Ariane Jenkins wrote:

> Nah, Costco isn't a closeout store, it's a warehouse club
> store, similar to Sam's Club. There are some items they'll only offer
> seasonally, usually located in the center of the store. But they do
> carry quite a few items regularly. I think the Tilia bags are
> included, but since I don't have one, I haven't shopped for them at
> Costco.

I have never had much luck in that place. They have rarely had what I was looking
for. Even worse, I go in there looking for hoping ot get a deal on something, don't
find it, and still can't get out of the place for less than $125.

Ariane Jenkins wrote:

> Nah, Costco isn't a closeout store, it's a warehouse club
> store, similar to Sam's Club. There are some items they'll only offer
> seasonally, usually located in the center of the store. But they do
> carry quite a few items regularly. I think the Tilia bags are
> included, but since I don't have one, I haven't shopped for them at
> Costco.

I have never had much luck in that place. They have rarely had what I was looking
for. Even worse, I go in there looking for hoping ot get a deal on something, don't
find it, and still can't get out of the place for less than $125.

notbob wrote:
>
> On 2004-12-14, Dave Smith > wrote:
>
> > To to digress too far from the thread, but can Costco be counted on to carry
> > anything?. I was under the impression that they managed to get batch lots cheap,
> > but not consistently, sort of like those dollar stores that get liquidation
> > deals. They can offer some real deals, usually one shot deals.
>
> I made sure extra bags were available year round before I bought the unit.
> I went through the initial supply rather quickly vacuum bagging Alaskan
> salmon when it went on sale for an insanely low price. I bought the extra
> bags and they look like they should last me for at least a couple years.

I bid for them on ebay. You can get decent prices.

nancy

notbob wrote:
>
> On 2004-12-14, Dave Smith > wrote:
>
> > To to digress too far from the thread, but can Costco be counted on to carry
> > anything?. I was under the impression that they managed to get batch lots cheap,
> > but not consistently, sort of like those dollar stores that get liquidation
> > deals. They can offer some real deals, usually one shot deals.
>
> I made sure extra bags were available year round before I bought the unit.
> I went through the initial supply rather quickly vacuum bagging Alaskan
> salmon when it went on sale for an insanely low price. I bought the extra
> bags and they look like they should last me for at least a couple years.

I bid for them on ebay. You can get decent prices.

nancy

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> notbob wrote:
>
> > If you have costco or know someone who does, you can get tilia bags
about
> > half the going price.
>
> To to digress too far from the thread, but can Costco be counted on to
carry
> anything?. I was under the impression that they managed to get batch lots
cheap,
> but not consistently, sort of like those dollar stores that get
liquidation
> deals. They can offer some real deals, usually one shot deals.

They use a pricing scheme that will tell you if something is a "one time
buy" or a standard item. Ask as the store as I don't remember the details.
For instance, prices ending in odd numbers are not stock items or something
like that.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> notbob wrote:
>
> > If you have costco or know someone who does, you can get tilia bags
about
> > half the going price.
>
> To to digress too far from the thread, but can Costco be counted on to
carry
> anything?. I was under the impression that they managed to get batch lots
cheap,
> but not consistently, sort of like those dollar stores that get
liquidation
> deals. They can offer some real deals, usually one shot deals.

They use a pricing scheme that will tell you if something is a "one time
buy" or a standard item. Ask as the store as I don't remember the details.
For instance, prices ending in odd numbers are not stock items or something
like that.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> JLove98905 wrote:
>
>> are the various brand-name accessories (bags, canisters) interchangeable?
>> I got
>> a Black and Decker FreshGuard as a gift, but nobody around here seems to
>> sell
>> that model, so there are no accessories anywhere. Can I buy any brand of
>> bag or
>> canister? It seems like they all have the same inner workings/design, so
>> it
>> ought to work - but I figured I should check in with the experts first.
>>
>
> I was shopping for a vacuum sealer today. I'd sure be interested in a
> inexpensive
> source of bag for them. The units themselves weren't too bad, but the
> price of the
> refills is outrageous. The rolls worked out to about a dollar per foot of
> material,
> which got me thinking how much I would have to save by buying bargain
> packs of
> meats and still come out ahead.
>

Most everywhere I've seen sell the FoodSealer bags for about $10, whether it
is a roll or individual bags.
I did find that Sam's Club sells 6 rolls (3 large and 3 small) for about
$40.
The FoodSealer is a pretty good machine. The savings in space in the freezer
is well worth it, although I've shied away from trying it on liquids.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Ariane Jenkins wrote:
>
>> Nah, Costco isn't a closeout store, it's a warehouse club
>> store, similar to Sam's Club. There are some items they'll only offer
>> seasonally, usually located in the center of the store. But they do
>> carry quite a few items regularly. I think the Tilia bags are
>> included, but since I don't have one, I haven't shopped for them at
>> Costco.
>
> I have never had much luck in that place. They have rarely had what I was
> looking
> for. Even worse, I go in there looking for hoping ot get a deal on
> something, don't
> find it, and still can't get out of the place for less than $125.
>

And they count on that.

Hey guys, a status report. I bought FoodSaver bags, and they work fine on the
Black and Decker. No word yet on canisters - I bought a B&D set online, cuz the
unit didn't come with the vacuum hose line. It comes with the canisters, and
only the B&D canisters it seems. Brilliant marketing ploy.
-Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright

Hey guys, a status report. I bought FoodSaver bags, and they work fine on the
Black and Decker. No word yet on canisters - I bought a B&D set online, cuz the
unit didn't come with the vacuum hose line. It comes with the canisters, and
only the B&D canisters it seems. Brilliant marketing ploy.
-Jen
Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright

On 14-Dec-2004, "Tom Scott" > wrote:

> are the various brand-name accessories (bags, canisters) interchangeable?
> I
> got
> a Black and Decker FreshGuard as a gift, but nobody around here seems to
> sell
> that model, so there are no accessories anywhere. Can I buy any brand of
> bag
> or
> canister? It seems like they all have the same inner workings/design, so
> it
> ought to work - but I figured I should check in with the experts first.
>
> Thanks,
> Jen
> Half the people you know are below average. -Steven Wright
>
>
>
> My first sealer was a Tilia and the one I now own is a B&D. Although they
> say you can use "most bags from other manufacturers", I found the
> gallon-sized Tilia bags were ~ 1/2 inch WIDER and not easily useable.
>
> Comparing the 2 machines, my overall vote would go to the Tilia; it was
> faster and the bags seemed to stay sealed better. My B&D has problems
> with
> the larger bags of their own. They just don't seal as well.
>
> Beware you don't suck much {try not to get ANY} liquid down the vacuum
> port.
> That is what virtually killed my Tilia and they wanted $50 just to look at
> it. That is why I bought the B&D.
>
> I use it a lot.
>
> Best,
>
> Tom

Everybody loves a know it all, so I demand points for researching
"Vacuum Machine 101".

Tilia (Foodsaver) requires 'Channel Bags'. These are custom manufactured
for Tilia by 'Sorbent Systems'. They are multilayer bags specially
formulated
to hold a vacuum. Sorbent Systems is a major manufacturer of commercial
vacuum packaging equipment and packaging materials. Tilia holds the patent
for the channel bags. Sorbent Systems got slapped down for selling them on
the side. You may still see channel bags on the Sorbent website with a
caveat
that they are currently not for sale.

I have a Foodsaver that is too old to even have a model number. It works as
well as the day I bought it. It is heavier then an anvil, but it works as
advertised
and it has a vacuum port for accessories. The only ones I have are adapters
to
evacuate 'Mason jars'. Meal weevils do not live in a high vacuum. I don't
use
my 'Foodsaver' anymore. My Foodsaver will thoroughly crush an aluminum soda
can.

I bought a Sinbo VS 280 from Sorbent Systems by mailorder. It uses a vacuum
system
different then Tilia. It is a snorkel system. That is, it has a very flat
retractable
tube that inserts into the top of the bag allowing a seal to occur that will
support
evacuating the bag. It will evacuate and seal 'Ziploks' quite successfully.
Howver
'Ziploks' are not strong enough nor are they designed to hold a vacuum. My
VS280
will also crush an aluminum can, but possibly not quite as flat as the
Foodsaver
does. The difference is hard to tell. I have no idea what the vacuum is in
mm Hg. I
see no difference in longevity in the freezer.

I buy 6" X 8" and 8" X 12" bags from Sorbent Systems in quanties of 400 (200
each). Total cost (with shipping) is ~$42. (10.5¢ apiece). These bags are at
least
as reliable as the Tilia bags and far cheaper. I don't bother to wash them
out and
I use a lot of them. Like the Tilia bags, my typical method of reheating
vacuumed,
frozen food is to put a bag into a pot of water and boil it for a few
minutes.
Beware of allowing your machine to ingest fluids into the vacuum motor. My
VS280
has gone belly up for that reason. (Damn demon rum). I will order a new one
tomorrow.
They cost about $119 last time I looked. I may query the company about
getting mine
repaired, but they don't seem to have much support for this little machine.

Just my 2¢.

--
Brick(DL5BF, WA7ERO, HS4ADI)


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