Corey, your experience is an anomaly. I use mine frequently and don't have to replace the batteries often or "have extras on hand constantly." I see you are happy about your new purchase but making it seem like you have to buy batteries every other week for the Reynolds is not productive.
As for when the batteries do start to go on the Handi Vac, you do get a warning. The unit is fabulous, don't be fooled. Buy it at Wal-Mart if you aren't sure. Then, if it doesn't work to your personal liking (or you do a 180 on your opinion of it) you have 90 days to take it back to the store.
The motor starts to labor a bit and the bags can't be vacuum sealed.
Let's see;
1. I bought the unit in December from Shaw's.
2. In January, the batteries had to be replaced for the first time.
3. Two weeks later, they had to be replaced again.
4. Two weeks from that, they had to be replaced again. That same day, I took out the weak batteries and put in the new ones. I resumed work on vacuum sealing. Twenty minutes later, EVEN THOSE batteries became weak!
5. I had to run back to the store with those batteries for another replacement or a refund. The store owner's wife said that she can't sell any more of the batteries there since I returned the ones that went south so soon.
6. I almost got stuck with those ones because at first, she wouldn't give me a refund! I then went to the other convenience store for new ones. Forgot that the unit takes 6 of them! Had to go back for the other two. All that running up and down the stairs that day wore me out, as I have a heart condition that makes me so tired, winded and almost short of breath if I move too fast!
7. Fast forward to the other day. Had just replaced the batteries again because the ones installed about two weeks ago were weak again.
8. Began vacuum sealing the cold cuts I bought two days earlier. Already had new batteries in the house. The batteries that I bought two weeks earlier had gone weak. Replaced them with the new ones.
9. Unit had flatly REFUSED to vacuum seal the bags, and I made sure that the zip tops were completely closed. That's when I had unpacked and started using the Foodsaver.
10. Went to make a sandwich with some of the cold cuts. Upon revacuum
sealing with the hand-held unit, it worked so darn slow, but eventually, the bags were vacuum sealed again.
11. Didn't even bother using the hand-held for the turkey burgers Friday. At this point, I was getting stressed out. Went right straight to the Foodsaver which did it nicely.
12. Now if THAT isn't enough to make someone stressed out, frustrated and fed up with constantly buying batteries within short periods for this unit, then I don't know what else is!