PSA: 4 mil versus 3 mil sous vide bags

[Syzygies]

A head's up, I didn't realize at first that one could buy 4 mil chamber vacuum sealer pouches. They're not as widely available.

 

In use, I can see no disadvantage whatsoever to 4 mil over 3 mil, and many advantages. They're subjectively far more durable. I've seen 3 mil bags fail because an air bubble pierced in the freezer, causing me to lose chicken stock into a water bath. I've seen 3 mil bags fail because a large salt crystal pierced through, packaging salt cod for a chest freezer. I still use bone guards on occasion (6 mil squares one adds for extra protection) but they're needed much less often. And did I say that after you get used to 4 mil, a 3 mil pouch in a hot sous vide water bath just feels flimsy?

 

They cost about a nickel each, I can't imagine anyone here going through quantities where the unit price becomes an issue. Rather, the main issue is that one buys 1,000 bags at a time. They come in four packs of 250, an easy pallet share if one were so motivated. (I'm too busy to make promises.)

 

I own a VacMaster VP115, and my working set of four bags are 6 x 8, 6 x 12, 8 x 10 and 10 x 12. One could scrimp by leaving out the 6 x 8 and cut down 6 x 12 as needed, but the small bags are very convenient for small items. One wants to standardize on a single bag thickness (4 mil for me) to avoid having to reset the sealing time each use, often forgetting.

 

I also use these bags with a $30 impulse sealer, usually the 6 x 12 size. Liquids, and anything hot, can wreck a chamber machine. One can squeeze/burp nearly all of the air out of a bag, hanging off the impulse sealer, if the contents are wet enough. We put up our year's partially dried tomatoes this way. Having tried absolutely everything for storing stock, I try not to be judgmental in other people's kitchens, "oh yeah, that was me twenty years ago", impulse-sealing a chamber pouch of stock is the ideal storage and reheat solution. (To be fair, other people are just trying to achieve "good enough" and get on with their lives, they're probably thinking that I'm Dennis-grade OCD. But hey, I'm here talking to the cult of Dennis.)

 

Some people will note that a chamber vacuum machine can be used just fine with liquids, if one takes care, and they take umbrage that one wouldn't use a chamber vacuum machine for everything, after ponying up the bucks. I'd love to enter a $1,000 stakes race, filling bags with stock. The impulse sealer is much faster.

 

Pay attention while entering the site, for a 15% coupon, then buy everything on one order:

 
VacMaster > BAGS, ROLLS > CHAMBER VACUUM SEALER POUCHES > 4-MIL

[DennisLinkletter]

I also buy the 4 ml bags because we wash, dry and reused them until they look scrappy.. same goes for the nicer quality Zip-Lock bags.

As long as they still hold water,  it makes sense for the planet and to re-use as much as possible.

We try never to take bags at stores and never throw them away until they have been re-used and re-purposed too..

[tony b]

I also buy the 4 ml bags because we wash, dry and reused them until they look scrappy.. same goes for the nicer quality Zip-Lock bags.

As long as they still hold water,  it makes sense for the planet and to re-use as much as possible.

We try never to take bags at stores and never throw them away until they have been re-used and re-purposed too..

 

[MacKenzie]

I just received box of 1000 of the 4mm, 10x13 and you certainly can feel the difference between these and the 3mm. I fall into that wash and reuse category too.

[MacKenzie]

 

 

 

I also use these bags with a $30 impulse sealer, usually the 6 x 12 size. Liquids, and anything hot, can wreck a chamber machine. 

 

Syzygies, I have heard this before but can you give me more details on what hot liquids to do a chamber vacuum sealer please? Thanks.

 

I know that once the pressure is lowered that the hot liquid will likely boil but if it can be contained in the bag is there still a possibility that damage can be done to the machine itself?