Order by 11:00am central time for same-day shipping!

Ask Tess: I’m looking to take my food storage to the next level

A readers asks about using a Hot Jaw in their food storage endeavors and taking their food pantry to the next level.

Hi Tess,

I’m looking to take my food storage to the next level. I am looking at a six-inch hot jaw sealer for 5mm Mylar bags.

Can I over lap the sealer joints to get a seal on bigger bags or do I need to go with a sealer that seals in one step?

Thanks, 

A Reader

Answer:

Hello,

Good for you for having the foresight to take things to the next level. I love the hot jaw sealer! We’ve had one for 10 years and the seals are solid. A lot of preppers have used hair straightening irons and even clothing irons to use as a sealing mechanism, but I have found the seals do not hold as well compared to using a Hot Jaw.

The reason that I prefer the Hot Jaw is that the two jaws on each side have a corrugated surface or grooves makes multiple seals. So, when you press the jaws of the sealer together, they will melt the inner layer of Mylar bag. When you use an iron or straightening iron, you will only get one solid seal and any break in the seal will expose the bag. The multiple seals of the Hot Jaw eliminate this and keep the food safe.

As for your question on overlapping the sealer joints to get a seal, yes you can. This is the sealing process we use in our home. To make an overlapping seal, simply go over the seal a second time (after the first seal has cooled).

I hope this helps!

 

Tess

This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on April 28th, 2018