Shelf Reliance Harvest-72 Review
June 20, 2011, Submitted by: Ken Tweet
Shelf Reliance, a quality company that makes ‘Food Rotation Systems’ offer wonderful solutions to organizing and managing quantities of canned foods.
At home, once you cross a threshold of filling your normal nooks and cupboards with a bit of extra food storage, you will begin to store your excess foods in all sorts of places – from bins, to bags, boxes, stacks, here-and-there… anywhere you can.
Unless you are very organized, quickly you will lose track of exactly what you have, where it is, and which items are older than others. There are a number of solutions to this problem, and no one solution is exactly the ‘right one’. However, the recommendation is to find a solution which will allow you to see what you have, store foods efficiently, and rotate foods from oldest-to-newest.
I have just finished a product assembly and review of their Harvest Food Rotation System By Shelf Reliance
I created the following video review of the Harvest-72, which I recommend that you watch if at all interested in an excellent method of storing canned foods.
The number-one takeaway from experiencing this product is this… ‘You get what you pay for’.
Your common sense tells you this, which you know to be true in most instances. When you pay a little for something, there is often a reason why it is so cheap. When you pay more for something, it is usually ‘better’. Sure, there are some exceptions, but usually this is true.
This shelving system is not cheap. However, it will last you a lifetime. No doubt.
The convenience of storing 350 – 400 cans of food in one place, and the efficiency of a first-in first-out system, will bring you to the next level when it comes to implementing the philosophy of ‘storing what you eat, and eating what you store’, a message I first heard a few years ago from Jack Spirko during one of his podcasts. If you abide by this simple rule, you will not waste your food storage supplies, while they simply sit and wait for a sufficient disaster…
What I like about the Shelf Reliance, Harvest-72
Heavy Duty framework and cross-member supports – will last a lifetime
Can-tracks which feed from top to bottom
Availability of various size can-tracks from #10 to smaller sizes
Adjustable width of can-tracks for various height cans
Having so many food cans in one place to see what you have
It encourages you to consume and rotate your food storage
Criticism
They recommend ‘no wheels’ on units taller than 42 inches, for safety (although they have not said so, it may be entirely due to the litigious nature of our society today). This unfortunately eliminates the ability to shift or move the unit once it becomes filled with cans, unless you improvise your own solution. Plan ahead for its final location. Be sure to plan and configure the can-track spacings first, while away from the wall and before you move it to its final location – this will allow you to attach the rear can-track straps before moving it against a wall.
Rating
I give this system an overall score of 4.5 of 5 stars, only because there is not an included method of moving the unit once it becomes filled with canned goods. I entirely endorse and recommend the product if it is something that suits your needs.
UPDATE: Although their installation manual includes a statement of no wheels on FRS units over 42″ tall, Shelf Reliance has just assured me that their current solution, Harvest Casters, is fine for the Harvest-72. They clarified that this solution is valid up to a 78″ height. Looks like they need an update for their installation manual 
UPDATE: from Shelf Reliance,
The warning about not putting wheels on our shelving systems is outdated and is being removed from the instructions. It was written back when we sold individual wheels that attached to each of the four corners of the system. the Harvest Casters are one, solid unit that attaches to the bottom of the system and they are much more stable. They are approved for use on our 72″ models.
UPDATE: Given the new information regarding the caster solution, I know rate this unit 5 stars!
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I wonder if you could use one of those dollies that have those straps on them that they haul refrigerators or other large appliances without the cans going everywhere upon tilting it? It would be nice to be able to move it to a nice waiting truck so you could take it with you if you had to abandon where you were without having to remove all the cans. One answer to moving it within your house might be those pad things that they advertise on TV in which you lift up something and slid it under whatever is heavy and then move it with a simple push. You have seen it probably where they slide it under a car and then push it by yourself.
I just visited the site and if I am not mistaken, they offer wheels (Harvest Casters) for this model for $111.04. Not cheap but it may be worth it.
Yes, they do offer casters ( http://perkins.shelfreliance.com/harvest-casters.html ) And everything is always cheaper when ordered through a consultant rather than from the retail site. The casters would be $88.39 from a consultant’s website (see at perkins.shelfreliance.com) The harvest 72″ is currently $265 from my consultant’s website! Significant savings! Great products!