Okay, so picture this: my garden’s exploding, my pantry’s bursting with homemade goodies, and I may or may not have a slight mason jar obsession. Naturally, when I heard about the FoodSaver Plastic Jar Sealer, promising to keep my precious sauces, jams, and dehydrated treats fresh for longer, I was all in. I mean, who wouldn’t be?
The kit itself? Pretty standard stuff. You get a sealer for wide-mouth jars, one for regular ones, and a hose to hook it up to your FoodSaver machine. It’s plastic, feels reasonably solid, and the whole thing looks easy enough to use.
So, first up: my famous tomato sauce. I carefully spooned it into my squeaky-clean mason jars, making sure to leave a little space at the top. Then, lid on, wide-mouth sealer in place, hose connected to my FoodSaver… and go. The machine kicked into action, sucking out the air, and I stood there, practically holding my breath. Fingers crossed!
Now, here’s the deal – when this thing works, it’s like a little miracle. Seriously! I’ve got jars of dried herbs and grains that have been sealed for months, and they’re still as vibrant as the day I packed them away. That airtight seal? Total peace of mind.
And bonus points for being dishwasher safe! Cleanup is honestly the last thing I want to worry about, so being able to just toss the sealers in the dishwasher is a huge win. Plus, it handles both regular and wide-mouth jars, which is super handy.
But… and there’s always a “but,” isn’t there? This is where my love affair gets a little complicated. See, I’d say I get a perfect seal maybe 70% of the time. The other 30%? Ugh. The lid either pops off a little while later, or it just doesn’t seal properly to begin with. I’ve tried everything – tweaking the pressure, obsessively cleaning the jar rims, even using brand-new lids. Still, the inconsistency is there. Makes you wonder if that gasket could be improved, right?
Also, that hose connection? A bit of a pain sometimes. Getting it just right, so it’s airtight and the vacuum actually starts… takes a little… finesse. Let’s just say I’ve had a few wrestling matches with that hose.
And a little tip: I’ve noticed the wide-mouth sealer is way more reliable than its regular-mouth counterpart. The regular one seems to need a perfect placement and a whole lot of luck to get a decent seal.
So, the big question: is it worth it? Honestly, the FoodSaver Jar Sealer Kit is a bit of a mixed bag. When it’s on its game, it’s amazing for keeping your home-canned treasures and pantry staples fresh as a daisy. But those hit-or-miss seals and the occasional fiddly bits can be a real headache.
If you’re a die-hard mason jar addict and you’re up for a bit of experimenting and troubleshooting, then yeah, give it a try. Just be prepared for a bit of a learning curve and the odd sealing fail. But if you’re after a totally foolproof, 100% reliable solution? Maybe keep looking.
My final score? I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s got potential, but it definitely needs a little more polish.