View Full Version : Reynolds Handi-Vac (New Product)
trippclark
10-22-2007, 10:46
I picked up this item, Reynolds Handi-Vac, and a package of each size zip lock freezer bags (gallon and quart). The web link is
http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/handi_vac/en/home.asp
The vacuum was $8.99. The bags are fairly pricy at around $4 a box for 14 quart size or 9 gallon size bags. It works well though. It is marketed to use to remove air and vacuum seal the freezer bags before freezing to eliminate freezer burn. My thought is that when using it with freezer bag cooking it will make the ingredients keep better/longer and probably lessen the chance of bags coming open. It also gives you a tighter, neater package similar to the Enertia trail foods. Has anyone else tried this product?
RiverWarriorPJ
10-22-2007, 11:43
I have 1 made by "foodsaver"...alot more than 8.99...lol....but yes....it dose compact the food tighter than by hand......food lasts longer, even after thawed & i do use the same bag for cooking after poking a small hole or 2 for steam release.......when sealing foods w/a lot of moisture...freeze for a bit first so the vac dosen't suck up the juices & clog or just get nasty....
Where did you pick it up at? Would love to pick one up! Be fun to play with, and test the bags.
I'd say the one thing I hate about Foodsaver bags is that they don't have zippers!
trippclark
10-22-2007, 12:56
Where did you pick it up at? Would love to pick one up! Be fun to play with, and test the bags.
I'd say the one thing I hate about Foodsaver bags is that they don't have zippers!
Sarah,
I found mine at Food Lion. This chain is not in your area. I'd really value your feedback on these. Let me know if you cannot find these in your area and maybe we can work it out for me to ship one out your way. PM me or e-mail me (you have my e-mail address fromn our earlier correspendences) if you need for me to get one to you.
Tripp
I could have sworn I saw one at Target last night, at least the bags anyways.
Might be worth checking out
RiverWarriorPJ
10-22-2007, 13:12
I have 1 made by "foodsaver"...alot more than 8.99...lol....but yes....it does compact the food tighter than by hand......food lasts longer, even after thawed & i do use the same bag for cooking after poking a small hole or 2 for steam release.......when sealing foods w/a lot of moisture...freeze for a bit first so the vac dosen't suck up the juices & clog or just get nasty....
Does vice dose...geeeez...:mad:
Where did you pick it up at? Would love to pick one up! Be fun to play with, and test the bags.
I'd say the one thing I hate about Foodsaver bags is that they don't have zippers!
They were doing a demo yesterday at Walmart. Worked similar to the expensive Food saver one I purchased a while back, but uses some sort of gromet/valve to suck out the air.
I'll be going to Wally-World once the kid gets home from school! I "need" one to play with :D
trippclark
10-22-2007, 16:00
I'll be going to Wally-World once the kid gets home from school! I "need" one to play with :D
Let us know what you think. I was impressed with how well it seals, but I have not yet tried to cook in one of the bags.
gold bond
10-23-2007, 10:03
TC, it's your "old" buddy Gold Bond! How's life now that your "retired"! Anyhoo...you said you got the vacuume or the bags at Wally World? Or did you have to order both on line?
trippclark
10-23-2007, 10:13
TC, it's your "old" buddy Gold Bond! How's life now that your "retired"! Anyhoo...you said you got the vacuume or the bags at Wally World? Or did you have to order both on line?
Gold Bond,
You missed a really, really nice hike last weekend. Great weather (dry, of course) and fantastic views!
Nope, I bought both the vacuum sealer and bags at Food Lion. Let me know if you cannot find and I can pick one up for you. Pretty neat device. I hope the bags get cheaper though. Now they are over 30 cents each, which is a bit pricy.
Tripp
gold bond
10-23-2007, 12:30
Gold Bond,
You missed a really, really nice hike last weekend. Great weather (dry, of course) and fantastic views!
Nope, I bought both the vacuum sealer and bags at Food Lion. Let me know if you cannot find and I can pick one up for you. Pretty neat device. I hope the bags get cheaper though. Now they are over 30 cents each, which is a bit pricy.
Tripp
We got two FL here in town I'll check them.Do you think the bags will be any cheaper or do all the stores sell at the same price? Also too...14 Carrot here in town (the health food store) from what I have been told has a great selection of dehydrated vegatables.From what I've been told they are sold by weight not by the bag or pouch! I will go check it out this week and let you know.
CoyoteWhips
10-23-2007, 12:51
Seems like a clever marketing idea. Sell the vacuum cheap and make up the difference with more expensive proprietary bags. Polaroid used to do something like that with cheap cameras and expensive film.
I'm gonna get one.
I'll bet there'll be knock-off bags in dollar stores that will work with the vaccum, eventually, if they can get around the patent/trademark issues.
trippclark
10-23-2007, 13:01
Seems like a clever marketing idea. Sell the vacuum cheap and make up the difference with more expensive proprietary bags. Polaroid used to do something like that with cheap cameras and expensive film.
I'm gonna get one.
I'll bet there'll be knock-off bags in dollar stores that will work with the vaccum, eventually, if they can get around the patent/trademark issues.
Yeah, sort of like the razor blade business or ink jet printers and cartridges. They do say that the bags are re-useable, which is probably true for some household use, but less so for freezer bag cooking. Still, for me, I am always out less than a week (unfortunately), so would never use more than a box of bags. I can probably handle the $4 cost penalty! Heck, last weekend's section hike cost me close to $100 in gasoline!!! With that in mind, $4 for bags sounds like a real bargain!
would this work for carrying cooked, not dehydrated, meat? Make your own chicken in a pouch? How long should fully cooked chicken last in one of these vaccume sealed bags?
would this work for carrying cooked, not dehydrated, meat? Make your own chicken in a pouch? How long should fully cooked chicken last in one of these vaccume sealed bags?
Only if you keep the bag very cold. Vacum sealing cooked foods only works for storage if you refrigrate or freeze the items.
Dry items though can get a a year to a couple years storage.
Only if you keep the bag very cold. Vacum sealing cooked foods only works for storage if you refrigrate or freeze the items.
Dry items though can get a a year to a couple years storage.
not entirely true. the bags work basicly under the same principals as mason jars which have been used for a long time to preserve cooked foods. some meats will only spoil if exposed to air long enough things to grow on the surface. think about those hickory farm beef logs and mre's that have meat inside and are not dehydrated.
if you can find a book on mason jars, canning, etc the same recipes should work fine for plastic vacuum sealing as long as you keep it out of the sunlight by storying your food in a black bag or bear canister.
not entirely true. the bags work basicly under the same principals as mason jars which have been used for a long time to preserve cooked foods. some meats will only spoil if exposed to air long enough things to grow on the surface. think about those hickory farm beef logs and mre's that have meat inside and are not dehydrated.
if you can find a book on mason jars, canning, etc the same recipes should work fine for plastic vacuum sealing as long as you keep it out of the sunlight by storying your food in a black bag or bear canister.
MRE's are treated with heat, essentially canned. When you can in Mason jars you either use a pressure cooker or do a hot water bath.
As for the beef logs, they are treated with tons of nitriates and other preservatives. Chicken at home does not have that usually.
By all means, food vac meat all you want, just realize that food poisioning can and will happen!! You don't want to mess with that! Just sealing cooked meat in a bag WILL NOT stop it from rotting, spoling and giving you the worst trip of your life!
They do say that the bags are re-useable, which is probably true for some household use, but less so for freezer bag cooking.
Their web site states the bags are re-sealable. They don't recommend re-usable. Because they have a zip seal and a vaccum port they may be re-vaccumable? But, their web site does not state that you can re-vaccum contents once a seal is opened. Tricky wording IMHO. The don't relate on the web site if the bags are boilable[I didn't see that stated(handle boiling water) the brief time I explored the site], they do state they are microwavable, after venting them. Their time table on their web site for suggested allowable time in the freezer seem short. I know foods I have frozen and stored with Foodsaver bags from Tilia, the shelf[freezer] life is much longer. But, they are probably just playing it safe for liability reasons. They are probably worth a look see. I do like my Foodsaver and their bags. They average at maybe just over $0.50 a bag. They are, however, definately boilable, microwavable, re-sealable/re-usable/re-vaccumable. I look forward to Sabars' and others assessment of the product, and may check them out myself.:sun
not entirely true. the bags work basicly under the same principals as mason jars which have been used for a long time to preserve cooked foods. some meats will only spoil if exposed to air long enough things to grow on the surface. think about those hickory farm beef logs and mre's that have meat inside and are not dehydrated.
if you can find a book on mason jars, canning, etc the same recipes should work fine for plastic vacuum sealing as long as you keep it out of the sunlight by storying your food in a black bag or bear canister.
NO! NO! NO! NO!
take-a-knee
10-24-2007, 00:27
A lot of you would be "canners" need to read up on a bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum. It will kill your ass graveyard dead if you give it a chance...without air. Pasteur said that, "Chance favors the prepared mind.".
CoyoteWhips
10-24-2007, 07:51
Yeah, from what I've read about anaerobic bacteria, you're better off wrapping it in cheesecloth and hanging it off the back of your pack. If you want to preserve your chicken for a hike, marinate with a natural preservative and dehydrate out the moisture. Then you can vacuum seal it for freshness.
Zip it in a baggy with water for a couple hours to make it juicy again for your meal.
CoyoteWhips
10-24-2007, 08:15
You know, if this thing is small enough to fit in a backpack, it'd be really neat with baggies that are big enough for stuff sacks.
When my granddaughter was going out for her first sleepout, I stuffed a sleeping bag into a garbage bag and sucked out the air with a handyvac. It made a laptop size raisin. She protested that there was no way there was a sleeping bag in there -- I poked a hole in the bag and it self inflated like a Ghost Busters character.
budforester
10-24-2007, 08:58
PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS Those bags will not provide an adequate hermetic seal, even if you could process them with enough heat or radiation to stabilize. However they might be great for storing frozen or dehydrated foods.
not entirely true. the bags work basicly under the same principals as mason jars which have been used for a long time to preserve cooked foods. some meats will only spoil if exposed to air long enough things to grow on the surface. think about those hickory farm beef logs and mre's that have meat inside and are not dehydrated.
if you can find a book on mason jars, canning, etc the same recipes should work fine for plastic vacuum sealing as long as you keep it out of the sunlight by storying your food in a black bag or bear canister.
Ok! I got one of the set ups at Wal Mart today and a box of bags...off to play with it soon ;)
Btw, they are sold in the bag aisle if you are looking for it.
The bags? They work perfectly. I made grits in a bag today.
Btw, that device? Lol....love the instructions that come with warning to not use it on humans or animals :D Oh, why does it make me think of some fetish adult toy?
Skidsteer
10-24-2007, 19:41
The bags? They work perfectly. I made grits in a bag today.
Btw, that device? Lol....love the instructions that come with warning to not use it on humans or animals :D Oh, why does it make me think of some fetish adult toy?
Prolly make a good zit sucker.
I have the Pump 'n Seal (http://www.asontv.com/kitchen/pump-and-seal-tabs.html) that uses ordinary freezer bags. It supposedly creates more vacuum than an electric model. Now all I need is a dehydrator. :)
trippclark
10-24-2007, 21:38
The bags? They work perfectly. I made grits in a bag today.
Btw, that device? Lol....love the instructions that come with warning to not use it on humans or animals :D Oh, why does it make me think of some fetish adult toy?
So do you think it is a keeper, Sarah? Something you'll use?
I should also correct an earlier post when I said bags were $4 a box. Actually the price is $3.29 per box. That is still kinda high for 14 bags, but 24 cents a bag is better than 30 cents.
Skidsteer
10-24-2007, 21:46
So do you think it is a keeper, Sarah? Something you'll use?
I should also correct an earlier post when I said bags were $4 a box. Actually the price is $3.29 per box. That is still kinda high for 14 bags, but 24 cents a bag is better than 30 cents.
FYI. A box of 14 costs $2.84 at the evil empire(Wal-Mart).
I think I will keep it, and I'd actually use it. It is very dorky looking (also makes me think of a uh, milk pump).
But reasonable at 20 cents a bag if you go to Wally World (gasp!).
The bags were well made, so no complaints there!
Now what was intresting is the shape of the bags. Recently I made some custom cozies for a gent in the UK. The bags he uses are wider and not as tall......and you quessed, same size as the bags that come with this sealer.
So I may be making myself a custom cozy and trying this thing out again, on the trail.
And you know....I could actually see having this sealer in a bounce box if you needed to seal up meals and stuff to make room in your pack on a long hike. It is totally portable.
$2.50 coupon in the Bangor paper. Saturday. Means it should also be in the Sunday Portland paper.
It's on the starter kit, so they must get uou on the bags.
Does it work well?
WE had the same coupon in the Baltimore Sun..I am buying mine tommorow.
Skidsteer
10-27-2007, 22:15
The Handi-Vac itself seems to be a champion sucker but the first bag I tried refused to permanently seal. Not a good start.
The second bag is holding up well so far so maybe it was a dud. :-?
Anyway, here's a photo (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=19383&catid=favorites) of the Handi-Vac and a packaged meal.
I'm also curious if anyone has actually rehydrated one of these successfully. It seems that the bag has a one-way valve(out!)that may allow hot water to leak at an inopportune moment.
MMMMMM. Skidsteer, what is in that?
I'm also curious if anyone has actually rehydrated one of these successfully. It seems that the bag has a one-way valve(out!)that may allow hot water to leak at an inopportune moment.
I did a review on my blog the other day....and I had no issues cooking in the bags. I did Cranberry Sunshine Grits in the bag. My advice? Don't fill the bag up more than half way with water.....but otherwise the bags were very sturdy.
Skidsteer
10-28-2007, 07:20
MMMMMM. Skidsteer, what is in that?
Lentils and brown rice.
I dried some sweet potato stew the same day that I'm really looking forward to!
Fiddleback
10-28-2007, 11:16
Looks like this beats the heck out of the $80 device (:eek:) I posted about on another forum.
I'm interested in the 'wider and not as tall' bags. I've been looking for light, ZipLock-like containers of the appropriate size and shape that will allow baggies to be rolled over and back down the edges of the container but I haven't found any that work or that I like. Maybe a change in baggies would make the search easier...
FB
Todd Heyn
10-28-2007, 12:30
My wife and I just got back from the grocery store (ShopRite) with our new Handi-Vac. We were unable to get the coupon that everyone is talking about. The starter kit was $8.50 and there was an instant store credit for $1.00 that brought the sale price down to $7.50. After check out we also got a mail in rebate for another $5.00 off. That brings the final price down to $2.50. It would have been great to have the coupon because we would have gotten the Handi-Vac for FREE. Oh well, we are happy with the new purchase and the final price.
trippclark
04-23-2008, 11:06
I can finally do a post-trip report on using the Reynolds Handi-Vac freezer bags for Freezer Bag Cooking. I just returned from a 5-day AT trip. We had seven people in 2 different crews hiking. I prepared all of the dinners and breakfasts for everyone using these bags and the vacuum sealer, so this provided a test of some 40+ bags for FBC. As far as I am aware, none of the bars failed. I am certain that none in my crew failed. The greatest unexpected plus to these bags was that since their dimensions are wider yet shorter than conventional quart sized freezer bags, it was easier to eat out of the bag, even with a "regular length" spoon.
The one negative that I encountered was that when preparing the meals before the outing, I was unable to get an airtight vacuum seal on any of the meals that contained fine powders . . . powdered cheese sauce for example. Very fine but visible particles would catch in the air valve and prevent a true air-tight seal, so that within a few minutes, the once tight and compact vacuum sealed package was no longer such. As a result, for those meals with fine powdered incredients (which was about half of them), were not vacuum sealed.
I will probably continue to use the sealer and bags for some of my FBC meals, but not all. For meals with fine powder, it is not worth the higher cost of the bag when I cannot get the benefit of the airtight vacuum seal.
I should add that for its intended purpose -- home use and storage of freezer foods and refrigerated spoilable items, it is quite effective, IMO.
I have found these bags to be extremely useful for my own dehydrated meals.