Although the machine itself is a bit pricey, I am saving money by buying in bulk or on clearance, and I am able to store food for when we need it later.

We preserve our favorite foods, which means I know my family will eat them when it’s time to break them out, whether that’s for a camp out, family vacation, or the apocalypse.

I have no adverse vacuum performance change with the catch can in place. It just catches any oil. I still smell oil vapor when the pump first starts up, but not nearly as much. I've only emptied the can once or twice since I've had it installed. I slightly over filled the pump and it blew out into the can, then ran it with the FDer valve open for a few minutes. Nothing got past the can. I used the outside port as IN and the middle one as out. I did take the port off and the longer one should be the inlet port. It's not a great deal longer. Tony Edited January 22, 2016 by TonyC updated (log)

Regular maintenance includes cleaning the lint filters, inspecting and cleaning heating elements, checking for any blockages in vents, and ensuring all moving parts are lubricated. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance guidelines for specific intervals.

It freezes the product and lowers pressure to remove ice by sublimation. Sublimation is the transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through the liquid phase.

Simply press start on the touch screen and the patend Smart Freeze technology senses when it's done.

Automatically adjusts settings for optimal vacuum pressure and temperature, ensuring the best preservation of your materials.

Taking the time to be sure accurate air flow, drainage angle, and positioning of accessories such as drip pan can avoid mishaps, preserving you the two time and expense In the long term. A properly-executed set up is the initial step toward productive freeze drying adventures.

Made with a stainless steel exterior and includes a stainless steel drying chamber and purge valve for easy maintenance.

Freeze drying preserves fresh fruits and vegetables Freeze drying is a great way to preserve food for short term or long term storage, up to 25 years.

Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) On 12/1/2015 at 0:16 PM, Jenipher said: Tony, if you see this, I went ahead and purchased the catch can. Do you think it's okay to just purchase a reducer to go from the size of the exhaust to the size of the hose that came with the can? Hopefully I said that in a way that makes sense! As well, does it matter which more info port is used as "in" and which as "out"? Thanks so much, Jen Hi Jen, Sorry to be gone so long. I did exactly as you proposed. I purchased a brass reducer and pushed the blue hose over it.

You can freeze dry soy and almond milk as well as most non-dairy yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese substitutes. This has been especially helpful in avoiding food waste, as my son is the only one who uses the non-dairy substitutes, and he rarely is able to finish them before they go bad. I just throw them in the freeze dryer for him to eat later.

Depending on how you want to use freeze dried food, it doesn’t have to be reconstituted. There are some freeze dried foods I like to powder in my blender or food processor and then add to other foods. These powders can be used in smoothies, soups, and baked goods.

You can choose to season meat either before or after the freeze drying process. I prefer to season cooked meats before processing and leave raw meat unseasoned. Then the meat can be seasoned later before it’s cooked.