FoodSaver FM5000 Series 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System and Starter Kit

I used to think that I would never use one of these vacuum sealers. The first one I owned was a gift and sat in my pantry unused for almost 2 years. Once I pulled it out and figured out how to use it that was it. This is my second vacuum sealer like this one. It now sits on my kitchen counter and I use it multiple times a day. I prepare meals, vacuum seal them and put them in my freezer. I use it to seal airtight containers and mason jars for dry storage goods. I also use it to reseal potato chip bags and others. When I buy meat at the grocery store I take it out of the store packaging and reseal it in vacuum bags. I will never go without this vacuum sealer.

This is a great improvement from the last food saver I bought. It is faster easier to use than previous models. I also like the sealer on bottom by the cutter, and the open back design so I know ho much of my roll is left. This unit does not come with all the junk canisters/bowls that my last food saver came with, only vac bags and a roll of heat seal. I was able to package about 25 lbs of ground meat and sausage in 30 minutes or so with no sealing issues, so I would say that is way better than the older units.

Wow ! Would I recommend this to a friend!? of course My friend brought hers over at thanksgiving & I was sold ! I bought my Food saver at Christmas time ..well just before Christmas ,I used it to Vacuum left over smoked turkey ! & than went thru my freezer to see what else I could vacuum! Steaks ,that would have got freezer burn , everything I could I sealed up. Loving it!

We have saved A LOT of money on food with this machine. vacuum sealing foods makes them last so much longer. Not only raw/uncooked foods but all of our left overs are vacuum sealed and they last twice as long for future consumption. Another huge plus is, we use the FoodSaver machine to reseal/vacuum seal food items in their original packaging which not only saves money on the food items but also saves money on the FoodSaver bags. Pretty much every bag of chips or snacks are re-sealable. We love this machine and we use it everyday!

If you like to have your food fresh for longer period and are tired of throwing food away because of spoilage or just that annoying freezer burn, then you are ready to invest into a good vacuum sealer system. We use our food saver to extend the storage life of our foods. I've been able to save so much money just because I can buy in bulk, use a bit at a time without foods going bad: bread, cookies, herbs, veggies, meats, salads etc. I love the reusable zipper vacuum bags, and I keep stuff that I want to last a little longer in those - like guacamole and vegetables. We see such a difference in the items we freeze for later use. So easy to use and came with great bag start-up options. This product will save you money on your frozen meats by protecting them for longer periods of time. No freezer burn. Make sure you par freeze ground meat before sealing it. Otherwise the meat will spread out flat and make it hard to get it sealed. The handheld sealer works great on the Foodsaver bags, it's quick and simple to use. This device definitely excels at short to medium term storage, not sure if it will preserve foods for years. Lastly, this little machine barely takes up counter space, but it does have a busy corner in my kitchen. This is a must for anyone who buys food in bulk and wants to minimize the amount of food waste.

The locking handle for the seal is a poor design and is probably the weak link in the sealer. Also, access to the vacuum slot is inconvenient, being too high up on the machine.

Almost every bag I've sealed took 2 or 3 attempts. Both hands are needed to depress bar to activate the vacuum and sealing process. Top of bag doesn't want to stay in position when sealing. Bags need to be cut several inches longer for it to work easier. My old one was much easier to use. I wouldn't advise buying it.

I have used foodsaver for years but when I needed a new one I thought I would upgrade to this one and it's nothing but junk the sealing bar is about 4 inches high and then you need to push the sealing bar on both ends meaning you have to have 3 hands or tie yourself into a pretzel or have someone to help you. If this isn't bad enough every time it seals a bag it resets itself back to dry mode. Then the third time I went to use it only sucked about half the air out I could get more air out of a ziplock bag then this. So save yourself money and a headache buy something else.

The FoodSaver had been opened before. I know, because the power cord was not tightly bundled with a tie twist. This makes me believe someone had already returned it because it was broken. You just put it back on the shelf. Then I purchased one online, and Walmart sent me the broken one.

Cumbersome to use compared to my old 4400. Needs two hands to hold smaller bags in position for sealing. Two hands to activate vacuum and sealing process. Levers and buttons?