Ten+ years in fine dining cooking . I've vac pacced more than I can remember - for sous viding , marinating , portioning , curing , imbuing , and storage. I also maintained the machine ; you'll want back up parts like replacement seals , oil filters and the oil itself , there is also replacement conductive tape that comes in a roll that you cover the sealing elements in . Keeping the bed clean and dry is vital to longevity . Edit : buy your bags in bulk if you stand by your investment .