You gotta get one!
Written: Jul 04 '02 (Updated Jul 04 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, well designed, does what it is supposed to do. Lots of accessories.
Cons: Expensive. Canning jar accessories perform poorly.
The Bottom Line: The unit with the bags works very well. Easy, fast well designed. I highly recommend this model. The canning jar adapters work poorly. I do not recommend buying these attachments.
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| Rosethyme's Full Review: Tilia Professional II FoodSaver 00-0312-01 |
Tilla “Vacuum Foodsaver”
After my experiences with the “Deni Freshlock” vacuum food saver (see my review, “No Bargain”) I was very leery of spending over a $100 for another one. I went on line and did a search for “vacuum foodsavers” so I could see what was available. Several web site names appeared, and I checked them out. There are actually 4 models offered by Tilla, each one more expensive than the previous. The more expensive the model, the more features (and attachments) to the unit. The models range in price from about $150 to $325. If you shop around you can get them for as little as $120 to $260, plus shipping and handling.
After thinking it over for about a month, I bought the unit I wanted. I purchased the top of the line model, the Tilla “Vacuum Foodsaver Professional II” for the hefty price tag of $259.00 (MSRP $325). I bought it from Fern’s Nutrition Center in California (www.fernsnutrition.com). They definitely had the best prices and they carry replacement bags and all the attachments. I also purchased the canning jar sealers for both the narrow mouth and wide mouth jars, a canning jar vacuum hose, and a 3-pack of reusable wine/vinegar/oil bottle vacuum stoppers. In total, I spent about $315.00 (including the shipping and handling charge).
The “Vacuum Foodsaver Professional II” that was advertised on the web came with the following accessories: one 11” x 18’ bag roll, one 8” x 22’ bag roll, one universal cover, one 1.5 quart canister, 2 large bags, 3 small bags, and 1 wine bottle stopper. It also came with an instructional video. The TV commercials only show the basic bottom-of-the-line model. I purchased the one listed for professionals: those who use the unit every day, many times a day. It is supposed to be able to seal bags one after another without taxing the machine.
When the package arrived I opened it and checked everything. It was very well packaged and arrived in good condition. There was only one discrepancy. Tilla had apparently changed the basic parts that come with the unit, so the components I received were a little different from what was advertised on the web. When I called Ferns for corrections, they were great. No arguments, I simply explained the differences and they corrected the shortages. They matched what was advertised on the unit and sent me a extra roll of bags as well. For this level of customer service I highly recommend them. They have since updated their web site to reflect what now goes into the package. The only shortcoming is that there are NO returns of anything purchased from Ferns.
I tried the unit the next day. The Professional II is a large rectangular plastic unit about 24 inches long, 6 inches wide and 3 inches high. It has a hinged cover that opens upward, and features a built-in bag cutter. On the top surface of the lid there is a small hole with a plastic fitting. The plastic vacuum hose fits into this hole snugly.
The electrical cord wraps around special tabs set into the bottom of the unit for clean storage. On the left side of the unit there are 3 buttons (On/Off, Vacuum Override, and Manual Seal), 1 sealing adjustment dial (settings from 1 to 6), and 5 LED indicators (4 green and 1 red).
When the hinged cover is open, there is at the front of the unit a metal strip for heat-sealing the bag. Once inch north of the strip is a vacuum cavity/well 1 inch deep and 20 inches long. At the back there is a well or cavity for holding a roll of plastic to make the bags. The bags are constructed of a heavy gauge plastic with a cross-hatch pattern on 1 side. The plastic is sealed on the left and right sides so only the ends need to be sealed to make a bag.
To make a bag using the enclosed heavy gauge plastic roll, you set the sealing dial to “3”. Lift the lid, then unroll a length of the plastic. If you need a small bag you need only unroll 6 inches. If you need a larger bag you unroll 12 inches. The plastic is laid across the unit as it unrolls and while it is still connected to the roll (but hanging over the edge) the lid is placed back down. You then press the manual seal button to activate the unit and seal the bag. While the unit seals the bag the red LED lights up and the cover automatically clamps down to hold the bag. The seal is complete when the red LED button goes out. You cannot move or unlock the unit until after the red LED has gone out, otherwise you will damage the machine. To cut the bag from the roll simply press the cover down slightly and slide the built-in bag cutter across the bag.
The bottom of the bag is now sealed. Remove the bag from the unit and fill it with food, leaving about 2 to 3 inches unfilled at the outer unsealed edge. Lift the hinged cover and place the unsealed bag edge across the sealing strip. Making sure the bag edges are flat, insert the open end of the bag into the vacuum cavity. Carefully keeping every thing in place, lower the hinged lid and press the “On” button to activate the vacuum and seal the bag.
I found the unit a bit awkward to use at first, but I quickly got the hang of it. The vacuum was terrific, it sucked down completely. The green LEDs light up in sequence as the vacuum starts and the unit locks down into position. The first LED at the start, then the second as the vacuum increases. When there is full vacuum all 4 LEDs are lit, then the red sealing LED activates. The red LED flashes on and off indicating the heat-sealing taking place. (At this point the unit is still locked.) Once the red LED winks out the unit can be opened and the bag removed. DO NOT attempt to open the unit until after the red LED goes out. You will damage it.
If the vacuum fails after a moment, check for wrinkles in the seal. If there are any wrinkles or lots of moisture in the seal, a secure bonding will not take place. The bag will reinflate after a few minutes.
The unit worked better than I had expected when using the bags. I used the special vacuum canister and found it to be top-notch, too. You put the items into the canister, then place the lid on top. Insert one end of the special vacuum hose into the hole on the top of the canister and insert the other end into the fitting on the hinged lid. Turn the seal dial to the “1” position and press the start button. Again the green LEDs will light up as the vacuum is drawn on the canister. When finished, the red LED will flash. Once the the red light goes out, remove the hose from the canister. The food is now vacuum sealed. To open the canister simply press the release button on the top of the canister. You will hear a little whoosh as air is drawn into the canister, then you can remove the top. The canisters are heavy duty plastic with thick gasketing, easy to use, and reusable.
I then tried the canning jar tops. I used the wide mouth adapter first. The wide mouth adapter is a plastic cover with gasketing around the inside. You take a clean, chip-free canning jar and fill it with food, leaving about a 1 inch head space. Place the metal canning lid on top of the jar (but not the ring). Be certain the lid is centered on the jar and the gasket is clean, or the seal will not take. Now place the canning jar adapter on the top of the filled canning jar with the lid in place. Press the adapter down so it fits snugly over the top of the jar. Again set the sealing dial for “1” and press the on button. Again the green LEDs will light up as the vacuum is drawn on the canister, and again the red LED will flash. Once the the red light goes out remove the adapter from the jar and the jar should now be vacuum sealed.
I repeated this procedure with the narrow mouth adapter as well. I was NOT pleased with these attachments. If there is a lot of air in the food, it is difficult to seal. I tried sealing nuts in a jar. Since there is a lot of air spaces between the nuts, it did not seal very well. Even though I carefully removed the adapter, the lid kept popping off. Some jars sealed OK using the vacuum over-ride button; most, however, did not.
Next I tried the wine/oil bottle vacuum stopper. I took an open bottle of wine that was about half full, placed one of the stoppers into the mouth and attached the vacuum hose. I set the seal dial to “1” again and press the “On” button. Again it drew vacuum and sealed the bottle. This worked very well. Now the wine will not oxidize and will keep its fresh taste right to the end of the bottle. (Keep the wine bottle refrigerated). These would probably be great for making flavored oils or vinegars as well.
I have used the “Vacuum Food Saver Professional II” many times. Except for the canning jar attachments, it works like a champ. The bags, incidentally, are reusable, microwavable, and boilable. I bag the food I want to seal in a zip lock bag first but I do not seal the edges. I then place this inside the heavy gauge bag and then vacuum seal it. I then cut the bag open, remove the inner bag and the heavy plastic bag is still clean. I have to be careful since some liquid may leak out of the small inner bag during the sealing. Then I have to wash the bag before reusing.
I freeze berries, then vacuum seal them--it works great! (If you don’t freeze the berries first they are crushed during the vacuum sealing. Then you have a bag of fruity pulp. I actually did this the first time--what a mess!)
I ordered another set of canisters and some boxes of bags. I make lunches for my husband and myself on Sunday and they are ready for the entire week. I used the bags for lettuce. I clean and package it on Sunday in individual salad size portions for each of us. By Friday it is still fresh and crisp without any discoloration. I just have to make sure I drain it very well before vacuum sealing it.
I love the unit. I clean, repackage, vacuum-seal, and freeze any meat or fish I buy now. No freezer burn and it is supposed to last for a year.
It is very expensive but should last a long time. You get what you pay for. You buy cheap, you get cheap. I can see this unit paying for itself within 1 year. My waste is much less now.
The unit with the bags works very well. I highly recommend this model. The wine/oil bottle stoppers work very well. I highly recommend these attachments. The canisters work very well. I highly recommend these canisters. The canning jar adapters work poorly. I do not recommend buying these attachments.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Rosethyme
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Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 7 members
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