Anyone looked into home freeze dryers??

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by natshare, Jul 10, 2022.


  1. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    I know there's been other threads on this. Harvest Right currently has their freeze dryers on discount (small = $2595, medium = $2895 & large = $3595). So while the funds aren't exactly there, it's something I could make happen, if I felt the return on investment would make it worthwhile.

    Has anyone ever done the calculations, showing at what point buying and using a home freeze dryer would surpass the cost of buying freeze dried food in a bucket/bag?? While it's just me, right now, I know that if the SHTF, my girlfriend, her 2 daughters, their guys and their kids, would all look to ME, to help them thru it. Hey, when the great TP shortage of 2020 hit, guess who kept them all in shit paper?? :LOL::LOL:

    So what do you guys think?
    Obligatory link to the Harvest Right page, showing the prices quoted above:
    Home Freeze Dryers | Harvest Right™ | Home Freeze Dryers | Freeze Dried Food Storage
     
  2. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Can't answer that question. but I spent $3,000 this year on house and car insurance, been buying it for close to 60 years, never filed a claim. The price of "insurance" for food doesn't seem outrageous. I have in the past balanced cost of buying one against freezing, canning, bulk grains, etc, and have not bought one. Part of the reason for greenhouse was computing the cost of a longer growing season vs the cost of more intensive gardening, buying at peak harvest, etc, and freeze drying it.
     
  3. Minuteman

    Minuteman Chaplain Moderator Founding Member

    I would love to have one. Just hoping to get the funds.
     
  4. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    I'd likely start with fruits, as they're simple, and you probably can't make too many mistakes with them! Then move on to veggies, and finally meats.
    But the current prices of freeze dried #10 cans is atrocious, IMHO. And with old Pervy Joe in office, it's highly likely that things will get WORSE with the economy, before they get better!
    Auguson Farms Fruits
     
  5. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Have those 4 adults chip in 5K so that you can cover the expenses!
     
    natshare, Tully Mars, SB21 and 2 others like this.
  6. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    I have one in WA state , they closed the border to me so I can;t pick it up since 2019 Dec
    Sucks
    Sloth
     
  7. I bought FD and dehydrated long term food when it was more affordable.
    They now sell the freeze dryer machines at the local farm supply stores, if that tells you something. I know of people that absolutely love having one, others not so much.
    If you spend $2500 bucks on one. Then freeze dry $2500 bucks worth of food. Add in the big electric bills and the oil for the machine, (which can be an issue so I've heard. You get maybe $2000 worth of food. + or -.
    If you get canning equipment and a dehydrator. And know how to hunt, fish, or garden. You could possibly save some money. Those methods of food storage have stood the test of time since people have needed to eat.
    We have meat and veggies stored for years that is still fine. We have bacon that we canned in 2012 that still tastes like bacon. When we canned it. Bacon was less than a buck a pound.
    Maybe take a moment to look into old school food storage.
     
  8. Wildbilly

    Wildbilly Monkey+++

    Most people that I have heard from either love them or hate them! Those that love them rave about the food! Those that hate them bitch about the initial cost, maintenance, oil (it uses a lot and sprays it everywhere...best to use it outdoors), time to process a batch of food, small size of the batches, etc.! You can buy and rotate a lot of food for $2500-3000, plus cost of food and operating expenses.
     
  9. sec_monkey

    sec_monkey SM Security Administrator

    .. .. yep yep .. ..

    Harvest Right Freeze Dryer

    The Secret Life of Machines - How The Things Around You Work

    For Sale - Large Harvest Right Freeze Dryer [ sold ] very gud pics plus info in da thread



    da oil is a yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge deal .. .. ya need lots .. .. better be organic/vegetable oil .. ..



    .. .. do yer own research .. ..

    .. .. dis video mentions "off flavors" in da food dat means contamination due to da oil used .. .. dat is a yuuuuuuge deal .. .. da oil wid detergents in it is bad fer yer food .. ..

    jus sayn
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2022
    natshare and Seepalaces like this.
  10. Tempstar

    Tempstar Monkey+++

    I have a 2 gallon vacuum chamber from ebay ($159) and a harbor fright vacuum pump ($129). Freeze the food, put it the screen wire rack I made, come back 3 days later. Cost's $3 per batch for an oil change each time. It is the science of sublimation, not a hard concept. The commercial units have a cold chamber (not really needed), heated trays (handy and speeds up the process, not a must have), and a cold water separator that I see as a needed item on mine, next experiment is a small vacuum jar in an ice bath to keep more of the water out of the oil. I usually start a batch Friday morning and it's ready Sunday evening.
     
  11. mysterymet

    mysterymet Monkey+++

    Spring for the pump upgrade if you get one.
     
  12. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Owned one for six or seven years.

    The oil sprays everywhere only with the way way older oil type vacuum pumps. I've never had that problem with the oil type pump that came with the unit (around 2016), but we went with the oilless one anyway which became available after we owned the unit for a couple of years.

    The oil type is a pain because you have to drain the pump after each batch and separate the water. Eventually you have to disassemble the pump and clean it too. Lots of maintenance. Oilless pump is way better but it's $$$$$ - $$$$$.

    The whole unit takes a lot of room, and it tends to be a power hog. So if you're off-grid you'd better have a decent battery stack because it needs to run for some 16, 18, even 24 hours or more depending on what you're freeze drying. It's also a bit noisy, especially with the vacuum pump running. When it's running you could supplement the heating to your house. We run it in my shop which is separate from the house, connected only by the same roof.

    On the other hand, it works well with most fruits and vegetables. Some fruits high in sugar, like the tangerines we pick off our tree in the back yard, require pre-freezing or they tend to froth during the process. Blueberries turn to goo. Not successful at all.

    Works pretty well with meats unless they contain a lot of fat. I just freeze dried diet lean hamburger three months ago, about 15 pounds that I bought on sale at the supermarket, with good success. It's vacuum packed in mylar bags with an o2 absorber. I would imagine it would work exceedingly well with wild game. But, there are other ways to preserve meat.

    Biggest problem I'm having now is running out of space to put freeze dried food.

    Is it practical when considering the cost of simply purchasing freeze dried? I honestly couldn't tell you. I like that fact that you could either buy say, $3000 worth of freeze dried food, or use the $3000 to buy a freeze dryer that will continue to give you freeze dried food. But you need to consider the electricity costs as well.

    Canning I'd say would be much cheaper, and we prefer to simply dehydrate apples, sliced into rings and coated with cinnamon. In a vacuum sealed jar I've eaten some that were 15 years old (straight out of the jar, no reconstituting) and still delicious.

    I'm glad I bought it. I like the unit and for the for the most part, the results.

    But it's a pretty big investment so consider that. You may be better off canning.

    Below: Some diced up bell peppers of various colors that my neighbor, who is moving, gave us.

    P7110001.JPG They just went into the Freeze Dryer about ten minutes ago. Oilless vacuum pump is to the right of the chamber.
    P7110002.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2022
  13. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Funny you mention this. I've been researching this very topic recently. Most of what I've gotten is to use store bought frozen veggies-they are already flash frozen, or use your own. Freeze your own, then stick into the dehydrator to complete the process. I've not tried this, but looking at it very hard. For myself, I don't see me spending that kind of money. I'm willing to give the cheaper route a try, to add to the canned stocks, but can't see me going all out of the 2,500-3,600 dollar machines.
     
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  14. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    I look at it this way (example). I can vacuum seal rolled oats (42 oz canisters) all day long (1 gallon bags work perfectly). Maple syrup is a long-lasting product naturally. Same with chia seeds (which are considered a "super food", adding to the nutritional value of oatmeal), which can be vacuum packed. Milk? Same!
    But dammit, I want some fruit, too! And for a 10# can of strawberries, banana chips & blueberries, we're talking $100+. :eek:

    So if I'm doing at least a couple dozen cans worth of just those, the machine has paid for itself. Then add freeze dried meats, cheeses and other items that don't last as long canned, and you're past the return on investment.
    1 year warranty? Just use the daylight out of it in that first year....or purchase with a credit card that will extend the manufacturer's warranty! (y)

    Thanks for the input! I appreciate all of it!
     
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  15. sec_monkey

    sec_monkey SM Security Administrator

    .. .. jus member .. .. dere is a chance ya might lose a few batches due ta contamination or wutever .. .. :( :(

    .. .. ya might lose a bunch uv cans due ta botulism or damage or wutever .. .. :( :(

    .. .. murphy strikes when ya aint xpectin it .. ..
     
    natshare likes this.
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