🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
Freeze drying might sound high-tech, but the entire process is fully automatic — just load your food, press start, and the machine does the rest.
Here’s how it works:
🧊 Freeze: Your raw or cooked food is frozen inside the unit to between -30°F and -50°F. 🌀 Vacuum: The machine creates a vacuum in the chamber. 🌬️ Sublimation: As the food is gently warmed, the ice turns directly into vapor and is removed — skipping the liquid stage entirely. 🔔 Done alert: When the process is complete, you’ll hear a beep to let you know it’s ready. 🫙 Package: Remove your freeze-dried food and store it in moisture- and oxygen-proof containers (like mylar bags or canning jars). 💧 Rehydrate: (Optional) Add water later, and your food comes back to life with its original taste, texture, and nutrition.
It’s one of the most powerful ways to preserve food — while keeping it tasting freshly made! You can freeze dry almost anything — and it’s kind of addictive once you start experimenting!
Fruits & Veggies: apples, bananas, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, green beans, onions, peppers, potatoes, spinach — and more Meats & Seafood: beef, pork, turkey, chicken, shrimp, lobster, pulled pork Dairy & Eggs: cheese, yogurt, scrambled eggs Treats: even ice cream works!
Favourite homemade meals freeze dry beautifully — like:
Lasagna Chili Mac & cheese Chicken a la king Casseroles Pasta sauces Rice dishes Beef stew
Start with the meals your family already loves. Freeze drying doesn’t just preserve them — it locks in the flavor, nutrition, and convenience. That depends on the size of your freeze dryer — but even the smallest unit can handle a surprising amount per batch!
Small: 6–10 lbs fresh / 1.5–2 gallons freeze-dried Medium: 10–15 lbs fresh / 2–3.5 gallons freeze-dried Large: 18–23 lbs fresh / 4–6 gallons freeze-dried XL: 40–50 lbs fresh / 8–12 gallons freeze-dried
Small: ~260 gallons / 1,200 lbs of food Medium: ~390 gallons / 2,000 lbs Large: ~655 gallons / 3,600 lbs XL: ~1,400 gallons / 8,000 lbs
That’s a lot of food preserved — and a great way to reduce waste, save money, and build a long-term food supply. Most batches take between 20 to 40 hours to complete.
The exact time depends on a few factors:
Food type: Meats, peas, and corn dry quickly, while foods like squash and watermelon take longer. Quantity: A fuller load will take longer than a light one. Thickness: Thinner slices = faster drying.
The good news? You don’t have to guess. Your freeze dryer automatically senses when the food is done and beeps to let you know. Just load it and go — the machine does the rest. While freeze drying works for most foods, there are a few that don’t do well — especially oily or sugary items. That’s because freeze dryers remove water, not oil or fat.
Peanut butter Pure chocolate Butter Honey Syrup Jam or jelly
These foods either stay gooey or spoil quickly because they retain oils and sugars.
Blanch potatoes first, or they’ll oxidize and turn black. Label raw meats, fish, or eggs — freeze drying doesn’t kill bacteria. Dip apples in lemon juice to prevent browning. Peel or halve fruits and veggies, or place them skin-side down. For small items like grapes or cherry tomatoes, try the “two lids + bread knife” trick to halve them quickly. Most freeze-dried foods can last up to 25 years — but only if they’re stored properly.
The biggest enemies are:
Heat Light Air (oxygen)
Use airtight, light-blocking mylar bags Add an oxygen absorber to each bag Store in a cool, dark place
When stored this way, most foods will stay good for 25+ years, and meats typically last around 15 years. Yes — absolutely!
In fact, pre-freezing your food is a great idea. It can help speed up the overall freeze-drying cycle.
Your freeze dryer is designed to accept frozen food and will cool it even further — down to around -40°F — before beginning the drying process.
Pro tip: Pre-freezing on an extra set of trays makes it even easier to load and go!Operational FAQs
❓ How does the freeze dryer work?
What types of food can be freeze dried? 🍏🍳🥛🥩
✅ Great candidates for freeze drying:
🍽️ Full meals? Absolutely.
⚖️ How much food can be freeze dried at a time?
🥕 Food Capacity Per Batch:
📅 Annual Capacity (based on ~200 batches/year):
🕥 How long does it take to freeze dry each batch?
🚫 What cannot be freeze dried?
❌ Foods that don’t freeze dry well:
✅ Bonus Freeze Drying Tips:
📆 Will all freeze-dried food last 25 years?
🛑 What causes food to break down over time?
✅ For best long-term results:
❄️ Is it ok to freeze things prior to placing in the freeze dryer?
Freeze dryers aren’t whisper quiet — they make a steady hum, similar to a vacuum or loud dishwasher during the drying cycle. Most customers choose to run them in a separate room with the door closed (like a utility room, basement, or garage).
We don’t recommend putting one on your kitchen counter unless you enjoy shouting over it!
Tip: On hot days, placing a fan beside the unit can help prevent overheating and keep everything running smoothly. All freeze dryers plug into a standard 110V household outlet, except the XL model, which requires a dedicated 220V outlet.
For Small, Medium, and Large units, a dedicated 20-amp circuit is recommended. For the XL, a dedicated 20-amp circuit is required.
Small/Medium: Peak draw ~16 amps, average 9–11 amps (990–1210 watts) Large: Peak draw ~16 amps, average ~10 amps (1500 watts)
A typical batch uses 20–25 kWh of electricity At an average rate of $0.10 per kWh, that’s about $2.00 to $2.50 per load Actual costs may vary depending on your local utility rates and room temperature, but in most cases, the savings from preserving food far outweigh the energy costs. The freeze dryer itself requires little to no maintenance — but the vacuum pump does need regular attention to keep things running smoothly.
Each freeze dryer comes with a high-quality vacuum pump and an initial supply of oil. The pump holds about 3 cups of oil, which needs to be drained and replaced regularly (every 20-25 batches, depending on use). It’s a simple process and takes just a few minutes.
Good news: every unit also includes a stand-alone oil filter. That means you can clean and reuse your oil, saving money and cutting waste — all while keeping your pump performing at its best.
Pro tip: Using filtered oil with every batch keeps things running like new and helps extend the life of your pump. Every freeze dryer setup includes two main components:
The freeze dryer unit itself – this houses the trays, cooling system, and control panel. A high-quality vacuum pump – this sits outside the unit and creates the vacuum environment needed for freeze drying.
Together, these components work to remove moisture from your food while preserving its taste, nutrition, and shelf life.Techical FAQs
📢 How noisy is the freeze dryer?
🔌 What type of power do the freeze dryers use? How much will it cost to run?
🔋 Power Usage (Average Per Hour):
💰 Estimated Cost Per Batch:
🔧 What maintenance is required for a freeze dryer?
⚙️ What components make up a freeze dryer?
We understand that Harvest Right’s U.S. website sometimes advertises tempting sales — but those prices often come with hidden costs for Canadians. Harvest Right sets our Canadian retail pricing, and we follow that structure. While we don’t currently offer a price match guarantee, our customers are often surprised to find that buying through us is actually a better deal in the end. Here’s why:
“Free shipping” is U.S. only. Canadian shipping is often quoted at $400+ USD. Prices on the U.S. site are in USD. With exchange rates (often around 1.37), that low price adds up quickly. Import and brokerage fees can be a wild card at the border. Warranty repairs must be handled through Harvest Right U.S. — meaning you pay to ship your unit back. Even during aggressive U.S. sales, many of our customers still save $50 CAD or more by ordering through us — not to mention the peace of mind that comes from dealing with a local, certified repair shop here in Alberta. That’s one of the hardest questions — because everyone’s needs are so different! Here’s what we’ve heard from our customers: Most families who start with a Small often wish they had gone with a Medium. Homesteaders and small businesses who start with a Medium often come back for a second unit — usually a Largeor XL. Choosing the right size depends on your goals, how much food you want to preserve at a time, and how often you plan to run the machine. To help you compare specs and batch sizes, check out our Freeze Dryer Comparison Chart. Still unsure? Send us a quick email — we’d be happy to give you a personalized recommendation based on your situation. The stock info on our freeze dryer compairison tables, and product lsitigns are dynamic and change automaticly to refelct our real stock status. And we have new stock of Medium and Large freeze dryers ariving monthly. If you need more details send us an email to ask about specifics. It depends on the model and current demand, but most orders arrive within 2 to 4 weeks. Because we’re a Canadian distributor, we handle customs and import for you — no surprise brokerage fees, no shipping delays at the border. We’ll keep you updated throughout the process, and you’ll get tracking info as soon as your unit ships. If you’d like an estimate for a specific model or need it by a certain date, just reach out — we’re happy to check stock or lead times for you. We ship freeze dryers anywhere in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan — right to your door. Accessories? We ship those anywhere in Canada, coast to coast. Not sure if we deliver to your specific address? Just send us a quick message — we’re happy to check and confirm! Freeze dryers are heavy, sensitive machines — so safe delivery is a top priority. No matter who you buy from, all freeze dryers ship on a pallet with a bottomless box. This lets you inspect the unit on arrival before accepting it as undamaged. While freight damage can happen (even to us), home deliveries often arrive in better shape than shipments sent to warehouses. If anything looks wrong when your unit arrives, you can flag it right away — and we’ll help you through the next steps. Have questions about how to inspect your unit on delivery day? We’re happy to walk you through what to look for. We’ve chosen not to offer in-house financing because we want to keep our prices as low and honest as possible — no hidden fees, no interest traps, and no pressure to buy beyond your means. We can split a payment between multiple cards if needed — just let us know before checkout. If financing is the only thing holding you back, reach out. We may be able to suggest timing your purchase around upcoming sales, promotions, or have a refurbished scratch and dent model available to help make it more affordable for your family. We’re proudly based in Didsbury Alberta, Canada, jsut off of Highway II between Red Deer and Calgary. As the only certified Harvest Right repair shop in Canada, we serve customers across Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan — offering local support, faster delivery, and peace of mind you won’t get from a larger retailer. Want to pick up accessories or talk shop in person? Send us a message — visits are by appointment only. Every freeze dryer comes with Harvest Right’s standard 3-year limited warranty, which covers parts and labor for manufacturer defects. But here’s where buying through us really helps: We’re Alberta’s only certified Harvest Right repair shop, which means:
Warranty repairs can be done locally — no need to ship your unit across the border. You keep your full Harvest Right warranty intact. You get faster service and real support from people who actually use these machines. Have an issue after your warranty ends? We’re still here to help — with parts, repairs, and honest advice.Purchasing FAQs
💵 Can you price match a USA price?
📦 What size is right for me?
🛒 Is it in stock?
⏱️ How long will it take to arrive?
🚚 Do you deliver to me? / Where do you deliver?
📫 ✅ Will it arrive safely?
💳 Why don’t you offer financing?
📍 Where are you located?
🛠️ What type of warranty and tech support is offered?