Wow! It's been a crazy 3 years of freeze drying! Lot's of things have changed for the better. HARVESTRIGHT just keeps making these better (even though they don't have to) If you have a minute, drop by the NEW! store and browse our freeze drying supplies! NEW products added all the time! www.freezedryingsupplies.com
I would like to point out that 3 dB difference its about 100% greater sound intensity that doesn't mean twice as loud to be seen as twice as load its a 10 dB difference
Awesome video! Quick question to pretty much satisfy my curiosity, you said this room is for your freeze drying, how does that manabloc on the wall behind you tie into your freeze dry process? Thanks
Thank you for the review. I really need to convince my husband that this is a great investment. This is a great way to feed my Father in Law in another state healthy meals, I can cook meals, freeze dry them, pack and mail them to him so he can get proper meals during COVID-19.
Brian, Would love to see a series of RUclips videos on using FD foods everyday. Not just their use in recipes but what's best airtight containers to store them in while in pantry & being used out of daily, how to keep them as airtight as possible b/t uses, the cost of various containers, how long their counter/pantry life might be in the best airtight comtainers available. We get tons of info on what can be FD, how to store it long-term, & reconstitute...but we hear very little on the best ways of storing & using for daily use. Just a thought!!
You can use ball jars with a vacuum lid sealer that fits over the lid and sucks the air out of the jar. Then reuse the seal over and over again. With vacuum lid sealer. If it's for snacks they won't last that long to reseal.
and that's the right way, even in an air tight jar. new oxy pkt & "quickly" seal like you did the 1st time as foods will draw moisture from the air (OILY snacks you buy have the oil to prevent that... ).
I just got my freeze dryer a couple weeks ago. I have done three batches so far. I think there is a lot to learn to be good at this and it will take some time. I have a garden and I have been vacuum sealing, freezing and canning everything for years. I can see where this could end up being a real game changer if used in a systematic way. Thanks for the video!
Longer hoses can be found at any HVAC supply house from 5’ to 25’. Move the pumps under the counter. That will cut out all of the noise factor you’re complaining about. We in the industry place pumps in another room entirely, and in lock boxes for days on end. Like the video
Also, heads up - dB readings generally are done from 1 meter away using calibrated equipment in a much larger space or outdoors (reflections off the walls artificially inflate numbers) I know this because I'm an acoustician. Generally, you'd expect to see A or C weighting, which makes a big difference... ALL THAT BEING SAID - your subjective experience of noise is often a more accurate descriptor than just a simple number. The fact that the premier pump has a more muffled sound with less sharpness can make it significantly less annoying even if it weren't any quieter, just from the change in tone/timbre. Thank you for letting your lapel mic run and for recording the sound - that told me a lot of what I needed to know.
this has been the most comprehensive, articulate and quality video on a product I have seen; thanks for the transparency...Product reviewers don't understand that point, if you are selling the product people want to now the pros and cons before they invest money in a product. At least know I can buy the premium pump and be prepared for any breakage in the future, and every fail point you mention. Thanks again.
I found this very useful, thank you. In particular, your comment about the rising cost of food is a very important factor In making a decision like this.
Just bought a Large Stainless steel and made sure I came back and clicked through your link after watching about a dozen or more of your videos trying to decide. Thank you.
I have one of the first generation machines and they are able to be fully updated to the latest firmware and it makes a HUGE difference with the new hose and firmware. Definitely worth opening a support ticket to get both on old machines.
As of today, july 8, 2023 the new version is v5.0.24 After calling tech support last week they strongly recommended updating to this version to address some issues with the older versions. My issue was passing the vacuum test. Just sayin
I know it’s a year later, but great video.. haven’t pulled the trigger yet! But been really thinking of getting one. The more I watch your content the more I’m swinging on getting one! Please keep them coming!
I received my FD a couple of weeks ago and had ordered the premier pump. The premier pump is on backorder so they sent the standard pump that I get to keep for free. The premier pump will be sent within 8 weeks. The standard pump seems a bit loud to me - I’m so happy to watch your review and hear the difference! Thank you!!!!
I will be releasing a video next week comparing just the 2 oiled pumps. It will give you a more detailed comparison. Premier is quite and the noise it puts out is less harsh.
I pulled the trigger and got a medium size freeze dryer on order late last year based on your freeze drying videos and this recommendation video. I did purchase the newer premiere oil vaccuum pump. Thank you!!
Thank you . I was looking at one . Had questions. You answered great . I will use my stimulus money on it . Thank you . It was silver or freezer. Million dollars couldn’t feed my family.
I live in Canada and remember when they first came on the market. I wanted one so badly. I had to resign myself to never owning one as the price tag was too much for me. If something happened I would have no way to repair it conveniently. 1000% I prefer the freeze-dried product over dehydrated for certain foods. I live in a Condo so even the smallest unit with the more expensive silent motor still requires a dedicated space. It's super heavy as well. If I won the lottery this would be on the list. Thanks for the review!
part of the problems with vacuum pumps depend on the type of oil. Synthetic is much more robust but costs more. inline moisture trap between the pump and the freeze dryer will also extend the life of the oil.
Choosing which pump option has been one of the biggest struggles in me actually purchasing (besides the cost, which is obvious). This was helpful, thanks!
Thank you for the review. I was about sold on buying a machine, but the noise and extra area needed for pump and changing oil have talked me out of it. Wish I had done it years ago when I was more able to manage it all. Also, it would be in the kitchen of my small house. Congratulations on retiring so young!!! Thanks again!
Great videos. I'm retired USAF, now a farmer and artisan cheesemaker. We have a 100 acre farm with lots of critters. During the summer, we have a glut of eggs- can't even sell enough at farmer's markets to put a dent in the supply. With my cheesemaking, I'm always trying to find exotic things to add to cheeses and some stuff I just can't dehydrate. So, thinking of putting a grant package in for a freeze dryer and hope that will be good for my small business.
@@noniemarley7012 thank you very much for replying. I’m not surprised the pumps are the weak link. Which pumps do you have (regular, Premier, oil-less)? Assembled in the US could easily mean attach the door. Thank you. Yours is the first negative comment I’ve seen.
Great video, great information, just wish something like this would be possible for everyday people who want to prepare for these uncertain times. $2300-$2500+ is out of reach for some/most.
I just ordered a freez dryer and told them I was ordering through your site but wanted a question answered. I ended up buying it over the phone and told them I wanted you to get credit for the sale. Today is February 2nd so maybe you can verify that you did get credit. I told them I wouldn't be buying one if I hadn't seen your videos. So keep up the good work my friend I really enjoy your content.
Thank you for all this wonderful information on this machine! My client actually shared your link with me. She and her family have bought one of these to store food for everyone in their family unit to prepare for what could be the worst food shortages and what will be required of us to do to get food. I actually am almost 55 years old and I have been cleaning houses for most of my life and I can’t do it like I use to because it is so very hard on my body. I have no tech skills to go back into the workforce and coming into the true knowledge of my physical issues I wasn’t sure how I could survive on just SSI. It’s been too tough for me to really save and invest for retirement and feel secure. This gives me hope that I can make it through my aging years and help whoever else out as well. I will link up with you once I am ready to buy one of those Harvest Right Freeze Dryers!!! THANKS!!!!
I have had my freeze dryer for a little over 2 years, my only regret to anyone who is considering one is I got the small one, DON'T. it works just fine but it produces small batches. it probably would be o.k. for a single person, and they are fun to play and experiment with.
Great video Brian - nice to see the differences from the old and new - even your old unit is a big change from the very first units they had, but there are people that still use them. I agree the the pumps are the weakest link - I've had good luck with the 2 year old oil less that I run. As an electrician it's my opinion the power outlet is a bit under rated. I installed an interposing 20 amp relay and outlet to take the surge load off the dryer - mostly because the relays on the control board were only rated at 8 amps - I upgraded all my relays to a 10 amp rated relay as well for the pump output and tray heaters. I shared my opinion with HR but have no idea if they made any improvements. You would have to look on your new one at the relay board and see the relay rating. I would be curious to know. The only other issue I had was self inflicted by having my large dryer in my garage where it gets very hot in summer. I had to install a bathroom ceiling fan in the wall - custom ducting to move cool air through the machine and back to the house just to keep the internal temperatures at or below 85F. I simply don't have the space in the house for it. I highly recommend having it in a climate controlled room if you can. If anyone is sitting on the fence about buying one I would hope this video would convince them to go ahead and invest - great machines - great company. Very well built to last decades. Enjoy your dryers everyone. Peace be with you all.
and peace to you, jerry... stay safe & stay well. God bless. P.S. i forgot & i hate to say--- any changes to the dryer negates the warranty... you might read up on that. i just got mine so have been reading up on it (forget just where i saw it, sorry.). i WAS going to get a longer hose for my pump so i could sit it further away from the dryer as it throws hot air on the pump. but, i've just put a partition between the 2.
How much do you spend on oil every time you change it and would you recommend their newest, much more expensive, maintenance free vacuum pump? We are ready to jump in and buy the medium one for home freeze drying but want a bit more info on tbe oil vs oil-free pumps. Thanks. Btw, your review was FANTASTIC! Extremely informative.
Wow! Thank you for your great and informative video on the upgraded freeze dryer. I had researched freeze dryers a while back but had "sticker shock" when I saw the price tag. I am in awe of your love and generosity. The world needs more people like you! We love watching your other videos. Your videos have inspired and helped us learn how to can food from our garden.
My wife just introduced me to your channel... It seems like an informative place to pick up new ideas. I have a lot of thinking to do as... My college degree was Food science, dealing mostly in R&D, chemical analysis, and quality control with statistical process controls. (SPC.) I’m also retired now and don’t care to work in corporate or big business. (It turned me sour as it became profit over quality.) I’m thinking about buying a commercial unit from Harvest Right, but haven’t contacted them yet to work on financials. If I do come out of retirement it will be through watching channels like yours and see if I can find a way to broach personal products and business models. Testing to waters to even see if we want to do this or work more on the “Snow bird” thing... Any way, take care and God bless You. ❤️✝️❤️
Congrats on retirement. I was planning on staying retired but have now gone to semi retired. RUclips and much needed info has got me pulled in a direction I never thought I would go. These freeze dryers have improved a lot even since I started using them and I imagine will keep getting better. Feel free to reach out if you have ?s
I want to add to this review a bit. It was touched on that you can make your money back in under a year. This is true. We figure ours paid for itself in about 6 months. The amount of food that you can freeze dry and the quality of the food is unmatched. The review mentions these things, but we have been amazed at the quality of food in our food supply. Also, we love the food for everyday use. We figure our freeze dryer has already paid for itself 3X over.
Thats awesome Tom. We are in the same boat. Usually half of our batches don't make into long term storage. The kids are always the first to the freeze dryer to see what they can snack on.
Dumb question, maybe: How did you make your money back? Was it because you grew your own food? Or were you previously buying retail freeze dried food? Or something else?
@@juliagulia8626 I think they mean by freeze drying their own food it is much less expensive than buying freeze dried food. I have one and that's how I fill about it. I have been doing a lot of chicken breast lately. I grow meat chickens last year and freeze dried all of them after cooking them. Now for the price I just buy and freeze dry chicken breast. Much less hassle and for the price it's worth it.
@@juliagulia8626 you can buy food items when they go on sale or purchase larger amounts from Costco for example. Also some foods are seasonal like good avocados in my area. The main reason though is shelf life so when SHTF your not in a food line. Also inflation is already here and its going to get ugly. My wife asked me if it can freeze dry ribeye steak, LMAO. No I said and she wasn't impressed but I pointed out the advantages and she said knowing we wont starve when we go broke was a relief lol.
Hey, that’s exactly what I was going to suggest ! I feel like there would be plenty of time for 3 families to get food stored and would sure make the expense more manageable! Did you set up a schedule for use ? And did you do any kind of contract, Let’s say someone moves away or no longer wants to freeze dry ?
@@jackxthexreaper736 its me, my friend, his parents-in-law, and brother-in-law. We're keeping it at my friends house and doing a weekly schedule. There are pros and cons to it, but the biggest pro is I have access to a large machine and I paid like $950
@@user-jb4ni1yd8x If you compare buying FD foods with a Harvest Right and 3 batches per week - it will pay for itself in less than a year. I've been running my large dryer and oil less pump almost 24/7 since Dec 2018 and have put up over 5000 pounds of foods - it has paid for itself several times over. If I were to buy the same foods I've done - it would be north of $15,000 which is enough to buy 3 large dryers and oil less pumps. Food for thought.
I have pear trees, raspberries, goji berries, and hazelnuts growing all over my yard. I sometimes make them into food bars but I'm thinking about getting a freeze dryer then foil sealing them for long term with an oxygen absorbers. I kind of feel like having a long term self sustainable food supply is a good idea. I'm about to buy the large freeze dryer.
@@candacecurtis5739 I bought the harvest right biggest one they sell. But i added a ton more stuff to my yard. Goumi berries, papaw trees, cherry trees, apple trees, honey berry plants, sea buckthorn, plums, cold hardy kiwi, magnolia fruit, blueberries, service berry, spicebush and teaberry. About 60 trees so far and about 1 thousand bushes. I have a massive yard in Nebraska that borders a forest. I mostly make food bars and fruit leather right now. I am planning on canning most of the fruit this year.
@@krodkrod8132 you are very fortunate! I am having to purchase freeze dried fruit for “in case” and where I live in Canada food and fuel prices have gone through the roof! Many things you just can’t get at all. Shelves empty. It is very concerning. I was warned that freeze dryers need regular maintenance, and other upkeep to survive long term. If you have time, perhaps you could explain your experience with yours? I’m having to reclaim grocery store jars in order to do my canning, as there are shortages that way also. I also wondered if you share photos or videos? Your yard sounds like heaven 😍
We loved the Harvest Right when it worked, but It only worked for a few weeks, then started giving problems. A software update seemed to fix one problem but then it started taking many more days to freeze dry, water was leaking from the unit and building up in the pump oil causing the level to rise past the sight glass. They had me run tests and then told us nothing was wrong with it just use it. When my wife objected, they offered to replace the pump but then that "would be it". My wife insisted they should still honor the warranty regardless. I opened a ticket because the pump was not at fault, it passed the test very well per what they told us (and the readings were good) but I suspected the trouble was the refrigeration unit as it was leaking. I felt if I used it as they told us to, I'd eventually burn up the pump, and any new pump they sent. Also, I'd have to drain out the moisture filled oil and use new oil each batch, as the oil could not be filtered with all that water mixed in. They did not respond to that ticket. We called them and our rep called back. This time he told us there was a problem with the refrigeration unit based on the pictures of the frost frost ring patterns they asked me to submit after the test. Why did he not tell us that before, but just blew us off telling us just to use it? He told us they'd send us a box, then a label ship it back (FedEx, another company I'd had problems with lately), then repair the unit, replace it if unable to repair.) This will take weeks, in addition to the weeks we've been dealing with non-responsive customer support. They refused to send out a replacement upon us shipping out this one, but offered a 30 day warranty extension. We asked for 60 day extension to cover all of the down time but that was ignored, the manager of the CS rep just would repeat the same statements. We asked if we could just return the unit, and she told us that would be up to the store. We will try that as I do not trust the product to last beyond the warranty if even that long, and suspect it will take weeks or months to get back the repaired unit based on the experience so far. If it breaks again under warranty, I do not wish to deal with them again. If it breaks outside of warranty, I'm out $1000's. Buyer beware! Frustrating because I really loved it when it worked and I really need one of these!
Update: we got the unit back and it has been working better than ever (probably defective from day one then got worse). Working better than when we first bought it, an happy with it and glad Harvest Right came through for us. I do recommend their freeze dryers now.
I have a 2016 machine with the original JB pump. I actually just reviewed the manual that came with it a couple of days ago. My manual doesn't say to change the oil after every run and I never have done it that frequently. It DOES say to drain off the water from the pump after every batch while the pump is still warm. It collects in the bottom and if you open the drain you can see a bit of "clear" liquid come out and then it changes to oil. Then I check to make sure the level is correct. The booklet does say to change the oil every 5-6 batches but very early on people were filtering oil after a couple of batches and reusing it. I still have my original filter which I believe I bought direct from HR and that they "endorsed" this procedure. There is a maintenance in the booklet which I have NOT done and that is to power flush the pump after 25 batches (I think that was the number).
Well done! Thank you for this review. I have wanted one of these for so long. Good to know that it has been upgraded. Thank you for your Candid Opinion. It makes all the difference.
ONW! Y'ALL My unit was put on the WRONG truck! I was SUPPOSED to pick it up on Friday, NOW it's Monday and down in South Texas!! I'm in North Texas!! I have to call again tomorrow! Getting a little nervous!!! Hahaha 🤣
Just got the 5 tray freeze drier, using it to dry squash that was starting to spoil. I didn't realize the 5 tray had bigger trays, every cycle has lasted 30 hrs or more. Pre-freezing helps shorten the process by 8 hrs. So far processed tomatoes, strawberries and squash, and today going to make a extra large batch of chili for eating and freeze drying. I will be using it to freeze dry produce that I can't sell fast enough at my stand, adding freeze dried produce will help generate more sales and profits, and no waste. This freeze drier will surely help save product that doesn't sell the same day. Each year I throw away hundreds of melons that get soft spots, this freeze drier will stop that and turn spoiled produce into profits. One thing about muskmelons is that they taste much sweeter when slightly over ripe but no one will buy them at that time, which will be the perfect time to freeze dry them. I did watch your method of vacuum packing the Mylar bags, which works okay but when bags are filled really full they don't keep the vacuum long enough. To compensate I found putting a cloths pin over the folded part helps hold the vacuum longer till it gets sealed. Just amazed how light the produce is after freeze drying, hard to realize all the nutrition is still there. After every batch almost two gallons of water runs out of the freeze drier.
There is a guy at our local farmer's market that sells freeze dried snacks. Sells out every week. Considering the price of the stuff in the stores, gees. A tub of the freeze dried green beans (about a quart) is $8. Freeze dried corn is better than croutons in a salad.
@@lynnbetts4332 Thanks for the feed back, the corn sounds interesting, I got some old freezer burned corn, I'll try it just to see what the texture is like. My main reason for buying this freeze drier was to save a 1000 lbs of muskmelons I throw away every year, but my sheep love them. I even left 10 to 20 in the garden almost every day because of a small crack in the peelings. Now I have a way to save them, just may wear it out first year. I just bought a 1000 day neutral strawberry plants, looking forward to drying fresh berries. Looking forward to adding another whole section of salable produce in the form of freeze dried produce, will surprise many. I plan on trying some thing a little different, in that I am going to ferment the produce then freeze dry it to mimic potato chips. Not sure if it will work, but I love fermented produce any way. Every thing I grow is grown with regenerative agriculture in mind, or no tilling, fertilizers, or pesticides of any kind. Produce has a higher sugar content and more nutrient dense. These freeze dried fruits should give a sugar rush. Last year was the first year I sold produce this way, always sold another growers produce. People were leary about my local produce because they loved what I sold for over 20 years. Once they tried it, they preferred it to the other grower. I tried growing produce for many years but was never successful until I went no till, I always lost most of my garden to the weeds, just couldn't keep up. Now much easier, may work 2 to 3 hours a week hoeing or pulling weeds, biggest problem is in the rows between grow beds.
@@beemanminnesota7683 I don't grow like you do. I have seen many videos on RUclips about people growing and having problems between the rows. Most of them laid down card board then put chopped up wood over the top. It stops the weeds and the rows from getting mushy on wet days. I've also heard it helps bring worms cause they like the card board. Also I hope your keeping stiff for yourself. Times are changing so fast and so many people are not paying attention. The good life is gonna change. Bless you for putting your fresh grown stuff out to sell. Wish you were close to me. There are no produce stands in my town. I miss them to. Blessings vicki
@@soniabrannan412 Sorry for not responding, as I have been banned on the tube for quite some time. The way I started my no till was to cover the ground, that was not tilled, with lots of hay at least a foot. I created furrows in the hay and put down completely finished compost at least two years old that's been home to red wiggler worms. I have an advantage over most because I have huge piles of compost where worms call home. When I create a garden bed the first year I walk on the hay the compost rows is where I plant. this makes a garden with no weeds. The second year this same area I create 4 foot wide beds by putting compost down over the rotted hay, very few weeds the second year. The real benefit here is using no commercial fertilizer and no weed control. The third year I have had my share of weeds for some reason, probably because I let the few weeds I did have grow in the fall too high. My thought was to create some pasture for my sheep in the fall. I know not too many people have huge piles of compost like me. If I was to start from nothing I would roundup some cardboard and bales of old hay. Put the cardboard down in the fall, then hay on top, this would be a learning process for you so start small maybe a 4 by 20 foot or what ever you can handle. In the spring the hay will be compressed down and will not grow any weeds, you could create small pockets in the hay to put down compost to plant your transplants or seeds. You could buy a few bags of compost fairly cheap at garden centers. The hay could be replaced by leaves which one could roundup usually for free from the neighbors, this garden could even be started in the spring. If you like potatoes, they grow especially good this way, put potatoes on the compost cover with more hay, then just keep putting more hay around the plants as they get higher to keep the sun of the tubers. Potatoes are a perfect crop to start on new ground, just don't let the cardboard and hay dry out. The only weed you may have problems with is quack grass, which sends out long shoots under ground before sending up grass sprouts. Just pull up the shoots that are under ground that will be attached to the grass sprouts. Charles Dowding has a video on growing potatoes this way see below. Here is a good source on youtube for no till ruclips.net/user/CharlesDowding1nodig
@@MochaZilla again? you clearly don't have a clue. Freeze dried foods are in general 30% of there original weight. On average I eat 2kgs a day. On an eight day hike that's 16kgs just for food if it's all freeze dried it comes down to roughly 6kgs. Now 16 kgs is nothing but my pack without food weighs 44kgs. Every kg counts
In 1975 a company by the name of NOAH'S ARK FOODS, INC has been making mass produced freeze-dried vacuum prepared-nitrogen packed-sealed foods from 1975 until it was "SUSPICIOUSLY" closed in 1980. A company does not always make decision to close it's production after 5 years of continous and profitable production during the Cold War years. But one thing is for sure, it is suspected that it independently designed and invented it's own customized version of freeze drying and vacuum prepapring and nitrogen packing and sealing foods in tin cans that can last for 46 years and still remain edible. I have an old Time Life Book on "Food And Nutrition" printed in the mid-1960s and according to one account, a steam boat in the Mississippi River sank in 1859 and when she was found in 1957 it was discovered that she was carrying a supply of canned foods and the cans ARE OF SUCH GOOD QUALITY THAT THEY ARE STILL IN GOOD CONDITION and upon opening scientists tested them and found out that the canned foods are STILL SAFE TO EAT!
Hopefully you can answer the question that I have been searching to find an answer for... "Running a freeze dryer is like running a ???????." I've seen & read the power ratings but, that doesn't really help me out. Is running a freeze dryer like running a table saw for 24+ hours? Or more like a household vacuum cleaner for 24 hours? Toaster oven? What would you compare it to? Thank you for taking the time to make the video. It's very valuable info to hear from a long term user!
I'm not sure what you would compare it to for a household appliance because it is so unique. I will say my average cost per batch is $2-3. It will be the highest drawing appliance in your home because of the length of usage (24-30 hours).
@@live.life.simple. Thank you for for the effort! I'm 100% off grid on solar power with a strong propane powered generator as a backup. I know the generator could handle it but, I'd rather not blow through all that propane. I think the on/off cycling would mean that I'd be wasting a lot of generator power during the down cycles and, therefore, be wasting a lot fo propane. I like that these can be shut down and turned back on again with little to no loss in quality. That might make it possible for me to use something like this during the long Summer days or during my peak hours on shorter days. I'm sure it would force me to run the generator a lot if I tried running one in the Winter.
Thank you for your comprehensive overview of the Harvest Right freeze dryer. We are considering buying one , though the prices here are $4300 for a medium sized system, not including pump upgrade. AS the cost of purchesing freeze dried meat escalates into the stratosphere, I am thinking that this will easily pay for itself in a year or less.
Order from Harvest Right. It will take longer to get it, but save you a lot of money. I believe a medium is $2895 with premier pump and accessories. I have had mine for 3 months and love it. No problems at all.
DONT BUY ONE. Mine is less than a year old and harvest right is giving me the run around and not fixing it. THEY MAKE ME DO THEIR JOB repeatedly making me run the same tests over and over. I wish i had never purchased the freeze dryer from them.
To anyone looking to buy a freeze dryer please consider a different brand! These units are cheap quality and the reviews are paid for by Harvest right.
After watching a couple of these videos, I have to say I agree. When a company gives you something, the review is not objective, and despite their efforts, it shows
Great video , I learned a lot about Harvest Right freeze drying equipment . I believe what you say since you already stepped up to the next machine. Thank you for the comments.
They do have a reason to make them better just so they don't get people calling in for warranty repairs. Spend a bit in the R&D and save a lot at the front end with the customer, paying a repair guy shipping parts, etc... is very expensive after a while. The reason why so many products nowadays only have 1 or 2-year warranty, is because the company that produced them knows what kind of trash they are selling you. That is also why the store is always pushing you to buy an extended warranty.
One thing that attracts me is the ability to store meats and vegetables, especially greens, that I can buy or grow organically. The very expensive camp food that I see on the shelf is all starch, and not very Keto, Paleo, or even Mediterranean friendly - and especially not for diabetics.
You will Not regret it! I’ve had my first knob model since 2015 and just got my 2020 model in early feb. I just got another for my sister for Christmas. (She’s loved mine for years and wouldn’t spring for it herself. She’s the reason I have my job so I’m paying her back in this way. She has no idea.) 😃
@@Valecene Cool - just remember your fresh vegetables need to be blanched before you freeze dry them. Just as if you were prepping them for the freezer.
Food has gone up 100% and more since the pandemic...All the meats DOUBLED. in cost...It must be a good feeling to hedge against inflation with food...I do it with silver...This is my first time looking into freeze-drying It's a no brainer. :)...Thanks for reviewing these freeze dryers...It's very useful info!
Enjoyed the critique, especially letting us know what parts to be expected that are going to wear out. The hose and rubber seal cost I can deal with, that isn’t much, the plexiglass door, I’m glad they replaced, I suppose for free since I guess under warranty. If out of warranty, that part might be a bit costly, hopefully that was just a one time thing. The pump cost, not overly exorbitant, but not cheap either, especially if needing replaced about every 3 years. At the price of these things, why did you feel like you needed two? You’re not a part of HarvestRight, in anyway, correct? If Armageddon was going to happen, this machine could certainly prepare you better for it long term than any other food storage method. Not sure if it is really all that cost effective when everything is considered, and since much of my food will be grown myself in a greenhouse. Looks like they have improved it quite a bit over the years too, reducing oil change maintenance frequency was a big improvement, but I guess pressure cooking and canning is best for me since I only need food to last the long winters of mountain living in CO at 8,800’ elevation and with some 200” of annual snowfall, it’s difficult to get out since last 1.3 miles of my road is not county maintained. Neat product though, I can see this product being an answer for a lot of people.
Hi i am thdl3 new Girl lol. I saw this machine yesterday on U tube,., it really blew me away..We do not have a Homestead or large land, but i still enjoy seeing what you guys do. The Colours of the food is wondergul x the Eggs looked great they keep those wonderful colourscc
I think putting you freeze dried food in canning jars are ok for short time. For really good quality in your food, the Mylar bags are the best to keep the quality.
The problem that I had with the H.R. freeze dryer is that, when I had the JB pump plugged into the back of the freeze dryer, the software would shut down the pump prematurely. H.R. tried to update the software with no positive results. Finally they just gave up on me and my problem. The only thin I could do is power the pump from a separate source and I got better results. What a pain!
From their website. So at peak it would be ~1760w "Our small and standard freeze dryers use a standard 110 volt outlet. At peak, the freeze dryer draws about 16 amps, but on the average about 9 to 11 amps (990-1210 watts) of power per hour. A dedicated 20 amp circuit is recommended. Our large freeze dryer requires a 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet At peak, the large freeze dryer draws about 16 amps, but on the average about 10 amps (1500 watts) of power per hour. A dedicated 20 amp circuit is required."
the app actually agrees with you about sound. decibels are log10 logarithmic. every time the count goes up ten, the volume multiplied by ten. 70db is ten times louder than 60db. the one machine was producing around 69db, and the other around 64db. that's about four and a half times louder. the numbers are counterintuitive.
For $2600.00 I certainly expect it to have less issues and especially have a pump that lasts longer than 3 years.... You fixed the black one... but most people don’t have the mechanical inclinations like you do.... so people like me would be out of luck with a $2600.00 investment! 😞
we bought our freeze dryer a yr a go, but we pre-freeze most of our food before putting in our dryer to speed up the time. plus we see to have an abundance so it gives us time to what will go in 1st.
As a flight attendant, I try to bring most of my food to save money when out on trips. When I go international if I have food left over it gets confiscated when I go through customs. Would this alleviate that problem?
I appreciate you stating how long your units have been in use. To me, that is a huge issue as most reviews *don't* disclose that information so it more difficult to judge dependability and longevity. My only question is that while you mentioned your use of the kill-a-watt meter, the actual numbers you got from that was absent. What is the amperage used? I didn't see that spelled out on the company's website.
Great video, lost of info. I want one bad, but with over 3gs to start with the upgraded pump. Then oil, hoses and other maintenance factors I just don't know. It's not just the money, but the time wasted on upkeep that gets me. Thanks again for the vid.
Living Traditions Homestead posted a video recently where they tested theirs against a dehydrator's usage. At $.10/kwh, cost for freeze dryer, full cycle, was under $1.30. Dehydrator was just a little more.
mine has been purchased and awaiting delivery. I love any and all information I can get before starting. What kept you from going to the oil free pump?
@@live.life.simple. I'm curious to how the cost of the oil changes and filter ?? changes costs overall compared to the oil-less pump. How much has it cost you in oil and filters over the 3 years of usage.
Hey - thanks for this awesome review! We're on the cusp of purchasing one of the large models with the oil-free compressor. I wanted to ask - what happens when your power blinks / goes out for a minute? Can you pick up where you left off easily?
Sorry for the late reply but the machine has an internal battery that recognizes that there has been a power failure. It will return to where the machine left off as long as the power was not off for an extended period of time
Thank you for your content! My biggest question is why with the second one didn't you choose the Oil Free pump? won't this reduce maintenance and increase ease of use?
My freeze dryer is older than yours. There has clearly been a lot of upgrades. Harvest Right has been great on the customer service side. My first pump (old) failed during warranty and HR replaced quickly (and I am in Canada) and the same when the replacement was not happy. So I think I have a "standard pump" now. One thing you did not mention was cleaning the pumps. That does tend to be a messy job with some lifting. The new standard pump is much better than the old pump for the amount of crud inside. I would also mention that my old dryer needs a 15 amp fuse (with a little more leeway than my circuit breaker allows) and a dedicated circuit. So like a refrigerator. I am not sure the new ones are so current heavy.
@@kimmididwhat I think the early gen touch screen. No options about starting from frozen other than changing the cycle times. It still works well. Good thing too....I don't have the room for another one.
@@live.life.simple. The old JB was 12 I think. I did tend to wait until the window got junky. That depended a lot on what you were freeze drying. I still do go by the window appearance, but with the new pump it is generally at least twice that. I do, however, still filter every time-- it has become habit.
I saw another one of his videos, a 24-30hr cycle cost him like $2.xx so really under $3, can’t remember the change. Not that it matters but he had a full machine
Your thumbnail is clickbait. It seems from the title and thumbnail that you will give negative review (much more popular among viewers), but actually you give 100% positive one.
great video! i love my dryer, hate the oil pumps, been waiting three months on the new oil free pump, warning, they did not say it was on back order when i paid, other than that, they are great machines, love the videos!
Do you freeze the food in a reg freezer before you freeze dry it, or do you just put in fresh food and let the freeze dryer do it for you? I have heard that freezing ahead of time before freeze drying will cut down on the freeze dryer total time used.
Wow! It's been a crazy 3 years of freeze drying! Lot's of things have changed for the better. HARVESTRIGHT just keeps making these better (even though they don't have to)
If you have a minute, drop by the NEW! store and browse our freeze drying supplies! NEW products added all the time!
www.freezedryingsupplies.com
I would like to point out that 3 dB difference its about 100% greater sound intensity that doesn't mean twice as loud to be seen as twice as load its a 10 dB difference
How much is the oil? What kind of oil? How inconvenient is it to change?
I got one of the first 500. Still going strong. Have chili, and spaghetti in it right now
In the HR website there was a non-oil change pump. What do you think? have you done a review?
Awesome video! Quick question to pretty much satisfy my curiosity, you said this room is for your freeze drying, how does that manabloc on the wall behind you tie into your freeze dry process? Thanks
Thank you for the review. I really need to convince my husband that this is a great investment. This is a great way to feed my Father in Law in another state healthy meals, I can cook meals, freeze dry them, pack and mail them to him so he can get proper meals during COVID-19.
THAT is fantastic! Good job.
My wife REALLY wants one.
And you can make nice hash rosin.
@@tent4331 link recipe my herbal brother
Just ordered ours today
Brian, Would love to see a series of RUclips videos on using FD foods everyday. Not just their use in recipes but what's best airtight containers to store them in while in pantry & being used out of daily, how to keep them as airtight as possible b/t uses, the cost of various containers, how long their counter/pantry life might be in the best airtight comtainers available.
We get tons of info on what can be FD, how to store it long-term, & reconstitute...but we hear very little on the best ways of storing & using for daily use. Just a thought!!
You can use ball jars with a vacuum lid sealer that fits over the lid and sucks the air out of the jar. Then reuse the seal over and over again. With vacuum lid sealer. If it's for snacks they won't last that long to reseal.
One way I've seen to re-store pkgs of food after using part of it is: They place another oxygen pkt thingy inside & reseal it.
and that's the right way, even in an air tight jar. new oxy pkt & "quickly" seal like you did the 1st time as foods will draw moisture from the air (OILY snacks you buy have the oil to prevent that... ).
@@mister-action1 ... unless you pkgd a too large amt...
@@mister-action1
Excuse my ignorance just now learning about this and very interested
Are ball jars the same as a common canning jar ?
I just got my freeze dryer a couple weeks ago. I have done three batches so far. I think there is a lot to learn to be good at this and it will take some time. I have a garden and I have been vacuum sealing, freezing and canning everything for years. I can see where this could end up being a real game changer if used in a systematic way. Thanks for the video!
You are seriously going to love it.
If you just make it part of your routine, you will love it. Nothing in the garden goes to waste.
Could you please share with us where to buy the free dryer thank you.
@@snowqueen4md Harvestright has a sale to get everything you need for $94 bucks an that's a huge deal bc the got go for thousands of dollars
@@kimgow7671 Hi Kim, thank you! Can you please show me how to get that machine?
Longer hoses can be found at any HVAC supply house from 5’ to 25’. Move the pumps under the counter. That will cut out all of the noise factor you’re complaining about. We in the industry place pumps in another room entirely, and in lock boxes for days on end. Like the video
What a great idea. Thank you so much!!
Also, heads up - dB readings generally are done from 1 meter away using calibrated equipment in a much larger space or outdoors (reflections off the walls artificially inflate numbers) I know this because I'm an acoustician. Generally, you'd expect to see A or C weighting, which makes a big difference... ALL THAT BEING SAID - your subjective experience of noise is often a more accurate descriptor than just a simple number. The fact that the premier pump has a more muffled sound with less sharpness can make it significantly less annoying even if it weren't any quieter, just from the change in tone/timbre. Thank you for letting your lapel mic run and for recording the sound - that told me a lot of what I needed to know.
this has been the most comprehensive, articulate and quality video on a product I have seen; thanks for the transparency...Product reviewers don't understand that point, if you are selling the product people want to now the pros and cons before they invest money in a product. At least know I can buy the premium pump and be prepared for any breakage in the future, and every fail point you mention. Thanks again.
I found this very useful, thank you. In particular, your comment about the rising cost of food is a very important factor In making a decision like this.
Just bought a Large Stainless steel and made sure I came back and clicked through your link after watching about a dozen or more of your videos trying to decide. Thank you.
I have one of the first generation machines and they are able to be fully updated to the latest firmware and it makes a HUGE difference with the new hose and firmware. Definitely worth opening a support ticket to get both on old machines.
I'll supply the firmware anytime...
i need the firmware i am unable to get below 75f on the shelf i need it to 55 or lower
I have a medium machine from 2017 - what is your version of firmware? Mine is v2.4.3
As of today, july 8, 2023 the new version is v5.0.24
After calling tech support last week they strongly recommended updating to this version to address some issues with the older versions. My issue was passing the vacuum test. Just sayin
I know it’s a year later, but great video.. haven’t pulled the trigger yet! But been really thinking of getting one. The more I watch your content the more I’m swinging on getting one! Please keep them coming!
Will do!
I received my FD a couple of weeks ago and had ordered the premier pump. The premier pump is on backorder so they sent the standard pump that I get to keep for free. The premier pump will be sent within 8 weeks. The standard pump seems a bit loud to me - I’m so happy to watch your review and hear the difference! Thank you!!!!
I will be releasing a video next week comparing just the 2 oiled pumps. It will give you a more detailed comparison. Premier is quite and the noise it puts out is less harsh.
@@live.life.simple. can't a harbor freight a.c vacuum pump work with the dryer?
I pulled the trigger and got a medium size freeze dryer on order late last year based on your freeze drying videos and this recommendation video. I did purchase the newer premiere oil vaccuum pump. Thank you!!
😁
Thank you . I was looking at one . Had questions. You answered great . I will use my stimulus money on it . Thank you . It was silver or freezer. Million dollars couldn’t feed my family.
Sarcastic ……. Touchdown !
I finally bit the bullet and ordered the medium. Now the agony of the wait. Hopefully it will be here before garden season gets in full swing.
I live in Canada and remember when they first came on the market. I wanted one so badly. I had to resign myself to never owning one as the price tag was too much for me. If something happened I would have no way to repair it conveniently. 1000% I prefer the freeze-dried product over dehydrated for certain foods. I live in a Condo so even the smallest unit with the more expensive silent motor still requires a dedicated space. It's super heavy as well. If I won the lottery this would be on the list. Thanks for the review!
part of the problems with vacuum pumps depend on the type of oil. Synthetic is much more robust but costs more. inline moisture trap between the pump and the freeze dryer will also extend the life of the oil.
Choosing which pump option has been one of the biggest struggles in me actually purchasing (besides the cost, which is obvious). This was helpful, thanks!
The medium comes with the premier pump now. i ordered mine 4 1/2 months ago and got the regular pump. Dang!!!
What about the oil free pump? Is it worth the extra $1500?
I have had one for two years--I love it and the customer service is great, I mean great.
Thank you for the review. I was about sold on buying a machine, but the noise and extra area needed for pump and changing oil have talked me out of it. Wish I had done it years ago when I was more able to manage it all. Also, it would be in the kitchen of my small house. Congratulations on retiring so young!!! Thanks again!
They have oil-free pumps now.
Great videos. I'm retired USAF, now a farmer and artisan cheesemaker. We have a 100 acre farm with lots of critters. During the summer, we have a glut of eggs- can't even sell enough at farmer's markets to put a dent in the supply. With my cheesemaking, I'm always trying to find exotic things to add to cheeses and some stuff I just can't dehydrate. So, thinking of putting a grant package in for a freeze dryer and hope that will be good for my small business.
Have you learned how to preserve the eggs with mineral oil or do glass eggs? I didn’t know of this and wasted so many eggs last year
@@noniemarley7012 care to elaborate? What it wrong with them?
@@noniemarley7012 thank you very much for replying. I’m not surprised the pumps are the weak link. Which pumps do you have (regular, Premier, oil-less)? Assembled in the US could easily mean attach the door. Thank you. Yours is the first negative comment I’ve seen.
Great video, great information, just wish something like this would be possible for everyday people who want to prepare for these uncertain times. $2300-$2500+ is out of reach for some/most.
Exactly
I just ordered a freez dryer and told them I was ordering through your site but wanted a question answered. I ended up buying it over the phone and told them I wanted you to get credit for the sale. Today is February 2nd so maybe you can verify that you did get credit. I told them I wouldn't be buying one if I hadn't seen your videos. So keep up the good work my friend I really enjoy your content.
Thank you for all this wonderful information on this machine! My client actually shared your link with me. She and her family have bought one of these to store food for everyone in their family unit to prepare for what could be the worst food shortages and what will be required of us to do to get food. I actually am almost 55 years old and I have been cleaning houses for most of my life and I can’t do it like I use to because it is so very hard on my body. I have no tech skills to go back into the workforce and coming into the true knowledge of my physical issues I wasn’t sure how I could survive on just SSI. It’s been too tough for me to really save and invest for retirement and feel secure. This gives me hope that I can make it through my aging years and help whoever else out as well. I will link up with you once I am ready to buy one of those Harvest Right Freeze Dryers!!! THANKS!!!!
I have had my freeze dryer for a little over 2 years, my only regret to anyone who is considering one is I got the small one, DON'T. it works just fine but it produces small batches. it probably would be o.k. for a single person, and they are fun to play and experiment with.
Yep, I wish I had got a medium size also.
I have a one person, multi pet household and im interesting in freeze drying foods and playing around with preserving flowers.
Love how accurate you are, love the details! Thank you very much for your help!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video Brian - nice to see the differences from the old and new - even your old unit is a big change from the very first units they had, but there are people that still use them. I agree the the pumps are the weakest link - I've had good luck with the 2 year old oil less that I run.
As an electrician it's my opinion the power outlet is a bit under rated. I installed an interposing 20 amp relay and outlet to take the surge load off the dryer - mostly because the relays on the control board were only rated at 8 amps - I upgraded all my relays to a 10 amp rated relay as well for the pump output and tray heaters. I shared my opinion with HR but have no idea if they made any improvements. You would have to look on your new one at the relay board and see the relay rating. I would be curious to know.
The only other issue I had was self inflicted by having my large dryer in my garage where it gets very hot in summer. I had to install a bathroom ceiling fan in the wall - custom ducting to move cool air through the machine and back to the house just to keep the internal temperatures at or below 85F. I simply don't have the space in the house for it. I highly recommend having it in a climate controlled room if you can.
If anyone is sitting on the fence about buying one I would hope this video would convince them to go ahead and invest - great machines - great company. Very well built to last decades.
Enjoy your dryers everyone. Peace be with you all.
Excellent information. Thanks!
and peace to you, jerry... stay safe & stay well. God bless.
P.S. i forgot & i hate to say--- any changes to the dryer negates the warranty... you might read up on that. i just got mine so have been reading up on it (forget just where i saw it, sorry.). i WAS going to get a longer hose for my pump so i could sit it further away from the dryer as it throws hot air on the pump. but, i've just put a partition between the 2.
My older FD has stopped getting low mTorrs. I don't know if it's the FD or the oil free pump. How do I find out?
How much do you spend on oil every time you change it and would you recommend their newest, much more expensive, maintenance free vacuum pump? We are ready to jump in and buy the medium one for home freeze drying but want a bit more info on tbe oil vs oil-free pumps. Thanks. Btw, your review was FANTASTIC! Extremely informative.
Wow! Thank you for your great and informative video on the upgraded freeze dryer. I had researched freeze dryers a while back but had "sticker shock" when I saw the price tag. I am in awe of your love and generosity. The world needs more people like you! We love watching your other videos. Your videos have inspired and helped us learn how to can food from our garden.
My wife just introduced me to your channel...
It seems like an informative place to pick up new ideas.
I have a lot of thinking to do as...
My college degree was Food science, dealing mostly in R&D, chemical analysis, and quality control with statistical process controls. (SPC.)
I’m also retired now and don’t care to work in corporate or big business.
(It turned me sour as it became profit over quality.)
I’m thinking about buying a commercial unit from Harvest Right, but haven’t contacted them yet to work on financials.
If I do come out of retirement it will be through watching channels like yours and see if I can find a way to broach personal products and business models.
Testing to waters to even see if we want to do this or work more on the
“Snow bird” thing...
Any way, take care and God bless You.
❤️✝️❤️
Congrats on retirement. I was planning on staying retired but have now gone to semi retired. RUclips and much needed info has got me pulled in a direction I never thought I would go. These freeze dryers have improved a lot even since I started using them and I imagine will keep getting better. Feel free to reach out if you have ?s
I want to add to this review a bit. It was touched on that you can make your money back in under a year. This is true. We figure ours paid for itself in about 6 months. The amount of food that you can freeze dry and the quality of the food is unmatched. The review mentions these things, but we have been amazed at the quality of food in our food supply. Also, we love the food for everyday use. We figure our freeze dryer has already paid for itself 3X over.
Thats awesome Tom. We are in the same boat. Usually half of our batches don't make into long term storage. The kids are always the first to the freeze dryer to see what they can snack on.
@@live.life.simple.
My two American eskimos are at the freezer dryer when I start vacuum sealing.
Dumb question, maybe: How did you make your money back? Was it because you grew your own food? Or were you previously buying retail freeze dried food? Or something else?
@@juliagulia8626
I think they mean by freeze drying their own food it is much less expensive than buying freeze dried food.
I have one and that's how I fill about it. I have been doing a lot of chicken breast lately.
I grow meat chickens last year and freeze dried all of them after cooking them. Now for the price I just buy and freeze dry chicken breast.
Much less hassle and for the price it's worth it.
@@juliagulia8626 you can buy food items when they go on sale or purchase larger amounts from Costco for example. Also some foods are seasonal like good avocados in my area. The main reason though is shelf life so when SHTF your not in a food line. Also inflation is already here and its going to get ugly. My wife asked me if it can freeze dry ribeye steak, LMAO. No I said and she wasn't impressed but I pointed out the advantages and she said knowing we wont starve when we go broke was a relief lol.
I purchased a freeze dryer a few weeks ago and just ordered you portion dividers, can't wait to receive and try them.
Awesome content, thanks! We just went in and split the purchase of a large dryer with a couple of friends and are excited to get started!
Welcome to the freeze drying community.
Hey, that’s exactly what I was going to suggest ! I feel like there would be plenty of time for 3 families to get food stored and would sure make the expense more manageable!
Did you set up a schedule for use ? And did you do any kind of contract, Let’s say someone moves away or no longer wants to freeze dry ?
Curious on who gets to keep it or do you guys have a schedule? I’d have a hard time sharing a Machine like that
@@jackxthexreaper736 its me, my friend, his parents-in-law, and brother-in-law. We're keeping it at my friends house and doing a weekly schedule. There are pros and cons to it, but the biggest pro is I have access to a large machine and I paid like $950
@@user-jb4ni1yd8x If you compare buying FD foods with a Harvest Right and 3 batches per week - it will pay for itself in less than a year. I've been running my large dryer and oil less pump almost 24/7 since Dec 2018 and have put up over 5000 pounds of foods - it has paid for itself several times over. If I were to buy the same foods I've done - it would be north of $15,000 which is enough to buy 3 large dryers and oil less pumps. Food for thought.
I have pear trees, raspberries, goji berries, and hazelnuts growing all over my yard. I sometimes make them into food bars but I'm thinking about getting a freeze dryer then foil sealing them for long term with an oxygen absorbers. I kind of feel like having a long term self sustainable food supply is a good idea. I'm about to buy the large freeze dryer.
Did you purchase the large freeze dryer? I am super interested.
Just not sure if I can handle it on my own?
@@candacecurtis5739 I bought the harvest right biggest one they sell. But i added a ton more stuff to my yard. Goumi berries, papaw trees, cherry trees, apple trees, honey berry plants, sea buckthorn, plums, cold hardy kiwi, magnolia fruit, blueberries, service berry, spicebush and teaberry. About 60 trees so far and about 1 thousand bushes. I have a massive yard in Nebraska that borders a forest. I mostly make food bars and fruit leather right now. I am planning on canning most of the fruit this year.
@@krodkrod8132 you are very fortunate! I am having to purchase freeze dried fruit for “in case” and where I live in Canada food and fuel prices have gone through the roof! Many things you just can’t get at all. Shelves empty. It is very concerning. I was warned that freeze dryers need regular maintenance, and other upkeep to survive long term. If you have time, perhaps you could explain your experience with yours? I’m having to reclaim grocery store jars in order to do my canning, as there are shortages that way also. I also wondered if you share photos or videos? Your yard sounds like heaven 😍
Great video!!! Very informative. I didn't realize I needed a freeze dryer. Thank you so much for sharing 🤗 Knowledge is a powerful tool.
Glad it was helpful!
We loved the Harvest Right when it worked, but It only worked for a few weeks, then started giving problems. A software update seemed to fix one problem but then it started taking many more days to freeze dry, water was leaking from the unit and building up in the pump oil causing the level to rise past the sight glass. They had me run tests and then told us nothing was wrong with it just use it. When my wife objected, they offered to replace the pump but then that "would be it". My wife insisted they should still honor the warranty regardless. I opened a ticket because the pump was not at fault, it passed the test very well per what they told us (and the readings were good) but I suspected the trouble was the refrigeration unit as it was leaking. I felt if I used it as they told us to, I'd eventually burn up the pump, and any new pump they sent. Also, I'd have to drain out the moisture filled oil and use new oil each batch, as the oil could not be filtered with all that water mixed in. They did not respond to that ticket. We called them and our rep called back. This time he told us there was a problem with the refrigeration unit based on the pictures of the frost frost ring patterns they asked me to submit after the test. Why did he not tell us that before, but just blew us off telling us just to use it? He told us they'd send us a box, then a label ship it back (FedEx, another company I'd had problems with lately), then repair the unit, replace it if unable to repair.) This will take weeks, in addition to the weeks we've been dealing with non-responsive customer support. They refused to send out a replacement upon us shipping out this one, but offered a 30 day warranty extension. We asked for 60 day extension to cover all of the down time but that was ignored, the manager of the CS rep just would repeat the same statements. We asked if we could just return the unit, and she told us that would be up to the store. We will try that as I do not trust the product to last beyond the warranty if even that long, and suspect it will take weeks or months to get back the repaired unit based on the experience so far. If it breaks again under warranty, I do not wish to deal with them again. If it breaks outside of warranty, I'm out $1000's. Buyer beware! Frustrating because I really loved it when it worked and I really need one of these!
Update: Will send it back for repair, they will extend warranty 60 days. I hope once repaired or replaced that it will be reliable...
Looks like I'm on my own. NEVER buy one of these!!!!
Update: we got the unit back and it has been working better than ever (probably defective from day one then got worse). Working better than when we first bought it, an happy with it and glad Harvest Right came through for us. I do recommend their freeze dryers now.
I have a 2016 machine with the original JB pump. I actually just reviewed the manual that came with it a couple of days ago. My manual doesn't say to change the oil after every run and I never have done it that frequently. It DOES say to drain off the water from the pump after every batch while the pump is still warm. It collects in the bottom and if you open the drain you can see a bit of "clear" liquid come out and then it changes to oil. Then I check to make sure the level is correct. The booklet does say to change the oil every 5-6 batches but very early on people were filtering oil after a couple of batches and reusing it. I still have my original filter which I believe I bought direct from HR and that they "endorsed" this procedure. There is a maintenance in the booklet which I have NOT done and that is to power flush the pump after 25 batches (I think that was the number).
Thank you so much for a honest review. We are seriously considering getting one. Have a great & blessed holiday
Well done! Thank you for this review. I have wanted one of these for so long. Good to know that it has been upgraded. Thank you for your Candid Opinion. It makes all the difference.
ONW! Y'ALL My unit was put on the WRONG truck! I was SUPPOSED to pick it up on Friday, NOW it's Monday and down in South Texas!! I'm in North Texas!! I have to call again tomorrow! Getting a little nervous!!! Hahaha 🤣
The anticipation!🤞
Like having a baby . Hahahahaha congratulations!
Just got the 5 tray freeze drier, using it to dry squash that was starting to spoil. I didn't realize the 5 tray had bigger trays, every cycle has lasted 30 hrs or more. Pre-freezing helps shorten the process by 8 hrs. So far processed tomatoes, strawberries and squash, and today going to make a extra large batch of chili for eating and freeze drying.
I will be using it to freeze dry produce that I can't sell fast enough at my stand, adding freeze dried produce will help generate more sales and profits, and no waste. This freeze drier will surely help save product that doesn't sell the same day. Each year I throw away hundreds of melons that get soft spots, this freeze drier will stop that and turn spoiled produce into profits. One thing about muskmelons is that they taste much sweeter when slightly over ripe but no one will buy them at that time, which will be the perfect time to freeze dry them.
I did watch your method of vacuum packing the Mylar bags, which works okay but when bags are filled really full they don't keep the vacuum long enough. To compensate I found putting a cloths pin over the folded part helps hold the vacuum longer till it gets sealed.
Just amazed how light the produce is after freeze drying, hard to realize all the nutrition is still there. After every batch almost two gallons of water runs out of the freeze drier.
There is a guy at our local farmer's market that sells freeze dried snacks. Sells out every week. Considering the price of the stuff in the stores, gees. A tub of the freeze dried green beans (about a quart) is $8. Freeze dried corn is better than croutons in a salad.
@@lynnbetts4332 Thanks for the feed back, the corn sounds interesting, I got some old freezer burned corn, I'll try it just to see what the texture is like. My main reason for buying this freeze drier was to save a 1000 lbs of muskmelons I throw away every year, but my sheep love them. I even left 10 to 20 in the garden almost every day because of a small crack in the peelings. Now I have a way to save them, just may wear it out first year. I just bought a 1000 day neutral strawberry plants, looking forward to drying fresh berries.
Looking forward to adding another whole section of salable produce in the form of freeze dried produce, will surprise many. I plan on trying some thing a little different, in that I am going to ferment the produce then freeze dry it to mimic potato chips. Not sure if it will work, but I love fermented produce any way.
Every thing I grow is grown with regenerative agriculture in mind, or no tilling, fertilizers, or pesticides of any kind. Produce has a higher sugar content and more nutrient dense. These freeze dried fruits should give a sugar rush. Last year was the first year I sold produce this way, always sold another growers produce. People were leary about my local produce because they loved what I sold for over 20 years. Once they tried it, they preferred it to the other grower.
I tried growing produce for many years but was never successful until I went no till, I always lost most of my garden to the weeds, just couldn't keep up. Now much easier, may work 2 to 3 hours a week hoeing or pulling weeds, biggest problem is in the rows between grow beds.
Beeman Minnesota, please share your best sources of info on the no till that you do with me. We have wanted to do this. Thanks so much!
@@beemanminnesota7683 I don't grow like you do. I have seen many videos on RUclips about people growing and having problems between the rows. Most of them laid down card board then put chopped up wood over the top. It stops the weeds and the rows from getting mushy on wet days. I've also heard it helps bring worms cause they like the card board. Also I hope your keeping stiff for yourself. Times are changing so fast and so many people are not paying attention. The good life is gonna change. Bless you for putting your fresh grown stuff out to sell. Wish you were close to me. There are no produce stands in my town. I miss them to. Blessings vicki
@@soniabrannan412 Sorry for not responding, as I have been banned on the tube for quite some time.
The way I started my no till was to cover the ground, that was not tilled, with lots of hay at least a foot. I created furrows in the hay and put down completely finished compost at least two years old that's been home to red wiggler worms. I have an advantage over most because I have huge piles of compost where worms call home. When I create a garden bed the first year I walk on the hay the compost rows is where I plant. this makes a garden with no weeds.
The second year this same area I create 4 foot wide beds by putting compost down over the rotted hay, very few weeds the second year. The real benefit here is using no commercial fertilizer and no weed control. The third year I have had my share of weeds for some reason, probably because I let the few weeds I did have grow in the fall too high. My thought was to create some pasture for my sheep in the fall.
I know not too many people have huge piles of compost like me. If I was to start from nothing I would roundup some cardboard and bales of old hay. Put the cardboard down in the fall, then hay on top, this would be a learning process for you so start small maybe a 4 by 20 foot or what ever you can handle. In the spring the hay will be compressed down and will not grow any weeds, you could create small pockets in the hay to put down compost to plant your transplants or seeds. You could buy a few bags of compost fairly cheap at garden centers. The hay could be replaced by leaves which one could roundup usually for free from the neighbors, this garden could even be started in the spring. If you like potatoes, they grow especially good this way, put potatoes on the compost cover with more hay, then just keep putting more hay around the plants as they get higher to keep the sun of the tubers. Potatoes are a perfect crop to start on new ground, just don't let the cardboard and hay dry out. The only weed you may have problems with is quack grass, which sends out long shoots under ground before sending up grass sprouts. Just pull up the shoots that are under ground that will be attached to the grass sprouts. Charles Dowding has a video on growing potatoes this way see below.
Here is a good source on youtube for no till ruclips.net/user/CharlesDowding1nodig
Honey will literally last thousands of years as is. Attempting to freeze dry it is the very definition of pointless.
Redundancy department of redundancy
Guess u don't take long hikes and never have to worry about weight
@@MochaZilla again? you clearly don't have a clue. Freeze dried foods are in general 30% of there original weight. On average I eat 2kgs a day. On an eight day hike that's 16kgs just for food if it's all freeze dried it comes down to roughly 6kgs. Now 16 kgs is nothing but my pack without food weighs 44kgs. Every kg counts
@@wesleydwyer2821 sounds like something a weak person would say😂
@@samuelgarner9439 come on over and find out
In 1975 a company by the name of NOAH'S ARK FOODS, INC has been making mass produced freeze-dried vacuum prepared-nitrogen packed-sealed foods from 1975 until it was "SUSPICIOUSLY" closed in 1980. A company does not always make decision to close it's production after 5 years of continous and profitable production during the Cold War years. But one thing is for sure, it is suspected that it independently designed and invented it's own customized version of freeze drying and vacuum prepapring and nitrogen packing and sealing foods in tin cans that can last for 46 years and still remain edible. I have an old Time Life Book on "Food And Nutrition" printed in the mid-1960s and according to one account, a steam boat in the Mississippi River sank in 1859 and when she was found in 1957 it was discovered that she was carrying a supply of canned foods and the cans ARE OF SUCH GOOD QUALITY THAT THEY ARE STILL IN GOOD CONDITION and upon opening scientists tested them and found out that the canned foods are STILL SAFE TO EAT!
Your cuts are occasionally a touch jarring, but your video is exactly what I was looking for. Appreciate it!
Hope you found this helpful
Hopefully you can answer the question that I have been searching to find an answer for... "Running a freeze dryer is like running a ???????."
I've seen & read the power ratings but, that doesn't really help me out. Is running a freeze dryer like running a table saw for 24+ hours? Or more like a household vacuum cleaner for 24 hours? Toaster oven? What would you compare it to?
Thank you for taking the time to make the video. It's very valuable info to hear from a long term user!
I'm not sure what you would compare it to for a household appliance because it is so unique. I will say my average cost per batch is $2-3. It will be the highest drawing appliance in your home because of the length of usage (24-30 hours).
@@live.life.simple. Thank you for for the effort! I'm 100% off grid on solar power with a strong propane powered generator as a backup. I know the generator could handle it but, I'd rather not blow through all that propane. I think the on/off cycling would mean that I'd be wasting a lot of generator power during the down cycles and, therefore, be wasting a lot fo propane. I like that these can be shut down and turned back on again with little to no loss in quality. That might make it possible for me to use something like this during the long Summer days or during my peak hours on shorter days. I'm sure it would force me to run the generator a lot if I tried running one in the Winter.
The oil change frequency will change based on the moisture content in what is being freeze dried. I use vacuum pumps everyday at work (HVAC work).
Someone mentioned "oil free" pump, is there such a thing?...if there is, what is your opinion on it? Thanks.
Thank you for your comprehensive overview of the Harvest Right freeze dryer. We are considering buying one , though the prices here are $4300 for a medium sized system, not including pump upgrade. AS the cost of purchesing freeze dried meat escalates into the stratosphere, I am thinking that this will easily pay for itself in a year or less.
Order from Harvest Right. It will take longer to get it, but save you a lot of money. I believe a medium is $2895 with premier pump and accessories. I have had mine for 3 months and love it. No problems at all.
DONT BUY ONE. Mine is less than a year old and harvest right is giving me the run around and not fixing it. THEY MAKE ME DO THEIR JOB repeatedly making me run the same tests over and over. I wish i had never purchased the freeze dryer from them.
Maybe build a sound proofing box for the pump with a computer fan to draw air to keep it cool.
I love the idea of being able to buy my organic food on sale and save myself some real money!
To anyone looking to buy a freeze dryer please consider a different brand! These units are cheap quality and the reviews are paid for by Harvest right.
After watching a couple of these videos, I have to say I agree. When a company gives you something, the review is not objective, and despite their efforts, it shows
Great video , I learned a lot about Harvest Right freeze drying equipment . I believe what you say since you already stepped up to the next machine. Thank you for the comments.
Hope it helped in your decision.
They do have a reason to make them better just so they don't get people calling in for warranty repairs. Spend a bit in the R&D and save a lot at the front end with the customer, paying a repair guy shipping parts, etc... is very expensive after a while. The reason why so many products nowadays only have 1 or 2-year warranty, is because the company that produced them knows what kind of trash they are selling you. That is also why the store is always pushing you to buy an extended warranty.
Quick note about the sound levels, the scale is logarithmic so for every 3db change you are doubling or halving the sound pressure level.
👍
One thing that attracts me is the ability to store meats and vegetables, especially greens, that I can buy or grow organically. The very expensive camp food that I see on the shelf is all starch, and not very Keto, Paleo, or even Mediterranean friendly - and especially not for diabetics.
That was my thought. I want to prep, but most ideas are carb heavy. Bad for DM.
Too late. Already bought one. Waiting for it to arrive. 😝
Welcome to the freeze drying community.
Yup me too
@@jerrysmith372 thanks! I've been thinking about it a long time. Super excited to start both gardening and freeze drying in the spring.
You will Not regret it! I’ve had my first knob model since 2015 and just got my 2020 model in early feb. I just got another for my sister for Christmas. (She’s loved mine for years and wouldn’t spring for it herself. She’s the reason I have my job so I’m paying her back in this way. She has no idea.) 😃
@@Valecene Cool - just remember your fresh vegetables need to be blanched before you freeze dry them. Just as if you were prepping them for the freezer.
u retires at age 40... u my herooo... i am your n 1 fan...
please.... grwou up...
Food has gone up 100% and more since the pandemic...All the meats DOUBLED. in cost...It must be a good feeling to hedge against inflation with food...I do it with silver...This is my first time looking into freeze-drying It's a no brainer. :)...Thanks for reviewing these freeze dryers...It's very useful info!
Enjoyed the critique, especially letting us know what parts to be expected that are going to wear out. The hose and rubber seal cost I can deal with, that isn’t much, the plexiglass door, I’m glad they replaced, I suppose for free since I guess under warranty. If out of warranty, that part might be a bit costly, hopefully that was just a one time thing. The pump cost, not overly exorbitant, but not cheap either, especially if needing replaced about every 3 years. At the price of these things, why did you feel like you needed two? You’re not a part of HarvestRight, in anyway, correct? If Armageddon was going to happen, this machine could certainly prepare you better for it long term than any other food storage method. Not sure if it is really all that cost effective when everything is considered, and since much of my food will be grown myself in a greenhouse. Looks like they have improved it quite a bit over the years too, reducing oil change maintenance frequency was a big improvement, but I guess pressure cooking and canning is best for me since I only need food to last the long winters of mountain living in CO at 8,800’ elevation and with some 200” of annual snowfall, it’s difficult to get out since last 1.3 miles of my road is not county maintained. Neat product though, I can see this product being an answer for a lot of people.
Thanks, Brian. We're waiting for our new one coming in January. We've love our current one. Appreciate all of your videos. Lots of great information.
The new one will surprise you. There are lots of nice improvements
Why do you need a new one?
Did the first one break?
I didn’t realize how long it takes to freeze dry food! Can’t wait to buy it and start a freeze dry diet for my ferrets!!
Ours arrives Monday 😄 yay me.
👍nice! congrats
Hi i am thdl3 new Girl lol. I saw this machine yesterday on U tube,., it really blew me away..We do not have a Homestead or large land, but i still enjoy seeing what you guys do. The Colours of the food is wondergul x the Eggs looked great they keep those wonderful colourscc
Correction...prices don't go up or down instead its our Dollar that is devaluing. Love the video thanks for the review
Very true! and it's going down FAST lately!
I think putting you freeze dried food in canning jars are ok for short time. For really good quality in your food, the Mylar bags are the best to keep the quality.
I love moutain house food however I am sure doing your own freeze drying would be better. I would like to buy one eventually.
There is no comparison of home freeze dried. The best thing is you can use your own recipes to Freeze dry your favorite meals
@@live.life.simple. people keep asking about the “oil free pump” but I have not seen your answer, any thoughts?!
@@lovespurpleflowers i have lots of review videos covering all of the pumps
I finally decided to buy one! It’s on backorder and won’t get it until February. I’m impatiently waiting. Thanks for your awesome review!
hi
The BOSS just said tonight she wants to get one!! So here I am! LOL Subscribed!!
Very good video. Thank you. You have a lot of detail and I appreciate that.
You are very welcome
Would the pumps run quieter if they were on the concrete floor, not on the timber cabinet?
Gpod question.
The problem that I had with the H.R. freeze dryer is that, when I had the JB pump plugged into the back of the freeze dryer, the software would shut down the pump prematurely. H.R. tried to update the software with no positive results. Finally they just gave up on me and my problem. The only thin I could do is power the pump from a separate source and I got better results. What a pain!
Thank you for all your efforts. It's great to get an honest user opinion and feedback!
My pleasure. Let me know if you ever have questions.
@@live.life.simple. phone to contact you
Decibels increase logarithmically as opposed to a linearly. Every 3 dB increase is a doubling in power. So 63 dB is twice as loud as 60 dB . Fun fact.
Wow. Thats a big difference
I am trying to figure out if I could run this off of my generator in an off grid scenario. What is the wattage used?
I want to know too( living off grid)
Hello! Want to know that too!
From their website. So at peak it would be ~1760w
"Our small and standard freeze dryers use a standard 110 volt outlet.
At peak, the freeze dryer draws about 16 amps, but on the average about 9 to 11 amps (990-1210 watts) of power per hour. A dedicated 20 amp circuit is recommended.
Our large freeze dryer requires a 110 volt (NEMA 5-20) outlet
At peak, the large freeze dryer draws about 16 amps, but on the average about 10 amps (1500 watts) of power per hour. A dedicated 20 amp circuit is required."
That would be a lot of fuel to run the generator for 24-36 hours.
@@dylanporras2655 Using a wood gasifier might be an option.
the app actually agrees with you about sound.
decibels are log10 logarithmic. every time the count goes up ten, the volume multiplied by ten. 70db is ten times louder than 60db.
the one machine was producing around 69db, and the other around 64db. that's about four and a half times louder.
the numbers are counterintuitive.
That first pump on your old dryer is the same one in the automotive section at harbor freight tools for $80 when it’s on sale.
They have since nixed that pump and offered more options that can stand the abuse of water in the process
For $2600.00 I certainly expect it to have less issues and especially have a pump that lasts longer than 3 years....
You fixed the black one... but most people don’t have the mechanical inclinations like you do.... so people like me would be out of luck with a $2600.00 investment! 😞
Great job brother
When you get tired of your old FD I would definitely receive the blessing.
Merry Christmas to you & yr family. God bless
we bought our freeze dryer a yr a go, but we pre-freeze most of our food before putting in our dryer to speed up the time. plus we see to have an abundance so it gives us time to what will go in 1st.
I can't wait till we can get these in England.
As a flight attendant, I try to bring most of my food to save money when out on trips. When I go international if I have food left over it gets confiscated when I go through customs. Would this alleviate that problem?
I'm a flight attendant too! I was researching this because I was wondering the same thing!!!
@@hawaiiancutie79 it would be great if it works! Maybe I’ll call customs and ask. If I do and get an answer, I’ll post it here.
@@Shanmammy Any updates?
@@Shanmammy I wonder if y’all got answers
@@sharonkeef0522 haven’t heard anything…
All those cycles over the course of the years...where is your pantry with walls of goods?Need a tour.
I only long term store 10-20% most of the time. The others get used for travel, camping etc.
I appreciate you stating how long your units have been in use. To me, that is a huge issue as most reviews *don't* disclose that information so it more difficult to judge dependability and longevity. My only question is that while you mentioned your use of the kill-a-watt meter, the actual numbers you got from that was absent. What is the amperage used? I didn't see that spelled out on the company's website.
Great video, lost of info. I want one bad, but with over 3gs to start with the upgraded pump. Then oil, hoses and other maintenance factors I just don't know. It's not just the money, but the time wasted on upkeep that gets me. Thanks again for the vid.
With your power meter plugged, what is the power consumption when both unit and pump are running?
I would like to know this as well!
Living Traditions Homestead posted a video recently where they tested theirs against a dehydrator's usage. At $.10/kwh, cost for freeze dryer, full cycle, was under $1.30. Dehydrator was just a little more.
I have a power meter on my FD for every load . Its connected to my home computer. I'm making a chart now
mine has been purchased and awaiting delivery. I love any and all information I can get before starting.
What kept you from going to the oil free pump?
Not confident in its longevity and I don't feel its worth the extra money.
@@live.life.simple. I'm curious to how the cost of the oil changes and filter ?? changes costs overall compared to the oil-less pump. How much has it cost you in oil and filters over the 3 years of usage.
Had an old and a new version must be a thumbs 👍
TY for the helpful information and comparison of your new HarvestRight to other unit. I'm looking to purchase a freeze- drier so it helps. 👍
Hey - thanks for this awesome review! We're on the cusp of purchasing one of the large models with the oil-free compressor. I wanted to ask - what happens when your power blinks / goes out for a minute? Can you pick up where you left off easily?
Sorry for the late reply but the machine has an internal battery that recognizes that there has been a power failure. It will return to where the machine left off as long as the power was not off for an extended period of time
Thank you for your content! My biggest question is why with the second one didn't you choose the Oil Free pump? won't this reduce maintenance and increase ease of use?
It came out in Jan 2020 so did not exist when he bought his 2nd one.
this is a wonderful explanation, comparisson, and what to even think about when considering the purchase. Thanks for making this video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My freeze dryer is older than yours. There has clearly been a lot of upgrades. Harvest Right has been great on the customer service side. My first pump (old) failed during warranty and HR replaced quickly (and I am in Canada) and the same when the replacement was not happy. So I think I have a "standard pump" now.
One thing you did not mention was cleaning the pumps. That does tend to be a messy job with some lifting. The new standard pump is much better than the old pump for the amount of crud inside.
I would also mention that my old dryer needs a 15 amp fuse (with a little more leeway than my circuit breaker allows) and a dedicated circuit. So like a refrigerator. I am not sure the new ones are so current heavy.
Which version do you have? 1st gen touch screen or knob model? 😃
@@kimmididwhat I think the early gen touch screen. No options about starting from frozen other than changing the cycle times. It still works well. Good thing too....I don't have the room for another one.
How often is a full cleaning recommended for the standard. It seems like it was pretty short intervals (20 or 30) on the old jb
@@live.life.simple. The old JB was 12 I think. I did tend to wait until the window got junky. That depended a lot on what you were freeze drying.
I still do go by the window appearance, but with the new pump it is generally at least twice that. I do, however, still filter every time-- it has become habit.
Did you consider an oil less pump? I wonder if they are as loud.
Hows the electricy cost?
Huge!
I saw another one of his videos, a 24-30hr cycle cost him like $2.xx so really under $3, can’t remember the change. Not that it matters but he had a full machine
@@jackxthexreaper736 good to know, thanks for passing this along!
Check out the recent video of Living Traditions Homestead. Very cheap.
Your thumbnail is clickbait. It seems from the title and thumbnail that you will give negative review (much more popular among viewers), but actually you give 100% positive one.
Notice the thumbs up and thumbs down
Waiting for mine to get here probably mid January. Will watch and take notes
Welcome to the freeze drying community.
I got mine in 2 days sucka...only the black ones were in stock for some reason
We’re just looking into freeze drying, we’re very new to all of this and just learning. Thanks for your info. Where are you on MeWe?
Search
retiredat40s freezedrying group
Honey needs NO special handling. Found in pharaohs tomb
"Years, and years, and years,.... 3 years to be exact" 😂 took me out
great video! i love my dryer, hate the oil pumps, been waiting three months on the new oil free pump, warning, they did not say it was on back order when i paid, other than that, they are great machines, love the videos!
Do you freeze the food in a reg freezer before you freeze dry it, or do you just put in fresh food and let the freeze dryer do it for you? I have heard that freezing ahead of time before freeze drying will cut down on the freeze dryer total time used.
Eva watch it in RUclips.