Cost-per-run, energy math, moisture yield and shelf-life estimates — the everyday numbers hobbyists actually need before hitting Start.
Weight, cost per pound, and expected water content. Add as many items as you want — meat + veggies + dairy all in one batch.
Pick your freeze dryer size (or set custom kWh and cycle hours) and your local electricity price. You do this once — it remembers next time.
Cost per run, kWh consumed, expected yield in pounds, estimated shelf life. Save the batch to your history for later.
Real batches aren't one thing — mix beef + strawberries + cheese and the calculator handles the moisture math per item.
kWh × local rate × cycle length = the actual electricity cost for this specific batch. No more guessing "about $2 in power".
Predicts finished pounds and % moisture removal so you know what to expect *before* opening the door.
Estimate storage life in Mylar with O₂ absorbers based on the food type and finished moisture — with a note when it's outside the safe range.
Every calculation saves to your account so you can compare month-over-month or check what a similar past batch cost.
One-click recommendation on how to lower cost per pound, extend shelf life, or improve yield next time.
Building a long-term pantry? Track cost-per-pound-shelf-stable across every batch to hit your budget.
You freeze-dry Sunday afternoons. This tells you if that batch of cheddar was actually cheaper than store-bought.
Test batches before you go commercial — this is where your product economics start.
Household focuses on one batch at a time — cost, energy, yield and shelf life. Business models a whole operation — margins, capacity, break-even, sensitivity and a printable pro-forma. Most operators start with Household and graduate to Business when they sell their first bag.
It defaults to the US average and pulls from your city (if you set one). Enter your utility rate for accuracy — even a rough estimate lands you within 10% of actual.
It's a research-backed *range* based on food category, finished moisture, and storage method — not a food-safety guarantee. Always err on the shorter end for high-oil foods.
Yes — the calculator can print a per-batch shopping list with your quantities, ready to take to your favourite place to purchase goods.
Sign up free — the Household Calculator is included on every tier.
One-tap access from your home screen — desktop or mobile.