This is a top quality sealer that I use for bulk sealing of holiday foods that we cook so we can enjoy them on special occasions throughout the year.It actually is easier to use than the instructions indicate, so you are probably better off watching an online video so you can see what they are talking about, once you see the video then you will be expert.Essentially you will lay the vacuum bag inside the machine so that its opening is simply laying anywhere over the vacuum chamber (the empty well just past the heating element. Lower the lid and swing down the handle to lock it in place and press the Vac&Seal button twice (on mine I press it twice to get it going, I don't know if all models require than).You will see the numerical countdown start (9, 8, 7, 6, etc.) and you will hear the pump vacuum the air out, then it gets quiet as the sealing happens, just leave it alone until you see that it is finished.That is basically all you do. It's easier than it sounds.Tips:The vacuum chamber has two plastic protrusions over it, I suggest that you slip the end of the bag under the protrusions so that you ensure that the vacuum chamber will draw all the air out of the bag.The bag cutter simply cuts bags, if you use rolls then you can place the roll in the empty space inside the back of the device, it is for storage only, lift the cutter bar and slide the bag under it, pull out the amount of bag that you need (more is better) then lower the cutter bar onto the bag and slide the small cutter knob across the bag and it gets cut cleanly. Now you have a bag that needs to be sealed at one end, you will not use the roll anymore, hold the bag so one open end is in the vacuum chamber area below the two plastic protrusions, you will hold the rest of the bag outside the machine, close/lock the lid, then press the manual seal button.Now you have a bag that has one closed end, open the machine remove the bag, fill the bag with food (leave several inches so you can inter the bag into the machine, insert the bag so the opening is in the vacuum chamber area, place the open end below the two plastic protrusions, make sure that it is wrinkle free, close and lock the lid, press the Vac&Seal button twice and you will hear and see it vacuum the air out, wait until the sealing operation is finished then unlock and remove.Look to see that you actually sealed it and you are done.If you cut the bag too short then you might have to hold the food up in the air so the open part of the bag reaches all the way into the vacuum chamber, this is OK, just hold it evenly and keep it steady for the whole operation (this is why we cut the bags a little bit longer than needed.If you are using pre-made bags then obviously you don't cut them, just fill them and place them into the machine for sealing and press the Vac&Seal button.