Harvest Right Freeze Dryer Reviews

Harvest Right freeze dryer review:

Bought a medium size freeze dryer in 2022, it was For about a year when I had to replace the drain valve. Six months later I had to replace it again. After having multiple vacuum issues, which I worked on with customer service, I just bought a new premier pump which took care of all my vacuum problems.

I use my Harvest Right freeze dryer a lot, and if I had my choice, I would buy it again through Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Tractor Supply, then you have the big box store to stand by the product, if you ever have any problems with it.

The quality of the food produced with this machine is excellent, however when the machine quits working properly, it's frustrating

I bought a four tray version in 2018 and we have used it a ton enought that we recently had the compressor replaced. We also invested in this 5 tray model as well in March. We have preserved fruits, vegetables, meats, fresh herbs, ice cream sandwiches, yogurt, scrambled and raw eggs, dog treats, etc. It is great for on-the-go snacks with a long shelf life.

I love the versatility of freeze drying and the quality of the end product. My husband has been much more interested in helping preserve food since we made this purchase. We can be creative and know exactly what we are putting into our food storage.

We have chosen to store most of the items in glass 2-quart, quart and pint jars. When we are ready to take a snack, we transfer the food to a ziploc bag and then reuse the jar. However, the mylar bags are great for backpacking and having a satisfying meal away from home.

This machine is worth the investment if you have a good supply of home produce that you can use throughout the year.

Bought the Harvest Right freeze dryer a little over a month ago. Have had it running pretty much non-stop since then. Never used one before, but after a few batches we are getting the hang of it.

We had a small issue with the trays not heating, but contacted support and we were able to troubleshoot with them and figure out the issue. Once we got to the level 2 or whatever support he was great!

With the pump and main unit running it pulls around between 6 -7.5 amps on average.

The machine runs great, and it does what it is supposed to do. Would recommend.

The customer service with Home Depot is GREAT!!!

It's the manufacturer has terrible customer service. They expect you to be a technician instead of sending out a knowledgeable tech to resolve the issues. We sent ours in for repairs and it took 3 months for them to "find the part" and then ship it back. This cost us thousands of dollars in revenue.

The only thing positive I can say is that you are safer buying it through Home Depot, Lowe's, Tractor Supply, etc,

I have had my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer for a few years now. Right away, it exceeded my wildest expectations. Along with preserving my excess garden produce for winter use (and my emergency preparedness supply), I was able to make babyfood, have a super lightweight meal collection for hiking and biking trips, and improve my family's wellness with preserved food that retains micronutrient levels way beyond traditional preservation techniques. I was super happy! With my support, our "Feed the Homeless" community garden even bought their own freeze dryer and continued to feed the unhoused in our area with freeze dried food through the winter months.

Then my family went on a months long trip and after leaving the freeze dryer for too long unused, I hit a bump and the pressurizing process did not work properly.

I called customer service, anticipating the worst. I expected a long wait, delayed response, different representatives every time....except that isn't what happened! Landon was my first and only rep from beginning to end. He was patient. He didn't laugh at my endless list of questions nor make me feel bad! He followed up to check on my progress and to make sure I had the support I needed. I felt like I had a real partner in to work through the process. The hands on troubleshooting was...wait for it....FUN! I felt successful even when a particular step didn't fix my problem. I can honestly say it was the best customer service experience I have ever had.

A freeze drier is not a toaster...it is more like a motorcycle. Super fun but you have to learn to take care of it and to trouble shoot common problems that arise. I am a happy customer because this is a great, game changing product....with customer service that also way exceeds expectations. Thankyou Harvest Right and thankyou, Landon!

We were unlucky enough to get a machine that has worked three times in the past two months. I have returned my pump twice (don't waste your money on an oil free pump). I have run SO MANY tests on that machine, and have dealt with a snarky IT specialist. After two months I give up and now they want to charge for a restocking fee for a machine that never worked.

The unit I have I less than 2 years old, has not been overworked. I started a batch of fruit, I always prefreeze to lessen work time. Unit shut off as pump kicked in to vacuum unit. No power at all, checked my power source all good. Went onto Harvest Right's website to send in support request. Was I instructed to pay 45 bucks US before they would even advance the request. Was e-mailed a time for a phone call, had to leave my work to accommodate said call. Support person told me to go on YouTube and look up no power to unit. I missed work and was held for

ransom for 45 bucks to be told to look on YouTube? After paying so much for this machine and that’s the support? Pretty fricken cheesy, shame on this company. Power switch was the cause, was told now to pay 65 dollars US for a 7 dollar switch, 53 dollars shipping charge for a part that weighs less than a hummingbird , what an utter rip off

We purchased a medium sized 5 tray Harvest Right freeze dryer a few months ago, and waited to review it after we had used it several times. We had an issue with it shipping; something fell threw the cracks somewhere, but once it was pointed out that it had been more than 6 weeks since it had been ordered, the people at Harvest Right got it shipped that week. When it arrived, we had FedEx open the box as is recommended by Harvest Right and found the dryer had been dented. On Harvest Right's recommendation, we refused the shipment and had to wait a few more weeks to get the second unit. The second box was also damaged, but thankfully, the damage was to the lower part of the box and only affected the pallet that it was on and not the unit. All of this was Fed Ex's fault, not Harvest Right's.

The set up was easy and straight forward, but I noticed that the door wasn't making a good seal on the rubber ring; called Harvest Right and was sent a link to a video on how to adjust it, which was also an easy fix. I did the first run on bread, as advised, and everything worked perfectly.

These are the things that I am not happy with:

I have an issue with the documentation that comes with this unit. I feel that it is way too simplistic and doesn't address what reasonable expectations could be on how long run times could be for different things.

They also don't provide much information on how to adjust the freeze times and dry times and how these things will affect the food you are drying. They do include directions on how to change settings to do candy, but no guidance on things like wet foods or things with high sugar content like figs or cherries.

I also think they should include more information on the actual process and what happens at different times during the cycle. For example, the mTorrs that the unit should be pulling during the process should be below 500 while it is vacuuming; it doesn't have to remain constant, but should be reaching those levels sometimes.

I also think that instead of advising people to simply test things by feeling for cold spots or snapping the food to see if it seems dry isn't as good as weighing the trays after the cycle has finished and writing it on the outside of the tray with a magic marker (as the writing can be removed with rubbing alcohol), rotating them in the chamber and drying an additional 2-3 hours and weighing again to see if they lost weight is more accurate. If they lose weight, I run them an additional 2 hours and weigh again. I started doing this after finding the tomatoes I had done seemed dry, but actually weren't as they got soft in the bags after a few days. After I started weighing, I haven't had these issues.

The rubber ring often has to be adjusted and slightly pulled out to make a proper seal. You need to check this every time you open and shut the door.

I live in an area with high summertime temperatures and high humidity which increases run times. I set up fans but couldn't keep the unit cool enough to not get the notice of “warm room temperature; run time may be extended”. I had to move it to a room with a small window air conditioner to keep it cool enough to run properly. In the winter, this probably won't be an issue, but for people in any of the southern states it may be problematic in the summer.

They say to clean the unit every time after it's used, but don't tell you that the trays unplug from the cord inside, or where the cord should be positioned when you put the trays back in.

The times that are required on the loads I have run have ranged from 25-43 hours. I'm telling you this so you can manage expectations and also plan your day around when the loads are likely to be done. Anything wet can take a long time; the drier things take far less time. The reason why this matters is that once things are done (and still warm) they need to be immediately bagged with a oxygen absorber and sealed, so you don't want this happening in the middle of the night. If it seems like that might happen, I add an additional 9-10 hours of dry time so I don't have to worry about it.

Also, be aware that if you change and save the settings, that's what they'll be the next time you start it; it doesn't revert back to default settings.

Overall, we're happy with the unit and the customer service has been outstanding. I had an issue which seems to have resolved itself, but weeks after getting a technical support ticket got a call from a representative to see if things were working properly. I have done14 cycles so far, and the only problem I had was probably due to an insufficient vacuum because of not pulling the rubber ring out. In other words, user error. I really wish that the manual had provided much more information and hope that, in the future, it is included.

Bought my Harvest Right freeze dryer in 2022, a little over 2 years ago, and I have run this machine hard; it only had a maximum of 2 or 3 days break. I finally came up with a problem: My machine overheated and burnt a batch. I watched the videos that Harvest Right provides to figure out how to service my machine, but they weren't helpful because they weren't up-to-date for my machine. So I called Harvest Right service, and to be honest, I wasn't thrilled at all with the person that I talked to who answered the phone because, in my opinion, they were strictly a card reader; they had little or no knowledge of the situation or how to fix the problem they just constantly kept asking me questions, to the point I had become frustrated and mad and wanted to talk with a supervisor !!! I wasn't thrilled with Harvest Right then, but I finally got connected with tech support, specifically a technician by the name of David Morrey. When I first talked with David, it was apparent that this wasn't his first Time speaking with an upset, angry customer; he was calm and to the point. He started walking me through step-by-step instructions on how to fix this machine; after several steps, we realized that the board had burned itself out, so I ordered a new one. While waiting on the new board. David downloaded the proper videos for my machine and the latest software installation program that would be needed. He walked me through each one of the downloads he had sent, Giving me the confidence needed to fix my machine. After talking with David and him walking me through the process of replacing the board, I realized it was a minor deal to replace it myself. Once I received and replaced the board, he instructed me to download and upload the software to my machine. David and I worked through emails and phone calls for several days. It surprised me how easy it was to fix (WITH DAVIDS HELP, OF COURSE). It should be fixed. It's Time to test it out.

Once David finished all he could do, the machine worked perfectly and has worked fine ever since. I'm not thrilled with the receptionist who had to read from a cue card. Harvest Right should send the people who answer the phones to the factory for one or two days of training so they would at least know what they're talking about. However, the service technicians are top-notch. I'd recommend Harvest Right to anyone looking into a freeze-dryer.

Gary, From Indiana, is the proud owner of Harvest Right.

Don't trust the reviews. They offered me $100 to leave positive reviews. Not happening, you shouldn't have to spend numerous hours working on this machine, changing every piece of teflon tape, pulling out their parts and sealants just to replace them with stuff you have to buy and do yourself after spending a small fortune on these machines. How can you as a company know of all these issues, and instead of fixing them in all machines, just offer money to hide it publicly. Not ok Harvest Right, it's called integrity.

My first dryer quit a couple months ago. Our two machines are from May and October 2016. My wife told me to go ahead and order the replacement screens we had discussed. I called Harvest Right and paid the tech support fee. I did not know that one of the machines had quit working, both had white lines on the screens and have been difficult to operate for several years. They sent us two screens for our machines, they had a few left. The newer machines have different components I believe they said “resistive”. I replaced the first screen and did the retrain, the machine works great with the clear screen.

I then replaced the screen on the early machine and I could not get the machine to work. I discussed this with my wife and she explained that only one machine had been working for a while.

Harvest Right has been great and communicating to see how the repairs are progressing.

I contacted them again and requested the board the the screen connects to. They no longer have any of that particular board. They sent me and new style screen and the intermediate board. I installed the new components and got a relay board failure message.

I passed along this information to Harvest Right and yesterday the new style relay board arrived.

Today I installed the new relay board and the machine lives and thinks it is a new machine. I get vacuum freezing and it is running now. I will check for candy mode between runs. Our standup freezer is full of trays ready to go.

Harvest Right has been great and the replacement parts are very reasonable.

Happy Camper

Andy

I received my Harvest Right freeze dryer about a month ago, and it has been running almost nonstop ever since. The setup process was incredibly easy, and I was immediately impressed by the build quality. The machine arrived quickly and in perfect condition, which set the tone for my positive experience. I love how user-friendly it is, with an intuitive touch screen that guides you through every step of the process. From managing the drain valve to adding extra drying time, the interface is clear and straightforward, making the freeze-drying process a breeze.

The freeze dryer has opened up a world of possibilities for preserving a wide variety of foods. I’ve freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, herbs, eggs, milk, meats, and even leftover meals. As someone who enjoys gardening, I’m particularly thrilled with how it has made preserving my garden produce much easier. The ability to retain over 95% of the nutritional value of the food is a huge bonus, ensuring that I’m storing healthy, nutrient-rich options for the long term.

The Premier pump that came with my freeze dryer is quieter than I expected, and I’ve run multiple batches without encountering any issues. Harvest Right’s customer service has been outstanding. Their support team responded quickly whenever I had questions, providing educational and knowledgeable assistance. This level of service is rare and highly appreciated. Additionally, the abundance of instructional videos has been helpful, making the learning curve smooth and enjoyable.

My three-year-old granddaughter loves the different freeze-dried fruits, and I appreciate having healthy, delicious options for her. I can’t believe I didn’t get this sooner or opt for a larger model, as it has quickly become one of my favorite purchases. The freeze dryer has freed up space in my freezer and pantry, making it much easier to manage my food storage. It’s a game-changer for long-term food preservation.

Whether it’s freeze-drying fresh herbs like basil and oregano, fruits like bananas and strawberries, or even candy, the results are always superior to traditional dehydrating. The flavor and crispness of the freeze-dried foods are amazing, and the machine’s versatility is nearly limitless. I store my freeze-dried foods in Ball jars and vacuum-seal them, which keeps them fresh and ready to use whenever needed.

In conclusion, Harvest Right is an excellent company with a fantastic product and superb customer service. This freeze dryer is a must-have appliance for anyone looking to expand their food preservation methods. The ease of use, quality results, and exceptional support make it an investment that pays off every time I use it. I highly recommend Harvest Right freeze dryers for anyone serious about long-term food storage and enjoying the convenience and quality of freeze-dried foods.

I purchased a large freeze dryer slightly over a year ago. It is very user friendly and fairly quiet. I would suggest you house the unit in a cool room, it does generate some heat and if the room gets too warm it will slow the process. It was a big investment for us and overall, I'm happy with it.

NOTE: Harvest Right does not offer an extended warranty, you only have 1 year. Harvest Right does not have tech's that come to you, your unit has to be boxed up and sent back to them. $$$

After about 6 months, my unit would not advance to the vacuum freezing mode. I was told it had a defective condensing line and a freon leak. It took 3 months to get my unit back. It worked for 4 months then I had the same problem, the unit had to be sent back a second time. It took just over a month to get my unit back and I have been assured it has been fixed.

Fingers crossed!

I purchased my medium sized Harvest Right Freeze Dryer in January 2024. Overall, I would rate my experience as of today around a 4-1/2 stars out of 5. So far it's been a bit of a learning curve. The directions aren't very good, especially when it comes to the freeze dryer's on/off switch and pump valve. There is a decent amount of online technical support videos, which have been proven more helpful than the actual owner's manual. I recently contacted customer service, as the door gasket wasn't sealed which caused water and ice buildup on the outside of the machine's door. The first agent I spoke with wasn't helpful, however; the second agent I spoke with was very helpful and sent me videos to help me fix the issue by adjusting the freeze dryer's door. Overall, I think it's a wonderful way to preserve food long-term and short-term, and will be a huge money saver. I also appreciate the fact that my family & I can freeze dry our own food from our garden and not have all of the extra preservatives. I'm looking forward to many years with my machine, and believe it's a great investment for people whom are looking into longer and healthier food storage to pass down to our next generations.

A buddy of mine and I had been discussing the pros and cons of owning a freeze dryer for a couple of years. After a wee dram or two of scotch we decided that we would both buy one. The following day I bought 2 medium freeze dryers (one for me and one for my buddy who sent money along to buy his). The only two freeze dryers in the state were 2 hours away so the adventure was on. I picked them up without a hitch and returned to base.

I set mine up immediately and did the “bread run” (first operation of the unit). All was really simple and went according to plan. Over the next 10 days I experimented with anything I could find that wasn’t high fat to get the hang of things. (By the way, freeze dried skittles are the bomb.) I couldn’t have been happier until about 12 days in I couldn’t get sufficient vacuum in the chamber for the process to work correctly.

Time for that moment everyone dreads…… call for tech support…. Without being put through hell on a rotten rail trying to speak to a real person fluent in the American form of English language, I found myself visiting with Landon. Landon walked me through some basic questions and then asked that I forward a usage log from the machine to him via email. The following day the mission had been accomplished and Landon was calling!

More testing and remedies were tried but nothing seemed to work over the next few days. (It’s important to point out I didn’t have to call and try to chase Landon down to get things moving. He was on top of the issue either emailing or calling me.)

Next step was in home service call handled through a vendor. That didn’t materialize at no fault of Landon or harvest right.

Left with no options Landon did the right thing, Landon cheerfully replaced the unit and has followed up just prior to me writing this to see that everything is satisfactory.

I am absolutely pleased with the level of service, professionalism, follow-up and accessibility. In a time where we are forced to converse with machines and “press 1 for English” it’s good to know that there are those out there who value my time.

Overall experience with our Medium size Freeze dryer is very positive with a few caveats.

1. We purchased our first unit around May 2021 and had a few issues with vacuum due to connections which we resolved by doing the work ourselves with the help of technical support and online videos.

2. We found that the oil-less pumps are fragile and prone to problems. We replaced it twice, first one under warranty and the second at our expense. We decided to purchase a premier oil type pump for the third pump and have not had any issues since then.

3. We feel that customer service should be more proactive in communicating the need for software upgrades as they become available. We had to call about a temperature issue and we were told that there was a software upgrade that needed to be installed and ours was 10 versions behind.

4. Lack of communication from the company. We found out from another website that a 5 shelve unit can be purchased for the medium dryer, increasing food capacity. If we had known this from the beginning we would have been able to process 25% more food.

In conclusion we feel this is a solid unit which does the job very well once the peripheral issues are resolved. We have purchased an additional large pro unit and look forward to putting it to work soon.

Works well at first. Within a year of light use the heater connector went out on the relay board. Im not happy that it is a known issue and it has not been fixed. Customer service was very easy to contact and overnighted a new board for $100.

Remember talking to the owner in 2012 back then I had an ammunition business and I couldn't understand what this guy was doing but if I can't even believe I bought this $5000 machineI got the XL version I didn't want to get the $10,000 version simply because that is a product for them that is brand new and I believe it is untested so it doesn't have a tracker where is the XLIt was taking a gamble but I believe they have it down as far as all the different parts so everything looked commercial the pump is larger the condensers everything inspired the machine in general I believe has More sensors. I would look at it that way this is a commercial grade and this is our new line of products at the end of the day if you run this thing and use your electricity why not simply just do more freeze dryingThe amount of output has versus the other machines you just simply wasting your time. I wish they would've told me how loud this thing was and how much he had put out but look man it is commercial grade and they explained it to me so I couldn't fully understand it from the sales people but this is not something you're gonna put in the kitchen in your house you have to dedicate a room sound through the walls etc.Particular before movement have to put the thing in the garage cause I don't think the wife is gonna be able to handle the noise. I don't think there's any other company I don't want to spend this much money with and harvest right that he's been doing this for I think 15 years? This company seems to keep on improving improving the quality was watching all the videos I would like to certain things like oh the filters got the metal screws or you know all the components they change from being plastic to metal. They are continuously upgrading all the machines or at least I decided to go commercial because for the amount of money you're spending me damn I'm gonna use this thing every day to get my money back

I purchased my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer at the beginning of 2024. Originally, I was thinking it would be a great side-gig for a supplemental income. But I haven't gotten there yet. There's too many things I'm trying for myself and my family. I love the idea of having emergency food that we enjoying eating and that I can control the quality of the ingredients used.

I find myself throwing very little food away now.... I just freeze dry it before it's bad!

I came upon my first issue recently, it was with my oil filter. The team at Harvest Right was very helpful with their quick responses and helped me resolve the problem. There are so many uses for a freeze dryer and although, I haven't tried another brand, I would definitely recommend Harvest Right.