When Microwaves first came out they were huge but with a tiny cooking area and they were not affordable, and were mostly in business kitchens and a few restaurants. I would love a freeze dryer but the cheapest I have seen is $1600 and they only have 4 small trays.
A quick web search shows that you can freeze dry at home without a dedicated machine. A bunch of sites say you can do it in a regular fridge’s freezer.