Vacuum sealers for food - money-saving or not?

JB_York

Sunnyday wrote: »

Hmmm decisions decisions

Did you have to contact them re postage to the uk? Was it expensive :eek: I must admit that the cost of the sealers is really good compared to some other places.

SD

I spent ages debating & researching this. I could only find 2 places in the UK that stocked these, and both were really expensive. The service I got from Goodmans was really good. I bought both the standard ('regular') and large sealers, not that I have any jars that I can use with the large sealers, but felt it was worth while given the price.

Both cost me $12.98 total, plus $13.76 in shipping. Delivery took less than 10 days. The total value of the package was carefully calculated to ensure that it didn't breach the limits for import duty, which I know from bitter experience can be a real killer.

$26.74 total. At todays exchange rate, that's much cheaper than you can buy in the UK, even excluding postage!

JB.

Sunnyday

JB_York wrote: »

I spent ages debating & researching this. I could only find 2 places in the UK that stocked these, and both were really expensive. The service I got from Goodmans was really good. I bought both the standard ('regular') and large sealers, not that I have any jars that I can use with the large sealers, but felt it was worth while given the price.

Both cost me $12.98 total, plus $13.76 in shipping. Delivery took less than 10 days. The total value of the package was carefully calculated to ensure that it didn't breach the limits for import duty, which I know from bitter experience can be a real killer.

$26.74 total. At todays exchange rate, that's much cheaper than you can buy in the UK, even excluding postage!

JB.

Thanks very much for this :A
I was looking at both the regular and the large ones on the site that you linked to, i`ve never bought anything from overseas so i have no idea about import duty:eek: it would never have crossed my mind so i`ll do a little research tomorrow.

Now that i know the total can be $26.74 i`ll maybe look at getting these from my next pay packet

Thanks once again JB

SD

JB_York

SD - It can get expensive buying things from abroad, especially as the web makes it so easy. This is particularly true of stuff from the US - goods are often the same price in $ as you can pick up here in £, or even less. However, all imports outside the EU are subject to Import VAT & Import Duty from HMRC, regardless of the tax you may be paying to the country/government of purchase :mad:

These taxes can quickly add up to overwhelm the actual purchase cost, especially as they are applied not only to the cost of the goods, but also the cost of the postage, which is inevitable quite expensive if buying from overseas.

The good news is that both of these taxes come with a limit:-

Total costs under £18 are exempt from Import VAT; Total costs under £135 are exempt from Import Duty

So, by todays exchange rates, pay over $28.60 on goods plus postage and expect to pay an extra 20% before the postman will hand over the package. Pay more than $214, it starts to get really confusing as the calcs for Import Duty are very complicated/random/...!

JB.

JB_York

JB_York wrote: »

The good news is that both of these taxes come with a limit:-

Total costs under £18 are exempt from Import VAT; Total costs under £135 are exempt from Import Duty

Oh no! I've just found out that the nice people at the HMRC have cut the limit on Import VAT as of 1 November :mad:

The limit if now only £15 total costs incl postage, so equiv to a US cost of c$23.80

Grrrrrr...

Much exciting reading to be had here:-

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000014&propertyType=document#P37_3361


JB.

[Deleted User]

I had a great big firm cabbage from the allotment. I put 1/2 into a lakeland green bag and sealed it. It still looks good as new 5 days later. I finely shredded the rest with my mandolin, used a bit and vacuumed the rest in an AJ jar. Its brilliant, completely brilliant, I just take out what I need and re-vacuum, so easy and something I`ll do every time

Tommy_Timebomb

Please could someone advise me,
I am considering using Argos to buy a food vacuum sealer.
They have two at the moment, the JML and the Seal-a-Meal types.
Could anybody please tell me if they have to use there own bag types or will any make of vacuum bags work?
I think I will go with the Seal-a-Meal as it has the setting for Moist/dry foods and also the cannister attachment.
Has anybody any views on these please.
TIA,
Tom.

[Deleted User]

I am still ecstatic about my cabbage. The very same (big) cabbage is going strong and does best shredded dry and in a vac jar. There is no sign at all of oxidation, I just take out what I need for steaming or coleslaw and then re-vacuum. What a time saver and what a cabbage keeper. Also in vac jars in fridge are small pulled dirty carrots and the same re beetroot, I put them straight in after pulling and trimming as they seem to keep better

Tom, I am finding the canister facility better than the vac bag

brilliant hints and tips
http://www.flsuk.co.uk/support/FoodSaverUserGuide_EN.pdf

shipping from the US doesn`t count for tax and should not be put on the customs form

JB_York

Kittie - So pleased about the cabbage - I must give this a try!

kittie wrote: »

shipping from the US doesn`t count for tax and should not be put on the customs form

An apology from me, and a good spot Kittie - a mistake in my last post in so much that postage isn't included in the assessment of whether goods from outside the EU are required to pay Import VAT, i.e., as long as the sterling value of the goods alone are less than the £15 threshold, Import VAT shouldn't be applied (This is obviously good news :j ) However, if the threshold is breached, then my interpretation of the HMRC rules are that the value of the postage will also be taken into consideration:-

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/tax-and-duty.htm#3

Import VAT rate

The percentage charged is the same VAT rate that applies to similar goods that are sold in the UK.

The Import VAT percentage rate is applied to the total value of the goods. In the case of goods brought in this is the sterling equivalent of the price paid abroad, as shown on the receipt. In the case of goods posted from outside the EU, it is the amount on the Customs Declaration, which includes the price paid for the goods, the cost of transport, postage and packing, insurance and any duty that may be payable.

I find this all very confusing - I just think I've got it straight in my head, then find another snippet of information which contradicts my understanding! Of course, the easy answer is to avoid the situation completely and buy British, but then again, I'm still looking for the best value for money

JB.

JB_York

What conclusions have you come to on the best bags to use?

Have you found any they provide a consistent & reliable seal?

Bags or Rolls? 'Proper' vacuum bags or make your own?

I know this has been debated in the past, but I'd appreciate current views given peoples experiences over the summer. It would be great to share some tips & recommendations, or highlight solutions which just aren't that reliable to save some of the pain and frustration that I know I've had this year!


JB.

Sunnyday

JB i`ve been using the rolls that came with the machine as i got so fed up with the seals going on the other cheaper ones.

I do reuse them for smaller things later so still saving.

I`ve finished all my dehydrating and sealing for the time being and so far so good, i`m pleased to report that i`ve not had a seal fail on anything at all for a long while - even the sliced dried potatoes are holding up well and i did have doubts about these as they have so many sharp pointy bits, i did pop them into a cheap bag first and then into one made from the rolls and this has probably helped.

I think that this is the way that i`ll continue to do things in the future tbh.

I`m liking kitties idea with the cabbage/cannisters but my fridge has a special compartment for veg and it seems to keep for weeks so its not really necesarry for me, may just try it with some softer veg ie courgettes to see if it makes a difference but i don`t really need to.

I have many sealed jars which have kept fine too, i think that i will be trying the kilner jars in a cannister when i eventually get around to it - my jars are all full atm:D I`ve also managed to talk myself out of sending for the jar sealer - for the time being anyway
SD