Vorwerk Thermomix® VS100 vacuum sealer is a practical tool for Sous-Vide Cooking, for food storage and even for general storage.

Vacuum Sealer VS100 Technical specifications

	Thermomix VS100
Voltage	200-240V AC 50/60Hz
Power	120W Max
Vacuum Pressure	> -60KPa
Dimensions	380mm(L) - 150mm(W) - 68mm(H)
Weight	1.75Kg(Net) 2.35Kg. (Gross)

Can I vacuum seal liquid or fluids?

No, you cannot vacuum seal liquid or fluids directly. The viscosity of the liquid and fluids makes them flow as the air inside the bag. So, they will be sucked out from the bag when vacuuming is on. But you can seal the bag with liquid or fluids without vacuuming.

Another solution is to put the liquid or fluid in the fridge for a short while to make them semi-frozen or solidified, then you can put the semi-frozen liquid into bags and vacuum seal them.

How do I vacuum seal extra moist food stuff?

First, remember to choose the “MOIST LEVEL” in accordance. This feature is to calibrate the sealing temperature to cope with excessive moist contamination on the opening of the bag.

For example, if to seal a raw beef steak, the expected juice can be handled by choosing “MOIST LEVEL”.

If to seal a raw steak with marinade, then you should watch carefully during the vacuum seal process. Once the marinade fluid reaches the edge of the bag opening, manually press “Seal” button to stop vacuuming and continue sealing.

How does the external vacuum work?

The external vacuum works to vacuum the air from the wine bottle, from an air-tight container. It works with the external pipe connected to the vacuum sealer and attached with a flat nozzle or pin nozzle.

How long the food shelf life will extend after vacuum sealing?

It depends on the property of the food itself. Usually it will be 7 times longer than the food used to last under the same conditions. But you still need to pay attention to the following aspects to ensure the freshness can stay as long as possible:

Hygiene operation when putting the food into the vacuum sealing bag. It is highly recommended you transfer the food as early as possible right after they are purchased and unpacked. If you need to cut them into smaller portions, please use clean knife and chopping board, and wear disposable gloves when handling the food. All these measures can minimize the bacteria transfer to the food, hence, to prolong the shelf life.
Put them in the fridge right after vacuum sealing. Low temperature will work together with vacuum sealing to keep food fresh. If a piece of fresh meat, after proper vacuum sealing and stay in freezer, it can stay fresh for up to 6 months.
Be fully aware that there are some anaerobic bacteria which loves the vacuum sealed environment. Such bacteria are very common in non-fresh meat, and such bacteria are very dangerous for human being. If you see clear sign of air pockets in the vacuum sealed pack. That means there are high possibility that the meat is deteriorated and existence of anaerobic bacteria. Please discard the food properly.

Are there any other benefits vacuum sealing can bring?

The vacuum sealing process can cut off the oxygen and humidity, which can prevent your food from oxidation and slow down mold and bacteria growth. Besides, vacuum sealing can provide more benefits:

Prevent food from dehydration and freezer burn.
Hold juiciness, moisture, flavor of the food.
Prevent irritating food smell to contaminate the fridge.
Pack meal-portion food to make cooking easier, save time and money.
Pack snacks, travel food for hiking or day trips, which is easy and hygiene to put into pockets or backpacks.
Pack other items to prevent them from oxidation or excessive humidity (i.e.: silverware, jewelry, camera lenses, etc.)

Why the upper part of the vacuum sealer does not stay upright when I open it?

The upper part of the vacuum sealer does not work as a lid or cover. It is not designed to stay upright. The correct insertion of the bag is to slot the opening of the bag into the crevice till the bag is stopped by the limiter inside. Usually that is about 3cm inside the crevice.

Opening the upper cover is just for regular cleaning and maintenance purpose, to access the removeable tank.

The upper part of the vacuum sealer is jammed.

This is a rare situation, but some user might suddenly find the upper part of VS100 is jammed, neither the “OPEN/CLOSE” button nor manually open will work.

This is mainly caused by the dislocation of the hooks. Just plug the device, press the “VACUUM SEAL” button to let it run a cycle without inserting the bag. Usually that will release the hook and solve the problem.

Why there is clear sign of air inside the vacuum sealed bag?

There are several factors which can lead to air in the sealed bag:

Failed sealing due to excessive grease/moisture on the bag opening. Such leaking will be noticed right after sealing. To solve the problem, you can cut off the failed sealing part, clean the bag opening area, and vacuum seal again; or just change a new vacuum sealing bag to vacuum seal again.
Sharp items inside the bag which penetrate the bag when vacuumed. Such leaking will be noticed right after sealing. To solve the problem, you can wrap the sharp items with thick tissue paper, and vacuum seal again.
If you find this phenomenon after several weeks or months, you should highly suspect that the food packed inside is deteriorated. Some food will emit gas during deterioration. In such case, please discard the food properly.

VS100 Vacuum Sealer what you need to know?