Sales Rank: 4105


Features:

Includes Vacu Vin pump, one wine cork, and three storage containers

Forms airtight seals for open wine bottles and storage containers

Ideal containers for storing leftovers or dry foods

Reusable vacuum wine storage set ideal for all wine lovers

All pieces dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up

Average Rating:
Rating: - This handy device takes storage one step further
This is great for what you get. I have an electric vacuum sealer that I use all the time, but it cost me over a hundred dollars. Here' you get a good vacuum seal for a fraction of that. The vacue-vin is a very versatile and useful device. You can use it to marinate your dinner in half the time, store perishables in the refrigerator for extended periods, and extend the shelf life of most of your dry goods. Admittedly, most dry goods aren't terribly perishable, but you can save things like crackers, nuts, bread crumbs and cereal flakes for a lot longer with these jars. Buying bulk spices and storing them in a vacuum is definately a good idea- see my tip below about using mason jars. I'd also say that the vacu-vin is great for wine drinkers- if simply corked and refrigerated or left on the shelf a bottle of wine will get stale overnight- the vacu-vin will preserve that half bottle of wine for a few days. (I've heard a lot of people say that the system is pretty much useless with wine, but it's always worked for me).

The company probably wouldn't want you to know this, but using the rubber stoppers in a regular old mason jar that has had a whole drilled into it works well and extends the value of this system immeasureably. My $100+ electric device seals mason jars too, but not at this price.

I'm not saying that this system is superior to my eletric unit, I'm just saying that it does some of the same things for a better price, so for SOME consumers it might be a better option. But I have both and use them quite a bit. My guess is that most people will find this a pretty useful gadget.

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Rating: - Super Storage System
The vacu-vin food saver storage system is great! The container forms an airtight seal for leftovers or dry foods, allowing for a long storage time. Buy the larger, cheaping bulk packaged items at a savings, then repackage into smaller more usable portion using the vacu-vin containers. Put that extra few pieces of meat on the bar-b-que, cook and then put into the vacu-vin container for use later in the week, great bar-b-que later on.

The containers fit very nicely in the fridge, easy to clean up and are easy to use. Simply fit the vacuum into the seal and pump the handle until it "feels" firm, and the fresh food is well protected, because all the air has been removed. (Remember the old info-mercial for a product like this? But it costs about 3 times as much to do the same thing).

These items, the containers, marinater, wine stopper (bottle stopper), are a staple in my kitchen and cooking. A great product and a great price!

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Rating: - It does work...
As wine stoppers (the gray rubber cork element), these things are rather clever and seem to do their job rather well. (THe $10 wine-cap package Amazon sells is worth the price!)

But for long term food storage? I'm not so sure on the efficacy of this device. I had tested the vacuum ability by using marshmallows (okay, I actually used those gaudily colored Peeps). They would expand to twice their normal size. But upon leaving the marshmallowey Peep in a vacuum state for 2 hours, the Peep would slowly return to normal size. :-( Of course, when removing the seal, there was a great hiss of air (any air that might have escaped was minimal at best) the Peep shrunk in on itself - it's a cool effect that proves the seals on those canisters do work. But for how long?

I suppose the only way to tell if these canisters work long term is to vacuum up some vittles and let them sit for 3 months and do a taste test. Unfortunately, impatience is a virtue of mine so I'll just find another use for these canisters. :-)

I did one other test that's actually related to real food for once: Meat marinating. It is true that, in a vacuum, the pores of the animal tissues expand, allowing liquids to enter. The same can be said of Peeps, if you care for marinated peeps... Surprisingly, many people don't care for marinated peeps... They're kinda squishy though it's amusing how they retain their shape... Anyway, this thing does a doozy for marinating meet. I threw in some chicken breasts and yummy lemon pepper marinade sauce, pumped the air out, and let them sit for an hour. You can definitely tell the product works for marinating meats.

It's a keeper (marinating means more to me than food storage anyway) and I'm going to say 4 stars. Whether or not the product is of high enough quality to last for years is something only time will tell. :-)