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@Perk - My dad uses one all the time. I have never owned one, and since I have limited counter space, I haven't been able to commit to one. I use his when I visit and it is awesome! With todays frost free freezers, it really does help keep the food from getting "freezer burn" I am pretty sure they sell them at Costco. You have friends that go there, right? Seriously, if I had the space, I would get one.

They are available at Costco, both on-line and in the stores. It's the Tilia Advanced for about $140, comes with a bunch of bags and canisters.

We have one of the early, cheapo versions. Came with a bunch of bags and two rolls of pouch plastic for custom sizes, no nifty vacuum canisters. But it was super cheap...way under a $100, several years ago. Anywho, we use it after a major Costco trip or after a major cooking episode. We've had great success with freezing braised lamb shanks in the sauce, lasagna, stuffed cabbage. (Think IQF, then seal in bags.) If we remember to take a pack or two out of the freezer the night before, we reheat in bag in a pot of boiling water. Just wonderful. If it's frozen solid, it still reheats beautifully, just takes a little longer. The only thing is once it's opened you can't pop it back into the hot water if it hasn't finished reheating.

I've also done steamed or blanched veggies, but I think that was a waste of plastic.

As for vacuum sealing one or two raw chicken breasts or hamburger patties or pork chops...well, I haven't seen a noticeable difference between the vacuum sealed products and the ziploc bags (also available in bulk at Costco) or plain old freezer paper or saran wrap. I'm pretty good about rotating my frozen inventory.

I've found a couple of packets of veggies where the vacuum seemed compromised, but I can't say if it was operator error or the machine or the nature of the food.

In the end it depends on the person. I have my bouts of incredible productivity in the kitchen, producing way more food than my husband and I can consume and in those times, I'm tickled with the food saver.
I'm also tickled when I can open the freezer and see a braised shank or a chipolte rubbed grilled pork chop or a stuffed cabbage, ready to eat in a few minutes. I used it quite a bit during the colder months, but during the spring and summer it's been sitting on the top shelf of the pantry.

Love my Food Saver. We use it quite a bit. The price was reasonable, especially considering I can now save money by buying in bulk.

Before you invest in a deluxe model, I'd suggest you get a no frills unit so you can assess how useful it will be to you. This is one of those appliances that you really need to have & use to determine whether it fits with your lifestyle and cooking preferences.

You can find units by Food Saver & Rival at Target, etc... in the 40.00-80.00 range. I'd recommend starting with one of these as they are true vacuum sealer systems, at a good starter price. The basic difference between the lower & higher priced models is the overall size and pump strength. If you find yourself becoming a power user, you will gladly upgrade....but if you simply use it occasionally, these lower priced units will suffice for many years to come for all the things posters have alredy suggested.

One related comment: I have also started using the Reynolds Handi-Vac system that you can find in the plastic bags/storage section of discount or grocery store. They don't replace a true vacuum sealer for long term storage applications, but i've found it to be an affordable & convenient solution for storing short term items...e.g. 1/2 head of cabbage, leftovers, cheese, etc.... The bags are easier to reuse & less of a hassle for resealing items you use daily.

Here's my experience....

True Vacuum Sealer Systems really shine for long term storage uses:

1. Buying family packs of meat & resealing into single meal portions.
2. Bulk buying of nuts, beans, grains, etc...and sealing to preserve.
3. Making your own boil in the bag meals to be frozen.
4. Freezing your own mass produced items for use later....I do meatballs, red sauces, ravioli, pasta, pierogies, frozen bread dough, baked goods, etc....as well as my home ground &.or stuffed sausages....all of these are in my reezer right now.
5. If you hunt, fish or garden, it is the best way to preserve the fruits of your labor.

However, for short term storage vacuum sealers aren't the most convenient, efficient or cost effective method....and I have found that the Reynolds system combines the convenience of a plain zipper bag with the preservation of a vacuum seal.

We do wash & reuse these bags when appropriate...e.g. cabbage, asparagus, carrots, etc....

Things like frozen chicken breasts, bratwursts & bacon (which will get used up within a week or two) also get stored in these bags in the freezer, but I don't reuse them.

Because the bags don't have to be cut open, some can be used over and over. the cost per bag is comparable with the vacuum seal bag, but you are money ahead with just one reuse.