My almost 15yr old vacuum sealer went down on me. Time to upgrade. I’d like to keep the budget to $750 or less. I’ve been vac bagging mostly venison steaks, shanks and roasts and an annual batch of about 100lbs of bacon. I think I want a chamber sealer… but at that price point it seems iffy. Am I better off with a commercial vac bagger? What’re you guys running and what do you suggest?

I have a Vacmaster VP215. I've done over 4000 bags and am still very happy with it. A little over your budget but you can find them for under 900$. Well worth it if you use it a lot. The bags are much cheaper too.

I run VacMaster VP 230 chamber vac. I have no regrets switching over to a chamber machine, but in your case I am not sure if I would. It sounds like you just don't have the workload to make it worth it. Mine paid for itself in about 2 years in money saved on bags as the bags for the chamber machines is a fraction of the cost of the standard bags.

Pros of the chamber machine. Typically more reliable, cheap bags, handles liquid fine, I find it easier to use.

Cons of the chamber machine. Upfront cost of the machines, less portable, limits the size of bags more.

I have been using mine for about 5 years. Zero breakdowns. I package about 10 deer, 12 hogs and 2 beef per year plus various. Fish and vegetables. Probably have 30,000 seals on it.

Chamber machines are expensive, big, and heavy...but great if you use it enough....I had an old foodsaver that was great,..till it wasn't. Bought a cheap one off Amazon and that lasted almost 10 years, but alas, it to quit working.

Looked at new ones and the reviews were all the same, lousy...so I'm vacuum sealer free at the moment....For the amount I'd use it it doesn't pay for the chamber, but I'd like to get more than a few years out of a standard model.... Decisions, decisions....

In my opinion the is no such thing as a commercial vacuum sealer. They all suck.

Spend the money on a chamber sealer and never look back. Will pay for itself in a couple years in savings from bags alone.