Introduction to Freeze Drying
Freeze dried fruits, pictured from the left: Strawberry tops, strawberry halves, pineapple slices, banana slices, grapes.
Freeze drying. What is that? Is that what happens when you leave food in your freezer for too long? No, that’s freezer burned, which is what freeze drying commonly gets confused with when people first learn about it, unless of course you’re a backpacker or you’ve tried freeze dried candy before, which is very popular! Another common thing people confuse freeze drying with is dehydrating, which is not the same and are two completely different processes.
It was the fall of 2021 when I stumbled upon a YouTube video talking about freeze dried food, and it was a guy who was making it at home. I had never heard of it before and so naturally my curiosity was peaked. I watched the video. was fascinated by it, and I dived head-first into learning all I could about freeze drying.
If you’ve checked out some of our other posts you may know that growing up, my mom was a canner, she still is. My sister and I still help her but I haven’t ever officially canned anything by myself (as of October 2023!). I know when done correctly canning is totally safe but at the time, and even now, I find it a bit intimidating (especially pressure canning!). The thing is with my mom, she sometimes follows recipes and sometimes she doesn’t, this is also applied to canning. She wants to can the recipes and things that she’s used to having; so that corn chowder or pea soup she makes with cured bacon? Yup, she cans them!
Needless to say, I’m the same way when it comes to wanting food the way I’m used to having it but also want to be mindful of safe canning practices if I ever decide to give it a try on my own. So this is how freeze drying became my new interest, being able to preserve foods that I’m used to eating without having to worry about pH levels and being able to preserve things that are not able to be canned.
After joining some Facebook groups, and learning as much as I could to decide whether freeze drying was right for me or not, I decided to purchase our first freeze dryer in July of 2022. I’m still learning about this amazing technology and what can be done with it so I hope you come along with me on this journey and who knows, maybe you’ll decide freeze drying is right for you too!
What is Freeze Drying?
Lyophilization is the technical term for freeze drying1. In simple terms, freeze drying is the process of removing water from a product through sublimation. Sublimination is the transfer of a substance (water in this case) from a solid to a gas without going through the liquid state. How this works is the product gets placed onto trays that get loaded into a tray rack that is placed in a cylindrical chamber in the machine. The product then gets frozen solid down to -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-45.5 degrees Celsius). The tray rack has heating pads which then slowly heat up while under vacuum pressure which causes sublimation to occur. Since the product is under pressure, the water vapor gets drawn out of the food where it then freezes to the walls of the chamber and forms ice blocks.
This process can take anywhere from 24 to 70 hours or more depending on the moisture content of the products being freeze dried. Since there is limited space within the chamber, it is important that there isn’t too much water content where the ice blocks will start to encroach on the tray rack, which is why there are weight limits in place. If there is too much ice build up then the machine will end up in an endless loop because it’ll start to melt the ice blocks touching the tray, pulling the vapor, and refreezing to itself. This is an easy fix though, you would just simply stop the process, remove the trays, place them into a freezer, defrost the machine, and rerun the food. Since a lot of the moisture was removed from the first batch, the second batch will be much quicker.
History of Freeze Drying
Freeze drying technology was first created by Jacques-Arsene d’Arsonval at the College de France in Paris in 1906. During World War II freeze drying was more widely implemented to preserve blood serum, allowing it to be transported long distances without refrigeration while maintaining the important vital properties. Since then, freeze drying has become one of the most important processes for the preservation of heat-sensitive biological materials1. It wasn’t until the 1950s that industrial freeze drying of foods began and is steadily gaining popularity year after year. Space exploration programs use freeze drying as a way to preserve food for astronauts when they are out in orbit. This allows long-term preservation of food for them and all they need to do is reconstitute with water and they have a delicious meal ready to go.
Did you know that “astronaut ice cream” is freeze dried ice cream? You may have heard about or tried it and never knew!
Since commercial freeze dryers are large machines and cost at least five figures, it just wasn’t economical for home use. In 2014, a company named Harvest Right, designed and manufactured the first home-use freeze dryer that was more readily available to home consumers.
Why Freeze Dry?
There are many reasons why freeze drying is the best current way of preserving food at home. From being able to create easy-to-use powders to be used in culinary applications, having the best long-term storage compared to other methods, retaining the most nutrients, and being able to preserve things that aren’t able to be done with canning or dehydrating, plus so much more!
Business Opportunity
With the popularity of freeze dried candy at the moment, many people have jumped on the bandwagon to get in on this fun delicious spin on popular candy we love. Since it seemingly had a large growth of interest overnight, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how the freeze dryer works and what your goals and plans are for it.
Quite a few people jumped into it and a few months later are now selling their machines because their markets/local areas are saturated with other freeze dried candy businesses. So if you want to go this route, whether as a side gig, full-time job, or to just pay for your machine, it’s important to look into this all before diving head first to avoid unnecessary heartache if this is your main reason for purchasing a freeze dryer.
Freeze dried candy isn’t the only business opportunity there is, depending on the laws where you live, some people are able to freeze dry fruits, vegetables, ice cream, cheesecake, and much more to sell to the public without having to be home-inspected. It’s important to understand the laws where you live in regards to selling food to the public, and what you can and cannot sell. At least here in the United States, many states have what is called “Cottage Law” where food is able to be sold that was produced in a home environment, generally without having a home inspection.
Since there is food safety involved, understanding the risks and responsibilities that come with this is important, the last thing you want is to have the government or lawyer coming to your door saying someone got sick from a product you sold to someone. When done correctly, there is lots of money to be made from selling freeze dried products so this may be a great avenue for you!
Culinary
With freeze dried food available, you have even more culinary opportunities than the average person. Being able to freeze dry homemade broths into a light, airy powder that is shelf stable and many other things will make preparing dishes easier. There are so many creative things you can do with freeze dried food such as below:
Broths/Stock – Being able to turn broths and stock into a light, airy powder that is shelf stable makes it easy to incorporate into dishes where you get to decide whether or not you want to add liquid to reconstitute or it could be like a thickener and just add it directly to the dish. Making homemade broth or stock is even nicer because you don’t have to worry about storing heavy jars of mostly water. This will free up your canning for something else that isn’t as easily freeze dried.
Fruit – Preserve fruit whole, sliced, or pureed to create lovely powders. Depending on size, some fruit needs to be cut in order to fit on the trays and to avoid longer processing times. Creating powders will allow us to use them in desserts, flavor homemade icings, smoothies, or drinks. Sliced fruit can be used as a beautiful decoration around the house or on desserts as seen on our strawberry lemon cream pie or in our dandelion honey.
Meat – Freeze dried meat is one of my favorite things to do. I tend to find great deals on ground turkey, up to 50% off regular price so I will buy 10 pounds at a time or sometimes more. I’ll then cook it up and freeze dry it so it makes for a quick and easy meal prep down the road, I just simply rehydrate and throw it into a casserole dish or I’ve even added spices and turned it into taco meat. Rotisserie chicken is another favorite, I’ll get the big chickens from Costco, break them down, and freeze dry the meat, make bone broth with the leftover bones and you guessed it, I’ll also freeze dry the bone broth. At $5 a bird, this is a great deal to end up with two different products in the end.
Vegetables – Our family personally doesn’t eat very many vegetables and I’m working on changing this. Most of the time I’m focused on making the main meal, vegetables are an afterthought and by then I’m just ready to be done. Having freeze dried vegetables on hand has been great because with some hot water, maybe a little butter and salt, they quickly rehydrate and we can have vegetables with our meal in no time. One of our favorites is corn that we’ve shucked ourselves, the great thing is, it tastes just like it did before being freeze dried once rehydrated.
Diet
For some people with diet restrictions, having the ability to have greater control over their food is extremely important. Whether it is food sensitivities, allergies, sodium restrictions, or many others, being able to prepare meals that work for you and having the ability to preserve them can be life-changing. Having packages of food that you are used to makes it easy to just grab and have on the go if you’re traveling or on vacation without needing to worry about where you can find a meal that meets your needs. There have been a few people in the freeze drying Facebook groups I have encountered who talk about how great freeze drying is in being able to prepare meals for someone who is tube-fed and having a way to preserve it. I don’t have personal experience with this but from reading their stories, it sounds as though there isn’t much on the market in terms of variations to foods or healthy wholesome meals for those who have to tube feed. Freeze drying has opened some doors in these areas and has allowed for many more possibilities where it was once limited.
Garden Harvest
A lot of people who have freeze dryers or are interested in them tend to have a garden where they grow some or most of their food. Having a freeze dryer available to preserve your bountiful harvest is a game changer. Although processing times are longer than canning, with the added bonus of preserving the most amount of nutrients, it is important to preserve those nutrients as much as possible. You’ve put in all the hard work to grow that produce for a number of reasons, whether it is to offset the grocery bill cost, have non-GMO/Organic, or simply just for the joy of it, at the end of the day you want to preserve as much nutrition in what you grew which is why freeze drying is a great choice.
Long-Term Preservation
Since freeze drying removes up to 99% of the moisture out of the food, with proper packaging and storage, it could last up to 25 years in storage. With this long of a storage capacity, freeze dried food is the way to go if you’re concerned about the availability of food in the future or just simply want a longer-term storage option than the other methods available. Having the option to store food for longer makes it easier if food is plentiful currently but may not be in the instance of a natural disaster, epidemic, etc. With the rising cost of food, paying for food now either full price or shopping sales, being able to have the food stored for the future when it may be double the cost will save you money long-term.
Nutrients
Since freeze drying doesn’t heat the food to cook out the moisture or kill any bacteria, almost all of the nutrients remain. Whether you are freeze drying to store food for a few months or for 25 years, you’ll know that the food you have stored is the most nutritious of all the shelf-stable storage methods we have today. Being able to freeze dry your own food also allows you to have greater control over what goes into your food. There is commercially prepared freeze dried food you could buy but you have no control over the contents (sodium, artificial ingredients, non-GMO/Organic) and you may be paying for a lot of cheap fillers versus the higher quality, more nutritious meals you could prepare at home.
Raw or Cooked
Since the food doesn’t get heated up enough to get cooked, this opens the option of storing raw or cooked foods. Regardless, food must be prepared in a way that is the same as freezing. Vegetables must be blanched to stop the enzymatic growth and fruit treated if necessary to prevent browning.
Since freeze drying doesn’t heat the food enough to cook it, it’s important to remember that any bacteria or organisms that are there prior to freeze drying are still there after. The lack of moisture prevents their growth but if rehydrated, they are able to resume growth so foods should be consumed in a timely manner. Raw food, once rehydrated, should be cooked to the recommended safe temperature prior to consumption.
Save Money
Though the initial cost to get started will set you back a few thousand dollars, depending on your usage of the machine, it could pay for itself within a few months with the cost savings it provides. Here are a few ways that freeze drying could save you money:
Shopping Bulk/Sales – Being able to shop sales and buy in bulk to freeze dry will allow you to save big time. Finding meat on sale or other pricey items and being able to freeze dry will let you save money in the long run and build up your stockpiles for the future, all while maintaining maximum nutrition and without having to keep it in a freezer.
Save Leftovers – Rather than have leftovers for days or run the risk of forgetting about them, freeze drying them for meals later will cut down on your food waste which saves on future food bills.
Store-bought Freeze Dried – If you’re a backpacker, prepper, or simply just enjoy freeze dried food and you’ve been buying it from the store then making your own at home is not only healthier for you but will be large savings. Making your own freeze dried food will cost significantly less than purchasing it already prepared.
Weight
Weight is another huge factor in choosing freeze drying out of the other methods. Since ninety-nine percent of the moisture gets removed during the process, that means most of the weight is getting removed. This is a major bonus for people where weight is a concern, such as backpackers or preppers. Having food that weighs a fraction of what it would with any other process or packaging while maintaining the maximum amount of nutrition makes it a highly sought-after food preservation method. A lot of freeze dried food can be packed into a smaller space making it ideal for those with limited space as well, and doesn’t require heavy-duty cupboards or shelving in order to hold it.
Freeze Drying vs Other Methods
Even though freeze drying is currently the superior choice for home preservation, it does have some drawbacks which makes using other methods still worthwhile so you can have all your needs covered. Just like in everyday meal preparation, some people also prefer the way food tastes one way versus another. It’s good to have multiple ways to process foods for longer-term storage in case a method fails or a disaster strikes, you know what they say, “Don’t have all your eggs in one basket”!
Canning
Canning is the process of placing temperature hot foods into warm glass jars which are then sealed with a two-piece lid that has a rubber gasket and ring to hold it in place. The jars are then either water bath canned or pressure canned. Water bath canning is where the filled jars are placed into a large canning pot filled with hot water which is then brought up to a boil and continually boiled for a certain amount of time to kill botulism spores. Pressure canning is where jars are placed into a pressure canner where pressure builds to reach 250 degrees Fahrenheit for a certain amount of time in order to kill botulism spores. Whether the food is low or high-acid determines the method that needs to be used to safely can that food.
Pros – Equipment costs are fairly reasonable, reusable glass jars and rings, shelf-stable once processed, processing time is the shortest versus dehydrating or freeze drying, no rehydrating required, and protection from bugs and rodents.
Cons – Increased risk of botulism, weight heavy, glass jars can break, must use a safe-tested recipe (well, you don’t have to but it’s recommended), shelf life generally only 1-3 years, higher learning curve at the beginning, two different methods (water bath and pressure).
Dehydrating
Dehydrating is the process of placing food on racks or screens that get placed into a dehydrator machine and the moisture gets cooked out of the food at a certain temperature and time that the user can set.
Pros – Equipment costs are fairly reasonable, shelf-stable once processed, can make jerky, protection from bugs and rodents (if stored in mason jars), and the processing time is generally shorter than freeze drying.
Cons – Shelf life generally only up to 5 years, can be hard to rehydrate, not rodent proof if stored in mylar bags, cooks so cannot do raw food.
Freeze Drying
Pros – Up to 25 years preservation, shelf-stable once processed, least amount of risk for botulism, lightest-weight, can preserve raw or cooked, freeze dried candy, maximum nutrition preservation.
Cons – Most expensive equipment costs, equipment takes up more space and is heavy, requires some mechanical knowledge (oil changes, cleaning of vacuum pump, possible machine repairs), processing times are generally longer than other methods, not as much knowledge available as other methods, the learning curve can be steep.
Freezing
Freezing food is pretty straightforward and food can generally be thrown into the freezer as-is (or outside if you live in the north and temperatures are low enough, just protect it from animals!), though vegetables do require blanching to stop enzyme action prior to freezing to help protect against loss of flavor, color, and texture.
Pros – If you’re only planning some items for short-term storage then the freezer is great. Protection from bugs and rodents.
Cons – Limited on available space unless you purchase another freezer, requires continuous electricity so in the event of a power outage food may become spoiled. Shelf life is the shortest of the preservation methods (1 year or less), risk of freezer burn.
What Can and Can’t be Freeze Dried
There are a ton of things that can be freeze dried, which isn’t just limited to single-ingredient food, whole meals, or are not even food items at all! However, there are a few foods that cannot be freeze dried or it is not worth the time/cost to freeze dry them.
Popular Food Types
| Type | Popular Examples | Type | Popular Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread | Slices, Cubes (for croutons) | Fruits | Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Kiwi, Lemons, Oranges, Peaches, Pineapple, Strawberries |
| Broths | Beef, Bone broths, Chicken | Herbs | Basil, Cilantro, Garlic, Mint, Nettle, Parsley |
| Candy | Caramel, Jolly Ranchers, Marshmallows, Nerds Gummy Clusters, Salt Water Taffy, Skittles, Starburst | Meat | Ground, Whole, Beef, Poultry, Pork, Turkey |
| Dairy | Cheese, Eggs (Cooked or Raw), Milk, Yogurt | Non-Human | Pet Food & Treats, Colostrum (for animals) |
| Dessert | Cakes, Cheesecake, Ice Cream (Scoops, Sandwiches), Pie | Organs / Parts | Poultry (Feet, Wings, Head), Heart, Liver, Tongue |
| Drinks | Coffee, Juices, Smoothies | Vegetables | Corn, Celery, Green Beans, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Zucchini |
Unusual / Non-Food Uses
Breastmilk – Yes, that’s right. Pumping moms have the opportunity to freeze dry their breastmilk to save on freezer space or make it easier to donate to someone and their baby who is in need. Being able to customize the temperature of the freeze dryer, you’re able to ensure all the beneficial nutrients are preserved.
Flowers – It seems odd but flowers tend to be a popular item when it comes to wanting to preserve wedding bouquets or other special occasion flowers. In addition, some flowers have medicinal purposes that people want to preserve for later use.
Cannabis – This is something I’m not familiar with as to why/how people use the machine for this use, but I do know it is pretty popular in that space.
Revive Stale Food – Oddly enough, freeze drying stale food has worked in reviving it back to normal. People have even found freeze drying has taken the food past its “normal” and actually made the food better (crispier) than it was when they bought it, an example of such items is cereals, chips, and cookies.
Taxidermy – Some people have used freeze drying as a way of preservation in taxidermy, it isn’t something I would do but it works for them! Some people have taken to freeze drying crickets and other bugs to make homemade treats for their chickens, reptiles, or other pets.
Whole Meals
Freeze drying whole meals makes it easy to just rehydrate and eat on the go. There are some meals that do better with some or all ingredients separated, due to rehydrating at different times. Some things people freeze dry to eat as is, without rehydrating.
| Type | Popular Examples | Type | Popular Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appetizers | Guacamole, Salsa, Spinach Artichoke Dip | Lunch/Dinner | Deli Meat Rolls with Cream Cheese, Pizza, Pizza Rolls |
| Baby Food | Puree, Yogurt Bites | Other | Chicken Pot Pie, Pulled Pork, Scalloped Potatoes, Shepherds Pie, Sloppy Joe, Stir Fry |
| Breakfast | Biscuits & Gravy, Cereal Milk Bars, Oatmeal Bars, Pancakes, Quiche, Waffles | Pasta Dishes | Alfredo, Goulash, Mac n’ Cheese, Spaghetti, Stroganoff |
| Chili | Regular, White Chicken Chili | Snacks | Cheese Crisps, Cucumber/Zucchini Slices with Seasoning |
| Desserts | Banana Pudding Wafers, Pie Bites (Apple, Pumpkin, Pecan), Strawberry Shortcake | Soups | Beef Barley, Chicken Noodle, Corn Chowder, Potato, Split Pea, Stew, Tomato |
Things That Cannot Be Freeze Dried
Food items high in fat, oil, or sugar generally cannot be freeze dried. Depending on the percentage of fat, oil, or sugar will depend on whether or not it can be freeze dried. If the item can freeze solid, then it will freeze dry. However, it’s important to know that fats and oils eventually go rancid (sometimes within weeks) so even if something can get freeze dried, its shelf life will be shorter than other foods.
Fat – Butter, Bacon, Egg yolks (whole), Ghee, Hot dogs, Mayo
Oil – Nuts, Nut spreads, Hummus (unless made without the oil)
Sugar – Fruit juices (unless diluted), Honey, Jam
Purchasing a Freeze Dryer
If you are interested in purchasing a freeze dryer, here are a few recommendations and important things to consider prior to purchasing. The details below highlight the brand Harvest Right, I am not affiliated with them at all, it is just due to my personal experience having bought and used their freeze drying machine and the brand I am most familiar with currently.
Important Considerations
Nobody wants to have buyer’s remorse, especially on such a large investment, below are some important considerations help you determine whether freeze drying is right for you so your decision will be an informed one.
Brand
Even though Harvest Right was the first company to commercially produce a home-use freeze dryer, there have now been new companies popping up that are manufacturing and selling freeze dryers. During Covid freeze drying really took off, especially in the candy market, and as a result, the demand for the machines skyrocketed. Harvest Right is currently shipping thousands of machines weekly to try to keep up with the growing demand, with such a large spike in freeze drying popularity some people feel that the company’s quality (some outsourcing happened) and quality control have declined, opportunities for competitors is at an all-time high.
Despite issues people have been experiencing, I still went ahead and ordered a Harvest Right freeze dryer fully expecting that I may receive a machine that had issues from the get-go but felt that I was capable of troubleshooting any issues. I’m happy to report that I received my machine and haven’t had any issues other than needing to update the software after about 20 cycles, but even that was quick and easy. One of my main reasons for going with a Harvest Right freeze dryer was because they are the most well-known company for freeze dryers, as well as I had the option to purchase through multiple popular retailers and even local retailers.
Customer service is another factor to consider when purchasing a freeze dryer, although many have first-hand experience with Harvest Right customer service, I (thankfully) haven’t had to work with them and hope I don’t have to. Something to keep in mind when looking at reviews and considering what brand to go with, the majority of people only provide feedback when there is something negative, to let others know to stay away. It is easy to look at reviews, Better Business Buero (BBB), freeze drying groups, etc, and see issue after issue, and think “Wow, these machines must be crap”. The reality is, while this may be true for some, there are thousands of people who have nothing but success with their machines but aren’t actively posting about it on the internet.
So the best advice is to figure out what is important to you in terms of the capacity of the machine, what features it has, the company/manufacturer, customer service, and how easy will it be to get repaired/returned if something goes wrong.
Expense
So the big elephant in the room, clearly this freeze drying machine sounds like a huge expense. That’s because it is. Current pricing for a Harvest Right freezer dryer runs anywhere from $2,695 to $5,295+ depending on the size of the machine, color, and vacuum pump choice. Several times throughout the year they will run sales where you can get anywhere from $200-$400 off depending on the size of the machine. Another cost-saving option (up to $500) if you want to order directly through them is to see if they have any scratch-and-dent models. I believe these models are machines that were slightly damaged either in transit or manufacturing but they are cosmetic only and do not affect the functionality of the machine. They also offer a layaway program to help you save and put money towards the machine and once paid off, they’ll ship your unit. Harvest Right will price-match other retailers but two downsides are that they do charge a return shipping charge and restocking fee (15%) if you choose to return the machine for any reason and there isn’t the option to purchase an extended warranty that some other retailers offer, so these are some things to consider.
If you purchase a large or extra large Harvest Right freeze dryer then you will need a dedicated 20 amp circuit with a 10-volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet in order to plug in and safely use the machine. A lot of people do not have a spare circuit, or one in the location they wish to store their machine and require an electrician to run a dedicated line. This will result in additional costs to your freeze dryer purchase after the fact.
Initial cost aside, there is also the running cost of electricity in order to run the freeze dryer. Depending on where you live and the cost of electricity, the increased cost could be anywhere from $30-$200 a month of extra expense just to run the machine. Then you also have the added expense of mylar bags or mason jars, oxygen absorbers (OA), oil for the vacuum pump, and food to preserve, all of which will cost extra money. So be sure to factor this all in whether or not you can afford to purchase and run a freeze dryer, it wouldn’t be wise to make this big financial investment if it will put you in a bad financial situation.
Location & Space
Where you choose to store the freeze dryer is extremely important. Both the machine and vacuum pump will emit heat and noise while running. The heat created is enough to warm up a room so in the summer months this will not be ideal. It is also advised to not run the freeze dryer in spaces where people will be sleeping, due to the vacuum pump possibly misting oil/water into the environment.
Some people store their machines in a garage, however, unless the garage is insulated/air-conditioned, it may be too warm in the summer months to run. Some people have them in their everyday living spaces such as the kitchen or dining room though keep in mind, in addition to the heat, there is the noise of the machine running.
I don’t find the machine to be overly loud but I also store ours in our semi-finished basement and can hear it running when in the room above. I chose our basement due to the fact that we built shelving to hold the freeze dryer and accommodate totes of freeze dried food and other things. Since we purchased a large freeze drier, it required a 20 amp circuit/outlet so it is just where we felt it would fit best in our house and not be too noisy in our day-to-day life. Since I’ve been freeze drying for a while now, I would not recommend keeping the machine in a basement unless you have a deep freezer down there or easier access other than stairs. I have found that going down the stairs with food loaded on trays isn’t the most ideal due to safety concerns. I tend to pre-freeze the food to reduce the wear and tear on the machine but our deep freeze is outside in our garage. I end up having to bring only 2 trays in at a time and carefully go down the stairs to the freeze dryer. In our next house, I plan to have the deep freezer inside and on the same level as the freeze dryer to avoid the possibility of falling down the stairs when transporting trays of food.
The machines are also fairly heavy which is another consideration for where they will be stored. Getting it down the stairs was a bit of a task due to the weight of it. Having a sturdy, flat, level surface to set the freeze dryer on is extremely important, the last thing you want is for whatever surface it is stored on to collapse and ruin a very expensive machine. I’ve seen carts recommended in groups where, yes, the cart is rated just barely to hold the weight of the freeze dryer, but that is distributed weight, not centered weight. Over time these cheaper carts warp or topple over due to being top-heavy. I would recommend a good solid wood or reinforced heavy metal surface, a popular option if you want movability is heavy-duty tool chests like what mechanics use to store tools. Since they have drawers, you can store your freeze dried tools and equipment all in one place.
Maintenance & Upkeep
Maintaining and caring for the freeze dryer is important to protect your investment and help avoid breakdowns. Cleaning on a regular basis of both the internal and external components for the freeze dryer and vacuum pump is something to be expected.
Freeze Dryer
The outside of the freeze dryer should be wiped down regularly to avoid dust and debris from getting sucked into the machine. Occasionally the outside cover will need to be removed to get access to the condenser coils as sometimes dust can accumulate on it. Removing the dust is as simple as using a vacuum with the hose to remove the dust. Some people have taped a straw to the hose to avoid having to remove the outside cover, the straw allows them to get into the holes in the cover and gain access to the coils.
The inside of the machine should be cleaned as necessary. It is recommended to use hot soapy water and a cloth to wipe down and clean the inside of the drum, rack unit, and door. Unless food has escaped the trays, or I have run a batch of raw food, I only wipe down the inside of the machine every few runs or so. The tray rack can be unplugged and removed from the drum for easier cleaning. However, I would recommend avoiding unplugging the tray rack as much as possible since there have been times people have ended up with fried plugs due to getting moisture inside.
I luckily have never experienced an “explosion” and hope I never will. There are a few reasons this may happen. Majority of the time this happens because the machine was improperly setup, meaning the vacuum pump was plugged into the wall instead of the freeze dryer, and the food wasn’t frozen. Sometimes it happens when people are freeze drying food with high sugar content such as candy, notoriously gummies or marshmallows, and it is a sticky mess. I hear it is a nightmare to clean, imagine sticky candy splattered all over the inside of the drum and door, all over the tray racks and trays. Fun. This is why I recommend joining freeze drying groups and searching for posts of things you wish to run, to avoid the heartache above and wasting product.
Vacuum Pump
Premier Vacuum Pump – Included with the purchase of a premier pump you receive an oil filter which is basically a Brita water filter pitcher with filter. Some people choose to use this to filter their oil to reuse while others choose to just dispose of the used oil and use fresh. Oil must be changed every 20 to 30 batches.
Occasionally the vacuum pump will need to be dismantled to be cleaned internally due to buildup. There are videos and instructions on YouTube on how to do this. Improper use of the freeze dryer will require this to be done more frequently and could cause your vacuum pump to be ruined.
Oil-less Vacuum Pump – These require less maintenance than oil vacuum pumps but will end up needing to be rebuilt which could cost a few hundred dollars since you have to send it in to be rebuilt.
Note – Since models can change, you should always reference the owners manual for your model of freeze dryer/pump for the proper maintenance recommendations and procedures.
Even with the best care, breakdowns can happen and need repair. Sometimes it’s a simple fix such as needed to update the software which is super easy, other times it is something major that needs replacing. Currently there aren’t many technicians out in the field that are knowledgeable with freeze dryers, thus it is up to yourself to do (with Harvest Right guidance) or send the machine back to Harvest Right in order to have the repair work done for you. They have been making strides to find qualified technicians for local repairs to help take the burden off of the customer.
New or Used
Determining whether or not you should buy a new or used freeze dryer will depend on what kind of cost savings you’re looking for. Detailed above in the expense section you can see the price of what a new unit will roughly cost you, buying a used unit will generally have the most cost savings but each has its pros and cons, outlined below:
New
Purchasing a new unit will ensure that you know the history of the machine, what it was used for, and how it was taken care of from day one but this will come with a cost.
Pros – Never used before, comes with the warranty, can finance through some retailers or place on layaway, can purchase an extended warranty through some retailers, able to return the machine if it is defective.
Cons – More expensive than used, shipping times can take up to 8 weeks+.
Used
Scoring yourself a used machine can save you hundreds of dollars however there are some important things to consider prior to jumping on a deal.
Pros – Cost savings, can get the machine faster, can inspect/test prior to purchase.
Cons – Risk of getting scammed, unlikely to know the history of the machine and what it was used for (see note below), doesn’t come with a warranty, no financing or extended warranty options, not able to return if the machine is defective.
Note: The history of the machine and what was processed in it can be of importance due to the fact that freeze dryers are popular to use in the cannabis realm. I don’t have personal experience with this but have heard of others using the machines in this way/purchasing used machines that were used in this way and it is difficult to remove the lingering smell from the machine. It may require replacing parts that the smell is unable to be cleaned from which can be anywhere from a few dollars to $800+.
With the demand for freeze dryers growing so large overnight in addition to their high cost, freeze dryers have now fallen into the sights of scammers. It is a sad reality that we now, more than ever, have to be diligent in keeping up to date with the latest scams and, unfortunately, freeze dryers have become a part of scammers’ arsenal.
Lots of people in the Facebook freeze drying groups have had their pictures of their machines stolen from posts and used in scamming attempts to make it look more legit. Only order from reputable suppliers or pay only when you have had your hands physically on the unit and have been able to inspect/test it.
Size & Type
Size
There are currently four different sizes of freeze dryers available from Harvest Right: small, medium, large, and extra large. Understanding your intended usage and capabilities will help you determine which size will be right for you. It’s important to note that it is recommended to run the machine with all of the trays being loaded with food and as equally distributed with food as possible so that one tray loaded with food while others have minimal. This will throw off sensors and possibly damage the machine and/or vacuum pump if improperly run.
| Harvest Right Freeze Dryers (Home Pro Models, 2023) | Small | Medium | Large | Extra Large |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Food per Batch (per Year) | 6-10 lbs. (1,800 lbs.) | 10-15 lbs. (3,000 lbs.) | 18-27 lbs. (5,000 lbs.) | 40 – 50 lbs. (10, 000 lbs.) |
| Vacuum Pump (included without add’l cost) | Premier (Uses Oil) | Premier (Uses Oil) | Premier (Uses Oil) | Premier (Uses Oil) |
| Colors Offered | Stainless | Black, White, Stainless (+$) | Black, White, Stainless (+$) | Stainless |
| Exterior Dimensions | 17.4″ W x 21.5″ D x 26.8″H | 19″ W x 25″ D x 29″ H | 21.3″ W x 27.5″ D x 31.3″H | 24.3″ W x 37.4″D x 35.6″H |
| Number of Trays | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Tray Dimensions | 7.75″ W x 14″ L x 0.75″ H | 7.5″ W x 18″ L x 0.75″ H | 9″ W x 20.5″ x 0.75″ H | 10.9” W x 29.5” L x 0.75”H |
| Weight of Machine | 98 lbs. | 127 lbs. | 143 lbs. | 258 lbs. |
| Power | 110 volt outlet* | 110 volt outlet* | 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet *Dedicated 20 amp circuit is REQUIRED | 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet *Dedicated 20 amp circuit is REQUIRED |
Power – With the large and extra large machine taking a special outlet and dedicated circuit, this can limit the location that you can store your freeze dryer. Some people opt to go with the medium due to being able to move the machine around their house since it uses a standard plug and doesn’t require a dedicated circuit. Unless you already have the proper setup for the large or extra large machine, expect the additional cost to have an electrician come wire up the required outlet and circuit.
Reasons to consider going a size up – if you think you may be running the machine at max capacity continually, you have a garden or plans to start one, plan to run a business, grow your family in the future, freeze dry for others.
Tray Size – Many people (myself included) like to pre-freeze the food on the trays for ease of just taking the tray out of the freezer and loading it into the machine. While it is unnecessary to pre-freeze because the machine will run a freeze cycle regardless, it cuts down on the cycle time which reduces wear and tear on the machine. Having a large machine myself, my trays fit in my upright freezer with a few inches to spare. If you plan to pre-freeze your food, take a measurement of the freezer you plan to use to ensure the trays will fit.
Type
Currently, there are three different types of freeze dryers offered by Harvest Right: home, pharmaceutical, and scientific. The main differences between models is the amount of trays and the software.
Home
The majority of people will be looking at purchasing the home machines since they are the most user friendly and is basically load and go. It may be tempting to go with a different model in order to get more trays, but I would advise against it since the software won’t be geared towards freeze drying food and is geared more towards pharmaceutical / laboratory use.
The comparison chart for the home models is in the above size section.
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical freeze dryers come with different software that allow the users to have a bit more control over the settings. They also come with more trays than the home models which is perfect for freeze drying herbs, oils, medicines, remedies, pharmaceuticals, and compounds.
| Harvest Right Freeze Dryers (Pharma. Pro Models, 2023) | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Capacity | 3 Liters | 4 Liters | 6 Liters |
| Vacuum Pump (included without add’l cost) | Premier (Uses Oil) | Premier (Uses Oil) | Premier (Uses Oil) |
| Colors Offered | Stainless | Stainless | Stainless |
| Exterior Dimensions | 16.5″ W x 18.5″ D x 25″ H | 18″ W x 21.25″ D x 28.5″ H | 20.25″ W x 23.75″ D x 30.75″ H |
| Number of Trays | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Tray Dimensions | 7.75″ W x 14″ L x 0.75″ H | 7.5″ W x 18″ L x 0.75″ H | 9″ W x 20.5″ x 0.75″ H |
| Weight of Machine | 98 lbs. | 127 lbs. | 150 lbs. |
| Power | 110 volt outlet* | 110 volt outlet* | 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet *Dedicated 20 amp circuit is REQUIRED |
Scientific
Scientific freeze dryers come with different software that allow the users to have even greater control over the settings in comparison to the pharmaceutical and home models. This model is geared more towards laboratory use since it can be completely customized by allowing multiple manageable profiles, each providing the ability to automatically power on and off the condensing unit and the oil-free vacuum pump in conjunction with ascending, controlled temperature and time settings (Harvest Right).
| Harvest Right Freeze Dryers (Scientific Pro Models, 2023) | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Capacity | 2 Gallons | 3.5 Gallons |
| Vacuum Pump (included without add’l cost) | Oil-Free | Oil-Free |
| Colors Offered | Stainless | Stainless |
| Exterior Dimensions | 20″ W x 25″ D x 30″ H | 22.5″ W x 25.5″ D x 32.5″ H |
| Number of Trays | 5 | 6 |
| Power | 110 volt outlet* | 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet *Dedicated 20 amp circuit is REQUIRED |
Recommendations
Here are some of my personal recommendations based on my experience of owning a freeze dryer since 2022:
Avoid Unnecessary Purchases
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when starting something new and feel like you may need to buy a bunch of extra tools and equipment before getting started. I would advise against buying a bunch of extra things until you’ve been freeze drying for a while. Once you have your processes down a bit more are are more familiar, add in equipment you feel would be a good addition. The cost of the freeze dryer is enough, spending more money on things you may not use or need will just add unnecessary expense to an already expensive start-up.
Download The Owner’s Manual
Being able to review the owner’s manual is helpful so you can read through it to see if owning a freeze dryer is something that you will be able to care for in a technical sense. Before I purchased my freeze dryer, I found the owner’s manual online from Harvest Right and took the time to read through it to make sure I felt comfortable with the process of running and maintaining the machine.
Sometimes people don’t receive an owner’s manual, they missed it in the packaging, or it simply gets lost eventually, having the digital version available makes sure you always have a copy on hand.
Freeze Drying Groups
Join Reddit, Facebook, and other forums are great resources to go to and learn. Learn from the community and get a better understanding of the freeze drying machine and what possibilities there are in addition to learning the general issues that people run into. I joined a few groups when I first learned about freeze drying and just lurked, searching the group archives to see if certain foods were done that I was interested in.
These groups are a wealth of knowledge, many with experienced users who have been freeze drying since the beginning. A word of advice is to use the search feature instead of posting a bunch of questions right off the get-go if you’re new, chances are someone has already asked and it has been answered. This is a much-debated topic in the Facebook groups since the same questions get asked and answered constantly and some people get tired of seeing the same questions/issues, especially if it is something discussed in the machine’s owner manual. People love to see what creations others are coming up with or new ways to prepare/rehydrate food, so when your feed gets clogged with people asking the same repetitive questions, it can get old. Though not to discourage new questions, sometimes it is hard to find answers if your question/issue is a bit out of the norm or the archive posts are really old so maybe there could be updated answers.
Another great reason to join freeze drying groups is there are lots of people willing to help troubleshoot in the event that your freeze dryer runs into an issue. There typically are solutions to common problems people face, whether machine or user-error, that can help get you back up and running without hopefully having to put in a ticket to Harvest Right.
Purchase Through a Retailer
I chose to purchase my freeze dryer through Home Depot, where I was able to use a 10% off coupon with my credit card and they offered an extended warranty. If my freeze dryer had issues, I wanted to make sure it would be covered for repairs and if it was dead on arrival, I could at least return it to the store without getting a restocking fee. I know Home Depot also offers 10% off to military people so if that applies to you and you have a credit card through them it could be the best of both worlds and it would be possible to get the 2 years of interest-free financing plus the option to purchase the extended warranty.
All in all, just look at your options and see what retailer is right for you and your financial situation since it is a large investment.
Taste Test
Although I didn’t take my own recommendation for what it’s worth, I do think tasting freeze dried food prior to purchasing is a smart idea. I knew the moment I learned about freeze drying that this amazing preservation method would be for me, the first time I tried freeze dried food was the freeze dried food I made myself. Now, that was a huge leap of faith and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a bit crazy like me.
Even though the commercially made food and meals have nothing against the quality you can produce with your own machine, I still would recommend taste testing some prior to purchase just to get an idea and feel for how the food will be and reconstitute. My husband doesn’t care for a lot of the things I freeze dry, but he is slowly warming up to it with the more that I process and figure out how to reconstitute.
Conclusion
I hope you found this post to be informative and if nothing else, you learned something new. Freeze drying can be such a fun thing to do and experiment with, I hope if you have been looking into freeze drying that maybe I have provided some answers to your questions or given you things to consider. It is a lot to take in but I wanted to provide all the information I’ve come to learn over the years about this amazing preservation tool, some of which I wish I had known prior to jumping in! Thanks for reading and happy freeze drying!
References
- Tara McHugh, “Freeze-Drying Fundamentals” IFT, February 1, 2018, accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/food-technology-magazine/issues/2018/february/columns/processing-freeze-drying-foods.
About the Author
Subscribe
Enjoying our content? Stay up to date on all of our latest posts, subscribe now to receive an email every Friday with our new posts of the week!