This article, along with the Q&A video, explores the key pros and cons of buying a freeze dryer for emergency preparedness. From the advantages of long shelf life and nutrient retention to the challenges of high initial costs and maintenance, I will provide valuable insights to help you make an informed decision.

Before making such an investment this big, it’s important to look at the benefits and drawbacks of buying a freeze dryer. Whether you’re a seasoned prepper or just starting your prepper pantry, my advice after two years of using a freeze dryer will help you make the decision.

Note: The article accompanying this video (Below) is in addition to—providing more in-depth information. It is not a video transcript.

Here are the key pros and cons of buying a freeze-dryer for emergency preparedness:

Pros of buying a freeze dryer:

1. Long shelf life: Freeze-dried foods can last up to 25 years when properly packaged and stored. Many factors affect shelf life, such as Fat content, sugar content, moisture levels during packaging, and package type. Always rotate your preps, including those freeze-dried preps.
2. Nutrient retention: They say freeze-drying preserves up to 97% of foods’ nutritional content. I have no way of verifying this, but I have no reason to doubt it.
3. Versatility: You can freeze-dry a wide variety of foods, including meats, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and complete meals. Some of my personal favorites are common meal ingredients such as onion, mushrooms, and peppers (I love jalapeno). I do the same thing with flash-frozen ingredients that I keep in bags in the freezer. I call them rapid ingredients because I don’t have to peel, cut, dice, etc. Just grab them and toss them into the pot or pan.
   ツ Prepping can make life easier, even without the SHTF.
4. Meal and diet customization: The large diversity of freeze-dried foods allows you to create freeze-dried meals tailored to your preferences and dietary needs. On a low carb diet? Freeze dry low carb foods. (High fat and oil doesn’t freeze dry well. I avoid freeze drying most pork)
5. The perfect meals: If you stick to the meals you like and eat right now, you are storing the perfect prep. This makes rotation a breeze. Make extra of your favorite meals and freeze-dry the leftovers (TIP: Freeze various leftovers until you have enough to fill the freeze dryer for one full load).
6. Space efficiency: Freeze-dried foods are lightweight and compact if packaged in Mylar bags. (Personally, I prefer wide-mouth quart jars.) You do, however, need clean and drikable water for those preps.
7. Taste preservation: When rehydrated, freeze-dried foods retain most of their original flavor. However, consistency isn’t always 100 percent.
8. Better than food dehydration: This is just my opinion, but I generally get better quality product with the freeze dryer than with my food dehydrator. A dehydrator doesn’t get as much moisture out so I try not to use it for long-term storage and will use it up fairly quickly. With freeze dried foods, I don’t worry as much.
9. Raw or cooked foods: I generally precook what I freeze dry if it requires cooking before eating, but that’s not always necessary. For example, you can freeze-dry raw eggs and meats. Remember that freeze-drying does not kill bacteria or other microorganisms, so safe handling and prep are essential. Be sure to thoroughly clean the machine, trays, tools, and equipment after each use. You don’t want to contaminate your next batch. (Note: While I do have quite a bit of freeze-dried raw eggs, I prefer to precook what I preserve by freeze-drying. It seems like the preppery thing to do. If you have clean, drinkable water, you have edible food without the need for cooking.)
10. Preserve foods that cannot be home-canned: I love home canning, both water bath and pressure canning, but each year, we have a bounty of vegetables that we can not home-can, e.g., herbs, leafy greens, zucchini, etc. The freeze dryer easily fills in these gaps.

Cons of buying a freeze dryer:

1. High initial cost: Home freeze dryers are expensive, typically costing between $2,000+ for a Small Pro and $4,000+ for a Large Pro from Harvest Right. Additional options and upgrades can increase costs considerably. Larger units and commercial versions are even more expensive. [See below] The expense alone keeps most people from buying a freeze dryer, whether they want one or not. I’ve had cars that have costed less.
2. Energy usage: Freeze dryers consume a lot of electricity. I’m using a heavy-duty pump, and I noticed my electricity usage bill go up $50/month with one run a week.
   (NOTE: I’ve heard others with the standard pump say the energy cost was just a dollar or two a day. I should mention that I run three fans when running the freeze dryer a large floor fan pointed at the machine, a small fan on top blowing behind, and one under the table blowing on the pump. All that to keep this thing from overheating.)
3. Time-consuming process: In my experience, a typical freeze-drying cycle takes 24-48 hours+ to complete.
   (NOTE: I keep freeze-drying until I no longer see a weight drop after a two-hour cycle. This extends the processing time but makes me more confident that it is as moisture-free as possible.)
4. Noise: Freeze dryers can be pretty loud. I saved several hundred dollars by having the dedicated 20 amp circuit installed (Only needed for the optional oil-free vacuum pump) in an open wall I was building. The drawback is that it’s very close to my living room, with no door to close. I actually bought a TV soundbar to better hear the TV.
5. Cleaning and maintenance: A freeze dryer needs regular cleaning, maintenance, and occasional repairs. I’m using an oil-free, heavy-duty pump that doesn’t require oil changes and filters, but smaller units do. I’ve been very lucky so far (knock on wood); I haven’t needed any repairs in the two years I’ve used it.
6. Rehydration can be problematic: In my experience, some foods rehydrate perfectly, while others make me want to gag. For example, my freeze-dried onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms are game-changers in the kitchen (I do most of the cooking in the house). On the other hand, I freeze-dried things like whole meatballs and breaded chicken thighs that took forever to rehydrate and are still not perfect.
   (Note: Some people record the weight so precisely that they know exactly how much liquid to add for rehydration. I never developed that skill. This practice never really made sense to me. How often am I going to re-hydrate and use an entire tray of freeze dried food? Never. So how is knowing how many grams of water I removed helpful?)
7. Learning curve: Properly using and optimizing a freeze dryer takes time. Watching YouTube can foster several different methods, leaving us more confused than ever. For example, we can weigh it or eyeball it, pre-freeze everything, or let the machine do the work. Use the heater to thaw the ice when finished, or let it thaw naturally. Everyone has an opinion.
8. Space requirements: Freeze dryers are large appliances that take up considerable space. I have a large 5-tray machine weighing around a million tons. When I got home, I wanted it on my stainless steel prep table but couldn’t wait for help. I used a heavy-duty dolly (hand truck), my trailer ramps, and a lot of momentum and effort to get it up there. I liked to killed myself.
9. My dog hates it: I have a beautifully behaved 90-pound pit mix (XL Bully). Only two things as far as sound bothers him. Fireworks and storms – no problem. Gunshots – not an issue. The freeze dryer – He bolts out the dog door into the backyard and has to be called back in. Then he stays in my studio (The other end of the house) or our bedroom when it’s bedtime (He takes up 1/3 of the bed). The other noise that bothers him is no noise. When everything is quiet because of a power outage, he crawls on top of me for protection. Quiet makes him nervous. Before buying a freeze dryer, if your pets get nervous around loud noises, that will be something to consider. My dog is an important member of our family.
10. Not suitable for all foods: Some high-fat or high-sugar foods don’t freeze dry well. We’re back to opinion here, but if I’m using ground beef, I’d like to use the expensive 90/10 stuff (90% Lean / 10% Fat). That’s more of an investment than I’m willing to make. Most pork (one of my favorite food groups) is too fatty to freeze in a dryer for long-term food preservation.

Pro Tip: Since I can’t afford the 90/10 ground beef, I’ve started using ground turkey as a replacement. For example, I’m making a huge stockpot of chili for the next couple of rounds of the freeze dryer (chili is also great home-canned). Neither my wife nor I can tell the difference. It is cheaper and less fat, which the freeze dryer doesn’t like.

Is Buying A Freeze Dryer For Preparedness Worth The Investment For The Average Prepper?

Honestly, I’d have to say a freeze dryer isn’t a great purchase for the average prepper. If you are really into prepping, ie, an advanced or very dedicated prepper, then sure, I’d recommend looking into a freeze dryer.

For preppers, the decision to buy a freeze dryer ultimately depends on factors like budget, space availability, and how extensively you want to build your long-term food storage. While freeze dryers can preserve otherwise perishable food for many years, the high upfront cost and ongoing operational expenses need to be carefully weighed against other food storage methods.

Another question you should ask yourself, when it comes to large stockpiles of food and preps is: How convinced are you that you will need these preps on day?

If you just want a backup to your backups or some freeze-dried package meals for your bugout bag, purchasing those from a commercial supplier might be better. Buying commercial freeze dryed food is expensive but you can get a lot of it for a few grand – the average cost of purchasing one.*

*Let’s ask Voilà^[Aff] (My virtual personal assistant): What’s the average cost of a Harvest Right home freeze dryer?

Unless you’re going to stock up many months of long-term food storage, the math just doesn’t work. The exception, of course, is if you plan to offset or profit from a side gig using the machine.

If you’re building a large prepper pantry with six-months+ of long-term food storage, a freeze dryer might be a Godsend.

What Are Some Creative Ways To Offset The Initial Costs?

Many people offset or even profit from a freeze dryer investment by selling freeze-dried products (Understand legal requirements and risks in your area when selling foodstuffs). Look around ETSY, and you’ll see plenty of items, from freeze-dried candy to fruits, freeze-dried pickles to greens, freeze-dried sprouts to turkey hearts.

Renting out a freeze dryer might be worth looking into. I don’t believe they are very common yet, but there are businesses that will rent a freeze dryer for large batches. These generally stay in the business and you have to go to them.

Another idea might be to post a question on social media or Nextdoor asking if anyone would be willing to rent their freeze dryer. I imagine there are thousands of freeze dryers sitting in homes around the world, right next to the excersize equipment.

Another idea might be to rent your new freeze dryer to local preppers that want to add a little to their pantries. Or just the couple tht wants to freeze dry a load of treats for a weding or party.

Another solution is to team up with one or two local people and split the costs. Details like location, cleanup, storage, packaging costs, etc would need to be worked out but it could be a win win for everyone involved.

What Are The Costs Involved In Owning And Using A Freeze Dryer?

The costs of owning a freeze dryer go a little beyond the original investment. Obviously, as with any machine, there may be repair bills at some point. Maintenance costs will include the proper oil for oil changes unless you pay more for the oilless pump.

You’ll need a quality bag sealer, a jar vacuum sealer if you want to use mason jars, and a decent scale (I prefer one that weighs in grams).

Pro Tip: I quickly learned that the old adage ‘One is none, two is one‘ applies to freeze drying. It’s a painful experience to find your sealer died after you just invested hours of prep and days of drying. Today, I have two decent mylar bag sealers, two jar vacuum sealers, and tons of backup supplies. Someday, I’d love to buy a chamber vacuum sealer, but that’s a little out of my budget at the moment.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll find extra equipment to buy as you move forward with your new prepping process. Things like tray-stacking holders, try liners, extra trys or pans to pre-freeze a batch or two ahead, and even a french fry scoop.

The preservation costs don’t stop at the actual freeze-drying either. Don’t forget to consider the packaging costs, e.g., Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and canning jars if you decide to go that route.

Products Mentioned In The Video And Article:

(Affilate links where possible)

Hey Elon, the five things I accomplished this week are:

1. I conducted a recorded interview to help others decide whether or not a freeze dryer is worth it for them.
2. I wrote this amazing article that takes a deep dive into the pros and cons of owning a freeze dryer.
3. I sent out this video to tens of people to get the viral ball moving so even more people can decide if they want a freeze dryer.
4. I offered billions of people some creative ways to offset the initial costs of buying a freeze dryer.
5. I feel I gave an honest overview with pros and cons that conveys that a freeze dryer isn’t for everyone.

Next Step: How To Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms (And Other Veggies) – W/Video

Stay safe. Stay prepared.
Hawkins Out.

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