Considering a Food Freeze Dryer for your home? Before you invest, it’s crucial to understand if it truly lives up to the hype. After a year of hands-on experience preserving various foods with my Harvest Right freeze dryer, I’m sharing an honest review to help you decide if it’s the right food preservation method for you.
Understanding the Basics: What is a Food Freeze Dryer?
A food freeze dryer is a specialized appliance that utilizes extremely low temperatures, around -40°F (-40°C), combined with a vacuum environment to remove an impressive 99% of moisture from food. This process dramatically extends the shelf life of food, making it shelf-stable for an astounding 20 to 25 years. While offering exceptional preservation capabilities, it’s important to acknowledge that food freeze dryers represent a significant investment compared to other food preservation techniques. If you’re exploring more budget-friendly options, resources are available to guide you through affordable preservation tools.
It’s also essential to distinguish freeze drying from dehydration. While both methods remove moisture, they differ significantly in process and results. To understand the key differences between freeze-dried and dehydrated foods and to learn about foods that are not suitable for freeze drying, further reading is recommended. If you’re curious about the practical applications, there are many resources showcasing various freeze-dried recipes and tutorials.
My Personal Journey: A Year with a Food Freeze Dryer
I’ve been using my Harvest Right food freeze dryer for over a year now. Recently, a friend asked if my initial excitement had waned. Surprisingly, my enthusiasm has only grown! In fact, that conversation prompted me to purchase a second unit.
Initially, I approached the idea of owning a food freeze dryer with skepticism. It seemed like a luxury, an unnecessary expense. After all, people have preserved food effectively for centuries without such advanced technology. Was it truly essential?
For transparency, Harvest Right provided us with a freeze dryer to create demonstration videos. We agreed, with the understanding that our reviews would be completely honest, reflecting both the positives and negatives of the product.
The Upsides: “Pros” of Food Freeze Drying
My initial skepticism began to dissipate as soon as I started experimenting. The first food I freeze-dried was fruit, and I was immediately impressed by the remarkable quality and intense flavor.
Freeze Dried Fruit: A Revolution in Fruit Preservation
Freeze drying fruit completely changed my approach to fruit preservation. For the first time, I could preserve fruit long-term without relying on added sugar.
Traditional fruit preservation methods like jams, jellies, fruit leather, dehydrated fruit, and frozen fruit each have their limitations. Among these, only frozen fruit truly retains its natural flavor and goodness without added sugar. However, freezing fruit is labor-intensive and consumes significant freezer space. Food freeze drying offers a superior alternative.
Freeze Dried Meals: Convenience Redefined
Another area where the food freeze dryer truly shined was in preserving entire meals.
Preparing double batches of dinner became a game-changer. Leftovers could be easily transformed into convenient, ready-to-eat meals. Simply placing the food on the freeze dryer trays, pressing a few buttons, and voila! Shelf-stable meals ready for whenever we needed them. This capability significantly expanded our access to convenient, home-prepared food options.
Unmatched Convenience in Food Preservation
Owning a food freeze dryer has simplified garden harvests immensely. No more worrying about onions spoiling before we can use them! Chopping a large batch of onions and spreading them on a freeze dryer tray is incredibly quick and easy. The machine then takes over, handling the preservation process effortlessly.
The Downsides: “Cons” of Food Freeze Drying
Despite the numerous advantages, there are also drawbacks to consider before investing in a food freeze dryer.
Significant Initial Cost
The cost of home food freeze dryers is a major barrier for many families. If a freeze dryer is beyond your budget, numerous other, more affordable food preservation methods are readily available. These include root cellaring, canning, dehydrating, and fermenting, all of which are effective and budget-friendly alternatives.
Lengthy Processing Time
Freeze drying is not a quick process. An average batch of food requires 24 to 36 hours in the freeze dryer. While pre-freezing food can shorten this time considerably, it’s still a significant time commitment to factor in before purchasing a unit.
Noticeable Noise Level
Even with the “quiet” motor option, food freeze dryers are not silent. As you can hear in videos demonstrating these machines, the noise level is still quite prominent. If you plan to place your freeze dryer in your kitchen, the noise might be disruptive. Ideally, a basement or spare room with a door would be a more suitable location to minimize noise disturbance.
Substantial Size Footprint
Our food freeze dryer is comparable in size to a small washing machine. For many homes, finding adequate space for such a large appliance can be challenging. Furthermore, it’s best to keep the freeze dryer in a convenient location within the house. A detached garage or outbuilding isn’t ideal, as you’ll need to check on the machine periodically throughout each cycle.
Essential Considerations Before Getting a Food Freeze Dryer
Before making a purchase, there are several key factors to consider to ensure a food freeze dryer is the right fit for your needs and home.
Choosing the Right Size Unit for Your Needs
We opted for the largest available unit. Many have asked if I’m glad we chose the largest size or if a smaller one would have sufficed. Now that we own two units, I can confidently say: always choose the largest unit you can afford. The trays are smaller than standard cookie sheets, limiting the amount you can freeze dry in each batch.
Determining the best Harvest Right Freeze Dryer size for your household is crucial. Unless you live alone, I consistently recommend the largest model. It’s far more efficient to process larger batches less frequently than to run smaller batches constantly.
Dedicated Electrical Outlet Requirement
While food freeze dryers operate on standard 110V power, they require a dedicated electrical circuit. We had to hire an electrician to install a dedicated outlet to ensure safe and proper operation.
Adequate Space for the Entire System
You’ll need space not only for the freeze dryer itself but also for the accompanying pump, which needs to be positioned right next to the machine. Additionally, you’ll need space beneath the unit for drainage. During operation, ice buildup occurs, and as the machine warms down, this condensation needs to drain. We use a simple setup with a hose extending from the back of the machine into a large bucket placed on a shelf below.
Strategic Location for Easy Monitoring
As mentioned earlier, locating your food freeze dryer in a convenient space is highly recommended. While some people might consider an outbuilding, it’s less practical for regular monitoring. I’ve experienced instances where batches didn’t vacuum seal correctly. If I hadn’t been nearby to hear the alarm, the entire batch of food could have been ruined. Vacuum sealing issues can arise from various factors, but for me, it’s usually been due to obstructions interfering with the seal.
Final Verdict: Do We Love Our Food Freeze Dryer?
Overall, we are extremely happy with our Harvest Right food freeze dryer. Purchasing a second unit is a testament to our satisfaction and the value we find in this appliance.
If you’re seeking more detailed information about Harvest Right food freeze dryers, including sizes, freeze-drying accessories, and the operational cost of a freeze dryer, I recommend exploring their website and the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer FAQs.
Take Your Skills Further: The Abundant Pantry Freeze Drying Masterclass
For those who already own a food freeze dryer and want to master advanced techniques, my Freeze Drying Masterclass is an invaluable resource. Designed as a standalone course or companion to my book, Freeze Drying the Harvest, this online class offers:
- Over 70 in-depth video lessons with step-by-step setup and batch walkthroughs for diverse foods – fruits, vegetables, meats, meals, liquids, living foods, desserts, and more!
- 24/7 Lifetime access for convenient, repeated viewing anytime!
- A comprehensive 166-page workbook including pre-treatment guides, rehydration charts, and complete recipes.
- A troubleshooting section to confidently resolve any issues.
Upon completion, you’ll be equipped to fill your pantry with nutritious and delicious freeze-dried foods like a seasoned pro. Enroll in the Freeze Drying Masterclass today and gain instant access!
