For those wondering, the special circuit is needed ONLY for the Large machine. The vast majority of folks get the Medium size, which requires no special plug or adjustment. It has 4 trays, v. the Large machine having 5 trays.
It depends on the electric code where you live. Every appliance has to have it's own dedicated circuit here even though someone can use several appliances at the same time they want 2 circuits in the kitchen for counter top appliances and a dedicated circuit for every major appliance, I don't think that will fall into the counter top appliance category. My guess is even the medium would be considered a major appliance. 🤔
Another use for your freeze dryer is vacuum sealing your jars. You take the rack out and can fit up to 10 jars in a large i believe. You will have to unplug the pump from the machine and directly plug in just the pump. Put the lid on and loosely put the ring on and set in. With the door closed you just plug in the pump for 30-45 seconds and you have vacuum sealed jars. You may know this already and if so im sorry for the long comment.
I started freeze drying (on my second machine now) 4 years ago when beef was $2.24lb and have over 1,000lb of beef now and 4 years of food stored (by calorie). It's paid for itself in savings in the first year. Freeze drying is FAR superior to all other forms of preservation. The average family has 40% of food waste from their own groceries. I've brought that to almost zero. Expired canned foods, leftovers, and for the garden, the machine is a miracle of science.
@@AshGreen359 Lightning strike at my pole killed all electronics in my house. Had to replace my computer, all my LED bulbs, wifi and freeze dryer. The Freeze dryer didn't stand a chance. Got a new one 6 months later.
@@TalicMotorsportsMedia surely you could have replaced the motherboard in it. I hope. I have had to go inside of mine and its not that bad at all. Hope you kept your old unit. Customer service is second to none or they were when I needed them. Hope this helps and you can save your unit.
Hi I just wanted to let you know that this is one of the top 10 most informative, honest and legitimate review videos I've ever watched. I was looking into freeze dryers for our lolly shop business and thankfully the YT algorithm got it right by sending your video to me. Thank you for all the time and effort you put in, and looking at the Likes on here, I'm not the only one that has appreciated your honesty. Best of luck and know that you have helped at least one person who had questions that you answered:)
I wanted to say the same exact thing. Just watched 3 other reviews that were either pretty gimmicky or really non-infomative. I absolutely hate pickled food but I've lately grown extremely interested in food preservation and this video just sold me. Thank you so much
Where I think the machine shines is with dairy. Freeze drying milk, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese & various shredded cheeses- cheddar, Parmesan, romano, pepper jack, etc. We drink raw milk & I just discovered that you can freeze dry raw milk too. I hadn't tried it because of the higher fat content but the machine sailed thru the milk like a champ. Some things I think my dehydrator works best & other things I prefer in the Harvest Right machine.
We also value our freeze drier. In well over 1 1/2 years now, I just passed batch 500. I have 125 dozen FD'd eggs from our chickens stored in mylar for long term, countless loads of apples from our orchard, and veggies from our garden. I'm working on a FD meat supply, as well. We also still can our foods for the winter. It was 'Homesteading Family' that got me into canning hamburger and other meats...and for that I heartfully thank them!!
With the cost of electricity in the UK I can't afford to run my dehydrator let alone a freeze dryer. I live on a state pension and electricity accounts for a third of it per month, in the autumn it will go up by 50%. I love your videos, and although I have been growing and preserving food for about 60 years, there is always something new to learn.
Our freeze dryer is running almost 24/7. We grow almost all of our fruits and vegetables. We eat as what we harvest and freeze dry the rest. My in laws have a 17 acre ranch in Montana and their growing season is short so they don’t get very much vegetables or fruits. We barter some of our veggies and fruits for beef and pork. We then keep enough meat in our freezer and you guested it, we freeze dry the meat.
Proper storage is key. Throwing freeze dried food in canning jars and thinking you are good is a recipe for rancid, "off" food. You must vacuum seal and use oxygen absorbers or your hard work becomes inedible or "off" tasting if you eat it. I do love my freeze dryer but have learned the hard way (too many times) about proper storage techniques. I think that the technique of proper storage is often glossed over and those pretty mason jars of food presented (Harvest Right does it too) without the huge caveat that lots of food will go bad in short order if you don't vacuum seal those jars! I've been home freeze drying since 2018.
I also thought that to get maximum storage time you needed to keep light out and air hence mylar bags. I need a freeze dryer because I pay a lot buying it from suppliers I just haven't popped for the expense at once yet even though I've actually purchased a couple of them already if you look at it😢. Zarwel offers a harvest right 4 tray for $650 but they say they are here and have trouble with ordinary basic sentences in return policy description so leaves me skeptical. I could be wrong check for your selves I guess. Great deal if real but would such if scam😮! The world we live in today 😢
Dear Homesteading Family, Many years ago my husband built me a professional freeze dryer and we mainly dried fruit and vegetables. The device was monitored for at least 24 hours during operation using a kind of baby monitor. That's why we didn't sleep very well at night. Everyone loved it and couldn't get enough of it. After a long time, we realized that intensive consumption attacked the tooth enamel, since we consumed a lot of fructose in this way. In addition, my sister's oral mucosa became inflamed after eating dried tomatoes. We suspect that the total dehydration has resulted in concentrated fruit sugar and fruit acid. I've started drying normally again and only sometimes, when we have particularly nice fruit, do we freeze-dry them additionally. I know from my own experience how great everything tastes, so I know that Carolyn is not exaggerating, the products are extraordinarily tasty. However, our experience should also be taken into account and freeze-drying should not become the most important part of preservation. All the best! Ursula from Bavaria
I am thinking of using it to freeze dry cooked chicken so I can easily travel with my dog since at the moment she eats all fresh food. What are your thoughts on that?
@@monicaosorno7564 If the freeze-dried fruit and veg diet isn't too dominant, I don't think it's a problem. Only with very acidic fruit or vegetables (tomatoes) can problems with the teeth occur after a while. I'm just speaking from my own experience. People and animals will certainly react differently. It depends on the dose. All the best! Ursula
@@shadwell749 That's very interesting, it just tastes really, really good, especially when you have organic produce. However, I don't want to use freeze-drying that often anymore. I was really addicted to the dried tomatoes. Now I eat more fresh and for the winter I make gravy in jars and freeze a small amount normally. I understand everyone who raves about freeze drying. In any case, what the concentrated acid takes is the soaking and further processing into dishes. In freeze-dried form, I will only enjoy these treats in moderation. All the best! Ursula
Like you, I had my reservations about purchasing a FreezeDryer almost 2 years ago, but the more we use it the more I love it. My favorite is having freeze-dried onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, etc. on hand to toss right into whatever I am cooking. It makes it so easy and SO GOOD! I can make an awesome omelet faster than you can pick up from a drive-thru. If our FreezeDryer went out, I would replace it without a second thought. And with all the meals we have preserved, the unit has paid for itself already. After hurricane Rita we went 33 days without power and 10 of those were without water. If we have to face that again, we are so much better off because of our Harvest Right. For Christmas last year we filled an ice chest with homemade MREs as a gift for our son, so he is better prepared too. He has already asked for refills on some favorites that he tried after a long, busy day at work. Thanks for all your great, informative videos.
@@susanjane2498 not at all Susan. It is shelf stable and depending on what it is your freeze dried item is... will stay good 10 to 20 years without losing nutrients.
@@lindaplank5972, we cook extra and freeze-dry what we eat. The only thing we change is that we are extra careful to not use fat, oil, or butter, which does not freeze dry well. Then when you rehydrate take care not to stir it more than absolutely necessary because it will break down into baby food like mush. Some of our favorite meals to FD are a cheese mac ground meat meal, rice dressing, stir fry, scrambled eggs mixed with veggies, and all types of soups, stews, and gumbo. Hope this helps.
I love my freeze dryer. Still learning. Have been freeze drying for about 6 months. Had a horrible beginning with a problem that required returning the machine.where several issuses were repaired. Finally! Got the freeze dryer back after another 2 monyhs. Just barely before my garden harvesting. No practice time. No matter how many videos you watch practice is necessary. Watch many different channels, nany good trips out there, some not so good. One tip is that I got 10 small baking pans that fit inside the freeze dryer trays. You can do food ahead, transfer into freezer bags, and when you are needing a quick product to load it just takes 2.5 smaller blocks to fill 1 tray. LOTS OF TIPS OUT THERE.
Not sure if anyone made the corrections in here yet, but the large machine is the only one that requires a dedicated 20 Amp circuit, with a special plug. This is the reason I went with the medium. I have it on a service cart in a guest room. If I have company staying, I can move the machine to another room and still use it. It can get warm in the area, so I keep a fan running on the machine and pump. She also first stated that she had the premium oil-less pump, she actually has the premium oil pump, same one I have. She also uses the pillow in the door, but in case anyone gets one now, they no longer come with the pillow and harvest right recommends not using it anymore. Both the pump and machine are much quieter than I expected. The one in her video seems abnormally loud for some reason. I have run mine in my work at home office and no one even noticed the sound during a call 🤷♀️. I would recommend that everyone really pay attention when reading the directions and join some of the Facebook groups. There is a learning curve and the groups have displayed a lot of good information, as well as "what not do" experiences. Lastly, if you eat the freeze-dried food without rehydrating first, drink lots of water. The food will suck up the water in you and could get you pretty stopped up.
I just bought a small freeze dryer which has four trays so I don't feel slighted at all, and I bought it at Costco for 1599 so watch the Costco because in Boise Idaho that's where I got it and they had several months where they were selling them
I have had a Medium freeze drier for about 7 years now. I generally use it for freeze drying fresh fruits and vegetables. Since it is an older freeze drier I have the older oil-filled pump. Most of my issues have been with the pump. I have learned to drain (putting "new" oil in after draining), freeze, and filter the oil every batch - it allows the oil to be re-used for a number of batches. I do a maintenance tear-down of the pump about every 10-12 batches, wiping all surfaces clean (older pumps had non-stainless parts inside, which rusted) and cleaning the view window - this also gets rid of any water that has managed to accumulate in the pump. I don't pre-freeze the food. Instead I start the freeze cycle for the freeze drier while I am prepping the fruits (slicing apples, washing raspberries, etc.). I refrigerate any vegetables that are processed by cooking first (such as sweet potatoes). Since the foods going into the freeze drier are at 70F or below, the pre-cooled drier doesn't allow any browning and freezes them faster. I just completed 3 trees worth of Gala and Jonathon apples (freeze drying sliced apples allows me to use all those apples that would otherwise have been discarded for insect damage). Most people I share these with eat them right out of the bags and say they taste like fresh fruit and better than those store-bought freeze dried apples. I am just starting this years Raspberries, and the freeze drier cycles match the harvest cycles perfectly. My wife, son, parents, and friends eat them like popcorn.
Yay! Thank you for this video. I'm sitting in the room where my FD is running right now. I love my machine! Just did 10lbs of potatoes that were getting really soft...turned them into slices and shredded hashbrowns. I have onions and black garlic running right now...my absolute favorite thing to FD so far has been onions. They turn out beautiful and reconstitute so well. We have very little food waste anymore...everything goes into the machine. My stock of herbs and tea ingredients have exploded since we got our machine. I make all of my husband's meals now for hunting and camping season...no more overspending for tasteless commercial freeze dried foods.
@@JG-ph3xg for us, our electricity bill is already low. Usually around $70 a month. I run the Freeze Dryer and my Dehydrator on average about 8-10 days a month, not 24/7 like a lot of folks do...my bill hasn't shown much of an increase. I seriously feel like it depends on the external conditions when you go to run it. If it's over 70 degrees in the room it doesn't seem to run as efficiently. I pre-freeze my food and it cuts the time the machine runs significantly. On cooler days it runs amazing...it costs us maybe $2 a day max to run it here on the Oregon Coast. I know that energy costs are much higher in most other states though, and I don't have the need for things like central air where I live. This last Winter the Freeze Dryer helped heat our house...it actually brought our heating cost down. I think the situation would be different for everyone but I personally think for my family it is worth it.
Thanks so much for all the info. Our electric bill is very expensive, but probably similar to your environment. Santa Cruz California has really mild weather here also.👍
@@JG-ph3xg we have quite a bit of family in California too...I love Santa Cruz!! The cost of electricity and the brown outs would be my main concerns when it comes to the machine. Hopefully someone from your area can share their experience if they see this post.
As a single person, I acquired a small one last year...love it! I added another small one this year. I love the small size due to smaller batches are quicker although the expense was double. Love processing fruits, vegetables... so good! Left over meals aren't taking up my freezer space. Truly enjoy your channel and content.
Because of you Carolyn I just bought a Freeze Dryer. After watching this video, probably 4 times, we decided we really needed to have one. I try to grow as much as I can in my 6 raised beds and I kept myself busy with taking care of the garden, harvesting and preserving this year. (I do it all by myself) I just ordered the freezer dryer today and can hardly wait to get it. I know it's going to make next year so much easier on me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
We love ours, it takes the pressure off of canning so much and it’s great to be able to preserve our extra chicken eggs for long term use. After having one for a year I consider it essential. My only regret is not buying one sooner.
I concur! I love my FD so much. The ease of opening and using the food is so wonderful. Pre-freezing food does reduce the freeze drying time. I've had so much fun. I gifted myself this. I know they are costly, but I love it.
Pre Freezing increases the dry time a LOT! First the freeze dryer needs to heat the food to about 120F, then the dry process can start. It actually helps to warm the food to about 120F - 140F before putting it into the dryer. Then the moisture is ready to leave the food, and escape quickly. If you find there is to much ice inside the freeze dryer, then storing the food in a oven warmed to about 120F is a safe way to allow the freeze dryer to thaw out and then continue the freeze dry process. Try to avoid having the food out of the freeze dryer longer than about 1 hour. You could use hot water to thaw the ice from the freeze dryer compartment. Then use a towel to absorb most of the water and get it out of there. I just made some skittles. Make sure to spread them out, so they do not expand and become one sticky mess. They double in size and are very tasty. Heated them to 140F before putting them into the vacuum chamber, and they where ready in about 1 hour. Aba Zabba also works great, along with many candy that is high in sugars.
I would love love love to have a freeze dryer, and I'm so happy for everyone who can afford one. I'm not that person. It's completely out of my financial ability. Just like all the $300 per person homesteading conferences. I'll just keep doing what granny did.
You're in the vast majority, by far! That kind of expense is beyond most. But batch preparing veggies and meat weekly still gives the benefits of easy cooking days. And with a freezer full, the canner boiling, and dehydrator busy, we're still better off than buying processed foods. If it's super important, anyone could save a little over years to do it. Just not sure it's a need for most. Seems like a luxury item.
@K Barnes You are definitely not alone. In fact, I have left a ton of channels I subscribed to for years because most everything became about freeze drying -- ah well, we roll with the times and do what we can do the best way we can.
When I started watching the video- I noticed she mentioned a 2nd one. The day I'm growing / making food for more than 6 people is the day... my kids & their families move home.... and life as we know it has become impossible to afford in typical empty nest new home buyers - impossible. For another rabbit hole... when did families keep a single property and their kids buy elsewhere creating multiple homes, costs; incomes and sometimes a large loss in having extended & close family together for occasions and raising the Littles.
I agree with everything you said, I love my freeze dryer and use it for many things......... I have a medium size and it needs no special wiring up grade. I love it... Highly recommended........
Great review! Thanks Carolyn! We have a medium freeze dryer and I love it. Like you, mine is running almost every day. When my hens quit laying for the winter I will have plenty of freeze dried eggs to get through till they start laying again next spring. I also prefer the convenience of freeze drying over other preserving methods, plus freeze dried keeps a lot more nutrients intact than other methods. It's pricey, but a worthwhile investment.
This may be a really stupid question.... When freeze drying eggs do you cook them first or put raw eggs on the tray out of the shell? Perhaps scrambled eggs would make more sense to freeze dry... white and yolk all mixed. I suppose you could cook scrambled egg whites and freeze dry it or cooked scrambled yolks and freeze dry it as well. Or perhaps if you can freeze dry them raw, you could separate the whites and yolks and freeze them separately. Forgive my ignorance. I don't currently have one. Just trying to learn.
@@KZ-np8fz No such thing as a stupid question :). You'll use raw eggs and beat them like you would for scrambled eggs, but don't add milk or cream. Just plain raw beaten eggs. Pour the eggs onto the trays and you could freeze them in the trays first or just put the trays in the freeze dryer not frozen. It takes longer to freeze dry if you don't pre-freeze them. Harvest Right has lids available for the trays if you pre-freeze. You can also use the lids as additional trays for freeze drying. Run the freeze dryer and when the eggs are done you can store the dried eggs in a mylar bag with a couple of oxygen absorbers. Some people store the dried eggs in Mason jars, but be sure to add oxygen absorbers and close the lid band tight. The oxygen absorbers will create a vacuum seal. Store the jars in a cool, dark place.
PS you could separate the whites from the yolks, but you would still need to beat them before freeze drying. Keeping the yolks whole is problematic as they might not get dried all the way through. I haven't tried it, but 'Retired at 40' on RUclips has and that's what he encountered.
@@KZ-np8fz there are many fb and youtube learning sources. Raw or cooked can be done…I hard boil in Instapot massive quantities for dogs’ futures..supposed to be more nutrients left after cooking than scrambled.. Sources say undercook eggs to avoid rubberiness.
Excellent review! Good stuff to know and all around considerations before purchasing. FYI: Harvest Right is currently running a contest to win a medium size drier, or you can be reimbursed if you recently purchased one if you are the winner. They also an option to put a small sum down and pay as much as you want... pay as you go. Then the machine is shipped when paid in full.
Long time subscriber here. Thank you so much for your videos. I wish I had a freeze dryer. I paid in advance for the large model with the premium pump, and I waited over three months, but it never came. Because we put down over $5000, I was very nervous, however, the primary reason I had to cancel my order is because we were going on a three-month vacation and I did not want it arriving while we were out-of-town. They refunded my money, however they kept $150 for their trouble. To date, I have not found a use for the dedicated circuit that we had installed. So, my advice there would be to wait until you get your freeze dryer and then install the dedicated circuit. I just want people to know that, as well. I was dealing with Harvest Right, as well. I teach all types of home food preservation for my county extension service. We receive questions about freeze-drying, but we are unable to give answers based on experience. Because my fruit trees and bramble bushes produce more and more fruit every year, I sometimes send my fruit out to be freeze dried at a local service. If you’re unable to get a freeze dryer because of cost or availability, this is another option for you.
@@lwhowell4387 thank you. I’m on the other side of the country, in the fruit belt of Lake Erie. Next year, I will probably take another look at getting a freeze dryer of my own. Maybe there will be something around me I can look at and take home! 😉
In her video she freeze dried what looks to be pot pie filling (3:55 mark) and put it in jars and she stored it on a shelf. So can you store food outside of refrigeration like in a root cellar and it doesn't go bad once you freeze dry it?
@@warrenhammonds1093 yes, also, you can store them in canning jars by utilizing an inexpensive attachment for a system such as seal a meal, I understand there are universal vacuum sealing attachments. And as a previous commenter pointed out, use oxygen absorbers, Mylar bags, or the food saver vacuum seal type devices. I watch RoseRed Homestead, they are professors, and I think it would be amazing if these 2 channels collaborated. They both are so helpful, and they have different perspectives, imma brand new sub here, and am so glad this channel popped up in my recommendations as a result of watching RoseRed ❤️🥰❤️
@@valerief1231 Thank you. I'll go check out RoseRed channel. My favorite is Doug and Stacy because they have a lot of chemistry with each other. But I'm just about done with all their videos so I need to check out other Homesteaders ideas too. God bless! 🙏
We got our medium freeze dryer a year ago and love it (mostly). There is a learning curve: making sure the door gasket is sealed, making sure the freeze dried food is warm and crumbly when done, bagging/jarring it up quickly, and coping with the heat/noise it puts out. We run two fans, one for the pump, one for the intake vents on the freeze dryer. We recently had high heat warnings: the intake vent holes were plugged with lint as were the condenser fins! Fixed it and everything's running fine again. The finished products are so much better than dehydrated or canned! We've done vegetables, fruits, meats, and whole meals, even Skittles and Astronaut Ice Cream. My favs are apples and cucumbers in slices. We'll be doing mixed onions, carrots, and celery this coming week - easy peasy for adding to soups and stews. You did an excellent summary of why a freeze dryer is so awesome!
Considering this for making chip / snack alternatives. My family eats all throughout the day and come dinner time they are never hungry to eat a full meal so I wanted something snack worthy that can give better nutrients throughout the day... That's also delicious. Do you eat the cucumbers dried? A little dill, garlic, onion, salt and citric acid on them like ranch chips?
@@Atheism-And-Normative-Ethics We've done cucumbers with Ranch seasoning and apples with cinnamon and sugar. Sweet potato chips with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar are also good! They're a little more labor intensive with peeling, slicing as thin as possible, and blanching. I use sugar substitute since husband is Type 2 diabetic, and it doesn't affect freeze drying! Bananas are the best! But really *really* full of sugar. Strawberries are also excellent! Your family will need to be mindful of fluid intake since freeze dried foods are going to have a dehydrating effect. p.s. We'll be trying other seasonings with this summer's cucumber crop - like seasoned salt, b-b-q seasoning, cheese powders, perhaps sea salt and vinegar? We've yet to throw any out out as ewwww-lol. Some - like blueberries and apricots - we won't do again. The apples are my favorite as a snack, and the cucumbers are always added to my salad. Have fun with it! Taste testing time, you know?
I lived with my parents during their ageing years. They had purchased a freeze dryer back when Harvest Right first started selling. Well it just sat for years doing nothing so finally I decided to take the plunge and figure it out. I think I wore it out because the screen was like the original screen like the first video game PONG. The screen no longer works but the machine still runs. I did upgrade to a new oil less pump when they first came out. There was a lot of troubleshooting on it with the amount of vacuum it pulled vs size of hose etc. Harvest Right was very good about helping with that. Well, my folks have both passed now so we still have the original one but I splurged and got myself a whole new one. I got the oil-less pump as it is worth the extra money. In my opinion they should just discontinue the oil pump. It's to big a hassle, hahahahah.... or maybe I'm just too lazy in my ageing years. I like your suggestion of getting 2 sets of trays with liners for all of them I did that and it makes life so much easier. My suggestion though is to get the plastic covers for all of the trays. I makes stacking them in the freezer so much easier. Brilliant on HR part to make them. You can also use them as trays if needed. I have the Medium machine and consider it perfect since you don't have to do any special wiring. I'd rather have 2 medium rather than one Large. Just me I suppose. Happy Freeze drying everyone.
I’ve had my freeze dryer about a month now. I was quite tentative setting up and using it at first, but as they say ‘success builds upon success’, and everything so far has been successful. I love it. Thanks for your video.
Glad you are enjoying the freeze dryer! There is truly a huge difference between the quality of dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. I don't have the budget or the space, unfortunately. But I have been happy with the bulk foods I have purchased and am converting all my camping meals to home-packed freeze dried versus the expensive $10 to $15 store-bought junk! Thanks The Great Out There
Our freeze dryer just delivered. We waited 13 weeks for it and I was so EXCITED when it arrived safe & sound. Just waiting on electrical update (as we purchased the large) and then I can't wait to start! Your review made me feel even better about this purchase, so thank you for that :)
@@gailwendtland5970 No. This is the note I received with my shipment confirmation: "Please also note: A door pad is NOT included with your freeze dryer order. It is unnecessary for operation and can cause vacuum issues if placed improperly."
We are looking to buy the large freeze dryer & you definitely addressed items such as electricity & water issues that I was not aware of. Perfect timing for us as we have some walls open for construction & adding in an outlet would be super easy. The drain made me change my mind on location. My 2nd place spot just became my 1st as it has a drain already! Very great valuable points. Thank you!! Happy preserving.
Our daughters family and her father and I went in on one. We purchased the large dryer. We are really impressed. We found out from Harvest Right that we do not need the insulator you put inside the door. It was impeding a proper seal around the door.
This was a very informative video. Thank you for making it. I think the company should pay you for making this. It's probably the best video out there on the freeze dry product. It was honest and makes me wish I had one. Enjoyed this alot, thank you.
You sold me on it. My wife and I have tossed the idea around for a few years now and we can now afford to get one. After watching your video, I can now say that we will be purchasing one ASAP. We have chickens and this sounds way better than water bathing. Thank you for taking the time and making this video.
Great review. We use our medium FD all the time. I concur with your findings. We did start out with an oil-less pump because I thought changing oil would be a pain, but after the oil free pump failed we started using an oil pump and it was not an issue. We now have the premium pump and would recomend highly.
Could you please explain a little how that premium oil pump works? How easy/hard is it to replace the oil? How to dispose of the old one? How much oil does it take each replacement? How costly is it and where do you get it?? I see the premium oil one is free with purchase currently, but was wondering if using the oil-less is better in the long run, even though it’s much more expensive. Thanks!! :)
@@Martina1192 I guess the better description would be "vacuum pump" since they all pull a vacuum in the freeze drier via a connected hose. Some of the pumps have oil in them, and some don't. The premium vacuum pump has oil - about a quart or so. The recommended process is to change the oil after around 20 freeze dry cycles. You can drain the oil from the pump into a container and filter it, then reuse it. I drain the oil, and refill with the previously filtered oil (or new) instead of waiting for the drained oil to filter and put back in the pump. You can get many re-uses of the filtered oil. I am still using the original gallon of oil I purchased online. Just be sure to get the correct type of oil (check the specs of type and amounts). IMHO the oil-less pump is not worth the cost and yearly refurbish costs (if they still require refurbishing). Changing oil in the pump is a quick, simple method and does not make a mess - unless you kick over the container like I did once :(
The new ones are not as loud as older ones, they now sound more like a dishwasher or dehumidifier, it's not bad at all. You can preset before you start a batch so it will automatically run an extra 12hrs of dry time, so you can check on it less often or not have to get up in the middle of the night. They don't use the pillow anymore either. Prefreezing helps make the batch run quicker, but it doesn't have to be froozen. You can powder things like bananas or zucchini to make breads with later. Well worth every penny!!
Hello there, I have only wanted the Harvest Right since I 1st saw them on the market! Over 10 years+! Since that time, my husband passed away, 10 years in May. So my home is mostly just me. I learned how to can meat and meals in jars and I honestly can’t stop! I have always enjoyed canning and helping out my Grans as a little girl, then helping me Mum can her beautiful Tomatoes each year. She recently passed away in January 1922 from Alzheimer’s, and during the time that she lived in my home, I had no way to do the Canning because she had to be watched constantly. Once she was free from her earthly body, I started Canning within a few months, discovering how to can meat and do meals has been amazing and I have been having so much fun. I just can’t stop. I am disabled, and as I said earlier, a widow, and have very little income. I have been thinking about some things that I could possibly do as a business I freeze drying food for people. I live in Kitsap County near Bremerton, WA. and I’ve heard that starting a business that has anything to do with food out of the home is extremely tough to do. I’ve seen people that have a bakery out of their home and ship the goodies all over the country. Some of these homes looks so tiny that I can’t imagine how it is passed through the state. but I think they know more about it than I do for sure. After seeing the price of MRE’s and freeze dried food from other companies, I know that it is extremely expensive even for just one person. I’m not sure what to do as far as starting indigenous, but if you have any resources or knowledge of anybody, I’d appreciate any help you can give me. I have been watching you and Josh on RUclips for quite some time now and U2 are an amazing couple. You doing all the things that you do while having I believe at the time was 10 kids and baby number 11 on the way you are an amazing woman. my mother was number seven child out of 14. So I know what it’s like to have big families. I hope you guys are very happy and I adore your children the way that it appears because you look like great parents and genuine people and it’s a pleasure to watch you too at work. Take care & God bless, Jilli
Making candy, like Skittles and AbaZaba with a freeze dryer, they are profitable to sell at a bizzarr or other places like a farmers market. Skittles puff up and are very popular. Try it and see. It helps if you heat the candy tray to about 120F in the oven before putting stuff into the freeze dryer. Try it and see how much faster things process through the freeze dry process when heated first before putting into the machine. I just heated some skittles to 140F then put into the freeze dryer. It finished in less than 1 hour! Make sure they are kept apart, the expand when processed, and stick together when done wrong. But it is a sticky tasty mess.
I cannot express how happy I am to have found your video today. I have home canned everything available to me for over 20 years and wanted to try a FD... but was ready to call and cancel my order for a HR as the FB groups are such a mish-mash of information. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. :-)
Such an excellent and comprehensive review. Thank you for pointing out the dedicated electrical circuit and drainage/pump space needed. I wouldn't have thought of that.
I am so excited! Today is my birthday, and my husband (with a friends help) ordered me a large HR freeze dryer! It'll be here next week, so that gives time to get the power set up. Thank you for all your help on learning how to use these!
Love your channel. Highly recommend the freeze dryer. I'm making home-cooked freeze-dried meals using my mom's recipes to send to my dad, who's recently widowed, so that he doesn't have to cook. Recommendations I would suggest: be absolutely certain that you have a work surface that can support the weight of the unit you purchase. We have the large unit and it weighs 200 pounds on its own, without trays, pump etc. Next thing I recommend is to invest in a good storage system for the finished food product. I've purchased the avid armor usv32 vacuum chamber sealer, just for the added protection of the food. It can be used in multiple ways: vacuum sealing mylar storage bags, vacuum seal canning jars of FINISHED freeze-dried food (NOT CANNING!!!!!), external vacuum sealer ("foodsaver" brand type of sealing), chamber sealing, sealing for marinades. I stretch the money we have for the items we need by choosing the ones that are the most versatile, and this is one I love, besides my freeze dryer. At the moment I'm portioning my 25-pound bags of whole wheat flour and making them airtight using my chamber sealer. This is just one example of using the vacuum chamber sealer for more than just sealing freeze dried food. EDIT: The LARGE unit requires a dedicated 20amp NEMA 5-20 outlet. We have purchased an adapter for the outlet, please note that this is NOT an extension cord. (Do NOT NOT NOT NOT use an extension cord. What will happen if you do? We don't have a clue and we don't wish to gamble the cost of a new freeze dryer, or a new house, to find out. Nooooooope.) We found the adapter on Amazon for less than $10 after trying local home improvement stores and being given blank looks and drool.
I remember in 2017 they had them at a home preparedness show . People said you they didn’t see the need for them . Glad I have one before the prices went. Up.
I took really sick years ago and had to have special mold free foods... freeze dried fit the bill... I learned how to cook with them and now I'm thinking of purchasing my first freeze drier now that I'm up and about. Thanks so much for the great review! For those wanting to learn how to cook with freeze dried foods- I love this gent... he helped me alot when I got started,,, and for full discloser we do sell Thrive Foods... but that was not why I dropped by. If folks only knew the level of nutrition that freeze dried foods keep and how easy it is for the disabled and elderly or like me for just one person, there is so little waste. I'm so thankful I found freeze fried foods, I can't wait to start freeze drying my own.
Well. I did it. We’ve been on the fence about the freeze dryer for quite awhile. You’ve convinced me. Just ordered the large unit. I got the “you better use it” speech. 😇
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for going over the OTHER parts/aspects of the dehydrator - draining, bucket & hose, the pump, the size and MOST importantly...having a DEDICATED electrical outlet for 110watts. I'm in an apartment and was debating getting the small or medium size due to space. THANK you for CLEARLY explaining all that goes along WITH this machine.
We love our freeze dryer. I was skeptical, but it’s been so fun. I’m amazed at how the freeze dried eggs turn out perfectly! We did a taste test and we couldn’t tell the difference between fresh scrambled eggs and the freeze dried ones. And yes. The berries are awesome! And I made freeze dried salsa, that I’m actually using as a Mexican seasoning in dishes. So good.
I’m completely naive here so I should probably educate myself. But I am just wondering like what the general process for “reheating?” Something like freeze dried scrambled eggs. Is this kind of like an MRE where you would just add water and then heat the package? Thank you!
@@J0shua029depends on if you cook the food before freeze drying. What I've recently heard as a good tip, cook everything now, just in case, so you'll just have to add water later, hot or cold. Seemed like decent advice.
I love this video. I feel like I’m falling in love with freeze drying just watching it. I may get a freeze dryer in the future which is why I’m watching any videos I can find. Thank you.
There are so many things that I would like to cook but if I do I have to eat it all week long and this idea of freeze drying meals it's a great idea for me! Thank you for adding this to your preserving food efforts thank you.
You can build a sound deadening box to run your vacuum pump in, you just have to make sure there is enough airflow for cooling it. Think something like a computer case with a fan letting cool air in at the bottom and sound baffles leading to the hot exit at the top.
Just getting information ready to order. I think I’m going to build a box for my oil pump, and vent it to outside, with a 4” “grow room” duct fan and clothes dryer vent.
Thanks for all the in depth info on how to freeze dry and what to expect if you get one! Most people that are promoting this freeze dryer just give a 30 second plug for it and don't explain all the things that go with it and how to set it up. Very through review.
Thank you for such a wonderful detailed review. Also a lot of people added some great comments. It's nice to know after all the work, money and time you put into persevering your food it will last 25 years, not that I would keep it that long but.... just in case you end up sharing some it will still be good.
I want one so bad, but can't afford it. Knowing that, you would think I wouldn't punish myself by watching video after video eh? Nope! lol I'm just so blown away as to what these machines can do, I just can't help but keep watching. Thanks for the info.
I also love my freeze dryers both. I have the white and a red. Git both running none stop. I pre freeze everything. And I use the pizza box risers to keep them off each other. I do milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk. All kinds of left over and I like the idea of doing full meals for a family or meals for individuals. I do ice cream, pies, meats, soup ect.. mediums are fine for average family. If you pre freeze first helps. Cause you might not have enough ready to run a full load.
I never would have thought of freeze drying finished meals. Sounds like a great idea for when you have recipes that serve six or more when you’re feeding two or three. A good way to deal with the rest for long term storage and future convenience.
Some of you guys have inspired me to start my on channel. i had a stroke a few years back i wanted to start a homesteading content. we have lots of animals but my left leg isn't to good so have to use a cane left hand doesn't work at all so walking around with a Camra while doing my chores just doesn't work. lol but as i was watching some of you guys freeze drying cooking, canning one day i thought what the heck i can cook and love cooking, canning and have a freeze dryer and love talking. lol i can put the camera on a tripod so I'm gonna do it i made three little videos just fooling round talking cooking shared on face book got great feed back so down loaded to you tube for a start.would like to say thanks and pray for me pleas .
Thanks for sharing! We purchased ours about 4 months back and have absolutely loved it. Best believe we have been checking your videos for extra tips and tricks for it
Our freeze dryer is in our garage. We have a small fan that blows on the pump to help it run a bit cooler. I change the oil every 15 cycles. If we have any scraps left over we put them directly into either our compost pile or the ground.
For pre-freezing; If you could find extra 9 x 13 cooling racks at the thrift store, you could cover the trays with cling film and then stack them with the cooling racks between.
I’ve had my FD for a year this month and I love it. I started out with it in the kitchen and it quickly moved to the basement. I love it but I do still use my dehydrator for certain things. No regrets purchasing it.
I bought the largest freeze dryer for my wife and we use it all the time. When it is too hot, we cannot run it, but for the most part, everything is turning out great.
The new larges have 6 trays!!! Don't forget the doodad that prevents you from sucking your water back into the unit when you release the vacuum. And,,, at least one set of extra trays is so very useful. I have found I prefer the plastic tops to the corners.
Other than what you mentioned about what you like about your freeze dryer, I have really enjoyed using mine for when I have a jar seal failure during canning, especially when canning pork carnitas or pork roast with potatoes, carrots & celery. If it is only one, it will be dinner tonight, if more than one, each quart is dumped into a freeze dryer tray and placed in the freezer for a future run. Like you, I have two extra sets of trays for my freeze dryer. I have also freeze dried meats that would be prepared with a sauce of some sort. For example, I have freeze dried carnitas, carne asada, and hamburger which will be used for taco night or for stuffing enchiladas. I have not done steak or anything like that. I have freeze dried cut up chicken breast that will be added to a soup or stew. The other thing that I do with my freeze dryer is for dealing with store bought canned goods that have reached or gone past their best-buy date but I don't want to wait until the cans start to bulge or rust thru like they sometimes do with tomato products. I have freeze dried tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, kidney beans, peas, etc... We also have a large freeze dryer and love it.
I was also skeptical about the freeze dryer, but my husband insisted that we buy one. I am fully converted to loving it and am constantly trying to find new uses for it.
We are seriously considering a medium freeze dryer. Reading thru all comments I have not seen the question asked regarding the increase in electricity. Can someone share pre use cost versus using freeze dryer costs with electricity please?
I'm SO glad you did this video! I had been considering purchasing a freeze dryer but due to our small home and we're retirees I have put it off. I believe I will continue to can and dehydrate like I have done for years. Bless you dear. The video is wonderfully informative,🥰
Carolyn I have been wanting a Freeze dryer for a couple of years now , but they are so expensive and I am on a limited income. 😢 I do canning and dehydrating but a freez dryer would be a game changer for me, I am trying to see how I can pull it off and convince my husband that we need one. I am so glad you did a review on Harvest Right. I love your videos and your family and how you all work together to achieve your goals. It is just me and my husband so I would probly get the medium one.
Dont let your freeze dryer complete and go into freezing standby waiting for you. In your settings, add 12 or more hours of xtra dry time, so the food will be warm and ready for you when it's convenient for you. You can't over dry anything.
I'm so glad that you've had such wonderful luck! In the past 3 years since I've had mine, it has spent more time being messed up and not running then actually working properly. Not dimension how much food and money I've wasted with bags that do not seal and such as that. It has been a whole lot of tears and grief. Not to mention the grief I caught from family and friends saying, yep that was money down the drain. 😭
Thank you for the video we also have had ours for over a year and it is amazing on the foods/meals we have and can freeze dried that would not normally be able to preserve and keep the taste and nutrients. Yes, it is expensive, but for us the ability to preserve foods for long term use that still has all of the nutrients intact and taste great is well worth the expense. Stay Safe & Good Luck
This was the best video. Thank you! I’m preparing to do my bread batch to start! I’ll also get another 4 trays. Just two of us so we got the home version. Can’t wait to preserve from my garden!
It would be very valuable to point out that a big difference in FD models from 3 to 4 to 5 trays is their size. The size increases dramatically. A 4 tray model has much more tray area than just a 30% increase over the 3 tray because each tray is bigger too. The increase from a Med to Large dryer is again notable.
This is SOOO true! I just received my dryer and they accidentally send me the med. trays (I ordered large), and they look comically small in there! (They were good about sending me the correct size trays and power cord. For free and didn’t require me to send back the incorrect size.)
@@Atheism-And-Normative-Ethics You are so right. Religion is the root cause of all our trouble on earth. It creates overpopulation (go and multiply) which results in climate destruction. This is my reason for getting a freeze dryer within the next two years.
I'm very close to making a purchase but have a few nagging questions....I'm an empty nester....Wouldn't it be expensive to run the dehydrator for just one tray of leftovers? Does this eliminate the need for a stand alone freezer? Does Harvest Right run annual sales? What do you guys think about the oil-less motor???? I'm all ears for singles or empty-nesters advice. Lastly, what size would you buy if you were me? (All sizes need special wiring?) Thank you all for all and any input! Love reading the comments!
I’am so glad that your very happy with your freeze drier after a year and a half as I just received my email mentioning mine is almost here🥳Thank you for your honest review and your timing was impeccable🥰
Love our freeze dryer. Best investment we have made for wasting less and preserving more. We have the Medium size. We have been suprised at how well meat freeze dries. Rehydrates right back to fresh!
Make sure yours works you only have 30days if you want a refund. My freeze dryer never worked the pump had a leak in it. Several people are experiencing the same problem. Your also responsible for all the maintenance. It's not a lifetime warranty either.
I have a medium freeze dryer and I just love it. I keep it going all the time. We had some older hamburger in our freezer and were getting another cow. I cooked it up and put it on the freeze dryer. Now I just throw it into tacos, spaghetti or whatever calls for beef. I have also done chicken from rotisserie chicken. Right now it is running with strawberries.
I love my freeze dryer and so glad we made the investment in buying one. I used to buy a lot freeze dried vegetables until the pandemic arrived and they were always sold out. What is nice about it you can store vegetables and fruit without added salt and sugar. All I know is that my food bill has gone down since I got my freeze dryer.
Thank you. Very helpful. I have one very high up on my list of things to buy once I move to my homestead. This answered the last couple of questions I still had about it.
Have been researching freeze drying to decide whether to invest in this equipment or not. Thank you for sharing your experience and "wish I had knowns". Your information and insights are very helpful.
I like to powder fruit, then use it with homemade yogurt. I also love to make homemade dog food. Highly nutritious! This week, I freeze dried cooked beans, then powdered them. I made my own refried beans. I also freeze dried sourdough starter, and rehydrated some. Worked.
Great video, lots of information. One bit was lacking though. Energy. How much electricity does it use? What increase to your electric bill do you see when you use it?
It really doesn't draw much energy. We haven't noticed any increase in our utility bill. If you are interested, Retired at 40 has a video where he tested the actual electricity used and calculated the cost.
For those wondering, the special circuit is needed ONLY for the Large machine. The vast majority of folks get the Medium size, which requires no special plug or adjustment. It has 4 trays, v. the Large machine having 5 trays.
Correct
Thank you for the info. That’s great to know!
@@abigailj5689 you're welcome!
It depends on the electric code where you live. Every appliance has to have it's own dedicated circuit here even though someone can use several appliances at the same time they want 2 circuits in the kitchen for counter top appliances and a dedicated circuit for every major appliance, I don't think that will fall into the counter top appliance category. My guess is even the medium would be considered a major appliance. 🤔
@@ajmnuisanceanimalcontrolll3895 how would they know?
Another use for your freeze dryer is vacuum sealing your jars. You take the rack out and can fit up to 10 jars in a large i believe. You will have to unplug the pump from the machine and directly plug in just the pump. Put the lid on and loosely put the ring on and set in. With the door closed you just plug in the pump for 30-45 seconds and you have vacuum sealed jars. You may know this already and if so im sorry for the long comment.
WOW! that's really cool.
I started freeze drying (on my second machine now) 4 years ago when beef was $2.24lb and have over 1,000lb of beef now and 4 years of food stored (by calorie). It's paid for itself in savings in the first year. Freeze drying is FAR superior to all other forms of preservation. The average family has 40% of food waste from their own groceries. I've brought that to almost zero. Expired canned foods, leftovers, and for the garden, the machine is a miracle of science.
You probably don't want to use your real name. With things the way they are it's best not to advertise your large stock.
What happened to your first machiene? Did it break down or are you using two now?
@@AshGreen359 Lightning strike at my pole killed all electronics in my house. Had to replace my computer, all my LED bulbs, wifi and freeze dryer. The Freeze dryer didn't stand a chance. Got a new one 6 months later.
@@TalicMotorsportsMedia Wow that sucks
@@TalicMotorsportsMedia surely you could have replaced the motherboard in it. I hope. I have had to go inside of mine and its not that bad at all. Hope you kept your old unit.
Customer service is second to none or they were when I needed them. Hope this helps and you can save your unit.
I weigh the loaded tray before and after so I know exactly how many grams of water to put back in. Works great for pre-made camping meals...
Great tip!
That is really smart!
Good thinking/innovation.
Smart cookie. great tip
Brilliant!
Hi I just wanted to let you know that this is one of the top 10 most informative, honest and legitimate review videos I've ever watched. I was looking into freeze dryers for our lolly shop business and thankfully the YT algorithm got it right by sending your video to me. Thank you for all the time and effort you put in, and looking at the Likes on here, I'm not the only one that has appreciated your honesty. Best of luck and know that you have helped at least one person who had questions that you answered:)
Glad it was helpful!
Easily top 7 for me
So did you decide to get one? Just curious.
I wanted to say the same exact thing. Just watched 3 other reviews that were either pretty gimmicky or really non-infomative. I absolutely hate pickled food but I've lately grown extremely interested in food preservation and this video just sold me. Thank you so much
Where I think the machine shines is with dairy. Freeze drying milk, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese & various shredded cheeses- cheddar, Parmesan, romano, pepper jack, etc. We drink raw milk & I just discovered that you can freeze dry raw milk too. I hadn't tried it because of the higher fat content but the machine sailed thru the milk like a champ. Some things I think my dehydrator works best & other things I prefer in the Harvest Right machine.
What do you like better in the dehydrator?
We also value our freeze drier. In well over 1 1/2 years now, I just passed batch 500. I have 125 dozen FD'd eggs from our chickens stored in mylar for long term, countless loads of apples from our orchard, and veggies from our garden. I'm working on a FD meat supply, as well. We also still can our foods for the winter. It was 'Homesteading Family' that got me into canning hamburger and other meats...and for that I heartfully thank them!!
With the cost of electricity in the UK I can't afford to run my dehydrator let alone a freeze dryer. I live on a state pension and electricity accounts for a third of it per month, in the autumn it will go up by 50%. I love your videos, and although I have been growing and preserving food for about 60 years, there is always something new to learn.
How you doing? Last few years have been tough. Costs are high. I hope you are doing alright🙏😊
Our freeze dryer is running almost 24/7.
We grow almost all of our fruits and vegetables. We eat as what we harvest and freeze dry the rest.
My in laws have a 17 acre ranch in Montana and their growing season is short so they don’t get very much vegetables or fruits.
We barter some of our veggies and fruits for beef and pork. We then keep enough meat in our freezer and you guested it, we freeze dry the meat.
Proper storage is key. Throwing freeze dried food in canning jars and thinking you are good is a recipe for rancid, "off" food. You must vacuum seal and use oxygen absorbers or your hard work becomes inedible or "off" tasting if you eat it. I do love my freeze dryer but have learned the hard way (too many times) about proper storage techniques. I think that the technique of proper storage is often glossed over and those pretty mason jars of food presented (Harvest Right does it too) without the huge caveat that lots of food will go bad in short order if you don't vacuum seal those jars! I've been home freeze drying since 2018.
I also thought that to get maximum storage time you needed to keep light out and air hence mylar bags. I need a freeze dryer because I pay a lot buying it from suppliers I just haven't popped for the expense at once yet even though I've actually purchased a couple of them already if you look at it😢. Zarwel offers a harvest right 4 tray for $650 but they say they are here and have trouble with ordinary basic sentences in return policy description so leaves me skeptical. I could be wrong check for your selves I guess. Great deal if real but would such if scam😮! The world we live in today 😢
Yes! Hence why MREs are vacuumed sealed!!!
Dear Homesteading Family, Many years ago my husband built me a professional freeze dryer and we mainly dried fruit and vegetables. The device was monitored for at least 24 hours during operation using a kind of baby monitor. That's why we didn't sleep very well at night. Everyone loved it and couldn't get enough of it. After a long time, we realized that intensive consumption attacked the tooth enamel, since we consumed a lot of fructose in this way. In addition, my sister's oral mucosa became inflamed after eating dried tomatoes. We suspect that the total dehydration has resulted in concentrated fruit sugar and fruit acid. I've started drying normally again and only sometimes, when we have particularly nice fruit, do we freeze-dry them additionally. I know from my own experience how great everything tastes, so I know that Carolyn is not exaggerating, the products are extraordinarily tasty. However, our experience should also be taken into account and freeze-drying should not become the most important part of preservation. All the best! Ursula from Bavaria
I am thinking of using it to freeze dry cooked chicken so I can easily travel with my dog since at the moment she eats all fresh food. What are your thoughts on that?
@@monicaosorno7564 If the freeze-dried fruit and veg diet isn't too dominant, I don't think it's a problem. Only with very acidic fruit or vegetables (tomatoes) can problems with the teeth occur after a while. I'm just speaking from my own experience. People and animals will certainly react differently. It depends on the dose. All the best! Ursula
@Antonius Theiler Wouldn't drinking something at the end of the meal help remove the sugar and acid off the teeth?
I noticed when eating freeze dried fruit,they get stuck more to my teeth but they are addicting
@@shadwell749 That's very interesting, it just tastes really, really good, especially when you have organic produce. However, I don't want to use freeze-drying that often anymore. I was really addicted to the dried tomatoes. Now I eat more fresh and for the winter I make gravy in jars and freeze a small amount normally. I understand everyone who raves about freeze drying. In any case, what the concentrated acid takes is the soaking and further processing into dishes. In freeze-dried form, I will only enjoy these treats in moderation. All the best! Ursula
Like you, I had my reservations about purchasing a FreezeDryer almost 2 years ago, but the more we use it the more I love it. My favorite is having freeze-dried onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, etc. on hand to toss right into whatever I am cooking. It makes it so easy and SO GOOD! I can make an awesome omelet faster than you can pick up from a drive-thru. If our FreezeDryer went out, I would replace it without a second thought. And with all the meals we have preserved, the unit has paid for itself already. After hurricane Rita we went 33 days without power and 10 of those were without water. If we have to face that again, we are so much better off because of our Harvest Right. For Christmas last year we filled an ice chest with homemade MREs as a gift for our son, so he is better prepared too. He has already asked for refills on some favorites that he tried after a long, busy day at work. Thanks for all your great, informative videos.
So you have to store the freeze dried food in a freezer?
@@susanjane2498 not at all Susan. It is shelf stable and depending on what it is your freeze dried item is... will stay good 10 to 20 years without losing nutrients.
@@susanjane2498 Short term storage (1-3 years) I store in glass canning jars. Long term storage (up to 25 yrs) is mylar bags & oxygen absorbers.
@Peggy Jones Care to share any of your freeze dried meal recipes?
@@lindaplank5972, we cook extra and freeze-dry what we eat. The only thing we change is that we are extra careful to not use fat, oil, or butter, which does not freeze dry well. Then when you rehydrate take care not to stir it more than absolutely necessary because it will break down into baby food like mush. Some of our favorite meals to FD are a cheese mac ground meat meal, rice dressing, stir fry, scrambled eggs mixed with veggies, and all types of soups, stews, and gumbo. Hope this helps.
I love my freeze dryer. Still learning. Have been freeze drying for about 6 months. Had a horrible beginning with a problem that required returning the machine.where several issuses were repaired. Finally! Got the freeze dryer back after another 2 monyhs. Just barely before my garden harvesting. No practice time. No matter how many videos you watch practice is necessary. Watch many different channels, nany good trips out there, some not so good. One tip is that I got 10 small baking pans that fit inside the freeze dryer trays. You can do food ahead, transfer into freezer bags, and when you are needing a quick product to load it just takes 2.5 smaller blocks to fill 1 tray. LOTS OF TIPS OUT THERE.
Not sure if anyone made the corrections in here yet, but the large machine is the only one that requires a dedicated 20 Amp circuit, with a special plug. This is the reason I went with the medium. I have it on a service cart in a guest room. If I have company staying, I can move the machine to another room and still use it. It can get warm in the area, so I keep a fan running on the machine and pump.
She also first stated that she had the premium oil-less pump, she actually has the premium oil pump, same one I have. She also uses the pillow in the door, but in case anyone gets one now, they no longer come with the pillow and harvest right recommends not using it anymore. Both the pump and machine are much quieter than I expected. The one in her video seems abnormally loud for some reason. I have run mine in my work at home office and no one even noticed the sound during a call 🤷♀️.
I would recommend that everyone really pay attention when reading the directions and join some of the Facebook groups. There is a learning curve and the groups have displayed a lot of good information, as well as "what not do" experiences.
Lastly, if you eat the freeze-dried food without rehydrating first, drink lots of water. The food will suck up the water in you and could get you pretty stopped up.
Do you think it's a waste of money to get the oil-less pump?
@Harlow Khmer yes, because the oil-less pump still has to be serviced and I believe you have to send it in (not sure if it is still that way).
For those wondering, it costs (depending on the size) $3,000 - $5,000. They charge extra for the automatic oil pump.
Thank you
That’s very expensive. A lot of people can’t afford. Only reason she can is cause of doing the videos
@@SK-cm5mtor she got it free as a promotion.
I just bought a small freeze dryer which has four trays so I don't feel slighted at all, and I bought it at Costco for 1599 so watch the Costco because in Boise Idaho that's where I got it and they had several months where they were selling them
I have had a Medium freeze drier for about 7 years now. I generally use it for freeze drying fresh fruits and vegetables. Since it is an older freeze drier I have the older oil-filled pump. Most of my issues have been with the pump. I have learned to drain (putting "new" oil in after draining), freeze, and filter the oil every batch - it allows the oil to be re-used for a number of batches. I do a maintenance tear-down of the pump about every 10-12 batches, wiping all surfaces clean (older pumps had non-stainless parts inside, which rusted) and cleaning the view window - this also gets rid of any water that has managed to accumulate in the pump.
I don't pre-freeze the food. Instead I start the freeze cycle for the freeze drier while I am prepping the fruits (slicing apples, washing raspberries, etc.). I refrigerate any vegetables that are processed by cooking first (such as sweet potatoes). Since the foods going into the freeze drier are at 70F or below, the pre-cooled drier doesn't allow any browning and freezes them faster. I just completed 3 trees worth of Gala and Jonathon apples (freeze drying sliced apples allows me to use all those apples that would otherwise have been discarded for insect damage). Most people I share these with eat them right out of the bags and say they taste like fresh fruit and better than those store-bought freeze dried apples. I am just starting this years Raspberries, and the freeze drier cycles match the harvest cycles perfectly. My wife, son, parents, and friends eat them like popcorn.
Yay! Thank you for this video. I'm sitting in the room where my FD is running right now. I love my machine! Just did 10lbs of potatoes that were getting really soft...turned them into slices and shredded hashbrowns. I have onions and black garlic running right now...my absolute favorite thing to FD so far has been onions. They turn out beautiful and reconstitute so well. We have very little food waste anymore...everything goes into the machine. My stock of herbs and tea ingredients have exploded since we got our machine. I make all of my husband's meals now for hunting and camping season...no more overspending for tasteless commercial freeze dried foods.
Have you tracked the electric exspenses? Really considering getting a FD but am worried about that electric bill. Thanks in advance😊
@@JG-ph3xg Retired at 40 on RUclips has several videos on this. Each load costs roughly $2-4 per load.
@@JG-ph3xg for us, our electricity bill is already low. Usually around $70 a month. I run the Freeze Dryer and my Dehydrator on average about 8-10 days a month, not 24/7 like a lot of folks do...my bill hasn't shown much of an increase. I seriously feel like it depends on the external conditions when you go to run it. If it's over 70 degrees in the room it doesn't seem to run as efficiently. I pre-freeze my food and it cuts the time the machine runs significantly. On cooler days it runs amazing...it costs us maybe $2 a day max to run it here on the Oregon Coast. I know that energy costs are much higher in most other states though, and I don't have the need for things like central air where I live. This last Winter the Freeze Dryer helped heat our house...it actually brought our heating cost down. I think the situation would be different for everyone but I personally think for my family it is worth it.
Thanks so much for all the info. Our electric bill is very expensive, but probably similar to your environment. Santa Cruz California has really mild weather here also.👍
@@JG-ph3xg we have quite a bit of family in California too...I love Santa Cruz!! The cost of electricity and the brown outs would be my main concerns when it comes to the machine. Hopefully someone from your area can share their experience if they see this post.
As a single person, I acquired a small one last year...love it! I added another small one this year. I love the small size due to smaller batches are quicker although the expense was double. Love processing fruits, vegetables... so good! Left over meals aren't taking up my freezer space. Truly enjoy your channel and content.
Can I ask, what do you mean by "the expense was double"? Thank you
@@mindymcleland9285 he bought two.
@@mindymcleland9285he’s running two machines, so the electricity bill is higher because he is using two at the same time
Because of you Carolyn I just bought a Freeze Dryer. After watching this video, probably 4 times, we decided we really needed to have one. I try to grow as much as I can in my 6 raised beds and I kept myself busy with taking care of the garden, harvesting and preserving this year. (I do it all by myself) I just ordered the freezer dryer today and can hardly wait to get it. I know it's going to make next year so much easier on me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Wonderful!
Electrical consumption?
@@vi683a As far as mine, I don't know as I've only had it a month, but from what I've read it isn't bad.
We love ours, it takes the pressure off of canning so much and it’s great to be able to preserve our extra chicken eggs for long term use. After having one for a year I consider it essential. My only regret is not buying one sooner.
You're amazing! I can not imagine feeding that many people every day.
What a wonderful way to introduce someone to freeze drying and a special thank you to creating a way to have one in a family!
I concur! I love my FD so much. The ease of opening and using the food is so wonderful. Pre-freezing food does reduce the freeze drying time. I've had so much fun. I gifted myself this. I know they are costly, but I love it.
Pre Freezing increases the dry time a LOT! First the freeze dryer needs to heat the food to about 120F, then the dry process can start. It actually helps to warm the food to about 120F - 140F before putting it into the dryer. Then the moisture is ready to leave the food, and escape quickly.
If you find there is to much ice inside the freeze dryer, then storing the food in a oven warmed to about 120F is a safe way to allow the freeze dryer to thaw out and then continue the freeze dry process. Try to avoid having the food out of the freeze dryer longer than about 1 hour. You could use hot water to thaw the ice from the freeze dryer compartment. Then use a towel to absorb most of the water and get it out of there.
I just made some skittles. Make sure to spread them out, so they do not expand and become one sticky mess. They double in size and are very tasty. Heated them to 140F before putting them into the vacuum chamber, and they where ready in about 1 hour. Aba Zabba also works great, along with many candy that is high in sugars.
I would love love love to have a freeze dryer, and I'm so happy for everyone who can afford one. I'm not that person. It's completely out of my financial ability. Just like all the $300 per person homesteading conferences. I'll just keep doing what granny did.
You're in the vast majority, by far! That kind of expense is beyond most. But batch preparing veggies and meat weekly still gives the benefits of easy cooking days. And with a freezer full, the canner boiling, and dehydrator busy, we're still better off than buying processed foods. If it's super important, anyone could save a little over years to do it. Just not sure it's a need for most. Seems like a luxury item.
Me too!!!! I have other things I have to save for first many others. But it’s still on my list 😁
@K Barnes You are definitely not alone. In fact, I have left a ton of channels I subscribed to for years because most everything became about freeze drying -- ah well, we roll with the times and do what we can do the best way we can.
I'm curious which homesteading conference was $100 per person.
The only one I've been to was $95 for 2.
When I started watching the video- I noticed she mentioned a 2nd one.
The day I'm growing / making food for more than 6 people is the day... my kids & their families move home.... and life as we know it has become impossible to afford in typical empty nest new home buyers - impossible. For another rabbit hole... when did families keep a single property and their kids buy elsewhere creating multiple homes, costs; incomes and sometimes a large loss in having extended & close family together for occasions and raising the Littles.
I agree with everything you said, I love my freeze dryer and use it for many things......... I have a medium size and it needs no special wiring up grade. I love it... Highly recommended........
Great review! Thanks Carolyn! We have a medium freeze dryer and I love it. Like you, mine is running almost every day. When my hens quit laying for the winter I will have plenty of freeze dried eggs to get through till they start laying again next spring. I also prefer the convenience of freeze drying over other preserving methods, plus freeze dried keeps a lot more nutrients intact than other methods. It's pricey, but a worthwhile investment.
This may be a really stupid question....
When freeze drying eggs do you cook them first or put raw eggs on the tray out of the shell? Perhaps scrambled eggs would make more sense to freeze dry... white and yolk all mixed. I suppose you could cook scrambled egg whites and freeze dry it or cooked scrambled yolks and freeze dry it as well. Or perhaps if you can freeze dry them raw, you could separate the whites and yolks and freeze them separately.
Forgive my ignorance. I don't currently have one. Just trying to learn.
@@KZ-np8fz No such thing as a stupid question :). You'll use raw eggs and beat them like you would for scrambled eggs, but don't add milk or cream. Just plain raw beaten eggs. Pour the eggs onto the trays and you could freeze them in the trays first or just put the trays in the freeze dryer not frozen. It takes longer to freeze dry if you don't pre-freeze them. Harvest Right has lids available for the trays if you pre-freeze. You can also use the lids as additional trays for freeze drying. Run the freeze dryer and when the eggs are done you can store the dried eggs in a mylar bag with a couple of oxygen absorbers. Some people store the dried eggs in Mason jars, but be sure to add oxygen absorbers and close the lid band tight. The oxygen absorbers will create a vacuum seal. Store the jars in a cool, dark place.
PS you could separate the whites from the yolks, but you would still need to beat them before freeze drying. Keeping the yolks whole is problematic as they might not get dried all the way through. I haven't tried it, but 'Retired at 40' on RUclips has and that's what he encountered.
@@KZ-np8fz there are many fb and youtube learning sources. Raw or cooked can be done…I hard boil in Instapot massive quantities for dogs’ futures..supposed to be more nutrients left after cooking than scrambled..
Sources say undercook eggs to avoid rubberiness.
Excellent review! Good stuff to know and all around considerations before purchasing. FYI: Harvest Right is currently running a contest to win a medium size drier, or you can be reimbursed if you recently purchased one if you are the winner. They also an option to put a small sum down and pay as much as you want... pay as you go. Then the machine is shipped when paid in full.
Long time subscriber here. Thank you so much for your videos. I wish I had a freeze dryer. I paid in advance for the large model with the premium pump, and I waited over three months, but it never came. Because we put down over $5000, I was very nervous, however, the primary reason I had to cancel my order is because we were going on a three-month vacation and I did not want it arriving while we were out-of-town. They refunded my money, however they kept $150 for their trouble. To date, I have not found a use for the dedicated circuit that we had installed. So, my advice there would be to wait until you get your freeze dryer and then install the dedicated circuit. I just want people to know that, as well. I was dealing with Harvest Right, as well.
I teach all types of home food preservation for my county extension service. We receive questions about freeze-drying, but we are unable to give answers based on experience. Because my fruit trees and bramble bushes produce more and more fruit every year, I sometimes send my fruit out to be freeze dried at a local service. If you’re unable to get a freeze dryer because of cost or availability, this is another option for you.
Great advice.
Intermountain Farmers Association (IFA, Utah and Idaho) usually has them in stock
@@lwhowell4387 thank you. I’m on the other side of the country, in the fruit belt of Lake Erie. Next year, I will probably take another look at getting a freeze dryer of my own. Maybe there will be something around me I can look at and take home! 😉
I’m absolutely in love with our freeze dryer and am amazed at how great the food tastes after it’s been dried!
In her video she freeze dried what looks to be pot pie filling (3:55 mark) and put it in jars and she stored it on a shelf. So can you store food outside of refrigeration like in a root cellar and it doesn't go bad once you freeze dry it?
@@warrenhammonds1093 yes you can store the food shelf stable in jars or for longer food storage in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
@@stephaniejohnson3739 Wow thank you for the quick reply. Much appreciated. Thank you for the info too. 🙏
@@warrenhammonds1093 yes, also, you can store them in canning jars by utilizing an inexpensive attachment for a system such as seal a meal, I understand there are universal vacuum sealing attachments. And as a previous commenter pointed out, use oxygen absorbers, Mylar bags, or the food saver vacuum seal type devices. I watch RoseRed Homestead, they are professors, and I think it would be amazing if these 2 channels collaborated. They both are so helpful, and they have different perspectives, imma brand new sub here, and am so glad this channel popped up in my recommendations as a result of watching RoseRed ❤️🥰❤️
@@valerief1231 Thank you. I'll go check out RoseRed channel. My favorite is Doug and Stacy because they have a lot of chemistry with each other. But I'm just about done with all their videos so I need to check out other Homesteaders ideas too. God bless! 🙏
We got our medium freeze dryer a year ago and love it (mostly). There is a learning curve: making sure the door gasket is sealed, making sure the freeze dried food is warm and crumbly when done, bagging/jarring it up quickly, and coping with the heat/noise it puts out. We run two fans, one for the pump, one for the intake vents on the freeze dryer. We recently had high heat warnings: the intake vent holes were plugged with lint as were the condenser fins! Fixed it and everything's running fine again. The finished products are so much better than dehydrated or canned! We've done vegetables, fruits, meats, and whole meals, even Skittles and Astronaut Ice Cream. My favs are apples and cucumbers in slices. We'll be doing mixed onions, carrots, and celery this coming week - easy peasy for adding to soups and stews. You did an excellent summary of why a freeze dryer is so awesome!
Considering this for making chip / snack alternatives. My family eats all throughout the day and come dinner time they are never hungry to eat a full meal so I wanted something snack worthy that can give better nutrients throughout the day... That's also delicious.
Do you eat the cucumbers dried? A little dill, garlic, onion, salt and citric acid on them like ranch chips?
@@Atheism-And-Normative-Ethics We've done cucumbers with Ranch seasoning and apples with cinnamon and sugar. Sweet potato chips with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar are also good! They're a little more labor intensive with peeling, slicing as thin as possible, and blanching. I use sugar substitute since husband is Type 2 diabetic, and it doesn't affect freeze drying! Bananas are the best! But really *really* full of sugar. Strawberries are also excellent! Your family will need to be mindful of fluid intake since freeze dried foods are going to have a dehydrating effect. p.s. We'll be trying other seasonings with this summer's cucumber crop - like seasoned salt, b-b-q seasoning, cheese powders, perhaps sea salt and vinegar? We've yet to throw any out out as ewwww-lol. Some - like blueberries and apricots - we won't do again. The apples are my favorite as a snack, and the cucumbers are always added to my salad. Have fun with it! Taste testing time, you know?
I lived with my parents during their ageing years. They had purchased a freeze dryer back when Harvest Right first started selling. Well it just sat for years doing nothing so finally I decided to take the plunge and figure it out. I think I wore it out because the screen was like the original screen like the first video game PONG. The screen no longer works but the machine still runs. I did upgrade to a new oil less pump when they first came out. There was a lot of troubleshooting on it with the amount of vacuum it pulled vs size of hose etc. Harvest Right was very good about helping with that. Well, my folks have both passed now so we still have the original one but I splurged and got myself a whole new one. I got the oil-less pump as it is worth the extra money. In my opinion they should just discontinue the oil pump. It's to big a hassle, hahahahah.... or maybe I'm just too lazy in my ageing years. I like your suggestion of getting 2 sets of trays with liners for all of them I did that and it makes life so much easier. My suggestion though is to get the plastic covers for all of the trays. I makes stacking them in the freezer so much easier. Brilliant on HR part to make them. You can also use them as trays if needed. I have the Medium machine and consider it perfect since you don't have to do any special wiring. I'd rather have 2 medium rather than one Large. Just me I suppose. Happy Freeze drying everyone.
I’ve had my freeze dryer about a month now. I was quite tentative setting up and using it at first, but as they say ‘success builds upon success’, and everything so far has been successful. I love it. Thanks for your video.
Glad you are enjoying the freeze dryer! There is truly a huge difference between the quality of dehydrated and freeze-dried foods. I don't have the budget or the space, unfortunately. But I have been happy with the bulk foods I have purchased and am converting all my camping meals to home-packed freeze dried versus the expensive $10 to $15 store-bought junk! Thanks The Great Out There
Our freeze dryer just delivered. We waited 13 weeks for it and I was so EXCITED when it arrived safe & sound. Just waiting on electrical update (as we purchased the large) and then I can't wait to start! Your review made me feel even better about this purchase, so thank you for that :)
We got ours right off the floor at Cal Ranch here in AZ. Tractor Supply stores are also starting to carry them as well. We didn’t wait at all.
@@stephaniejohnson3739 It is likely because I am in Canada :)
Did yours come with the cushion insert?? Mine did not...
@@gailwendtland5970 yes but they have since stopped sending them with new machines.
@@gailwendtland5970 No. This is the note I received with my shipment confirmation:
"Please also note: A door pad is NOT included with your freeze dryer order. It is unnecessary for operation and can cause vacuum issues if placed improperly."
We are looking to buy the large freeze dryer & you definitely addressed items such as electricity & water issues that I was not aware of. Perfect timing for us as we have some walls open for construction & adding in an outlet would be super easy. The drain made me change my mind on location. My 2nd place spot just became my 1st as it has a drain already!
Very great valuable points. Thank you!! Happy preserving.
Our daughters family and her father and I went in on one. We purchased the large dryer. We are really impressed. We found out from Harvest Right that we do not need the insulator you put inside the door. It was impeding a proper seal around the door.
This was a very informative video. Thank you for making it. I think the company should pay you for making this. It's probably the best video out there on the freeze dry product. It was honest and makes me wish I had one. Enjoyed this alot, thank you.
You sold me on it. My wife and I have tossed the idea around for a few years now and we can now afford to get one. After watching your video, I can now say that we will be purchasing one ASAP. We have chickens and this sounds way better than water bathing. Thank you for taking the time and making this video.
Great review. We use our medium FD all the time. I concur with your findings. We did start out with an oil-less pump because I thought changing oil would be a pain, but after the oil free pump failed we started using an oil pump and it was not an issue. We now have the premium pump and would recomend highly.
The premium pump is an oil pump?
Edited to add that she answered the question later on in the video. Yes.
Do you need to use electricity and an oil pump?
Could you please explain a little how that premium oil pump works? How easy/hard is it to replace the oil? How to dispose of the old one? How much oil does it take each replacement? How costly is it and where do you get it?? I see the premium oil one is free with purchase currently, but was wondering if using the oil-less is better in the long run, even though it’s much more expensive. Thanks!! :)
@@Martina1192 I guess the better description would be "vacuum pump" since they all pull a vacuum in the freeze drier via a connected hose. Some of the pumps have oil in them, and some don't. The premium vacuum pump has oil - about a quart or so. The recommended process is to change the oil after around 20 freeze dry cycles. You can drain the oil from the pump into a container and filter it, then reuse it. I drain the oil, and refill with the previously filtered oil (or new) instead of waiting for the drained oil to filter and put back in the pump. You can get many re-uses of the filtered oil. I am still using the original gallon of oil I purchased online. Just be sure to get the correct type of oil (check the specs of type and amounts). IMHO the oil-less pump is not worth the cost and yearly refurbish costs (if they still require refurbishing). Changing oil in the pump is a quick, simple method and does not make a mess - unless you kick over the container like I did once :(
@@reprosser thanks! :)
The new ones are not as loud as older ones, they now sound more like a dishwasher or dehumidifier, it's not bad at all. You can preset before you start a batch so it will automatically run an extra 12hrs of dry time, so you can check on it less often or not have to get up in the middle of the night. They don't use the pillow anymore either. Prefreezing helps make the batch run quicker, but it doesn't have to be froozen. You can powder things like bananas or zucchini to make breads with later. Well worth every penny!!
Hello there, I have only wanted the Harvest Right since I 1st saw them on the market! Over 10 years+! Since that time, my husband passed away, 10 years in May. So my home is mostly just me.
I learned how to can meat and meals in jars and I honestly can’t stop! I have always enjoyed canning and helping out my Grans as a little girl, then helping me Mum can her beautiful Tomatoes each year. She recently passed away in January 1922 from Alzheimer’s, and during the time that she lived in my home, I had no way to do the Canning because she had to be watched constantly. Once she was free from her earthly body, I started Canning within a few months, discovering how to can meat and do meals has been amazing and I have been having so much fun. I just can’t stop.
I am disabled, and as I said earlier, a widow, and have very little income. I have been thinking about some things that I could possibly do as a business I freeze drying food for people. I live in Kitsap County near Bremerton, WA. and I’ve heard that starting a business that has anything to do with food out of the home is extremely tough to do. I’ve seen people that have a bakery out of their home and ship the goodies all over the country. Some of these homes looks so tiny that I can’t imagine how it is passed through the state. but I think they know more about it than I do for sure. After seeing the price of MRE’s and freeze dried food from other companies, I know that it is extremely expensive even for just one person. I’m not sure what to do as far as starting indigenous, but if you have any resources or knowledge of anybody, I’d appreciate any help you can give me. I have been watching you and Josh on RUclips for quite some time now and U2 are an amazing couple. You doing all the things that you do while having I believe at the time was 10 kids and baby number 11 on the way you are an amazing woman. my mother was number seven child out of 14. So I know what it’s like to have big families. I hope you guys are very happy and I adore your children the way that it appears because you look like great parents and genuine people and it’s a pleasure to watch you too at work. Take care & God bless, Jilli
Making candy, like Skittles and AbaZaba with a freeze dryer, they are profitable to sell at a bizzarr or other places like a farmers market. Skittles puff up and are very popular. Try it and see. It helps if you heat the candy tray to about 120F in the oven before putting stuff into the freeze dryer. Try it and see how much faster things process through the freeze dry process when heated first before putting into the machine.
I just heated some skittles to 140F then put into the freeze dryer. It finished in less than 1 hour! Make sure they are kept apart, the expand when processed, and stick together when done wrong. But it is a sticky tasty mess.
I cannot express how happy I am to have found your video today. I have home canned everything available to me for over 20 years and wanted to try a FD... but was ready to call and cancel my order for a HR as the FB groups are such a mish-mash of information. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. :-)
Such an excellent and comprehensive review. Thank you for pointing out the dedicated electrical circuit and drainage/pump space needed. I wouldn't have thought of that.
I hear they use a lot of electricity
@@charsiu_808 not much. $2-$4 per load.
That is for the Large machine only.
Only the large machine needs a dedicated circuit.
I am so excited! Today is my birthday, and my husband (with a friends help) ordered me a large HR freeze dryer! It'll be here next week, so that gives time to get the power set up. Thank you for all your help on learning how to use these!
Happy birthday!!
Thank you!! @@HomesteadingFamily
Love your channel. Highly recommend the freeze dryer.
I'm making home-cooked freeze-dried meals using my mom's recipes to send to my dad, who's recently widowed, so that he doesn't have to cook. Recommendations I would suggest: be absolutely certain that you have a work surface that can support the weight of the unit you purchase. We have the large unit and it weighs 200 pounds on its own, without trays, pump etc. Next thing I recommend is to invest in a good storage system for the finished food product. I've purchased the avid armor usv32 vacuum chamber sealer, just for the added protection of the food. It can be used in multiple ways: vacuum sealing mylar storage bags, vacuum seal canning jars of FINISHED freeze-dried food (NOT CANNING!!!!!), external vacuum sealer ("foodsaver" brand type of sealing), chamber sealing, sealing for marinades. I stretch the money we have for the items we need by choosing the ones that are the most versatile, and this is one I love, besides my freeze dryer. At the moment I'm portioning my 25-pound bags of whole wheat flour and making them airtight using my chamber sealer. This is just one example of using the vacuum chamber sealer for more than just sealing freeze dried food. EDIT: The LARGE unit requires a dedicated 20amp NEMA 5-20 outlet. We have purchased an adapter for the outlet, please note that this is NOT an extension cord. (Do NOT NOT NOT NOT use an extension cord. What will happen if you do? We don't have a clue and we don't wish to gamble the cost of a new freeze dryer, or a new house, to find out. Nooooooope.)
We found the adapter on Amazon for less than $10 after trying local home improvement stores and being given blank looks and drool.
I remember in 2017 they had them at a home preparedness show . People said you they didn’t see the need for them . Glad I have one before the prices went. Up.
Wow! Very good, detailed and pertinent information!
Where's your sense of adventure...TRY the extension cord!?? LOL I'm sure it would probably melt instantly!??
I took really sick years ago and had to have special mold free foods... freeze dried fit the bill... I learned how to cook with them and now I'm thinking of purchasing my first freeze drier now that I'm up and about. Thanks so much for the great review! For those wanting to learn how to cook with freeze dried foods- I love this gent... he helped me alot when I got started,,, and for full discloser we do sell Thrive Foods... but that was not why I dropped by. If folks only knew the level of nutrition that freeze dried foods keep and how easy it is for the disabled and elderly or like me for just one person, there is so little waste. I'm so thankful I found freeze fried foods, I can't wait to start freeze drying my own.
Well. I did it. We’ve been on the fence about the freeze dryer for quite awhile. You’ve convinced me.
Just ordered the large unit. I got the “you better use it” speech. 😇
Lol yup me too. We really need it just for eggs we have 30 hens and a lot of those eggs can go bad and they eat up a lot of space.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for going over the OTHER parts/aspects of the dehydrator - draining, bucket & hose, the pump, the size and MOST importantly...having a DEDICATED electrical outlet for 110watts. I'm in an apartment and was debating getting the small or medium size due to space. THANK you for CLEARLY explaining all that goes along WITH this machine.
We love our freeze dryer. I was skeptical, but it’s been so fun. I’m amazed at how the freeze dried eggs turn out perfectly! We did a taste test and we couldn’t tell the difference between fresh scrambled eggs and the freeze dried ones. And yes. The berries are awesome! And I made freeze dried salsa, that I’m actually using as a Mexican seasoning in dishes. So good.
I’m completely naive here so I should probably educate myself.
But I am just wondering like what the general process for “reheating?” Something like freeze dried scrambled eggs. Is this kind of like an MRE where you would just add water and then heat the package?
Thank you!
@@J0shua029depends on if you cook the food before freeze drying. What I've recently heard as a good tip, cook everything now, just in case, so you'll just have to add water later, hot or cold. Seemed like decent advice.
MRE's are already cooked, usually ate them cold mostly, depending upon the meal, kept the heaters for emergency "cargo pocket warmers".
I love this video. I feel like I’m falling in love with freeze drying just watching it. I may get a freeze dryer in the future which is why I’m watching any videos I can find. Thank you.
Good review, certainly answered many of my questions, though, I wish you had said more about the energy costs of the units.
Here is some info on the cost to run: harvestright.com/blog/2020/six-frequently-asked-questions-about-the-harvest-right-freeze-dryer/
There are so many things that I would like to cook but if I do I have to eat it all week long and this idea of freeze drying meals it's a great idea for me! Thank you for adding this to your preserving food efforts thank you.
You can build a sound deadening box to run your vacuum pump in, you just have to make sure there is enough airflow for cooling it. Think something like a computer case with a fan letting cool air in at the bottom and sound baffles leading to the hot exit at the top.
Just getting information ready to order. I think I’m going to build a box for my oil pump, and vent it to outside, with a 4” “grow room” duct fan and clothes dryer vent.
Thanks for all the in depth info on how to freeze dry and what to expect if you get one! Most people that are promoting this freeze dryer just give a 30 second plug for it and don't explain all the things that go with it and how to set it up. Very through review.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for such a wonderful detailed review. Also a lot of people added some great comments. It's nice to know after all the work, money and time you put into persevering your food it will last 25 years, not that I would keep it that long but.... just in case you end up sharing some it will still be good.
This is exactly what i thought when I watched it
I want one so bad, but can't afford it. Knowing that, you would think I wouldn't punish myself by watching video after video eh? Nope! lol I'm just so blown away as to what these machines can do, I just can't help but keep watching. Thanks for the info.
I also love my freeze dryers both. I have the white and a red. Git both running none stop. I pre freeze everything. And I use the pizza box risers to keep them off each other. I do milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk. All kinds of left over and I like the idea of doing full meals for a family or meals for individuals. I do ice cream, pies, meats, soup ect.. mediums are fine for average family. If you pre freeze first helps. Cause you might not have enough ready to run a full load.
Thank you so much for such a valuable discussion. This brought a lot of clarity for me and I'm definitely looking forward getting one!
Excellent video !! Your a natural !!! You explained everything with great detail and I learned a lot !!! Thank you and God bless you and your family.
I love mine had it for 7 year's..I got mine for eggs but my kids love the fruit...you won't regret getting it..blessings
I never would have thought of freeze drying finished meals. Sounds like a great idea for when you have recipes that serve six or more when you’re feeding two or three. A good way to deal with the rest for long term storage and future convenience.
I use mine for leftovers. Then put it in mylar and I have an emergency meal
Some of you guys have inspired me to start my on channel. i had a stroke a few years back
i wanted to start a homesteading content. we have lots of animals but my left leg isn't to good so have to use a cane left hand doesn't work at all so walking around with a Camra while doing my chores just doesn't work. lol but as i was watching some of you guys freeze drying cooking, canning one day i thought what the heck i can cook and love cooking, canning and have a freeze dryer and love talking. lol i can put the camera on a tripod so I'm gonna do it i made three little videos just fooling round talking cooking shared on face book got great feed back so down loaded to you tube for a start.would like to say thanks and pray for me pleas .
Thanks for sharing! We purchased ours about 4 months back and have absolutely loved it. Best believe we have been checking your videos for extra tips and tricks for it
Our freeze dryer is in our garage. We have a small fan that blows on the pump to help it run a bit cooler.
I change the oil every 15 cycles.
If we have any scraps left over we put them directly into either our compost pile or the ground.
For pre-freezing; If you could find extra 9 x 13 cooling racks at the thrift store, you could cover the trays with cling film and then stack them with the cooling racks between.
Harvest Right makes lids for the trays so you can stack them.
What I love about you guys , is that your down to earth and a straight shooter. Keep up the good work.
I’ve had my FD for a year this month and I love it. I started out with it in the kitchen and it quickly moved to the basement. I love it but I do still use my dehydrator for certain things. No regrets purchasing it.
Fantastic authentic and genuine review! Answered so many of my questions, thank you!
I bought the largest freeze dryer for my wife and we use it all the time.
When it is too hot, we cannot run it, but for the most part, everything is turning out great.
What would too hot be temp wise? Cause im an aussie and we have high temps pretty regular.
The new larges have 6 trays!!!
Don't forget the doodad that prevents you from sucking your water back into the unit when you release the vacuum.
And,,, at least one set of extra trays is so very useful.
I have found I prefer the plastic tops to the corners.
Other than what you mentioned about what you like about your freeze dryer, I have really enjoyed using mine for when I have a jar seal failure during canning, especially when canning pork carnitas or pork roast with potatoes, carrots & celery. If it is only one, it will be dinner tonight, if more than one, each quart is dumped into a freeze dryer tray and placed in the freezer for a future run. Like you, I have two extra sets of trays for my freeze dryer. I have also freeze dried meats that would be prepared with a sauce of some sort. For example, I have freeze dried carnitas, carne asada, and hamburger which will be used for taco night or for stuffing enchiladas. I have not done steak or anything like that. I have freeze dried cut up chicken breast that will be added to a soup or stew. The other thing that I do with my freeze dryer is for dealing with store bought canned goods that have reached or gone past their best-buy date but I don't want to wait until the cans start to bulge or rust thru like they sometimes do with tomato products. I have freeze dried tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, kidney beans, peas, etc... We also have a large freeze dryer and love it.
Thank you for being so thorough in all you instruct. Answered every question I had! Love all your videos.
Glad it was helpful!
I was also skeptical about the freeze dryer, but my husband insisted that we buy one. I am fully converted to loving it and am constantly trying to find new uses for it.
We are seriously considering a medium freeze dryer. Reading thru all comments I have not seen the question asked regarding the increase in electricity. Can someone share pre use cost versus using freeze dryer costs with electricity please?
You make prepping look like so much fun. Thank you for the content!!!
This was very timely as I'm considering purchasing one and now I know I need a dedicated space and where to set it up is now essential. 👍
I'm SO glad you did this video! I had been considering purchasing a freeze dryer but due to our small home and we're retirees I have put it off. I believe I will continue to can and dehydrate like I have done for years. Bless you dear. The video is wonderfully informative,🥰
Excellent review! 😊 I'd love to have a freeze dryer so no garden goodies will ever go to waste again. I hope to get one some day!
I haven checked recently, but I believe Harvest Right has a lay away plan.
Carolyn I have been wanting a Freeze dryer for a couple of years now , but they are so expensive and I am on a limited income. 😢
I do canning and dehydrating but a freez dryer would be a game changer for me, I am trying to see how I can pull it off and convince my husband that we need one. I am so glad you did a review on Harvest Right. I love your videos and your family and how you all work together to achieve your goals. It is just me and my husband so I would probly get the medium one.
Dont let your freeze dryer complete and go into freezing standby waiting for you. In your settings, add 12 or more hours of xtra dry time, so the food will be warm and ready for you when it's convenient for you. You can't over dry anything.
If the food is cold coming out of the FD moisture in the air will condense on it ADDING moisture back in before you can get it bagged.
I'm confused, is the FD food supposed to be cold, room temperature, or warm when it comes out of the machine and you are ready to vacuum bag it?
I'm so glad that you've had such wonderful luck! In the past 3 years since I've had mine, it has spent more time being messed up and not running then actually working properly. Not dimension how much food and money I've wasted with bags that do not seal and such as that. It has been a whole lot of tears and grief. Not to mention the grief I caught from family and friends saying, yep that was money down the drain. 😭
Thank you for the video we also have had ours for over a year and it is amazing on the foods/meals we have and can freeze dried that would not normally be able to preserve and keep the taste and nutrients. Yes, it is expensive, but for us the ability to preserve foods for long term use that still has all of the nutrients intact and taste great is well worth the expense.
Stay Safe & Good Luck
This was the best video. Thank you! I’m preparing to do my bread batch to start!
I’ll also get another 4 trays. Just two of us so we got the home version.
Can’t wait to preserve from my garden!
Glad it was helpful!
It would be very valuable to point out that a big difference in FD models from 3 to 4 to 5 trays is their size. The size increases dramatically. A 4 tray model has much more tray area than just a 30% increase over the 3 tray because each tray is bigger too. The increase from a Med to Large dryer is again notable.
This is SOOO true! I just received my dryer and they accidentally send me the med. trays (I ordered large), and they look comically small in there! (They were good about sending me the correct size trays and power cord. For free and didn’t require me to send back the incorrect size.)
@@juliearbuckle2043 costs to much to return them.
@@Atheism-And-Normative-Ethics You are so right. Religion is the root cause of all our trouble on earth. It creates overpopulation (go and multiply) which results in climate destruction. This is my reason for getting a freeze dryer within the next two years.
I'm very close to making a purchase but have a few nagging questions....I'm an empty nester....Wouldn't it be expensive to run the dehydrator for just one tray of leftovers? Does this eliminate the need for a stand alone freezer? Does Harvest Right run annual sales? What do you guys think about the oil-less motor???? I'm all ears for singles or empty-nesters advice. Lastly, what size would you buy if you were me? (All sizes need special wiring?) Thank you all for all and any input! Love reading the comments!
The video said only need a separate breaker for large & above. I am seeking same answers.
I’am so glad that your very happy with your freeze drier after a year and a half as I just received my email mentioning mine is almost here🥳Thank you for your honest review and your timing was impeccable🥰
Love our freeze dryer. Best investment we have made for wasting less and preserving more. We have the Medium size. We have been suprised at how well meat freeze dries. Rehydrates right back to fresh!
Working on saving up for one right now. I could see me using this a ton!! Thanks for the review.
They have a lay-a-way program.
@@usbpphillips I know, I like to pay for things outright in full.
Make sure yours works you only have 30days if you want a refund. My freeze dryer never worked the pump had a leak in it. Several people are experiencing the same problem. Your also responsible for all the maintenance. It's not a lifetime warranty either.
I have a medium freeze dryer and I just love it. I keep it going all the time. We had some older hamburger in our freezer and were getting another cow. I cooked it up and put it on the freeze dryer. Now I just throw it into tacos, spaghetti or whatever calls for beef. I have also done chicken from rotisserie chicken. Right now it is running with strawberries.
I love my freeze dryer and so glad we made the investment in buying one. I used to buy a lot freeze dried vegetables until the pandemic arrived and they were always sold out. What is nice about it you can store vegetables and fruit without added salt and sugar. All I know is that my food bill has gone down since I got my freeze dryer.
We’ve been looking, thinking about getting one-thank you! Great information!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. Very helpful. I have one very high up on my list of things to buy once I move to my homestead. This answered the last couple of questions I still had about it.
Thank you! Good to know about the noise level . I do NOT have children ( it may be the reason) and I am VERY sound sensitive.
YOU are the reason I now have a freeze dryer, thank you! And you're so right....get the big one:)
We really like our freeze dryer and agree it pays for itself very quickly!
Have been researching freeze drying to decide whether to invest in this equipment or not. Thank you for sharing your experience and "wish I had knowns". Your information and insights are very helpful.
I like to powder fruit, then use it with homemade yogurt. I also love to make homemade dog food. Highly nutritious! This week, I freeze dried cooked beans, then powdered them. I made my own refried beans. I also freeze dried sourdough starter, and rehydrated some. Worked.
I love my freeze dryer. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever purchased some six years ago.
They have amazing Customer Service, when they have parts. If you have a problem be patient you will love it in time.
Great video, lots of information. One bit was lacking though. Energy. How much electricity does it use? What increase to your electric bill do you see when you use it?
It really doesn't draw much energy. We haven't noticed any increase in our utility bill. If you are interested, Retired at 40 has a video where he tested the actual electricity used and calculated the cost.
I'd love more segments on the freeze dryer and recipes you've tried