Although I only consider myself a hobby homesteader, but we live in Alaska and we put up hundreds of pounds of meat! I wanted to share some of my most valuable homestead tools that if I lost today, I’d buy again in a heartbeat! 

Homestead Tools

Chamber sealer

We received the Vacmaster VP215 as a house warming present from my parents in 2018 and we’ve really put it to the test! Most years, I would say that we’ve put around 800lbs of meat through it and it has stood the test of time! 

We process a moose every year, raise 50 meat chickens, get at least 20 salmon along with various other fish and shrimp. It sees A LOT of packages. 

A chamber sealer is an upgrade from a vacuum sealer because instead of simply pulling the air out of the bag with suction, it removes the oxygen from the entire chamber. This results in a better seal and no oxygen in the bag which means less freezer burn. 

I wrote a blog with all the frequently asked questions I get about chamber sealers, you can check that out here. 

Here are the links to our VP215 and our VP320. Use code HAPPYHOME to save or HAPPYHOMEEXTRA5 if there is a sale going on! 

Knife Set

I got this knife set at the beginning of 2025 and I have used it on cod, salmon, butchering chickens, and processing a moose. 

It is such a quality set and is listed at a great price point. If you do any kind of animal processing, you won’t regret having this in your arsenal. Use code HAPPYHOME to save or HAPPYHOMEEXTRA5 if there is a sale going on! 

Kitchen shears

This might seem like a silly one but these are the perfect all around kitchen shear. We use them for butchering chickens and they are really nice if you like to make spatchcock chicken. Moms of little kids – you need a pair for dicing food for your toddlers! 

Not all kitchen scissors are created equal, trust me! Especially if you are using them to break down chickens, you want a sharp and effective pair! 

Dehydrator

I used a thrifted dehydrator for years, and while it worked, it was a round, stacking tray style dehydrator and the design just wasn’t very effective. I got this dehydrator on a prime deal and LOVE it! I like to use it for dehydrating herbs, making rhubarb candy, and I’m going to try moose jerky next! 

Food funnel

This food funnel is a game changer for packaging any food! Whether you’re canning or filling vacuum sealer bags, it keeps the edges clean and makes everything easier! 

We use them when we are packaging moose sausage. The sausage is sticky and harder to get into the bags and this food funnel comes in clutch every time! 

Field butchering knife

This is the best butchering knife for using in the field. They have replaceable blades so you can get a brand new edge at any time during butchering. Seriously, every man in my family has one. Quality and affordable buy that you will not regret! Be careful, they are sharp as all get out!

Instant Pot 

Before you skip this paragraph, listen! It’s very important that you get the 8 quart Instant Pot if you’re going to invest in one! It’s the best for making bone broth, soup, yogurt, and cooking game roasts or tougher cuts like the neck!

Homestead Tools: Bonus

This one didn’t fit with the list because it doesn’t involve food, but its one of Jimmy’s most used homestead tools!

Bluetooth ear protection

These ear muffs have bluetooth capability so you can block out unnecessary machine noise but still listen to what you want! Jimmy uses them all the time while running the chainsaw, tractor, snow blower, four wheeler, etc.