You’ll have to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons. For me personally, non-e of the cons outweighed the pros. The high price tag is an investment in my ability to preserve food for long periods of time for me and my family without relying on others. The noise doesn’t bother any of us and it’s like white noise.

After a few years of research, I finally decided to purchase a freeze dryer. It was one of the best purchases I have ever made. The only regret I have is that I didn’t buy one sooner.

. We have some really great 'techy' type guys here who are, as they have been exploring the FD mechanics and sharing that in their posts, writing what is turning out to be a 'troubleshooting manual' for us less capable folks.

When isolated, the pump seems to behave well. Short of putting a meter on the pump, my impression is that it is operating properly. I'm considering investing in a good meter to verify that it is reaching a good ultimate vacuum.

Obviously things like ice cream and marshmallows you would want to let the freeze cycle run longer. When I'm ready to start the drying cycle, I open the door, remove the insulator, and check the temperature of the food on the trays with an infrared thermometer. As long as it's below -10F I start the dry cycle. A side note for TonyC, have you ever thought about attaching a mirror to each side of the tray rack to reflect the radiant heat back in to the trays? I've looked at some mirror finish stainless on ebay, and it looks like you could do it for about $40. Not sure if it's worth a try or not. I would think it would let you get more water out harvest right scientific freeze dryer in a cycle because the radiant heat wouldn't be warming the ice on the chamber walls. Just a thought.... Edited December 16, 2015 by Pipsqueak duplicate post (log)

Simply press start on the touch screen and the patend Smart Freeze technology senses when it's done.

Let’s be clear: there is pelo right or wrong answer. In the end, the decision to buy a freeze dryer is ultimately yours. Some people feel it’s best to buy freeze dried food and that’s good enough for them, while others find it an absolute necessity for their household.

Agree entirely on the fittings! After many emails and phone calls to HR, some advice that didn't pan out, and some parts replacement, the unit is back in business! Turns out it was the wire passthrough for the heater wires.

This is why so many people are buying their own freeze dryers to use at home. The market is essentially cornered by Harvest Right, which isn’t a bad thing since their quality and customer service are both superb.

Foods with lots of seeds can be freeze dried but usually take longer. That’s because the seeds hold moisture. If you’re processing strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes, and kiwis you’ll need to add Em excesso time. I like to add at least 12 hours when processing these foods.

Thirdly, I like to know what is in my food. When I process my own food, I know what is going in it. Also, I like to grow my own produce so when I freeze dry that, I know exactly where my food came from and how it was grown. Some commercially freeze dried foods contain preservatives.

Dairy free substitutes freeze dry well In addition to Celiac Disease, my son has developed a lactose intolerance, which is common among people with Celiac Disease. We live in a small town, and there pelo lactose free dairy products in our grocery store.

It definitely helps to have a freezer nearby. You’ll cut time tremendously by freezing the food first rather than having the freeze dryer do it. It’s also cheaper.

Making food in your own freeze dryer is less expensive than purchasing it commercially. You can purchase food in bulk and freeze dry it for later. With the current high food prices (which could easily continue to skyrocket), it’s nice to buy in bulk or on clearance to save money.