Best countertop home freeze dryers

Top pick: Harvest Right Countertop 360. It's the machine most home freeze-dryers are measured against: a true freeze dryer (not a dehydrator), 4 stainless trays holding 5–9 lb of fresh food per batch, roughly 1,500 lb a year, and it fits on a counter at about 26" wide. Buy it from a dealer that stocks it — several do, so compare their listings on the card.

Who the others suit:

• Harvest Right Home Pro bundle (15 lb) — bigger batches and a bundle of extras; the choice if you're preserving for a family or a pantry, and you have the counter space.
• Harvest Right Small Home — the tightest footprint of the Harvest Right line, for small kitchens and modest batches.
• VEVOR 4-tray — a non-Harvest Right option if you want to compare a different brand.
• Budget "freeze dryers" under $100 — I'd skip these: they're dehydrators or 220V units, not freeze dryers, and one is rated 1 of 5.

Two things to plan for: these units weigh around 110 lb and need a dedicated outlet plus a few feet of clearance, and a batch takes roughly a day.