One of the most common topics amongst freeze dryer owners is whether or not the machine is “noisy”. While every person has a different tolerance for noise, it is safe to say that we live in noise saturation in today’s world. It can be eerily silent when there is a power outage, and people report not being able to sleep, or feeling very uncomfortable with the silence.

While some report that they keep their machine in the garage or basement to maintain the quiet in the home, others don’t seem to mind.

During the freeze cycle, the machine is acting as nothing more than a little freezer, and that is exactly how it sounds. There is a quiet hum. You may hear it, but it isn’t distracting.

When the vacuum pump kicks on, it settles quickly into white noise. It is noticeable, and you may turn the television up one more click, but it certainly won’t keep you from hearing your phone ring or stop your kids from hearing their music. In my mind, it reminds me of a dishwasher. You know it is there, but it won’t drive you away.

Our machine originally was to be placed in a side room off of our kitchen, but we decided to keep it in the center of the house for a while so we could monitor it and learn how it operated. Our dining room opens into the family room, and also has French doors into our master bedroom. Our sitting area and television are less than fifteen feet from the machine. We still hear the television, and we talk all evening. Our bed is literally eight feet from the machine, yet if we close the doors, we sleep like babies. 

On several occasions, I have asked my husband if he would like me to move the unit into that back room, but he has told me repeatedly that he isn’t bothered at all by the noise, and he does like having it where we can hear it run.

Every load we run in our machine is another step toward food security. There is something amazing about knowing that when our machine shuts down after each batch, the end result is a shelf stable, lightweight, nutritionally intact product that will be there for us when we need it – whether that is 2 years or 25 years. We have never been concerned that the noise wasn’t worth the end result. 

The freeze dyer is amazing technology. Harvest Right is continually improving their product, and someday it may be a quieter process. For most of us who own one, it really doesn’t matter. The quiet whirring of the compressor and the hum of the pump are simply the sounds of security.

If you wonder what food security sounds like, buy a freeze dryer and find out. You won’t regret it.