A coalescing dryer passes air downwardly through items to be dried in a container. The air can be diverted to change direction following passage of the air through the items to be dried. The moving air causes liquid on the surface of items to be dried to coalesce and travel downwardly and from the items being dried. A vacuum dryer applies a vacuum to the container of items to be dried when placed in a vacuum chamber after pre-drying by the coalescing dryer so as to evaporate liquid in the items to be dried that has not been removed by the coalescing dryer.