I used to put food for the freezer in Ziplock bags and suck all the air out to keep food fresh longer. I thought it worked great. Then I got a Foodsaver and used the bag roll to customize the size of bag I was using. While only using the amount of bag you need is a plus, I discovered that it is a minor plus. The major plus is that these bags REALLY keep food fresh, and for a very long time! Who knew?!!!