The Bean Vac Canister has been rated 8.00 overall by our member reviewers
This product has been in our review database since June 29, 2007.
Bean Vac Canister reviews have been viewed 2,056 times (updated hourly).
Ratings and Stats
Overall Rating: 8.0
Manufacturer:
Unknown (Chinese Origin)
Quality:
8
Average Price:
$40.00
Usability:
9
Price Paid:
$25.00
Cost vs. Value
7
Where Bought:
Williams Sonoma
Aesthetics
8
Owned for:
1 month
Overall
8
Writer's Expertise:
Just starting
Would Buy Again:
Yes
Similar Items Owned:
Bottom Line:
Great Comcept But Will It Last
Positive Product Points
Pulls a vacuum to reseal the container Simple mechanism, easy operation
Negative Product Points
Battery Life Questionable quality Relatively high asking price
Detailed Commentary
I have to admit the concept is great but the implementation is questionable. I bought two canisters about a month ago when Williams Sonoma had them on sale for $25.00 ea. $40.00 regular cost seemed steep considering some of the negative reviews read. I use the canisters to rest and de-gas 1/2 lb. of beans fresh from the roaster . The canisters satisfy my basic requirement of pulling a vacuum when closed and holding the vacuum for 2-3 days. There's a switch on the bottom to automatically re-evacuate the canister every 12, 24, or 48 hours but I set this off the conserve battery power and don't feel I need it (yet). This feature would be needed if the canister didn't hold a seal over time but for the moment my two do . In one month of ownership I have probably evacuated each of the two canisters 10 times and the batteries (4 - camera duty AA size) are holding up. The vacuum cycle takes a minute or so to evacuate and really sounds like the vacuum pump is struggling near the end. It makes you think that its power demand is large for AA batteries. This may be normal operation though but would be nice to how much energy they consume per cycle.
The inner canister is removable for cleaning. The company recommends keeping the rubber type seal clean to hold a vacuum. There's also a pop up vacuum indicator that requires periodic cleaning but I had no issue with the gizmo. It really is easy to use and maintain.
So, they work great but how long? I will followup in 3 months to let you know about battery life. My big concerns are battery life, holding a vacuum, and longevity. It seems to me used on a daily basis the batteries could discharge in a few weeks. I'm giving it a cautious 7 rating overall for now. If I get decent battery life and the vacuum seal holds I'll up this rating. I've read some negative reports about short battery life and the seal giving way in a short time. I believe the company redesigned the seal since these reviews were written.
Buying Experience
Williams Sonoma is a top shelf company. No issue here!
Three Month Followup
Well I'm surprised! After five months I'm still on the original batteries. I usually pull 2-3 vaccuums a week on each of my two canisters so that averages about 10 pulls a month x 5 = 50. No quality issues to report. Since I use the canisters to rest coffee fresh from the roaster the little pop-up vaccum indicator is crude measure of how much the beans are off gassing CO2. Usually within 24-36 hours of roasting I have to re-pull a vacuum because the pressure inside the vessel causes the indicator to pop up. Some beans have more gas that others. After the initial off gassing the vacuum holds for 2-3 days or more. When ready for use I transfer the beans to my daily bean canister. I'm upping my ratings of quality and overall from 7 to 8.
