These both are copies of the original FoodSaver. I bought mine over 30 years ago when they sold them in informatials. Then one day I saw it sold at Sam's. It was not cheap but worked very well. My house was hit by lightning and it burnt. Foodsaver was on my kitchen counter, the ceiling collapsed over the FoodSaver, it was covered by debris and water. I cleaned it and let it dry and it still works. I have later model also, with their vacuum sealable containers that are perfect for storing strawberries etc to extend their fridge life. Also it is possible to chop salad for 3 days and seal in portions in the containers. I cut the bags always a little longer than needed, after I can wash the bags and use a second time to create less plastic trash. The bags can be washed in the dishwasher. The original FoodSaver add instructed to seal any important documents, small valuable items etc. I had sealed, luckily, our documents when the lightning fire happened and everything was free of water damage that actually was worse than the fire. FoodSaver has also small handheld gadget that vacuums the air out of the zip top bags that have the ready small suction opening. That also vacuums air out of vine bottles etc using small vacuum sealable stoppers that come with many vine bottle opener packs. The vacuum systems work perfectly and even if the bags are not cheap, they prevent the spoiling of food that happens in unsealed containers or bags, hence it is worth of the cost of the bags. Any of these vacuum sealers work well, worth spending the money on them. I have bought later models and tried them to compare and after given them to my children.
Years ago I had a FoodSaver. What they said to do then, to avoid meat juices to be drawn out, was to pre-freeze the meat (I think maybe an hour length but I can't remember) then vacuum seal it. Always worked. Of course the vacuum sealers may've found a different way to combat this after all this time but I figured I'd share it just in case.
@@bettysaleh468 Yes, but the moist button does not prevent the juices from being drawn out of the meat. I have been using vacuum sealers for around 15 years and the best thing to do is to freeze your meat, anything from an hour or two to overnight before vacuum sealing them. I have always had excellent results that way and have kept steaks for over 2 years in the freezer with no appreciable loss in quality.
@@barcham I don't have the issue you are having. Maybe your unit is defective. The moisture is supposed to go into the tube where it is then collected into a removable drip tray.
@@snowflakehunter I think barcham was commenting that the vacuum or pressure difference draws moisture out of the meat not necessarily that moisture is getting into the machine. I have always frozen my wet items before vacuum seal. Takes longer of course.
Wow, you always do a great job of reviewing the products...a long time ago I was a Demo person in Costco, I ended up being certified to do the Food Saver demos. I had to watch a "training video" which was a great help. One of the best tip for sealing meat was to fold a paper towel (like an accordion) and place it at the top before you seal it...any liquid would be sucked into the paper towel. No juice went any further, thus the seal wasn't compromised. Freezing was also helpful. Another tip was to keep it out on your counter in the kitchen. You'll use it more as it's easier than having to drag it out of your cupboard. When they went on sale in the coupon book, I once sold 25 of them! No commission though. Just fun.
The best thing about your tests is the follow-ups, IMHO. You say you're going to check on those steaks in a year, and I believe you'll actually do it. 💛
Meat if properly stored shouldn't go bad for a long time so after a year it will still be good. Kinda like when hunters say they hunt & have enough meat to feed their family's for a year and why is that because they properly store meat in a freezer🤗
He has a formula that has stood the test of time for me. I’ve watched other reviewers who don’t seem to be as planned out when they are talking. They drift off into small talk and their reviews start dragging. A review without any small talk would also be dull. But James keeps a tight leash on it, and it works.
The follow-ups are definitely the best part if you're truly trying to decide on buying something. Only problem is by the time a month I mean a year has gone by I've completely forgotten all about the product. Who am I kidding I'll forget in under a week. Possibly a day. Luckily James does the review episodes on stuff with the original video added.
I've used my Foodsaver (V3240) at least 3x/week for the past 6 years and it works perfectly like it did on day 1. I doubt if either one of these will continue to work after 6 years of that kind of use. Note: Although it has a single seal, not double, it has a moist and dry setting (you don't have to lift the unit) AND a gentle setting, you can seal mid-vacuuming, can use bags 11" wide, came with the tube and jar attachment and cost me $50 on Groupon.
The best thing I like about the Power XL is the automatic double seal. I vacuum pack a lot of stuff, I've learned the single seal can sometimes fail. I double seal anything that I know I'm not going to get to in a reasonable time. The fact this one double seals automatically would save a bunch of time. The issue is how much extra you need to insert for it to vacuum. I try to maximize the bag usage.
I used to work in a resturant where we prepared in bulk and vacuum sealed it. Let me just say that you absolutely want a double seal. The thing that happened with the Fresko cereal happens SO MUCH!! And that was with an industrial vacuum sealer! If we sealed 8 bags, we'd usually have to reseal at least 1, sometimes 2. It was so annoying when you're trying to work fast. The double seal on the Power looks amazing!
I can confirm that meat lasts a LONG time. I have a food saver and had 2 year old meat in the deep freeze and couldn't tell the difference. One thing to mention is that if bags are sealed and in the freezer, rummaging through the freezer can make a bag get a pin hole that goes unoticed until you begin to see freezer burning on the meat. So just be sure to inspect bags every once in a while.
That is a concern of mine, the little pin holes in the bag, I freeze a lot of green beans from my garden and just moving the bags around in the freezer they get holes in them. I can imagine that freezing liquid foods, that the bags would get holes in them and when defrosting them would create a mess. It doesn’t take much moving them around to get holes. And ziplock freezer bags I use for the beans are probably a thicker plastic than this food sealer plastic.
I think this could be mitigated by using organiser boxers in your deep freezer. Keep everything organised to reduce rummaging in the first place and freeze flat so you can see what you're looking for at a glance.
The Nessco sealer is $100 and it's America Test Kitchen's top pick. I have it and it's super nice and easy to use. You should put that up against the power xl.
I used to use the food saver all the time, but it was bulky and took up a lot of room. I just bought the Power XL last month, and I am loving it. I even found out how to make an extra bag from an existing cheese bag. I buy shredded cheese in those zip top resealable bags, once I use the cheese past the halfway point, I sealed it on my XL right above the halfway point. Then cause of the double seal, I cut the top portion off and it instantly makes a ziploc bag! I get two bags from one! Love making the popsicles they show on the ad. Recipe is in the book that came with it. I got a good discount on mine by using a code I found online. I too noticed the handle locking issue, but I think that is the hinge is more free floating than other models. Glad you did this review!
@@jeremiahg6707 I think I just looked on google for “discount code for power xl duo sealer” and followed the link from the code page. I think I saw the idea on another UA-cam channel about getting secret/hidden discount codes for online items. May have been The Deal Guy channel.
One thing I noticed was that in most of the tests, the Fresko bag was significantly larger than the PowerXL bag. I wonder if that accounts for the time difference, especially given that the Fresko actually won the can crushing test, which suggests that the vacuum pump is at least as powerful as the one on the PowerXL. Also, since the can crushing test used PowerXL bags in both machines, it’s possible that the PowerXL bags just have better airflow, and the Fresko machine itself is not the problem at all. The other exclusive features of the PowerXL like the double seal and the “emergency stop” are definitely improvements, but I’m not convinced they justify the price difference.
Fantastic video and I like the follow-ups. I have researched and purchased three different Power XL. First one, the vacuum seal option never turned off. Plus, it just didn't vacuum. I've had other sealers so it's not new to me. Finally looking online closely to this sealer, the first one I purchased didn't have that bar/tab in the center. I returned it and bought another one. Same issues, plus this one wouldn't stay locked down. Returned it and instead of instore pickup, I had it shipped to me hoping it came directly from the manufacturer. Guess not because again, same issues. Oh forgot, with the first one that tab tray area pop out, so I contacted the manufacturer for a replacement. After going back and forth providing all the proof of purchase, they told me to return it to the store. Therefore, I have returned three of these sealers because none of them worked. Think I've given up on this sealer. Plus, so many reviews said it stopped working after less than 6mos.
I've had the food saver for years and it is probably one of our most used items. I use it practically daily to seal chip bags, meats, bacon and hot dogs and leftovers. Like the cutter and some of the other features of this one but not sure it's worth the extra $$
SteveG. May I ask; "over those years"... is it the exact same sealer or multiple ones over the years? May be a silly question but it would give us a feeling of the durability of these devices. Thank you for any input. You RoCk :)
I got my first FoodSaver 30 years ago (have upgraded twice with newer models). Messing around with it I made a long bag and put 24 cans in it (ya know 20 somethings doing stupi stuff). Crushed them all. So yeah, not the only one that can do cans.
@@Freakinreviews yep he was wrong because the food saver advertised being able to do that at least a couple decades earlier. In fact, the Food Saver is the 2nd as seen on tv item I purchased! (The first was a pot with a strainer in the lid.) I've been a fan of my Food Saver ever since I bought it 20-ish years ago. Of course I did upgrade once a couple of years ago since I could finally afford the top model!
I have been using a FoodSaver (model V2440) vacuum sealer for 30 years. It's a champ! The FS has all of the functions of the XL, but the bag roll is actually stored in the FS. The FS is larger than the XL (to hold the roll) but IMHO not having to fuss with bags rocks. Vacuum sealers (with canisters) are really good at storing food and saving money.
I have a Food Saver that i've been using for years. I do like that the XL does a double line of sealing instead of just the one thick line. I have stuff that's been in the freezer in these bags for over a year and once you stick them in boiling water to thaw them out, they taste almost the same as when they went in.
@@rocco3693 i have some things in freezer zip lock bags that i got lazy and didn't transfer to the vacuum bags. after a month you could see that it had lost size and inside the ziplock was ice crystals. the food tasted bland as well. removing the air and sealing it keeps the food from dehydrating in the freezer and getting freezer burn. I've had bread i froze then sealed in the vacuum bags that were good after 6 months. the bread in the zip lock bags were awful after a month. I've had 15 bean soup a year after it was vacuum sealed and it was still delicious and seemed as good as when I put it in.
As someone who has used a variety of vacuum sealers for probably 25 years now, I can definitely see the advantages of this one. Built in cutter is nice, but the double sealer is great and would save me so much time when I'm prepping meat for sous vide. It sounds like it has a smaller motor which is why it's louder, but I'm not sure that's a deal breaker for me. And that moist setting which actually works? Well, I think I might be sold on this. The "moist" setting on my current sealer still sucks moisture into the tray and just takes longer to seal.
ps I have not had one single issue with it not latching. I hold it on the button end with one hand then push down on it with the other hand rather than trying to squeeze the end like you were doing.you only have the power of your thumb rather than your whole hand .it Lockes down solid every time when you push it down with your hand. I like that it is hard to close that is why it does so well with liquids and seals so well, it crimps it very tight
A friend of mine made a little small vacuum sealed pouch for his phone kind of like how you did for the snack packs. He did that when he went to the beach. That man can be dumb but he has his sparks of genius.
I’ve had the Foodsaver brand for several years. One thing I see the PowerXL does better is the double row of seal lines that provide an extra line of defense.
Yes, that can be beneficial, the model of FoodSaver I own only does a single seal, but the seal is about three times the width of each seal on this unit. I have no worries that a seal will come apart, in the 4 years or so that I have owned my sealer, and the hundreds of bags I've sealed, I've not had a bag lose its vacuum.
That sealed bag would be really nice for pools and water parks to make sure your phone doesn't get water damaged. Plus on the powerxl you can stop it partway through to make sure the buttons don't get pressed.
We got pantry moths which eat through ziplock or sealing bags but not mylar. I use a plain cheap hair straightner wad. i have sealed over 100 bags and it works great. Yes I am prepping too which I am new to. Freezers are full so have to do dry storage. I am looking at the power xl thanks for the demo.
I'm so glad you reviewed this! I've seen the ad for it and basically ignored it but, now I want one. I have a Food Saver unit & it disappoints me at times.
I still have my little handheld Food saver cordless vacuum sealer that I got after I watched your review and it still works for everything I need. There is only a quart and gallon size that I know of, but it's always been enough for me. I love too it's so small, and doesn't take up any room. Thanks for this thought if I ever decide to move up I will be rechecking this video 😁👍
Yes!!! My Food Saver keeps things frozen for several years and when thawed properly the food is still perfect. With raw meat, it’s a good idea to put a folded paper towel in at the top of the raw meat so the juice doesn’t wick out and possibly make a mess if the machine or the seal.
One thing I totally forgot that my Food Saver does is vacuum seal mason jars. I used this a lot!!! When I lived in Phoenix as we always had trouble with weevils. I have the sealer for both sizes of mason jars and when done sealing, thee is no reason to use the ring. And it sure made my pantry look,like Martha Stewart👍👍😄👍🤣
👍 I've been using my Power XL sealer for a month and find it works as advertised after some trial and error. Initially, I felt it was overpriced at $99 but hadn't figured in the included shipping and four bag rolls, plus decent warranty.
there is a trick for liquids, is to pre-freeze them first, in the bag or a bowl and then bag vacuum and seal it. that way the liquid does come out. you used very little amount in a very large bag on that test.
It's nice that the power XL double seals. I also like that the cutting and sealing of the 'bottom' of a new bag while keeping the bag clamped down. The old foodsaver I have, the cutting and sealing are two very distinct actions. It was neat to see the power xl just be cut and hit the seal button. Also, why is the Fresco so loud when it's just sealing the cereal bag at 12:42? The noise should only be when it's vacuuming.
I happen to have a Food Saver which I bought a Costco. I’m very happy with it and it does a decent job, comparable to the two machines you have. It is much easier to use than the ones you have and it looks great on my counter. I like that it is large enough that I don’t have to worry about one side rising when pushed. I also like the 5 year warranty on the vacuum pump, which I had to replace after 4.5 years. Costco just redeemed my money and I bought another one. Since they did it that ways I have an all new warranty period. I suggest you put a small nick on the edge of your snack packs. I make my own power bars when I hike and don’t always have easy access to a pair of scissors so the small nick makes opening very easy. I have had different sealers in the bast, but after a while I had stopped using them. There are a number of reasons for that. Some only used proprietary bags that were either very expensive or substandard quality. Others have had their vacuum pumps suck less and less over time, and unlike other products you want these products to really suck. I recommend getting a mid-model FoodSaver. It costs a little more than your product but not by much. As for the bags, you can get less expensive bags easily on Amazon, and they will work well with the FoodSaver. The five year warranty is also a good reason to go with the FoodSaver, that and buying it from Costco.
The design not the weight is what makes the XL want to tip over. Who's bright idea was it to make the bottom rounded? If anything it should have been flat all the way to the end and a bit wider on the bottom, not narrower, maybe even wedge shaped. BTW, "you want these products to really suck" gave me a good chuckle😆
@@valvenator I’m not sure where I said weight, and I sorry if I gave that impression. What I should have said is that a lower centre of gravity of the FoodSaver allowed it to be more stable when using. I agree that the rounded edge was not a great idea. I also think that the way the sealer snaps shut and is secured will be a weak point. I expect it will become harder and harder to be secured and will eventually fail all together. I also expect that this will be where this unit will fail. What I like about the FoodSaver is that it has three modes of operation. Dry, moist and Pulse, this allows you to have more control of the sealing process. I do however like the double seal. I wish my unit would have that.
@@valvenator no issues, I have an engendering background so I like, to my wife’s great annoyance, to be very clear whenever there might be a possibility of a misunderstanding. Lol
So far it's working very well. The bags that use the tubing took a bit of a learning curve but found it worked better if I placed the valve on the bag on the underside and then pressed the device up against it.Also love the containers. I bought the larger package for myself and my brother. He said he likes his as well.. Time will tell how long they will last. Not to be treated roughly. And if you should get fluid in the chamber the parts lift out easily to clean....ask me how I know,,,,Also it does say to wait 10 minutes between sealing, But that's not long if you're getting another bag ready by deciding on size and cutting. Not sure I've really waited that long.
Honestly, vacuum sealing a phone, presuming you could stop before it got to the point it was pressing the buttons, wouldn’t be a terrible idea if you were going to be around water or in a dusty place. And if that phone was wireless charging compatible, you wouldn’t even have to pop it open to charge it. As someone who, in a punch, has had to put their phone in a ziplock baggy to prevent dust/moisture from getting in the ports, a vacuum sealed bag would probably work a lot better than a floppy ziplock sandwich bag. Granted, a dry bag or waterproof case would probably be the better route if you’re regularly in a wet or dusty environment. But a sealer could be a legit solution in a pinch, assuming you just so happened to have a sealer…
Someone commented that you couldn't use the phone through the plastic these bags are made of. But that's a touchscreen phone. A brick phone would work.
I dont know if I would ever need or buy sealer devices, but it is really nice to know and great unbiased review of a couple of the products. I see them on TV all the time. Take care. Note: Amazon product reviews are not very good.
I have been using the FoodSaver brand for many years and love it. I think the FoodSaver is easier to use but also takes up more space at least the two different models I have had.
I Was testing my new PowerXL It was harder to close but it made no sound whatsoever. Except for the difficult closing it's great!! When you tried the tomato sauce with the PowerXL you held it up and you didn't with the other. The other one had liquid go almost to the top. While the P.XL stayed at the bottom. That must be why it's held up. Enjoyed the video. It helped me tremendously! Thank you.
We have a Food Saver brand sealer that basically does the same things except they make containers for it and we love the containers more than the bags! We also have a wine bottle and mason jar attachment for it plus many of the containers! It works great for keeping leftovers fresh longer! I got mine off Groupon many years ago for a good price!
We just recently purchased a PowerXL. It took a few took a couple of bags to test and find the right way to use it. Sometimes if the bag is not long enough, there will be creases and it won't -seal properly. Still learning after about two-weeks. I really like it so far. BTW, we purchased BOGO with a neighbor and it was not as expensive as the Freso by doing so. The neighbors are really happy with their XL too..
I have a sealer purchased from Sam's Club. Tips, moist settings mean heating element stays on longer. U can reseal chip ceral & other food bags. Take care not to crush. Do not vacuum gaseous food. It took garlic 1-1/2 day to explode on me. Vacuum bag great way to season meat. Buy food in bulk. Reseal in meal portions.
I have one. Having issues with getting the bag under the sealer section. I'm trying to justify the high cost of the bags compared to the cost of the content. I'll keep practicing. Thanks for your demo.
Thank you for this review. I saw the information for the first time a month ago and besides being able to seal liquids, I really like the compact size when space is a virtue.
this was extremely helpful. My mother gave me one of these, it's the deluxe version so it has a bunch of attachments and even a tupperwear type container that can be vacuum sealed over and over again. I really didnt want to read the instructions. I watched a few of the videos that the manufacturer provides which were useful but yours was REALLY useful like I fully understood how to use the thing after this plus it wasn't boring. nice work!! I am very happy with mine, I am the only one in the house who eats meat so when I buy meat I usually have to freeze some of it for another time, it gets freezer burn quick. I think this thing will really put an end to that.
I just got the powerxl about a month ago. This is my 4th sealer in about 10 years. First was a foodsaver brand. With this one I have a love hate relationship. Love the double sealer but I don’t like that the bags have to be so much bigger than the product needing to be sealed.
We have the PowerXL sealer, couldn't get it to work for nothing and I was trying to figure out where I went wrong with it. Your video actually gave me a tutorial on how to get it working properly. I shall be trying again in the near future.
To get more packets JUST use a bigger bag and plan things out better. You can get a big "SAMS" size. jar of dressing or even any liquid you want and make individual grab-and-go packets. I bought and made some small dressing packets. Bit of a learning curve but just trial and error and it all works out.
I’ve had a “seal-a-meal” style machine for about 15 years now - the ability to “stop and seal” anytime you like is VERY useful - I use it probably 1 time out of 4, for various reasons.
Thank You for reviewing/testing this sealer. I was wondering if it really worked. Looks like it does. I have a food saver and it does not work with liquids like soup or stew. I will try putting it on top of a box next time to see if that helps. What I do now is freeze soup or stew in plastic containers take out of container when frozen then vacuum seal frozen contents. Sort of a pain but it works. Single so especially these types of meals go a long way and need to be frozen. Also I have had steaks in my freezer, vacuumed sealed for well over a year, works great !! Again thanks for reviewing this product. Lots of times things look much better on the infomercial than they really are. This looks pretty true to what they say.
Yeah - some FoodSaver's have a 'wet seal' option, but the only way to seal something like soups, gravy, etc. is to pre-freeze it in a container and vacuum seal the frozen yield. If you have bloody meat, cut the bag extra long and use a piece of paper towel to soak up the blood. (sorry so graphic, but, you know, the struggle is real - lol)
The one thing I don't like about the Power XL, so far, is that you have to press the "vacuum" button again if you want to stop it so you can seal. For all other vacuum sealers, you can just press the seal button and it'll stop vacuuming and immediately start sealing. I own a food saver and a nesco VS-12. Both allow me to interrupt the vacuum seal with a press of the seal button during the process. The Nesco even goes so far as to allow you to "pulse vacuum" so you can control how much you vacuum it. However, I do really like that this is so compact and provides a double seal (which is great for moist/wet items). And the ability to make snack pouches seems interesting. Also, 26 seconds to vacuum AND seal is quite impressive. Mine take about the same (Nesco is just a tiny bit faster at 24 seconds).
Issues to consider is overheating the sealer element. My « food saver » product just started smoking on me after multiple bag sealing only/sealing-vacuuming when bagging up multiple bags in one go. Bought it 3 years ago. We slice our own deli meats at 500g individual bags. It appears this product had a fail-safe when too hot - it would stop functioning for a bit, but this last time, it just started to smoke and not even when attempting to seal or vacuum-seal…just as I sat down in front of it to continue doing batches in same sitting. Scary!
Just got my power xl I agree the latch is sometimes hard to close and it is noisy. Funny because in the infomercial he says he has to walk away from the competitor because it was to loud. I got the deluxe package so I’m looking forward to using the bags and the containers and wine stopper.
One thing you failed to mention was if you are using one for snacks away from home you really need something to cut the bags with. The plastic is very tough and hard to tear open without spilling contents. Great review of the products themselves though as always
I have the power xl sealer and agree that the latch takes a few times of pressing for it to hold. Hopefully it doesn’t break over time. It does seal and vacuum very nicely. I’ve been especially happy vacuum sealing salmon in marinade.
The one thing I'm noticing about the Power XL, you're causing the top section to flex each time you lock it down. Over time, this will have a negative effect somewhere in that section of the assembly. It'll be interesting to see how this lasts with regular use.
My experience with power xl is that if you get throw two rolls without it breaking your doing really good. I have gone throw three and still have eight rolls left I fixed my problem with a seal a meal hope I get better result.
Just purchased the power xl deluxe it came with the jar sealer attachments haven't tried those yet and 2 containers one big one small several reusable gallon and quart size bags along with the make your own bags i been wanting to get a food saver especially with food prices sky rocketing can't afford for food to go bad video very helpful on how to use so far so good I'm impressed for this to be my first food saver the only thing I don't like is how loud it is 🤯
I think the atmospheric pressure is doing the can crushing once most air is removed. I use my Foodsaver most often with my sous vide cooking. Works well but I really dislike all the plastic waste dang it.
You can wash out your bags and reuse them. I always make my bags a little longer than I need so that I can open them, and then wash and reuse them. Also, I try to freeze more than one steak, or chicken breast, etc... per bag. That way, I can cut the bag open, remove one item, and have enough material left to reseal the bag and put it back in the freezer.
Looks like the Power XL latch system is it's Achilles' heel. It looks like it would break from normal use as soon as it gets a little age on the new supple plastic.
Thanks for video. Informative and precise. I'm still out to lunch on it, due to the problems and the customer service reviews. With Wal-Mart, if it doesn't work, take it back...no questions!
I like the Power XL. I like the Fresko too so I've got to make my mind up, lol. I really enjoy your video's and testing products. It has actually stopped me from buying certain products I was going to buy and so glad I didn't. Thank you for sharing your video's and thoughts.
I love my power xl. I do alot of snack packs for my grandkids when they visit. I use it for separating meats for small meals. It saves me money buying in bulk and separating it myself. Best money I ever spent.
Wow, another great as seen on TV product review! This would work wonders for my weed! Keep up the great work FreakinReviews! You are among my favorite UA-cam Channels
I have a food saver. I love being able the seal my food. I buy fresh corn in July, freeze it & it will still be fresh when I eat it in 6mos. I've been wanting to buy the power XL. Bcuz of this review I'm going to buy one. Thank you!!
We are really at a point in this world where we are arguing that 64 seconds is too long compared to 25. Imagine what the first time traveler from the past will think when they see this.
This seems like a nice product for Etsy sellers and other "out of your home" businesses. I'm thinking things like slime (notorious for leaking even when well-packaged - with a hard container INSIDE the sealed bag of course) or other products that may be susceptible to water/air damage or otherwise leaking. Easy to get a professional-looking bag. In that context, the price point seems right too.
The moist/dry option is for items that may have juices that will get sucked up past the seal point so with the moist option it will seal for a longer time to ensure it gets a good seal though the juices. I also make snack bags with my Food Saver but I vacuum seal them so the snacks stay fresh much longer. When I do peanuts I do dry roasted which have no oil and will last up to 2 years when sealed.
Please - have you done a comparison of the bags?? They are quite expensive and there is quite a difference in the quality of the bags I have found --- thank you
I have the XL and use it alot but it wasn't vac/seal correct but after watching your review I was doing it incorrectly. Love your reviews, Thanks I also have the food saver hand held which I have sitting right on my counter because I use it all the time .
I purchased this, to answer the question. Mine did not work very well at all. I had a hard time getting it to properly seal my items, and the ones that did seal, I would go back at a later date to find that the seal released itself. Because I did like the double seal feature, I kept it and used it solely for that. I pulled it out last week and that’s not working properly. I have owned it for roughly a year. My Food Saver works better. It actually works.
For the price of it I would have some complaints like the cut tab being small like a ziploc when it should be bit taller, also the fact it kinda needs you to hold it when closing it needs to be looked at, and finally I would make the area the seals be a different or a contrasting color so give a better feel for better symmetry
When working on fishing boats we always vacuum sealed the phones and important paperwork and I.D.'a in case we sunk. Yes many vessels are retrieved after sinking however most everything lost is replaced by the time the boat is retrieved.
Thanks for the video... Just got one of these at Ollie's (discount/clearance type store) for 49.99 but got an additional 15% off with a coupon. 42.49. I already have an impulse sealer that I bought at Goodwill for like five bucks and that alone has turned out to be insanely useful... now I'll have the added capability of vacuuming things too
I just got my power xl and we'll my left over pies got smushed. The leftover turkey did have juice that got sucked up into the vack chamber. Anything with juice basically went into the chamber but it did vac and seal.
You did cause you could see it when doing the first things. Where is the other one. The Deluxe has the storage containers too. There is 160’ of bags for one unit and another 160’ for the second which you have to pay shipping and handling. I think it’s best to remove the shucks, blanch and and then put up. They aren’t meant to preserve anything and corn, peas etc are already blanched when commercially done. This helps retain color, flavor, and kills bacteria. You can find out about blanching anywhere on internet, takes seconds, then plunge in bowl of ice water, put on clean paper towels to drain and then seal up.
Thanks so much for that review. I see that commercial all the time and I never believe infomercials. I've been on the fence about buying one because of the price. You might have made up my mind.
To be honest, I haven't had a lot of luck with a lot of the stuff Eric Theiss pitches, so I was a bit skeptical going into this one, and was pleasantly surprised.
These both are copies of the original FoodSaver. I bought mine over 30 years ago when they sold them in informatials. Then one day I saw it sold at Sam's. It was not cheap but worked very well.
My house was hit by lightning and it burnt. Foodsaver was on my kitchen counter, the ceiling collapsed over the FoodSaver, it was covered by debris and water. I cleaned it and let it dry and it still works.
I have later model also, with their vacuum sealable containers that are perfect for storing strawberries etc to extend their fridge life. Also it is possible to chop salad for 3 days and seal in portions in the containers.
I cut the bags always a little longer than needed, after I can wash the bags and use a second time to create less plastic trash. The bags can be washed in the dishwasher.
The original FoodSaver add instructed to seal any important documents, small valuable items etc. I had sealed, luckily, our documents when the lightning fire happened and everything was free of water damage that actually was worse than the fire.
FoodSaver has also small handheld gadget that vacuums the air out of the zip top bags that have the ready small suction opening. That also vacuums air out of vine bottles etc using small vacuum sealable stoppers that come with many vine bottle opener packs.
The vacuum systems work perfectly and even if the bags are not cheap, they prevent the spoiling of food that happens in unsealed containers or bags, hence it is worth of the cost of the bags.
Any of these vacuum sealers work well, worth spending the money on them. I have bought later models and tried them to compare and after given them to my children.
Years ago I had a FoodSaver. What they said to do then, to avoid meat juices to be drawn out, was to pre-freeze the meat (I think maybe an hour length but I can't remember) then vacuum seal it. Always worked. Of course the vacuum sealers may've found a different way to combat this after all this time but I figured I'd share it just in case.
Foodsavers now have a “moist” button. It vacuums slower so it doesn’t draw the juices into the vacuum tube. Works great.
@@bettysaleh468 Yes, but the moist button does not prevent the juices from being drawn out of the meat. I have been using vacuum sealers for around 15 years and the best thing to do is to freeze your meat, anything from an hour or two to overnight before vacuum sealing them. I have always had excellent results that way and have kept steaks for over 2 years in the freezer with no appreciable loss in quality.
@@barcham I don't have the issue you are having. Maybe your unit is defective. The moisture is supposed to go into the tube where it is then collected into a removable drip tray.
@@snowflakehunter I think barcham was commenting that the vacuum or pressure difference draws moisture out of the meat not necessarily that moisture is getting into the machine. I have always frozen my wet items before vacuum seal. Takes longer of course.
@@barcham Good point from you and the original poster! Thanks for that hack.
Wow, you always do a great job of reviewing the products...a long time ago I was a Demo person in Costco, I ended up being certified to do the Food Saver demos. I had to watch a "training video" which was a great help. One of the best tip for sealing meat was to fold a paper towel (like an accordion) and place it at the top before you seal it...any liquid would be sucked into the paper towel. No juice went any further, thus the seal wasn't compromised. Freezing was also helpful. Another tip was to keep it out on your counter in the kitchen. You'll use it more as it's easier than having to drag it out of your cupboard. When they went on sale in the coupon book, I once sold 25 of them! No commission though. Just fun.
The best thing about your tests is the follow-ups, IMHO. You say you're going to check on those steaks in a year, and I believe you'll actually do it. 💛
Meat if properly stored shouldn't go bad for a long time so after a year it will still be good. Kinda like when hunters say they hunt & have enough meat to feed their family's for a year and why is that because they properly store meat in a freezer🤗
He has a formula that has stood the test of time for me. I’ve watched other reviewers who don’t seem to be as planned out when they are talking. They drift off into small talk and their reviews start dragging. A review without any small talk would also be dull. But James keeps a tight leash on it, and it works.
The follow-ups are definitely the best part if you're truly trying to decide on buying something. Only problem is by the time a month I mean a year has gone by I've completely forgotten all about the product. Who am I kidding I'll forget in under a week. Possibly a day.
Luckily James does the review episodes on stuff with the original video added.
I've used my Foodsaver (V3240) at least 3x/week for the past 6 years and it works perfectly like it did on day 1. I doubt if either one of these will continue to work after 6 years of that kind of use. Note: Although it has a single seal, not double, it has a moist and dry setting (you don't have to lift the unit) AND a gentle setting, you can seal mid-vacuuming, can use bags 11" wide, came with the tube and jar attachment and cost me $50 on Groupon.
I'll let you know in 2028!
Really GOOD input.. Exactly what I wanted to know (and yes, I think you are right about the 6 years). Cheers
Really GOOD input.. Exactly what I wanted to know (and yes, I think you are right about the 6 years). Cheers
@@Freakinreviews and I have no doubt that you will. Your follow-up is impeccable, which is just one reason I like your channel.
The best thing I like about the Power XL is the automatic double seal. I vacuum pack a lot of stuff, I've learned the single seal can sometimes fail. I double seal anything that I know I'm not going to get to in a reasonable time. The fact this one double seals automatically would save a bunch of time. The issue is how much extra you need to insert for it to vacuum. I try to maximize the bag usage.
Is the power XL better yes. Is the fresko Half the price and 90% as good? Also yes i’m getting a fresko
Can't argue with that logic.
Seems to me the Fresco runs quieter, which is probably why it takes a bit longer than the XL
@@valvenator valid observation.
I just let my food go bad and eat fast food for dinner 😆
Better of getting a seal a meal
I used to work in a resturant where we prepared in bulk and vacuum sealed it. Let me just say that you absolutely want a double seal. The thing that happened with the Fresko cereal happens SO MUCH!! And that was with an industrial vacuum sealer! If we sealed 8 bags, we'd usually have to reseal at least 1, sometimes 2. It was so annoying when you're trying to work fast. The double seal on the Power looks amazing!
Good info, and yeah the double seal is pretty nice.
THANKS for the info❗EXACTLY what I needed to know to justify spending the
$$. NAMASTE 🙏.
I have Power XL and I love it. Mine came with 4 roll and 5 large and 5 medium reusable bags for just 79.99. One of those crazy sales from Fingerhut.
Powerxl seems much better, double seal and the ability to stop the vacuum is fantastic. Great review.
Yeah, though you can do this with regular, cheaper vacuum sealers by using the seal feature twice on the bag yourself.
My concern is all the plastic that ends up in trash, since many states aren't good for recycling
I can confirm that meat lasts a LONG time. I have a food saver and had 2 year old meat in the deep freeze and couldn't tell the difference.
One thing to mention is that if bags are sealed and in the freezer, rummaging through the freezer can make a bag get a pin hole that goes unoticed until you begin to see freezer burning on the meat. So just be sure to inspect bags every once in a while.
That is a concern of mine, the little pin holes in the bag, I freeze a lot of green beans from my garden and just moving the bags around in the freezer they get holes in them. I can imagine that freezing liquid foods, that the bags would get holes in them and when defrosting them would create a mess. It doesn’t take much moving them around to get holes. And ziplock freezer bags I use for the beans are probably a thicker plastic than this food sealer plastic.
I think this could be mitigated by using organiser boxers in your deep freezer. Keep everything organised to reduce rummaging in the first place and freeze flat so you can see what you're looking for at a glance.
The Nessco sealer is $100 and it's America Test Kitchen's top pick. I have it and it's super nice and easy to use. You should put that up against the power xl.
I agree. I LOVE our Nesco.
Love my nesco
I used to use the food saver all the time, but it was bulky and took up a lot of room. I just bought the Power XL last month, and I am loving it. I even found out how to make an extra bag from an existing cheese bag. I buy shredded cheese in those zip top resealable bags, once I use the cheese past the halfway point, I sealed it on my XL right above the halfway point. Then cause of the double seal, I cut the top portion off and it instantly makes a ziploc bag! I get two bags from one! Love making the popsicles they show on the ad. Recipe is in the book that came with it. I got a good discount on mine by using a code I found online. I too noticed the handle locking issue, but I think that is the hinge is more free floating than other models. Glad you did this review!
What was the code good idea with cheese
@@jeremiahg6707 I think I just looked on google for “discount code for power xl duo sealer” and followed the link from the code page. I think I saw the idea on another UA-cam channel about getting secret/hidden discount codes for online items. May have been The Deal Guy channel.
One thing I noticed was that in most of the tests, the Fresko bag was significantly larger than the PowerXL bag. I wonder if that accounts for the time difference, especially given that the Fresko actually won the can crushing test, which suggests that the vacuum pump is at least as powerful as the one on the PowerXL. Also, since the can crushing test used PowerXL bags in both machines, it’s possible that the PowerXL bags just have better airflow, and the Fresko machine itself is not the problem at all. The other exclusive features of the PowerXL like the double seal and the “emergency stop” are definitely improvements, but I’m not convinced they justify the price difference.
Fantastic video and I like the follow-ups. I have researched and purchased three different Power XL. First one, the vacuum seal option never turned off. Plus, it just didn't vacuum. I've had other sealers so it's not new to me. Finally looking online closely to this sealer, the first one I purchased didn't have that bar/tab in the center. I returned it and bought another one. Same issues, plus this one wouldn't stay locked down. Returned it and instead of instore pickup, I had it shipped to me hoping it came directly from the manufacturer. Guess not because again, same issues. Oh forgot, with the first one that tab tray area pop out, so I contacted the manufacturer for a replacement. After going back and forth providing all the proof of purchase, they told me to return it to the store. Therefore, I have returned three of these sealers because none of them worked. Think I've given up on this sealer. Plus, so many reviews said it stopped working after less than 6mos.
I've had the food saver for years and it is probably one of our most used items. I use it practically daily to seal chip bags, meats, bacon and hot dogs and leftovers. Like the cutter and some of the other features of this one but not sure it's worth the extra $$
I agree. The food sealer I have will keep getting well-used.
SteveG. May I ask; "over those years"... is it the exact same sealer or multiple ones over the years? May be a silly question but it would give us a feeling of the durability of these devices. Thank you for any input. You RoCk :)
I'm really like to see how the Food saver FM5380 2-in-1 works!
@@Rithius3485 Ad disguised as a comment
@@yahkar Looking at this model in particular is all
BRAVO.IM REALLY GLAD YOU BOUGHT&PUT THE PRODUCTS THROUGH THE RINGER&GIVE IT YOUR HONEST TELLING THE TRUTH.THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDS.
I remember watching an infomercial decades ago for this huge sealer and when the lady sealed a SWORDFISH I lost it.
That sounds awesome!
I miss infomercials on late night tv. Amazing discoveries!!! Katy and her snackmaster/microcrisp/etc. i wanna say she did sealer one too!
I got my first FoodSaver 30 years ago (have upgraded twice with newer models). Messing around with it I made a long bag and put 24 cans in it (ya know 20 somethings doing stupi stuff). Crushed them all. So yeah, not the only one that can do cans.
Are you saying Eric Theiss was wrong? haha
@@Freakinreviews yep he was wrong because the food saver advertised being able to do that at least a couple decades earlier. In fact, the Food Saver is the 2nd as seen on tv item I purchased! (The first was a pot with a strainer in the lid.)
I've been a fan of my Food Saver ever since I bought it 20-ish years ago. Of course I did upgrade once a couple of years ago since I could finally afford the top model!
I have been using a FoodSaver (model V2440) vacuum sealer for 30 years. It's a champ!
The FS has all of the functions of the XL, but the bag roll is actually stored in the FS.
The FS is larger than the XL (to hold the roll) but IMHO not having to fuss with bags rocks.
Vacuum sealers (with canisters) are really good at storing food and saving money.
I have a Food Saver that i've been using for years. I do like that the XL does a double line of sealing instead of just the one thick line. I have stuff that's been in the freezer in these bags for over a year and once you stick them in boiling water to thaw them out, they taste almost the same as when they went in.
I would agree the double seal is a nice feature.
I have the same experience with the food saver. A great gadget.
Work the third shift and saw the infomercial on T.V. at work and ordered one on the spot. !!!
But was the sealing that added to the preserving or just that they were frozen?
@@rocco3693 i have some things in freezer zip lock bags that i got lazy and didn't transfer to the vacuum bags. after a month you could see that it had lost size and inside the ziplock was ice crystals. the food tasted bland as well. removing the air and sealing it keeps the food from dehydrating in the freezer and getting freezer burn. I've had bread i froze then sealed in the vacuum bags that were good after 6 months. the bread in the zip lock bags were awful after a month. I've had 15 bean soup a year after it was vacuum sealed and it was still delicious and seemed as good as when I put it in.
I’ve been looking for your channel for so long! I forgot to sub years ago, and haven’t been able to find you till now, love your content!
I'm glad you finally found it!
His reviews never disappoint. Discovered him during the pandemic and he never fails to put a smile on my face.
I'll definitely be back in one year...
I like that the PowerXL has a dual seal line as opposed to the Fresco single seal line.
Absolutely fantastic review! Thorough as usual. I half come here for your fun comments about how products fail.
As someone who has used a variety of vacuum sealers for probably 25 years now, I can definitely see the advantages of this one. Built in cutter is nice, but the double sealer is great and would save me so much time when I'm prepping meat for sous vide. It sounds like it has a smaller motor which is why it's louder, but I'm not sure that's a deal breaker for me. And that moist setting which actually works? Well, I think I might be sold on this. The "moist" setting on my current sealer still sucks moisture into the tray and just takes longer to seal.
ps I have not had one single issue with it not latching. I hold it on the button end with one hand then push down on it with the other hand rather than trying to squeeze the end like you were doing.you only have the power of your thumb rather than your whole hand .it Lockes down solid every time when you push it down with your hand. I like that it is hard to close that is why it does so well with liquids and seals so well, it crimps it very tight
A friend of mine made a little small vacuum sealed pouch for his phone kind of like how you did for the snack packs. He did that when he went to the beach. That man can be dumb but he has his sparks of genius.
I’ve had the Foodsaver brand for several years. One thing I see the PowerXL does better is the double row of seal lines that provide an extra line of defense.
I always double seal my foodsaver bags. Just got to skootch it out a little and hit seal again.
@@dachandewuffsteiger same here!
Yes, that can be beneficial, the model of FoodSaver I own only does a single seal, but the seal is about three times the width of each seal on this unit. I have no worries that a seal will come apart, in the 4 years or so that I have owned my sealer, and the hundreds of bags I've sealed, I've not had a bag lose its vacuum.
That sealed bag would be really nice for pools and water parks to make sure your phone doesn't get water damaged. Plus on the powerxl you can stop it partway through to make sure the buttons don't get pressed.
They sell water bags for phones on Amazon,, & they work great.
Also if the phone does fall in the water, like a pool, it will float if there is air in the bag.
When I was a kid my mom made huge batches of tomato sauce and used a vacuum sealer to store it in the freezer. They lasted for a long time.
We got pantry moths which eat through ziplock or sealing bags but not mylar. I use a plain cheap hair straightner wad. i have sealed over 100 bags and it works great. Yes I am prepping too which I am new to. Freezers are full so have to do dry storage. I am looking at the power xl thanks for the demo.
I'm so glad you reviewed this! I've seen the ad for it and basically ignored it but, now I want one. I have a Food Saver unit & it disappoints me at times.
Thank you. We just received our power xl. Great video comparing. I like the lightweight feature also.
I still have my little handheld Food saver cordless vacuum sealer that I got after I watched your review and it still works for everything I need. There is only a quart and gallon size that I know of, but it's always been enough for me. I love too it's so small, and doesn't take up any room. Thanks for this thought if I ever decide to move up I will be rechecking this video 😁👍
I still have that one, too!
Yes!!! My Food Saver keeps things frozen for several years and when thawed properly the food is still perfect. With raw meat, it’s a good idea to put a folded paper towel in at the top of the raw meat so the juice doesn’t wick out and possibly make a mess if the machine or the seal.
One thing I totally forgot that my Food Saver does is vacuum seal mason jars. I used this a lot!!! When I lived in Phoenix as we always had trouble with weevils. I have the sealer for both sizes of mason jars and when done sealing, thee is no reason to use the ring. And it sure made my pantry look,like Martha Stewart👍👍😄👍🤣
I just got mine yesterday. I can't wait to use it. I do agree with you about the latch. It's hard to close...
Thanks for the review
👍 I've been using my Power XL sealer for a month and find it works as advertised after some trial and error. Initially, I felt it was overpriced at $99 but hadn't figured in the included shipping and four bag rolls, plus decent warranty.
there is a trick for liquids, is to pre-freeze them first, in the bag or a bowl and then bag vacuum and seal it. that way the liquid does come out. you used very little amount in a very large bag on that test.
It's nice that the power XL double seals. I also like that the cutting and sealing of the 'bottom' of a new bag while keeping the bag clamped down. The old foodsaver I have, the cutting and sealing are two very distinct actions. It was neat to see the power xl just be cut and hit the seal button.
Also, why is the Fresco so loud when it's just sealing the cereal bag at 12:42? The noise should only be when it's vacuuming.
I happen to have a Food Saver which I bought a Costco. I’m very happy with it and it does a decent job, comparable to the two machines you have. It is much easier to use than the ones you have and it looks great on my counter.
I like that it is large enough that I don’t have to worry about one side rising when pushed. I also like the 5 year warranty on the vacuum pump, which I had to replace after 4.5 years. Costco just redeemed my money and I bought another one. Since they did it that ways I have an all new warranty period.
I suggest you put a small nick on the edge of your snack packs. I make my own power bars when I hike and don’t always have easy access to a pair of scissors so the small nick makes opening very easy.
I have had different sealers in the bast, but after a while I had stopped using them. There are a number of reasons for that. Some only used proprietary bags that were either very expensive or substandard quality. Others have had their vacuum pumps suck less and less over time, and unlike other products you want these products to really suck.
I recommend getting a mid-model FoodSaver. It costs a little more than your product but not by much. As for the bags, you can get less expensive bags easily on Amazon, and they will work well with the FoodSaver. The five year warranty is also a good reason to go with the FoodSaver, that and buying it from Costco.
The design not the weight is what makes the XL want to tip over. Who's bright idea was it to make the bottom rounded?
If anything it should have been flat all the way to the end and a bit wider on the bottom, not narrower, maybe even wedge shaped.
BTW, "you want these products to really suck" gave me a good chuckle😆
@@valvenator I’m not sure where I said weight, and I sorry if I gave that impression. What I should have said is that a lower centre of gravity of the FoodSaver allowed it to be more stable when using. I agree that the rounded edge was not a great idea. I also think that the way the sealer snaps shut and is secured will be a weak point. I expect it will become harder and harder to be secured and will eventually fail all together. I also expect that this will be where this unit will fail.
What I like about the FoodSaver is that it has three modes of operation. Dry, moist and Pulse, this allows you to have more control of the sealing process. I do however like the double seal. I wish my unit would have that.
@@brenturquhart7090 Sorry, my mistake, you mentioned size not weight. Maybe I had you confused with a different comment.
@@valvenator no issues, I have an engendering background so I like, to my wife’s great annoyance, to be very clear whenever there might be a possibility of a misunderstanding. Lol
So far it's working very well. The bags that use the tubing took a bit of a learning curve but found it worked better if I placed the valve on the bag on the underside and then pressed the device up against it.Also love the containers. I bought the larger package for myself and my brother. He said he likes his as well.. Time will tell how long they will last. Not to be treated roughly. And if you should get fluid in the chamber the parts lift out easily to clean....ask me how I know,,,,Also it does say to wait 10 minutes between sealing, But that's not long if you're getting another bag ready by deciding on size and cutting. Not sure I've really waited that long.
Great review. However, it makes me appreciate my FoodSaver. I have no need to add the Power XL to my collection of products.
I like how excited you get when the product does what it should do
Honestly, vacuum sealing a phone, presuming you could stop before it got to the point it was pressing the buttons, wouldn’t be a terrible idea if you were going to be around water or in a dusty place. And if that phone was wireless charging compatible, you wouldn’t even have to pop it open to charge it. As someone who, in a punch, has had to put their phone in a ziplock baggy to prevent dust/moisture from getting in the ports, a vacuum sealed bag would probably work a lot better than a floppy ziplock sandwich bag. Granted, a dry bag or waterproof case would probably be the better route if you’re regularly in a wet or dusty environment. But a sealer could be a legit solution in a pinch, assuming you just so happened to have a sealer…
Someone commented that you couldn't use the phone through the plastic these bags are made of. But that's a touchscreen phone. A brick phone would work.
I dont know if I would ever need or buy sealer devices, but it is really nice to know and great unbiased review of a couple of the products. I see them on TV all the time. Take care.
Note: Amazon product reviews are not very good.
I have been using the FoodSaver brand for many years and love it. I think the FoodSaver is easier to use but also takes up more space at least the two different models I have had.
A built in perforation action would be handy when making snack bags, so you can just tear of individual sections
Ty. A vac sealer has def been on my wish list for a long time.
I Was testing my new PowerXL It was harder to close but it made no sound whatsoever. Except for the difficult closing it's great!! When you tried the tomato sauce with the PowerXL you held it up and you didn't with the other. The other one had liquid go almost to the top. While the P.XL stayed at the bottom. That must be why it's held up. Enjoyed the video. It helped me tremendously! Thank you.
We have a Food Saver brand sealer that basically does the same things except they make containers for it and we love the containers more than the bags! We also have a wine bottle and mason jar attachment for it plus many of the containers! It works great for keeping leftovers fresh longer! I got mine off Groupon many years ago for a good price!
We just recently purchased a PowerXL. It took a few took a couple of bags to test and find the right way to use it. Sometimes if the bag is not long enough, there will be creases and it won't -seal properly. Still learning after about two-weeks. I really like it so far. BTW, we purchased BOGO with a neighbor and it was not as expensive as the Freso by doing so. The neighbors are really happy with their XL too..
I have a sealer purchased from Sam's Club. Tips, moist settings mean heating element stays on longer. U can reseal chip ceral & other food bags. Take care not to crush. Do not vacuum gaseous food. It took garlic 1-1/2 day to explode on me. Vacuum bag great way to season meat. Buy food in bulk. Reseal in meal portions.
I have one. Having issues with getting the bag under the sealer section. I'm trying to justify the high cost of the bags compared to the cost of the content. I'll keep practicing. Thanks for your demo.
On my Foodsaver, I can press the seal button anytime during the vacuum process to seal the bag
Thank you for this review. I saw the information for the first time a month ago and besides being able to seal liquids, I really like the compact size when space is a virtue.
this was extremely helpful. My mother gave me one of these, it's the deluxe version so it has a bunch of attachments and even a tupperwear type container that can be vacuum sealed over and over again. I really didnt want to read the instructions. I watched a few of the videos that the manufacturer provides which were useful but yours was REALLY useful like I fully understood how to use the thing after this plus it wasn't boring. nice work!! I am very happy with mine, I am the only one in the house who eats meat so when I buy meat I usually have to freeze some of it for another time, it gets freezer burn quick. I think this thing will really put an end to that.
A new video before 4th of July wooo thanks James definitely will make my 4th better with this new video 👍
I just got the powerxl about a month ago. This is my 4th sealer in about 10 years. First was a foodsaver brand. With this one I have a love hate relationship. Love the double sealer but I don’t like that the bags have to be so much bigger than the product needing to be sealed.
We have the PowerXL sealer, couldn't get it to work for nothing and I was trying to figure out where I went wrong with it. Your video actually gave me a tutorial on how to get it working properly. I shall be trying again in the near future.
To get more packets JUST use a bigger bag and plan things out better. You can get a big "SAMS" size. jar of dressing or even any liquid you want and make individual grab-and-go packets. I bought and made some small dressing packets. Bit of a learning curve but just trial and error and it all works out.
I’ve had a “seal-a-meal” style machine for about 15 years now - the ability to “stop and seal” anytime you like is VERY useful - I use it probably 1 time out of 4, for various reasons.
Thank You for reviewing/testing this sealer. I was wondering if it really worked. Looks like it does.
I have a food saver and it does not work with liquids like soup or stew. I will try putting it on top of a box next time to see if that helps. What I do now is freeze soup or stew in plastic containers take out of container when frozen then vacuum seal frozen contents. Sort of a pain but it works. Single so especially these types of meals go a long way and need to be frozen.
Also I have had steaks in my freezer, vacuumed sealed for well over a year, works great !!
Again thanks for reviewing this product. Lots of times things look much better on the infomercial than they really are. This looks pretty true to what they say.
Yeah - some FoodSaver's have a 'wet seal' option, but the only way to seal something like soups, gravy, etc. is to pre-freeze it in a container and vacuum seal the frozen yield. If you have bloody meat, cut the bag extra long and use a piece of paper towel to soak up the blood. (sorry so graphic, but, you know, the struggle is real - lol)
The one thing I don't like about the Power XL, so far, is that you have to press the "vacuum" button again if you want to stop it so you can seal. For all other vacuum sealers, you can just press the seal button and it'll stop vacuuming and immediately start sealing.
I own a food saver and a nesco VS-12. Both allow me to interrupt the vacuum seal with a press of the seal button during the process. The Nesco even goes so far as to allow you to "pulse vacuum" so you can control how much you vacuum it.
However, I do really like that this is so compact and provides a double seal (which is great for moist/wet items). And the ability to make snack pouches seems interesting. Also, 26 seconds to vacuum AND seal is quite impressive. Mine take about the same (Nesco is just a tiny bit faster at 24 seconds).
Issues to consider is overheating the sealer element. My « food saver » product just started smoking on me after multiple bag sealing only/sealing-vacuuming when bagging up multiple bags in one go. Bought it 3 years ago. We slice our own deli meats at 500g individual bags. It appears this product had a fail-safe when too hot - it would stop functioning for a bit, but this last time, it just started to smoke and not even when attempting to seal or vacuum-seal…just as I sat down in front of it to continue doing batches in same sitting. Scary!
If you sail or power boat, isolating your phone is a real good idea. Zip locks work...maybe, but sealed is better.
Just got my power xl I agree the latch is sometimes hard to close and it is noisy. Funny because in the infomercial he says he has to walk away from the competitor because it was to loud. I got the deluxe package so I’m looking forward to using the bags and the containers and wine stopper.
One thing you failed to mention was if you are using one for snacks away from home you really need something to cut the bags with. The plastic is very tough and hard to tear open without spilling contents. Great review of the products themselves though as always
@Superb Media Content Creator excellent idea that I will try. Thanks
I have the power xl sealer and agree that the latch takes a few times of pressing for it to hold. Hopefully it doesn’t break over time. It does seal and vacuum very nicely. I’ve been especially happy vacuum sealing salmon in marinade.
two words for this dilemma... Duct Tape...
The one thing I'm noticing about the Power XL, you're causing the top section to flex each time you lock it down. Over time, this will have a negative effect somewhere in that section of the assembly. It'll be interesting to see how this lasts with regular use.
It should be as sprung inside
My experience with power xl is that if you get throw two rolls without it breaking your doing really good.
I have gone throw three and still have eight rolls left I fixed my problem with a seal a meal hope I get better result.
I wish I owned one. My sons all have one (don't know which kind) now is the time to get it.
Thanks for the review. Have a Happy 4th, James. 🤗🤗🥳🥳
Just purchased the power xl deluxe it came with the jar sealer attachments haven't tried those yet and 2 containers one big one small several reusable gallon and quart size bags along with the make your own bags i been wanting to get a food saver especially with food prices sky rocketing can't afford for food to go bad video very helpful on how to use so far so good I'm impressed for this to be my first food saver the only thing I don't like is how loud it is 🤯
I think the atmospheric pressure is doing the can crushing once most air is removed. I use my Foodsaver most often with my sous vide cooking. Works well but I really dislike all the plastic waste dang it.
You can wash out your bags and reuse them. I always make my bags a little longer than I need so that I can open them, and then wash and reuse them. Also, I try to freeze more than one steak, or chicken breast, etc... per bag. That way, I can cut the bag open, remove one item, and have enough material left to reseal the bag and put it back in the freezer.
Looks like the Power XL latch system is it's Achilles' heel. It looks like it would break from normal use as soon as it gets a little age on the new supple plastic.
Thanks for video. Informative and precise. I'm still out to lunch on it, due to the problems and the customer service reviews. With Wal-Mart, if it doesn't work, take it back...no questions!
I like the Power XL. I like the Fresko too so I've got to make my mind up, lol. I really enjoy your video's and testing products. It has actually stopped me from buying certain products I was going to buy and so glad I didn't. Thank you for sharing your video's and thoughts.
Another grrrrreat review. Happy 4th of July Holiday to you, Bailey & the kids.
Thank you, and Happy 4th!
I have 2 Food savers; I love them but I bought the XL for quick jobs. It works well but I also have trouble closing the XL, it sticks.
I love my power xl. I do alot of snack packs for my grandkids when they visit. I use it for separating meats for small meals. It saves me money buying in bulk and separating it myself. Best money I ever spent.
Wow, another great as seen on TV product review! This would work wonders for my weed! Keep up the great work FreakinReviews! You are among my favorite UA-cam Channels
Yes!!! LMAO
I have a food saver. I love being able the seal my food. I buy fresh corn in July, freeze it & it will still be fresh when I eat it in 6mos. I've been wanting to buy the power XL. Bcuz of this review I'm going to buy one. Thank you!!
I don't have this vacuum sealer myself, I have another brand, however I highly recommend getting one. Saved so much money of things not going bad.
I have always loved these machines, there are great for everything.
About time that an infomercial product really works !! 😂
We are really at a point in this world where we are arguing that 64 seconds is too long compared to 25. Imagine what the first time traveler from the past will think when they see this.
This seems like a nice product for Etsy sellers and other "out of your home" businesses. I'm thinking things like slime (notorious for leaking even when well-packaged - with a hard container INSIDE the sealed bag of course) or other products that may be susceptible to water/air damage or otherwise leaking. Easy to get a professional-looking bag. In that context, the price point seems right too.
Can you reuse the same bag or do you have to use a brand new one. Love your channel. Keep up the great work.
I think if you seal in a different spot it should be fine.
The moist/dry option is for items that may have juices that will get sucked up past the seal point so with the moist option it will seal for a longer time to ensure it gets a good seal though the juices. I also make snack bags with my Food Saver but I vacuum seal them so the snacks stay fresh much longer. When I do peanuts I do dry roasted which have no oil and will last up to 2 years when sealed.
Please - have you done a comparison of the bags?? They are quite expensive and there is quite a difference in the quality of the bags I have found --- thank you
It’s 4:00am and I came from the infomercial !! 😅
I have the XL and use it alot but it wasn't vac/seal correct but after watching your review I was doing it incorrectly. Love your reviews, Thanks I also have the food saver hand held which I have sitting right on my counter because I use it all the time .
I purchased this, to answer the question. Mine did not work very well at all. I had a hard time getting it to properly seal my items, and the ones that did seal, I would go back at a later date to find that the seal released itself. Because I did like the double seal feature, I kept it and used it solely for that. I pulled it out last week and that’s not working properly. I have owned it for roughly a year. My Food Saver works better. It actually works.
Mine broke shortly after purchase. I put it through the ringer hopefully they will replace. I did like the vertical and horizontal sealing
For the price of it I would have some complaints like the cut tab being small like a ziploc when it should be bit taller, also the fact it kinda needs you to hold it when closing it needs to be looked at, and finally I would make the area the seals be a different or a contrasting color so give a better feel for better symmetry
All valid concerns.
I don't think my Foodsaver will be replaced by this anytime soon. Other than the size, this doesn't really do anything new. 🤔
When working on fishing boats we always vacuum sealed the phones and important paperwork and I.D.'a in case we sunk. Yes many vessels are retrieved after sinking however most everything lost is replaced by the time the boat is retrieved.
Thanks for the video... Just got one of these at Ollie's (discount/clearance type store) for 49.99 but got an additional 15% off with a coupon. 42.49.
I already have an impulse sealer that I bought at Goodwill for like five bucks and that alone has turned out to be insanely useful... now I'll have the added capability of vacuuming things too
For the Fresco vacuumed cereal, I think the crunching made a jagged edge and the cereal stabbed the bag.
I just got my power xl and we'll my left over pies got smushed. The leftover turkey did have juice that got sucked up into the vack chamber. Anything with juice basically went into the chamber but it did vac and seal.
You did cause you could see it when doing the first things. Where is the other one. The Deluxe has the storage containers too. There is 160’ of bags for one unit and another 160’ for the second which you have to pay shipping and handling. I think it’s best to remove the shucks, blanch and and then put up. They aren’t meant to preserve anything and corn, peas etc are already blanched when commercially done. This helps retain color, flavor, and kills bacteria. You can find out about blanching anywhere on internet, takes seconds, then plunge in bowl of ice water, put on clean paper towels to drain and then seal up.
Thanks so much for that review. I see that commercial all the time and I never believe infomercials. I've been on the fence about buying one because of the price. You might have made up my mind.
To be honest, I haven't had a lot of luck with a lot of the stuff Eric Theiss pitches, so I was a bit skeptical going into this one, and was pleasantly surprised.