FoodSaver VS0290 Everyday Vacuum Sealer Machine Instruction Manual

May 15, 2024
FoodSaver

FoodSaver VS0290 Everyday Vacuum Sealer Machine Instruction Manual

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

This appliance can be used by children aged from 8 years and above and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved. Children shall not play with the appliance. Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children without supervision.

If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, or its serviceagent or a similarly qualified person in order to avoid a hazard

  • Always use the appliance on a stable, secure, dry and level surface.
  • CAUTION: THIS SEALER IS NOT FOR COMMERCIAL USE. Never use this appliance for anything other than its intended use. This appliance is for household use only. Do not use this appliance outdoors.
  • Never immerse the appliance or power cord and plug in water or any other liquid.
  • Do not use the appliance if it has been dropped or if there are any visible signs of damage.
  • Ensure the appliance is switched off and unplugged from the supply socket after use, before cleaning.
  • To disconnect, unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet.
  • Do not disconnect by pulling on the cord.
  • Do not use an extension cord with the appliance.
  • Use only accessories or attachments recommended by the manufacturer.
  • When reheating foods in FoodSaver® Bags make sure to place them in water at a low simmering temperature below 75°C (170°F).
  • FOODS INSIDE BAG CAN BE DEFROSTED BUT NOT REHEATED IN A MICROWAVE OVEN. When defrosting foods in the microwave in FoodSaver® Bags make sure not to exceed maximum power of 180 watts (defrost setting), maximum time of 2 minutes and maximum temperature of 70°C (158°F).

The FoodSaver® System

Why Vacuum Seal?
Exposure to air causes food to lose nutrition and flavour, and also causes freezer burn and enables many bacteria, mould and yeast to grow. The FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing System removes air and seals in flavour and quality. With a full line of FoodSaver® Bags, and Rolls to expand your options, you can now enjoy the benefits of a scientifically proven food storage method that keeps food fresh up to five times longer.

The FoodSaver® System Saves Time and Money

  • Spend less money. With the FoodSaver® System, you can buy in bulk or buy on sale and vacuum seal your food in desired portions without wasting food.
  • Save more time. Cook ahead for the week, preparing meals and saving them in FoodSaver® Bags.
  • Make entertaining easy. Make your signature dish and holiday treats in advance so you can spend quality time with your guests.
  • Enjoy seasonal or specialty foods. Keep highly perishable or infrequently used items fresh longer.
  • Control portions for dieting. Vacuum seal sensible portions and write calories and/or fat grams on the bag.
  • Protect non-food items. Keep camping and boating supplies dry and organised for outings. Protect polished silver from tarnishing by minimising exposure to air.

FoodSaver® Accessories

Get the most out of your FoodSaver® appliance with easy-to-use FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls.

FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls
FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls feature special channels that enable the efficient removal of air. The multi-ply construction makes them an especially effective barrier to oxygen and moisture and helps to prevent freezer burn. FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls come in a variety of sizes.

Parts

**See FIG. 1

**

  • A Seal Button
  • B Vac/Seal button
  • C Release buttons
  • D Upper Foam Gasket
  • E Lower Foam Gasket
  • F Extra Wide Sealing Strip
  • G Vacuum Channel

The user-friendly, intuitive control panel makes it easy for you to get the most out of your FoodSaver® System:

  1. Seal Indicator Light
    Sealing light will turn on during the sealing cycle and will turn off when sealing process is finished.

  2. Vacuum Indicator Light
    Vacuum light will turn on during the vacuum and sealing cycle and will turn off when the cycle is finished.

  3. Seal Button

This button has three uses:

  1. Press to create a seal when making bags from a FoodSaver® Roll.
  2. Press to immediately stop the vacuum process and begin sealing the bag. This prevents crushing delicate items such as bread, cookies and pastries.
  3. Press to create a seal on multilayer film bags (such as crisps bag) to keep food sealed airtight.
  4. Vacuum Button

This button has two uses:

  1. Press to vacuum seal food airtight. Motor will continue to run until bag is fully vacuumed, then will automatically seal.
  2. Press to pause vacuum process at any point.

Make a Bag from a FoodSaver® Roll

See FIG. 2
Installation

  1. Using scissors, cut enough bag material from roll to hold item, plus 7.62 cm (3 inches). Be sure to cut straight.
  2. Insert one end of bag material across Sealing Strip.
  3. Press lid to lock.
  4. Press Seal button. Sealing light will turn on during the sealing cycle.
  5. When Seal Indicator Light turns off, sealing is complete. Press lid release buttons to open lid.

Vacuum Seal with FoodSaver® Bags

See FIG. 3
Installation

  1. Place item(s) in bag, allowing at least 7.62 cm (3 inches) of space between bag contents and top of bag.
  2. Open appliance lid and place open end of bag into Vacuum Channel.
  3. Press lid to lock.
  4. Press Vacuum button to begin vacuum and sealing process. Motor will continue to run until bag is fully vacuumed, then will automatically seal.
  5. Press release buttons on both sides to open, lift lid and remove bag.

NOTE: Let appliance cool down for 20 seconds after each use

Important Tips:
To minimize bag waste, do not insert bags too far into the appliance. Insert bag one centimeter past the sealing strip.

Storage Guide, Hints and Tips

Vacuum Sealing and Food Safety

The vacuum sealing process extends the life of foods by removing most of the air from the sealed container, thereby reducing oxidation, which affects nutritional value, flavour and overall quality. Removing air can also inhibit growth of microorganisms, which can cause problems under certain conditions:

To preserve foods safely, it is critical that you maintain low temperatures. You can significantly reduce the growth of microorganisms at temperatures of 4°C or below.

Freezing at -17°C does not kill microorganisms but stops them from growing. For long-term storage, always freeze perishable foods that have been vacuum sealed, and keep refrigerated after thawing.

It is important to note that vacuum sealing is NOT a substitute forcanning and it cannot reverse the deterioration of foods. It can only slow down the changes in quality. It is difficult to predict how long foods will retain their top-quality flavour, appearance or texture because it depends on age and condition of the food on the day it was vacuum sealed.

Important : Vacuum sealing is NOT a substitute for refrigeration or freezing. Any perishable foods that require refrigeration must still be refrigerated or frozen after vacuum sealing. To avoid possible illness, do not reuse bags after storing raw meats, raw fish or greasy foods. Do not reuse bags that have been microwaved or simmered.

Thawing and Reheating Vacuum Sealed Foods

Always thaw foods in a refrigerator or a microwave oven — do not thaw perishable foods at room temperature.

Foods inside a bag can be defrosted but not reheated in a microwave oven. When defrosting foods in the microwave in FoodSaver® Bags make sure not to exceed maximum power of 180 watts (defrost setting), maximum time of 2 minutes and maximum temperature of 70°C (158°F).\

You can also reheat foods in FoodSaver® Bags by placing them in water at a low simmer below 75°C (170°F). Follow any specificinstructions that come with the FoodSaver® Specialty Bags.

Foods inside a bag can be defrosted but not reheated in a microwave oven. When defrosting foods in the microwave in FoodSaver® Bags make sure not to exceed maximum power of 180 watts (defrost setting), maximum time of 2 minutes and maximum temperature of 70°C (158°F).

You can also reheat foods in FoodSaver® Bags by placing them in water at a low simmer below 75°C (170°F). Follow any   instructions that come with the FoodSaver® Specialty Bags.

Preparation Guidelines

Meat and Fish
Meat and Fish

For best results, pre-freeze meat and fish for 1-2 hours before vacuum sealing in a FoodSaver® Bag. This helps retain the juice and shape, and guarantees a better seal. If it’s not possible to prefreeze, place a folded paper towel between meat or fish and top of bag, but below seal area.

Leave a paper towel in bag to absorb excess moisture and juices during the vacuum sealing process.

Note: Beef may appear darker after vacuum sealing due to the removal of oxygen. This is not an indication of spoilage.

Hard Cheeses

To keep cheese fresh, vacuum seal it after each use. Make your FoodSaver® Bag extra-long, allowing 25mm of bag material for each time you plan to open and reseal, in addition to the 75mm room you normally leave between contents and seal

Simply cut sealed edge and remove cheese. When you are ready to reseal the cheese, just drop it in bag and reseal.

Important: Due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria, soft cheeses should never be vacuum sealed.

Vegetables

Vegetables need to be blanched before vacuum sealing. This process stops the enzyme action that could lead to loss of flavour, colour and texture.

To blanch vegetables, place them in boiling water or in the microwave until they are cooked, but still crisp. Blanching times range from 1 to 2 minutes for leafy greens and peas; 3 to 4 minutes for snap peas, sliced courgette or broccoli; 5 minutes for carrots; and 7 to 11 minutes for corn on the cob. After blanching, immerse vegetables in cold water to stop the cooking process. Finally, dry vegetables on a towel before vacuum sealing.

Note: All vegetables (including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips) naturally emit gases during storage. Therefore, after blanching, they must be stored in freezer only.

When freezing vegetables, it is best to pre-freeze them for 1–2  hours or until solidly frozen. To freeze vegetables in individualservings, first place on a baking sheet and spread them out so they are not touching. This prevents them from freezing together in a block. Once they are frozen, remove from baking sheet and vacuum seal vegetables in a FoodSaver® Bag. After they have been vacuum sealed, return them to the freezer.

Important: Due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria, fresh mushrooms, onions and garlic should never be vacuum sealed.

Fruits

When freezing soft fruits or berries, it is best to prefreeze them for 1-2 hours or until solidly frozen. To freeze fruit in individual servings, first place on a baking sheet and spread them out so they are not touching. This prevents them from freezing together in a block. Once they are frozen, remove from baking sheet and vacuum seal fruit in a FoodSaver® Bag.

After they have been vacuum sealed, return them to the freezer.

You can vacuum seal portions for baking or in your favourite combinations for easy fruit salad all year round.

Coffee and Powdery Foods

To prevent food particles from being drawn into vacuum pump, place a coffee filter or paper towel at top of bag or canister before vacuum sealing. You can also place the food in its original bag inside a FoodSaver® Bag.

Liquids

Before you vacuum seal liquids such as soup stock, pre-freeze in a casserole dish, loaf pan or ice cube tray until solid. Remove frozen liquid from pan and vacuum seal in a FoodSaver® Bag. You can stack these ‘frozen bricks’ in your freezer.

When you are ready to use, just cut corner of bag and place in a dish in microwave or drop into water at a low simmer, below 75°C (170°F).

Snack Foods

Your snack foods will maintain their freshness longer when you vacuum seal them.

Care and Cleaning of your Vacuum Sealer

To Clean Appliance:
Remove Power Cord from electrical outlet. Do not immerse in liquid. Check Gaskets to make sure it is free from food materials. Wipe off Gasket with warm soapy cloth if needed. Upper and Lower Gaskets may be removed for cleaning. Clean with warm, soapy water.

To Store Appliance:
Clean unit thoroughly as detailed above.

After the unit has been cleaned and allowed to fully dry, close lid without locking. This prevents any undue pressure from being applied to the internal sealing gaskets of the unit.

Never store lid in locked OPERATE position as gaskets may become compressed and the unit may not function properly.

Fitting of a plug – for U.K. and Ireland only

This appliance must be earthed.

If the plug is not suitable for the socket outlets in your home, it can be removed and replaced by a plug of the correct type.

If the fuse in a moulded plug needs to be changed, the fuse cover must be refitted. The appliance must not be used without the fuse cover fitted.

If the plug is unsuitable, it should be dismantled and removed from the supply cord and an appropriate plug fitted as detailed. If you remove the plug it must not be connected to a 13 amp socket and the plug must be disposed of immediately.

If the plug fuse requires replacement, a fuse of the same rating as that fitted by the manufacturer must be used. In order to prevent a hazard do not fit a fuse of a lower or higher rating.
Fitting
Ensure that the outer sheath of the cable is firmly held by the cord grip

Troubleshooting

Problem Solution
Vacuum Pump is running, but bag is not evacuating air
  • If making a bag from a roll, make sure one end of bag is sealed. See How to Make a Bag from a FoodSaver® Roll.
  • Adjust the bag and try again. Make sure the open end of the bag is one centimetre past the Sealing Strip.
  • Check for wrinkles in bag along Sealing Strip. To prevent wrinkles in the seal, gently stretch bag flat while inserting bag in the machine.
  • Open unit and make sure Gaskets are inserted properly and there are no foreign objects, dirt or debris on the Upper or Lower Gasket.
  • Lid has been pressed to close: Gaskets may be compressed. Press buttons to release lid and allow 10 to 20 minutes for Gaskets to expand.
  • Make sure lid is pressed all of the way down on both sides of the unit. If the lid is not fully closed, there will be a leak between the gaskets.

Gasket is loose or has a tear|

  • Take out the gasket, clean it and re-insert the Gasket into the Gasket Channel.
  • If Gasket has minor damage remove, flip over and reinstall.
  • Visit website for replacement.

Bag is not sealing properly|

  • Too much liquid in bag, freeze before vacuuming.
  • Check for food debris around seal area. If present, take out the gasket, clean it and re-insert the Gasket into the Vacuum Channel.
  • Bag has wrinkles: To prevent wrinkles in the seal, gently stretch bag flat while inserting bag into Gasket Channel.

Nothing happens when Lid is closed and Button is pressed|

  • Make sure unit is plugged in.
  • Make sure wall outlet is functional.
  • Open Lid, make sure lid is all the way down, press lid to close

Cannot insert bag into machine|

  • Make sure there is enough bag material to reach one centimetre past the sealing strip.
  • Always allow 7.62 cm (3 inches) extra space to allow the bag to seal tightly around food contents.
  • Gently stretch bag flat while inserting.

Air was removed from the bag, but now air has re-entered|

  • Examine the seal. A wrinkle along the seal may cause air to re-enter the bag. To prevent wrinkles in the seal, gently stretch bag flat while inserting into the appliance.
  • Sometimes moisture or food material (such as juices, grease, crumbs, powders, etc.) along seal prevents bag from sealing properly. Cut bag open, wipe top inside of bag and re-seal.
  • Sharp food items may have punctured bag. Use a new bag if there is a hole. Cover sharp food items with a soft cushioning material, such as a paper towel, and re-seal.
  • Fermentation or the release of natural gases from inside the foods may have occurred. When this happens, food may have begun to spoil and should be discarded.
  • Faulty bag. Bag could be punctured. Try another bag.

Bag melts|

  • Sealing Strip may have become too hot. Always wait at least 20 seconds for appliance to cool down before you vacuum seal another item.
  • Use FoodSaver® brand bags. Our FoodSaver® Bags and Rolls are specially designed for FoodSaver® units

After sales service

In the case the appliance does not operate but is under warranty, return the product to the place it was purchased for a replacement. Please be aware that a valid form of proof of purchase will be required.

How to Obtain Warranty Service

For additional support or questions regarding this warranty or would like to obtain warranty service, please visit foodsavereurope.com for Consumer Service Department details or call at: United Kingdom: 0800 028 7154 | Spain: 0900 81 65 10 | France: 0805 542 055. For all other countries, please call +44 800 028 7154. International rates may apply. Alternatively, e-mail In the United Kingdom, this warranty is offered by Sunbeam Products, Inc. located in Headache, United Kingdom.

Waste Disposal

Waste electrical products should not be disposed of with household waste. Please recycle where facilities exist. E-mail us at foodsavereurope@newellco.com for further recycling and WEEE
information.

Guarantee

Please keep your receipt as this will be required for any claims under this guarantee.

This appliance is guaranteed for 2 years from your date of purchase as described in this document.

During this guaranteed period, if in the unlikely event the appliance no longer functions due to a design or manufacturing fault, please take it back to the place of purchase, with your till receipt and a copy of this guarantee.

The rights and benefits under this guarantee are additional to your statutory rights, which are not affected by this guarantee.

The exercise of your statutory rights in the event of defects is free of charge.

Only the applicable Newell company set out below (“Newell”) has the right to change these terms.

Newell undertakes within the guarantee period to repair or replace the appliance, or any part of appliance found to be not working properly free of charge provided that:

  • you promptly notify the place of purchase or Newell of the problem; and
  • the appliance has not been altered in any way or subjected to damage, misuse, abuse, repair or alteration by a person other than a person authorised by Newell.

Faults that occur through, improper use, damage, abuse, use with incorrect voltage, acts of nature, events beyond the control of Newell, repair or alteration by a person other than a person authorised by Newell or failure to follow instructions for use are not covered by this guarantee. Additionally, normal wear and tear, including, but not limited to, minor discoloration and scratches are not covered by this guarantee.

The rights under this guarantee shall only apply to the original
purchaser and shall not extend to commercial or communal use.
If your appliance includes a country-specific guarantee or warranty
insert please refer to the terms and conditions of such guarantee or
warranty in place of this guarantee or contact your local authorized
dealer for more information.
Waste electrical products should not be disposed of with
household waste. Please recycle where facilities exist. E-mail us at
foodsavereurope@newellco.com for further recycling and WEEE
information.
If you have any queries concerning claims under this guarantee,
please contact:
Newell Poland Services Sp. z o.o.Plac Andersa 7
Poznan 61-894
Poland
United Kingdom: 0800 028 7154
International rates may apply. Alternatively e-mail foodsavereurope@newellco.com

(EU) Newell Poland Services Sp. z o.o., Plac Andersa 7, Poznan, 61-894, Poland.
(UK) Newell Brands UK Limited, 5400 Lakeside, Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 3GQ, United Kingdom.
e-mail : foodsavereurope@newellco.com
Tel: +44 (0) 800 028 7154

For Customer Service details, please see the website.
www.foodsavereurope.com
© 2023 Sunbeam Products, Inc. All rights reserved.
The product you buy may differ slightly from the one shown on this carton due to continuing product development.
Printed in China

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References

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