Unusual Uses For Your Domestic Vacuum Packing Machine | The Tool Shed

Unusual Uses For Your Domestic Vacuum Packing Machine

Our domestic vacuum packing machines are an essential piece of kit, not just for preparing your ingredients to be cooked sous vide, but also for extending the life of your ingredients and keeping them fresher.

But did you know that there are a whole host of unusual uses for your vacuum sealer outside of the kitchen?

You’d be surprised at just how many other ways you can get the most out of our vacuum sealers, and here are just some of the ways that you could utilise them.

Toiletries

If you’re heading away on holiday, vacuum-sealed bags are ideal for taking your miniature toiletries such as toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel.

Of course, these have to be stored in a clear plastic bag anyway, so why not save some space and ensure that they’re all kept together by vacuum sealing them too?

And you can also be sure that any unexpected spillages won’t affect the rest of your luggage.

Clothing

If your wardrobe is practically overflowing with clothes, vacuum packing up those items which you know you won’t be wearing for a while is a great way to save some space.

Picking out those seasonal items that you won’t be needing for a few months and vacuum packing them won’t just give you more space, but it’ll also protect those items from accumulating dust.

With little ones especially, there may also be those items that remind you of a special time or person that deserve to be carefully preserved. From first baby grows and shoes, to one-off items from events like festivals and sports tournaments.

Cutlery/Plates

If you’re moving house and need to transport all of your cutlery and plates, vacuuming packing them is a good way to maximise your packing space and also keep them safe.

Just make sure to wrap them in something such as soft paper first, not only to protect them but to prevent anything from puncturing the vacuum bags in transit.

Mobile Phone

If you need to temporarily protect your phone (or any other electronic gadgets) from the elements, vacuum packing it is an easy way to create a watertight seal.

Whether you’re at the beach or taking part in watersports such as kayaking, vacuum sealing is a surefire (if slightly extreme) way to waterproof your precious devices.

Ice

For a quick and easy way to create a makeshift ice pack for sporting injuries, simply vacuum seal some ice into a bag.

It’s a much more affordable alternative to going out and buying your own ice packs and can be reused over and over again!

Spices and Herbs

Back in the kitchen, herbs and spices can lose their flavour very quickly, so it’s important to keep them fresh for as long as possible.

Vacuuming sealing your herbs will certainly help to do this, although you might want to blanch those with more delicate leaves before sealing (just make sure they’re not still wet).

You can also choose to freeze the herbs before sealing them, although while the flavour will still be intact when you come to thaw them, they will come out looking a bit limper than before you froze them!

Jewellery

Metal jewellery that is sat in a drawer can start to lose its lustre over time, so it’s important that you look after it properly.

Vacuum sealing your pieces will protect them from the air and prevent corrosion, meaning they can be stored away until you need them, without losing any of that sparkle.

Photos

Admittedly, most of our photos are stored on our mobile phones and on social media these days, but if you have any old photos that you want to try and protect and you don’t have any albums to keep them in, vacuum sealing them could be a good way to prevent them from building up dust and dirt, as well as creases and water damage.

Vacuum sealing can be used to protect and store all kinds of other small bits and pieces too, whether you’re looking to save some space or maximise your packing space for your next big trip away and these suggestions are really just a starting point!

If you don’t own your own vacuum sealer at home, be sure to check out our selection of machines here.

Post by Chris Holland

Our Chef Director Chris Holland worked as Head Chef at the prestigious Alderley Edge hotel before joining us. He has a passion for using the best produce and never compromises on quality. Author of our best selling book Sous Vide The Art of Precision Cooking, Chris is a expert on the sous vide technique.During the later part of my school days at Wardle High School Rochdale I always wanted to be a chef . I knew from the very start that my path to work was never going to be academic it was always going to be something practical and hands on.

As a young boy growing up I was inspired to cook with my Grandma who was and still is an inspiration to me . I have memories of helping make the cakes that she always had made for visitors and family alike . She made the most amazing cakes and I loved nothing more than eating the sweet raw cake batter straight from the bowl . We used to fight over who got to lick the bowl/spoon after the cakes were made. My grandma’s philosophy for cooking even on a shoe string budget was always to use fresh and seasonal ingredients either home grown or bought from the market.

School was somewhat of a drag for me as I was itching to learn to become a chef.

I started at Hopwood Hall college as a chef and instantly fell in love with it .To me it was the only real time I excelled in something and this inspired me to really get my head down and put in the hard work. College was the first time I really excelled in something and gave me the opportunity to laugh at the teachers who said I would never make something of my life!!!!

During the three years at college I also took on a part time position in a local hotel working the bar and restaurant first and then the kitchen. These were great days and gave me the opportunity to see how the industry ticks. I learnt a lot from those days both good and bad !! But I have to say I was itching to work only in the kitchen but it was a good insight into the catering world .

After completing college I moved away from Rochdale for a full time roll at one of Cheshire’s most talked about Hotel restaurants The Stanneylands Hotel. This was the school of hard knocks for me as I quickly realised that although excelling at college meant nothing in “The Real World”.

I loved every minute of the 18 hour days 6 days a week on minimum wage . Although difficult I feel that without this grounding I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today. After 18 months of hard graft I left Stanneylands and went with the Head chef to open a fine dining restaurant at Mere Golf and Country Club. The opportunity to work alongside Matthew Barrett was too good to turn down. I learnt so much from the ex-Ritz chef and working in a much slower paced role helped me develop a much better understanding of how to organise and run a kitchen. We were a very small team and teamwork was and still is the only way to go for me.

After 2 years at Mere I got the opportunity to go into The Alderley Edge Hotel as Junior Souschef. The Early days at the Edge were all about learning new styles of cuising which is invaluable in any role as a chef. I got the opportunity to grow and learn all aspects of every section which was inspiring . I was offered the opportunity at the age of 29 (2004) to take the role of head chef. For me this was when I really started to develop my own style of food.

After 9 years at the top winning Cheshire restaurant of the year , Chef of the Year and appearing on GBM amongst many highlights including cooking for many celebrities and famous people I decided to move on into development with Sousvidetools.

The main inspiration for this was to train and educate people . I always had a great passion for education but could never really see myself at a college . The job is super rewarding and I am proud to say we have become the leading light in sous-vide education in the UK . This is something I am very proud of . Food is my biggest passion and this is what keeps me interested the most . I love to travel and try out other countries cuisines. I am constantly inspired by ingredients and the pursuit of getting the best out of them without destroying their natural flavour .It is super important to me to continue to try and be at the forefront of the food scene this is what inspire me and the team to keep driving forward .

Technology is now widely used in the industry and I am super proud to say we have been a big part of spreading that message.

I am very lucky to be in the position I am and the drive to constantly improve our training and links to the next generation of young budding hospitality chefs.

TI feel that my experience over the last 25 years really enables me to get close and educate the “next generation” of chefs .

The industry which I love is really struggling to bring through new recruits and if I can help that process I will be immensely proud.

The food seen in the Uk has improved dramatically over the last ten years and I feel this will continue with the correct education. What happens next only fate will tell us...

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