My StayFresh Freeze Dryer was so worth it. For weeks, I compared other brands and the complaints against each. I wanted something that was sturdier and would last. The first 2 weeks were trial and error and Tim was kind and helpful each time. I know people went with other brands that were American made. The issue I have with that is there are sometimes higher standards overseas when it comes to machinery and food because they don't allow certain
Chemicals and additives to be used. As much as I do support American made products, this one in particular had better ratings and lasts longer without problems arising. I love how powerful the commercial pump is and how many runs I can get before changing the oil. Overall, I would choose this freeze dryer again in a heartbeat.
Let me start off by saying I love this freeze dryer. After reading all the reviews, I purchased mine from Stay Fresh. Not only is the machine excellent, but, Tim, the owner is amazing. Tim and their support should be the Gold Standard of what exemplary support should be. But, back to the dryer. As a military vet and a holder of advanced degrees in Aeronautical Engineering, the machine is very well built. Stainless steel is used throughout, cable management is superb and individual components (i.e. relays) are easy to replace if necessary. This machine was designed to be repaired by the consumer in the field. The machine was delivered quickly and setup was a breeze. I am on my third run and it's worked flawlessly. The industrial pump is no joke. It's heavy and built like a tank. Definitely go with this option if you're considering buying one of these dryers. Now, as perfect as this dryer is, and it is, there are some areas that I think need to happen to raise it to the next level and bury the competition. First, and I apologize this has probably been mention numerous times before, but, this dryer desperately needs to be Wi-Fi connected and with that, a good phone app to communicate with the dryer. I want to be able to see real time stats, make adjustments on the fly, and be alerted if something goes wrong during the process. My refrigerator, dishwasher, and thermostat are all connected like this, why can't this dryer? Second, I find that the dryer struggles to drain the water when clearing out the ice. Since the chamber is level, water backs up against the door and sits there. I suggest using adjustable front feet to elevate the front (maybe an inch) to ensure water drains front to back. Third, the user interface might be a little confusing to some people, it's just not as intuitive as it could be. This is where the competition is superior. Making the user interface more user friendly would be a big plus. And, lastly, think about adding a condenser fan. This dryer tends to run a little warm and placing a fan in front of the condenser will make the machine run cooler and more efficiently. All in all, this is an excellent machine that will give years of service. Don't think twice about buying one if you're in the market. And kudos to Tim, he's an awesome person. I don't think he gets nearly the credit he's due.
Everything came packaged well, the machine runs well too, but I didn’t get oxygen absorbers. That kinda sucked. I checked the list of things I was supposed to receive and I guess it doesn’t come with them. I didn’t get a flash drive that was supposed to come with the machine.
Quality construction, easy to use. So efficient. Love our Mega Model. Handle’s big loads!!! Will be featuring this awesome machine in my YouTube videos
I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am with this freeze dryer! I had a terrible experience (not once, not twice but THREE times I tried) with the other guys. So after I got over being mad at freeze drying, I started looking for another brand to try. Hello, Stay Fresh! I called the customer support line before I bought and felt so much better about the possibility of getting actual customer service if I needed any help. So far, I've freeze-dried pitted cherries, huckleberries, more huckleberries, sugar snap peas and the obligatory ice cream sandwiches. Fantastic tool for the homestead and I am beyond thrilled to have it. It's time for wild morels to start popping up here and this has got to be the best way to preserve them, right? Absolutely worth the price and looking forward to many, many batches of all sorts of good things coming out of that magic machine in the coming years. Run right out and buy you one. Or even two!
We researched all models from different suppliers and bought a Mega Stay Fresh. We have run it continuous since we got it and easy to use and quality built. I plan to buy another soon.
bought the 5 tray freeze dryer and 16 stackers I also purchased the 7 tray insert with 5 extra trays. My only gripe is I need more tray stackers and they haven't been in stock.
We needed an upgraded demister for our original freeze dryer, and we couldn’t be happier. Fast shipping, fair pricing, and truly impeccable customer service.
We’re on our second freeze dryer from Stay Fresh and couldn’t be happier! We had a different brand before this and it was honestly a nightmare, so switching over was the best decision we made.
We had only a couple of minor issues, but their customer service has been outstanding every time. They’re responsive, helpful, and actually care about getting things right.
Overall, a really wonderful experience and a company we feel good sticking with.
This works as advertised and better; however it works only if a person hookes it up correctly.
I like it because it seems like the best one on the market. It is easy to use when you download the larger print. It is really neat works well and from what I could see it is by far the best one on the market so far we have not felt bad about it so yes I do love my Stay Fresh freeze dryer. I recommend it to anyone.
I have had no issues with the freeze dryer itself, but the information included regarding the care, setup and oil changes is certainly lacking and inadequate. For such an expensive machine, I'd expect a well thought out booklet/owners manual to be included. What has arrived with the machine is a pile of random papers, many with conflicting information. The "booklet" has numerous spelling errors and appears to have been written by someone who doesn't speak English well. Was it translated??? This really is lacking and needs correction!!
Love the trays.
I only wish I had another machine to run 10 trays at once. I love everything about this machine and all that goes with it. And the ability to contact the company and get emediant help, makes it even better. Thank you. This unit is worth every penny.
I still have a lot to learn but I love this machine already. Well made, easy to operate and easy to keep clean. I am enjoying the adventure of learning what all can be freeze dried.
I have the large unit with a 4 and a 7 tray inserts. I have ran several batches of fruits and peppers thru it. All has turned out good. I am very pleased with the unit and the service I have received.
We upgraded to the metal vacuum hose and it is performing flawlessly. Very sturdy and I believe it will last the life of the freeze dryer. Very pleased.
Wow, Quality machine!
I've used for 3 months and is an easy user friendly machine. After getting over the initial fear of mistakes, and into the rhythm of how the machine works, it is so easy to use! The machine, with it's built in algorithms, knowing it's drying times, are almost spot on, occasionally needing to add more during time. I got the industrial vac pump, and the long ss vac tube, with 90°elbows .
4 tray is the most useful because it has the spacing between trays for expansion foods like candy, the 7 tray has only1" between trays, and is perfect for foods that are sliced or pureed. The 8x20" trays are huge! 7 of them side by side all most covers a 2'x4' table!
Stay Fresh customer service is how to do business, thank you.
Stay fresh by far a superior product to the other brands you can tell by the build quality the thickness of the metal and the result of the final product. Not all things but some things in life you get what you pay for and this is definitely one of those don't cheap out on a machine over $500. Trust me I've spent over 10,000 on the other brands and they don't work anymore, but my stay fresh keeps powering through.
I love the unit. So easy to use and very durable. I went with 4 stars instead of 5 for a couple of improvements I would suggest -- t1) he bottom tray always lags behind the others in food getting completely freeze dried. Is there a way to fix that? 2) Removing and changing out the tray unit is a little awkward and 3) Anyway, given the no lip on the trays, to design a tray cover/stacker that would fit over the trays? These items are nits -- it is an awesome machine. I would by another one in a heartbeat.
I am enjoying my Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer and really looking forward to getting more food put in storage. When I received the freeze dryer and used it the first time, the pump was making a horrendous noise! I videoed it and sent the video to Tim who immediately knew what the issue was (vent fan housing). He shipped a new pump the next day. You can’t get any better customer care and service than that!