Repugnant No More Thanks to My FoodSaver Vac550
Written: Nov 27 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: easy to use, works well, makes food last longer
Cons: replacement bags can be a bit expensive
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| amykhar's Full Review: Tilia Foodsaver Compact II Vacuum Sealer |
This review is not for the faint of heart, for it will take you on a journey to one of the most foul, rank places on earth – my refrigerator.
We have a habit of squirreling away small portions of leftovers in little Tupperware containers or cellophane covered bowls. The problem is, the tiny portions are never enough to serve the whole family; so they tend to stay in the refrigerator until I get around to cleaning it or until they walk out on their own power.
Admitting this fact has taken some courage on my part. I like to present my better side in my epinions, but I feel confession is necessary because I know there are many of you out there with your own toxic refrigerators.
Luckily, I have found a solution to my repugnant refrigerator. A short while back, I purchased a Tilia FoodSaver Vac550 (formerly the FoodSaver Compact II). Now, I still squirrel away small portions of leftovers, but now they last longer, and are much easier to dispose of when they go bad.
Originally, I purchased a Tilia FoodSaver Vac350 from my local Wal-Mart for $99. But luckily, as fate would have it, I bought a lot of gadgets that day and didn’t open my box immediately. This was a good thing, because I saw an Infomercial for the FoodSaver Vac550 later that day, and realized it would be a better choice for me.
Now, I have a confession to make. I do not remember exactly what I paid for my FoodSaver Vac550. I tend to be a bit impulsive when it comes to kitchen gadgets. I do remember this: the price on the Infomercial was less than the listed price on the web site (http://www.tilia.com ), which is $179. I simply called the toll-free number listed on the Tilia web site, and they gave me the number for the company selling their products on the Infomercial. Within two weeks of placing my order, my new vacuum sealer was on my kitchen counter.
Feature Overview
My FoodSaver came with video taped instructions. Honestly, the tape was a waste of their time and money. The sealer is a snap to use and very intuitive.
The heart of the unit is, of course, the pump that sucks the air out of the bags and jars. Tilia is quite proud of the vacuum, and promotes it as a “powerful piston pump”. The promotion is a bit of an overkill. The pump works, and that’s enough.
The next most important feature is the heat seal bar. Even if you don’t want to vacuum pack your food, you can still reseal the bags. Potato chip bags, for example seal up nicely in the unit. (Don’t try to vacuum pack chips – they crush. Trust me on this one. )
The unit operates with the touch of a single button. Simply press the button, and wait for the green indicator light to go out. Tilia’s video spends a bit too much on the button feature. It’s nice, but I wouldn’t expect any less from the unit.
Pre-cut storage bags and a roll of material for making custom sized bags are included. Replacement bags can be purchased at Wal-Mart in various sizes.
Finally, the FoodSaver Vac550 comes with a small, rubber tube and two mason jar attachments. These can be used to seal food in wide-mouth or regular mason jars, or in special containers sold separately by Tilia.
Thanksgiving: The Sequel
The biggest test of my FoodSaver came this past Thanksgiving. I cooked much more food than we needed – as usual. Even before I had dinner on the table, I knew that I had twice the amount of stuffing we would need. I simply sealed up half in one of the pre-cut bags, and threw it in the freezer for another time.
After dinner was over, I did not do my usual scrounging for Tupperware. Instead, I sealed up all the leftovers in bags, and threw them in the refrigerator for the next day. True, this meant we couldn’t graze on leftovers all night, but it made fixing dinner the next day a snap.
Tilia’s bags are microwaveable, freezer-safe, and boilable. Therefore, all I had to do for dinner the next evening was snip the corners off the bags and throw them in the microwave. We used paper plates; therefore, I had no dishes to wash and got a true day off. After the intense effort of preparing Thanksgiving dinner, I was thankful for the break.
I Use it Almost Every Day
At first, I drove my family insane because I was vacuum-sealing everything . The gadget is fun to use, and sealing some things can be amusing. Now that the novelty has worn off, I find I still use it quite often.
Primarily, I use it to seal leftovers for the babies’ lunches. Opened packs of cheese, lunch meats, hot dogs, salads all seal up quickly and easily. Sealing them prevents air from spoiling the food as quickly; therefore, foods stay fresher longer. In addition, if we do forget to use something, I don’t have a problem disposing of it. I simply throw the bag away unopened.
When I bring home meats from the grocery store, I take them out of the store packaging now. I season or marinade meats like chops and roasts, and place them in a Tilia bag. Then I vacuum seal them and place them in my freezer. As the meat thaws, the marinade soaks in and our meat is much more flavorful. Tilia suggests using the vacuum sealer to rapidly marinade meats. Vacuum sealing draws the marinade directly into the meat, and works much quicker than traditional methods. However, I prefer to marinade before freezing instead.
Replacement bags can be a bit expensive. However, they are washable and re-useable. I have to admit I don’t re-use the bags often. I like the convenience of disposable cookware.
My Refrigerator is Much Cleaner Now
Thanks to Tilia, my leftovers last longer. They don’t clutter up my refrigerator, and if they do get forgotten, disposal is easy. I may never have to throw away a moldy piece of Tupperware again.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
amykhar
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Member: Amy
Location: USA
Reviews written: 320
Trusted by: 480 members
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