Back when I worked in a grocery store I received the Ziploc Vacuum Starter Kit for free. If something is free why not give it a try!? It actually has a really good concept and I was hopeful that it would work as advertised. I got the product, the bags and the vacuum pump thing and followed the instructions as directed. You could tell the vacuum was low quality, it was flimsy. The Ziploc bags were sturdy like usual. You basically just put the vacuum to the vacuum hole on the bag and got the air out. Everything seemed okay, not great but eh. Few days later I noticed the bags I vacuumed in the freezer not vacuum sealed. I redid it a few times. They just wouldn't stay sealed when I put the bags of food in the freezer. It never worked. I just tossed the cheap vacuum part and used the rest of the bags like usual. I don't recommend the product. The vacuum is such low quality. It doesn't do that much and then the bags only stay sealed for a brief period of time.

evlmidget

Undisclosed

After receiving a coupon on a starter kit I purchased this product. The price with the coupon was really great and I thought this is a much smaller and a quicker alternative to my large electric FoodSaver. My observation was that the appliance was light weight and the bags readily available at first. As the product was out for awhile the bags became harder to find and more expensive. It did work at removing the air from the bags as long as you did not overload the bags and it worked best when bags were laying completely flat on counter. After owning this small appliance for a few months I noticed that I began to have trouble getting the bags to seal down and eventually it started not sealing at all. I think that if you are storing large amounts of food that a larger electric vacuum sealer is a better investment. For a smaller household that only uses this appliance occasionally, with some improvement that this appliance could be a lightweight, inexpensive and more convenient alternative. But I do think that Ziploc needs to go back and improve the duration that the appliance lasts and the quality of the appliance. I am sure then that they would have to charge more. The bags themselves seem to function fine and hold a seal well both in the freezer and pantry.

MAMC

Undisclosed

The Ziplock Vacuum is fantastic!  The 'other' brand is more expensive and very difficult to work. This vacuum REALLY does suck out all the air and its very easy, AND youdon't have to buy batteries. This item has already paid for itself with the food I have saved in the 1.5 months I've owned it!

faectious

Little Rock, AR

** The **Ziploc Vacuum Starter Kit is a great buy so you will be very happy after you buy it. I would reccomend this to anyone who is a neat freak like me cause you can see through them you know where everything is. If you bye this product you will be pleased so i hope this review was helpful. Great buy.** **

carlbrown

morro bay, CA

As a couponer, I was able to snag the Ziploc Vacuum Starter Kit and a box of Gallon-sized Vacuum bags at an amazing price, so I decided to try it out. And I love it. I've had friends who own an expensive vacuum sealer who swear by it.  As a busy couple they love making extra food to seal and freeze for a later time.  But I felt, when seeing their sealer, there was a lot of waste.  A lot of the plastic was left at the beginning and end of the section - thus a lot of refills were necessary.  I love that Ziploc's option is a lot more affordable and the bags are re-usable.  I've still not bought another box of bags - I simply wash and re-use them. My favorite use for Ziploc's vacuum is for storing meat.  I first put the meat in a regular ziploc bag, sealed most of the way but with a small opening left for air to be vacuumed out.  Doing this, I can separate my meat into individual servings (as in 1lb increments) and store a few of these in one gallon-sized bag.  Then I use the easy-to-use pump to pull out all the air.  This requires a little muscle, but I love watching the bag shrink up as the air comes out. The only disadvantage is that lately I've noticed when I pull the bags out of the freezer, they're not as tightly packed as when I put them in.  A lot of air has returned into them.  I'm not sure if they're not sealed right or if it's a result of using the bags too much or what.  Even so, my food has stayed fresh. My food lasts so much longer.  I used to have a freezer filled with freezer-burned meats - but not in the year or two since I've owned Ziploc's vacuum sealer. I am definitely a fan!

arow97

Shawnee, OK

I can't afford an expensive vaccum sealer so I decided to give this a try. I found it to be very easy to use, just line up the suction to the valve on the bag and pump the air out, it doesn't get any easier than that. I buy large packages of meat and poultry and can divide them out into individual portions, so I am saving a ton of money and I always have the perfect amount for just me. I can also make big batches of cookies, pancakes, waffles, and freeze them without worrying about them going bad before I can eat them. It saves me time and money. I freeze all kinds of things, being in a 1 person household I find that I have a lot of things to freeze, and I have frozen items for 3 months or more and never have to throw anything out because of freezer burn. Everything taste fresh and I have no wasting anymore. I would recommnd this to anyone who is looking for an inexpensive vacuum sealer. I don't know why others are having problems with it working, but it works great for me.

ginagirlio

Undisclosed

I was initially very excited about this product...sealed up a couple bags of food.  Each time the pump was easy to use and all of the air would be sucked out of the bag and all would be good. Then i'd check about an hour later, and several of the bags had lost their seal...they were still sealed at the 'ziplock' part , but there was air in the bags again... a couple kept their seal from the beginning, as they were supposed to, but the majority lost seal, after multiple attempts to reseal.

bejwee

Independence, OH

I have had this product for quite some time and although I really loved it eases of use and the great job it did at first. The bags worked great at keeping the food fresh in the freezer without freezer burn and still tasting great when they were opened. I have since had to throw the item away because it has totally quit working and sealing anything at all. At first you had to be sure that the item was very flat on the seal button  in order for the air to be removed but after some time it didn't matter the air never was removed. I liked the light weight machine and the quickness of using it. I didn't mind buying the bags as they really did work well. I still use the bags but manually remove the air. I am not sure if I would risk buying another vaccum sealer. I love the Ziploc brand and the many features they offer in their products. I think with a few adjustments this could truly be a great sealer for a great price.

manzer001

Glenshaw, PA

I am cheap.  I hate spending money.  But I am glad I shelled out the money for this.  The Ziploc Vacumm Starter Kit is a wonderful ktichen accessory.  Put your meat in the bag, close it up. Then use the manual pump to suck out the air, creating a vacuum seal.  This product works wonders.  Freezer burn is no more when you use this product.  Pros of this product is:  It works wonders.  It saves meats, vegetables, etc.  If you can fit it in the bag and get the air sucked out, it will keep it frozen and fresh. It makes making the meats and other frozen things stackable, creating more space in the freezer.  Cons of this product:  The seals can come undone.  Your hands can get tired from pumping if you have a lot of food to freeze.  The vacuum pump is kind of flimsy.  You have to buy special bags for it, and they don't come in a high quantity.  All in all, I would definitely recommend this product.

thirteenthmuse

Potts Camp, MS

We're a growing family and as such we like to buy food in bulk and freeze it for later, otherwise we'd be going to the grocery store everyday!  I would use regular Ziploc freezer bags for meats and any other food we were freezing and after awhile they all came out freezer burned or extra ice inside.  I was frustrated because Ziploc is a good brand so why wasn't it working?!  When they came out with this vacuum pump I bought it immediately!  It's so easy to use, just pump it over the spot on the bag to remove the air from the bag and then put it in the freezer.  My meats, cheese, fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer and are never freezer burned since i've been using this!  I also like that it's not battery powered so I don't have to go through a ton of batteries for it to work.  The only thing is you have to buy the special bags and sometimes they're hard to find in the store.  But they come in gallon and quart size for whatever your needs are.  These really are great to have for freezer food storage!

texasjewel

Spring, TX