Keep Leftovers Fresh With The FoodSaver V3840
For those people who hate to throw away leftovers or those who like to keep foodstuffs in the freezer till freezer burn occurs, the FoodSaver V3840 is a very welcome addition to a kitchen counter. The device helps to prevent freezer burn and keeps food frsh by removing the air in the bags and then heatsealing the bag. You can then place the goods in your freezer. A small caveat that we felt needed to be placed – the removal of the air and the heat sealing without refrigeration or freezing doesn’t prevent the food from spoiling. The food still needs to be frozen or refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Breads and crackers and such, though, last much longer when vacuum packed, even out of the freezer.
Since we are people who like to read the instruction manual, we didn’t find the learning curve of the FoodSaver too cumbersome, although that would have been a different story if we hadn’t. Operation isn't immediately obvious without it, because there are no buttons! Instead, you just place the food you want to vacuum seal into one of the six quart-sized heat seal bags provided and place the bag into the machine. The machine detects the bag and immediately starts vacuuming, then seals – using one of two sealing modes you select. After the air is evacuated and the bag shut, it automatically shuts off. There is also a progress display which shows you when vacuuming is complete, which was a feature we loved. Hands free operation means less mess and fuss.
The FoodSaver comes with a nice variety of features, of which our favorite was the liquid detection system which senses the amount of moisture in the foods and changes the level of the seal causing a reduction in the mess made. It's much more effective than the machines we remembered from our childhoods.
Some of the other features are speed control, CrushFree Instant Seal to protect delicate food, marinate mode to infuse foods with flavors, and even a built-in roll handler and cutter to create custom bags for your needs. The device also comes with an accessory port which allows vacuum packaging with FoodSaver canisters, lids and bottle stoppers. We most definitely liked all the extra features of the FoodSaver but felt them to be a little unnecessary for the needs of an average home.
Our main dislike of the FoodSaver was not just that there were not enough bags provided (10 total) but also that the bags are expensive, with 48 quart bags costing around $20.99. The bags can be found for cheaper on Amazon although the rolls seem to be more cost-effective (two rolls are included in the box as well). Over time, though, your savings can add up- we left a few bags of chips out and a couple of loaves of bread out for only a day and they immediately went bad. Sealed, they lasted indefinitely, and you can reseal bags making it worthwhile even for small quantities.The stainless steel look goes nicely in most kitchens, and a one year limited warranty helps, er, seal the deal.
They offer a variety of models, should this one be a bit too much for your needs. The FoodSaver V3840 can be found on the internet for around $175.
About the Author
Gbemiga In Gbemiga Sodipe's 28 years on this planet, he has lived on every continent but South America and has had a wide variety of jobs and experiences. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Microsoft in Beijing and as a coupon delivery guy in Springfield, Missouri. He loves books and is partial to Sci-Fi and Nonfiction but if you put any book in front of him his mind will be gone from this world and into the world of the book. Unless of course you put Uncle Toms Cabin or any book by L. Ron Hubbard in front of him, then he will first beat you to a bloody pulp with the book then commit what he considers to be one of his Seven Deadly Sins i.e. burn the book. In fact he for a time considered books much more interesting and less problematic than girls but that was during his early teenage years (ok maybe also every now and then but don’t tell his girlfriend that). Gbemiga speaks English and Mandarin Chinese fluently, understands but can’t speak Yoruba (to his mother’s eternal chagrin, even though it’s her fault) and knows the insults and swear words of 5 other languages (thank you International upbringing).
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