Cars aren’t the only pieces of machinery that need their oil changed from time to time. Vacuum food sealers, especially chamber sealers, also need to have their oil changed. This isn’t something that has to be done by a technician or a specialist. It is something you can easily do yourself.

At ABC Office, we have some of the best Service Technicians available. Because we are an authorized dealer of Minipack products, we can provide you with parts, repair services and are able to fix just about any Minipack product.

Our Service Department has come up with a step-by-step guide that can be used to help change the oil on just about any Minipack MVC vacuum sealer. You can find our vacuum sealer oil change guide here.

If you need additional assistance or some replacement parts, you can contact our Service Department by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129 or by filling out this form.

You can find our entire selection of Minpack vacuum sealers here and our entire line of vacuum food sealers here.

A customer recently asked me if it was possible to vacuum seal liquids in a bag for storage, mailing and retail purposes. The customer informed me that they thought it would probably make a huge mess. I let the customer know that it was not only possible, but a lot of people do it. I’ll explain.

To begin with, chamber vacuum sealers are frequently used to package liquids. Not only does it not make a mess, but it is also extremely easy to do. The end results look great and are completely airtight.

Our main chamber vacuum sealer manufacturer, Minipack, manufactures a special stainless steel angled base designed to keep a bag, containing liquids or powders, upright and supported during the sealing process. If you are ordering a machine, be sure to let us know that you are using it for liquids. This adjustable angled base can be later purchased if you already own a Minipack chamber sealer.

Trying to vacuum seal liquids using an external sealer, or a flat base chamber sealer, can produce some pretty messy results. If you already have a chamber sealer, and don’t have an angled base, you may still be able to vacuum seal liquids by using plastic blocks to support the bag during the sealing process.

Not all liquids, however, can be vacuum sealed. We had a customer a few months back ask us if we could vacuum seal wine. We had them send in some samples and we tried packaging the wine in some special Mylar vacuum seal bags. After a few days the carbonation caused the bags to expand to an unstable state. You will not be able to safely vacuum seal any carbonated liquids.

So why do people vacuum seal liquids? For one, it is fairly cheap compared to other containers. Secondly, because air is removed, the shelf life is significantly extended. Vacuum sealing liquids is also great for storage purposes.

You can find our entire selection of chamber vacuum food sealers here. Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 to speak with one of our vacuum sealer specialists. They will be able to answer any questions you may have about vacuum packing liquids.

We have been offering a great selection of Minipack brand vacuum food sealers for some time now. This includes both chamber and external sealers. The only problem is that most of these sealers are designed for higher-volume packaging. We have just added a new vacuum food sealer, the Foodshell FS-500, designed for home use.

The new Foodshell FS-500 vacuum food sealer is a compact external-style sealer. It only weighs in at 4 pounds, so most people shouldn’t have a problem moving this around. It can be used on just about any table or countertop and is about as easy to use as a toaster oven.  The Foodshell FS-500 uses a “One Click” process leading to vacuuming and sealing automatically

The main purpose of the Foodshell FS-500 is to help people protect and preserve food. Simply place food in a bag, or use a vacuum sealer film roll (can use both) and let the Foodshell extract the air and seal the bag shut with a 2mm seal.

The Foodshell FS-500 measures in at 14.6″ x 6″ x 3.2″ and uses a split chamber, which makes cleaning easy.

The Foodshell has many benefits, including:

• Keeps food fresh and healthy longer – It is well known that vacuum food sealers help keep food fresh for a longer period of time, sometimes by 3-4 times longer than non-vacuum sealed food. Vacuum sealing also helps prevent nutrient robbing oxidation.
• Allows you to buy groceries in bulk - Sometimes an opportunity arises where you can buy food in bulk at a discounted price. The only downside is that it is hard to preserve excess food. The Foodshell FS-500 helps by preserving bulk food.
• Makes it easy  to prepare meals in advance – Vacuum food sealers make it easy to create complete meals in advance for cooking later. Think of it as homemade TV dinners.
• Helps reduce waste and spoilage – Less spoilage means less waste. Less waste means money-savings for you.
• Preserves flavor, freshness, nutrients, and color of food - Vacuum-Sealed food maintains flavor, nutrients, freshness and more for a longer period of time versus non vacuum-sealed food.
• Makes the best use of freezer space – As many of us know, freezers are often limited in space. The Foodshell FS-500 makes it easy to re-package food, making it easier to store in a freezer.

So there you have it. The new and compact Foodshell FS-500 vacuum food sealer. This should be a great option for home vacuum sealing and food preservation. You can view the Foodshell FS-500 vacuum food sealer here. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

I recently had a customer, who owned a Minipack Cyclone 30, ask me which vacuum sealer bags he should use. The previous day I received a similar question from someone who owned a Minipack MVS 31. There is a very simple answer this question.

While Minipack chamber and external vacuum food sealers can be used with many different brands of vacuum sealer bags, why not just use bags direct from the source? The best Minipack vacuum sealer bags, in my opinion, are bags made by Minipack.

All the external and chamber bags we offer are made by the very manufacturers that make the machines. This means the bags we sell WILL work with ALL Minipack vacuum sealers.

I have heard nothing but praise for our Minipack vacuum food sealer bags.

• You can find our chamber vacuum food sealer bags here.
• You can find our external vacuum food sealer bags here.

Do you still have questions about our vacuum food sealer bags or machines? Feel free to speak with one of our specialists at 1-800-658-8788. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

Do you need to vacuum pack a lot of fruit, meat, vegetables or other food items? If so, you should consider using a chamber vacuum sealer. Chamber sealers are perfect for removing unwanted air and creating a tight seal. Once model you may want to consider for your commercial needs is the Minipack MVS 50 chamber vacuum food sealer. This is my review.

If you have ever dealt with shrink wrap packaging or vacuum food sealing, you are probably familiar with the Minipack line of packaging machines. The MVS line is considered many to be one of the best-built vacuum food sealers around. So what sets the MVS 50 apart from the rest?

To begin with, the MVS 50 has a large chamber. It measures in at 26″ X 20.25″ X 8.75″. This is big enough to vacuum seal most food products. While Minipack does make bigger vacuum food sealers, many find the MVS 50 to be more than enough for most commercial vacuum sealing projects

The MVS 50 is available in a couple of power configurations. This includes a 208V and a 220V version. It also includes a single phase or 3 phase power supply, depending on what your needs are. Ultimately the end results are the same and the usability is the same, regardless of the version you use.

The entire vacuum food sealing process takes less than a minute. Once your product is in a vacuum sealing bag and is in place, the hood can be lowered. Once lowered, the MVS5 begins to remove air from the chamber. It is capable of removing up to 99.9% of the chamber air (although this can be adjusted). The 4mm thick seal is tough.

Once the necessary amount of air has been removed, the bag is sealed and the atmosphere within the chamber is brought back to normal. It is really fun to watch. As the air is returned, you can see the plastic shrink and cling to the food. An inert gas air kit is available for this machine.

I think one of the things that really sets the MVS chamber sealers apart from the rest is the fact that these machines are so easy to use. Unlike many comparable models out there, the MVS 50 has no complicated dials or fine-tuned adjustments that you have to worry about.

The control panel is digital. It is simple to tell the machine the amount of air you want removed, the amount of time the sealing needs to happen and more. It can store up to 9 custom programs, making it easy to switch from meat to chips to strawberries.

The edges of the chamber are seamless and very easy to clean. You’ll notices as you use this sealer that the metal composition is thick and durable. The build quality is visually obvious and touching this machine conveys quality.

Here are a few other features you may be interested in:

• Vacuum cycle stop
• Bags waste film cut
• Soft-Air
• Electronic volumetric sensor
• High density plates
• Transparent lid
• Auto-calibration
• Security for over-current on sealing bar
• Oil level check signal
• CE certification

Over all I consider this to be the ideal chamber vacuum sealer for products that fall within the 26″ X 20.25″ X 8.75″ chamber dimensions. It’s easy to use and will easily hold up for years.

You can find the Minipack MVS 50 chamber vacuum food sealer here. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

Are you in the food business or have the need to package and preserve food for storage or retail purposes? One popular machine that people now use is a chamber vacuum sealer. If you’re in the market for one, you should seriously consider the Minipack MVS 45 chamber vacuum food sealer. I’ve had a chance to use one and this is my review.

We are always bringing in new products to our showroom floor to test them out and for training purposes. We frequently have the MVS 45 on our showroom floor and I have had multiple opportunities to use it. In fact, I shot a video demo of the Minipack MVS 45 that you can watch here.

You may be interested to know that Minipack is an Italian company and their chamber vacuum food sealers are made in Italy. The reason I bring this up is because many of the competitors have their vacuum sealers made in China. I personally think the Italian refinement really shines through.

At first glance the machine looks really nice. It isn’t until you take a closer look that you begin to really see the fine detail that has gone into the machine. The metal is thick (stainless steel), not flimsy sheet metal, and the user interface is very simple. There are no jagged edges and the machine is very safe to use.

One of the biggest complaints I have heard regarding chamber-style vacuum food sealers is that they are hard to clean. This is where the MVS 45 excels. The bin of the MVS 45 is seamless. This means there are no cracks, crevices or other small nooks or crannies where bacteria and food can become trapped. Simply put, the MVS 45 is designed from the ground up to be more sanitary.

Many comparable vacuum food sealers have complicated analog gauges and dials that have to be adjusted to ensure proper packaging. The MVS 45 does have a control panel, but it is simple to use. It allows you to adjust the amount of air to be removed, the sealing time, inert gas settings (if so equipped), has a stop cycle switch and much more.

Every time I have used the MVS 45, the packaging results are excellent. The display panel on the front of the machine will let you know how much air has been removed and exactly where you are in the packaging process.

Overall I really like the MVS 45. The chamber area can be used to package a wide variety of products (18″ X 18″ X 8.25″). If you need a commercial chamber vacuum food sealer that will last you for years, the MVS 45 is definitely the machine you need.

You can find the Minipack MVS 45 chamber vacuum food sealer here. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

Are you looking for a fast, affordable and convenient way to package meat, fruits, vegetables, liquids and powders? One machine you may want to consider using is the Minipack MVS 31 vacuum food sealer. I have used this machine and this is my review.

In case you aren’t familiar with them, Minipack is one of the most reputable and well-known manufacturers of industrial / commercial shrink wrap machines and vacuum sealers in the United States. Minipack is an Italian company and their line of products are designed and made in Italy. They are known for their high build quality and reliability.

The Minipack MVS 31 is what’s commonly referred to as a chamber sealer. You essentially place your product in a vacuum sealer bag and place in the machine. Once the lid is pulled down, the MVS 31 will remove 99.9% of the air inside the chamber, seal the bag shut and return the atmosphere in the chamber back to normal.

The result is an air-tight seal that helps protect and preserve food. Vacuum sealed food is perfect for sometimes tripling or more the life expectancy of food. You will commonly find vacuum-sealed food in the grocery store such as fish, chicken breasts, vegetables and more. It can also be used to package non-food items without any problems. The MVS 31 can do all this in its 12.75″ X 11.75″ X 6″ chamber.

Unlike many comparable vacuum sealers, the MVS 31 uses a seamless design which is perfect for food. This means if you do experience a spill, the basin of the vacuum sealer can easily be wiped down. The MVS 31 is not made from sharp and cheap sheet metal, it is made from high quality stainless steel (AISI 304 according to CE standards). Even the sealing bar is designed to be clean and sanitary.

Another nice feature of the MVS 31 is the lid. The lid can be completely opened up, which means you don’t have to deal with an annoying gas piston that keeps failing.

The operation of the MVS 31 is pretty automated. There are no complex dials or fine-tuned adjustments to be made. There is a simple-to-use digital panel that allows the operator to adjust the amount of air removed and the sealing time. The machine does the rest.

The MVS 31 does have the ability to be used with an inert gas kit (optional) for added food preservation. This means you can remove the air and replace it with another cuts down or eliminates bacteria.

Overall I am very impressed with the MVS 31. This machine is tough and is designed for commercial and industrial use without hesitation. The build quality is excellent, and for the price, is well worth it. It is designed to last you for years of reliable use.

You can find the Minipack MVS 31 vacuum food sealer here. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here.

We sell a huge selection of bar-style, external and chamber vacuum food sealers.  You can find our vacuum food sealers here. These machines are not only used to protect and preserve food, but are now commonly used to bag meals for Sous Vide (French for “under vacuum”). Sous Vide is a special way to cook meat, vegetables and other food.

A few months ago I wrote about the growing craze that is Sous Vide. I decided to try and look for a few recipes and was amazed to see some of the amazing contraptions that people used to cook meat to perfection. After sorting through a lot of information, I have come up with some popular recipes cited by many people for Sous Vide. So here you go!

Sous Vide Recipes:

• Perfect steak with DIY “sous vide” cooking
• Turkey Sous-Vide with tarragon cream
• Ragout of carrots, red pearl onions and black-eyed peas with a corn puree
• Breast Turkey ‘Cuit Sous Vide’ and Roasted Leg ‘en Ballotine’
• Butter Poached Chicken Sous Vide Stuffed with Truffles
• Crispy Laminated Skate Wing with Caper, Raisin, and Pine Nut Relish and Brown Butter Vinaigrette

I’m getting hungry just writing this. You can find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here. Hopefully this helps some of you out. Bon appetit!

Do you have your own Sous Vide recipe? Post them here in a comment or link!

Wow. Who would have thought that the Minipack Cyclone line of vacuum sealers would be such a hit in just a few short months? If you are considering purchasing an external vacuum food sealer, you may want to seriously consider looking into a Minipack Cyclone. Why? Here are a few reasons.

One of the biggest reasons the Minipack Cyclone is such a hit with individuals and businesses alike can be summed up in two words, “Build Quality.” The stark contrast in build quality in the Minipack Cyclone versus other “Saver” style vacuum sealers is as stark as the difference between plastic and metal.

Minipack products are Italian designed and Italian made. This is the same country that brought us the Ferrari. The Cyclone is the Italian Ferrari of the external vacuum sealer world. Here are a few features found in the Minipack Cyclone:

First off, the Cyclone features a corrosive-free aluminum alloy housing. Why is this nice? Many foods and vacuum sealed products can cause cheaper metals and plastics to corrode, discolor and break down. For sanitation purposes, you want something that is non corrosive.

The control panel is flat, user-friendly and features a digital knobless design. If you have ever used a food-handling device that has knobs, you know how easy it is for food to get trapped underneath. If you are packaging fish, beef and pork, you don’t want those juices festering under knobs and between cracks.

The sealer includes a moisture collecting basin. This helps with food preservation. The Minipack Cyclone creates a 4mm seal width, which is double the 2mm seal width found in many comparable models.

A wide seal width is great to have because it prevents accidents and does a better job of maintaining the vacuum seal. The Cyclone can be used with channel or three-layer bags. The Cyclone also features an automatic cycle and a manual sealing cycle.

We offer the Minipack Cyclone in three different versions, all based on the sealing width.

These three models are:

• Minipack Cyclone 30 External Vacuum Sealer
• Minipack Cyclone 40 External Vacuum Sealer
• Minipack Cyclone 50 External Vacuum Sealer

You will find our entire selection of vacuum food sealers here. Let us know what you think about the Minipack Cyclone external vacuum food sealer.