The Reynold's Handi Vac is no longer being widely sold in stores. According to the Handi Vac product website, it has been discontinued because it did not have the demand necessary to sustain it's former distribution. However, you can still have the Handi Vac and bags shipped directly to you through My Brands.
How I Discovered the Handi-Vac:
I had never used a vacuum food sealer before. Because of the price of all the systems I knew of, I opted to use freezer bags alone instead. They did help to cut down on freezer-burn but sometimes the food I defrosted still had a funny taste. My mother in-law bought the Handi-Vac for my husband and I months ago. It sat in the cupboard until we changed our eating and shopping habits to eat healthier and save money.
How I Use the Handi-Vac:
When the cost of gas and food started to rise significantly we began to cut back on buying lunch at work. The Handi-Vac works great for our system of planning meals in advance, preparing more than one meal at a time, and not letting any food go to waste by freezing leftovers. This makes it so that we can enjoy healthy meals without having to spend a lot of time preparing them each night. This prevents us from being tempted to order out for foods that aren't good for health. I hated how sauces and gravies tasted after freezing them but they taste better after we remove excess air with the Handi-Vac
We also find the Handi-Vac useful because we like to buy in bulk and freeze some items for later use. This is especially true for foods that don't taste very good after they're defrosted and reheated. Although it's designed for freezing foods, we use it to preserve the freshness of foods at room temperature as well.
How the Handi-Vac Works:
The Handi-Vac works by removing air from freezer storage bags. You simply place your food in the freezer bag, seal the bag, and place the vacuum sealer on the seal on the front of the bag. Then you lay the bag on the counter and press the vacuum button and hold it until you don't see any more air in the bag. Removing excess air cuts down on freezer burn.
Cost:
You can find the starter kit and bags for sale at retailers like Walmart and Target in the same aisles you find other storage bags and food wraps. The system costs less than $10. The starter kit came with the vacuum sealer and three quart-size freezer bags. This is pennies considering how much the vacuum can save you in preventing wasted food. The product website claims that a family can waste over $1,000 each year in food.
Care and Clean-up:
The Handi-Vac can be easily wiped off with a damp cloth or paper towel. Cabinet space is limited in my house so I love that It is small so it can be easily stored out of the way in my kitchen drawer.
Downsides to the Handi-Vac:
Since the Handi-Vac uses collapsible plastic bags, getting liquids, sauces, and gravies in the bag without spilling them can be difficult. Also, the Handi-Vac is not electric. It is battery-powered and you have to replace the AA batteries by removing a screw. The removal of the battery cover could be easier if there were a tab or something similar to squeeze. All in all, the upsides greatly outweigh the downsides and I highly recommend this product for healthier eating and saving money.
Handi-Vac.com
Visit this Reynolds Handi-Vac website for a video product demonstration and helpful tips about freezer storage in general.