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!
If freeze-dried foods really last 20-25 years, why not use the expensive machine for enough food you think you could use … THEN sell the freeze-dryer to recoup some expense. Might be a way to justify the purchase to a questioning spouse!
I found it difficult to find a buyer for a used freeze dryer, mainly because of the shipping costs. In addition, I take advantage of sales and my own harvest, so I would lose that if I processed a finite amount of food and sold it. I am always trying new stuff to freeze dry. My 2 cents. I did sell my small dryer but I met them half way between Alabama and Texas ( between my place and the buyer) when I bought my large dryer.
Can I use my own vacuum pump which pulls a complete vacuum and not pay for the extra pump ? My pump is also oil less
Thank You
Lars
You’d need to contact Harvest Right directly on that one. The support department is probably your best shot. They’re at 1-800-865-5584.
If it can handle the water vapor it will work. It probably should have a gas ballast valve.
I have a medium sized Harvest Right with the original Vacuum Pump from purchase of a year ago. I can successfully freeze dry vegetables like peppers where the pump will create a vacuum of down to 125 M TORS bey when we do cherry tomatoes and cannot get below 880 M TORS. Harvest Right says I need a new pump. I filter the oil after each use and there are no vacuum leaks. What is your opinion
Do you have any friends who work with vacuum pumps that you might be able to hit up with questions? Our pump does its thing consistently, so I don’t have any experience with this to help troubleshoot.
There is a company that sells a filter system as well. It will void your warranty as well, but it makes changing the oil much easier. Since I had to take on this chore myself (my husband used to do it, but he passed away), I don’t know if I am doing it 100% correct, but I just drain a bit of the oil (it always looks clear to me) cold and make sure it is clear, top it off, then I start the pump up for 2 minutes, drain quite a bit of the remaining oil after it is warm, then top it off again. (Please correct me if I am doing it wrong) But it isn’t bad. A bit messy.
Hi, The idea of changing the oil in the vacuum pump every run seems like a miserable chore to me, so I was wondering why wouldn’t just adding a particulate filter and water separator to the suction end of the vacuum pump prevent any damaging materials from ever getting into the pump oil?
I’ve researched these and they seem to be commonly used on vacuum systems commercially everywhere. Is there some reason this can’t be done? It seems that if you could prevent moisture and particulates from ever getting in the oil, then normal interval oil changes would be all that is needed instead of oil filtering after every use. Surely, someone has tried this?
I think it voids the warranty, but people have done it, so if you are technically savvy, odds are you could do it.
Any time you add more parts, there’s an option for something more to malfunction. Also, more parts increase the cost, and people already complain about the price.
My son built a little pull out shelf that sits under the pump to collect the oil. Oil changes are not a big deal for us.
Hi,
Went thorough your interesting article. I have a question. Can we freeze dry herb leaves with this freeze dryer?
Thanks much.
Yes, you can absolutely freeze dry herbs.
Laurie, very nice review. This is the kind of information for which I’ve been looking. I’m considering purchasing one of these units. I have the resources to be able to get whichever I’d like so that isn’t so much of the issue. My concern is some of the reviews I’ve read about quality and customer support from HR. I’ve seen it go both ways but I’d like to hear what you have to say. Do you think the oil-free pump is worth the added cost? Thanks!
Harvest Right has shipped out over 100,000 units at this point. The majority of them work as expected, as shown by the dozens upon dozens of photos and videos shared by Harvest Right users on social media. Sometimes there’s a problem. It happens with equipment that needs very specific conditions to function correctly. For the most part, the feedback I’ve heard has been that HR goes well beyond any other appliance manufacturer with their troubleshooting and replacement policies.
I suspect (to borrow an IT tech support acronym) that there are some PEBCAK errors, too. (Problem Exists Between Chair and Keyboard) One individual who contacted me about their unit has exchanged over 150 emails with HR staff. They even shipped that person’s unit back to HR, tested it, dried food successfully with it and shipped the unit and the food back to the person. I’m not there so I can’t say what’s going on for sure, but have you ever heard of that type of service from another company?
Oil free is worth it if you don’t want to bother with oil changes and don’t have high electric rates. The oil free pump does use slightly more electricity than the standard pump.
Vacuum pumps are used a lot at my work. I talked to the person who is responsible for their maintenance. Oil-free scroll pumps do require scroll seal replacement periodically and bearing replacement less often. Do you know how often the Harvest Right pump needs maintenance?
The operating manual indicated that the tip seal needs to be replaced every 8000 hours (roughly 250 free dry batches) or yearly.
Every 2 years of every 16,000 hours (roughly 500 freeze dry batches), it suggests replacing the O ring, shaft seal, crank pin, and bearings.
For more information about seals and bearing replacement call 1-800-865-5584.
Hi Laurie, We purchased an oil-free vacuum pump the end of last September. We have run it quite a bit, but only about 3,600 hours have passed and it seems unable to pull an adequate vacuum. We checked the door seal several times and made sure the drain valve was closed. We have not disturbed the vacuum hose from the pump to the chamber.
Which oil-free vacuum pump do you have experience with? We have the white box-shaped one. The instruction manual I was sent is for the upright black one. I would think the instructions would be the same anyway.
I suspect we got the black one with our new large freeze dryer, but my wife won’t open the box until we figure out if we have to spend $400 plus shipping every 4-5 months.
Is the second oil-free pump more reliable than the white one? I’m not very happy after spending almost $2,000 for a pump.
Hi Duane.
I don’t have an oil free pump, as the original pump gets the job done. I’ve never heard of the white box shaped version of the oil free pump, and the only owner’s manual I could find is for the black upright one.
I’d call Harvest Right and explain the issue, and keep contacting them until you get a resolution. Their support number is 800.865.5584. You can submit a helpdesk ticket at https://odoo.harvestright.com/helpdesk-ticket
Not many people can afford to buy a freeze drier right now. Aside from campers ;not many people eat freeze dried food often. If you own a farm; you can get a tax write off when you buy one. Who else can do that?
If I could qualify for a tax write off; I’d consider getting one
If you created a home based food business where you sold food that you freeze dried, you could write off the expense of the machine.
Harvest Right has sold over 100,000 units at this point.
Can you place small metal trays on the HR trays? So if you wanted to separate something liquid from other items?
I have not tried this, but I think I saw someone do it in one of the freeze dryer groups. You’d want to make sure there’s good heat transfer for the freeze/thaw cycles.
Im curious if these machines are made in China or in the USA? I found the exact commercial grade on Alibaba for $1,000 and harvest right is selling for $7000.
Does anyone know if the machines are from China or not?
The Harvest Right machines are made in Salt Lake City.
do you receive a commission? I would like to order through your site if you do. I have gathered so much practical help from you. thank you.
Yes, thank you.
If you choose to purchase a Harvest Right freeze dryer through my site, I receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
My referral link: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/115.html
Hi Laurie,
Do you know if it’s possible to Freeze Dry Pre-cooked wontons (dumpling) ? then re hydrate later to consume?
The wontons consist of ground pork, shrimp chunks, mushroom chunks, sesame oil, and vegetable oil all wrapped in a wonton skin wrap.
I know you mentioned mostly fat items didn’t freeze dry well, such as pre-cooked pork sausage patties. Which is a bit similar to ground pork I’m assuming. But I wasn’t sure if the wrapper would made a difference or maybe if the fat content is less in the wonton filling?
Also will the layer of fat covering the interior of the machine after the process cause possible damage to the machine long term?
I think it would be tough to get these to evenly freeze dry and rehydrate because of the different mix of materials and the fatty meat being in a relatively thick pocket inside the wrapper, but it might be possible. I haven’t seen anyone try it in the groups, but they do freeze dry foods like sausage gravy. We’ve freeze dried spaghetti hotdish, but no filled pasta.
We scrubbed down the interior of the unit to remove the fat. You’d need to clean thoroughly, otherwise it would start to stink over time.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING PRICES.
THANKS.
For current pricing, you’ll need to visit the Harvest Right website.
I have more details on operation here than they do on their site, but if you have specific questions other than pricing, I can try to answer them.
We are going to be buying a large unit sometime soon. I was wondering if there is a video of the unit running. So that I can see how loud it is to try to figure out where the best placement is going to be. I was thinking outside under a covered area but during the morning the sun would be on it and not sure if that is a good idea.
I also was wondering what would be the purpose of freeze drying rice and pasta, when it comes to food storage. I can see maybe for hiking but not for long term storage. I would love to know your thoughts on that. How much meat have you done and does it cook up nicely after. Like chicken breast. Can you reconstitute it and fry it like normal?
The freeze dryer will work best if protected from temperature and humidity extremes.
The sound is comparable to running a vacuum cleaner, so you want it in an area where you can close the door or otherwise isolate it from your main living space, if possible.
Some people freeze dry rice and pasta as a substitute for store bought “instant rice” or quick mix pasta. Some people also find in certain recipes that the starches rehydrate differently from the sauce and they like to keep them separate until serving. (We make casseroles with rice and pasta and haven’t had a problem.)
I haven’t done raw meat, only cooked, so far. Others have posted online that they’ve done it with good results. The big thing is keeping the meat thin so it dries evenly and completely. I would not personally attempt to freeze dry a whole chicken breast, but strips of meat for stir fry or fajitas would be fine. Most people rehydrate meat strips overnight in the refrigerator in cool water, then drain and use as normal.
I like the option of being able to open a bag and having it safe to eat straight out of the bag, so my only raw storage items are fruit and veggies.
Hi, Can I freeze dry juice, kombucha, milk and to turn into a powder and then rehydrate at a later time?
Thanks!
Yes, but there won’t be much left after you get done drying the juice and kombucha. The milk makes make a white, flaky powder that is very fluffy.
Hello, I have a new 2020 medium Harvest Right Freeze Dryer and we followed all directions accordingly, including the bread burn batch. I noticed a ice and water drained thereafter was quite strong smelling (chemical smell) I went ahead and started my first batch of food. Do you have suggestions or advice about the strong chemical smell? Concerns about the freeze dried food? Thank you!
I didn’t have a chemical odor with mine, so I can’t speak from experience, but you may want to taste test the food to make sure the odor didn’t transfer. If there is any off-flavor, I’d suggest giving the inside of the unit a thorough cleaning with warm, soapy water. Wipe down with soapy water to remove any residue, followed by a wipe down with clean water (no soap) and let dry completely.
I just got my harvest right – also a 2020 medium – and mine also has a very strong chemical smell. I did the bread batch and threw it away and then did a batch of food and the food was wasted – it tastes like chemicals. I am calling Harvest Right today to see what to do next. What happened with your unit?
I have a question about the viability of the oxygen absorbers over time as they are in packs of ten. As I have a small FD I generally am only sealing 1-2 bags per batch. I have been careful to fold and seal the opened plastic with the remaining absorbers with tape so as to prevent ongoing exposure to air but I am wondering if there is a length of time that a ten pack can be opened and the absorbers still work adequately. I have just packaged my first 10 Mylar bags over about a month timeframe. I have also noticed that some bags seem to contract down more than others which I am guessing might relate to the absorption of the oxygen. Does the amount of bag contraction mean the oxygen has been absorbed more completely? Should I be concerned about the preservation of the contents more if the bag has not shrunk down around the contents?
I haven’t found that a bag shrinking or not shrinking directly impacts the quality of the contents.
I do recommend that you keep your unused oxygen absorbers in a small, tightly sealed glass container, not just fold over the original plastic package and tape it. I open a 10 pack of O2, take out what I need, and immediately place the unused packets in a sealed mason jar.
Most O2 packages have an oxygen indicator in the package that will show if there is oxygen inside the packet.
It would probably be best to use the packages you’ve sealed that you are concerned about sooner rather than later (1-2 years instead of 5 or more).
What I do is to have a food saver type bag ready. I take out the number of oxygen absorbers I need from the bag I have, and then re-vacuum seal the bag ASAP. I also break down huge quantities of the absorbers into more reasonable sizes to cut down the time they are exposed to normal air.
Thank you Laura, Carrie and Deb for your responses. They are very helpful in the decision process for me. I have wanted a freeze dryer for about 4 years. Now I am really excited that we are actually going to buy one. I bought a 10×12 greenhouse today and live in zone 6 so I am hoping that really helps extend my growing season on the front and back end. Between the greenhouse, our outside garden, and our decision to start eating plant based (not vegan, we still have a little meat) I feel our need to store large amounts of our harvest will ultimately lead me to choose the large one. Definitely not the small. Its a no brainer to jump the couple hundred to the medium. Its just jumping that extra $$ to the large that has had me on the fence. It sounds like it would be safer to get the large in the beginning. I would hate to get the medium and have regret. Thank you all again for responding and the good info you provided. It has been very helpful to me.
Thanks
Jason
Thanks for the very informative article and review. My wife and I are trying to decide on what size unit to purchase. It is between the medium and the large. Do you feel that the medium size is adequate under most normal circumstances or do you wish that you had purchased the larger one? We also freeze, and pressure can to store some our garden food but its almost impossible to store enough in that manner to last until next harvest. I just wonder if the larger one is worth the extra 800-1000 dollars. Anyone have any regrets? Thanks for any input that might help us make our decision. (Our garden is not super huge, its just me, my wife, and 3 kids) But it seems like that we end up giving half of our harvest on a lot of vegetables away due to not enough time to can, and freeze them all.
Thanks
Jason
Hi Jason.
It depends on your use patterns.
With five in the household, you could justify the bigger unit, especially if you want to bulk process produce. I have a friend in California with only two people in their household, and he wishes he’d gotten the large instead of the medium. He’s the Energizer Bunny of food preserving. There’s a lady in Texas who keep three (maybe four now) units running. (I have no idea what she does with all the food, since I think it’s just her and her husband at home.)
Our use ebbs and flows throughout the year. We have four adults in the house, but may soon have another. Right now, we’re doing more beef and meals, slowly moving the half a steer out of the freezer. Cooking up enough to fill four trays is plenty for me, but if you have larger cookware, then you might be doing more big batch cooking already, so a batch to fill the big unit would be easy. (You can mix foods, of course, but I like keeping similar foods together because it’s easier for me to track the drying.)
Both should get the job done, but the bigger unit will let you stash more, faster.
Jason, I have the large and it is just my husband and I. The thing to remember is that you can always put less in a large and run it. You can only out so much into a medium. This time of year I find myself doing a lot of leftovers, along with what’s on sale fresh at the grocery store. I don’t recall anyone in the online groups that I am in ever wishing that they had gotten a smaller one.
As a person that started out by buying a small Freeze Dryer, then later regretting that decision and getting a Large, perhaps I can give some perspective on this. The Large has 5 large trays, but I almost always run with 5 or 4 trays… so I make use of the larger size.
I like to batch stuff, and that seems more efficient that running two or more batches where one large one would do. With the improvements with the software (pre-freeze setting) this REALLY makes it more efficient.
However, the large is HEAVY, and requires more space — I had to order a table to accommodate the larger model (for about $100 off of Amazon, stainless steel with a open shelf under that works great for the drainage bucket. It is just a bit too deep for most normal counters or (what I had before) tool chests. If you can afford and have a space for the large, it definitely comes in handy at harvest time.
I would never recommend the small — although it was a lot quicker than the large (before the software upgrade).
Whichever you decide on, I am sure you will enjoy it. I hate throwing away food I grow with a passion, and between canning and freeze drying, I do pretty well. I do a lot of ground meat as well, so I don’t worry about the freezer failing or meat getting old. Ground beef and ground lamb do really well when used in cooking — especially as they absorb excess water, which some of my older canning attempts had. Good luck!
Hi Laurie,
I just tried my first batch of freeze drying with mandarin oranges. I have the mylar bags and sealer. I noticed after sealing that the bags have a “warm feeling” when I handle them. Is this normal? I am using the oxygen absorbers in the bag.
The oxygen absorbers may give off a little warmth, but not much. The bags should be close to room temp. They won’t be cold.