did a great job of sealing but the vacuum failed after a time. I had the others for about a year or so before they stopped vacuuming. The vacuum tried to work, but didn't vacuum all the air out and it kept going and going and going. So, hopefully this one will last longer.
Emily Wade : Don’t waste your money
Extremely disappointed with the amount of money I spent on garbage! Trying to vacuum seal 80 fresh chickens and the thing seals less than half the time. Even froze the chickens so the moisture wouldn’t mess with the sealing portion and it didn’t work. The machine doesn’t even get the initial seal on the bottom of the bag correct every time. We’re having to seal bags multiple times just to get the seal to stick. We’ve made sure everything is dry; including the bag, tray, sealing element. Wouldn’t recommend at all. Very frustrating!
L. Megert : The best
I have owned an automatic FoodSaver for over ten years. It failed so I needed a replacement. This does the trick. Simple to use and still automatic. Uses the same bags and FoodSaver containers. Excellent machine that I expect and I should get many years of use. I use this machine just about every day. It does save food!
WaterWynd : A kitchen "Must Have."
A trusted workhorse in our home. We use this every day. We reseal chip bags, treat storage totes; create perfect marinades; freezer storage; prep slow cooker meals; remove moisture from rice storage bags; camping/hiking; keep bread fresh longer; store off season clothing; gained two shelves of pantry space by reducing air in storage items; save money buying in bulk that stays fresh longer; downsized to a more energy efficient freezer with all the saving in space and storage- $$ savings on electric; space gained in utility room. Bonus! Prep salads in single portions without wilting lettuce. Love the bags- sturdy, efficient, utilitarian. So easy to use and clean. Top 5 kitchen "Must Have."
A Customer : Should have bought one years ago
I love the food saver. Like many people, I buy the big family packs of meat from the grocery and then split it into freezer bags by serving. I didn't realized how expensive the bags were when you added it up. I can buy rolls of foodsaver bag material and get two to three times as many bags for the same cost. That said, definitely going to buy one of the containers for marinating meats. I've been vacuum sealing EVERYTHING from dehydrated snacks, to veggies and meats.
Amazon Customer : No customer service is available when unit dies after a few months
This food saver stopped working after 6 months of minimal use. The customer service request form on their website just times out when submitting a request and their contact phone number states that the call volume is high and tells you to use the non-functional service request form and hangs up. Numerous attempts to fill our the request form have been unsuccessful. Additional phone calls yield the same result. The warranty is bogus.
linder : BUY THE OLDER CHEAPER MODEL, THIS ONE IS HORRIBLY
This model is HORRIBLBUY THE CHEAPER OLDER MODEL. . I have owned this brand for years, and always their new model is easier to use.. what used to take just one thumb press to seal, and vacuum, now takes multiple steps and about 5 times the time. This one makes you cut the plastic bag, take it out, separately seal the bottom by trying to slowly feed it in a different slot (which takes multiple tries to get it to engage. Then fill your bag, REINSERT IT in a slot, - again takes multiple tries to reinsert it correctly to get it to engage again to vacuum and seal. Plus hitting buttons multiple times with potentially messy fingers (we vacuum pack fresh fish).
Dtay64 : Good machine for the price. Still not perfect for what I do.
I bought this to replace an older food saver model that really bugged you down when dealing in bulk waiting for it to cool. So I upgraded to this. For the price I do think this is a good unit. But if you are custom making bags and making 2 seals per bag you still do have to wait on a quick Cool down period. Though I probably never had to wait more than 10-15 seconds. Compared to a minute or so on the old one. Still frustrating when you are doing volume. But it seems like the next step up is double the price or more. I sealed 100 lbs of meat with this the first weekend I had it.
BRT : Great Product
I'm generally very pleased with this. As a vacuum sealer it's great. I'm not sure the integrated storage feature for the roll of poly material is so great. I suppose it's convenient to have it all self contained but it does make the unit more bulky, and I don't find the cutter as efficient as I would prefer. When sealing the bags, it takes a lot of length to trigger the auto seal. Seems to me it's a bit wasteful, and I end up trimming off the excess beyond the sealed edge. Still, I love being able to package food for storage and sous vide. Have yet to use the container vac feature but looking forward to it.
Garrett Clark : ... to learn to count to 10 this product is GREAT!! because your going to have to count ...
If you have a child that leans to learn to count to 10 this product is GREAT!! because your going to have to count to 10 every time you seal something, I assume this has to do with cooling of the heating strip that does the sealing.. definitely disappointing having to constantly wait for the product to be ready again when you are trying to do a large amount of item (like buying a whole rib eye and just making a bag from a roll it takes a horrendous amount of time waiting).
Patty Ann : Love my food saver
So far I have sealed and frozen, corn on the cob, meatballs, and zucchini bread. The food saver work s great on all of it. I love the gadget you use on the zip lock bags. I sealed my tortia shells and now they are still fresh when I want to use one.
Mike Hunt : Do not go for a different manufacture this is what you want.
Spend the extra money to get this unit. I got a unit half the price of this and about 90% of the vacuumed sealed packages leaked after 24 hours. I returned the unit and got this. So far after about 20 sealed packages zero leaks. Unit works great easy to seal easy to vacuum got this primary for sousvide cooking and so far its been fantastic. The roll holder and sliding cutter makes it very easy and convenient to use. Only downside of this unit is its a bit bulky for permanent counter storage.
Monica L. Brown : Waste of money
Purchased in October 2017, yesterday it just stopped working. Lights come on, but unit will not seal. It has been kept clean and used properly.
E. Su : Upgraded from an earlier vacuum sealer. Very satisfied.
I have had a clamshell version of the foodsaver vacuum sealer for many years and was very happy with it. Below is a picture of the older came show model with a separate vacuum bag roll storage and cutter. This model has built in vacuum bag roll storage and cutter.
One problem with the older unit was that it would not allow you to heat seal the bags closed until it achieved a very thorough removal of all of the air. Therefore I could not use it on soft or delicate food items. I tried to bag some bagels and negative pressure resulted in squished bagel pucks. This model allows you to choose when you want it to heat seal the bags. Today when I bagged some bagels. I allowed the vacuum to remove enough air so that the plastic shrank very close to the surface of the bagels without compressing them.I included a picture of said bagels.
I found that with the older vacuum sealer any liquids would also be drawn up by the vacuum. Often this would cause failure of the seal and a mess. Again the newer model allows me to seal the bags to achieve a tight shrink wrap but without making a mess. I recycled some plastic take-out Chinese containers, filled them with some delicious bean and bacon soup that my wife made today. As you can see in the picture the plastic shrinks down close to the surface of the soup but it doesn't make a mess. I bagged several helpings of soup and with the concavity achieved by the plastic containers they stack perfectly in my freezer. I am very happy that I saved so many of these plastic takeout containers. I plan to use many of them in the future for other meals.
Another plus with the new vacuum system is that it automatically seals the bag for you when you insert into the slot. With the older model you had to position the bag over the vacuum gasket. Often times the Bag would kink and roll over and not allow a good vacuum seal and i would have to reposition the bag to make it work. However convenience does have a bit of a price. The newer vacuum system requires a little bit more bag to be used each time.
I have always used vacuum bags from foodsaver. However I recently ordered two rolls of bags from Amazon. It is much, much cheaper. I hope they fit within the holder on the vacuum unit.these rolls are bigger then what is available from foodsaver but are much less expensive.
GoodyTwo Shoos : Great Machine
Pay the few bucks extra for this unit. It works pretty well and with the exception of some moments of frustration trying to get the suction to turn on, it's pretty easy to use. I've been using it to prep my sous vide dishes and I have lost seal only twice. Both those times happened while I was experimenting with the difference between using FoodSaver vs non-brand bags and the split was 50/50.
All in all, if you are looking for a machine like this, this one is a pretty good one.
BBQ Queen : Terrible and evidently you can't return it
Terrible and evidently you can't return it. It sucks all the air out then before sealing it completely it lets half the air back in. Worthless.
E. Su : Upgraded from an earlier vacuum sealer. Very satisfied.
I have had a clamshell version of the foodsaver vacuum sealer for many years and was very happy with it. Below is a picture of the older came show model with a separate vacuum bag roll storage and cutter. This model has built in vacuum bag roll storage and cutter.
One problem with the older unit was that it would not allow you to heat seal the bags closed until it achieved a very thorough removal of all of the air. Therefore I could not use it on soft or delicate food items. I tried to bag some bagels and negative pressure resulted in squished bagel pucks. This model allows you to choose when you want it to heat seal the bags. Today when I bagged some bagels. I allowed the vacuum to remove enough air so that the plastic shrank very close to the surface of the bagels without compressing them.I included a picture of said bagels.
I found that with the older vacuum sealer any liquids would also be drawn up by the vacuum. Often this would cause failure of the seal and a mess. Again the newer model allows me to seal the bags to achieve a tight shrink wrap but without making a mess. I recycled some plastic take-out Chinese containers, filled them with some delicious bean and bacon soup that my wife made today. As you can see in the picture the plastic shrinks down close to the surface of the soup but it doesn't make a mess. I bagged several helpings of soup and with the concavity achieved by the plastic containers they stack perfectly in my freezer. I am very happy that I saved so many of these plastic takeout containers. I plan to use many of them in the future for other meals.
Another plus with the new vacuum system is that it automatically seals the bag for you when you insert into the slot. With the older model you had to position the bag over the vacuum gasket. Often times the Bag would kink and roll over and not allow a good vacuum seal and i would have to reposition the bag to make it work. However convenience does have a bit of a price. The newer vacuum system requires a little bit more bag to be used each time.
I have always used vacuum bags from foodsaver. However I recently ordered two rolls of bags from Amazon. It is much, much cheaper. I hope they fit within the holder on the vacuum unit.these rolls are bigger then what is available from foodsaver but are much less expensive.
Jack (NMI) Stecker : Bad support died after less than 3 months.
Died after less than 3 months and their support sucks. I have dealt with them in the past looks like the same runaround is about to happen. Figured they would have changed by now. I am speech impaired and just like last time they don't have provisions for that. So it looks like I'm out of luck and will have to buy another. The other con of this model is it wastes more bag, will not do narrow bags and it appears it is fragile. Looks like the sensor arm broke. Hardest version I have had to get it to seal or vac. Like I had to do a magic dance and hold my mouth just right to get it to work. Picky about bag width and how you hold it and feed it.
P. Petty : .
I'm alone now and don't have to maintain two fridges and a chest freezer... But I still have to store some things for later use..
Doesn't matter if it's fresh meat, produce, or the heroic batch of stew or chili that just came off the stove; it all needs to be stored safely.. The years have taught me well, along with Food Saver products... I got onboard with this system about the same time they hit the market... We've gone through changes... I actually prefer some of the older systems, but. that's just from an old guy who hates change.. I'm on board with this newest one, and it is serving me well... Sure, it uses more bags than the old ones did, but it's impressive as hell sitting there on the counter.. LOL
Bottom line is that I cannot imagine being without the capability to vacuum seal anything worth keeping... And this one does it so easily...
Johanna : Everyone needs one of these....
This is my third Food Saver, could not live without it. I use this constantly and this is a upgrade to what I had before. I love the gadget on the sealing system for the canisters, I have several. Great for soft items when you can press the seal button before soft items get crushed. It is a really good looking on the kitchen counter. I also ordered the bags of different sizes and kept a roll in the machine for huge items. My other Food Saver lasted four years so I am really pleased with the product.
Patty Ann : Love my food saver
So far I have sealed and frozen, corn on the cob, meatballs, and zucchini bread. The food saver work s great on all of it. I love the gadget you use on the zip lock bags. I sealed my tortia shells and now they are still fresh when I want to use one.
Big Ken : Needlessly complicated, Stopped working after 6 months
I bought this unit just over 6 months ago to replace an older Foodsaver from 6 years ago (which still works).
This automatic feature, where you insert the bag and it grabs the bag and starts the process, is completely unneeded. It also wastes some bag material, whereas the older model I could clamp it down at the end of the bag, this one requires the bag to go over an inch past the seal, so if you use the rolls of bags, you waste over 2 inches of bag (from sealing both ends). This adds up.
Anyway, you just got home from the store with your meats. You need to prepare some bags. So you cut the bag from the roll, seal one end, wait a few seconds for it to cool down (yep, overheated already), and then seal one end of another bag, repeat. After you are done, you look at the couple of feet of wasted bag and sigh. It's also twice the size of the old model, because now it needs room for an extra motor and gears (to grab the bags when you shove them in in frustration). Well, at least it works... for a few months.
So here we are, 6 months later, and it won't vacuum anymore. This model cost more than my old one, which is back in service in my kitchen. My old one could do several bags before it overheated, and did not waste bag material. Plus, it has so far lasted 12 times the time this one has.
The worst part? I never liked this model. I only used it because my wife asked me before I bought it why we needed a new one when the old one worked. I told her that we used the old one all the time, so we might as well get an upgrade. So I had to justify my purchase. Now when she says she told me so, well, she did. Foolish male pride and all that.
No, I do not recommend this product.
It's That Guy Phil : After resisting for a year, I am thrilled to have bought this. Excellent product.
Wonderful vacuum sealer. A friend of mine had been recommending that I should get one of these for quite some time. I had initially resisted, thinking it's "just another kitchen item" that won't get used, and will eventually just be put away and forgotten. Now that I got one, I find I was quite incorrect. Since I have gotten more into food dehydration, as well as other aspects of food saving, I have come to find that this is quite an invaluable tool - and I use it quite regularly.
It is easy to operate, well, for the most part (when trying to seal bags that are not usually used in it). Actually, it has done very nicely with bags that are not the usual recommendations. But it performs exactly as promised. This model also can use the zip-lock bags that use a vacuum pump. Everyone is so neat and tidy, and it's so nice, and easier for me to store foods now - and for longer periods, without having to worry about spoilage.
Tannhauser : COMPLETE GARBAGE
Suggestion: Use this as often and as fast as you can, because it will break after roughly 20 uses. I've spent nearly $200 in postage sending these back to the manufacturer because it broke outside of the short return window. (In my defense, the product is extraordinarily difficult to use, so I didn't use it much).
I consider myself an expert on this as I'm currently returning my fourth, and I'll probably get another defective fifth rather than my money back.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!
MarcusMiller6158 : Good product for the price.
Purchased this mainly because of the auto vacuum & seal feature to use when packaging fish and meat. The product works well with good suction and a great seal. I use precut bags and some of the sealing edges had a slight curve on them due to them being stored sideways. These bags took a little manipulation to get the auto vacuum & seal feature to work. Had the opening that you put your bags into been slightly larger it may have made it easier to get my bags to work. Overall this is a good product for the price.
Dj Meechlouch : Its Automatic
Omg, i never thought i would be so excited about a food sealer, but this thing is amazing. I use this product for my frozen meats and i must say it delivers. Easy to use, you just stick your bag in until the machine detects it and then its all automatic from there leaving you an air tight seal. At first glance it seems like a bulky machine but it is actually very lightweight and does'nt take up a lot of counter space. The bag storage compartment is also well thought out with plenty of space and a sharp double sided razor that makes cutting your bags a breeze. Coming from an old foodsaver sealer that i had for at least 8 yrs. I can honestly say that the technology has gotten a lot better and they're not as noisy as they used to be. (but still noisy)
Jack (NMI) Stecker : Bad support died after less than 3 months.
Died after less than 3 months and their support sucks. I have dealt with them in the past looks like the same runaround is about to happen. Figured they would have changed by now. I am speech impaired and just like last time they don't have provisions for that. So it looks like I'm out of luck and will have to buy another. The other con of this model is it wastes more bag, will not do narrow bags and it appears it is fragile. Looks like the sensor arm broke. Hardest version I have had to get it to seal or vac. Like I had to do a magic dance and hold my mouth just right to get it to work. Picky about bag width and how you hold it and feed it.
Brian Smith : I cost myself hundreds if not THOUSANDS by waiting this long! Waste not, want not.
Having seen the FoodSaver on TV for years I finally decided to stop waiting and get one, I cost myself hundreds if not THOUSANDS by waiting this long! Waste not, want not...Something my grandparents taught me.
I must have watched the infomercials so much that I did not even need to read the instructions, I knew how...But the directions are clear and the machine should become intuitive to use for almost any buyer..
Well, taking them on their word of food life extending by using this machine as true, just knowing that using it now is saving me money. I went through my freezer and repackaged my not so old tater tots into easy to grab portions. Getting some steaks as part of a package deal at a local grocer I was able to make 3 portions of Beef Teriyaki, 2 single portions and a large portion for 2-4 people..Putting my tater tots into portions makes it so when I want some, I don't have to fuss with a bag full of icy little tots..corn o the cob in the freezer CHECK, sealed and saved, my whole bean coffee,CHECK, sealed and saved...Giant bag of dry cat food to save money sealed and saved CHECK!!
As you can tell, I am enjoying this kitchen appliance more than I thought I would, and I thought I would as I understand the science of the vacuum seal. Having had mail order meat from several companies over the years, I know they can linger around the freezer for a long time..
I do have just a couple issues, but they are not big ones. Those issues are as follows.
#1. PRICE...The price is still a little higher than it could be, but not by much for the unit I have, the 4840. And while it came with a nice starter kit, a unit this nice and in this price point should have a little bit more to get people started, like at least one small container, or perhaps one of the jar sealer attachments.
#2, The power cord needs to be about 12" longer for this model. Not everyone has modern numbers of outlets in their kitchen area.
Having said that, I still find the value of this unit already paying off. Just knowing I am not throwing away food that was good a few days ago is kind of a relief. I will see how much money it saves me as I already was not prone to wasting food, but was wasting money at the store due to not having a way to keep food as fresh as I want it for more than about a month in my freezer. Now I don't have to worry about that at least.
The zipper lock Fresh saver bags are really nice, being able to split a package of ham into portions so I only have to handle what we are currently eating is nice..Will be using the jar sealer tonight to store some dry goods in Ball Mason jars, potato flakes, sugar, etc. I even was able to save a nice portion of a pot roast by freezing it in a rubbermaid container, then putting the cube like frozen portion into a self made storage bag, my first one, using the roll of bag material and build in cutter...No fuss, no muss. EASY.
One other point. The space I am creating in my freezer and pantry by vacuum sealing is starting to show now too as a benefit. No more superfluous packaging for my storage. Space for MORE actual food.
Overall I am pleased with the units function and look. Will try and update this review with durability update as time passes.On to find more things to use my FoodSaver on tonight..If you find you are throwing a lot of food out from freezer burn, this machine will pay for itself after a month I believe. If I can manage to keep things for more than a month that is a game changer for my wallet!!! Dont wait any longer if you have been considering one of these.
PS..I am a sole caregiver to my 91 year old grandma, and as she gets older money has gotten tighter. If I can make my/her money go further, or do more by spending less, then that is always a good thing. Food from a box is OK for a treat, but real food cant survive unless its stored right..
Phil Wagner : Works well but
I have owned two others over the years and this one definitely works better. But then they generally do for the first year or two and then decline. Two negatives so far are that it does not always seal the full width of the bag and the quart bags are completely useless. You need to use a bag 3 or 4 times the size of the item being packed in order for the unit to vacuum.
PaulaB : Works as described, easy to use Food Saver
Food saver is very easy to use and works exactly as advertised. Still getting used to how big to make the bags in order to leave ample sealing space, but will come with experience. Suggest making them a bit bigger at first, then at least you don't waste the bag. Important to note that you can't really seal wet items, including fresh fruit, unless you partially freeze them first; otherwise the juice gets sucked out and interferes with the sealing process. Love the ziploc bags that can be used with the accessory tool. Overall great item and would recommend!
Letitia H. : A must have for small kitchens and sous vide cooking
Love this. Fits under the counter with lots of space left in front. Not as huge as I was worried it would be. Stainless steel matches our other appliances. Very small kitchen so this is great. We’ve used it for 6 or so items to use in our Sous Vide meals, all meats, some with marinade. We’ve used it for both the bags we have with the little suction holes and the roll it came with so we can cut a proper bag size for each dinner.
And it’s perfect! Easy, flawless. Instructions are simple and thank you for providing them also in the lid in a sticker. We got the one with the accessory that pulls out for the sous vide bags with the suctioning hole. Works great too. We’ve also used it to freeze two steaks in separate cut-to-fit bags and two weeks later those steaks are still fresh and pink.
However, we didn’t read the suggestion that says in order to maintain the form of a product you may want to give it an hour IN the freezer before you sous vide it or vacuum seal it FOR freezing. So it maintains a preferred shape. And our pork loins and our chicken breasts still looked like themselves even tho we sealed them when they were fresh.
Not a single sous vide meal has had a leak.
Stupa Bra : Vacuum sealer
This was a replacement for a different unit that I’ve used for years. Wish I had this one years ago. The automatic start and seal is a nice feature. My old unit had to be pressed closes and rarely got a good seal.
The built in roll storage is great for reducing space in the pantry and with the built in cutter we have no more uneven cuts.
Dina Jordan : Stopped working 2 times
Ordered this item twice. Replacement item was shipped to us pretty fast, but other than that, would not recommend. Suction stopped working after a dozen items the first time and then stopped close to 2 dozen the second time. Still have not received our refund after it has been labeled "received" for the last 2 weeks. Would not recommend this sealer.
BRT : Great Product
I'm generally very pleased with this. As a vacuum sealer it's great. I'm not sure the integrated storage feature for the roll of poly material is so great. I suppose it's convenient to have it all self contained but it does make the unit more bulky, and I don't find the cutter as efficient as I would prefer. When sealing the bags, it takes a lot of length to trigger the auto seal. Seems to me it's a bit wasteful, and I end up trimming off the excess beyond the sealed edge. Still, I love being able to package food for storage and sous vide. Have yet to use the container vac feature but looking forward to it.
John D. : Buyer beware.
Just got the product. The vacuum is easy to use and effective for what we purchased it for. Very disappointed that the cutting device on the product came defective and was actually rusted. See picture. Makes me wonder if this is a used or refurbished item. If that’s the case, not worth the full price that was paid. Will not purchase from this company again.
zoe : Gift
Item is very finnicky. sometimes it will seal, and then sometimes (more often) it will not. Purchased for daughter because I Love the model I have. This is the same model but the design is different and doesn't work as well. Too much trouble to get the machine to seal. Might just be a defective, but sitting off to side and not being used as much as it could.
WaterWynd : A kitchen "Must Have."
A trusted workhorse in our home. We use this every day. We reseal chip bags, treat storage totes; create perfect marinades; freezer storage; prep slow cooker meals; remove moisture from rice storage bags; camping/hiking; keep bread fresh longer; store off season clothing; gained two shelves of pantry space by reducing air in storage items; save money buying in bulk that stays fresh longer; downsized to a more energy efficient freezer with all the saving in space and storage- $$ savings on electric; space gained in utility room. Bonus! Prep salads in single portions without wilting lettuce. Love the bags- sturdy, efficient, utilitarian. So easy to use and clean. Top 5 kitchen "Must Have."
Stupa Bra : Vacuum sealer
This was a replacement for a different unit that I’ve used for years. Wish I had this one years ago. The automatic start and seal is a nice feature. My old unit had to be pressed closes and rarely got a good seal.
The built in roll storage is great for reducing space in the pantry and with the built in cutter we have no more uneven cuts.
bernard allulli : Does Not Work As Expected
I bought this product a little over a month ago. It has not performed well since I got it and seems to be worse. Before it will even start to seal (recognize that a bag has been inserted) I have to pull the drip tray out and then push it back in. At first it was just intermittent and now it is every time. Also it does not seem to remove all the air out of the package, as the previous one I owned did, and seals it with a fair amount of air inside. I have contacted Foodsaver.com, but as of now have not gotten a reply. Very disappointed with this product at this time. Will update if/when Foodsaver responds.
goeder : Horrible Accessory Hose
First time that I used the accessory hose and it won't retract back into the machine! Can't manually force it back in either. Didn't extend it too far, either. It just plain broke with the first use. Also, manual instructions on how to use this machine are vague at best. No tips, either. Had to refer to youtube videos to figure this thing out. But it's this accessory hose problem that a LOT of people experience that really has me mad. For this reason, I do not recommend this product.
Amazon Customer : Great addition to our kitchen
We did extensive research before buying this model. Went through all of the reviews to decide on the best machine for us. So far I love this thing. It really sucks! I did vac pack some penne pasta and it sucked so hard the sharp ends of the pasta went through the bag. I am having a great time vac packing lots of things. Have only had this for a short time, hopefully its performance lasts!
E. Su : Upgraded from an earlier vacuum sealer. Very satisfied.
I have had a clamshell version of the foodsaver vacuum sealer for many years and was very happy with it. Below is a picture of the older came show model with a separate vacuum bag roll storage and cutter. This model has built in vacuum bag roll storage and cutter.
One problem with the older unit was that it would not allow you to heat seal the bags closed until it achieved a very thorough removal of all of the air. Therefore I could not use it on soft or delicate food items. I tried to bag some bagels and negative pressure resulted in squished bagel pucks. This model allows you to choose when you want it to heat seal the bags. Today when I bagged some bagels. I allowed the vacuum to remove enough air so that the plastic shrank very close to the surface of the bagels without compressing them.I included a picture of said bagels.
I found that with the older vacuum sealer any liquids would also be drawn up by the vacuum. Often this would cause failure of the seal and a mess. Again the newer model allows me to seal the bags to achieve a tight shrink wrap but without making a mess. I recycled some plastic take-out Chinese containers, filled them with some delicious bean and bacon soup that my wife made today. As you can see in the picture the plastic shrinks down close to the surface of the soup but it doesn't make a mess. I bagged several helpings of soup and with the concavity achieved by the plastic containers they stack perfectly in my freezer. I am very happy that I saved so many of these plastic takeout containers. I plan to use many of them in the future for other meals.
Another plus with the new vacuum system is that it automatically seals the bag for you when you insert into the slot. With the older model you had to position the bag over the vacuum gasket. Often times the Bag would kink and roll over and not allow a good vacuum seal and i would have to reposition the bag to make it work. However convenience does have a bit of a price. The newer vacuum system requires a little bit more bag to be used each time.
I have always used vacuum bags from foodsaver. However I recently ordered two rolls of bags from Amazon. It is much, much cheaper. I hope they fit within the holder on the vacuum unit.these rolls are bigger then what is available from foodsaver but are much less expensive.
Lizabeth Rice : Powerful!
It's very slick, fancy looking. We had similar model but older and it last us a long time so I'm sure we'll be happy with this food saver. It has new functions different styles of sealer And they also have accessories you can buy reusable bags which is nice options.I would have given it if 5 start but it's a little tricky trying to get started.
Big Ken : Needlessly complicated, Stopped working after 6 months
I bought this unit just over 6 months ago to replace an older Foodsaver from 6 years ago (which still works).
This automatic feature, where you insert the bag and it grabs the bag and starts the process, is completely unneeded. It also wastes some bag material, whereas the older model I could clamp it down at the end of the bag, this one requires the bag to go over an inch past the seal, so if you use the rolls of bags, you waste over 2 inches of bag (from sealing both ends). This adds up.
Anyway, you just got home from the store with your meats. You need to prepare some bags. So you cut the bag from the roll, seal one end, wait a few seconds for it to cool down (yep, overheated already), and then seal one end of another bag, repeat. After you are done, you look at the couple of feet of wasted bag and sigh. It's also twice the size of the old model, because now it needs room for an extra motor and gears (to grab the bags when you shove them in in frustration). Well, at least it works... for a few months.
So here we are, 6 months later, and it won't vacuum anymore. This model cost more than my old one, which is back in service in my kitchen. My old one could do several bags before it overheated, and did not waste bag material. Plus, it has so far lasted 12 times the time this one has.
The worst part? I never liked this model. I only used it because my wife asked me before I bought it why we needed a new one when the old one worked. I told her that we used the old one all the time, so we might as well get an upgrade. So I had to justify my purchase. Now when she says she told me so, well, she did. Foolish male pride and all that.
No, I do not recommend this product.
Daniel B Gilroy : Solid
I've had a couple vacuum sealers over the years, mainly used for sealing fresh fish. I lost my last one in Hurricane Irma, and researched a new one for a week or so, deciding on this unit. It has great power, looks good and the easiest one I have ever used. The automatic bag vacuum and sealing feature is really convenient. The ability to vacuum seal an open bottle of wine is amazing. This unit has the extra vacuum port that can be used on wine bottles, understand that you have to buy the wine stoppers separate as the are not included with this combo. The night before we went to Mexico for 9 days, we opened a bottle of red and had a couple drinks from it. Vacuum sealed it with the extra stopper and this unit. When we returned, 9 days later, we popped that bottle open and there was no discernible difference from the taste of that wine after more than a week in the fridge. That alone makes this a wonderful device.
GoodyTwo Shoos : Great Machine
Pay the few bucks extra for this unit. It works pretty well and with the exception of some moments of frustration trying to get the suction to turn on, it's pretty easy to use. I've been using it to prep my sous vide dishes and I have lost seal only twice. Both those times happened while I was experimenting with the difference between using FoodSaver vs non-brand bags and the split was 50/50.
All in all, if you are looking for a machine like this, this one is a pretty good one.
Leah Randall : Call us spoiled, but this is a must-have kitchen appliance!
We used this model (V4820) for years. We used it so much we wore it out. So we replaced it with the same model and look forward to many more years of long-term freezer storage for meats and fresh produce. We have never had freezer burn using the Foodsaver. Foods retain their quality two to three times longer. We use it for packaging bulk meat purchases from a local butcher and for extending the shelf-life of flour, coffee and powdered milk. If you have never had a sous-vide steak finished off on a cast iron pan or griddle you are spending too much at restaurants! The food saver is great for sealing items for sous vide cooking. We bought our first Food Saver as a “convenience” and our second one as a “necessity”. For many years we have enjoyed the convenience of going to our basement freezer “grocery store”, but in 2020 the pandemic made it even more important—and even more of a blessing—to store and access high-quality foods we could prepare at home.
C.V. : Floppy accessory tube.
Update: December 2019
The unit itself is still working great, despite the accessory attachment hanging out. I wasn't able to get anywhere with customer service on fixing it. So despite the machines longevity my rating will stay at 2 stars. As I still have to look at this tube laying out across the counter.
I want to give this 5 stars. I really do. Though most of this unit is an ease to use and a solid upgrade with the cost, the accessory tube is poorly designed. It retracts into the unit like a vinyl blind, meaning to put it back in you have to pull it out further. Now the instructions will tell you not to pull past the red line, but by the time you see the red line it's too late. Then you have an accessory tube laying on your counter all the time looking sloppy.
I'd rather of had a button to retract, or even a hand crank. Now every time I look at it it makes me angry.
Dina Jordan : Stopped working 2 times
Ordered this item twice. Replacement item was shipped to us pretty fast, but other than that, would not recommend. Suction stopped working after a dozen items the first time and then stopped close to 2 dozen the second time. Still have not received our refund after it has been labeled "received" for the last 2 weeks. Would not recommend this sealer.
elwood : Must have kitchen tool
Easy to use once you get the hang of it. Works great for storing leftovers and half portions of larger food packages.
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