VacMaster Pro110 Vacuum Sealer

Works perfectly... if you READ and FOLLOW the INSTRUCTIONS. You do have to push down on the leading corners of the lid in order to lock it shut. It does not take that much effort. Once the Vacuum and Seal cycles finish the lid unlocks and raises slightly allowing you to raise it and remove your food pouch. Easy as pie. This is our first Vacuum Sealer. It took me about 10 minutes to read the instructions, make a couple of TEST bags and then seal a package of hot dogs (just as a test). It took a couple of tries to get the bag length and placement correct but after that we were up-and-running. I made up 10 bags from a bulk roll and sealed up 10 items for the freezer in about as many minutes. After the 2nd or 3rd bag I realized that one side of the roll was clear, so after that I was careful to put the content labels UP toward that clear side (it will then be easier to read them later on). Take extra care so as not to have the bag folded or wrinkly when you are creating your seal as sometimes the seal does not "take" at that/the/a fold and you'll have to re-do the bag or the seal. I did that once or twice and then started taking an extra few seconds on each bag to verify that the bag was straight all the way across the to-be-sealed area. I also have come to realize that if I place my 1" thick cutting board directly in front of and touching the front edge of the sealer unit that I can cut my bags an inch or so shorter as the bag does not have to make the bend over the front of the unit in order to be placed correctly into the unit. 10 bags 10". You will, over time, save quite a bit on bags (from a bulk roll) if you do this. Anyway, don't be scared of what you may have read from some other Reviewers (I myself was a little concerned and initially even worried by some of them), this thing works as advertized and is not impossible to use. The unit creates a vacuum within the "racetrack" gasket area and seals at the front strip. So if you keep the end of the bag within the racetrack gasket area and you keep that leading edge fairly straight, then lower/close and latch the lid on both front corners, push the Vac and Seal button, wait a few seconds for the process to finish and the lid to release, then voila', to your dismay, astonishment and delight, you've done it. If I can do it you certainly can. It works great. By the way, my wife and I are in our late 60's, retired, and we don't work for anybody. This is all just my two-cents-worth.