Food Saver: What brand/model of vacuum sealer really works?

[Angie in VA]

I bought a Food Saver a few years ago. it's not the big daddy. We tried sealing chicken breast the other night, and it worked for a few bags, but then didn't get all the air out. I think we  should just get whatever is at Costco and if that fails, just take it back, but I wanted to check w/ the Hive first. 

We bought bags, but are the rolls a paln? Hard to work with? Make for too much waste?

Bonus points for opinions on generic sealing bags. 

 

[Guest]

I have the Kenmore Seal and Save. This is Sears brand, so who knows if that is even available still, but this one has worked fine for years and years. I have used a bunch of different kinds of bags; IMO, buying the bags is the MOST annoying thing about it by far. For several years, I always bought them at Sears because I was afraid other kinds wouldn’t work, but that was not practical. I have bougnt the Food Saver rolls at Bed, Bath, Beyond and those are good, but I feel like it is wasteful. One time I ordered Ziploc brand off Amazon and was furious when they arrived with a stupid perferation down the center, so the actual bags could only be like 4” wide. That is an absolutely *useless* configuration! So now I am gun shy to order it from Amazon ever again. 

I personally like the rolls over the bags (as long as they are the full width!) I don’t find it awkward to seal the end, reel out the section needed for a bag, cut it, fill it and seal it up.