I've ordered a FoodSaver with the wide mouth canning jar accessory. I'll post a review once it arrives and I've spent some time with it.
After using the FoodSaver with the wide-mouth canning jar accessory I can say that I like it and will continue to use it. I use it multiple times each day and haven't had problems other than minor issues listed in the drawbacks section below.
I have only used it to seal food in wide-mouth canning jars but it can also seal food in the included plastic storage container, and in FoodSaver plastic bags (two are provided with the unit).
I've spaced the points for easier reading.
Benefits:
* Food stays fresher for longer because much of the air is sucked out of the storage container which slows down food degradation. Note that non-dry food must be stored in the fridge to avoid botulism (which thrives in a moist, warm, low- or no-oxygen environment.) Also note that it isn't meant to replace pressure canning.
* It's lightweight
* It's easy to use - just place the canning lid on the jar, push the canning accessory over the top, then hold the FoodSaver over the hole in the top of the accessory and press a button to suck much of the air out of the jar in a few seconds. Then remove the accessory, add the screw top to the jar, and place in the fridge. To open the jar a spoon or other item is wedged under the jar lid to break the seal (but the jar and lid can be used again.)
* Much less physical effort is required than the manual pump I was using.
Drawbacks:
* The rechargeable battery in the unit will eventually fail. How long it will last will depend on how frequently I use it so I'll just have to wait and see how long it takes to fail.
* The wide-mouth canning jar accessory works well but takes some wiggling and force to pull it off the jar after the jar has been sealed. It might be a problem for someone with very little hand strength, or severe arthritis.
* There is no obvious way to tell how much air has been sucked out of the jar before removing the accessory and tugging on the jar lid to check for a tight seal. I rely on the sound of the motor straining, and/or length of time that has passed while holding the button that activates the FoodSaver. This isn't much of a problem but is worth noting.
* The recharging base is so light that it requires one had to hold the base while using the other hand to pull the FoodSaver out. If you can only use one hand then it would be possible, but more difficult to get the unit out of the base.
Comparing with a Pump-n-seal manual pump
* The Pump-n-seal is well made, durable, and should long outlast the rechargeable battery in the FoodSaver. If you don't have problems with excessive muscle fatigue, and want a more flexible jar sealer, then the Pump-n-seal is probably a better investment.
* A manual pump works in a power failure or wherever power isn't available. The FoodSaver will also work, for awhile, during a power failure due to its rechargeable battery, but I don't know how many uses it lasts for before needing a recharge (I just keep it in the charging cradle).
* The Pump-n-seal requires that a small hole is punched through the lid of a canning jar (using a pushpin), then a little plastic sealer is placed over the top. The FoodSaver uses the canning jar accessory to suck air out from under the canning jar lid -- no holes necessary. Both methods work.
* The FoodSaver requires less muscle strength.
* Both make noise. The Pump-n-seal is basically like a small bicycle tire pump with the associated wooshing, and sometimes squeaking noise as the piston moves inside the shaft. The FoodSaver has a little motor and pump, which is somewhat isn't very noisy, but I wouldn't call it quiet either. I doubt the FoodSaver noise would be a problem unless a person is especially sensitive to low-pitched repetitive sound.