655203 Sat Sep 26 19:53:23 -0700 2009 5 41 Cookware 0 5060984 Has anyone had a chance to use this? http://www.foodsaver.com/freshsaver/ I am wary. I really liked the Reynolds Handi-Vac system at first. Reynolds has discontinued it, stating "Handi-Vac is one of those great products that was unable to generate the consumer demand and profitability required to keep it in our product portfolio." Yeah...unfortunately this "great product" was also unable to generate a good seal to keep food in one's freezer. One could easily spend two minutes trying to find the sweet spot on the valve to extract air. Sat Sep 26 19:53:23 -0700 2009 18981 Jimmy Buffet 1 5061782 I could see that coming with Reynolds so I bought a sh**load of bags back then. I find them really convenient and effective for things I'm going to reopen and reuse like second bags for the huge bags of frozen peas or the frozen fruit I use a handful of for smoothies. I'm wondering if I run out of bags how these bags would work with my battery powered Reynolds hand unit. But, for convenience sake, I'd rather Foodsaver came out with a handheld sealer that I could use on things that don't need a vacuum like chips bags and cereal inner bags. Sun Sep 27 09:54:21 -0700 2009 5060984 17969 rainey 2 5062639 Rainey, I saw one of the Foodsaver units at Kohl's today and gadget freak that I am, picked it up. There is an intro kit consisting of sealer, charger, adaptor, some bags and a container. The way it is designed, I believe you could use it on the Reynolds bags... Same principle - center a circular gasket over a flap valve on the bag and activate. PROS: - it sits in a recharger base (no batteries to change, and that Reynolds unit was a pain to change batteries). - It is compact. Smaller than the Reynolds and more ergonomic. - It also seals special rigid sandwich-size containers that are available. It comes with an adaptor for this. POSSIBLE CONS: - price of this unit was $32, although I understand KMart has them for $19. - the bags don't seem to be as substantial as the Reynolds bags. This is purely subjective...I haven't sealed anything in the bags yet, but they seem flimsier, thinner, with sort of a cellophane feel to them. - The adaptor for containers is stored in the recharging base. Not very convenient. - The containers have a simple rubber flap valve on the lid that provides the seal once a vacuum is obtained. To break the vacuum, you lift a tab on the rubber diaphragm. In theory it should work well but it looks flimsy. I'll do some testing and get back.... Sun Sep 27 17:29:00 -0700 2009 5061782 18981 Jimmy Buffet 3 5062982 Thanks for the info. As I said, my primary use for a handheld would be sealing the plastic rather than creating the vacuum. I'm perfectly happy to pull out the full-sized FoodSaver for that. It's the small things I reuse all the time that I'd like to reseal. And then I was hoping, if the FS bags remain available, I'd like to know that I could vacuum them with the Reynolds hand held I already have. Sun Sep 27 20:34:30 -0700 2009 5062639 17969 rainey 4 5063504 Like you, I have a full size FS but it is a pain to pull out... Have you ever considered getting an impulse sealer? I have. They put a seal on plastic bags and not only just the Food Saver bags... Here is one: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43477 And also like you, I have a considerable stock of Reynolds bags and I THINK I have another Reynolds HandiVac. If I can find it, I will try it with the FoodSaver bags, as valve-wise, they seem to be the same... Mon Sep 28 07:02:01 -0700 2009 5062982 18981 Jimmy Buffet 4 5084190 Rainey, I can't find my Reynolds vac but I tried using the Foodsaver Freshsaver on Reynolds bags (of which I also have a lot) and it worked. So conversely, maybe the Reynolds vac will work with Foodsaver bags. However, I did some research on the Foodsaver Freshsaver bags and they are labeled as being refrigerator use only. Thats a big limitation for me. I guess that explains their thinness... Tue Oct 06 18:32:25 -0700 2009 5062982 18981 Jimmy Buffet