I have a seal a meal and I love it.
I use it about every other week after a store run.
I like to shop at SAMs and buy in bulk.
So when we get home I divide the bulk into the size packages we will use.
You can reseal the cellophane wrapper on a bag of chips, etc with them.
I use the jar sealer attachment as well.
You can use sandwich bags but you must have a path for the air to be removed, if you look at the bulk rolls of their material one side is smooth and one is rough. If you are using baggies not from them you can cut a couple of thin strips from their roll and put the rough strip between your bag side to allow the vacuum to work.
Lets use hamburger as an example with their bags
The vacuum will pull blood from the meat into the area to be sealed and not get a good seal.
If you put the hamburger in the freezer for an hour first (not freezing it) it will seal better
You can also stuff a paper towel on top of the meat and the blood will collect in it and allow a seal.
The edges on ammo can cause a hole, anything sharp will, even grains of rice when you allow the machine to just keep pulling after the air is out. So don't wait for the machine to auto stop if you are sealing things with sharp edges. Or you can put a paper towel between the item and the plastic.
When I make pinto beans or roast or even BBQ, those types of things where I want to fix a large amount. I then divide the left overs into meal sizes or individual servings and seal a meal them. Many is the times I have taken a serving of beans or roast from the freezer and microwaved it for my meal when I was home alone and didn't want to cook.
Again, either put the leftovers into the freezer for a 1/2 hour before you package them, then add a paper towel to the top before you seal to stop the vacuum from pulling the juice into the seal.
The oxidation problem with your fire starters can be solved with a seal a meal. You can cut the packaging to the size you want, seal 3 sides, put the fire steel in and vacuum seal it.
You can leave a long end and double seal. In other words you vacuum and seal once then pull some of the bag out and seal again
I buy the oxygen absorbers in bulk. So after I open the package and take out what I want to use I re-vacuum seal it. I put some in a jar and seal it to use gradually so I don't have to open the big sealed bag as often.
Even though I am vacuum sealing I add an oxygen absorber to anything I seal that I don't intend on using anytime soon.
I use them
I like them
I recommend them
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