Blue Alpine Large Select review: double the load, one circuit up

The Medium scaled up: 25 lb per load on 13×18 in trays instead of 15 lb on 9×13 in. Same engineering, same published cycle, same eight colours. The thing that decides whether you can buy it is not the $1,000 price difference — it is whether you have a 20A circuit.

By Jonas Kvist · Updated 6 September 2026 · Affiliate links: we earn a commission on qualifying purchases, and it does not affect our verdict.

Specification

Price	$3,995 (from $4,095)
Trays	5 stainless, 13 x 18 in
Maximum load	25 lb fresh
Typical load	16–20 lb
Average cycle	12–20 hours
Machine size	24 x 25.5 x 34 in (WxDxH)
Outlet	120V, 20A breaker
Power draw	Max 2,040W / avg 1,440W
Door	Plexiglass, 1 in thick
Refrigerant	R1270 (natural)
Frame	Extruded aluminium
Vacuum fittings	Barbed; gasket-sealed threads
Pump included	Premium, with oil
Also included	Impulse sealer, silicone mats, mylar bags, oxygen absorbers
Colours	8
Reviews	51 on Blue Alpine’s store
Elite trim	From $4,695
Noise	Not published by manufacturer

What the $1,000 buys

Tray area, essentially. Five 13×18 in trays give 1,170 sq in against the Medium’s 585 — exactly double. Maximum load goes from 15 lb to 25 lb, and typical load from 8 to 10 lb up to 16 to 20 lb. Everything else about the machine is the same, which is a point in its favour: you are not paying for a different design, you are paying for a bigger one.

Per pound of capacity the Large is better value than the Medium. At $3,995 for 25 lb you are paying $160 per pound of load; the Medium at $2,995 for 15 lb is $200 per pound. That is unusual — capacity normally gets more expensive as it scales, not less.

The 20A circuit is the real decision

A Medium runs on any ordinary household outlet. The Large wants a dedicated 20A circuit, and “dedicated” is the operative word: sharing a circuit with anything else that draws current risks tripping the breaker eighteen hours into a cycle.

If you have a spare 20A circuit in a garage or utility room, this is a non-issue. If you do not, get an electrician’s quote before you order, because that cost is unpredictable and can be significant depending on how far the run is.

Consumables cost more, and are shared with the XL

Item	Medium	Large
Tray set of 5	$64.12	$93.52
Silicone mats, 5	$32.31	$43.81
Tray lids, 5	$68.00	$78.00
Heat rack	from $110.04	from $131.74

That last point is worth noting if you might scale up later: the Large and the XL Commercial share tray dimensions, so a second tray set bought now carries over. The Medium’s 9×13 in trays do not.

Where the Medium is still the better buy

• You do not have a 20A circuit and getting one is expensive or awkward.
• You run weekly rather than in bursts. Fifteen pounds a week is 780 lb a year, which is a lot of food.
• Space is tight. 24 x 25.5 x 34 in is meaningfully larger, and the pump still needs somewhere to live.
• You want the trays from a supermarket. 9×13 in is a standard quarter sheet pan; 13×18 in is a half sheet, also standard but less common in domestic sizes.

What we could not verify

Blue Alpine does not publish a noise figure for any machine in its range, and the Large uses a larger pump than the Medium. Assume it needs a garage or utility room. The oil change interval question that applies to the Medium applies here too — owners report every 3 to 4 cycles against an industry norm of 25 to 30, and we have asked the company for clarification.

Alternatives

• Blue Alpine Medium Select, $2,995 — 15 lb on an ordinary 15A outlet. The right answer for most households.
• Stay Fresh 7-Shelf, $3,734 — more shelves for less money, without the 20A requirement.
• Blue Alpine XL Commercial, $13,495 — 50 lb, but needs 240V wired in.