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New Harvest Right and Blue Alpine machines, and the Stay Fresh Large and Mega, ship with a starter kit: 50 mylar bags, 50 oxygen absorbers, and an impulse/heat sealer. Blue Alpine also includes silicone mats, and Stay Fresh includes a free accessory bundle. After a handful of batches, you’ll need more. Here’s what’s worth buying, grouped by job.
Quick list
| Accessory | Why you need it | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|
| Mylar bags (assorted sizes) | Long-term, moisture-proof storage | Shop mylar bags on Amazon → · Wallaby mylar bags → |
| Oxygen absorbers (sized by cc) | Remove residual oxygen in sealed bags | Shop oxygen absorbers on Amazon → · Wallaby oxygen absorbers → |
| Impulse sealer (12″+) | Airtight seal on mylar | Shop impulse sealer on Amazon → |
| Silicone tray mats | Sticky foods and candy release cleanly | Shop silicone tray mats on Amazon → |
| Tray lids | Stack pre-frozen trays in your freezer | Shop tray lids on Amazon → |
| Extra trays | Prep the next batch while one runs | Harvest Right trays → |
| Heavy-duty cart or table | About 3 ft high, rated for the machine’s weight | Shop heavy-duty utility carts on Amazon → |
| Vacuum pump oil | Oil-pump maintenance | Harvest Right pump oil → · Shop vacuum pump oil on Amazon → |
| Oil mist filter | Less mist and smell from oil pumps | Shop vacuum pump oil mist filters on Amazon → |
| Plug-in energy monitor | Measure real kWh per batch | Shop plug-in energy monitors on Amazon → |
| Kitchen scale | Log batch weights, portion bags | Shop kitchen scale on Amazon → |
| Labels and marker | Food, date, raw/cooked | Shop freezer labels on Amazon → |
| Jar vacuum sealer | Medium-term storage for foods you open often | Shop jar vacuum sealers on Amazon → |
1. Mylar bags
What matters:
– Thickness and opacity. Opaque mylar blocks light, oxygen and moisture (LSU AgCenter). Thicker bags resist punctures from sharp pieces; compare the thickness each supplier lists.
– Sizes. Use pint and quart bags for snacks and single meals, and gallon bags for bulk. Smaller bags mean you open less food at a time, but packaging cost per batch goes up. See Freeze Dryer Cost Per Batch: How to Calculate Electricity, Bags, Oil & Machine Cost (2026).
– Gusseted or stand-up bags are easier to fill and store.
– Zip-top bags let you reseal after opening. You still heat-seal above the zipper for long-term storage.
Extension guidance (LSU AgCenter, UMN Extension) calls for airtight, moisture-proof containers. Mylar plus an oxygen absorber is the standard long-term approach. Harvest Right’s warranty also puts the owner in charge of using “proper, durable containers” that don’t let air or water in.
Shop mylar bags on Amazon → · Wallaby mylar bags →
2. Oxygen absorbers
What matters:
– Size by bag volume. Follow your supplier’s cc-to-bag-size chart.
– Freshness. Absorbers start working as soon as they’re exposed to air. Open only what you’ll use in one session, and reseal the rest in an airtight jar. Harvest Right’s warranty specifically requires absorbers that “have not expired or been exposed to the air prematurely.”
– Packaging. Smaller strips of absorbers waste fewer.
Shop oxygen absorbers on Amazon → · Wallaby oxygen absorbers → · Shop oxygen absorber storage jars on Amazon →
3. Impulse sealer
Mylar needs heat to seal. An impulse sealer only heats when you press it, which makes it safer and more consistent than a household iron.
– Pick one that’s at least 12 in wide if you use gallon bags.
– Look for adjustable heat or time settings that suit thick mylar.
– A spare heating element and Teflon tape are handy.
Harvest Right and Blue Alpine (and the Stay Fresh Large and Mega) include a sealer with new machines, so an upgrade is optional.
Shop impulse sealer on Amazon →
4. Silicone mats and tray lids
- Silicone mats keep sticky foods like candy, yogurt drops, and fruit purées from sticking. Blue Alpine includes 5 with each machine.
- Tray lids let you pre-freeze filled trays and stack them in your freezer.
- Check sizes: HR Small trays are 7.75 × 14 in, Medium 7.5 × 18 in, Large 9 × 20.5 in, X-Large 10.9 × 29.5 in. Blue Alpine uses 9 × 13 in (Medium) and 13 × 18 in (Large). Stay Fresh uses 8 × 20 in (5/7-Shelf), 9.5 × 22.5 in (Large) and 10.5 × 27.5 in (Mega).
Shop silicone tray mats on Amazon → · Shop tray lids on Amazon →
5. Extra trays
Running back-to-back batches is easier when the next set of trays is already prepped and frozen. Blue Alpine Medium trays are a standard quarter-sheet size you can buy locally. Harvest Right sells trays for each size, and Stay Fresh sells extra tray sets for its Large.
6. A cart or stand
Harvest Right recommends a stable surface at least 3 ft high so the drain hose drops vertically. HR also notes the X-Large fits through a 32-in doorway and is portable on a 24 × 36 in cart (not included). Choose a cart rated well above your machine’s weight: 91 lb (HR Small) to 258 lb (HR X-Large), plus the pump if it shares the cart.
Shop heavy-duty utility carts on Amazon →
7. Pump supplies (oil pumps)
- Manufacturer-approved oil only. Harvest Right lists its own oil, Robinair Premium, or JB Black Gold for its pharmaceutical-line pumps, and Blue Alpine lists Dairyland mineral oil for its commercial pump.
- An oil drain pan and funnel
- An oil mist filter. Blue Alpine sells a 3-stage filter.
Harvest Right pump oil → · Shop vacuum pump oil on Amazon → · Shop oil drain pans on Amazon → · Shop vacuum pump oil mist filters on Amazon →
8. Energy monitor
Harvest Right recommends measuring a full batch’s kWh to learn your real running cost. Use a monitor rated for your machine’s amperage, since some large units need 20A.
Shop plug-in energy monitors on Amazon →
9. Organization and labeling
UMN Extension recommends labeling the food type, whether it’s raw or cooked, and the date. A label printer or simple freezer labels plus a marker covers this.
Shop freezer labels on Amazon →
Starter bundle by budget
- Essentials (first restock): mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, labels
- Comfort: + silicone mats, tray lids, kitchen scale
- Power user: + extra tray set, energy monitor, oil mist filter, cart
Related: How to Freeze Dry Common Foods: Prep, Tray Loading, Foods to Avoid & Storage (2026) · Your First Freeze Dryer Run: Delivery, Setup & First Batch Checklist · Freeze Dryer Maintenance Schedule: Every Batch, Monthly & Yearly Checklist
FAQ
What size oxygen absorber do I need?
It depends on the bag volume and how much air is left in the bag. Use your absorber supplier’s sizing chart, and when in doubt, size up.
Can I use vacuum-sealer bags instead of mylar?
Standard clear vacuum bags let in light and are generally treated as short-to-medium-term storage. Extension guidance for long-term storage calls for moisture-proof, airtight containers with oxygen absorbers, such as mylar.
Do I need to buy a sealer if one came with my machine?
Usually not. Harvest Right, Blue Alpine, and the Stay Fresh Large and Mega include one. Upgrade only if you want a wider or adjustable model.
Are canning jars OK?
LSU AgCenter lists canning jars and zip bags as options for medium-term storage, and jars with vacuum sealing and absorbers are common for foods you open often.
Sources (checked October 11, 2026)
- Harvest Right – Home freeze dryers (included items, tray sizes): https://harvestright.com/pages/home-freeze-dryers
- Harvest Right – Food production (X-Large cart note): https://harvestright.com/pages/food-production
- Harvest Right – FAQs (placement, packaging): https://harvestright.com/pages/faqs
- Harvest Right – Warranty (consumer responsibilities): https://harvestright.com/pages/warranty
- Harvest Right – Energy article: https://harvestright.com/blogs/blog/how-much-energy-does-freeze-drying-use
- Blue Alpine – FAQs (included items, mist filter): https://bluealpinefreezedryers.com/pages/faqs
- Blue Alpine – Commercial pump (oil type): https://bluealpinefreezedryers.com/products/commercial-freeze-dryer-vacuum-pump-4cfm
- Stay Fresh – Collection (accessory bundle, tray sizes): https://stayfreshfreezedry.com/collections/freeze-dryers
- Stay Fresh – Large and Mega (included accessories, tray sizes): https://stayfreshfreezedry.com/products/large-freeze-dryer ; https://stayfreshfreezedry.com/products/freeze-dryer-mega-freeze-dryer
- LSU AgCenter FAQ: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/food_health/food/safety/consumer-food-safety/freeze-drying-at-home/faq-sheet
- UMN Extension: https://extension.umn.edu/food/preparing/cooking-home/food-preservation/freeze-drying