# Dehydrators and vacum sealers



## Eli-2 (Aug 17, 2010)

I want to purchase a vacum sealer and dehydrater, knowing what each of you know now and by trial and error,which make and model of each would you recommend, not the cheapest but not the most expensive either?:scratch


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Well you can't find my dehydrator any longer but I just love it and have bought two more at yard sales for back ups-American harvester with the heater element and fan on the bottom and the stack able trays. It has a temp control on the side. I love it and hope that it lasts for many, many more years. I just looked and you can find the one that I have but it is expensive now!

But I have a foodsaver vac-packer not the stand up type one but one of these!
Gamesaver and have had it for years.. I also have the canisters and the mason jar wide mouth sealer and just love them all!


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Got a American Harvest dehydrator like Emeralds. Like it alot. I do alota dehydratin an plan on upgradin to somethin bigger in the near future.

Food Saver V2840 with vacuum port an the jar vac attachment. Excellent machine.


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## tikiman (Mar 1, 2011)

Foodsaver is my thought also on the sealer. The bags are easy to get and have a good mix of containers also. picked mine up new at a trift store for 10.00.


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## TwoHoot (Feb 17, 2011)

The dehydrator is easy - buy an Excalibur. Period.

The vacuum sealer is a different thing. I have two small ones (DZ-280/A from Sorbent Systems and a Black & Decker Freshguard). Both work but neither is completely satisfactory in my opinion. Both are from the cheap end of the line.

The DZ-280/A has a vacuum spout that extends into the bag being sealed and the heating element is behind it. When the spout retracts for sealing, a bit of air gets into the bag (not much) so it doesn't give the brick hard vacuum packages the B&D does. 

The B&D does not have a spout. It has a vacuum trough behind the heating element. The problem is that sometimes the top of the bag being sealed sucks together and doesn't allow the air to be removed from the bag at all. I remedy this by putting a bit of cotton in the top edge of the bag so it won't suck together. It can be a pain in the neck but it does really suck a vacuum when it works. In fairness, I bought the B&D years ago so they probably have better products out now.

I use the DZ-290/A most of the time but should have shopped around and talked to more people with experience before buying either. If I had, I would probably have one good one instead of two half-good ones. It would probably be cheaper too.

Cordially,
TwoHoot


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## BadgeBunny (Nov 2, 2010)

I have a FoodSaver vacuum sealer and an Excalibur dehydrator (the one with the timer on it). I would give you my husband before I would give you these two pieces of equipment. 

The FoodSaver is the only sealer I have had. We had another dehydrator before the Excalibur. It was a real pita ... The money you will spend on an Excalibur will be worth it in the end.


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## Sudhira (Apr 3, 2011)

I too am searching for a vacuum sealer. Also curious if anyone here has used the "Tribest Sedona" dehydrator. There is so much to learn...


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## lhalfcent (Mar 11, 2010)

I have a foodsaver vacume sealer and love it!
also have four dehydrators. two american Harvests with temp control and two Nesco's that are pretty simple and no temp control.
I make lots of soup and stew dried mixes and other things. lol


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## Sudhira (Apr 3, 2011)

I just got an American Harvest ( square ), am dehydrating frozen organic veggies for the first time...note to self...buy the mesh inserts, duh! I hope I am not too late with my food storage prep...I bought a vacuum sealer as well...my DH thinks I am nuts...:gaah:


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## BuggingIn (May 31, 2010)

I have a couple of Excalibers, the 5 tray and the 9 tray. I've used a variety of other dehydrators in the past, and I will never go back now that I have the Excaliburs. I got really lucky - found both of mine at garage sales for $12 for the 9 tray and $6 for the 5 tray. 

As for the vacuum sealers - I have one by Seal A Meal that works pretty well, and I have a manual vacuum sealer called a Pump and Seal. It uses regular Ziplock bags and can also be used on mason jars. I rather like it and it's low tech...nice to have something I can still use when power is but a memory.


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## snappy1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Is the pump n seal fairly easy to use? I got one and have not tried it yet. Dehydrating green beans tomorrow so I will get it out.


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## Sudhira (Apr 3, 2011)

*Weston Pro 2300 Bags*

Ok, the machine just arrived, didn't come with any sample bags...Just curious, do any of you have an excellent source for these bags for the best price? I am getting a good start but it is still a bit daunting for me...

Thanks,
S


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

I get a brand from my local farm store what be named "simply smart", a good quality bag cheaper then I can order em off line.


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## semperscott (Nov 7, 2010)

Question; I have just bought a Nesco food dehydrator & jerky maker at a yard sale for $10. The box is unopened, the orginal tape still on it.

I want to use it on veggies and like the idea of buying the frozen veggies on sale. Do you defrost the veggies prior to dehydrating them or what? I have never used a deydrator before.

Thank you for any and all help.


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

I put them in frozen and spread them out. Works great. I even do hashbrowns that way. Give it a go.


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## Sudhira (Apr 3, 2011)

Dehydrating frozen veggies is so easy, I just learned from a youtube lady "Tammy" on dehydrate2store
The small items like corn, peas, diced carrots, just pour right on frozen, I found you do need to make yourself a plastic mesh insert as when the pieces dehydrate they get so small they will fall through the spaces.
You can plastic craft mesh at the craft store and cut it to size.
The bigger pieces such as broccoli, cauliflower, you would want to rinse under the tap until they break up...the cauliflower you also might want to cut the bigger pieces in half while still semi frozen...really easy and fun too!


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

hey guys!!!

Plink, plink, plink, plink....

I just had four of my quart jars, vacuumed sealed with my food saver attachment, plink out!

Ugh! They were my flour and whole wheat flour. NSome are still sealed but I can hear air when I push the tops.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

They were sealed when you put them away? I have a hard time with the attachment sometimes and found that if I put two lids on and then the attachment it vacuums better and then the extra lid just comes off with the attachment. I have not had one loose vacuum once I had it sealed tho. I wonder if you might have gotten a bit of flour on the rim and it caused it to lose seal due to the flour and rubber not making the best seal so that it looked sealed but slowly lost vacuum, I seal mainly my herbs and spices so haven't tried doing my flours yet. I just put them in the big buckets and freeze them for a week or so and then just store them. But I probably should vac-pack a few 5 or 10 pound bags for back storage.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Emerald said:


> They were sealed when you put them away? I have a hard time with the attachment sometimes and found that if I put two lids on and then the attachment it vacuums better and then the extra lid just comes off with the attachment. I have not had one loose vacuum once I had it sealed tho. I wonder if you might have gotten a bit of flour on the rim and it caused it to lose seal due to the flour and rubber not making the best seal so that it looked sealed but slowly lost vacuum, I seal mainly my herbs and spices so haven't tried doing my flours yet. I just put them in the big buckets and freeze them for a week or so and then just store them. But I probably should vac-pack a few 5 or 10 pound bags for back storage.


This is what I did.
warmed the lids so the rubber would be soft, used two lids, warm one down, other one upside down, they sealed wonderfully....oh, made sure no flour was on the rim.

I wonder if I have too much the jars. I left about an inch, maybe I need to leave more.

I may try some of my herbs and spices and see if they stay sealed.

The ones that came undone have been sealed for a week! Ugh! Ive got to figure this out.

Thanks for your post! I appreciate it!


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Please post if you do figure it out! I've got one of those jar sealers on my wishlist, but may forego (sp?) it for a bit...


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

Which jar sealer do you have? I have both the wide mouth and the standard. I far prefer the wide mouth. The standard has given me problems quite often from sealing in the first place to loosing seals later on.

Fine powders; i.e. flour, powdered milk, starches etc. are a bear, but I have conquered it. After your jar is filled to within 1/2 to 1 inch, with a wooden spoon handle poke down the center of the powder and gently lift out. Put a paper towel piece or coffee filter on top of the product, make sure rim is clean, place a prepared lid on and seal away. You wouldn't believe the tinest speck of powder can eventually break the seal. Make sure you use a canning funnel, no chips or particles on the rims, new lids simmered not boiled for ten minutes. Used lids are great if the haven't been dented in any way. You don't have to simmer used lids, just make sure they are super clean.

Don't get discouraged, there is a time period (for me anyway) involved with getting the hang of these simple proceedures.

God bless your efforts.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

I am going to figure this out! 

I did use a funnel. Cleaned or rather wiped with paper towel the lids and jars...

I will try the spoon suggestion. In watching them seal, I feel like it is very possible that most of the air isn't coming out because of the denseness of the flour..I may try just a little less as well.

I have a food saver. I didn't want to use my wide mouths for flour storage so I am using my cheaper reg mouth for that. using my wide ones for meat canning....

Wonder why a wide mouth is sealing better for you? have you stoped using reg months with sealing?

Thank you!!!


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

cybergranny said:


> Which jar sealer do you have? I have both the wide mouth and the standard. I far prefer the wide mouth. The standard has given me problems quite often from sealing in the first place to loosing seals later on.
> 
> Fine powders; i.e. flour, powdered milk, starches etc. are a bear, but I have conquered it. After your jar is filled to within 1/2 to 1 inch, with a wooden spoon handle poke down the center of the powder and gently lift out. Put a paper towel piece or coffee filter on top of the product, make sure rim is clean, place a prepared lid on and seal away. You wouldn't believe the tiniest speck of powder can eventually break the seal. Make sure you use a canning funnel, no chips or particles on the rims, new lids simmered not boiled for ten minutes. Used lids are great if the haven't been dented in any way. You don't have to simmer used lids, just make sure they are super clean.
> 
> ...


Thanks for all the hints on how to vac-pack flours and such, I was thinking about putting something on top to keep the flour down I use a French coffee press and don't need all the coffee filters that I have so now I have another use for them.

@goshengirl I have to say get the attachment- I do like mine for many other things but the herbs so keep their flavors when you vac-pack them in jars.
But for marinating stuff before grilling it is nice.. I have a few of the big 1/2 gallon wide mouth jars that I put meats and veggies in and add the marinade in with them and you pull a vacuum and let them sit for about an hour and then take it out and grill away! Gets that flavor way down in the food not just on the outside.

I was watching a new show called Quantum kitchen and they used a vacuum machine to put a different flavor into watermelon cubes.. I think they used soy sauce and called them vegetarian sushi(how gross is that) but I think if you had some of your watermelon* came up not as sweet you could put it in the vacuum and put in some say apple or grape juice and pull a vacuum and when you break the seal the juice will suck into the fruit pieces and you would have grapey watermelon! *Who hasn't picked a watermelon too early and it wasn't quite as sweet? I can't be the only one!


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

DJgang said:


> I am going to figure this out!
> 
> I did use a funnel. Cleaned or rather wiped with paper towel the lids and jars...
> 
> ...


There is a slight difference in the blue rubberized part of attachments. I still use my standard, but not as often. It is too tempermental. I want my wide mouth for meat canning as well but sometimes I don't have much choice. The spoon suggestion was my husbands and it works like a charm. That hole down the center helps draw the air out of the dense flour and the flour falls in the whole rather than up and out into the pump of my foodsaver.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

*Vaccum Sealer Questions*



Eli-2 said:


> I want to purchase a vacum sealer and dehydrater, knowing what each of you know now and by trial and error,which make and model of each would you recommend, not the cheapest but not the most expensive either?:scratch


I am also looking at vaccum sealers. The local Wally-world has a Rival and 3 sizes of Food Savers. Is there a particular model of the Food Savers better then others? Does the Can sealer attachment fit any of the Food Savers? I would like to find a reliable one, and am really concerned about the Can sealer attachment failures reported on this thread.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

LilRedHen said:


> and am really concerned about the Can sealer attachment failures reported on this thread.


never had a lid fail if it's heated first.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

I have a Seal A Meal. It works fine with the clear plastic bags, but will not seal mylar properly.

I can also use the Food Saver Jar Sealer with it. So far, I haven't had any of the vacuum sealed jars unseal spontaneously, and I've used lids that had cooled by the time I placed them on the jars.


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