Home Freeze Drying – Read this Before You Buy a Freeze Dryer
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Thinking about getting a freeze dryer? We’ll explain how home freeze drying works, and answer questions about freeze dried food storage for emergencies and more.
Why get a freeze dryer?
I’ve been curious about home freeze drying ever since I did an interview with Dr. Prepper back in 2015. The doc raved about his home freeze dryer. He loved the quality of the food, how much money it saved him, and what a great addition it was to his preps.
In early 2016 Harvest Right home freeze dryers contacted me to do a review of their product. I could purchase it at a discount, as long as I did a review. My other option was to get it for free, if I committed to a series of endorsements.
Being the stubborn individual that I am, I didn’t want to commit to selling you something that was such a big investment without thoroughly testing it. I purchased a freeze dryer and have been using it since May 2016.
My conclusion – if you want long term food storage or portable food storage, check out freeze drying. Commercial freeze dried foods are pricey and often have questionable ingredients. Home freeze drying puts you in control.
How Does Freeze Drying Work?
Here’s the official definition of freeze drying (Lyophilization) from the FDA:
Lyophilization or freeze drying is a process in which water is removed from a product after it is frozen and placed under a vacuum, allowing the ice to change directly from solid to vapor without passing through a liquid phase.
The process consists of three separate, unique, and interdependent processes; freezing, primary drying (sublimation), and secondary drying (desorption).
So, how do we do that at home?
- First, you get a heavy duty freezer (the Harvest Right units drop to -30°F (-34°C) or colder).
- Second, you pair this up with a completely airtight chamber that can hold a vacuum (no oxygen) every single time you use it.
- Third, you tie in a high end vacuum pump strong enough to suck the stripes off a zebra.
- Fourth, you add a heater and thermostat, so you can cycle the temps up and down, repeating the sublimation process for hours on end.
- Fifth, tie in a humidity sensor to make sure the water is out, triggering the cycle completion.
There’s a reason the big commercial freeze drying units are priced from $5000 to over $100,000 – the freeze drying process is significantly more complicated than other home food preservation options.
If you’re wondering how freeze drying compares to dehydrating, you can read more about that in the post “What’s the Difference Between Dehydrating and Freeze Drying?“
Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer Basic Information
Here’s some information everyone should know before buying a Harvest Right freeze drying machine. Since the time this review was originally posted, Harvest Right made a number of upgrades. They now have HR pumps in two different styles, slight design changes in the main units, and new software that speeds up freeze drying times.
Freeze Dryer Dimensions
Harvest Right has three sizes of home freeze dryers – large, medium and small.
Each unit includes a detachable vacuum pump weighing 35 lbs that sits outside the freeze dryer. They also have a drain hose that routes below the unit. Oil free pumps are available at an additional cost. (More on this below.)
Small Freeze Dryer
- Overall product dimensions: 16.5″ W x 18.5″ D x 25″ H
- 3 trays (7.75″ W x 14″ L x 0.75″ H)
- 61 lbs.
Medium Freeze Dryer
- Overall product dimensions: 18″ W x 21.25″ D x 28.5″ H
- 4 trays (7.5″ W x 18″ L x 0.75″ H)
- 112 lbs.
Large Freeze Dryer
- Overall product dimensions: 20.25 ” W x 23.75″ D x 30.75″ H
- Perfect for counter top, cart, or table.
- 5 trays (9″ W x 20.5″ x 0.75″ H)
- 138 lbs.
Moving these units is a two person job, unless you put it on a rolling cart, which many owners do.
I have a mid-sized unit of the old design, updated with new software.
How much food can you freeze dry?
Small Freeze Dryer
- Freeze dry 840 pounds of fresh food per year (4-7 pounds per batch).
- In a year’s time, you can freeze dry 195 gallons of food.
Medium Freeze Dryer
- Freeze dry 1,450 pounds of fresh food per year (7-10 pounds per batch, roughly equal to 1.5 to 2 #10 cans).
- In a year’s time, you can freeze dry 312 gallons of food.
Large Freeze dryer
- 2,500 pounds of fresh food per year (12-16 pounds per batch).
- In a year’s time, you can freeze dry 546 gallons of food.
Why can’t I stuff more food in, and stack those trays fuller? During the freeze drying process, ice builds up on the walls of the freeze drying chamber. Add too much food, and the ice buildup will get too thick for the unit to work properly.
Freeze Dried Food Q&A
What foods can you freeze dry?
Fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, meals, desserts, and more. Freeze drying is safe for preserving cooked pasta and grains, unlike canning.
Those of you who follow me on Instagram know that I’ve freeze dried plenty of fruits and veggies, but I also tried some more interesting items like scrambled eggs and fajita filling.
What foods can’t you freeze dry?
Anything that’s mostly fat or mostly sugar will not freeze dry well. Fat won’t dry – but it can heat up and melt in the unit and coat every surface. When I tried pre-cooked pork sausage patties, they made a big mess.
Sugar binds to water, trapping it in the food. This is great for inhibiting bacteria growth, but it means you can’t freeze dry jams and jellies that are mostly sugar. Plain fruit and most desserts are fine.
How long does freeze drying take?
Around 24 hours was the estimated freeze drying time for an average load, but with the new software, I’ve freeze dried loads in as little as 13 hours. Warm, humid conditions increase drying time.
When you load up your home freeze dryer and hit “Start”, the unit takes you through a short menu. You select whether the food going in is already frozen (or not), and whether it is solid or liquid. Then the freeze dryer prompts you to close the drain valve and begin the cycle.
The new software is smart. The main differences between the old and new software are as follows:
- It measures the freezing temperatures (it used to only measure the warming temps)
- The vacuum pump is used as part of the freeze (when the temp of the food hits 0 degrees F, the pump turns on). This is important because the food gets colder faster.
- Once the food is frozen cold enough, it clicks immediately into drying (it doesn’t wait for the full freeze time to finish)
- The drying phase ramps up to the specified shelf temperature (this helps you get a better finished product)
- The final dry is the same
The biggest benefits occur if you put pre-frozen food it. However, there is still a decrease in the processing times for foods that aren’t pre-frozen. Anyone who gets a new freeze dryer also gets the new software.
The new software will be sold as an upgrade to older users, due to the customer service involved with it. Harvest Right has almost 50,000 freeze dryer customers. I received a copy of the new software to test and review.
Can you mix foods in the freeze dryer?
Yes, but watch placement. The website claims that flavors don’t mix, but we have found that they do. We ended up with freeze dried kiwis with a hint of green beans. Advice from the freeze drying groups suggests placing stronger flavored items on the upper shelves, milder items on the lower shelves.
As always, proper food safety rules should be observed. Avoid cross contamination, dry thoroughly, and package promptly.
How do I know the food is done freeze drying?
The freeze dryer senses the moisture content of the food and finishes the cycle automatically, but sometimes it’s a little off and you need to add extra time.
When you first remove food from the dryer, it will be a little cool from the ice buildup inside the chamber, but not “cold”. I always break open some larger pieces and check inside for cold spots. If you find cold spots, put the trays back in and add time to the drying cycle. Your freeze dryer will prompt you to check for dryness.
One of our readers, Rose, shares what she does to check dryness:
One thing I did choose to add to my arsenal for safety was a FLIR thermal imaging camera. With one easy picture, I can quickly identify areas on the tray that might not be completely dry, and pose an issue for long term storage. The image will show as being “cold” in the area that is not completely dry.
In the MANY loads I have done, I have only had one that didn’t pass (the pre-mashed potatoes) the very center of the tray was still cold. I was able to quickly extend the dry period for a couple more hours and produce a perfectly done product with no fear!
FLIR ONE IOS Thermal Imaging Camera for iPhone – works with the phone
FLIR C2 Compact Thermal Imaging System – standalone camera
How do I use freeze dried foods in recipes?
The book “Freeze-Drying the Harvest” provides detailed guidance for using your freeze dryer and rehydrating your freeze dried foods.
Freeze dried fruits and vegetables (those with less sugar) get so dry they are easily crushed into a powder in a blender or food processor. The resulting powder is bright in color and intensely flavored. You can use this powder in smoothies, or for flavoring. For instance, add strawberry powder to make strawberry flavored whipped cream.
How do I store the freeze dried food?
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! Once the freeze dry cycle is complete, you must package the food in containers that moisture and oxygen proof, such as Mylar, mason jars or cans. Adding an oxygen absorber helps to ensure freshness.
Meat with any amount of fat will go rancid in a matter of weeks if not properly sealed in an airtight container with oxygen absorber. Putting it in a mason jar and screwing on the lid won’t cut it. (We made that mistake only once.)
We use Mylar bags for most of our long term storage because they are light and durable. You can reuse Mylar, but of course the bag will be slightly smaller. Mylar is great for camping and travel.
Mason jars are a good choice if you:
- Aren’t concerned about the weight
- Have room for glass jars
- Don’t deal with tectonic disturbances or any type of disasters that might tip over your storage
You can use a Foodsaver attachment to vacuum seal jars, or remove the shelving from your Harvest Right freeze dryer and use the vacuum cycle. For long term storage, food is vacuum packed with oxygen absorbers in the jars. For short term storage, I vacuum seal without oxygen absorbers.
Can I use FoodSaver plastic bags for storing freeze dried foods?
No, not for long term.
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My friend Gale discusses the difference between Mylar and foodsaver bags in her post “Using Mylar Bags for Food Storage“:
First and foremost, the term “Mylar” is actually one of many trade names for a polyester film called BoPet film. For the technically inclined and the curious, that stands for “Biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate”. This film was developed by DuPont in the 1950’s and was first used by NASA for mylar blankets and long term storage as it increases the shelf life of food by eliminating oxygen. Think superpowered aluminum foil.
Since then, many uses for Mylar have been embraced due to its high tensile strength and its moisture, light, gas and aroma barrier properties. Mylar is also a good insulator against electrical disturbances, which is why it is used for making emergency blankets.
For all of these reasons and more, Mylar bags are considered the gold standard when it comes to long-term food storage.
What about Vacuum Sealed Bags?
Vacuum seal bags, such as those for the FoodSaver are a wonderful convenience and easy to use. But alas, they do not have the thickness nor the strength of Mylar bags and they may start to leak after 3 or 4 years.
They are still a great alternative for your short-term and mid-term storage items, especially if you are diligent about rotating foods and using them for your normal meal preparation activities.
Your FoodSaver bags do not need to be improperly sealed to let air and moisture in. They are simply not as thick or as tough as Mylar.
Alternatives to the HarvestRight Freeze Dryer
There are knockoffs available from China. Based on reviews, they are inconsistent in quality and operations. Although they are cheaper we do not recommend them. We only recommend HarvestRight.
How much is a freeze dryer?
Home freeze dryers range in price from $1,995 to $3,495, depending on size and exterior finish. This cost includes the Freeze Dryer, Vacuum Pump, Vacuum Pump Oil, Oil Filter, Stainless Steel Trays, Mylar Bags (50 ct), Oxygen Absorbers (50 ct), Impulse Sealer, and HR Guide to Freeze Drying.
All units have a 3 year Limited Warranty, versus the one year warranty on many appliances.
Harvest Right also offers 0% interest financing, allowing you to lock in sale prices with a $250 minimum down payment. You pay as much as you want, when you want.
When you reach the designated down payment for the unit of your choice, they ship your unit. You then pay the remaining balance over 12 months with 0 interest.
Harvest Right also offers different accessories separately, such as extra trays, mats, Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers.
These units are a big investment. If you know you’re only going to use it a couple times per year (or not at all), spend the money on something else you know that you will use.
If you want more food security and food preservation options, read on. Home freeze drying is more affordable than ever.
Layaway Option
Harvest Right offers a layaway option so you can lock in sale prices or reserve your machine. (They are experiencing a backlog in orders right now.)
How the layaway works:
- Lock in your sale price with a downpayment ($250 minimum)*
- Pay as much as you want, when you want
- Receive 0% interest until paid in full. Your freeze dryer will ship after you’ve made your final payment.
Locating your Freeze Dryer
Freeze drying machines eat up a fair amount of real estate. This is not a toaster oven or blender. The main unit is about the size of a dorm fridge, plus it has a hose and vacuum pump. Many owners buy a heavy duty rolling table to hold the unit, but a counter top or table can get the job done.
I currently have mine on a counter in the garage, against a wall. The on/off switch is at the rear of the unit, plus the pump has its own on/off switch. You need to be able to access both of those and have clearance for power cords.
Power requirements: The small and medium units use a standard 110 volt outlet, but it’s best to have it on its own circuit if possible. If you try to pair it with another heavy load appliance, you’re likely to trip a breaker. (I found that out the hard way, and we installed a dedicated circuit.)
The large unit requires a 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet and a dedicated 20 amp circuit.
Watch the temperature. The recommended temperature range for operation is 35-90°F. The most efficient temperature range is between 50-75°F.
Although safe, operating your freeze dryer in temperatures above 90°F will affect batch times and reduce the life of the condensing unit (freezer).
As the temperature rises where your freeze dryer operates, so does the length of time it takes to finish batches of food. This happens because with hotter operating temperatures it is harder to reach the extreme cold required by freeze drying.
Don’t operate the unit below freezing. You are likely to have water within the compressor, and it can freeze and destroy your compressor.
Home Freeze Dryer Noise
During the first part of the cycle, the refrigeration unit is running. During the second part of the cycle, the vacuum pump is running. The noise isn’t super loud – think vacuum cleaner, not jackhammer – but it is noticeable. I’d highly recommend planning to have it in an area where the door can be closed.
Freeze Dryer Maintenance
As I mentioned earlier, the freeze dryer does a complicated job, so there’s a little more to it than just flipping a switch.
Think lawn mower, not kitchen mixer. If you regularly abuse your power tools and don’t do basic maintenance, don’t get a freeze dryer. I know many of my readers fix and maintain not only their own things, but other’s people’s equipment, too, so I’m not too concerned about this.
We drain the oil after each use and refill the vacuum pump with clean oil. Oil is filtered and reused. Before filtering, we freeze the oil. After freezing, we pour the oil off the top of the container into the filter. The water (as ice) sits in the bottom of the container.
Visit “Harvest Right Freeze Dryer Oil Change and Filtering” to see a video of the oil change itself and the use of an inexpensive homemade oil filter that works.
Oil-Free Freeze Dryer Pumps Now Available
Harvest Right listened to customer feedback, and they’ve developed a premium oil-free pump. All new freeze dryers ship with standard Harvest Right brand pumps, but the oil-free pumps may be purchased at an additional cost.
If doing an oil change every time you’re freeze drying sounds like a bit of a hassle, the oil free pump may be right for you.
Note that the oil free pump does use slightly more electricity than the default vacuum pump.
Things I Love About the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer
Home Freeze Dried Food is Tasty
Hands down, my favorite thing about the Harvest Right freeze dryer is the quality of the food. The commercial freeze dried food I’ve tried has been okay, but our home freeze dried products are amazing. I mailed some to a friend recently as part of a gift exchange, and she wrote back, “Okay, Laurie, spill the beans on how you freeze dried the fruits. My kids are absolutely in love with them!”
The texture of freeze dried food is light and crisp – more like chips than jerky – even freeze dried meat. We freeze dried fajita meat strips, and they tasted like crunchy little meat flavored Cheetos, the boys called them Meatos.
When we prepped freeze dried fajita filling for dinner, all we did was add a little water to the pan with the food, cover and heat through. Dinner was ready in less than 5 minutes. (If you happen to have a Sun Oven, they work well for rehydrating freeze dried meals.)
The fruit is so good – absolutely, intensely fruity, light and crisp. You can also powder your freeze dried fruits and veggies and use them as natural food colors (and flavors), as noted above.
Home Freeze Dried Food is Easy to Make
Filling the unit is easy. For meals or other prepared food items, simply cook your food and let it cool. Cut into small piece, or thin slices (if needed). Load the food on the trays; place the trays in the unit.
For freeze drying fruits and vegetables, I prep them as I would for freezing or dehydrating. Blanching is recommended for vegetables, especially for cabbage family crops like broccoli. Without blanching, they may outgas during storage, potentially bursting the storage seal.
If you want to freeze dry soup or liquids (like milk), you can do that, too. It helps if you reduce the amount of water to cut drying time, but you can freeze dry “as is”.
You Can’t Beat Freeze Drying for Long Term Food Storage
The shelf life of properly stored freeze dried foods is amazing. Low fat content foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meat, rice, noodles, etc. have a shelf life of 20+ years when packaged properly. Higher fat foods have a 10-15 year shelf life. No other food supply compares for long term food storage.
Why bother with food storage that lasts so long? Because life happens. One year I might have an amazing crop of a particular item, then crop failures for several years. If there’s a job loss or an emergency, with my freeze dried food I know we’ll have a stash of food we actually like to eat.
Food prices keep creeping up, so why not preserve food now to take advantage of lower prices?
Freeze Drying at Home Can Be Allergy Friendly
Food allergies and sensitivities are becoming more and more common. Freeze drying allows you to safely preserve a wider variety of foods than any other food preservation technique. You know you’re only minutes from a safe meal. When traveling, you don’t need to keep food in a cooler.
I have a friend whose daughter has EoE (an allregic swallowing disorder). She found that freeze dried foods didn’t trigger her gag reflex, and was finally able to eat more of a variety of foods.
Home Freeze Drying is Cool
Pun or no pun, home freeze drying allows you to experiment with options you won’t see with commercial freeze dried foods – or other food preservation techniques.
One member of an online forum had his aging grandmother cook her favorite meals. He then freeze dried them to share with the family after she was gone. What an amazing gift to be able to taste a loved one’s cooking one more time.
Another couple was freeze drying some of their wedding cake and the bride’s bouquet. Still another took meal pouches to work and just added hot water to have a real meal while her co-workers were gnawing on granola bars as they worked through lunch.
My boys love crunchy snacks, so we’ve freeze dried things from sweet potato fries to pickled beet slices as chip and cracker alternatives. Freeze dried yogurt drops turn bulk yogurt into a special treat. Combining berries and yogurt into cute silicon molds makes a melt in your mouth dessert bursting with creamy berry flavor.
Are you ready to invest in a Home Freeze Dryer?
Do you:
- Want more options for long term, healthy food storage that your family will enjoy eating?
- Have someone with allergies who needs safe food options?
- Need ready made meals to go?
- Try to store abundant produce for when harvests aren’t so good?
- Get excited about trying new food options and preserving special memories?
If any of these sounds like a fit, take a closer look at freeze drying. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. If I can’t answer them, I’ll find someone who can. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
My referral link: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/115.html
If you choose to purchase a Harvest Right freeze dryer through my site, I receive a commission at no extra cost to you. (Thank you!)
You can watch the video below to see how I freeze dry strawberries. (These are the berries that had my friend’s kids raving about them.)
You may also find useful:
- The 5 Best Freeze Dried Foods
- Dehydrator Versus Freeze Dryer – What’s the Difference?
- 11 Freeze Drying Mistakes to Avoid for Best Storage Quality
- Harvest Right Freeze Dryer – Cost Analysis and Optimizing Load Size
- Home Food Preservation – 10 Ways to Preserve Food at Home
Originally published in 2016 with the title “Home Freeze Drying – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, updated in 2019 to current title. Harvest Right fixed “the ugly”, which was the original messy pump, so I took that out of the title. I’ve also added information based on reader feedback. Please scroll through the comments for more Q&A!
I was surprised by the time difference in processing between the large and the small freeze dryers. In retrospect it does make sense, but items that would take 30 hours in the small dryer take 46 in the large!
There’s a lot more capacity in the large, so as you said, it would make sense.
Hi Laurie
Do you know if there is an agent for these machines in Australia?
I know that Harvest Right ships internationally, but I don’t know if there any distributors in country.
I just upgraded my small freeze dryer for the large one. I had so much …fun… (should I admit it? Trying out new foods and saving food that might otherwise be wasted) that I wanted more capacity. While the small sat comfortably on a tool chest, the large doesn’t quite make it (the tool chest was 19″ deep and I couldn’t even turn the new dryer sideways (the feet were spaced 21+” on the narrow side), I relatively inexpensive commercial heavy duty table I ordered (Seville, 46″x24″ for $150) should fix that problem. What I don’t grow in my own garden (limited space, raised beds only) I get from trusted sources in quantity. I recently tried cherries and blueberries… not the prettiest but they taste great. I did try the suggested method of freezing the blueberries first, then pulsing two times in a food processor. That seemed to chip nearly all of the fruit. The berries were messy on the tray (and the silicone tray liners are SO GREAT, thanks to the tip I got here, I order new ones for the bigger dryer. The berry yuck just washed off. I sold my old one to a fellow enthusiast who had been looking for a dryer for a while, but was held back by the initial cost. Anyway, I am still loving the freeze dryer after 2 years. Hoping for many more! The sale made the cost of the large about what I paid for the small dryer.
Glad you’re enjoying your freeze dryer.
Hi and thanks for the great review. I am looking into getting one of the units to freeze dry my own foods. First and foremost, Doing it yourself ensures what you are getting. Second, the commercial food is ridiculously expensive. Third, I want to know be sure I like what I am eating. Survival is both mental and physical. A good tasting meal is very important psychologically. In the military I ate MRE’s and they sure don’t improve your mood. I also don’t want to open a giant pouch or can of store bought freeze dried peas for one serving. When you do it yourself you can make the portions as big or as small as you want. The unit will be used for several families so the cost for it is much more reasonable. Is it something everyone needs? No, not really. But, if you can swing the price, it is a better investment than most of the other junk we all have but don’t really need.
I agree, Jim.
With all the food that is being thrown out, I thought what if we opened a kitchen and made meals, freeze-dried them and made them available. This way whole meal could be made like they have frozen dinners and people would have access to good food that was destined for the garbage dump. My question would be the feasibility of the project and the costs associated with the machinery to do the job.
I think the prime issue with a project like this would be ongoing labor involved, moreso than the initial start up costs. The freeze dry cycle also takes a variable amount of time, so you can’t guarantee that someone could come in at a specific time and a load would be ready to pack – unless you had uniform food going in, which would be unusual with leftovers.
Wow, such a treasure trove of valuable information in here! I read of some price comparisons in favor of justifying the cost of one of these freeze dryers. I didn’t read ALL the posts — so many posts! So I did the old browser trick of using the “find” function to return the word “rural”, and only found two, so I’m going to add mine.
I recently bought a house way out in the remote upper Mojave desert of Darwin, CA, population 35, elevation 5,000 feet; hot summers, cold winters, and very quiet at night. Clear skies always, and a billion stars at night. Around half of those in Darwin are my dear long time friends. One major thing that makes a freeze dryer attractive for such a remote area, and a potential money saver in the long run: the nearest grocery store to Darwin is in Lone Pine CA, a 70-mile round trip. And it’s a tiny market with very little choice, and it is the only market, and no organic produce. Better shopping is in Bishop, CA, a 150-mile round trip. For the best choices for good stuff, like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and independent organic shopping, that is closer to a 400-mile trip down to the Los Angeles area. So, we in Darwin don’t just run on down to the neighborhood store for a few tomatoes or a pound of something — there aren’t any stores for miles around!
We have a community garden, and I plan on building a greenhouse on my property so as to start planting earlier, and continue late into the fall. Winter temperatures in Darwin can get down into the single digits overnight. So, a freeze dryer seems like just the thing to have in my house, so I can eat those yummy fresh veggies and fruits all through the cold cold winter, and without having to go shopping, and then either running out of good food or watching some of it spoil in the fridge. My shopping travel expenses are much larger than if I lived in a big city. The dryer is a large investment, sure, as will be the mason jars and sealer things. But I think that long term, it will pay itself back fairly quickly. For me, anyway. So, I am continuing my research into different makes and types of freeze dryers.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Max.
Laurie, I love my small freeze dryer so much I am thinking of getting a large. 2 questions….you have a promo code? Do you think someone here might be interested in my 1 year old small one?
Hi Deb.
Glad you’re enjoying the freeze dryer. I don’t have a special promo code right now, but Harvest Right is running a Father’s Day promotion.
I’m sure you could find a buyer for your old unit, as many would jump at the chance to get one at a discount. It would probably be easiest to see if you could find someone fairly local to avoid shipping costs. You’re welcome to post in the Facebook group if you like.
Laurie,
Just an update on my preps to date,got 2 12000watt gas gen sets to go with the solar system to have the needed power if the grid goes down or we out in the boondocks, that way can still freeze dry food,also got a large capacity dehydration and a food slicer and a bread machine,and a rechargeable vacuum hand held unit with bags with valves in them and can be cleaned and reused.
Also increased the grow boxes to 30 and slowly fill both greenhouses as we go along. I am still working and thinking about other items,even wind generators as we go along.the way I look at it is that it is better to have it an use it occaisionally and not realy need it,but have it if you do.
Wow! It sounds like you have been busy. Thanks for the update.
can you reuse the mylar bags and Oxygen absorbers? Thank you.
The Mylar bags can be reused, but they will lose capacity as you cut off the end to open them up. Oxygen absorbers work via chemical reaction, and are a one time use only product. Once the reaction takes place, it can’t be undone. There is no way to “recharge” them.
I was wondering 2 things: How long a ‘batch’ takes – I realize it depends on what you put in it. Also does it consume a lot of electricity? Thank you for the wonderful information
I think the shortest time I’ve ever had on a batch was mushrooms, which took about 21 hours. The longest was over 48 hours (trays completely filled with liquid). I haven’t run the numbers on energy consumption, but others have, and the estimates I’ve seen are around $2-3 per load on average.
So does anybody know what you need to sell some freeze dry food from your house. Like to neighbors of friends of people around the city . Like I’m yard sale site so whatever I live in Colorado City Arizona just wondering.
And where can I find the information to do this and how much to sell the product for.
The regulations governing sales of food that you make at home vary in each state. A really good group for this type of discussion is Harvest Right Freeze Dryers – Freeze Drying Adventures on Facebook. People in that group have done the type of thing you’re proposing, and I’m sure they’d be happy to share their experience. You can scroll through the existing posts to get some ideas, and ask questions if you need more information.
To Tyler,
I am one of latest positive HR reviewers. I paid almost 3k for my unit because I bought it way back when before they increased production and lowered price. Where do you get off throwing out such a malicious, unfounded, untrue, faceless statement about people being strong armed into giving favorable reviews? Have you no rules you live by? I’m happy with my freeze dryer and Happy I don’t know you
I just cannot trust a company that strong arms bloggers into doing positive reviews. And yes, paying them with expensive stuff is strong-arming. I understand it’s the same thing as advertising, but it really isn’t because it’s not divulged honestly by either party. So I will pass on this company, knowing what I know from your article. Thank you for exposing them.
Excuse me, did you read what I wrote? If so, are you nuts?
I haven’t been strong-armed into anything, and Harvest Right has been a pleasure to work with. I bought my freeze dryer at a cost that is higher than the current cost. It was a discount at the time, but they’ve brought their prices down quite a bit. I do earn an affiliate commission, but I would never promote a product or company that I did not trust. I’ve refused inquiries from many, many companies over the years.
We got Janie’s situation sorted out and she is thrilled with her new pump. It was not noted in the earlier discussion, but she received an oil pump for free because the oilless pump was not available at the time her unit shipped. She gets to keep that pump as a back up – completely free of charge. How many companies do you know who give away a $300+ item because of a manufacturing delay?
Snippet from the latest email I received from Janie:
Does that sound like an unhappy customer? I don’t think so.
My connection with Harvest Right is clearly stated in the article. Pull your head out of your behind and read it through, and go harass someone else.
Laurie,as I have said before,I have had nothing be good relation ship,and the only problem we had with the dryer was a heat sensor and they diagnosed that problem over the phone and sent a replacement and after we got it I had it installed in about 15 min and every I had a question it was answered right away,that is why I was surprised by Janies comment and that is why I told
her about the Consumer Agency because a lot of people dont know about them,but I am glad that she is a happy camper and I am happy to know that Harvest went above an beyond what they to to satisfy a customer and as you said not many will take a loss to satisfy so I will continue to think highly of them and as I have said before I am completely satisfied with them and continue to d business with them,In fact I am thinking seriously about getting a large Freeze Dryer from them since they came out with the 110 volt one,think I will wait a little while and let the growing pains get settled.When I get ready I will use your link when I purchase.
While there have been growing pains, I think they’ve done their best under the circumstances. I think Janie’s situation was largely due to a misunderstanding. No company can please every customer all of the time.
This is sure opposite of my experience with HR. My unit too was slightly dented, but I signed for it and later, when unwrapping, noticed damage and informed HR. They scheduled it for pickup and my brand new shiney unit arrived before old one was picked up. I have found HR to be very into customer satisfaction and maintaining their reputation. I have been very happy with unit and customer service, including tech support tiger me thru learning curve and ordering product such as bags and Teflon pads, which I HIGHLY recommend. I was glad to see update on situation because Ihave been treated so well and machine is so good. Thank you for allowing me to share my Harvest Right experience on this awesome website
What are the Teflon pads for?
It’s just sheets to keep the food from sticking. You could also use parchment paper, or Harvest Right sells custom liners. Some people don’t bother with them, but I found it makes the food much easier to unload.
I read your review and even though the purchase was a serious wallop to our life savings, We bought one.
It arrived in an intact box, with a dented frame. Harvest Right says since we didn’t discover what they had done to us, we lose. No one has to make anything right. I should have known right then to demand a refund. Wish I had
I used it for less than 3 weeks, and it poured oil all over my floor. I had learned that they were offering an oil free pump for ONLY an additional One Thousand, Three Hundred Dollars more.
I got in line early. Wish I had just demanded a refund.
I’ve been waiting almost 2 months for the new improved pump. I finally paid for one since the manufacturer “was late sending them when I got in line” Wish I hadn’t
Then I learned that all pumps were already out.
Now we’re back to the “The manufacturer is late” story again.
And I’m out an additional $1,300
So far, for $3.500, all I have is a large blue anchor taking up otherwise needed space.
I’ll keep you posted, if this post is allowed.
Amazon has quit carrying them.
I think Harvest Right is running into trouble with their growth rates and pushing to make the product more affordable. I’ve started to hear about delivery delays becoming more common, and some quality control issues. I’ll reach out to my primary contact at Harvest Right, and I would encourage you to keep calling and emailing until they get things sorted out.
Janie,If I remember correctly there is a Federal Consumer Protection you can contact for problems when the Vendor/Manufacturer will not work with you on your problems,especially when it is damaged right out of the box,that is why that agency was creaed,you can d a google for it and contact them and see if they can help you,you DO have the right to get undamaged from the vendor.r
We’ve reached out to Harvest Right, and they are working with Janie to get this resolved.
Talking with Harvest Right, it seems Janie misrepresented her situation. The damaged panels were replaced. There has been a delay on getting her the new pump, but that was due to delay from the manufacturer, as was explained by Harvest Right. (As I mentioned above, they are having some difficulty keeping up with increased demand.) They also gave her an estimate of when the new pump would ship, and it has shipped within that time frame.
Janie also seems to have misrepresented her behavior towards Harvest Right up to this point, and I’ll leave that at that. I feel confident after my discussion with them that they are doing what they can to make things right.
Laurie
To me freeze drying,canning,dehydration all have a niche in the food preservation market they all serve a purpose,also we have 2 greenhouses and plan o have over 60 grow-boxes from Garden Patch,so there should be an abundance of fresh vegetables to work with. The plan is to eventually using the above methods to not eat food from the commercial Market. we are also going to have chickens for eggs and rabbits for diversity in ongoing meat along with beef and pork,and later o start hatching Biddies for replenishment of the chickens.
It is not cheap staring to be self sufficient believe,but to me it is worth it.
Thanks, Layton.
I agree that I use different methods concurrently. I like having options. Not everyone is as committed to the wider goal of self-reliance, so if they are only looking at a limited amount of food preservation, those are my top areas I would target for both methods.
Hi Laurie,
Before reading your article I really had no idea I could freeze dry at home. I am a big time gardener and this looks like it would be useful for extending the harvest life.
My question is this: Compared to Canning, is Freeze Drying worth the extra investment?
It depends on how you want to use your food storage. If you are comfortable using only approved canning recipes, weight of food storage is not an issue and you plan to use everything you store within 1-2 years, then canning may meet all your needs.
If you’d like to store a wider range of foods, like dairy and recipes for dishes the way you make them instead of how a canning book makes them (including pasta, which is not recommended for canning); if you want food storage that can last 5, 10 or even 20 years; if you need lightweight storage; if you need storage that is earthquake resistant; if you need to make “just add water” meals or special diets meals for on the go; then freeze drying can be worth the investment.
Can you freeze dry water? ie: freeze dry 1 pound of water so it goes down to say 3 ounces then reconstitute by adding say an ounce of water ending up with close to, or over, a pound of water. Thank you for the review.
I’m not sure if you jest.
Freeze drying water would leave air, and perhaps a few particulates, which you would “rehydrate” by adding back in all the water.
Over the past couple of years I have started growing all my own food. At first I froze everything, but I filled 3 full size freezers so last year I bought a large dehydrator. It ran nearly 24×7 and could not possibly keep up so I was going to buy another and came across freeze dryers. Thanks for all the great information Laurie, I plan to buy a large freeze dryer. My concern is capacity, it looks like the large unit (5 trays 9 x 20.5 = 922.5 sq in) holds less than my dehydrator (9 trays 14 x 14 = 1764 sq in), and each batch takes longer.
Can you comment on the capacity of the freeze dryer compared to the dehydrator?
Thanks
You’re correct, Bob, in noting that the capacity is slightly lower on the freeze dryer, even the large unit. I use freeze drying as a part of our ongoing food preservation, but it can’t do bulk processing as fast as other methods.
I am so happy I found you. I have been researching this for sometime. I feel living in ruarl Montana and having kids and grandkids with severe food allergies this would be an ideal situation. The other thought I have that I did not see is I think it would be ideal to take out camping backpacking and in travel trailers to save space and time. Not sure if you have anybody with this experience but I feel you could have meals but together that safe space and time. My son backpacks and I know weight is an issue so you would not take cans of food.
One thing you should note for camping and backpacking is that freeze dried food doesn’t shrink up like dehydrated food. After the freeze drying process, it looks very similar in size and shape to before the freeze drying process – except it’s really, really dry. So the food would be much lighter, but would still take up space. I prefer the flavor and texture of freeze dried foods over dehydrated, and yes, it would be easy to preserve allergy friendly meals and snacks.
I apologize if this was already ask, I didn’t see it but I would like to know how expensive it is to run. If if takes hours to process a batch how much electricity is is pulling?
Thanks
Electricity use of the freeze dryer varies depending on the unit you have, the food you are drying, and the ambient conditions of the room the freeze dryer is in.
The video below provides an example of the high end of costs, with a 47 hour cycle. Usually my cycle time is about half of that.
One of our readers emailed me to share their experience: