FoodSaver Elite VS5960 Liquid+ review

The FoodSaver Elite All-in-One Liquid+ VS5960 is most interesting when ordinary external bag sealing is almost enough, but you also want a documented route for suitable unfrozen soups and sauces. It combines an automatic closing lid, built-in roll storage and cutter, a true manual Pulse control and a retractable accessory fitting. The current US dark stainless package is 2182313, with a five-cup Preserve & Marinate container and a bottle stopper among its supplied accessories.

Liquid mode has a narrower job than its name suggests

FoodSaver specifies a minimum viscosity of 1.39 mPa·s. Its practical reference is a liquid no thinner than chicken noodle soup, and its model information explicitly excludes water. A clear stock, thin marinade or other watery mixture should not be assumed suitable merely because it is called soup or sauce. Check the consistency against the manufacturer's instructions before filling a bag.

The guide also recommends no more than one quart in a quart bag and half a gallon in a gallon bag, alongside the required clear material above the contents. These are limits, not a reason to fill every bag to its nominal capacity. Keep the inside walls above the food clean, particularly with a thicker cream or sauce that can smear while pouring. The liquid setting does not make a contaminated seal area disappear.

For thin cooled liquids in pouches, compare a documented chamber routine such as the Avid Armor USV20. For an occasional soup portion on a standard external machine such as the FM2000, freezing the liquid solid before packing is a different workable routine. Choose based on the food you actually portion, rather than assuming Liquid+ replaces every chamber use.

Automatic closing still involves deliberate loading

Feed the filled bag through the lower part of the viewing opening, center it and hold it until the appliance detects it and closes. Select Dry, Moist, Liquid or Sous Vide as appropriate, then start Vacuum. Keep hands and objects clear of the closing lid and do not force it. The automatic clamp removes a manual latching step, but it does not decide which food mode is appropriate.

The separate Pulse control vacuums while held; press Seal when ready to finish. That is useful when watching how a more compressible portion responds. Pulse, automatic vacuuming and the accessory Marinate sequence are different operations. Having all three is useful only if the household understands which control starts the intended routine.

Make bags without moving the roll to a separate tool

The roll compartment sits at the back, and the integrated cutter prepares custom lengths. The Express bag-making sequence seals the next bag end while you cut away the current bag. Learn the first end-seal setup before portioning a large batch, then measure enough material to accommodate both the food and the prescribed headroom.

Allow 20 seconds between seals. Convenient bag preparation and automatic closing do not make this a continuous-duty machine. FoodSaver's family dimensions are labeled 15.98 inches long, 6.35 inches wide and 9.11 inches high; check the whole horizontal span and leave access to the roll door, lid and front bag area. This is a counter station rather than a low drawer appliance.

The VS5960 box includes a usable container route

This package supplies a five-cup container as well as the retractable fitting, so a compatible rigid-vessel routine is available without first buying that vessel separately. Follow the container's own fill and valve instructions. For Marinate, the manual describes removing the fitting's clear lower section and using the upper tip, with an approximately twelve-minute vacuum-and-release sequence. Keep the hose clear of the lid while it opens and closes.

The included bottle stopper is for compatible non-carbonated bottled liquids; it does not turn storage into canning. Heat-seal bags, zipper bags and roll material are also listed in the VS5960 starter package. Other Elite retailer packages have different contents, so compare the actual retail number rather than assuming every box includes the container. The handheld fitting remains tethered to the powered base; it is not a cordless pump.

Cleaning is especially important after sauce work

Unplug before cleaning. Empty the removable drip tray after use, wash it by hand or on the dishwasher's top rack, and dry it before refitting. Wipe the fixed gaskets and the bag-detection areas under the lid; do not pull out gaskets labeled non-removable. Wash and air-dry the handheld reservoir separately. Accessible collection parts are valuable here because the food being packed is more likely to leave residue.

The current product page and the family support table disagree about wattage, so confirm the electrical rating on the actual unit rather than using a power figure to compare suction. Choose the VS5960 for its qualified thicker-liquid mode, controllable Pulse and supplied vessel. Choose a simpler roll machine if you rarely need those routes, or a suitable chamber when thin-liquid pouch packing is essential.