Buying vacuum sealers in the UK.

manxman · April 25, 2006, 07:25:42 AM

Home use food vacuum sealers are quite a common subject on the forum, until recently their availability in the UK has been limited but a search of the net now reveals several different ones are available.

I bought a Foodsaver 550 vacuum sealer 12-14 months ago at a cost of around £120 and had to get it from Germany. In the intervening months the availability in the UK has increase dramatically and the price dropped. >:(

The same unit can now be bought from Empire Direct for a little over £80! ;D although it is now available through several other outleys. This seems to be the best price at the moment.

www.empiredirect.co.uk

or

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk/content/products/details/index~modelcode~FSR-FS550.htm

The foodsaver bags are still overpriced in my view and I continue to use different vacuum bags:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2306.0

I have had so much use out of my vacuum sealer, would thoroughly recommend them.

iceman · April 25, 2006, 10:24:11 AM

I have to agree with you manxman about the sealers being usful. I would never be able to save all the fish I do without one. I bought a commercial sealer here in Alaska so I didn't have to pay for the high priced bags that food saver has. The commercial bags don't have to have the pleats so they are only a third of the cost and at a few thousand a year it adds up fast. Have fun.

manxman · April 25, 2006, 11:09:04 AM

Quoteat a few thousand a year it adds up fast.

Even at a few hundred a year I can save over £130/USD200 by sourcing non Foodsaver brand pleated bags, so the savings on the non pleated bags for several thousand must be very significant.

There are a couple of low cost vacuum sealers that just use very cheap non pleated plastic rolls but they seem almost too good to be true!? In which case they probably are!

http://images.tchibo.de/eCS/Store/uk/images/kw15/kw15_5826_detail.jpg
http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/High_Quality_Vacuum_Layout.html

I have seen the commercial models in local butchers but even second hand they seem to attract a premium price. >:(

Oldman · April 25, 2006, 07:04:26 PM

manxman I have a unit like the ones you link us to. What a pain in the shorts to use.

tsquared · April 25, 2006, 10:04:22 PM

Anyone in North America have a source for those cheaper bags that manxman talks about?
T2

manxman · April 26, 2006, 05:17:07 AM

Quotemanxman I have a unit like the ones you link us to. What a pain in the shorts to use.

Thanks Olds, a couple of people have asked my advice on them, think I will tell them to stear clear and invest the extra £/$ in a Foodsaver type model with the pleated bags.

QuoteAnyone in North America have a source for those cheaper bags that manxman talks about?

Hi tsquared, the difference in price may well be due to the fact that the cheaper ones are European (Italian I think) compared with the (imported from US) Foodsaver bags.

Bear in mind we pay around $26 for 48 bradley bisquettes and $56 for 120 bradley bisquettes here in the UK. The cheaper bags here could well be a similar price to the foodsaver bags if sold in the US/Canada so I suspect it is not worth them being marketed on the other side of the pond?

begolf25 · April 26, 2006, 05:31:01 AM

Quote from: tsquared on April 25, 2006, 10:04:22 PM
Anyone in North America have a source for those cheaper bags that manxman talks about?
T2

T2,

I have purchased some bags from this company on eBay. Very good prices and bags are very good quality.

http://stores.ebay.com/All-Vacuum-Sealer-Supplies

Bryan

tsquared · April 26, 2006, 06:41:02 AM

Thanks Begolf and manxman. I will have a look at ebay's site tonight and see. Salmon season is almost upon us and I'm going to need some.
T2

manxman · April 26, 2006, 11:39:29 AM

This ebay site looks good, good choice and good prices for foodsaver (type) bags compared to normal prices for those buying in the US.

Here in the UK I can now get foodsaver compatible bags for £15/$24 per 100 (size: 8x12inch/20x30cm) whereas the genuine foodsaver bags are £20/$36 per 48 bags, a saving of £27/$43 per hundred which is not to be sniffed at given I use about 500 bags per annum!

Imagine someone using 5000 bags per annum..... savings of £270/$430 to be made.

And the next time I am in the US I plan to bring a spare suitcase and bring a few 120 packs sizes of various bisquettes back to the UK!! ;D

manxman · April 27, 2006, 01:53:13 AM

QuoteImagine someone using 5000 bags per annum..... savings of £270/$430 to be made.

My maths is rubbish sometimes, I blame the "several" glasses of wine I had drunk when I posted this! :-[

Savings for someone using 5000 bags would be £1350/$2160 so I can understand when Iceman says he uses several thousand bags per year there are considerable savings to be made and it would be worth considering a commercial sealer.

tsquared · April 27, 2006, 06:51:45 AM

We forgive you. I myself have never partaken and then made a mistake. :D I'm going to search around on some Canadian sites for bags as I find from experience buying south of the border that shipping plus "brokerage fees" (whatever the h%$$ that is) can turn what looks like a good deal into a bad bargain.
T2

icerat4 · April 27, 2006, 05:08:10 PM

A store in illinois called linens n things has them and with there discounts in the mail there cheaper then ebay.Too much shipping cost on those ill keep ya updated when i get my next supply.And that will be very soon. ;)

tsquared · April 27, 2006, 08:48:48 PM

Thanks Rat. 'Preciate it.
T2

begolf25 · April 28, 2006, 05:49:04 AM

Quote from: icerat4 on April 27, 2006, 05:08:10 PM
A store in illinois called linens n things has them and with there discounts in the mail there cheaper then ebay.Too much shipping cost on those ill keep ya updated when i get my next supply.And that will be very soon. ;)

You must sure get some HUGE discounts rat because Linens n Things prices really aren't even close for what you could get from the eBay store. Linens n Things is offering a 2 pack of 11" * 18' bags(total of 36') for $18.99 plus around $6.00 shipping. On the eBay store I pointed out you can get a 2 pack of 11" * 50' for $34.75(total of 100') plus around $8.00 shipping. When you do the math the savings is not even close. Linens n Things is around .69 a foot and the eBay store is around .42 when you include shipping prices. Plus the bags are as good if not better then Foodsaver brand bags.

icerat4 · April 28, 2006, 07:05:19 AM

right now without the discount i get 48 bags for 18 bucks.Some times they have in store deals and ya dont have to pay shipping i live right by one.I will keep ya posted.The problem is see is the shipping .Well i dont to that deal just go pick them up my self that saves a bunch right off the back. ;D