Commercial freeze dryers for food businesses and labs
Four production configurations from $3,360 to $5,355, each with a commercial vacuum pump, each on 110-volt power, up to 50 lb of fresh food a batch. Every price and specification is published, so you can size the machine before you talk to anyone.
- Every machine batch-tested before it ships
- Free technical support for life
- 60-day returns
- 220 V versions for export
Every configuration, drawn to one scale
Freeze dryer capacity is usually quoted in pounds. What you can actually load is set by two other numbers: how much tray area there is, and how much room sits between the shelves. Here are both, for each commercial configuration we build.
5-Shelf Commercial
$3,360
- Per batch
- 12–18 lb
- Tray area
- 800 sq in
- Shelf spacing
- 1.6 in
- Power
- 110 V, 15/20 A outlet
7-Shelf Commercial
$3,734
- Per batch
- 12–18 lb
- Tray area
- 1,120 sq in
- Shelf spacing
- 1.2 in
- Power
- 110 V, 15/20 A outlet
What businesses make with them
The right machine depends far more on the product than on the size of the business.
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Freeze-dried candy
Candy is limited by tray area and headroom, not pounds. The Mega’s 2 in shelf spacing gives gummies and taffy room to puff, and candy mode runs the shelves up to 180 °F for the stubborn ones.
Usual fit: 5-Shelf Commercial, then Mega
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Fruit, vegetables, meals and treats
Farms turning surplus into shelf-stable product, food brands making ingredients and powders, meal and pet-treat makers. Wet food is limited by how much ice the cold trap holds, so the Large and Mega lead.
Usual fit: Large or Mega
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Laboratory and R&D
A nine-step programmable shelf temperature curve, a KF25 vacuum port and nitrogen backfill through the release valve, for vials, reagents and cycle development. It is not a GMP lyophilizer, and we say so up front.
Usual fit: Mega for headroom, Standard or Large for the colder trap
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Export and 220 V markets
220–240 V, 50 Hz versions of every commercial configuration, with door-to-door quotes that include duty and tax for most of Europe, the UAE, Australia and Singapore.
Two-year parts warranty on the freeze dryer
Built to run every day
The differences that matter once a freeze dryer is earning money: maintenance, power, parts, and who answers the phone.
- A commercial pump on every configuration
- The Commercial pump on the 5-Shelf, 7-Shelf and Large pulls 7.2 CFM down to 3.75 micron, wants an oil change about every 30 batches rather than every 5, runs at 55 dB and can be repaired rather than replaced. The Mega ships with a larger 10.2 CFM pump.
- 110-volt power, even on the Mega
- The Large and Mega run on a dedicated 20 A circuit with a NEMA 5-20 outlet: a standard 120 V circuit an electrician can add, not a 220 V or three-phase installation.
- Standard KF25 vacuum fittings
- The vacuum line ends in a KF25 flange on the cabinet, the fitting laboratories and vacuum shops already stock, so hoses, clamps and gauges are off-the-shelf parts.
- Oil stays out of the chamber
- A motorized ball valve closes the vacuum line whenever the pump isn’t pulling. The drain line is stainless steel, and a dedicated release valve brings the chamber back to pressure.
- Simple to run, open to tune
- Press start and the patented control runs the cycle. Or set shelf chill, target vacuum, maximum shelf temperature and final dry time per recipe, or program a nine-step shelf temperature curve.
- Batch-tested, then supported for life
- Every machine runs a full freeze-drying batch before it ships, not just a power-on check. Technical support by phone, email and video is free for as long as you own it.
Prices, published
Each price includes the vacuum pump, a full set of trays, an oil filter, an impulse sealer, 50 mylar bags and 50 oxygen absorbers. Shipping to the lower 48 states is included; Alaska, Hawaii and international orders are quoted.
| Configuration | Price | Fresh food per batch | Tray area | Shelf spacing | 110 V circuit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Shelf Commercial | $3,360 | 12–18 lb | 800 sq in | 1.6 in | 15/20 A outlet |
| 7-Shelf Commercial | $3,734 | 12–18 lb | 1,120 sq in | 1.2 in | 15/20 A outlet |
| Large | $4,335 | 20–35 lb | 1,283 sq in | 1.6 in | 20 A, NEMA 5-20 |
| Mega | $5,355 | up to 50 lb | 1,733 sq in | 2 in | 20 A, NEMA 5-20 |
Prices checked November 12, 2026. Buy a single machine online at stayfreshfreezedry.com, or request a written quote for several machines, export orders or a purchase order.
Support for as long as you own it
Stay Fresh designs, QA-tests and supports its machines from Gardena, California. Technical help by phone, email and video is free for the life of the machine, and it doesn’t stop when the warranty does.
- Warranty in the US
- One year full on the freeze dryer and pump, with the refrigeration system covered through year three.
- Warranty outside the US
- Two years of parts on the freeze dryer, one year on the vacuum pump.
- Technical support
- Free by phone, email and video for the life of the machine, worldwide.
Plan it before you buy it
Honest answers to the questions that decide the purchase, including the ones that send you to a different machine or to your health department first.
Freeze dryer business calculator
Batches a week, output, margin and payback for candy or food, on one machine or several.
Can you legally sell freeze-dried food?
Nine states read from the agency documents. Candy, fruit and meat are regulated very differently.
What a commercial freeze dryer costs
Real prices from $3,360 shelf machines to quoted industrial plant, and what each tier needs to run.
Do you need a commercial freeze dryer?
When a second small machine beats one big one, and when it doesn’t.
Questions buyers ask
Are Stay Fresh freeze dryers NSF or UL certified?
No. Stay Fresh freeze dryers don’t carry NSF or UL certification. Many of our customers run them in commercial settings, but requirements differ by city, county and product, so ask your inspector what your kitchen or facility needs before you buy.
What power do they need?
In North America, the 5-Shelf and 7-Shelf want a dedicated 15 or 20 A outlet. The Large and Mega need a dedicated 110 V, 20 A circuit with a NEMA 5-20 outlet. The 220 V versions need a dedicated 10 A outlet (5- and 7-Shelf) or a dedicated 15 A circuit (Large and Mega). Leave 12 in clear on both sides of the cabinet, because the machines take in air on the left and exhaust on the right.
How long does a batch take?
Candy runs in hours: a few hours from chill to final dry, depending on the candy. Wet food takes much longer. The published main drying time is 16 to 30 hours for 8 lb on the 5- and 7-Shelf, and 20 to 40 hours for 20 lb on the Large and Mega, plus freezing and final dry. A full load of fruit runs two to four days depending on the machine, which is why cycle time, not batch size, usually sets a food business’s output. The business calculator works it out for your product.
Can I get better pricing on several machines?
Send a quote request for two or more machines, export orders or purchase orders, and we’ll reply with written pricing for the whole order, freight included.
Do you ship outside the United States?
Yes. The 5-Shelf, 7-Shelf, Large and Mega are all made in 220–240 V, 50 Hz versions. For most of Europe, the UAE, Australia, Singapore and similar markets we can quote door-to-door delivery with duty and tax included. See 220 V models.
Can I pay over time?
At checkout on stayfreshfreezedry.com you can use Affirm, PayPal or Shop Pay Installments where they’re available; interest may apply. Layaway plans are offered too. Call (424) 420-7534 to arrange it.
Need a written quote?
Buying two or more machines, shipping outside the US, or need a quote for a purchase order? Send the details and we’ll reply with a written quote.