Blue Alpine Freeze Dryer Review: Hands On

Need to stage up your prep recreation?

It’s time to start out eager about buying 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 excellent for die-hard preppers.

I just lately obtained my palms on a Blue Alpine freeze dryer, and it has positively 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 Execs

• Straightforward to make use of
• Power-efficient 
• Leak-resistant design
• Sturdy body
• Constructed-in recipe timer modes
• Communicative customer support
• Free delivery within the continental USA
• Designed and assembled within the USA
• Consists of full starter equipment

Blue Alpine Freeze Dryer Cons

• Heavy and laborious to maneuver
• Requires devoted area
• Massive up-front price
• Noisy
• Runs sizzling
• Requires frequent oil adjustments

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. contemporary meals or 1-gallon liquid

Whereas the Blue Alpine freeze dryer is hefty, I discovered it straightforward to work with as soon as it was put in in my store. It’s designed for normal laypeople, with electrical specs reflecting straightforward 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 excellent for my two-person, one-cat family. You could wish to go together with the bigger possibility if in case you have a complete household (or many cats!). An outsized unit can also be nice if in case 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 top quality management guidelines with pictures alongside along with your freeze dryer so you possibly can see every step of the testing course of. That approach, you possibly can relaxation straightforward realizing your unit works as meant. 

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 the direction of finally manufacturing every little thing in-house. 

No low-cost thriller elements? 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 results 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 wish 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 routinely. When you could wish to test on it sometimes, it’s a hands-off system. There’s no want to look at it like a hawk.   

Approachable Upkeep

These freeze dryers are supposed to be used. They don’t break simply, however elements will finally put on out. Once they do, it may be overwhelming to repair or substitute them. 

There’s no denying {that a} freeze dryer is difficult, however Blue Alpine makes it as approachable as potential for the common Jane. 

The intuitive design and supportive sources (together with an accessible on-line person handbook, a weblog, and a devoted YouTube channel) make sure you received’t be confused about what to do or scrambling to get ultra-specialized elements.

You’ll be able to substitute many parts your self and carry out commonplace 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 commonplace packages for on a regular basis gadgets like fruit, sweet, meat, and many others. I really like which you can edit the presets to vary the freeze time, dry time, dry temperature, and stress if you’ll want to. You too can change the default settings!
• Cooling capability: These freeze dryers have 25% extra cooling capability than related merchandise, so cycles run sooner. 
• Correct temping: The bottom tray has the next wattage heating pad to maintain the identical warmth as all the opposite trays. The machine’s sensible software program makes use of solid-state relays and PID management tech – each gold requirements in temperature and stress management. 
• Barbed fittings: Blue Alpine makes use of barbed fittings as a substitute of crimped fittings and thread locker as a substitute of Teflon tape, creating a good seal and minimal leakage.
• Customary-sized trays: As an alternative of outsized freeze-drying trays, Blue Alpine provides standard-sized trays—so if one breaks or goes lacking, you possibly can substitute one in every of 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’ll want to 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 just a little bag of sweet in your first load are additionally included.

The medium Blue Alpine freeze dryer continues 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 by 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 obtained some Robinair vacuum pump oil so I might do one other batch shortly. 

You’ll wish to change the oil each 5-10 cycles should you’re operating common meals or 25-30 cycles should you’re solely operating sweet. There are methods to recycle and reuse the oil so that you don’t have to purchase it continuously. 

The method is not like altering the oil in your automobile. 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 unbelievable and well-made machine that performs its function fairly nicely, and I’m excited to attempt tasks like making DIY survival food and freeze-drying my backyard herbs. 

Holding Prices Low

That is an costly piece of apparatus. It’s unattainable to get round that reality. Nevertheless, whereas the initial cost of a home freeze dryer would possibly put folks off, it might probably prevent cash in the long term. 

Survivalists need the very best in meals preservation, so freeze-dried meals are a pure alternative when stocking up. Sadly, buying freeze-dried food is pricey.

Freeze-drying that meals your self along with your personal unit eliminates that large price. It additionally provides you extra company over your survival vitamin and permits you a greater bang in your calorie buck. 

You’ll nonetheless want to purchase vacuum pump oil, mylar luggage, and oxygen absorbers often and make investments time in sustaining your machine. Factoring in energy and tools, Blue Alpine estimates that every common load ought to price between $4 and $8. 

In fact, prices will range relying on electrical energy and meals costs in your space. Shopping for sale gadgets in bulk and freezing them till you possibly can freeze-dry them is an effective way to economize. 

To chop prices even additional, you possibly can forage edible plants and mushrooms, develop your personal fruits and veggies, and use wild-caught meat.

In case you hunt, fish, and backyard, you received’t should spend a lot cash on meals in any respect. In that case, shopping for a freeze dryer means that you can flip the bounty of your land into meals you possibly can eat for years to return. 

Changing into An Knowledgeable

Shopping for and putting in the freeze dryer is fairly straightforward. Changing into an professional takes time and expertise. 

As soon as you purchase the unit, you wish to begin slowly. Give your self some wins with low-moisture meals earlier than shifting on to delicate gadgets. Maintain that proprietor’s handbook shut at hand, and also you’ll do high-quality. 

I like to recommend utilizing the presets while you first begin. That approach, you’ll find out about totally 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 doubtless must customise settings as time passes, however the presets provide you with a strong start line.

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 stress as you uncover the ins and outs of moisture retention for various meals. 

I truthfully suppose a freeze dryer is without doubt one of the finest investments you may make, and utilizing the unit isn’t laborious. You simply have to be ready to spend just a little time on trial and error to get issues the place they have to be.

What I Don’t Love

I do have 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 cope with that.

I used to be very cautious about mishandling the unit, so I glommed onto each useful resource Blue Alpine provides clients. I watched each video, learn each weblog, and scoured the proprietor’s handbook for information. 

Sadly, a number of the info diverse from useful resource to useful resource. I needed to contact the corporate with a query since I obtained confused by differing info.

It’s price noting that I acquired a response inside 5 minutes by way of their chat messenger, so it’s clear this small enterprise is fascinated with high quality customer support.

You have to do your analysis earlier than shopping for your unit. Most of my points had been brought on by making assumptions earlier than the machine arrived, and my expectations had been totally different from actuality. 

The Blue Alpine freeze dryer is an enormous, heavy, highly effective machine. It requires some easy upkeep and a studying curve to change into adept at utilizing it, however it places the prepping energy again in your palms.

So long as you’re keen to work with it, it’ll give you the results you want!

Check out the machines on Blue Alpine.