Vacmaster Chamber Sealers, Which One to Get?

[AZRaptor]

My current FoodSaver siphon sealer has died and I've decided to get a chamber vacuum sealer. The bags for the chamber sealers are much cheaper than the siphon sealer bags so I'm using that to justify to myself the higher cost of the machine (that and the chamber vac machines just seem cool :grin.
I'm looking at the VP112, 120, 210 and 215 and not seeing a ton of differences. (The VP320 and up are a bit of overkill for what I want).

VP112
Dry maintenance-free 2 cylinder piston pump
12 Inch removable seal bar with a 4mm wide positive seal
Cycle Time: 30-60 Seconds
Maximum Chamber Pouch Size: 12” x 14”
Chamber Size (WxDxH): 12” x 11” x 5”

VP120
Dry maintenance-free 2 cylinder piston pump
11.5 Inch removable seal bar with single seal wire.
Cycle Time: 30-60 seconds
Maximum Chamber Pouch Size: 11.5” x 13”
Chamber Size (WxDxH): 11.75" X 11.5" X 4"

VP210
Maintenance-free pump
10 Inch removable seal bar with double seal wire
Cycle Time: 20-60 Seconds
Maximum Chamber Pouch Size: 10” x 13”
Chamber Size (WxDxH): 11.25” x 15.25” x 5”

VP215
Heavy-duty 1/4 hp oil pump
10 Inch removable seal bar with double seal wire
Cycle Time: 20-40 Seconds
Maximum Chamber Bag Size: 10” x 13”
Chamber Size (WxDxH): 11.25” x 15.25” x 5”

So now for the questions:

1) Is there a big performance difference between single and double seal wires? The double seal wire bars also seem to be shorter and therefore force you to use narrower bags.
2) The 210 is listed as a maintenance free motor, so what kind of maintenance is needed on the 215?
3) For those of you that own one of these, did you look at the other models as well? What caused you to pick the one you did? Have you experienced any drawbacks or misgivings with the one you purchased?

 

[MountainMan]

I'm waiting for my external clamp machine to die so I can replace it with a VacMaster.

Have you looked at the DUO550? http://https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/vacmaster-duo550-suction-and-chamber-vacuum-sealer-in-one/

It is an interesting concept.

One of my concerns is chamber depth as I do a Sous Vide roast on occasion.

 

[padge31]

I would like to get a vac master also. I think I would get the vp112.

 

[AZRaptor]

I'm waiting for my external clamp machine to die so I can replace it with a VacMaster.

Have you looked at the DUO550? http://https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/vacmaster-duo550-suction-and-chamber-vacuum-sealer-in-one/

It is an interesting concept.

One of my concerns is chamber depth as I do a Sous Vide roast on occasion.

I watched a YouTube demo on the DUO550 and the external bag sealing looked a bit awkward. I do a good amount of souls vide as well but mostly flat stuff. The VP112 has the widest chamber of these 4.

I would like to get a vac master also. I think I would get the vp112.

I watched some more demos and I'm leaning towards the VP112s based on cost, but one concern I have is the lid mechanism as it seems the attachment via the arms isn't as sturdy as the simple flip up top. There were also some reports of minor cracks in the dome over time, but they redesigned the VP112 as the VP112s and I think this is supposed to be fixed now.

 

[MountainMan]

I Like the VP112S also although the footprint is ugly for my counter space.

The reason I looked at the DUO550 is that I often but a three pack of ribs from Costco and can only use one rack at a time for myself, although I guess I could smoke all three and freeze them..

I would love to hear any comments about freezing and cooking later vs cooking and freezing. I may try to start a discussion or two.

 

[airedale]

I watched a YouTube demo on the DUO550 and the external bag sealing looked a bit awkward. I do a good amount of souls vide as well but mostly flat stuff. The VP112 has the widest chamber of these 4.



I watched some more demos and I'm leaning towards the VP112s based on cost, but one concern I have is the lid mechanism as it seems the attachment via the arms isn't as sturdy as the simple flip up top. There were also some reports of minor cracks in the dome over time, but they redesigned the VP112 as the VP112s and I think this is supposed to be fixed now.

Why don't you just call their tech support line with your questions? Sure, you'll get the party line to some extent but guaranteed you will learn something. If nothing else you will learn how easy it is to get to a knowledgeable tech support person.

I think those chamber sealers look great but no way do I have storage space to devote to such a specialized tool.