Not only does it spread the cost, but it can also increase the amount and variety of the preserved food you store away. Additionally, a group purchase can also lead to purchasing bulk quantities of food to freeze dry.
Specialty equipment serves a custom unique purpose. If you are planning on cooking something very specific, you may desire the exact tool for the job. This equipment might include pasta cookers, waffle cone makers, sous vide immersion circulators and more.
I’d recommend that anyone stick with buying any freeze-dryer or heavy equipment directly from the manufacturer. And if you’re ready to shop for a Harvest Right, you can use this link to shop current sales.
The only way I know to filter the water vapor out would be a cold trap. They usually use liquid nitrogen or dry ice to keep the temperature low enough that all the water condenses out. Obviously you would need a supply of the liquid nitrogen or dry ice that would probably not be cost effective for most of us. The other option to get that cold would be to use a cryocooler and build a cold trap around it. It could be done, but would be pretty expensive. I've been watching some electronics on ebay that have cryocoolers in them, but the cheapest I've seen is around $600. Still not a cheap option, but you wouldn't need dry ice or liquid nitrogen to feed it.
I'm brainstorming ideas on what to do with it. Gourmet astronaut ice cream? Crispy cheesecake? Some weird variant on beef jerky?
It's so much easier to stay on a low carb diet when you have things to nibble on. I've been drying meatballs (cut them in half first), and they make a fantastic savory snack. I'll post to the Tried and True Shop Now thread when I get a chance.
Buying a freeze dryer in person gives you a better sense of how big it is, while you can also get hands-on advice from the professionals working at the store.
I did have a vacuum hose fitting leak at the FDer port once. I had similar symptoms to yours. I found that the hose would slightly rotate even when the fitting was snug.
Oil Mist Filter: Both pumps come with an oil mist filter. However, the Premier Pump’s oil mist filter allows for pelo oil spray at all and it will last much longer.
So the bottom line is this: If you can afford the money, space, and time to spend on freeze-drying your own food and you believe the need for the food is many months or years away, then eventually the Harvest Right freeze dryer will pay for itself.
Looking at the picture you can see the water drops on the insulation and where the water had flowed down the back of the front panel.
and this piece was placed on the vacuum hose fitting. I can still remove the panel without removing the hose to clean the coils. Simply remove the screws and slide the panel down the vacuum hose a few inches.
I started by removing the 3 grocery bags that were holding the 2 thick bags that had at one time held the berries. Struck by how much it looked like a placenta - bag and all!
Other companies sell “beef crumbles” or other versions of scrap beef that have nearly as much fat as protein, and they often sell for more than we do.