Harvest Right Freeze Dryer - Old Model (2015)

Purchased the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer last May 2019. Used the unit less than 12 times. Changed the oil in the vacuum pump after each use and last night the vacuum pump seized. So I called the manufacturer and they said I had to buy their new upgraded vacuum pump. I read the reviews about the vacuum pump seizing up. The vacuum pump is a modified air conditioning pump and is not designed to go to a vacuum of 50 in hg only 30 in hg. Therefor the pump works too hard and overheats and seizes up.Dansha Farms

I have not not stopped using my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer since the day it arrived. I made a lot of snacks for Christmas gifts and I have moved on to meals and having great success. I thought about this purchase for years before I pulled the trigger and I’m so glad I finally got one!

I bought the small dryer because I wanted to be able to put up my garden overflow to have other times of the year and also just to be able to put away food for another time when it's needed or to make my own camping food. The machine works well when it's working. But it has all sorts of issues and the customer support is beyond infuriating. The company is small, based in the Western United states, and has no ability to service these products when something goes wrong. On several occasions now I have not been able to create a vacuum and the technician that you work with ask you the same questions over and over and over and over and basically does absolutely everything to keep from bringing this unit back and servicing it to get it working properly. All of the emphasis is put on you to troubleshoot for them over the phone and very frequently you end up doing the same thing over and over and over even though you've demonstrated clearly that the problem lies either in the software or in the pump unit that they send with these things. Very frustrating and I'm already looking for another vendor even if I have to pay a little bit more money to have a good unit. In short, the product does work but sporadically and the support is more focused around looking like it's trying to solve the problem than it is able to solve it. The fact that they don't have technicians that can come look at the units as a serious drawback for a machine that is this intricate

I own two of these. I keep them in my garage.The first one I bought went through two vacuum pumps, I am now on my third vacuum pump.The main unit now has a vacuum leak that I have not been able to find.I use this unit to vacuum compress the mylar bags prior to sealing.The customer support has been very good, (they replaced one vacuum pump),but the turnaround is a little long if you have food that will spoil.Getting through the troubleshooting with support is lengthly.The next season I bought a new one and it has not given me any trouble at all, except the usb plug does not align with the usb hole on the cover, so the usb doesn't work.I am unable to use it year round because of the high temperature in the garage.I tried it in the laundry room which is cooler but no, they are too loud.My season is from November to April because of the heat. ( run times increase with heat )My normal batch turnaround is about 32 hours.Overall the one that works does a great job. The rating is because of vacuum problems.

I love the machine, it puts out great quality food, and I'm glad I bought it. I love that I can make Masman Curry, Alfredo, soup, etc. and freeze dry it for an easy meal when my wife is out of town and I don't feel like cooking. I also make great snacks for my kids, freeze dried strawberries, bananas, and mangos are awesome. It's great to add to your food storage. Cooked rice surprisingly reconstitutes really well without having to cook it again. One point to consider is that Vacuum Pump oil uses additives and detergents (all of these have birth defects/cancer warnings for the State of California). I think California can be ridiculous in many ways, but my wife is pregnant, and I like to play it safe. I use 100% food grade mineral oil instead of vacuum pump oil. I have seen a Youtube video of the older-model pump where oil crept back into the chamber with the food (although the food is elevated on trays)...Since there is a vacuum that gets pulled, then released, It's safe to assume that air swishes around inside the machine at least once or twice during the process, and if there was oil that accidentally crept back into the machine, I wouldn't want it touching the food... So i do use mineral oil instead--it's the same stuff people apply to their cutting boards and wood countertops. When using this oil, you will notice gunk build up on the little circular window to gauge the level of oil in the pump. If you actually take the pump apart and look inside (like I did) you will notice that the inside of the machine isn't that bad (especially if you change the oil each batch like they recommend). I used a nylon brush and was able to get some of the gunk off of the window and some of the other pieces of the inside of the vacuum pump. For me, it's still worth having the machine. I wish their oil-free near-zero maintenance vacuum pump wasn't so expensive, or I'd buy that and never look back.