American freeze dryer makers range from small teams in Utah and Idaho that assemble home units for preserving garden produce and meals, to lab equipment plants in Missouri, Kansas and New York that build benchtop and pharmaceutical freeze dryers (lyophilizers), to a South Dakota fabricator that builds production dryers holding thousands of pounds of pet food, fruit and protein per batch.
How much of a freeze dryer is made here varies a lot by type. The home freeze dryers on this page are designed and assembled in the US, mostly from imported chambers, compressors and electronics. Most of the lab and commercial makers build their own stainless chambers and condensers, but they buy in vacuum pumps and compressors, and two of them name German pump brands. Each listing is rated for the company's most American-made line and names what is known to come from elsewhere.
Ranked by Made in USA level, highest first; ties are in alphabetical order. The level measures how much is made in the USA, not product quality. How the levels work
Labconco makes FreeZone freeze dryers for laboratories, from benchtop units for light sample loads to 6, 12 and 18 liter console models, Triad and stoppering tray dryers, with its Lyo-Works operating system. Buyers include university, biotech, pharmaceutical and food labs. The company was founded in Kansas City in 1925 and also makes fume hoods, biosafety cabinets and glassware washers.
Made in: Kansas City, MO and Fort Scott, KS (freeze dryers designed, fabricated and assembled at its own plants). The company says more than 95% of its suppliers are US-based and its steel comes from American mills.
Labconco's Made in the USA page: "Every product Labconco makes is designed, fabricated and assembled in the U.S.," with teams in Kansas City and Fort Scott.
Labconco (11/2024): it partners with "more than 95% of U.S.-based suppliers," sources stainless and cold-rolled steel from American mills, and crafts every product at its Kansas City and Fort Scott facilities.
Its FreeZone benchtop dryers have a lower shelf for the vacuum pump, which is bought separately. Where its refrigeration compressors are made isn't published.
Our rough estimate: the compressors are about 10–15% of a benchtop dryer's cost; the stainless collector, cabinet, refrigeration build and controls, made in-house, are the rest.
Level 4.5 for its FreeZone freeze dryers: Labconco says every product is designed, fabricated and assembled at its Kansas City and Fort Scott plants with mostly US suppliers and American steel; where its refrigeration compressors are made isn't published.
Hudson Valley Lyomac makes freeze dryers (lyophilizers) for pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics, nutraceutical and research labs, from the BT-1000 bench-top unit through the Stratus MP3, Trilogy and Trident mid-size systems to Futura production dryers, in GMP and non-GMP builds. It also sells reconditioned dryers and offers contract freeze drying. The company was established in 1979.
Made in: Hudson, NY (lab, pilot and production freeze dryers built at its 30,000 sq ft factory). The company says it manufactures all of its freeze-drying equipment in the US.
Hudson Valley Lyomac's home page: "Precision freeze dryers made in the USA." Its freeze dryers page: "Hudson Valley Lyomac manufactures all of its industrial freeze-drying equipment in the US."
Company supplier profile (Pharmaceutical Technology): headquarters and a 30,000 sq ft factory in Columbia County, NY, described as "a truly vertically integrated factory"; parts it builds are quality-checked with a mass spectrometer; founded in 1979, first serving the US Navy and healthcare companies.
Its Stratus MP3 spec calls for a vacuum pump "Leybold or better" (Leybold is a German brand). A used 240 kg production unit was listed with two Carlyle compressors. Where its pumps, compressors and controls are made isn't published.
Our rough estimate: the vacuum pump is about 5–15% of a dryer's cost and the compressors another 5–10%; the stainless chamber, shelves and condenser make up most of the rest.
Thomas Scientific, a distributor, describes the Stratus MP3 as "designed and manufactured in the USA." New York State lists the company, Hudson Valley Lyo Mac Inc., as active.
Level 4 for its lab and production freeze dryers: the company says it builds all of its freeze-drying equipment at its Hudson, NY factory, but its vacuum pump spec names a German brand, and where the pumps, compressors and controls are made isn't published.
Millrock Technology makes freeze dryers (lyophilizers) for pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics and research labs, including the Stellar laboratory dryer, the Revo and RevoPro research and development dryers and the Magnum line for pilot and production work, plus controlled nucleation, liquid nitrogen cooling and other add-ons. It also reconditions used dryers. A Boston investment firm, Artemis Capital Partners, bought the company in 2025.
Artemis Capital Partners (9/2025), on buying Millrock: the company "designs and manufactures advanced lyophilization instrumentation" at its facility in Kingston, NY, making laboratory, pilot and production-scale lyophilizers.
Millrock's own site lists its Kingston, NY address and says its engineers design its products, with components "from the coils to compressors" chosen for the job; it doesn't make a Made in USA statement.
Where its compressors, vacuum pumps and controls are made isn't published. No US import records found.
Our rough estimate: the vacuum pump and compressors are about 15–25% of a lab dryer's cost, origin unknown.
Level 4 for its lab and pilot freeze dryers: a 2025 release says it designs and manufactures its freeze dryers in Kingston, NY, but the company makes no Made in USA statement and where its pumps and compressors are made isn't published.
Parker Freeze Dry makes commercial and production-scale freeze dryers, from the Summit turnkey unit to the cart-loaded Parker 2, 6, 10, 10R and 16R, which hold up to 4,000 lb of wet product per batch. Buyers include pet food, protein, fruit, dairy, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical processors. It is a division of ProForm Fabrication, which bought the company in 2020 after building its chambers for years, and it offers test runs, training and monitoring software.
Made in: Beresford, SD (stainless chambers fabricated, and each freeze dryer built to order and tested, at its parent ProForm Fabrication's plant). The company says everything is built in the US.
Parker's About page: "Every chamber is built in the USA," "EVERYTHING built in the US," and its systems "are assembled in Beresford, SD, where each unit is built to order and fully tested before shipment." The Parker 6 page: "Proudly assembled in the USA."
Parker's history (About page): founder Bob Parker built the first prototype in 1999; the fabrication team that became ProForm Fabrication began building its chambers in 2005; ProForm acquired Parker in 2020. The company was formerly in Pulaski, WI.
Petfood Industry (2024): Parker moved into a 130,000 sq ft plant in Beresford, SD for "the continued high-quality fabrication and testing" of its freeze dryers. ProForm is listed at that address for laser cutting, forming, machining and sanitary stainless steel fabrication.
Parker 10R spec sheet: a Leybold dry screw vacuum pump and booster (Leybold is a German company) and a Heatcraft Magna refrigeration skid. Where the pumps and compressors are made isn't published. No import records found.
Our rough estimate: the vacuum pump and booster are about 10–20% of a commercial dryer's cost; the stainless chamber, carts and condenser built in Beresford make up most of the rest.
Level 4 for its commercial freeze dryers: the chambers are fabricated and each dryer is built and tested in Beresford, SD, but the vacuum pump and booster, a major part, are a German brand and likely imported.
Blue Alpine makes home freeze dryers in medium and large sizes, in Select and Elite versions, sold with a vacuum pump, trays and a starter kit of mylar bags. Its dryers use a natural refrigerant, a chamber fan to speed freezing, standard 9 x 13 inch trays and an extruded aluminum frame. The company was founded by three brothers and sells direct and through dealers.
Blue Alpine's home page: "Assembled in the USA," and "Our freeze dryer machines are designed, developed, and manufactured in-house using a global supply chain. We are working toward getting every part made here in the USA."
Blue Alpine's About page: a team in Saint Anthony, Idaho, founded by three brothers; "Assembled in the USA with the highest quality components"; its refrigeration system uses Cubigel compressors; the frame is extruded aluminum.
A 2024 job posting for Blue Alpine LLC in Saint Anthony sought an assembly line technician to help build freeze dryers. A 2024 review (Primal Survivor) describes the units as designed and assembled in Idaho.
Where its vacuum pumps, chambers, controls and other major parts are made isn't published. No US import records found.
Our rough estimate: with the compressor and most major parts sourced abroad, imported parts likely make up more than half of the machine's component value.
Level 3 for its home freeze dryers: they are designed and assembled in Saint Anthony, Idaho, but the company says it uses a global supply chain, and its compressors are an imported brand.
Harvest Right makes freeze dryers for home food preservation in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes, plus the Home Pro and Countertop 360 models, the HRC100 commercial dryer, and pharmaceutical and scientific models for labs. It also sells its own oil and oil-free vacuum pumps. Buyers include home food preservers, homesteaders, small food businesses and labs.
Made in: Salt Lake City, UT (freeze dryers designed, engineered, hand-assembled and tested at its plant, mostly from imported parts).
Imported:vacuum chamber assemblies and refrigeration condensing units from China; cabinet panels, doors, shelving units, trays and heating elements from China; wire harnesses, sensors and electronics from China (US import records, 2025–2026).
Harvest Right's About page: every freeze dryer "has been designed, engineered, and tested in our manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah." Its helpdesk page: "Every freeze dryer has been designed, engineered, and hand-assembled with care."
Earlier company wording, quoted by Powerblanket (2018): dryers "hand-assembled" in Salt Lake City, and "We are committed to making great American-made appliances."
US import records (ImportGenius, Panjiva, Matchory; 2025–2026): Harvest Right LLC imports vacuum chamber assemblies, condensing units, cabinet panels, doors, gaskets, tempered glass, shelving units, trays, heating elements, wire harnesses, sensors and electronics, from about 30 suppliers, nearly all in China. Shipments run through 9/2026.
Where its oil and oil-free vacuum pumps are made isn't published; supplier lists show pump suppliers in China and South Korea. Some shipments from China are entered as "food dehydrator" at about the weight of a complete freeze dryer; what they contain isn't published.
Our rough estimate: imported and likely-imported parts make up most of the machine's component value (roughly 70–90%). Export records show finished dryers shipped from Salt Lake City (5/2025).
Level 3 for its home freeze dryers: they are designed, engineered, hand-assembled and tested in Salt Lake City, but the chambers, refrigeration units, cabinets, shelves and electronics are imported from China.
Built from a global supply chain; imported compressors
What "made in USA" means for freeze dryers
Every company on this page builds its freeze dryers in the US, but a freeze dryer depends on a few big parts that are hard to source here. A few things are worth knowing before you buy:
The vacuum pump is a major part. By our rough estimates it is 10 to 25 percent of a dryer's cost, and it is often sold separately or as a bundle option. Two makers here name German pump brands, and none publishes where its pumps are made.
So is the refrigeration system. A freeze dryer needs a compressor that pulls the condenser far below freezing. None of the six makers publishes where its compressors are made, and one names an imported brand.
"Designed, engineered and tested" is not "made." Look for wording about fabricating or assembling the machine itself, and for where the chamber is built.
Home and lab dryers are built differently. The home models here are assembled in the US from mostly imported parts. Most of the lab and commercial makers build their own stainless chambers, shelves and condensers.
Each listing's research notes show what was checked and when, including our rough estimate of how much of the machine's value is imported. Ratings are rechecked as companies answer.
Freeze dryer makers by state
Idaho: Blue Alpine (Saint Anthony)
Kansas: Labconco (Fort Scott)
Missouri: Labconco (Kansas City)
New York: Hudson Valley Lyomac (Hudson), Millrock Technology (Kingston)
South Dakota: Parker Freeze Dry (Beresford)
Utah: Harvest Right (Salt Lake City)
Change log
What's changed since our last update on June 7, 2020?
3 makers were added:Blue Alpine, which assembles home freeze dryers in Saint Anthony, Idaho; Labconco, which makes FreeZone lab freeze dryers in Kansas City, Missouri and Fort Scott, Kansas; and Millrock Technology, which makes lab and pilot freeze dryers in Kingston, New York.
All 3 makers from the 2020 list were re-checked and are still building freeze dryers in the USA: Harvest Right, Hudson Valley Lyomac and Parker Freeze Dry. Parker Freeze Dry has moved from Pulaski, Wisconsin to a larger plant in Beresford, South Dakota.
Every listing now has a Made in USA level from 0 to 5, with the sources and research notes behind it. See how the levels work.
No companies were removed.
Listings checked by Dave Hurley.
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A company may be based in the USA while making some products elsewhere. Check the manufacturer's own site for where a specific product is made.
