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Accessories => Gadgets and Gizmos => Topic started by: swthorpe on May 20, 2014, 08:24:43 AM

Title: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: swthorpe on May 20, 2014, 08:24:43 AM
I am close to pulling the trigger on a food sealer.  In addition to the reviews already posted, I came across the FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe that is sold at Cabela's for about $140.   Has anyone used one of these or a related FoodSaver product?   Thanks!
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: NDKoze on May 20, 2014, 10:09:41 AM
For home use where you will not be sealing more than 5-6 bags in a short time this should work awesome.

If you need to be able to seal more than 5-6 bags at a time, it would be worth it to upgrade to a model that claims that it can accommodate "repetitive sealing". For example, the Food Saver Professional has the following listed in its details:

Quote
Designed with repetitive sealing in mind, this appliance can seal up to 25 times consecutively.

http://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-sealers/FSFSSL0320-000.html (http://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-sealers/FSFSSL0320-000.html)

If you ever anticipate the need for resealing a bunch of bags in a short time, it would be worth the extra $50 on this unit.

The reason that I say this is that several times a year, my family and I smoke Snack Stix and Summer Sausage that we vacuum seal. I have a newer Home use Food Saver (6-7 years-old) and I can only seal about 5-6 bags before the heat strip gets too warm and the unit requires a 5 minute or so cool down period. This is normal for the home models. So there isn't' anything to worry about if you get a home model.

My parents have a Food Saver that they have had for I am guessing 10+ years and it works as good today as the day that they bought it. It looks exactly like mine, but for some reason their heat strip has never overheated. With their Food Saver we seal probably 20-30 bags consecutively without a problem.

I know you may have read a bunch of reviews of $300+ models and for some people they can justify it. But for me, my home model works perfect for my use. I use it to seal up my leftovers or if I buy bulk meat that I want to pack into smaller packs. I buy my Pork Butts at Sam's and they come in a two pack. So, I typically vacuum seal one of the butts in a 2 gallon bag and save it for another time. And my model is a more basic model than the Game Saver model that you are looking at.

If I had that extra money I would skip the expensive sealers, get a model like you are looking at or the one I pasted the link to and use the extra money to buy more meat to smoke. ;)

This is my 2 cents anyway.
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: swthorpe on May 21, 2014, 07:43:33 AM
Thanks, Gregg...very helpful!    A new Cabela's opened in Delaware earlier this month, so we are planning to take a trip and check it out this weekend.   I'll see which models of the Foodsaver they have, or I might just order it online from the company.
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: mnsmoker on May 21, 2014, 03:19:10 PM
I recently bought the food saver 2200 at Wal Mart for 70 bucks, I purchased it to start my dry aged beef hobbie but have used it a lot with no over heating issues, sealed 13 bags in 15 to 20 minutes with no issues and the vacuum seems to work great on the large 16 plus pounders that I've used it on, plus it came with abunch of free bags.
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: DivotMaker on May 21, 2014, 07:52:22 PM
I have a FoodSaver Professional III that I've had for around 10 years, and it's great.  Mine gets a pretty good workout, and has never let me down.  I see the new Pro model looks quite a bit different!  If it performs like the old Pro 3, you can't go wrong.  Solid units, whichever way you go.  The GameSaver used to be a version of the Pro model, but I think they've made it more like the "big box" models now.  I burned out one of the $70 WalMart models before I finally sprung for the Pro model.
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: mnsmoker on May 22, 2014, 04:10:48 PM
You can never go wrong jumping up a couple of grades in quality with anything. The 2400 was 140 almost pulled the trigger...hope mine doesn't go out the same day I purchase a 150 dollar slab of meat, 150 for the meat 140 for the vacuum ouch!!!!
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: DivotMaker on May 22, 2014, 08:48:00 PM
The FS Pro 3 is still working great, but, man am I drooling over a chamber sealer!  It would be cool to vacuum pack liquid or something like pizza flour!  If you haven't seen how a chamber sealer works, you owe it to yourself to check out YouTube.  It's amazing!
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: swthorpe on June 19, 2014, 09:10:58 AM
Final verdict:  We purchased the Foodsaver v4880 purchased on Amazon.com; regularly listed at $299, sale price of $165.  I am guessing the model is being replaced by something else.    Absolutely loving it!   Can't wait to start freezing extra pulled pork, etc.
Title: Re: FoodSaver GameSaver Deluxe
Post by: DivotMaker on June 19, 2014, 08:11:30 PM
Congrats on the new addition to the war chest, Steve!