saleBlack Friday see store specials

Reynolds Handi-Vac

The Reynolds' Handi-vac is a handheld vacuum sealer which works to keep your foods safe from freezer burn and maintain freshness. The Handi-Vac works with specialty bags that have a small air valve in the top right corner. You place the Handi-vac suction directly on the air valve and suck the air out of the bag until the bag becomes tight around the food. Once everything is sealed, you can freeze the food and keep it fresh for much longer than a non-vacuumed bag.

Where to Buy

Reynolds Handi-Vac
MSRP $10.00
Release date November, 2007
Brand Reynolds
love it
want it
have it
tag it
Pros & Cons17
Reviews18
Details
Buy It
Competitors3
Comments16
twitter

Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
18 reviews
55
negative
mixed
positive
8 positive
2 mixed
8 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Easy to use
+10agreedisagree

•
Doesn't take up any counter space
+9agreedisagree

•
Cheap compared to other vacuum systems
+8agreedisagree

•
Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
+7agreedisagree

•
Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
+5agreedisagree

•
Easy to hold and not heavy.
+4agreedisagree

•
i love it. my freezer food was getting freezer burned until i got this.
+3agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
Requires specific bags
+9agreedisagree

•
Can't find bags.
+4agreedisagree

•
cant find bags
+3agreedisagree

•
These have been discontinued... I'm very upset.
+2agreedisagree

•
Bags are a little pricey, but a fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
+1agreedisagree

•
Valves on bags are often defective
-2agreedisagree

•
Batteries don't last very long
-3agreedisagree

•
Uses a lot of batteries
-4agreedisagree

•
Takes fairly long to seal the bags
-4agreedisagree

•
I hate this product!
-4agreedisagree


19 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

  • Uses 6 AA batteries
  • Batteries last 100 bag sealings
  • Sealing takes 6 to 13 seconds
  • Vacuum bags come in 2 sizes: 1 gallon and 1 quart
  • Vacuum bags are microwaveable
  • Vacuum bags are resealable

Submit a link

This report was started December 6, 2007 at 11:51 am by Amanie
with the last edit occurring Wednesday, 6:04 PM by ziptabfun
This page has been viewed 5003 times, with 220 edits by 28 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Reynolds Handi-Vac

• Reynolds Consumer Produ Handi Vac Starter Kit 00590

• Reynolds Consumer Produ Handi Vac Starter Kit 00590

UPC: 010900005906

EAN: 010900005906

MPN: 00590

Bags

• Reynolds Handi Vac Gallon Bags 27 Ct Box

• Reynolds Handi Vac Gallon Bags 9 CT/Pack of 3 /27 Bags

UPC: 010900035927

EAN: 010900035927

Bags

• Reynolds Consumer Produ Handi Vac Bag Gallon 00591

• Reynolds Handi-Vac Freezer Bags, 1 Gallon, 9-Count (Pack of 6)

UPC: 010900005913

EAN: 010900005913

MPN: 00591

Competitors

Reynolds Handi-Vac is ranked 1st among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Kitchen Gadgets »
Oliso Frisper

Oliso Frisper

MSRP  $99.95    Released  January, 2007
Cons
  • does not work
ProSCORE
1 review
0
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Reynolds Handi-Vac 100% vs. vote Oliso Frisper 0%
FoodSaver Vac 420

FoodSaver Vac 420

MSRP  $40.00    Released  --
ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Reynolds Handi-Vac 100% vs. vote FoodSaver Vac 420 0%
FoodSaver V2440

FoodSaver V2440

MSRP  $140.00    Released  --
ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Reynolds Handi-Vac 100% vs. vote FoodSaver V2440 0%

Suggest a new competitor to add to the list of competing products.
If the product hasn't yet been added to ProductWiki, submitting it here will also start the product report.

Comments

1.  avatar Amanie said:

This is ridiculously cheap compared to the other vacuum sealers. I think the price makes up for the downsides (special bags, ridiculous battery requirements).
Dec 06, 2007 12:02pm
2.  avatar Erik said:

I think it's a loss-leader on the device. They make there money on the bags. How much for the bags?
Dec 06, 2007 12:04pm
3.  avatar JAMA said:

It is about time that average income folks can afford to vacuum seal leftovers. I love this thing, and the bags are not any more expensive that the other bags at the market when you consider the stuff you have to use to avoid freezer burn etc. Also, batteries are cheaper than Tupperware and the like. Pick your product and stay free from spoiled food. This one really works for me and after 3 decades of bags, wax paper, tin foil and the like ....I like it.
Dec 06, 2007 8:19pm
4.  avatar C2ShiningC said:

As soon as the alkaline batteries are discharged, I would replace with Nimh AA's that could be pulse charged over and over again. I've wore out 2 seal-a-meals, but still have the expensive lexan containers that unfortunately are too big for the smaller Handi-Vac suction cup. The Reynolds bags work fine with other vacuum pumps, including Pump-N-Seal.

Model builders will find the 1 gallon bags are perfect for vacuum bagging small fiberglass composit parts. The battery operated pump is a little slow but pulls plenty of vacuum. Concern would be with keeping the cure temperatures below the melting point of the Reynolds bag material
Dec 25, 2007 1:43pm
5.  avatar rmlrosebud said:

i purchased a handi-vac and it worked fine--i bought new bags but the handi-vac stopped working--i thought it was the new bags but i borrowed my sister's handi-vac and the bags were fine--its the handi-vac that is not working. i only used the handi-vac about five times now its no good to me---i tried new batteries still not working---i spent a lot of money for a product the lasted 5 times i am very dissatisfied
Jan 05, 2008 1:24pm
6.  avatar rdanys said:

I absolutely HATE HATE HATE this product every time I try to use it!! These ******* bags are CRAP! Out of a gallon size box of 9 bags the valves on at least half the bags don't work, not allowing the pump to suck the air out. And on several bags they leak and within a day they allow the air back in! On the smaller bag size out of 14 in a box maybe a third don't work.
It's not the pump, and it's not me or my 'technique'. I've used a similar device and bags before never with a problem; it's the quality control of the bag manufacturer on this product line.
I would never ever buy a bag product by Reynolds again, be it a vacuum bag or any other - they are on my official boycott list forever!
Mar 15, 2008 6:34pm
7.  avatar luz67colina said:

The product is amazing but I received it as a gift,my husband brougth it from New York and now i can not find the bags. We live in Miami. Could you be able to tell me where i can buy it?

Thank you.

Luz Colina
Jun 17, 2008 9:35am
8.  avatar Ready2Mosh said:

Try Amazon.com, they have them on there for sure.
Jul 11, 2008 2:03pm
9.  avatar http://www.productwiki.com/ccorbin said:

I have used mine to seal 4 bags to send to my son in Afghanistan. Now when I tried to use is 4 months later, it no longer removes the air from the bags to seal the food. I've tried all of the troubleshooting tips, but nothing helps. I'm assuming it's the bags which aren't cheap! I hope they improve the bags soon because they are a waste of time and money this way!
Jul 27, 2008 3:39pm
10.  avatar D'Teacher said:

The machine works just fine- the bags are the problem. The machine extracts all the air in a few seconds, but within a day, air seeps back into the bags, defeating the whole purpose. Bad product..... very disappointing.
Aug 08, 2008 10:41am
11.  avatar TheNameLassTaken said:

Sealed 28 bags of chops no problem. I was well on my way to being a satisfied customer, and then came the next box of bags. Same technique, new batteries, plenty of suction from the sucker, but no air was sucked out of the bag. Not one of the 14 bags in the box worked. Played around and discovered that there is a very thin membrane over the blue circle on the bag. I found that if I picked at the edge and lifted it 3/4 off, then carefully pressed it back on (it re-adhered), the bags would THEN work fine. So... if you have trouble, it may not be you, it is quite possibly poor quality control at the bag factory (tsk, tsk).

My daughter also got the system. It worked fine for a while, then no suction. Took the sucker apart and found the plunge inside had inverted (kind of like a bicylce pump might). Turned it around and it was OK again.

Bottom line - Great concept, fairly cheap, good results when it works, but erratic quality on both parts of the system. Hey Reynolds, all your customers aren't engineers. It might be a good idea to tighten things up.
Oct 18, 2008 10:57pm
12.  avatar fortfumble said:

This is the 3rd box of bags I've bought that don't work. AT ALL ! I e-mailed the company, but they never answer back, just started sending me info on other products. I used to love the thing but now I HATE it!
Jan 17, 2009 1:09pm
13.  avatar Olduser said:

I've owned both a Food Saver and the Reynolds Handi-Vac. I love Reynolds Handi-Vac. It is easy to use, takes up less storage space, holds the seal longer, costs less and the bags cost less. I've only changed my batteries once in a year. If you seal your bags on a flat surface it works better. Some surfaces work better than others but I don't know why. I use mine on a formica counter top. I've never gotten a defective bag or valve on a bag. Sometimes pushing some of the air out of the bag will make it seal faster but truthfully I haven't had a problem with any of my seals taking a long time. I haven't found a food saver that doesn't use specific bags. So in my opinion, this is a great product and the price is right.
Mar 08, 2009 5:50pm
14.  avatar jills1111 said:

I AM SO MAD THAT I CANNOT FIND BAGS FOR IT. I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE. WHAT IS THE USE IN HAVING IT IF YOU CAN'T BUY BAGS?!?!?
Sep 02, 2009 1:43pm
15.  avatar catfree said:

Product and bags have been discontinued by Reynolds!!! I'm so sorry I invested in this product! I will never buy from Reynolds again!
Nov 08, 2009 1:31pm
16.  avatar phyleh said:

where can i find bags. myzip code is59901
Nov 08, 2009 1:31pm
Some HTML is allowed. Your comments remain editable after you post..

Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

fortfumble

avatar
January 17, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
2 cons
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • Valves on bags are often defective
  • I hate this product!

Comments

"This is the 3rd box of bags I've bought that don't work. AT ALL ! I e-mailed the company, but they never answer back, just started sending me info on other products. I used to love the thing but now I HATE it!"
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Josie001

avatar
September 16, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
70
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
3 cons
love itlove it
have ithave it

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
  • Easy to hold and not heavy.
  • i love it. my freezer food was getting freezer burned until i got this.

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Can't find bags.
  • cant find bags

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

jills1111

avatar
September 2, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
3 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
  • Easy to hold and not heavy.
  • i love it. my freezer food was getting freezer burned until i got this.

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Can't find bags.
  • cant find bags

Comments

"I AM SO MAD THAT I CANNOT FIND BAGS FOR IT. I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE. WHAT IS THE USE IN HAVING IT IF YOU CAN'T BUY BAGS?!?!? "
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Linda Begley

avatar
August 30, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
75
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
2 cons

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
  • Easy to hold and not heavy.

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Bags are a little pricey, but a fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

mkirkp1045

avatar
May 20, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
71
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
2 cons

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.
  • Easy to hold and not heavy.

Cons

  • Can't find bags.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but a fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

virtualstuff

avatar
April 14, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
71
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
2 cons
love itlove it

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.
  • Bags are a little pricey, but are fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Bags are a little pricey, but a fairly substantial. I had a little trouble at first with the valves, but found that doing it on a soft surface (towel) helped.

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

wings

avatar
November 7, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
33
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
4 cons

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Valves on bags are often defective
  • Batteries don't last very long
  • Uses a lot of batteries

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

rdanys

avatar
March 15, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
3 cons

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Valves on bags are often defective
  • Takes fairly long to seal the bags

Comments

"I absolutely HATE HATE HATE this product every time I try to use it!! These ******* bags are CRAP! Out of a gallon size box of 9 bags the valves on at least half the bags don't work, not allowing the pump to suck the air out. And on several bags they leak and within a day they allow the air back in! On the smaller bag size out of 14 in a box maybe a third don't work.
It's not the pump, and it's not me or my 'technique'. I've used a similar device and bags before never with a problem; it's the quality control of the bag manufacturer on this product line.
I would never ever buy a bag product by Reynolds again, be it a vacuum bag or any other - they are on my official boycott list forever!"
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

JAMA

avatar
December 6, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
2 cons
love itlove it
have ithave it

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems
  • Considering the alternative, no counter space used is minute.

Cons

  • Batteries don't last very long
  • Takes fairly long to seal the bags

Comments

"It is about time that average income folks can afford to vacuum seal leftovers. I love this thing, and the bags are not any more expensive that the other bags at the market when you consider the stuff you have to use to avoid freezer burn etc. Also, batteries are cheaper than Tupperware and the like. Pick your product and stay free from spoiled food. This one really works for me and after 3 decades of bags, wax paper, tin foil and the like ....I like it."

Competitors

JAMA prefers Reynolds Handi-Vac over FoodSaver Vac 420, Oliso Frisper, FoodSaver V2440
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Amanie

avatar
December 6, 2007
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
3 cons

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Doesn't take up any counter space
  • Cheap compared to other vacuum systems

Cons

  • Requires specific bags
  • Batteries don't last very long
  • Uses a lot of batteries

Comments

"This is ridiculously cheap compared to the other vacuum sealers. I think the price makes up for the downsides (special bags, ridiculous battery requirements)."

Competitors

Amanie prefers Reynolds Handi-Vac over Oliso Frisper, FoodSaver V2440, FoodSaver Vac 420
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
«Prev 1 2 Next»

Twitter

tweet this product!
- join or start the conversation
Search twitter: search

... Loading for latest tweets from search.twitter.com..

tweetie

sponsored by:
Price comparison information by:

This product is also known as:

Handi, Vac, HandiVac