Can you sell me on a freeze dryer?

[horseflesh]

I love to cook and love gadgets like my sous vide gear and chamber vac sealer. So, I’ve been looking at freeze dryers too, and while it looks fun... I have a hard time seeing myself using one often.

 

I do manage a lot of leftovers, but vacuum sealing + freezing works great for that. I find it hard to believe that reconstituted freeze dried foods would come out as well—but I could be wrong! I’m also just not sure how many freeze dried berries I can eat, you know?

 

I would really like to know why you love your freeze dryer and how it impacts your regular meals, especially if you’re also a vacuum sealer fan. If it unlocks a bunch of kooky “modernist” techniques, that would be good to know, too. 
 

Thanks in advance for putting something expensive on my shopping list!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

No, but Kerry can.

 

[gfweb]

I've done a good amount of lyophilization. Unless you need food for a long long hike, I'd buy premade stuff rather than make your own. These things aren't cheap.

[socrates8300]

I have one.  It is loud and slow.  I found the resulting food products to be at best serviceable.  Unless you have a specific purpose in mind or buy a very large amount of freeze dried goods then I would skip it.  Mine sits right next to the electric guitar, I didn't learn how to play, in my collection of unused and expensive things.  I am happy to sell you mine, but I can't recommend it. 

 

If you are bored, have some extra cash and want a new toy check out a pacojet.  About the same price, but your friends and family will love the ice cream.

 

Sorry, for the corny humor, but I hope this helps.

[horseflesh]

10 minutes ago, socrates8300 said:

I found the resulting food products to be at best serviceable.  Unless you have a specific purpose in mind or buy a very large amount of freeze dried goods then I would skip it.

 

That's exactly the kind of feedback I needed. 

 

I hoped, if there was some amazing culinary use, I would have heard about it by now--just trying to make sure.

 

 

[teonzo]

There's not much use for a freeze dryer at home. I know only one restaurant in Italy that has one, if it's not sought after by chefs then go figure how much useful it is at home. The only case where it's useful is when you REALLY want to reduce the water content in a produce, see the uses for confectionery. Other than that it has not much sense, frozen and re-heated food tastes better than freeze-dried and re-constituted food.

If you want a new toy then it's better buying a blast freezer, especially since you already have a vacuum chamber machine. Maybe add a new freezer too, to have more freezer space.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[horseflesh]

Thanks all. Consensus seems pretty clear so far. I appreciate the posts. 

 

I am still hoping a fervent defender of the home freeze dryer will arrive to defend their honor and tell the other delicious side of the story, but maybe that ain't happening. 😁

[pastrygirl]

10 hours ago, socrates8300 said:

I have one.  It is loud and slow.  I found the resulting food products to be at best serviceable.  Unless you have a specific purpose in mind or buy a very large amount of freeze dried goods then I would skip it.  ...  I am happy to sell you mine, but I can't recommend it. 

 

 

Do you have the Harvest Right?   How long does it take and how could the results be better? 

 

I'm slightly interested  in one for freeze drying fruits to be blended into chocolate.  It would be cool to be able to use local fruit.

 

If you're serious about selling it, what part of the world are you in?

[Kerry Beal]

Yup - they are loud and they are slow - but they can make all sorts of neat stuff that you can add to chocolate!

 

Freeze driers and Freeze dried foods

 

 

[kayb]

I've never contemplated a freeze dryer. But one of the cheapest and handiest little gadets I ever purchased was my $19.99 Ambiano  dehydrator at Aldi. I have no doubt the bigger, pricier ones are better, but mine works just fine. It gets a workout in the summer. 

 

[horseflesh]

Looks like a good thread, thanks!