451032 Mon Oct 15 14:23:58 -0700 2007 31 41 Cookware 0 3036860 I've read about this Frisper on both Popgadget and The Kitchen - it's sold through Sharper Image and online (and apparently at LNT, but I haven't seen it). It's like a compact vacuum sealer with reusable zipper bags. I like that you can reuse the bags and I like the small footprint of the machine (the Food Saver is just so big!). I was just wondering if anyone's seen it in person or (even better) actually used one? http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/product/sku__OL002?siteid=H5qyAMQjz9o-_CZzsmLJmz.uWU6eY.RMCA http://www.oliso.com/frisper/index.php Mon Oct 15 14:23:58 -0700 2007 42944 leanneabe 1 3038577 Haven't used it. Assuming the bags aren't absurdly expensive and the zipper holds a good seal it might not be too bad. Also it's worth mentioning that FoodSaver bags are also washable/reusable when used with non-raw stuff. You have to cut a bit off each time you open it so you have to make sure you leave some wiggle room, but they can be reused until they get too small. Tue Oct 16 06:29:47 -0700 2007 3036860 69452 jzerocsk 2 3355614 I just bought a Frisper and will certainly try it soon. I also liked the small size. Not to mention the fact that there are so many different Foodsaver models that I didn't know which one to buy. It also looked like the less expensive models were not as user-friendly. When it arrived, I have to admit that I didn't like reading that they don't recommend reusing the bags with meat, fish and poultry because I plan to use them for sous-vide cooking... so I actually am happy to hear that the Foodsaver bags have a similar limitation! The Frisper bags, incidentally, are better for reusing - they have a zipper closure so there's no cutting involved and no worry about making the bags too small. I'm hoping that the meat-poultry-fish caveat is to comply with their lawyers and that it's possible to wash them well enough in the dishwasher to use them again safely... If not, it's more of an inconvenience than a calamity. I paid only 50 cents apiece from surlatable.com and I suspect they can be found for less. Fri Feb 01 09:26:59 -0800 2008 3038577 33792 andrea thurm 3 3356486 Aside from sous-vide, we've found that the Reynold's Handi-Vac has a very similar design to the Frisper. The bags are resealable (and revacuumable) with a zip-top and come in quart and gallon sizes. The quart bags come out to be about 15 cents per bag. Some people have used them (there's a thread on this board about them) more than once by washing and drying. Fri Feb 01 12:40:42 -0800 2008 3355614 42944 leanneabe 4 3357306 Not to mention that the Reynold's Handi-Vac only costs $9.95! It's a wonderful little gadget. Fri Feb 01 17:32:23 -0800 2008 3356486 115579 Mother of four 5 3357986 Where did you buy yours Mother? Sat Feb 02 03:11:51 -0800 2008 3357306 32960 kwan.soo 6 3362636 Krogers in MI, and Puplix in FL. I think that almost everyone carries them now. Mon Feb 04 02:51:30 -0800 2008 3357986 115579 Mother of four 7 3366008 Thank you. Tue Feb 05 05:50:34 -0800 2008 3362636 32960 kwan.soo 5 3360012 I checked out the Reynold's on Amazon.com and a lot of people bought theirs at Wal Mart. I went there today and the one in my area doesn't sell them. All they had were the much more expensive Food Saver and Rival machines. I wonder if they pressured WalMart to stop selling the Reynolds? It's not on their website, either. Sat Feb 02 19:45:15 -0800 2008 3357306 10764 monkuboy 6 3364353 Our Walmart still carries both the sealer and the bags. I've also seen them in Target and our grocery stores. Mon Feb 04 13:30:31 -0800 2008 3360012 42944 leanneabe 7 3364767 Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. On Reynold's website it says to look where all the food storage bags are. I was looking at the food sealing equipment section. It would make sense to me to put it in the same place as the Foodsaver but who knows. Mon Feb 04 15:15:07 -0800 2008 3364353 10764 monkuboy 8 3367459 It'll be right on the shelves next to the regular Ziploc bags and plastic wrap. I find the quart-size bags are more useful than the gallon, but it all depends on what you want to seal up. Tue Feb 05 12:20:55 -0800 2008 3364767 42944 leanneabe 9 3367578 Thanks! I must have been looking in the wrong place. I ought to try the straw method mentioned by Sam Fujisaka in the post below first, though.. Tue Feb 05 13:01:30 -0800 2008 3367459 10764 monkuboy 10 3370745 For less than $10, you can buy a more powerful vacuum than a straw and your lungs. I really think you'll find the Handi-Vac worth the purchase, even if it does take up more room than a straw. =) Wed Feb 06 12:08:02 -0800 2008 3367578 42944 leanneabe 11 3372017 You're right.. now I just need to find one of them thangs.. Wed Feb 06 18:30:08 -0800 2008 3370745 10764 monkuboy 12 3375795 I just got mine yesterday from Target in Austin Tx. Under $10. Occupies much less space than my Food Saver. Most importantly, it works like a dream. Thu Feb 07 20:39:55 -0800 2008 3372017 32960 kwan.soo 8 4699368 >>Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. (RE: Walmart)<< Well, I once searched for 10 minutes for some microwave popcorn. Finally an associate told me they are over in infants!!! Walmart needs to change their "Always..." spiel to Always in hiding... Tue May 19 21:45:30 -0700 2009 3364767 60276 RShea78 6 3375835 I have seen the Reynold's Handi-Vac in Wal-Mart in the section with the freezer bags, aluminum foil, etc. Thu Feb 07 21:01:08 -0800 2008 3360012 119816 MysticYoYo 6 3377294 that would be an interesting anti-trust issue.... Fri Feb 08 10:06:57 -0800 2008 3360012 105717 alkapal 7 3378036 True but it turned out to be an "I was looking in the wrong place issue," lol.. I was reading some reviews of the Reynolds on Amazon and some people say the thing won't seal properly. I wonder if there is any validity to that or if it is just a case of "operator error" as is frequently the case. Fri Feb 08 12:41:33 -0800 2008 3377294 10764 monkuboy 1 3364387 How are the Frisper and the Handi-Vac different from the old fashioned technique of squeezing the air out of a zip-lock bag by hand? Mon Feb 04 13:40:32 -0800 2008 3036860 21333 uh ... art 2 3370739 The same reason Foodsavers are different from hand squeezing air - you get a vacuum seal. Vacuums tend to get more air out of void spaces than just hand squeezing. Wed Feb 06 12:07:07 -0800 2008 3364387 42944 leanneabe 3 3377201 Exactly, Even a straw will give you only an "esthetic" vacuum, unless of course you have superhuman lungs. ;) Since I just bought a HandiVac last night, I've used the straw and squeeze methods for years but realistically, they don't do all that much... So far I've just played with the machine a bit. It quite obviously doesn't pull a vacuum anywhere near as strong as a Foodsaver and the bags are surprisingly thin - thinner than their regular freezer bags. But for $10, I'm sure it will come in handy and I neither have room for nor a realistic "need" for a $100+ machine.... Fri Feb 08 09:47:53 -0800 2008 3370739 11980 MikeG 4 3384380 Ok to all of you upthread. Send me one of those $10 wonders to compare with my straw. Sun Feb 10 20:35:53 -0800 2008 3377201 36661 Sam Fujisaka 5 3384396 I finally looked in the right place at WalMart and bought one of those Reynolds Handi-Vacs today. Even in the right section it is not easy to spot them - they're sitting in a small carton on one of the sheves looking very anoynomous. Only $9.48. I don't have anything to use it on right now but will report as soon as I give it a try! Sun Feb 10 20:41:57 -0800 2008 3384380 10764 monkuboy 4 3384667 MikeG, You're confusing creating a vacuum in a rigid container with creating a vacuum in a flexible container. You don't need superhuman lungs to suck all the air out of a ziplock bag. You get help from the ambient airpressure on the order of 14lbs per square inch. Try it -- take an empty ziplock bag and suck all the air out of it. Perfect vacuum. Mon Feb 11 00:09:13 -0800 2008 3377201 21333 uh ... art 1 3364434 I use a straw to suck the air out of zip lock bags: less than $0.01 @, takes little space, and no moving parts. Mon Feb 04 13:51:30 -0800 2008 3036860 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 3364770 You know that's a great idea. It does the same thing as one of those vacuums except you have to be careful not to accidentally suck in raw meat juices! Mon Feb 04 15:15:44 -0800 2008 3364434 10764 monkuboy 1 4607135 Met the guy who designed it (incidentally, he was one of the chief engineers at FoodSaver) and saw the demo, bought it on the spot (Sur la Table carries them, at least at SF Ferry Plaza market.) All the things you complain about FoodSaver, Frisper fixed: 1. The unit is big 2. You have to deep pressing to seal the bags 3. Bags are not re-useable 4. You either buy the non re-useable bags, or you have to buy the rolls which require cutting, which is sometimes real annoying if you cut the bag too short Frisper is the way to go. The only thing I need it does not do is to seal stuff like stew- no wet stuff yet. The guy said they are designing it as we speak. Oh and the unit comes with 5 gallons and 5 one quart bags--the replacement bags cost $9.95, 20 pack, but folks, the labeling says you can use them up to 20 times. You do the math! Sat Apr 18 12:02:35 -0700 2009 3036860 283719 yasuosonoda 2 4607340 sounds like another thing to debate about keeping on the counter... Sat Apr 18 13:57:05 -0700 2009 4607135 181204 stuck in Hartford County 2 4696468 seems like people love it or hate it a/c to amazon reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Oliso-FF-500-Frisper-Freshkeeper-Reusable/dp/B000XULZGU Tue May 19 05:20:18 -0700 2009 4607135 105717 alkapal 1 4698301 Bought one from Sur la Table (http://www.surlatable.com/) (SF, Embarcadero) while at the farmers' market. Does what it says. Very easy to use -just make sure you have zipped the bags tight. I also vacuum sealed some old coins, silver, etc. Bags are reusable without having to cut them shorter every time like the old Food Savers. Very space efficient. Would have liked one with a rechargeable battery. Tue May 19 14:43:17 -0700 2009 3036860 294208 aforitori