Freeze-Drying Calculator: Yield, Water & Cost per Batch
Pick your food and weight to see how much it will weigh dry, how much water comes out and what the batch costs to run and pack.
Total fresh food loaded on all trays (lb)
Harvest Right stated home capacities
Typical avg during run
Total run time
Your utility rate per kWh
Packaging (bags, absorbers & other costs)
Advanced settings (moisture & calibration)
Batch Results
0.46 lb dry · 4.54 lb water · $8.46
High-fat and very sugary foods don't freeze-dry well.
Estimates for planning, not food-safety advice. Freeze-drying does not kill bacteria — follow tested food-safety guidance.
Most of what you load is water. Strawberries are about 91 % water (USDA), so 5 lb of fresh strawberries dries to roughly half a pound, and about 4.5 lb of water — around half a gallon — is removed. Running cost is the energy used (kWh) times your electricity price, plus bags and oxygen absorbers.
Price, hours and packaging are example values — replace them with yours.
How to use this calculator
- Choose the food (or enter your own water content) and the fresh weight on the trays.
- Pick your machine size to check the load against the maker's stated capacity.
- Enter your electricity price and either your measured kWh per batch or your machine's average watts and hours.
- Open Packaging to add bags and absorbers. Your cost per batch appears at the top of the results.
Worked example
5 lb of strawberries (90.95 % water) with 2 % moisture left at the end: dry weight 0.46 lb (7.4 oz), water removed 4.54 lb (about 0.54 US gallons), yield 9.2 %. A Medium machine estimated at 1,100 W for 24 hours uses 26.4 kWh; at $0.15/kWh that is $3.96, plus $4.50 of bags and absorbers = $8.46 per batch ($1.69 per fresh lb).
How it's calculated
- Solids = fresh weight × (1 − water %). Freeze-drying removes water, not solids.
- Dry weight = solids ÷ (1 − moisture left %). The moisture-left value is an assumption you can change; if you weigh a batch before and after, use "Calibrate" and the calculator works out your real value.
- Energy = measured kWh, or average watts × hours ÷ 1,000. Cost = energy × price + packaging + other.
- Capacity ranges and approximate power draw are Harvest Right's published figures for its home models.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does it cost to run a freeze dryer?
Energy used × your electricity price. Harvest Right states about $1.25–$2.80 per batch for Small/Medium machines, $2.00–$3.00 for Large and about $4.00 for X-Large, depending on rates; your own number depends on your rate and batch length. A plug-in energy meter gives you the real kWh.
How much does freeze-dried food weigh?
Only the solids plus a little moisture remain. Watery foods like strawberries keep under a tenth of their weight; drier foods like cooked rice keep about a third.
How long does a batch take?
Harvest Right says most batches run between 13 and 35 hours. Load, food and machine all change it, which is why the calculator asks for your hours.
How full can I load the trays?
Use your machine's manual. Harvest Right lists approximate fresh-food capacities per batch: Small 6–10 lb, Medium 10–15 lb, Large 18–27 lb, X-Large 40–50 lb.
Can I freeze-dry raw meat or eggs?
Utah State University Extension says freeze-drying does not kill bacteria and that meat and eggs must be fully cooked before freeze-drying or after rehydration.
Sources
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28
Water content of the 52 foods (with USDA NDB numbers; Release 28, 2015)
- Harvest Right — Freeze Dryer Sizes (Jun 2026)
Fresh-food capacity per batch by machine size (Small, Medium, Large, X-Large)
- Harvest Right — How Much Does It Cost to Run a Freeze Dryer? (Jun 2026)
Approximate power draw by size, typical 13–35 hour run times, and per-batch cost ranges
- Utah State University Extension — Ask an Expert: Freeze-Drying Food at Home (May 2026)
Bacteria dormant during freeze-drying, cook meat/eggs, high-fat food safety, preparation
Last reviewed: 2026-10-26
Built and maintained by Numberwright. Water contents come from the USDA nutrient database; every formula and source is listed on this page. Found a mistake? Contact details coming soon.
Related tools
Oxygen Absorber Calculator
How many cc of oxygen absorber per mylar bag, jar or 5-gallon bucket — with a safe mode for freeze-dried food.
Rehydration Calculator
Enter the food and dry weight to see how much water it can take back, in mL, cups and ounces.
Freeze Dryer Payback Calculator
Compare the machine cost with what the same freeze-dried food costs to buy. See months to break even with your numbers.