I'm late to the thread, but let me add this. Don't waste the money on the Zip-Loc one. The bags are very hit and miss. I've found that if any hop dust gets anywhere near the "suck-hole", it will never properly seal. I'm getting a Foodsaver model in the near future as i tend to buy meat in bulk when its on sale.
Not to mention they do not seem to be available anymore. Or is it the Reynolds? Can't remember. I have one of them. It has the battery eating operated vacuum. All local stores still carry the vacuum but no bags?!
They worked well enough. Some were hit or miss but it was a cheap solution for a while.
I guess next season I will need a new system, but every review I read about all the various $$ brands (foodsaver, seal-a-meal, deni, rival, etc...) out there are pretty uninspiring. All seem to have there issues. Whether expensive bag material or ineffective sealing. It seams like you need to spend a few hundred dollars!
Guess that is why I went with the $10 solution to begin with. Wish the still sold the bags.
