Thanks for your review on The Cube freeze dryer. I love that it is family owned and made in the USA!! HR is the one everyone talks about, and I am happy to be introduced to other freeze dryer companies too. It's nice to have different options when it comes to making a big purchase.
Newer HR freeze dryers have a moisture sensor too. It always confuses me when I see people adding extra hours of dry time, it's not needed. We have an oil-less pump too and would definitely recommend.
I've had the HR large freeze dryer for a few years, and I love it. No issues at all - knock on wood it stays that way :) I guess I got the last of the good, solid ones? I saw the Blue Alpine and that one looks really nice too, especially with the line filters and the circulation in the chamber. The Cube one I never really looked at closely. I'll need to check it out.
I love my HR too. I looked at them all when I was buying and was put off by a lot of the reviews on the cube. Never had an issue with the HR it’s sweet, easy to use and a solid worker. Use it way more than i thought i would.
I have a Harvest Right freeze dryer. I love being able to preserve meat, veggies, fruit, etc. I add an extra 24 hours of dry time but rarely use all of that.
Happy for you to have gotten a freeze dryer. You did a great job on your review. I love watching your videos. You make smile😊 We are planning on getting a FD as soon as we can and we will decide on what brand when the time comes. Blessings to you ❤❤
I paid for my cube and if I had known of the other brands I would not have bought it! The window info is so hard to understand and it takes a lot longer than my harvest right. I do get answers right away when I ask them but I have found some of the answers aren't accurate. My home is run on total solar power so I have to work around the sun and there is no way to program it to do this. It does freeze dry the food though and I sure can't afford to get a different machine and if it doesn't work it is so expensive to send it back. The warranty shows you how much confidence they have in their machine.
@@SageandStoneHomestead When I had my HR I think it was 1 year. When the sales went crazy and they came up with new versions there was no support for my 2017 machine. I have watched videos on 2 other freeze dryer brands and they look good but all their warranties are about the same I think unless they have changed. I stopped looking after I bought the cube because I knew I couldn't buy another. I loved the way I could change things on the HR I wish the cube did that too.
@@lyndabuchholz1216 when i goggle it I see both 1 year and 3 year warranties on HR. HR does have tech support in all states too, I wish they would honor that on older models?!
@@SageandStoneHomestead Blue alpine has a 1 year full warranty and a 3 year limited warranty, Stay Fresh has a 3 year limited and 1 year full warranty. I can only find a 3 year limited warranty on the cube nothing about a full warranty. It looks like HR has the 1 year full warranty and 2 and 3 year limited warranty. So they seem to be comparable in that way.
Yes, I am 4 miles down a privately maintained dirt road! The length of road and the fact that it is primarily sand means that my son-in-law (next door) and our neighbor on the other side do what they can with small tractors. It would literally cost millions to bring it up to better condition. NOBODY comes out here! We can't even get a wrecker. Post office does not deliver to us. UPS and FedEx don't come out here. We are lucky to have trash collection. When we first bought this property we didn't have trash service. I get it!
@@FermentedHomestead I have a mailbox at the UPS Store in town. That has the advantages no porch pirates and no problem with getting things shipped that have batteries. USPS won't allow batteries, like a cell phone, to be sent to a PO box. I had to have my new phone sent to my granddaughter's house 35 miles away. When I had a box at the post office. That is when I changed to UPS. I love it out here and would never consider moving. It is so peaceful and no one complains about the dog barking or the rooster crowing.
@@craftyt333 what is DG? One of our big problems is washout. After a heavy rain we have big gullies across the road. We are on the Gulf Coast of Alabama and subject to hurricanes as well. Putting down 4 miles of anything would take millions of dollars, not to mention the equipment to grade the road. Drainage is a problem.
Thanks for sharing this information. I would love to have a freeze dryer, but I don't know that I can take advantage of this particular sale. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law have one, and they absolutely love it. Most often the Harvest Right freeze dryers are the ones that have been featured and promoted, so it's nice to learn about another brand and someone's experience with it. I love the fact that it has a closed oil pump system as a standard feature. In an SHTF scenario, you might have access to spotty electricity, but what if access to oils becomes a challenge? No worries with this freeze dryer. Thanks again! P.S. ~ I was able to score a copy of that out of print fermentation book that you recommended/referenced a couple of months ago. I was so excited! It was in nearly new condition, and although it cost me almost as much as a used copy as the original price when new, I happily paid it. If you could even find it anywhere, people were selling it for two to over three times the price you could originally buy it for when it was released. It's still available as an e-book, but I wanted a hard copy. Now to USE it! Thanks again! 😊
Ya... saw that too 2k more... 😢 are all components USA made... cuz many USA made products are still made with parts from other countries.. and just assembled in USA which can be labeled made in usa... have to watch for that too...
I already have 😊 you can use a standard outlet and no need for a dedicated breaker! We have ours running constantly on a shared breaker and have had no issues
Do you know if their larger models require it? The medium and smaller HR don't require a dedicated outlet or a 20 Amp circuit. The larger ones do, my husband was able to put in the plug for ours.
I just picked my second round of blackberries, as well as numerous thorns from my fingers, hands, arms, and legs...lol. Our bramble outdid it's self this year! They are so darn big, sweet and juicy! I've got them flash freezing to bag up. I REALLY wish I could freeze dry them instead. Maybe...maybe someday. If and when, I'll snag me a Cube.
Those sound amazing! I wish we had blackberries here! We had them everywhere in Washington but here it’s just black raspberries or something like that and they’re not good
@@FermentedHomestead They're likely the same "wild" blackberries growing here. The trick is to trim it back and wait...the canes that are two years old set the best fruit. Also, fertilize with that swamp juice in March. Wait till they're a shiny black to pick. Tasty stuff!
I would love to have a freeze dryer, I see a lot of videos on people using the FD but hardly any on using the product and what they taste like and how to bring the stuff back to life do you put water or how does it work. Would like to see a meal prepared using the freeze dried ingredients. Sorry for the questions just interested in getting one and would like to know the start to finish processes from a channel that I trust. Love your channel.
Might be helpful to buy something freeze dried from Thrive (not Thrive Market) or some other freeze-dried brand and see what the instructions are for use. Other than that, I would guess you'd want to weigh the food before it goes into the freeze dryer and when it comes out to see how much liquid has to be added back to make a meal out of it. I would think it would be best to add back liquid gradually to get the consistency you want. If you're making something like soup or chili, and you have water/broth or tomatoes in liquid, you might want to start the rehydration process with some liquid, and then add it to the pot to finish. With something like chili or soup, you could really infuse the flavors from your liquids into the proteins or veggies that are rehydrated in it. I would think if you want something like sautéed onions and celery though, that you'd want to rehydrate them a little before adding to your butter or oil to sauté, noting that they will also absorb some of that fat in the process. This is all hypothetical for me. Just "off the top of my head," thinking out loud. I have no practical experience with this, but you can take it for whatever it's worth. 🙂
I’m not sure why people think that because cash wasn’t exchanged it was somehow “free”? It’s basically a work trade. I will be including bits about what I’m doing with it in videos but not many dedicated videos unless I think it needs it.
@@FermentedHomestead thank you for doing this i personally really appreciate it. I have been looking at freeze dryers for 2 yrs wanting to invest in one but afraid to take that plunge only having limited companies to choose from. I’ve recently found and subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to getting to see how this one works. I believe they do save tons when you consider the price of what you are storing in 25 yrs. Thank you again! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you're on the hunt for the best freeze dryer I'd like to introduce you to THE CUBE. p4lfood.com/?ref=fermented_homestead
Anna, happy for you! Show us or tell us all the things you've already preserved! ❤😂
I love my FD!
Thanks for your review on The Cube freeze dryer. I love that it is family owned and made in the USA!! HR is the one everyone talks about, and I am happy to be introduced to other freeze dryer companies too. It's nice to have different options when it comes to making a big purchase.
I’m happy to help! I hadn’t heard of them until recently and I’m thankful I did 😊
, it’s not MADE in the USA. It’s Built in China and Checked for accuracy in Utah. Please stop lying. We have the import reports.
That shirt is so cool 😎 I'm not ready to order a freeze dryer yet, but I will definitely check this brand out. Thank you for sharing, Anna.
It’s one of my favorites! I got it at an event last year and I didn’t get the name of the business sadly
Too bad@@FermentedHomestead
Newer HR freeze dryers have a moisture sensor too. It always confuses me when I see people adding extra hours of dry time, it's not needed. We have an oil-less pump too and would definitely recommend.
Good to know! I’ll have to do some more research
I've had the HR large freeze dryer for a few years, and I love it. No issues at all - knock on wood it stays that way :) I guess I got the last of the good, solid ones? I saw the Blue Alpine and that one looks really nice too, especially with the line filters and the circulation in the chamber. The Cube one I never really looked at closely. I'll need to check it out.
Our harvest right is good too, never any issues and I don't have to add dry time.
I love my HR too. I looked at them all when I was buying and was put off by a lot of the reviews on the cube. Never had an issue with the HR it’s sweet, easy to use and a solid worker. Use it way more than i thought i would.
Im not ready to buy a FD yet but im glad go see this is an option. Hopefully someday I'll get one. Thanks for sharing.
I have a Harvest Right freeze dryer. I love being able to preserve meat, veggies, fruit, etc. I add an extra 24 hours of dry time but rarely use all of that.
Happy for you to have gotten a freeze dryer. You did a great job on your review. I love watching your videos. You make smile😊 We are planning on getting a FD as soon as we can and we will decide on what brand when the time comes.
Blessings to you ❤❤
I paid for my cube and if I had known of the other brands I would not have bought it! The window info is so hard to understand and it takes a lot longer than my harvest right. I do get answers right away when I ask them but I have found some of the answers aren't accurate. My home is run on total solar power so I have to work around the sun and there is no way to program it to do this. It does freeze dry the food though and I sure can't afford to get a different machine and if it doesn't work it is so expensive to send it back. The warranty shows you how much confidence they have in their machine.
I saw a 3 year warranty on cube. Was HR more?
What brand do you think you would have went with?
@@SageandStoneHomestead When I had my HR I think it was 1 year. When the sales went crazy and they came up with new versions there was no support for my 2017 machine. I have watched videos on 2 other freeze dryer brands and they look good but all their warranties are about the same I think unless they have changed. I stopped looking after I bought the cube because I knew I couldn't buy another. I loved the way I could change things on the HR I wish the cube did that too.
@@lyndabuchholz1216 when i goggle it I see both 1 year and 3 year warranties on HR. HR does have tech support in all states too, I wish they would honor that on older models?!
@@SageandStoneHomestead Blue alpine has a 1 year full warranty and a 3 year limited warranty, Stay Fresh has a 3 year limited and 1 year full warranty. I can only find a 3 year limited warranty on the cube nothing about a full warranty. It looks like HR has the 1 year full warranty and 2 and 3 year limited warranty. So they seem to be comparable in that way.
I just got a Harvest Right freeze dryer and I'm waiting for my husband to put in a dedicated plug so I can plug it in and run it.
Congratulations!
Love my freeze dryer! Also really like your shirt!
Thank you 😃
Awsome. I have looked at others myself and been wanting one. I like the fact you don't have to change the oil etc.
That’s one of the best parts! Knowing me I’d just procrastinate and not use it nearly as much 😂
One of my favorite snacks is seaweed nori and bone broth
Sounds savory and yummy!
@@FermentedHomestead it iS !
Yes, I am 4 miles down a privately maintained dirt road! The length of road and the fact that it is primarily sand means that my son-in-law (next door) and our neighbor on the other side do what they can with small tractors. It would literally cost millions to bring it up to better condition.
NOBODY comes out here! We can't even get a wrecker. Post office does not deliver to us. UPS and FedEx don't come out here. We are lucky to have trash collection. When we first bought this property we didn't have trash service. I get it!
It does have its own challenges and advantages! I stopped trying to ship to the house because it was so hit or miss if they even would
We used DG on the dirt roads, helps a lot. Being in the boonies has its benefits
@@FermentedHomestead I have a mailbox at the UPS Store in town. That has the advantages no porch pirates and no problem with getting things shipped that have batteries. USPS won't allow batteries, like a cell phone, to be sent to a PO box. I had to have my new phone sent to my granddaughter's house 35 miles away. When I had a box at the post office. That is when I changed to UPS.
I love it out here and would never consider moving. It is so peaceful and no one complains about the dog barking or the rooster crowing.
@@craftyt333 what is DG? One of our big problems is washout. After a heavy rain we have big gullies across the road. We are on the Gulf Coast of Alabama and subject to hurricanes as well. Putting down 4 miles of anything would take millions of dollars, not to mention the equipment to grade the road. Drainage is a problem.
@@kathym7495 Decomposed Granite. DG, in rural Nevada
Thanks for sharing this information. I would love to have a freeze dryer, but I don't know that I can take advantage of this particular sale. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law have one, and they absolutely love it. Most often the Harvest Right freeze dryers are the ones that have been featured and promoted, so it's nice to learn about another brand and someone's experience with it. I love the fact that it has a closed oil pump system as a standard feature. In an SHTF scenario, you might have access to spotty electricity, but what if access to oils becomes a challenge? No worries with this freeze dryer. Thanks again!
P.S. ~ I was able to score a copy of that out of print fermentation book that you recommended/referenced a couple of months ago. I was so excited! It was in nearly new condition, and although it cost me almost as much as a used copy as the original price when new, I happily paid it. If you could even find it anywhere, people were selling it for two to over three times the price you could originally buy it for when it was released. It's still available as an e-book, but I wanted a hard copy. Now to USE it! Thanks again! 😊
I truly can’t understand why it went out of print! Fantastic recipes, beautiful pictures, well written…I’m glad you were able to find it!
Ugg.. wow... unfortunately I can't afford the harvest right one at 3k.... this one is 5k.. wow! 🤦♀️
I would love to know how your freeze dried kombucha turned out. I make and drink gallons of the stuff every year, I've never had it freeze dried. 😊
I may try doing it again but it just turned into a syrup
wooooooow super high price!!!!! not just no but hell no! Almost double price!
It is more expensive than some other competitors but that is the cost of supporting small businesses who prioritize USA manufacturing.
Ya... saw that too 2k more... 😢 are all components USA made... cuz many USA made products are still made with parts from other countries.. and just assembled in USA which can be labeled made in usa... have to watch for that too...
💚
I have a concern about electrical requirements mentioned with other freeze dryers. Can address that issue😊 with the Cube?
I already have 😊 you can use a standard outlet and no need for a dedicated breaker! We have ours running constantly on a shared breaker and have had no issues
Do you know if their larger models require it? The medium and smaller HR don't require a dedicated outlet or a 20 Amp circuit. The larger ones do, my husband was able to put in the plug for ours.
I just picked my second round of blackberries, as well as numerous thorns from my fingers, hands, arms, and legs...lol. Our bramble outdid it's self this year! They are so darn big, sweet and juicy! I've got them flash freezing to bag up. I REALLY wish I could freeze dry them instead. Maybe...maybe someday. If and when, I'll snag me a Cube.
Those sound amazing! I wish we had blackberries here! We had them everywhere in Washington but here it’s just black raspberries or something like that and they’re not good
haha...glad you added the delivery info! There's no way a 40 foot rig's getting to my house either.
Ain't boondocks livin' grand?
🤣🤣🤣
Most yogurt cultures come freeze dried and then come back to life. Things that make you go hummm.
@@FermentedHomestead They're likely the same "wild" blackberries growing here. The trick is to trim it back and wait...the canes that are two years old set the best fruit. Also, fertilize with that swamp juice in March. Wait till they're a shiny black to pick. Tasty stuff!
I would love to have a freeze dryer, I see a lot of videos on people using the FD but hardly any on using the product and what they taste like and how to bring the stuff back to life do you put water or how does it work. Would like to see a meal prepared using the freeze dried ingredients. Sorry for the questions just interested in getting one and would like to know the start to finish processes from a channel that I trust. Love your channel.
That is one of my plans to show, I agree it’s not often talked about
Might be helpful to buy something freeze dried from Thrive (not Thrive Market) or some other freeze-dried brand and see what the instructions are for use. Other than that, I would guess you'd want to weigh the food before it goes into the freeze dryer and when it comes out to see how much liquid has to be added back to make a meal out of it. I would think it would be best to add back liquid gradually to get the consistency you want. If you're making something like soup or chili, and you have water/broth or tomatoes in liquid, you might want to start the rehydration process with some liquid, and then add it to the pot to finish. With something like chili or soup, you could really infuse the flavors from your liquids into the proteins or veggies that are rehydrated in it. I would think if you want something like sautéed onions and celery though, that you'd want to rehydrate them a little before adding to your butter or oil to sauté, noting that they will also absorb some of that fat in the process. This is all hypothetical for me. Just "off the top of my head," thinking out loud. I have no practical experience with this, but you can take it for whatever it's worth. 🙂
@@charmc4152 Thank you for the input and some helpful information, gives me something to think about. Ty very much
Well you got yours free. They start at $3,000 😮. Hope you don't make too many videos promoting this more "affordable" freeze dryer.
I’m not sure why people think that because cash wasn’t exchanged it was somehow “free”? It’s basically a work trade. I will be including bits about what I’m doing with it in videos but not many dedicated videos unless I think it needs it.
@@FermentedHomestead thank you for doing this i personally really appreciate it. I have been looking at freeze dryers for 2 yrs wanting to invest in one but afraid to take that plunge only having limited companies to choose from. I’ve recently found and subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to getting to see how this one works. I believe they do save tons when you consider the price of what you are storing in 25 yrs. Thank you again! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️