LJ Brain Trust: Vacuum sealer?

[cjsmith]

If I did get more freezer space, and maybe even if I can't, I wonder whether I should have a vacuum sealer.

I am short on counter space, but I can work that out.

I probably don't want one if it doesn't save money in the long run. I can squeeze a lot of air out of Ziploc bags and store them in odd-shaped spots in the freezer, so this will hinge on how much waste I'm likely to have, from freezer burn or the like, after the squeezy treatment. Ziploc cost + freezer burn cost - vacuum sealer bag cost - amortized cost of the unit: if it's not a positive number in under a decade I'm not going there. But it's OK if it takes a while to go positive, because I also hate waste.

I also don't want it if it's inconvenient to use. (It's very telling that I don't have "good" knives. They're more work than bad ones.)

I do want it if it will significantly save money, food, and/or freezer and fridge space. For example, if the bags are sturdy enough that I can pour from the skillet right into the bag, then I don't need so much Tupperware-style stuff. That would be a serious win in terms of space.

[LJ-CUT TEXT="Poll time!"]

[Poll #1217861]

Comments

[ashiegrrrl.livejournal.com]

I had a FoodSaver one and loved it. Didn't bother fighting for it in the divorce because of the already huge number of appliances I have. My Mom has a Reynolds hand unit that is inexpensive, small, and does the trick. She loves it. If I were to get another one that's the one I'd probably get. My kitchen has negative counter and cupboard space!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Awesome - thanks for the info! I'm probably not going to do this right away, as the squeezy trick works pretty well for now, but with a chest freezer I will keep it in mind.