Homemade Sausage Making

Hi everyone,
In spite I went through this forum and found several posts discussing vacuum sealers but I did not really found an answer for my question: which sealer is better.
I am not going to but a vacuum chamber because I don't do too much of packaging but need a relatively powerful and reliable one and within a price range up to $400.
Currently there are several on market which I am considering and I am asking for your advice here:

1.Weston Pro-2300 Stainless Steel, $366
Pros - thick heating strip and strong suction pressure, reliable seals, Double-piston vacuum pump, Top notch moist food handling, Transparent lid for bag alignment, fan-cooled motor; cord storage
Cons - 1 year of warranty is very short for that kind of kitchen appliance, can`t seal any other containers than bags, does not have roll storage and cutter bar

2.The FoodSaver® GameSaver® Titanium G800 Food Preservation System w/ Bonus Offer, $360
Pros - up to 100 consecutive seals, Extra Wide Sealing Strip for the Strongest Seal, Convenient roll storage and cutter bar, Single Seal or Dual Seal options, dual piston vacuum pump
Cons - 30-day refund policy and a limited lifetime warranty against defects in materials or workmanship, doesn`t have an on/off switch

3.VacMaster PRO 350, $236
Pros - Double-piston vacuum pump, 12" seal bar with two seal wires - makes two seals at once, New 5mm super wide single seal, see through cover lid over the bar, Built-in cooling fan, Roll storage and cutter - store rolls up to 50 feet, Transparent lid
Cons - 1-Year Limited Warranty

They all have a Durable stainless steel body.

I consider this as a relatively long term investment and would like to avoid any potential mistakes. Definitely I know that no one can guarantee that sealer never going to brake but...

In general, Weston Pro-2300 is rated higher and considered a best seller on the market within this price range but I do need your opinion on this if you don't mind because.... You are the best!

Thank you in advance,

After going through many external vacuum sealers I purchased a chamber machine and will never look back. With the MUCH lower cost of bags it gets used a lot more often.
Ary is making a dual machine now that also can seal the long bags for whole loins, ribs ect. at just over what your budget is. Maybe worth looking into.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vac ... MA550.html

I agree with Bob. If you can justify a chamber you won't look back especially if you are planning on using it a lot the cost and selection of the bags will pay for the difference. It just really depends on what you can justify though but whatever you buy I think the double seal is important.

Bob K and Butterbean,

I am more than agree with you on that. After reading multiple reviews on several (less expensive) chamber models I was considering to buy one but chamber`s size....!!! It is huge.
I am still fighting with myself on "YES" or "NO" but there is no way my wife will allow me to keep it on our countertop. I am not planning to use it a lot in nearest future but who knows... what`s going to happen in let say 2-3 years.... OK, whatever I decide to buy - I`ll test it and let you know how it performs. Thank you for your advice!

bolepa wrote: but there is no way my wife will allow me to keep it on our countertop.

That's a large consideration as even the "portable" ones weigh in at 50lbs.

Bob K wrote:After going through many external vacuum sealers I purchased a chamber machine and will never look back. With the MUCH lower cost of bags it gets used a lot more often.
Ary is making a dual machine now that also can seal the long bags for whole loins, ribs ect. at just over what your budget is. Maybe worth looking into.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vac ... MA550.html

If I was going to buy a new machine, that's the one I'd get. Chamber sealers are great.

But, on another note, I use a FoodSaver V825, which I probably got around 2009. I've sealed thousands of items with it, and many of those items are sealed for sous-vide. It's still kickin' to this day. Would I suggest using it to seal a moose? No, but for normal household type use, it's great and not expensive. If you are going to be sealing mass quantities, then yes, definitely look for a heavy duty unit. If not, IMHO they are overkill.

Gentlemen,
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with me and giving your advice. In spite my old FoodSaver 2400 series vac sealer is slowly dying, I did not decide just yet which one to buy... Tough task!
Without any questions (even it's over my budget) I would go with a chamber but it's size and weight....a killer! Well... I think I will go with a cheaper FoodSaver machine from Costco for now. Meantime, I will try to prepare (during next 2-4 month) my dear wife for a ..... CHAMBER!!! Who knows - If I will be creative enough my trick will work! Thank you to all again!

Just bought a used VP545 chamber vac. To anyone using one what is the largest size piece of meat you've used it on? I am specifically wondering if I can do a bone in full ham. My preference is to EQ cure under vacuum but not sure this will work with this machine. Got a hellofa deal though!

As long as it fits in the bags and chamber. You can use bags that are longer than recommended for the machine, to help accommodate girth, but the width must be shorter than the seal bar. With the 20" seal bar(s) on that machine should not be a problem.