Even first-time users will quickly get the hang of this nifty device. By vacuuming air out of food storage bags, the food inside stays fresher longer--years longer, in many cases. After food is placed in a bag, the edge is laid along the Teflon coated sealing strip and the lid closed. Two hands are required to press down on the top. A choice of two seal times, long and short, ensure that the FoodSaver’s nylon piston pump vacuums out as much air as desired: longer for wet foods, such as meats, and shorter for dry foods, such as pasta. The machine then creates a wide, tight seal. FoodSaver’s patented dual-layer bags, made of UV-protective and FDA-approved materials, can be frozen (and prevent freezer burn on foods), microwaved, and boiled. The kit includes three quart-size and two gallon-size bags, along with an 11-inch-by-10-foot roll that can be cut with the built-in cutter to customized lengths and sealed with the Seal Only setting. An accessory port allows the included 30-inch hose to be attached in order to vacuum seal homemade foods in jars, cans, and bottles, or in the kit’s round, 3/4-quart canister. A how-to video takes away all the guesswork. White with gray trim, the FoodSaver Vac 800 measures 15 by 9-1/2 by 4 inches. --Ann Bieri
