I kept seeing everyone rave about those silicone bags for meal prep and fridge storage so I caved and bought a 12 pack for $200 back in February. Figured they'd pay for themselves since I was burning through ziplocs like crazy. By month 3 they started getting this weird mildew smell even after I scrubbed them with boiling water. The gaskets are impossible to fully dry and now I've got black spots in the creases. Tried the vinegar soak trick and it helped a little but the smell came back in a week. Honestly I'm back to using my old Tupperware that actually seals properly and doesn't trap moisture. Has anyone found a way to actually keep these things from molding or am I just wasting my time?
I picked up a FoodSaver FM5200 back in September for $130, thinking it'd help me stop wasting produce. Everything worked fine until last Tuesday when I tried sealing some bell peppers and the strip just stopped heating. Now I'm back to wrapping stuff in foil and guessing if it's still good. Anyone find a model that actually lasts longer than a season?