Product FAQs

Help & How to Use

How can I tell if a bag is defective?

A good way to test a bag is to just seal both ends of the bag-do not vacuum seal the bag. Submerge the bag in water for a few seconds and look for bubbles in the bag itself or near the seal strip area. If there are bubbles, the bag is defective.

How do I make a Bag from a Roll?

1. Cut the desired amount of roll material.
2. Press Seal Button. The red seal light will illuminate.
3. Insert open end of bag into Vacuum Channel until clamp motor starts. The roll material must be centered between arrows. Continue to hold until clamp motor stops.
4. When red seal light turns off, sealing is complete.

What do I do if my bag melts?

If your bag melts, Sealing Strip may have become too hot. Always wait at least 20 seconds for the appliance to cool down before you vacuum package another item unless you are using the Professional II. This model allows you to vacuum package at least 50 consecutive bags without allowing time for the appliance to cool down.

I am having problems making the first seal on a bag I cut from a roll.

Ensure bag is flat and smooth and you have allowed three inches of space between the open end of the bag and the contents inside the bag.

If making a Seal to create a bag, first press the Seal button before inserting the bag. Hold the bag with two hands so the end curls DOWNWARD, gently stretch the bag flat while inserting. Insert a corner about one-half inch of Bag into center of Channel, then rotate bag into channel to activate both flags (on upper bag detection tray). Insert and wiggle side-to-side, while holding with two hands. Insert bag until the clamp motor begins and continue to hold unit the clamp motor stops.

Air was removed from the bag, but now air has re-entered

Examine seal of bag. A wrinkle along the seal may cause leakage and allow air to enter. Simply cut bag and reseal. Sometimes moisture or food material (such as juices, grease, crumbs, powders, etc.) along seal prevents bag from sealing properly. Cut bag open, wipe top inside of bag and reseal. See pages 2-3 for guidelines for specific foods. If you are vacuum packaging sharp food items, bag may have been punctured. Use a new bag if there is a hole. Cover sharp food items with a soft cushioning material and reseal. If you are still experiencing difficulty with air in your bag, fermentation or the release of natural gases from inside the foods may have occurred. When this happens, food may have begun to spoil and should be discarded.

When simmering food in a FoodSaver® bag, why does it split open at the seam?

Only place bags with frozen food inside the simmering water. The coldness of the food will keep the bag from becoming too hot while the food is heating up. If the food in the bag was frozen, but the bag split anyway, your bags are most likely defective.

Which side of the bag should be placed on the seal bar?

Place the embossed (rough) side down. If the bag is curling (the end of the roll may do this), place the curled side down over the seal bar and can be used either side up.

Which side of the bag should be placed into the vacuum channel?

The Seal will be effective with either clear side or textured side up. However, if the bag is curling (the end of the roll may do this), place the curled side down to allow for smooth and easy bag insertion.

When you get to the end of a roll of bag material, why won't the bags seal?

Try cutting off about 1/2 inch from the end of the bag. It is possible that the very end of the roll was compressed when rolled. Also, make sure you have made a straight cut. Check to see if you have the end of the bag over the gasket or into the vacuum channel. It should only go up to the gasket, no further.