Need to stage up your prep sport?
It’s time to start out excited about shopping for a freeze dryer.
Though freeze dryers include a hefty price ticket, they’re an funding in your future meals safety. Since they’ll protect meals for as much as 25 years or extra, they’re good for die-hard preppers.
I not too long ago bought my arms on a Blue Alpine freeze dryer, and it has undoubtedly stolen my coronary heart.
Constructed for energy-efficient dwelling use, this machine boasts shorter drying cycles, bespoke recipe timers, and lots of design upgrades that merely make it higher.
Blue Alpine Freeze Dryer Professionals
Straightforward to make use of
Power-efficient
Leak-resistant design
Sturdy body
Constructed-in recipe timer modes
Communicative customer support
Free transport within the continental USA
Designed and assembled within the USA
Contains full starter equipment
Blue Alpine Freeze Dryer Cons
Heavy and laborious to maneuver
Requires devoted house
Massive up-front price
Noisy
Runs scorching
Requires frequent oil modifications
Specs And Shopping for Choices
Blue Alpine makes freeze dryers in two sizes. I’ve the medium dimension, which produces a beneficiant quantity of freeze-dried meals with lighter and extra compact specs:
Dimensions: 20″ x 21″ x 30″
Weight: 110 lbs.
Tray dimension: 9×13”, 5-tray unit
Capability: 15 lbs. recent meals or 1-gallon liquid
Whereas the Blue Alpine freeze dryer is hefty, I discovered it simple to work with as soon as it was put in in my store. It’s designed for normal laypeople, with electrical specs reflecting simple setup and economical use at dwelling:
120 volt/15-amp breaker (wall outlet)
13-amp max energy draw (1560W max)
9-amp common energy draw (1080W common)
Common cycle: 12-20 hours
It’s good for my two-person, one-cat family. You could need to go along with the bigger possibility when you have an entire household (or many cats!). An outsized unit can be nice when you have a backyard of produce to protect or plan to promote your freeze-dried items for homesteading cash.
Construct High quality
One in every of Blue Alpine’s largest promoting factors is its superior construct high quality. The framing is comprised of sturdy extruded aluminum, and every unit undergoes hours of rigorous testing to make sure the internal parts are match for the market.
One cool factor is that the corporate sends you a high quality management guidelines with pictures alongside along with your freeze dryer so you’ll be able to see every step of the testing course of. That manner, you’ll be able to relaxation simple figuring out your unit works as supposed.
Additionally noteworthy is that Blue Alpine is a household firm primarily based out of Idaho, the place staff design and assemble the models in-house.
Many parts are manufactured in-house, too. The corporate is working in direction of ultimately manufacturing every little thing in-house.
No low-cost thriller components? I can get behind that!
Design And Upkeep
Blue Alpine has put years into this design. The corporate focuses on ease of use, from set up to working and sustaining the machine.
Quick And Straightforward Freeze-Drying
Probably the greatest issues concerning the Blue Alpine freeze dryer is that it dries meals 20-50% sooner than the competitors, relying on the mannequin. This is because of its bigger refrigeration capability, which ends up in shorter cycles and extra environment friendly freeze-drying — yee-haw!
The unit additionally boasts revolutionary software program with built-in timer modes for various meals and recipes. This makes issues simpler initially, however you’ll need to department out and experiment as time goes on. You’ll be able to program the timer your self to create distinctive recipes and customized creations.
When you program the machine to your liking and begin the cycle, every step of the freeze-drying course of begins and ends mechanically. Whilst you could need to verify on it often, it’s a hands-off system. There’s no want to observe it like a hawk.
Approachable Upkeep
These freeze dryers are meant for use. They don’t break simply, however components will ultimately put on out. After they do, it may be overwhelming to repair or exchange them.
There’s no denying {that a} freeze dryer is difficult, however Blue Alpine makes it as approachable as attainable for the common Jane.
The intuitive design and supportive sources (together with an accessible on-line consumer handbook, a weblog, and a devoted YouTube channel) make sure you gained’t be confused about what to do or scrambling to get ultra-specialized components.
You’ll be able to exchange many parts your self and carry out normal upkeep duties like altering the oil and changing hoses. That is empowering (particularly as a feminine) but in addition saves you money and time.
Standout Options
Customizable presets: The machine has normal applications for on a regular basis gadgets like fruit, sweet, meat, and many others. I really like that you would be able to edit the presets to vary the freeze time, dry time, dry temperature, and strain if you could. You can even change the default settings!
Cooling capability: These freeze dryers have 25% extra cooling capability than comparable merchandise, so cycles run sooner.
Correct temping: The bottom tray has a better wattage heating pad to maintain the identical warmth as all the opposite trays. The machine’s good software program makes use of solid-state relays and PID management tech – each gold requirements in temperature and strain management.
Barbed fittings: Blue Alpine makes use of barbed fittings as an alternative of crimped fittings and thread locker as an alternative of Teflon tape, creating a good seal and minimal leakage.
Customary-sized trays: As a substitute of outsized freeze-drying trays, Blue Alpine gives standard-sized trays—so if one breaks or goes lacking, you’ll be able to substitute one among your baking pans in a pinch.
Blue Alpine Freeze Dryer In Motion
I admit I barely knew something about freeze dryers earlier than receiving mine. I used to be fairly intimidated when the unit arrived on my doorstep.
As soon as I dove in (proprietor’s handbook in hand), I used to be fairly shocked with how easy it was to function and the way superior my first batch turned out!
Set up and Setup
Unpacking the pallet and discovering all of the goodies inside was an actual deal with. The freeze dryer comes with every little thing you could get began:
Freeze dryer
Vacuum pump
Impulse sealer
Starter oil + pump key
5 meals trays
5 silicone mats
50 mylar luggage
50 oxygen absorbers
The proprietor’s handbook, high quality management guidelines, and a bit bag of sweet to your first load are additionally included.
The medium Blue Alpine freeze dryer remains to be fairly massive at 110 kilos. I had to make use of some neighborhood assist to get it inside and on a desk, so be ready for a exercise.
After that, I needed to join the traces, fill the vacuum pump with oil, and raid my pantry for issues to freeze-dry. I felt fairly assured about beginning it up.
First Freeze-Dry Cycle
Blue Alpine suggests operating the primary cycle with sweet. I loaded in some saltwater taffy, Nerds gummies (courtesy of Blue Alpine), a stray lollipop, and a few random ginger chews I had mendacity round.
I ran it on the “sweet” preset for about two hours. Usually, meals take 12-20 hours to run via a cycle, however laborious sweet freeze-dries a lot sooner because it has much less moisture.
As soon as the cycle was completed, I unloaded the sweet and ran the unit on defrost to take away the ice. Defrosting took about another hour, which I spent consuming a pound of freeze-dried saltwater taffy whereas standing and observing my new freeze dryer.
Altering the Oil
The oil that comes with the unit is an affordable starter to get your pump going. It’s solely appropriate for one cycle, however I went forward and bought some Robinair vacuum pump oil so I might do one other batch shortly.
You’ll need to change the oil each 5-10 cycles for those who’re operating common meals or 25-30 cycles for those who’re solely operating sweet. There are methods to recycle and reuse the oil so that you don’t have to purchase it continually.
The method is not like altering the oil in your automotive. All you want is the pump key and a receptacle. Use the important thing to unscrew the bolt, and wham—oil comes out, and also you catch it within the receptacle.
Then, refill the pump with new oil and get one other batch going!
Key Takeaways And Experiences
I get pleasure from working with the Blue Alpine freeze dryer. It’s a improbable and well-made machine that performs its goal fairly effectively, and I’m excited to attempt tasks like making DIY survival meals and freeze-drying my backyard herbs.
Retaining Prices Low
That is an costly piece of kit. It’s unattainable to get round that truth. Nonetheless, whereas the preliminary price of a house freeze dryer would possibly put folks off, it may prevent cash in the long term.
Survivalists need the most effective in meals preservation, so freeze-dried meals are a pure alternative when stocking up. Sadly, shopping for freeze-dried meals is dear.
Freeze-drying that meals your self with your individual unit eliminates that large price. It additionally provides you extra company over your survival diet and permits you a greater bang to your calorie buck.
You’ll nonetheless want to purchase vacuum pump oil, mylar luggage, and oxygen absorbers commonly and make investments time in sustaining your machine. Factoring in energy and gear, Blue Alpine estimates that every common load ought to price between $4 and $8.
After all, prices will range relying on electrical energy and meals costs in your space. Shopping for sale gadgets in bulk and freezing them till you’ll be able to freeze-dry them is an effective way to save cash.
To chop prices even additional, you’ll be able to forage edible vegetation and mushrooms, develop your individual fruits and veggies, and use wild-caught meat.
Should you hunt, fish, and backyard, you gained’t should spend a lot cash on meals in any respect. In that case, shopping for a freeze dryer permits you to flip the bounty of your land into meals you’ll be able to eat for years to return.
Changing into An Knowledgeable
Shopping for and putting in the freeze dryer is fairly simple. Changing into an knowledgeable takes time and expertise.
As soon as you purchase the unit, you need to begin slowly. Give your self some wins with low-moisture meals earlier than shifting on to delicate gadgets. Hold that proprietor’s handbook shut at hand, and also you’ll do positive.
I like to recommend utilizing the presets once you first begin. That manner, you’ll find out about completely different meals timings and perceive how the settings work in your house.
A room’s ambient temperature, humidity stage, and even elevation could have an effect on freeze-drying. You’ll probably must customise settings as time passes, however the presets provide you with a strong place to begin.
Programming the machine is straightforward and quick, so don’t hesitate to get in there. You’ll be able to customise freeze time, dry time, dry temperature, and strain as you uncover the ins and outs of moisture retention for various meals.
I truthfully assume a freeze dryer is among the finest investments you can also make, and utilizing the unit isn’t laborious. You simply should be ready to spend a bit time on trial and error to get issues the place they should be.
What I Don’t Love
I do have just a few complaints about my Blue Alpine freeze dryer, however all are minor.
When utilizing the freeze dryer, my store is about 5 levels hotter, and it runs round 60 decibels. So, it places out warmth, and it’s loud, however I can take care of that.
I used to be very cautious about mishandling the unit, so I glommed onto each useful resource Blue Alpine gives clients. I watched each video, learn each weblog, and scoured the proprietor’s handbook for information.
Sadly, a number of the data assorted from useful resource to useful resource. I needed to contact the corporate with a query since I bought confused by differing data.
It’s value noting that I obtained a response inside 5 minutes by way of their chat messenger, so it’s clear this small enterprise is concerned with high quality customer support.
You could do your analysis earlier than shopping for your unit. Most of my points have been attributable to making assumptions earlier than the machine arrived, and my expectations have been completely different from actuality.
The Blue Alpine freeze dryer is a giant, heavy, highly effective machine. It requires some easy upkeep and a studying curve to turn into adept at utilizing it, however it places the prepping energy again in your arms.
So long as you’re prepared to work with it, it should give you the results you want!
Take a look at the machines on Blue Alpine.
