Ok, I've had this particular Seal-a-Meal (SAM) for a while now. I have used it pretty rarely. 2 nights ago I collect my dried hops and prepare to seal them up under vacuum. First seal is fine. I add the hops to the bag and vacuum seal it all nice and when I pull the bag out, it sort of "sticks" to the machine a tiny bit.
I notice a small whiteish area right in the center of the seal line. The next one leaves a small hole right there. After a few more I really check the sealing line on the machine and notice a tiny bump where the heat tape covers the heating element. I think it's something got caught under there so I carefully lift the tape with the tip of my pocket knife and don't see anything.
Turns out the heat tape has a teflon coating, so that the plastic bag doesn't stick to the tape. Somehow that coating got damaged and now the bag sticks to the tape and it pulls off.
So I email the company to ask about replacement element or tape. In the meantime I dab a bit of silicone to the spot and hope that it works long enough to finish the hops.
I finally get an email back and they tell me that they do not offer that part and they suggest I purchase a new unit. I very nicely tell them that they can shove it up theirs and I'm not buying another piece of junk from them if they fail in under 30 uses and they don't even offer replacement parts for wear items.
This is the second SAM I've had. The first quit trying to seal after a short while too. Problem is, I don't use them that much, so it's over a year usually before the problems pop up and they are not under warranty anymore.
I love these things, but I can't justify spending the money on something that (even though it was only $40) ought to last longer than they do!
I looked in Mcmaster-Carr and found similar tape strip with silicone adhesive and teflon coating for under $10. And it's 5 yards long!! I plan on fixing this.
I just don't see how the company figures they can make money on this stuff if people only buy them once and then never want to buy they products again.
I notice a small whiteish area right in the center of the seal line. The next one leaves a small hole right there. After a few more I really check the sealing line on the machine and notice a tiny bump where the heat tape covers the heating element. I think it's something got caught under there so I carefully lift the tape with the tip of my pocket knife and don't see anything.
Turns out the heat tape has a teflon coating, so that the plastic bag doesn't stick to the tape. Somehow that coating got damaged and now the bag sticks to the tape and it pulls off.
So I email the company to ask about replacement element or tape. In the meantime I dab a bit of silicone to the spot and hope that it works long enough to finish the hops.
I finally get an email back and they tell me that they do not offer that part and they suggest I purchase a new unit. I very nicely tell them that they can shove it up theirs and I'm not buying another piece of junk from them if they fail in under 30 uses and they don't even offer replacement parts for wear items.
This is the second SAM I've had. The first quit trying to seal after a short while too. Problem is, I don't use them that much, so it's over a year usually before the problems pop up and they are not under warranty anymore.
I love these things, but I can't justify spending the money on something that (even though it was only $40) ought to last longer than they do!
I looked in Mcmaster-Carr and found similar tape strip with silicone adhesive and teflon coating for under $10. And it's 5 yards long!! I plan on fixing this.
I just don't see how the company figures they can make money on this stuff if people only buy them once and then never want to buy they products again.