NESCO VS-12, Deluxe Vacuum Sealer with Bag Starter Kit and Viewing Lid, Compact Design, Silver review and price compare 2025
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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
NESCO
Material
Plastic
Color
Silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH
15.75 x 8 x 4.5 inches
Item Weight
6 Pounds
product features
This fits your .
by entering your model number.
Double Line Seals for Added Strength
Hands-Free Sealing with Locked Handle
Variable Settings: Regular or Gentle
Double Vacuum Pump
Sealing Choices: Dry, Moist, and Double
Included Components: vacuum sealer
From the manufacturer
NESCO, VS-12, Deluxe Vacuum Sealer
The NESCO VS-12 Deluxe Vacuum Sealer offers all the versatility and performance you could ever need from a vacuum sealer. Choose from 3 “Seal” settings—Dry, Moist, and Double— then choose your vacuum pressure—Normal or Gentle—to keep softer foods safe. The built-in bag cutter and roll storage compartment with clear viewing window make this an all-in-one stop for keeping food fresh up to 5 times longer than traditional methods. This sealer can accommodate up to an 11.8” width bag providing the versatility needed for a wide range of sealing jobs. Two rolls are included to get you started, one 8.6” x 9.85’ roll and one 11.8”x 9.85 roll. The NESCO Deluxe Vacuum Sealer is compatible with any brand of vacuum sealer bags.
Features
130 Watt Double Vacuum Pump
Ensures maximum air extraction when sealing larger food items.
Variable Settings & Sealing Choices
Allows user to choose the best sealing options.
Optional Double Heat Seal
Double seals for added strength and tab guides for better positioning.
Built-In Storage & Bag Cutter
Conveniently store rolls and bags in unit and bag cutter creates custom bag sizes.
Size
18 x 8.5 x 4.75
18 x 9 x 5
15.75 x 8 x 4.5
Watts
110
130
130
Bag Cutter
N/A
Yes
Yes
Roll storage
N/A
Yes
Yes
Consecutive Seals
25
25
100
Accessories Included
(10) 11 In x 15.75 In Bags (10) 8.6 In x 11.8 In Bags
(2) 7.9 In x 9.8 Ft Rolls (5) 8.6 In x 11.8 In Bags (5) 11 In x 15.75 In Bags
(1) 8 In x 9.85 Ft Roll (1)11 In x 9.8 Ft Roll
product description
The new NESCO VS-12 Deluxe Vacuum Sealer gives you the ability to choose what settings work best for the food you are sealing. Choose from regular for firm items and gentle for softer foods. Sealing choices of dry, moist and double. The pulse vacuum option is great for sealing delicate items like buns and bakery. Simply press the manual seal button to double seal when you have reached the desired vacuum level. Features a double vacuum pump for optimal performance and double line seals for added strength. Also has a bag roll storage compartment and a bag cutter. Cord Length - 54" cord length.
product details
important information
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Questions about NESCO VS-12, Deluxe Vacuum Sealer with Bag Starter Kit and Viewing Lid, Compact Design, Silver
Q:
Does the VS-12 work with the vacuum hose?
Answer: The Foodsaver hose does work with the Nesco VS-12. On my first attempt I was unable to fit the hose adapter into the Nesco hose port. However, a wise person on one of these review sites wrote that you must close and latch the cover of the vacuum sealer first, and then the hose adapter will fit into the port. It worked! Especially nice because Nesco apparently no longer makes their own hose attachment.
Answer: Mine has a small vacuum port inside the cover. I actually went to the autoparts store and bought a 12" section of vacuum hose to use for this purpose. Good for jars if you have the attachment, but using it on ziploc bags is difficult and the bags don't hold and air tight seal. Hope this helps.
Answer: Mine came with the vacuum hose and works magnificently as long as the directions from Nesco are followed . Nesco VS 12 Deluxe version comes with vacuum hose but no other attachments . However I bought a jar attachment thats Food Saver brand that plugs into the port on my Nesco machine and works great on mason jars .
Answer: There is a port in the top of the unit for a vacuum hose. I was disappointed to find that not only doesn't the unit come with its own hose, but, when I called the manufacturer, they told me that due to lack of interest, they no longer sell the hose or containers. They pointed me to a website that sells Foodsaver brand hoses, and said those would work. I tried both types of Foodsaver hoses, and neither fit. It's back to the store with this.
Answer: I did not buy any vacuum hose. When using the regular seal/vacuum that is sufficient to do the job.
Answer: Yes, there's a port for a hose to the right of the control panel on the cover. You'll need to purchase those accessories separately (hose, canisters, bottle cork etc.) as they don't come with your sealing machine. Happy sealing! ☺️
Answer: I don't have a vacuum hose so I can't answer this question
Answer: I modified one end of a FoodSaver hose to fit into the Nesco's canister/marinate hose port. I used a utility knife to *scrape*, NOT cut, one end of the hose until it just barely fit. It must fit deep enough to open the check valve just below the port's surface. With this fairly easy modification you can use all the various FoodSaver accessories.
Answer: I don't know I only use the bags.
Answer: I don't know - haven't tried that
Q:
How does gentle mode work? is it reduced pressure? half pressure? a shorter vacuum time? 5 seconds rather than 10 seconds? ty
Answer: "Gentle" setting provides less vaccum pressure whereas "Normal" setting provides full vaccum pressure. Also, there's sealing settings..."Dry" setting provides a shorter sealing time for dry foods, "Moist" setting provides a longer sealing time for wet foods and "Double" setting provides a double seal for extra security. Happy sealing! ????
Answer: It's made for more delicate foods like berries and chips/crackers that get pulverized by the full pressure/"regular" mode. That way you don't have your crackers turn into crumbs and your berries turn into juice -- they just stay whole crackers and in-tact berries.
Answer: I've never used that mode, but it does a great job for my purposes.
Answer: There's also a manual pulse vaccum button that allows you to control how much suction is applied to your bag of goodies. Great feature!! ☺️
Q:
can i use sous vide bags
Answer: The bags used are sous vide bags.
Answer: If you mean zip lock bags that you may have used when you sous vide the answer is no. But all bags designed to be used in a vacuum sealer machine can be used for sous vide cooking.
Q:
What is the guarantee?
Answer: We do have a 1 year warranty on the product.
Q:
Can a "universal" 7.87 inch wide roll (8") be used in the nesco vs-12 deluxe vacuum sealer machine?
Answer: Yes, in fact, the unit accommodates up to 11.8" wide roll or bag.
Q:
Is the VS-12 compatible with a Foodsaver hose and canisters?
Answer: Yes it is.
Answer: Yes it is.
Answer: Yes! I'm using one myself.
Answer: yes
Q:
Can I use other brand bags?
Answer: Yes you can, these are also compatible with the Food Saver brand bags.
Answer: I buy them in bulk off Amazon. They work great and aren’t a name brand.
Answer: Yes you can use any brand you want but the best use the original from nesco
Answer: Yes you can, I prefer the ones made by foodsaver.
Answer: I think so!
Q:
Can you make continuous, consecutive seals and if so, how approx. how many....or is there a wait period between seals???
Answer: I do several at s time but it’s better to wait in between seals to give the machine time to recover
Answer: I do several bags in a row (5-6) then let it rest for 1-2 minutes before starting again. I buy meat and shrimp in bulk and often seal 20-40 lbs at a time.
Answer: It is best to give it 2 minutes cool down time between seals.
Answer: Seals can be made one right after the other until the machine gets too warm and shuts down. I don't remember but maybe after eight seals. After it cools, go again.
Answer: Seal, then cut bag to preferred length. It’s now ready to seal again.
Answer: I'm sorry but I don't use it that way . I use it maybe 10 times a day on foodstuff and canisters, but never in a consecutive manner .
Q:
Are accessories interchangeable? i have a nutrichef vacuum sealer. can i use the nutrichef tubing, canister and wine stopper with a nesco?
Answer: Not sure about nutrichef accessories in particular but food saver accessories work. I’m using the tube from an old food saver I previously had.
Answer: Not sure
Q:
Hola! quería saber si esta maquina funciona también con bolsa lisas o no gofradas? muchas gracias
Answer: Si! Sirve con varias tipos de bolsas.
Q:
Does the tape on the Sealer need to be replaced from time to time? Did anyone have issues?
Answer: I haven’t replaced mine. I’ve had it about 2 years.
Answer: I’m having problems with my machine not working well in general.
Q:
Melted bags on sealer
Answer: I have never melted a bag on my sealer. Make sure you are using the correct bags and sealing them correctly
Q:
Are the sealer bands replaceable? Bags have melted to them and they are not functioning.
Answer: Your bags should not be melting to the sealer I think you accidentally peeled off the protective cover on the sealing bar thinking it was not supposed to be on there.
Answer: I think the question is why did the bags melt. I have never had a bag even come close to melting. Are you using the correct bags? If so sounds like you have other issues also. As far as the bands are concerned I am not sure if they can be replaced. You Tube can probably give you that answer.
Answer: I believe so, go to their Website. I haven’t had that problem and I’ve been using mine since last year, a lot!
Answer: I think so but, you will need to contact the manufacturer. Covid has made this harder.
Q:
how long will the vacuum remain for frozen items?
Answer: Items sealed should be fine for at least a year in the freezer. I have sealed documents in bags, stored in room temperature and the vacuum seems to stay intact for much longer than a year. I believe that a significant factor regarding the longevity of the vacuum (seal) is the quality of the bags.
Answer: Once you have processed your item using the vacuum and the item is sealed, the vacuum lasts until the item is opened for use.
Answer: I have sealed many items that I put in the freezer; everything from cheese to soups. I have NOT had any seals fail due to freezing temps. Because the air is evacuated from around the food, it is resistant to "freezer burn" and should keep longer at any temperature. I hope this information helps you.
Answer: I have gone close to a year with no breakdown of the seal. This Vac Sealer makes a good seal.
Answer: It is air free until you open the bag!!
Answer: Weeks with quality bags and using the Nesco double seal.
Answer: I think I read somewhere 6 months, but I am not sure honestly.
Q:
Can you suggest the best recommended replacement bags in multi-sizes? Thank you!
Answer: There are many options here on Amazon to choose from … just make sure they are for a vacuum sealer machine and are the size you want .. or you can order a roll and make your own size… hope this helps ya happy sealing!
Answer: Can you please elaborate and let us know what exactly you mean to find out? Your question is rather vague and the way it is structured it would be impossible to answer without making a bunch of assumptions.
Answer: I just get them on amazon and they work fine
Q:
IS this a good one for the money? I want to get something a step up from the average under $50 ones. Thanks for your time...
Answer: Yes, it is a good value for the money. I am extreely happy with it.
Answer: The unit removes the air from your bags, but I found that it does not create as strong a vacuum as the name-brand one that I had prior to this. I also do not love the fact that the tray cannot be removed to wash it. I owned this, but returned it for something that works better.
Answer: tried several other systems (cheaper) and returned them all. this one has met and exceeded all my expectations. yes it costs more but it actually works
Answer: Yes it definitely is! There are many functions and it is a great machine all around.
Q:
Can this sealer work with any foodsaver bags? Both roll and individual?
Answer: Yes it can! This sealer is compatible with any brand of vacuum sealing bags and rolls that are 11.8 inches in width or less.
Answer: It comes with a roll of material, and that works fine. I bought some individual bags which were a little thicker, and it seems to work well with those as well. I've also sealed up plastic bags that food comes in (for example, a bag of rice that I wanted to reseal) and it worked fine there, too. Seems like it should work on any plastic, since it works by heating up a small strip of metal within the clamp that holds the plastic.
Answer: It should. I used a generic roll and it worked fine. This has an accessory port, but it does not come with with the accessory. By "bag" I assume you're talking about pre-cut that you fill and then seal the other side.
Answer: Yes, it will work with any bags advertised to work with a food sealer.
Answer: Yes. Those are what I use. The Food Saver rolls are too large in diameter so I unroll about half of the roll and use that way. Unroll until the Food Saver roll fits into the sealer. Then drop in what you roll off. There is no need for the center spool. It will work perfectly. I don't use the pre-made bags but I am sure that they will work just fine.
Answer: Let me begin by saying I love this Appliance. I have only used the bags that were sold with this vacuum sealer.
Answer: It can and it works awesome!
Answer: I use the Food saver brand and it works fine.
Answer: Yes it can
Q:
Is there a hose kit to use the jars?
Answer: Most universal hoses will fit this model vacuum sealer.
Answer: There doesn't seem to be one available from Nesco but the Nesco VS-12 machine has a port for the hose and a setting for canisters. I bought the set that FoodSaver makes and it works just fine with this.
Answer: Model VS-08P is the hose / cannister attachment the company makes according to my physical copy of the owner's manual, but it is no longer available or impossible to find. Nesco's website doesn't even have it listed.
Answer: NO but if you have one you can use the plug in. This is also slow to seal. BUT it gives a great seal.
Answer: There is one availble as an additional attachment at an additional charge per the product manual.
Answer: You can order it separately. The unit does not come with it
Answer: No
Q:
Can this vacuum air out of existing bags like chips, cereal, etc? (I'm aware they can't be used for proper airtightness.)
Answer: yes, it can. you can vacuum out all the air and then seal the bag - not ideal for fragile things like chips - or just seal the bag.
Answer: Yes, all the time. Suck out a little air an manually seal.
Answer: Not sure but I think you must use the bags that come with machine
Answer: Sorry I never tried but don't see why it wouldn't. Thanks for the idea, I will try that now.
Q:
May seem like silly question, but are the bags porous like zip freezer bags? For example you can put cannabis in a ziplock and smell it in the room!
Answer: Our vacuum sealer bags are not porous. They are designed to not permeate smells after vacuuming.
Answer: I never tried that but these bags last for a long time in the freezer. I can't smell anything in the bags.
Answer: It depends on bags you use. I am using NESCO bags and they are not porous.
Answer: If it was porous you couldn’t vacuum seal.
Answer: The police K-9 drug dog will still smell it.
Q:
How big is the roll storage?
Answer: It’s a cylindrical chamber 12 inches long and 2.75 inches in diameter. Seems like it holds a pretty stout roll of material.
Answer: It will hold any length of roll sold but it won't hold large volume rolls. You can easily cut large volume rolls on the machine but you can't store it in the holder.
Q:
How wide is the sealing strip
Answer: The strip itself is 5/8 inch x 12.5 inches. The machine works better than any other that I have had before this one.
Q:
Has anyone tried to seal strawberries? Would they get smashed?
Answer: They would not get smashed, the vacuum is not that heavy to smash the berries.
Answer: I have not tried it with strawberries, but I have used the pulse vacuum button as a means to control the extent of air withdrawal in other circumstances and suspect that it would work well with fruit like strawberries. There is also a "gentle" setting for automatic vacuuming that might produce the same result.
Answer: Yes they would, I would try freezing them first than sealing them.
Answer: Freeze them first or use the pulse feature
Q:
I live in the northeast Washington state mountains about 3500 ft above sea level. Will this unit have enough vacuum to perform satisfactorily?
Answer: There should be no issue with the vacuum sealer working as it should at that sea level. Thank you
Q:
can the user manual be downloaded?
Answer: yes. use the link and then select the vs-12. https://www.nesco.com/customer-service/owners-manual-download/
Answer: manual is available at Nesco's site: https://www.nesco.com/product/deluxe-vacuum-sealer/
I want to vacuum-seal (uncooked) homemade egg noodles for freezing. will this perform that function without clumping together the noodles into a glob?
Answer: I've never frozen or even vacuum sealed egg noodles but I think if you try to get them distributed evenly in the bag as flat as you can and freeze them laying flat they should be fine.
Answer: Sure. The only place you can't put the noodles is over the sealer and vacuum chamber which is the last two inches of the bag. Spread em out.
Answer: I would say YES. this has a pulse mode where you control the vacuum process. I've sealed left over crackers using this method
Answer: Yes, just “pulse” the vacuum to prevent too much compression of your item. I also do this with liquids, because freezing liquids first doesn’t totally prevent moisture from seeping up the bag. With liquids, even with solids in the mix, once sealed and lay the sealed item flat, you will notice the contents leveling throughout the entire sealed bag, thus helping the eliminate air space that essentially causes freezer burn and you can stack those items, taking up less storage space in your refrigerator or freezer, which ever is the case. I hope that helps you.
Answer: I have done this in the past. I partially froze the item so the liquid would not be vacuumed into the motor. With a little practice it will become a second hand procedure.
Answer: I think you can. As long as you use the gentle setting and then hit manual seal before they are completely pressed down. I did it with grated cheese and it worked
Answer: You can stop the vacuuming at any point you want .
Answer: Yes you can. I would suggest using the pulse function so that you can control the process.
Answer: If they are soft it will clump them up. If they’re hard it’ll probably smash them. If they are wet this machine will not work.
Q:
Will this fit a 50 foot roll?
Answer: No, but you can set a big roll at the back and use the cutter. This is a big help. No crooked cuts with scissors!
Answer: A fifty-foot roll is larger than the machine itself. So no.
Answer: No but I buy that size and just cut off what I need and do a manual seal on one end, place my food inside and vacuum seal. Works great
Answer: no
Q:
The instructions in this unit say to wait 1 minute after each seal. Also, not recommended to seal more than 1 or 2 items consecutively, correct or not
Answer: The machine lights up and indicates when it is ready to seal. I have found that the machine keeps up with the pace I am sealing items. I smoke pulled pork, chicken wings, beef jerky etc. I will break the pulled pork into serving sizes - vacuum seal - then freeze. Same with chicken wings we will smoke then freeze then throw into air fryer when ready to server. I will smoke 10 to 15 pounds pulled pork and have no problems waiting on the Nesco - I will smoke 8 dozen chicken wings - and 12 to a bag - no problems waiting on Nesco - Very happy with product.
Answer: By the time I seal a bag, put it aside, cut another bag, fill it, the Nesco has cooled down..I seal spring veggies consecutively..
Answer: That's what the instructions say. I guess it slows the process down some but I have not found it to be a problem. Most people aren't willing to spend the money for an industrial or production line unit, nor do they have space or need for one.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I have never had a problem with dealing. I seal one get the other ready and seal. No problems with mine.
Answer: You can do it consecutively, I've done it. But I wouldn't do more than 2 or 3.
Q:
my vs-12 is only been delivered in August and first used this week...it is not sealing in vacum and seal mode, very dissappointed
Answer: 1 Make sure the bag opening is clean and 2nd make sure your rough side is on top. I noticed when i bought some new bags it did not work due to the ruff side issue. next I noticed when i leveled my item in the bag with the machine it seem to work better
Answer: Mine worked fine! I believe you have a faulty product. It should be returned and replaced.
Q:
Is the gasket on this unit a replaceable part? My old rival seal-a-meal finally failed because the gasket deteriorated.
Answer: from what I understand the seal is replaceable
Q:
does the machine have a bag cutter built in?
Answer: Yes, it does have a bag cutter. It comes with a roll of film and you cut it to the size bag you need and seal the end before the filling.
Answer: Yes, it does. The machine has room for one roll of bags at a time. And the cutter. It works well.
Answer: Yes. It also has a storage area inside for keeping the roll. You feed the material under the cutting strip then slice across. I also purchased quart size bags on Amazon which I use for a lot of my sealing. FYI -- this product comes with (I think, two) "starter" rolls.
Answer: Yes it has a cutter....
Answer: Yes, there's a slider right beside the roll holder.
Answer: Yes it does. This sealer is well worth the money
Answer: Yes, it does. It works left to right or right to left.
Answer: Yes it is used to cut from the roll inside the sealer
Answer: Yes. And it is easy to use.
Answer: Yes it does and it is easy to use.
Q:
Do you have a how to use video. I’ve never used a sealer before?
Answer: We do not have any videos on use but you may be able to reference Youtube for suggestions.
Answer: google search the nesco vs-12. videos available
Q:
How much kpa dose it have?
Answer: As Don said, it's 25.1 inches of mercury, which converts to 84.998 kilopascals (kPa).
Answer: Mine is the Nesco V12..it is 130-Watt, 25.1 InHG..Quess you would have to convert to kpa..They are great machines..
Answer: I don't know. But I use it all the time and have had no problems
Q:
Who do I need to talk to about order fulfillment? This thing has been on back order now for almost 2 months. Getting ready to bail.
Answer: It is a fabulous sealer, my son did extensive research and this was the one he settled on. Good price and high quality sealing and you can use any bags, including ziplocks if you want to.
Answer: Available at other sources, such as Kohl's right now and other stores
Answer: Amazon
Q:
can I seal a plastic container that has a dip for freezing?
Answer: This machine is compatible with our vacuum sealer containers and food saver products.
Answer: Yes, but you'll need to buy the hose, canisters and other accessories separately. They do not come with the sealing machine.
Answer: can not answer that
Q:
What the electric power supplay
Answer: The one i have operates on normal 120v household current in the USA. Not sure if they have a model for overseas power.
Answer: This is 120 V
Answer: It seems to work on 220V as well
Answer: It's 110.
Answer: It requires 110v
Q:
Will this fit a 50ft roll?
Answer: The roll width must fit in the port where it vacuums the air out.
Answer: The lid will not close on a full roll. I put mine in, cut the number of bags I need to length, and then remove to seal. I store the bag in the holder as it helps keep the lid open slightly to protect the seal against crushing.
Answer: I do not believe so...
Q:
Air is not being sucked out of the bag it starts then stops what can I do
Answer: Either the bag is too full and needs to be thinned out; there might be a wrinkle in the bag causing it to prevent air from being removed; or the bag is not tucked up far enough to the top end so the air can be sucked out. I've learned the hard way ;o).
Answer: I have not had this issue. Since i do not use automatic mode.
Q:
How about blanched veggie, Ive tried other brands theu dont seal
Answer: Just like other commenters have said, make sure that the area of the bag you're sealing is dry and you should have no issues with blanched veggies. Freezing the veggies beforehand, using a larger bag, or wiping the bag well will work well.
Answer: I would recommend with any sealer that you blanch then freeze your veggies prior to sealing. Anything wet will not seal well.
Answer: Are you getting moisture between the layers of the bag? That could be the trouble. Try either freezing the veg on a sheet tray and then packing/sealing them OR make sure they're dry as possible then bag them. Before you seal, get a paper towel and fold it until you have a neat wad that fits the width of the bag. Put it inside next to where you're going to seal it and then try. The towel should capture any moisture on it's leading edge and allow both the vacuum and the seal. Gotta be careful. Pulling liquids into the vacuum can damage the machine.
Answer: My first one...I bough precut bag which was a great time saver....love this machine.....keep an eye on the gasket on the lid....if it becomes dislodged it will not seal......just a quick look each time is enough
Answer: I blanch and freeze them first
Answer: You have to use a very large bag so the moisture is contained allowing the bag to seal
Answer: This is a great unit for a lot of things fire that works
Q:
can this vacuum sealer be used with pre cut bags?
Answer: I have used with the Nesco precut bags
Answer: Yes
Q:
Could anyone share the foodsaver hose or kit model # they've successfully used for jars and canisters with the vs-12? thanks!
Answer: This is what I got
Answer:
Answer: I have had so many FoodSavers that have died, that i have a lot of misc. tubes and hoses to use. I have found one that works, but I can't tell you what kit it came from. However, I can included a video to help. It is the one with a white plastic piece on each end and a hose in between. I use the hose with the canisters. put the lid and ring on your canning jar. I tighten the ring snuggly and then back it off a bit so it holds the lid in place but not too tight. I then secure the lever on my V-12 and hit the canister button. It is working just fine for me.
Q:
says 100 cosecutive seals? Most here say cooldown needed?
Answer: Depends on haw fast you are sealing. slow down, you get more without a cool down. Go fast, less time. This is a home unit, not a commercial one.
Q:
where do I order bags for it?
Answer: I just got 2 rolls yesterday I ordered from Amazon I just ordered 2 bigs rolls 11x50 they fit alright. Hope this helps you
Answer: Foos Saver brand bags are$$$ . Amazon and ebay have rolls, pre-cut of all sizes...i just receive the attachments for sealing mason jars from Goodmans in Hialeah Fl...i love this unit...portion control is super important...start with small bags..
Answer: Any bags work with this machine - go to walmart
Answer: Any of the vacuum seal rolls will work. Just large rolls will not fit in the storage area but that doesn’t stop you from using them.
Answer: Amazon ..I use foodsaver brand
Q:
Whats the suction pressure on this unit?
Answer: just packaged up 200 lbs of Polish sausage (5 links to a package) and it did a great job. It was the right amount of suction without flattening the links
Answer: It has manual settings on it there’s a function there that says gentle strong or dry so you need to push one of them and it automatically adjust to the pressure for what you have in your bag
Q:
what comes in the box I just received the sealer and 2 rolls of bags. I thought it came with the the hose to do containers?
Answer: No, this unit does not come with the hose and containers. Those are accessories that can be purchased separately.
Answer: I did not receive a hose. I got one on Amazon. FYI, the brand Foodsaver seems to be getting out of the container business. I find the Nesco, more than a year after purchase FAR superior to the FoodSaver machine. This is after 25-years with many replacements of failed FoodSaver machines.
Answer: mine came with the same .checked site no mention of hoses and container in contents
Answer: That's all it comes with. The sealer and two different size rolls.
Answer: No, the hose comes with the kit itself for canning jars, not with the sealer.
Answer: It does not come with the hose for containers.
Answer: I recently purchased and attachments to vacuum containers are not included.
Answer: No, the hose is an optional purchase.
Answer: Mine came with the same! I think you have to order those separately.
Q:
What size bags fit in the nesco vs-12? how many different sizes are offered for the vs-12 model?
Answer: I think it’s 12, 10 and 8 inch
Q:
Hi, Can I use 70 micron bags on this machine???
Answer: I use some bags that are 4 mil thick (4/1000 of an inch) which I think is about 100 microns, so I think you would be OK, if I’ve done my math right!
Answer: I don’t know what 70 micron bags are, but this machine will seal Mostar bags that are designed for sealing. I love this machine and use it almost every day.
Answer: I would just avoid the machine, it doesn't work very well and only lasts for a couple of months. It is big, bulky and slow.
Q:
Can you marinate in bags?
Answer: Should work as well as marinating in zip-lock.
Answer: Instructions talk about marinating using a tube and canister and don't mention bags.
Answer: Yes, it’s pretty easy to marinate in bags.
Answer: Yes. It works well for marinating.
Answer: No.....you can’t seal anything with liquid
Answer: You would have to seal without vacuuming.
Answer: Yes you definitely can!
Answer: the instructions say that you can.
Q:
So how long is it backorder? I'm going on 1 month....
Answer: prob. a lot longer..Retail supplies of every description is very low..Gov. paying people not to work so cant get product made...
Q:
Does this seal with blanched veggies?
Answer: Yes
Product reviews of NESCO VS-12, Deluxe Vacuum Sealer with Bag Starter Kit and Viewing Lid, Compact Design, Silver
Matt Aylward : Would buy again if the first one ever breaks
Wife and I have a horrible habit of buying a lot of food for meal prep or cooking in general because we hate going to the store more than once a week. We had been tossing around the idea of a vacuum sealer for a while and then a bunch of chicken had to be tossed due to freezer burn. After looking at some reviews and videos online, purchased this one.
Seems like a lot of money, but after a few weeks of using it for damn near everything except soup, feels like a fantastic purchase. We use it mostly for saving meats in the freezer and sealing various meats in with a marinade for BBQ.
Product comes with a couple of rolls in the box. Sometimes you have to press buttons twice, I think this is to 'wake up' the device for the first press and then the second press will run the routine you have selected. Progress indicator is REALLY nice, but it does not count the number of second the seal will take, but steps left in the process. Most sealing takes somewhere between 8-15 seconds. Longest one so far took about 45 seconds, but that was mostly due to liquid and poor placement. Tactile locking bar is very nice, but don't leave it locked while stored.
rico ensabada : no comparison!
All right. If you have read my reviews of Foodsaver units(2), here comes a breath (or inhale) of fresh(ness). The Nesco VS-12 is just that. I am most impressed with this unit across the board. It works great. It's easy to use. The indicator lights make its use simple, clear as the steps being accomplished during operation. Highly recommended for reducing bulk buys into smaller vacuum sealed portions moist or dry. Tricks I use when using the Nesco VS-12: to save on custom packaging bags, I place a 2" book in front of the of the unit when doing the finish vacuum sealing. It reduces the excess bagging material and positions the package on a better plane to seal the foodstuffs.
DPW : Great Vacuum Food Saver
The unit is easy to use. It stores the rolls in the unit with its own cutter. You take the end of the roll, seal it, then pull it out to the length desired to cut it. It has a optional double seal which I have used a few times, but the single seal is adequate. It has variable vacuum power with gentle phase, and was pleasantly surprised how well it vacuumed all of the air out even in gentle phase. It does have moist mode, but at this time I haven't really used that feature. It is just the two of us so I us it mostly for foods from my pellet grill. I make beef jerky in large batches and it is great to seal the beef jerky. We also smoke up to 20 pounds of pulled pork, I break the pulled pork down into 2 pound portions and seal and freeze for us to pull out and warm up as needed. We do the same with chicken wings - we will smoke chicken wings in bulk then package in groups of 12 to freeze then warm up with air fryer in just minutes.
Legaleye : The bags leak after sealing
This is my first sealer and I followed the instructions exactly. It worked well for a few initial items then the bags just lost their vacuum after they were sealed. Not all bags, just about 80% of them. Some fast, others slower -- like there were little holes in the plastic. I was better off with zip lock bags. Now, after 3 weeks, and not that many uses, the tab that cuts the plastic suddenly stopped working. It won't cut anything. Again, I was better off with zip lock bags. I plan to return this item. I just wish it had worked.
Amazon Customer : Failed immediately
I got this and tested it out on a few random kitchen items. All items were dry and should have sealed nicely. I used the bags included with the unit and it pulled a vacuum and sealed the bags without issue however, when I returned the next day the bags had become loose on the items inside indicating that air was getting in. I did not attempt a warranty exchange but instead went with the more expensive food saver which has worked perfectly from day 1.
Fart Farm : worthless, currently in trash
AS title says. Seals went bad quickly, even removing them for storage. Barely lasted a year, through very limited in-frequent use. 2-3 out of 5 Sealed Bags leak through wasting time and money. How Nesco managed to make a worse product than FoodSaver is astounding.
Amazon Customer : Just An Average Sealer
I searched and searched for a vacuum sealer before I purchased this one. Because of the design of not having to press down to seal, I thought that would provide a better seal. As far as that goes, the seal was great, even having the option to double seal sometimes, but I could see the machine was not pulling all of the air pockets away from the meat. (I even tried the 3 different settings since I was processing a bulk size package of meat, thinking that I must not have it on the right setting, but to me it seemed they were all pretty much the same. Sure enough, when I took the packaged meat out of the freezer, you could see frozen pockets in places around the meat, which my husband and I both agreed would cause freezer burn if left very long. So, for the price, I returned it. If I pay more for a vacuum sealer, I at least expect it to pull all the air out of the bag.
D. Engman : Very impressive
My wife and I figure we have owned 4 Costco Food Saver vacuum sealers through the years. All have failed for one reason, they can't get enough suction because the seal has gone bad. Go to Food Saver site and see if they sell replacements, Yes, but never for the model we have. First thing I did before making this purchase was go to Nesco's site to see if replacement seals are available, Yes, and they fit this unit. I also like that the seal is at least twice as wide as the Food saver, also, the ability to double seal in one shot. So far I am thrilled with this purchase.
Paper Artist : It’s okay
I bought this machine because of the handle. I like that it closes with the lever and no doubt that it’s tight on the bags. However it won’t work with all bags. Bags that are textured on both sides won’t suction properly. Also, cleaning this machine is annoying. I was using it to seal chicken legs and some of the liquid went onto the machine. I cleaned it 3 times but now I’m wondering if the seals which are not removable are thoroughly cleaned for my liking. I bought a cheaper machine for my sister and love that it comes apart for a good cleaning. I may go that route and return this one.
Jack & Ann Kenny : Excellent Vacuum Sealer
Easy to use and seems very well built. I do a lot of off-set smoking and needed a reliable and flexible sealer. I like the handle lock design, quality of the suction power, and the variable controls. It’s great to be able to select either single or double seal, easy to use auto or manual (pulse) suction/seal, etc. Also I use a variety of bags from different companies and they all have worked fine. I have not tried to re-seal anything like Mylar or chip bags, etc. so I don’t know if that would work.
Some drawbacks are: the height of the sealing platform sometimes requires that you place the bags on something to raise them up a bit to make the sealing easier. The time this one takes to seal is longer than my old FoodSaver.
Regardless, I’m glad all my research lead to the purchase of this one. I actually ended up buying it from Bed Bath & Beyond online at a lower cost than on Amazon (used coupon).
Boomer Gooley : Terrible product
I thought I was finally making a good purchase when it came to a vacuum sealer but unfortunately this vacuum sealer work for all of the week maybe one roll of bags after we were on our normal grocery shopping day and it does absolutely nothing no it will hardly seal it won’t stop vacuuming to turn the sealer on most of the time it’s just strolled in the corner with the pile of all the rest of the junk did you get from Amazon that never works out. I thought I was finally making a good purchase when it came to a vacuum sealer but unfortunately this vacuum sealer worked for all of the week maybe one roll of bags after we were on our normal grocery shopping day and it does absolutely nothing no it will hardly seal it won’t stop vacuuming to turn the sealer on most of the time it’s just strolled in the corner with the pile of all the rest of the junk did you get from Amazon it never works out
Adam : Great value, works very well.
This is the 1st vacuum sealer I've purchased. It works exactly as advertised. Leaves a very nice double seal and vacuums the air out very quickly. I only wish it had a marking to tell you how much to cut in order to be able to place the bag in the machine, but otherwise it works great.
BusyBee : This model is faulty. This is a known problem, yet Amazon keeps selling it.
Nesco VS-12 unit stopped working with less than ten uses. When going through the vacuum countdown, it gets stuck on "6" and eventually shuts down without completing the cycle. When I contacted the company for warranty service, they agreed to replace. Then they told me they are out of stock and unlikely to have more until mid-late November. Bottom line: there's probably a reason Amazon is offering such a steep discount on this unit.
chrisp339 : does not work after a month
quit agter 2 months.
***update**
Figured it out. There is a small push button area under one of the screws on the upper lid. As far as I can tell the screw was covered by a small spike that pressed the button to insure the lid was closed. Mine broke. I 'fixed' it by putting the head of a crayon on the button. Still one star. This seems like a design flaw.
Chezer : Great Sealer
I have had my unit for over two years and use the hell out of it. This thing has performed flawlessly. It has great suction and great sealing even with fluids getting in the way. I have used it with fish, beef, pork and cheese Without issue. I have seen a few bad reviews regarding having to wait between sealing for large jobs, I have not had issue with that. In fact, I continuously vacuum sealed 25 pounds of Bratwurst without issue. Any bad review is a one off in my opinion and I wouldn’t fret over it.
Jack & Ann Kenny : Excellent Vacuum Sealer
Easy to use and seems very well built. I do a lot of off-set smoking and needed a reliable and flexible sealer. I like the handle lock design, quality of the suction power, and the variable controls. It’s great to be able to select either single or double seal, easy to use auto or manual (pulse) suction/seal, etc. Also I use a variety of bags from different companies and they all have worked fine. I have not tried to re-seal anything like Mylar or chip bags, etc. so I don’t know if that would work.
Some drawbacks are: the height of the sealing platform sometimes requires that you place the bags on something to raise them up a bit to make the sealing easier. The time this one takes to seal is longer than my old FoodSaver.
Regardless, I’m glad all my research lead to the purchase of this one. I actually ended up buying it from Bed Bath & Beyond online at a lower cost than on Amazon (used coupon).
Jim McClurg : A game changer in the kitchen
This has saved so much food in our house! With our kids gone we had left over food going to waste regularly. The vacuum packed foods retain their flavor in the fridge and freezer and the frozen foods do not get damaged by frost. Chicken and beef no longer get a "gamey" taste. I have frozen and vac-packed grilled hamburgers and steaks and they re-heat (in the microwave!) tasting like I'd just grilled them. I have never liked re-heated chicken - ever. But this process keeps the chicken from oxidizing and getting that nasty day-old flavor. We use it to vac-pack foods that we cook using sous vide, too. My kids make fun of me vac-packing everything but it's been several years and it's still one of the most used appliances in our kitchen. It's that good. * Note: Buy pre-sized vacuum bags and skip the rolled product.
joshua phillips : Not worth it
I use vacuum sealers A LOT - this sealer looks good but the control panel is NO good. From the first time I used it, the "manual" button would take anywhere from 3 to 15 times of pushing the button before it would work. The "auto vacuum" button would work MOST of the time but occasionally that button would NOT work either. So I requested an exchange because that machine was not working correctly, then the 2nd machine (exact same model) did the very same thing. In short, it must be a problem with that particular model - very bad control panel. Now I am trying to get a full refund.
Upperfish : Best Vacuum sealer I've owned
I've gone through a number of food sealers over the years. This one definitely outperforms anything I've owned. The vacuum works great, the bags seal well, and the built in dispenser is actually worthwhile. My only complaint is there are times when the process seems to "stall". During the sealing process the count down display will just appear to stop and it can take up to 20 seconds before it continues. If your in a hurry this can be frustrating. Still al in all I would recommend this unit over any Food Saver I've owned.
Nancy Simmons : Seems great. Time will tell.
The sealer itself gets a tentative 5 star rating, as I’ve only had it a week.
The company (or maybe the reseller, or maybe amazon) jacked the price up 40% after a positive mention on a popular TV show. This is not cool. I guess sales slowed, so the price is now back to within a few bucks of what it was before.
Pros: It’s quiet. My last sealer was a seal a meal that sounded like someone was jackhammering concrete. This one just makes a quiet purring noise.
It’s more convenient. With the last one I had, in order to double seal both ends of a bag from a roll I had to do 4 complete vacuum cycles. With this one, I just seal the bottom (one shot double seal and no need to run the vacuum motor) fill the bag, then vacuum and seal.
Pulse vacuum. This is awesome. For moist foods, just vacuum til the juice starts to rise, then seal. Works great for sous vide, where you really just need a snug seal where the food is in good contact with the bag. Also great for delicate foods, as the “gentle” mode is a little stout for things like pastry and bread.
Vacuum is quite strong. I was a little dubious as the pump is so quiet, so I vacuum sealed an empty beer can. While it didn’t flatten it completely, it sufficiently squashed it to convince me it was a fairly high powered pump.
Cons:
The touch pad is a little cheap feeling. Sometimes takes multiple tries to get it to perform the desired function.
The countdown timer, while seemingly convenient, is a bit of a gimmick. It sits at 9 seconds for 15-20 seconds THEN counts down from 9 to 0. And that 9 second countdown has ranged anywhere from 14 seconds to the advertised 9 seconds.
Overall it seems like the best for its price range. We’ll see if it outlasts the 9 months my old one lasted.
Paper Artist : It’s okay
I bought this machine because of the handle. I like that it closes with the lever and no doubt that it’s tight on the bags. However it won’t work with all bags. Bags that are textured on both sides won’t suction properly. Also, cleaning this machine is annoying. I was using it to seal chicken legs and some of the liquid went onto the machine. I cleaned it 3 times but now I’m wondering if the seals which are not removable are thoroughly cleaned for my liking. I bought a cheaper machine for my sister and love that it comes apart for a good cleaning. I may go that route and return this one.
joshua phillips : Not worth it
I use vacuum sealers A LOT - this sealer looks good but the control panel is NO good. From the first time I used it, the "manual" button would take anywhere from 3 to 15 times of pushing the button before it would work. The "auto vacuum" button would work MOST of the time but occasionally that button would NOT work either. So I requested an exchange because that machine was not working correctly, then the 2nd machine (exact same model) did the very same thing. In short, it must be a problem with that particular model - very bad control panel. Now I am trying to get a full refund.
Adam : Great value, works very well.
This is the 1st vacuum sealer I've purchased. It works exactly as advertised. Leaves a very nice double seal and vacuums the air out very quickly. I only wish it had a marking to tell you how much to cut in order to be able to place the bag in the machine, but otherwise it works great.
A.J. : Great Suction Power & Easy To Use
I was a little leary on making this purchase just because I saw some less than stellar reviews in the most recent reviews submitted to Amazon. To help make my purchasing decision a bit easier, I did a google search for more reviews.
I found that this same unit was available at a Fleet Farm near me, which had many positive reviews on it's website. I also found many positive comments on the NESCO website itself. I understand those could be paid comments, but they seemed to fall in line with the good comments on both Amazon and Fleet Farm.
Amazon offered the best deal, and I want to say that I am very happy I made this purchase. I don't spend a great deal of time vacuum sealing large quantities of food at once, but I seal various things frequently over the course of a month. I had one of the original Food Saver vacuum sealers, but I was tired of trying to seal the bags unsuccessfully. With only one button to activate the vacuum and seal strip, it was a pain to get the unit to seal the first side of the bag.
With the NESCO vacuum sealer, there is a dedicated button to activate just the sealing strip without starting the vacuum pump. Once one side is sealed and you pack your food inside, the vacuum pump does an amazing job of pulling out all air and sealing the bag. There are also many other options to vacuum seal moist items, selecting the level of vacuum for more delicate items like bread, a pulse option that allows you to control how long the vacuum runs for a custom vacuum level, the option to form a double seal, and it has the ability to seal canisters, but does not come with the canister sealing accessories. I also love that it has built-in bag roll storage and a cutter to make nice straight cuts each time you select a custom length of bag to seal your food.
I have not used all the other options yet, but I can say that it does what it is supposed to, and I am very happy. For a vacuum sealer that is half the price of a new Food Saver brand with all the same features, I am very happy, and the NESCO VS-12 meets all my needs.
A.J. : Great Suction Power & Easy To Use
I was a little leary on making this purchase just because I saw some less than stellar reviews in the most recent reviews submitted to Amazon. To help make my purchasing decision a bit easier, I did a google search for more reviews.
I found that this same unit was available at a Fleet Farm near me, which had many positive reviews on it's website. I also found many positive comments on the NESCO website itself. I understand those could be paid comments, but they seemed to fall in line with the good comments on both Amazon and Fleet Farm.
Amazon offered the best deal, and I want to say that I am very happy I made this purchase. I don't spend a great deal of time vacuum sealing large quantities of food at once, but I seal various things frequently over the course of a month. I had one of the original Food Saver vacuum sealers, but I was tired of trying to seal the bags unsuccessfully. With only one button to activate the vacuum and seal strip, it was a pain to get the unit to seal the first side of the bag.
With the NESCO vacuum sealer, there is a dedicated button to activate just the sealing strip without starting the vacuum pump. Once one side is sealed and you pack your food inside, the vacuum pump does an amazing job of pulling out all air and sealing the bag. There are also many other options to vacuum seal moist items, selecting the level of vacuum for more delicate items like bread, a pulse option that allows you to control how long the vacuum runs for a custom vacuum level, the option to form a double seal, and it has the ability to seal canisters, but does not come with the canister sealing accessories. I also love that it has built-in bag roll storage and a cutter to make nice straight cuts each time you select a custom length of bag to seal your food.
I have not used all the other options yet, but I can say that it does what it is supposed to, and I am very happy. For a vacuum sealer that is half the price of a new Food Saver brand with all the same features, I am very happy, and the NESCO VS-12 meets all my needs.
David B : Never knew vacuum sealing could be so fun
I have been a vacuum sealing fool since I got this with my sous vide cooker. Portion food out (Chicken, steaks, veggies, etc) in vacuum bags, then just grab each item I want for a meal and throw it in the sous vide water bath. Easy peasy. 2 different suction options - regular and gentle - as well as a manual vacuum allows you to vacuum even wet foods, though you still need to be careful. Love the single and double seal options, use the double for anything I will cook sous vide. Have probably sealed over 100 items and only had 1 seal fail and that may have well been my fault. Also bought a dehydrator so have been vacuum sealing beef jerky and dried fruits to get them to last (much) longer.
UPDATE 5/6/20: So after sealing for a couple of months now, there are a few things about this vacuum sealer that make it awesome. If you are cooking sous vide, the double-seal is a big time plus. Also, the 2 little lips in the vacuum slot make it much easier to get your bag position and held in place to vacuum. Did not think much of it initially but it really makes things much easier. I have been using the manual vacuum/seal quite a bit on certain foods, so another great feature I am not sure other sealers have. This vacuum sealer is worth any penny, and anyone thinking about buying a cheaper one I would spend the extra $$ on this one, it is well worth it!
Melvin : Best so far.
I needed a sealer for prepping meals in advance. I read glowing reviews of sealers at $39.00 = returned, $59.00 again = returned, I bought elsewhere, and still the seal or vacuum of most was subpar at best. I wondered if maybe my wife or I were in error by not understanding the process of bagging. I was about to give up and decided to try the NESCO VS-12. The suction was great. the double seal was spot on. The bag storage and included bag cutter within the unit was a thoughtful addition. This unit can be operated one-handed which is great for handicapped persons. the only drawback was there were no attachments for canning otherwise the NESCO VS-12 would have received 5 stars. So far I am fully satisfied with the look and function of this food sealer I hope it has a build quality and reliability that lasts.
J. Strader : Unit buzzes constantly when plugged in. Nesco advised that I unplug the machine after use.
My unit emits a buzzing/hissing noise constantly when it is plugged in, and there is no way to stop it other than unplugging it. I have contacted Nesco about the issue, and their response was "I would recommend unplugging your unit when you’re not using it." I consider having to unplug this unit every time I am done sealing something to be ridiculous. This is unfortunate, as I would consider the unit perfect if it did not possess this one glaring flaw.
DeLane Jenkins : Hard to beat!
For the money and features, it’s hard to beat! I purchased it to vacuum seal about 50 lbs of fresh tuna steaks and it handled the job without a hiccup. The only drawback I’ll say is the ability to seal wet items. This is easily overcome by freezing the item briefly before vacuum sealing. If I were to buy anything other than this, it would be a chamber sealer, which is significantly more expensive. For now, this does everything I need easily!
dokdmento : Nice sealer. My favorite!
I have the old one and was looking for one that works w liquids. It’s about the sam as the old one but has a few more features. The cutter has been redesigned and also the locking mechanism. The cover now locks with the handle which is a nice feature to open and close. It will also double seal bags for extra strength. Well made, only one complaint. The cord storage could be designed better w maybe the plug snapping onto the cord to keep it in place. Well satisfied w this and the previous one which I’m giving away. Oh, it’s quieter than the old one
Amazon Customer : A little disappointed
I put it to the test when I got it, sealed a bunch of ground beef and chicken. It works ok but considering it cost $100 and there are many Machines for $39-$40 I expected better. It seems to get tired after while and does not suck all the air out. It does have a pulse button that you can manually hold down that does a great job except you have To manually hold it down. Easy to use, looks good and basically got the job done; I did have to cut some bags back open, re-bag and reseal them because they were not sealed good enough. Not worth the Extra $100 price for The job it did, a $40 sealer may work just as good or better.
Phillip Jost : Fails to seal after about 75 uses
I've sealed about 75 bags top and bottom since my purchase in March 2020 (now November). The unit now leaves a hole in the seal even when I "double seal" in the same spot nearly every time. I have always waited the appropriate time in between seals and let the unit properly seal, however the brown heat strip seems to have just worn out. Unfortunately this is one of those items to make sure and buy the extra insurance through Amazon for.
Joe Citizen Buyer : Bought in February 2020, stopped working in September 2020
Bought in February 2020, stopped working in September 2020. The count down timer stops at 6. The machine continues suction but then skips the sealing portion. I can manually seal if no air gets back in the bag after this but for the money and potential food waste it's not worth risking that no air returns to the bag. Contacted manufacturer and they said unfortunately many owners of this model have experienced the same issue. They will send me a replacement but will have to wait until they are back in stock.
Other than that it was a good little unit.
Tammy L. Anderson : Not good if you have a lot to seal
To be fair, if I were only sealing 1 or 2 items at a time I’d give this item 5 stars.
But I generally seal quite a bit more than that at one time. I hunt and process my own meat and we shop at Costco and like to divide the food into smaller quantities. The instructions in this unit say to wait 1 minute after each seal. Also, not recommended to seal more than 1 or 2 items consecutively. Based on that alone I’m giving the unit 1 star because it’s worthless for what I need it for. I don’t want to spend all day sealing food!
If you don’t seal a lot at one time you’ll probably like this unit. Be sure to push down on the closing handle so it seats completely or the unit won’t work. I tried sealing a few times and closed the lid and it sort of snaps closed however I found out I needed to give it an extra little push down even after it seemed locked closed before the unit would work.
Sopchoppy : Should have waited longer before rating.
After 5 or 6 Foodsavers, none of which lasted much over a year, I wanted a different brand. After a lot of research and reading reviews I bought the Nesco and have been pleased. The suction is as good as any I've had and better than most. Never had a problem with multiple seals causing overheating. All seals have held in the freezer with no leaks. For the price, it would be hard to beat.
UPDATE: I've had this vac sealer about a year and its performance has decreased. It still vacuums well but after sealed bags have been in the freezer 2-3 months about half, have lost their seal. After 6 months, all have lost the seal. I double seal all bags top and bottom and use the same bags I have used for years. I have no idea what causes this.
Kindle Customer : Stopped working
I purchased this product for it's good reviews, ease of use and features. After one month, it stopped working. Although it sucked the air from the bag, it did not automatically seal it. Useless.
Cactususan : Probably the Best Sealer on the Market
And that's what AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN thinks! I had a FoodSaver / Game Saver for years and years and loved it. When it quit, I started comparing the available units and had certain criteria: bag storage in the unit and a cutter, as well as having good performance. The Food Saver brand just didn't have the features and ratings that I wanted. (If you're looking for a new unit, look at the ones without bag storage and cutters, and note how inconvenient they are.)
In the photos, I show cornmeal being sealed. (If it's kept in the freezer in a Ziploc bag, it's still tastes like freezer. Blech.) There's a pic of it loose, and then the end product. That little bag of cornmeal is hard as rock, and that's the goal. There's not a bit of air in it. Then it goes in the freezer to extend its life even further and keep its fresh taste and nutrition. The seal is nice and wide, and you can see that it's done an excellent job. There's also an option to create a double seal when you seal moist items. I use that when I make my own ice packs (using water and alcohol), and it works great.
Another reason why this is a must-have in my house is for my Southern California earthquake supplies. All the first- aid items are vacuum sealed. Sterile towels remain sterile, bandages stay clean. Even Top Ramen stays fresh. Also small things like instant coffee, chewing gum, matches. They'll remain fresh and usable. One of the best things I've sealed is packages of disinfecting wipes. Left on their own, they will dehydrate, but when vacuum sealed they stay wet indefinitely. I also use my sealer for camping supplies.
As always, read and follow. Love it!
CharlestonSCBill : Works Great and Saves Bag Material
This VS-12, Deluxe Vacuum Sealer, from NESCO is exactly what I needed for storing bulk products. I've have had no less than 5 of the automatic units in less than 15 years. Over time they all became horrible disappointments. This is completely manual and works better than any automatic. We buy many grocery items, meats, cheeses in bulk and portion them into smaller packages, In addition, I also bake brioche rolls, Cuban rolls, Italian bread. All of which get frozen. The pulse feature on the NESCO works perfectly for that purpose. Going manual saves on bagging material. Although, I'm still using the name brand bag rolls for long term storage the NESCO unit lets me use less expensive bag material for shorter term storage. Other features which I like are the Double Vacuum Pump and the Double Line Seals for Added Strength. Many times the other brand failed to seal properly
johnnyc : I tested and passed flying colors
This is a great sealer for about $100, I tried less expensive units only to send back as the seal areas failed with slow vacuum seal leaks. The Nesco is a bit slower but i can see why after working with less expensive sealers, i believe the Nesco is engineered to vacuum and pause to allow bag to settle before sealing then a longer seal time to allow time and temp for a great seal.
Coming from manufacturing sealing cosmetics and apparel I am used to looking for defective seals, the Nesco seems to produce a flawless seal over and over. Look at my pic you can see I sealed many items one after another and I didn’t have to wait or go slow the Nesco powered through with no flaws in the seal. Nesco has 5 seal options including the double seal option for moist applications which I have used.
I love the internal cutter, the area for a small 11” roll to sit in, the see through window to see the roll and the single hand clamp that works great. The build quality appears to be very high quality to last.
Again look at the seal area in my pics that is the most important thing to consider when purchasing a sealer.
Chezer : Great Sealer
I have had my unit for over two years and use the hell out of it. This thing has performed flawlessly. It has great suction and great sealing even with fluids getting in the way. I have used it with fish, beef, pork and cheese Without issue. I have seen a few bad reviews regarding having to wait between sealing for large jobs, I have not had issue with that. In fact, I continuously vacuum sealed 25 pounds of Bratwurst without issue. Any bad review is a one off in my opinion and I wouldn’t fret over it.
jawshoouh : Best non-chamber vac sealer
I only have one other back sealer to compare this to, but it appears to be a great sub-$100, non-chamber, vac sealer (I got it on sale on Amazon a few weeks ago). It's not the fastest, but it's not a race when you're back sealing, right? I haven't done any marinading yet, but for storage of veggies and other perishables and for sous vide, it's great. The built-in bag roll storage and cutter (manual cutter) are great, it's super easy to use, and the double-seal feature is fantastic. Would highly recommended especially if you don't have the budget (or counter space) for a chamber vac.
GTnH : Need to double seal
This worked normally for awhile, then I started to get very small leaks through the seal - even at the end that was the bag making seal. Now I have to double seal everything. I also have found that using the manual vacuum (pulse) first works better than using the automatic vacuum because I have had air left using the auto vacuum.
Amazon Customer : Just An Average Sealer
I searched and searched for a vacuum sealer before I purchased this one. Because of the design of not having to press down to seal, I thought that would provide a better seal. As far as that goes, the seal was great, even having the option to double seal sometimes, but I could see the machine was not pulling all of the air pockets away from the meat. (I even tried the 3 different settings since I was processing a bulk size package of meat, thinking that I must not have it on the right setting, but to me it seemed they were all pretty much the same. Sure enough, when I took the packaged meat out of the freezer, you could see frozen pockets in places around the meat, which my husband and I both agreed would cause freezer burn if left very long. So, for the price, I returned it. If I pay more for a vacuum sealer, I at least expect it to pull all the air out of the bag.
Patrick : Fantastic product!
Should have bought this sooner. We buy our meats in bulk and used freezer storage bags for freezing food. Many times we would have to throw food out because of freezer burn. Meats like chick, pork and beef would fade in color within a couple weeks. Since buying the Nesco VS-12, the food maintains the fresh color and retains the meats juices.
Having the controls to vacuum seal various types of food is very handy. We have also marinated meats for sous vide which turns out phenomenal.
I spent a lot of time researching vacuum sealers, reading both individual reviews as well as comparison reviews and articles. We are more than satisfied with this sealer. By far one of our best purchases to date.
Rascal-of-renown : Extremely happy with this purchase!
** I now have a mini-freezer (9 cu. ft) with lots of frozen items that are perfectly packaged using this unit. **
I'd sort of been watching these things for a long time... finally, with the cost of food and how much food I was discarding that wasn't keeping very long in the fridge or freezer, I decided it was time to buy.
The locking mechanism for the top lid of the unit is one of its best design features, in my opinion. I did a lot of homework watching videos of other brand units and reading user comments; some of them the user had to hold down on the lid to get it to seal properly - yuck! The unit seems to be very durable and powerful for my home kitchen/food storage needs.
98% of the time I use the "pulse" button to pull the exact amount of vacuum that I want, then I hit the MANUAL SEAL button. Thus, if you want to seal up some cookies, crackers or even breakfast cereal you can get just the exact amount of vacuum you want without crushing the contents.
The unit has a setting to make a "double seal" which is great for more 'juicy' contents. I write the month and year on the top of each bag with a Sharpie pen, and any description if it would be something difficult to identify once it is frozen.
I purchased both pre-sized bags (pint 6in. x 10in. and quart 8in. x 12in.) to use for most storage, as well as rolls both 8in. wide and 11 in. wide for any special custom bags needed. Both the bags and rolls were NOT Nesco brand, I just checked for the best reviews of those items here on Amazon and chose a brand.
Now, when I get those big bags of frozen foods at Costco or Sams Club I can make them into smaller portions that will keep much longer without the "freezer burn" that you typically get from a large, partially filled bag.
Note: I needed some vacuum sealer attachments and found them at the website for LEM Products. They connect perfectly with the vacuum port on this unit and appear to be very sturdy.
Juan Camilo Hoyos : UPDATE
UPDATE: It was working fine for 4 months.. now it is NOT double sealing.. starting to malfunction with just 4 months, garbage
David B : Never knew vacuum sealing could be so fun
I have been a vacuum sealing fool since I got this with my sous vide cooker. Portion food out (Chicken, steaks, veggies, etc) in vacuum bags, then just grab each item I want for a meal and throw it in the sous vide water bath. Easy peasy. 2 different suction options - regular and gentle - as well as a manual vacuum allows you to vacuum even wet foods, though you still need to be careful. Love the single and double seal options, use the double for anything I will cook sous vide. Have probably sealed over 100 items and only had 1 seal fail and that may have well been my fault. Also bought a dehydrator so have been vacuum sealing beef jerky and dried fruits to get them to last (much) longer.
UPDATE 5/6/20: So after sealing for a couple of months now, there are a few things about this vacuum sealer that make it awesome. If you are cooking sous vide, the double-seal is a big time plus. Also, the 2 little lips in the vacuum slot make it much easier to get your bag position and held in place to vacuum. Did not think much of it initially but it really makes things much easier. I have been using the manual vacuum/seal quite a bit on certain foods, so another great feature I am not sure other sealers have. This vacuum sealer is worth any penny, and anyone thinking about buying a cheaper one I would spend the extra $$ on this one, it is well worth it!
DPF : Works great, simple, and small footprint
This is the first sealer I have owned but have had great results so far. I have used this with the supplied Nesco bags, which were of very good quality, but still bought generic ones as well, also with good results. Moist meat, such as fresh ground sausage does cause problems so I have to freeze all of that prior so sealing, same as soup. I also purchased the Nesco brand canister set (not available on Amazon) which gives you the proper hose to use the canister attachement with other brand accessories. Works great for sealing everything like jerky, sausage, soup, gravy, marinated pork chops, etc. Save a fair amount of space in freezer. Very good power too.
Amazon Customer : Game Changer!!!
This is my all time favorite kitchen appliance! Purchased originally to help organize my refrigerator and marinade, and make some freezer meals. Then Rona hit! We were able to save so much money and unneeded trips to the store because of this! Resealed chips, cereal, pasta's in the bags they came in. Purchased meat from the meat market and divided it up ourselves into the portion sizes we needed. Froze leftovers, sealed fruits and veggies in the fridge, and then right when they were about to expire, repackaged and froze them in individual bags for smoothies. Everything stays fresher longer.....even avacado's! I watched several YouTube video reviews before I decided on this one, and there is absolutely nothing about this I don't love. The locking handle is awesome. When Rona finally leaves and we can travel again, I will def be utilizing this to pack and travel. You seriously will not regret this purchase!
D. Goggans : Everything I wanted. Passed my heavy use test perfectly.
This is my first vacuum sealer, and I did a lot of research before I settled on this one. I bought my first chest freezer at the end of February in anticipation of the lockdown that came a few weeks later, and I was able to use my new vacuum sealer to preserve a six-month supply of meat with no problem at all. I bought rolls of bag material on Amazon by OutOfAir, a highly rated brand that is currently unavailable. You can use any brand of bag material, but I will wait to reorder for the OutOfAir to come back in stock, if possible. Very pleased with this sealer, and I gave it quite a workout.
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