Just bought a Seal-a-Meal - how long does it take to heat up? it's been 10 minutes already, I don't feel any heat. no lights coming on, but when I pushed on the lid, the vacuum started

SOURCE: Just bought the seal a

I thought I had the same problem. Kept reading the instruction manual to try to figure out what I was doing wrong or thought a fuse was blown or something (there wasn't even a light to show that it was getting power). It did end up working though when I pressed on the ribs on the lid with some force and held it for a second or two. It didn't work when I pressed down on the lid on the sides - only when I pressed directly on the ribs. It really surprised me when it lit up, but there you have it.

SOURCE: Hi I have a RIVAL

Bag will not seal

• Check that there aren't any gaps, folds, wrinkles or holes in pre-sealed edges.

• Moisture of foods with high liquid content will prevent the bag from

sealing properly. Cut bag open and wipe top inside of bag and reseal.

• Make sure you've placed the bag in the proper place. When making a

bag from a roll, make sure end of cut piece is on Sealing Strip, NOT over

Lower Sealing Gasket or in Drip Tray.

• Make sure you give the appliance time to cool down. Wait at least 20
seconds between seals.

If all the above have been verified and the machine will still not pull a vacuum, you will need to replace the upper and lower gaskets.

SOURCE: When I go to SEAL, it burns a small hole clear thru the bag. One little metal peice on the sealing strip has burned right thru the white heating strip, therefore, it isn't sealing completely.

You need new tape to replace the one presently covering the heat element. You can get a roll of it for just US$7.99. Look at the FixYa question "where [or how maybe] can I get a new tape." I think that you have to be sure that the heat element is flat. I bought a used unit with that problem and the element had somehow gotten bent. Ordered the tape this morning and the cost is worth the hopeful fix.

SOURCE: Seal-a-Meal seal has blister on it

I think that you have the same problem that I have. The protective tape over the heating element [a strip in my case] has a hole in it and allows the element to come in direct contact with the bag. Also, the heating strip had a kink in it was was no longer flat. I carefully cleaned the heating strip and flattened it out as best I can. I have ordered some tape from : http://www.ebay.com/itm/170848027703?item=170848027703&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:X:AAQ:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr to replace the defective one. A simple job.