It used to be that the final pinnacle for hikers and outdoorsy folk was buying a dehydrator. Depending on how trendy you were, you had to spend $55 to $500 to join the club. While it wasn’t cheap to buy a dehydrator, it was a lot easier to justify the entry fee, as it was a manageable cost. We still own and use dehydrators. For certain foods, I prefer dehydrated rather than freeze-dried. However, I haven’t used the dehydrators as often since we got our freeze-dryer a few years back. I seem to mostly dehydrate mushrooms and certain green leaf veggies.
Now, though, it’s a freeze-dryer. Two brands are on the market: Harvest Right and Blue Alpine. Of the two, Harvest Right is the current market leader. Blue Alpine is newer to the market. Only five years ago, most hikers had only had freeze-dried food if they bought it commercially prepped. In the earliest versions, the concept of a home machine was clunky and hands-on. You had to understand machines and be willing to twiddle with them. That wasn’t my idea of fun, so I kept waiting.
The newer versions of the machines are far more straightforward. The pumps used are efficient and mostly hands-off. The machines run on automatic software that calculates the time needed based on sensors.
At-home freeze-dryer machines have come into the age of being ready for the average person to own.
How Much Does It Cost To Run?
- Outside of the initial cost of buying one, various things play in the cost:
- Electricity
- Oil for the pump
- Mylar bags
- Oxygen Absorber packets
On average, it shouldn’t cost more than $4 a batch to run. That might seem pricey, but if you think it through, it isn’t. We buy commercially freeze-dried food for long-term planning and have for years. The price is quite high in general for buying it done for you.
An Example Of DIY Vs. Buying:
Let’s say you want a #10 can of cheddar cheese. You can expect to drop $45 to over $70 for it. (See here for examples: Nutristore.) A #10 can for those brands is roughly 38 ounces of product (and even though they claim a serving is a ¼ cup dry, they have different grams per serving for weight. Yeesh! And this is pretty common in freeze-dried food. Buy by weight, not “servings” that are measured. That way, you know how much is in that large metal can.)
Now, you can expect to get 3 cups of grated cheese out of each pound of fresh cheese. Freeze-dried cheese doesn’t change overall shape, so you should get that much when fully dry. If you bought a 5-pound bag of grated cheddar at a restaurant supply store, you will have about 15 cups of cheese to freeze-dry. We spend $14.99 to $20.oo for 5 pounds.
In a #10 can with 38 ounces (2 pounds 6 ounces). So, less than half of what you would freeze-dry at home!
So let’s say you spent $15 on the cheese +$4 for running the machine and packaging. That is $19. Far less than spending $45! Over time, you will earn back the cost of the machine as you freeze-dry items you previously bought. It’s like having an espresso machine at home if you love lattes. The initial investment is high, but each latte pays off the machine quickly.
It is well worth it if you can see yourself preserving food and doing enough of it. (A crazy example is the cost of freeze-dried candy. In stores, tiny bags retail from $7-11 dollars a bag, with the amount of candy being what you’d get in a small “personal” sized bag for $1-2.)
(I am happy to provide a full-size image of this chart if you need it; just contact us, and I can email it to you.)
We freeze-dry quite often for both trail food and at-home food. For our family, saving up and acquiring a machine made sense. We are a family of 5, sometimes 6, and we also have a small homestead that produces a lot of produce. We also had a place to put our Harvest Right Large-size machine (it sits on an industrial-grade metal tray with wheels). You may see a small unit on display if you go into chains such as Tractor Supply or Coastal. They are compact but don’t freeze dry a lot in each session. A Large, as we have, dries quite a bit but is a space hog. These are things to consider, of course. How many people, how much room in your home, and how much you want to dry.
What Can You Freeze-dry?
A list to get you dreaming!
I have often told people interested in a freeze-dryer how to know what size to buy:
- Small: 1-2 people; you want to make meals or ingredients to have on hand but are not a prepper. It can be used with a normal plug-in.
- Medium: 2-4 people, same as the Small. Can be used with a normal plug-in.
- Large: 4-6 people who have gardens and/or are interested in prepping quantities for long-term food storage. Requires a dedicated plug-in.
An article we wrote earlier this year:
10 Reasons Why Outdoorsy People Should Own A Freeze-Dryer:
This leads to the fact that Harvest Right has its freeze-dryers on sale through May 21st, with a sale that is similar to their always anticipated Black Friday Sale. With up to $500 off, an upgraded pump (worth it), and free shipping in the continental US, if you have been considering making the leap, this might be the time for you. You will get your freeze-dryer before summer is here, and you can get ingredients and meals ready for your summer trips.
It is something to consider, and to weigh if it is worth investing into.
~Sarah
FTC Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we make a small amount that helps pay for the hosting of TrailCooking. All thoughts are based on our personal use of a freeze-dryer.