ITW Space Bag Vacuum-Seal Storage Bags, Set of 3
by New West Products
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of ITW Space Bag Vacuum-Seal Storage Bags, Set of 3
Customer Review: Shamefully disappointing....(Part 1)
Summary: 1 Stars
AS a person with extremely limited space and an unbelievably expansive wardrobe, I could hardly contain my hopeful anticipation over these bags. As soon as I saw the infomercial it became my newest "got-to-have". I bought it directly from the manufacturer's website and even expedited shipping because that's how desperate I am to escape from the clutter of clothes that have exceeded the drawers, a small closet, and 3 off-season extra large storage bins.... So this past Sunday I dedicated the better part of the day to filling the huge storage CUBE with off season clothes. I followed the instructions as I filled the bag, folded all the clothes retail style (very neat and compact), took my time because I'm a bit of a detail obsessor, closed the bag and placed the vacuum hose head to the bag opening, pressed the on button AND..... *Shock* Nothing! I thought that maybe I was doing it wrong so I tried several more times adjusting the position of the bag / nozzle etc. Still nothing. I tried another bag just in case the first one was defective. What I got was the "meat-seal-effect" -- no compression but the free air that was in the empty part of the bag was sucked out to form an uncompressed cube of clothes with plastic around it. Essentially it only compressed the area of the bag that had nothing in it. The pile itself was the exact same size/volume that it had been when I initially packed it. SOOOO DISAPPOINTING. I tried turning off appliances in the house thinking maybe it was sucking some juice away from my power source; I checked the bag to see if it was full, I did everything I could think of to get it to work and still remained unsuccessfully dismayed. I noticed that the hose on my vacuum wasn't large enough to cover the nozzle on the bag, so as not to give up after SEVERAL failed attempts I actually was so desperate that I went to the store to find a cheap vacuum thinking that maybe the newer models have bigger hose heads. Turns out the new hose vacuums have hoses similar to the one I had at home so there was no hope in buying a new vacuum. After an entire days attention, lost time and fruitless effort the only thing I was successful at was creating a nicely folded pile of clothes that I could have done without the cost of a defective product and about $21 worth of shipping. I'll tell you what happened when I called customer service in "Shamefully disappointing....(Part 2)" ...... STAYED TUNED!!!!Customer Review: Space bags: great concept, terrible quality
Summary: 1 Stars
I spent a lot of money on Space Bags and have had mixed (mostly poor) result. The over all concept of the product is EXCELLENT, however the company has chosen to make them from inferior materials, so they are next to useless.
The vacuum valve generally works very well, and you can compress an amazing amount of stuff in a bag, that is about all that is good about these.
They are very hard to seal properly, which means they re-inflate often and the zip slider doesn't help seal it...the zip slider often rips little holes along the zip lock rendering the bag useless. I have managed to patch some with tape, but you have to seal every little hole inside and out or it won't hold.
The plastic is also super thin and seemingly brittle (the average freezer bag is much thicker and more durable)...they tear at the drop of a hat! Once they are full, they are even easier to tear because the items inside are ridged when compressed.
Often times, if you fill the bag, it will tear under its own weight when you move it.
If space bags where made from a thick, quality plastic, they would be awesome, but right now they are simply a frustrating waste of money. Right now, I use contractor trash bags for the same purpose...they are thicker and cheaper! I just hold the top around the vacuum nozzle and then tape it closed, voila!
In short, Space Bags are not worth the money, they are too cheaply made to work properly. Hopefully they will fix the product in the future!
Customer Review: great if you don't over stuff them
Summary: 4 Stars
4 stars = above average
Summary: Yes, they work if you carefully pack your items hence the above average rating. They're not 5-star (excellent) because I don't expect these bags to last forever. I paid $17 for a 5-pack and so far they've held up.
I haven't ripped any bags and so far I've bought two sets of 5-pack varieties (10 bags altogether). I've had one set for 2 years and none of them ripped or leaked air. I've reused the same bags. Just don't over stuff and be careful of the seams. Fold or roll your items before putting it into the bag and make sure it's organized before you seal and vacuum. You can put a fabric softener sheet in there if you don't want your stuff smelling like plastic when you reopen the bag later.
In an extra large bag, I can CAREFULLY fit 4 fluffy pillows. I only use these bags for fluffy items (puffy sweaters, down jackets, pillows, fuzzy blankets). I also managed to fit an entire comforter set in an extra large bag (comforter, 2 pillowcases, 2 shams, and one of those extra little bolster pillows).
I find these bags are pointless for denser/heavier fabrics (i.e. denim jeans, denim jackets, linens). You're better off using them for stuff that takes up more space than it should. Oh, you can shove all those stuffed animals into a bag and seal them too (make sure the noses are pointed inwards to avoid rubbing or ripping the plastic).
Customer Review: Okay for travel, awful for storage
Summary: 1 Stars
Space bags are adequate for travel. If you have to pack a lot of items in limited space, these will work. The travel ones in particular are better for this purpose - these are the ones you roll up to remove the air. The vacuum ones are fine if you have access to a vacuum when it's time to pack for home. They'll generally hold their seal while you're traveling and for the duration of your average business trip or vacation.
These are LOUSY for storage, however, especially seasonal or long-term storage. They hold a seal for a few weeks to maybe a month or two, no matter how carefully you follow the instructions, no matter how much air you vacuum out, no matter how 'understuffed' you pack them, and even if you don't touch them again once they're sealed. The air WILL eventually find its way back in and what you'll have - as another reviewer put it - is just another giant Zip-Loc bag.
You can get the same effect for much less cost using large or jumbo-sized Zip-Loc bags. And given that I've had the same success with Zip-Loc bags for traveling that I have with SpaceBags, I can't even justify the price for travel-sized SpaceBags.
Customer Review: could be better
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this set of four - medium, large, extra-large because I live in a small apartment and needed to get my linen closet under control. I just tried them for the first time and I was happy and disappointed at the same time. I put a queen comforter in the extra-large and two pillows in the large. I was happy to see it went down to about half the size it was. But however, it was a difficult to get the items into the bag - I felt like was going to rip the opening and had to be careful. I also could not get the pillow or comforter in a neat fashion. Also the extra-large just wasn't big enough for that queen comforter. Though it did fit inside, the zipper (just like a ziplock bag) popped open and it started inflating. Even the one that is half full I think I have to be careful for it to not come open. I expect they will if I bend or bump. It would be much better if the bag had and actual zipper type close instead of a ziplock. Also the medium I have to set aside for travel as it is just too small would not be useful for much. I would suggest getting a bigger size than you think you will need.