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Best Food Dehydrator
Food Dehydrator Reviews
If you’re looking for the best food dehydrator you’ve come to the right spot, because I’ve got some juicy food dehydrator reviews for you to check out below.
There’s one for every budget and situation, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, but before we take a look I’d like to briefly discuss why dehydrating food is a healthy and smart way to enjoy snacks and meals.
Of course, if you want to hop right over this part and see which dehydrator is right for you, I won’t be offended at all!
Food Dehydrator Benefits
There are a number of important benefits you’ll see when you use your new dehydrator. See the list below to understand how having a dehydrator can really help you live a healthier and simpler lifestyle.
- No Chemicals – When you buy snacks at the store thee days, do you spend time reading the labels to see what ingredients are included? Most of the time there’s a long list of chemicals and preservatives that you can’t even pronounce. When you dehydrate foods yourself, you know exactly what’s included.
- Retain Nutritive Value -Dehydrating foods maintains the original vitamins and minerals much better than cooking or other preserving methods.
- Enjoy Foods Year-Round – Some fruits and veggies are not in-season year round, forcing us to either go without our favorites or purchase them from other countries at a substantial price increase. By utilizing a high quality dehydrator, you can enjoy your favorite foods year round and at their peak flavor and nutrition value.
- Wide Variety of Options – Most dehydrators will allow you the opportunity to dehydrate many different types of foods, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and meats such as salmon, chicken, and beef.
- Portable and Convenient – Dehydrated foods are perfect for taking to work as snacks or for camping trips and hikes. Lightweight and easy to store, these foods are perfect for our on-the-go lifestyle today.
These are just a few of the many advantages of using a food dehydrator.
Now let’s take a look at some of the best food dehydrators on the market today. There are some for every budget and lifestyle, so let’s dive in.
Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator
Here’s a very popular unit that could almost be called entry level, yet it has some features and benefits normally found on higher end models, making a good deal for beginner or intermediate food dehydrators. Presto makes some of the best kitchen appliances, and their food dehydrators are no exception.
Just take a look at some of these specs.
- Six trays means you can dehydrate foods for a small fraction of the cost of commercially prepared dried foods, saving you plenty of money
- Digital thermostat and timer for precise control of temperature and drying time
- 95 to 160 degree Fahrenheit temperature range
- Makes jerky from poultry, seafood, and other meats
- Fan is mounted on the bottom for constant air circulation, no need to rotate drying items
- Includes 6 drying trays (expandable up to 12) and 2 fruit roll sheets
- Mesh screens and cover are dishwasher safe
- Dehydrate herbs, vegetables, fruit
- Measures 14.5 X 15 X 7.25 inches, weighs just over 8 pounds
- BPA free components
This unit gets great reviews. It’s pretty easy to keep clean and is versatile enough for even experienced users.
About the only complaint I keep hearing is that it’s a bit noisy, but it doesn’t bother most people. Some folks say the additional trays are pretty expensive, but 6 is enough to get started.
All in all, a very solid unit for the money spent.
Ivation 480 Watt Electric Food Dehydrator Pro
Here’s another great unit that really could be ideal for those just starting out, as well as for more experienced food dehydrator enthusiasts. Ivation food dehydrators get great reviews!
Just some of the features of this solid unit include the following:
- Dries fruit slices, beef jerky, herbs, and much more
- Rear-mounted fan promotes even drying and optimal airflow
- Adjustable thermostat with automatic shutoff
- Features 6 roomy adjustable racks ( 13” X 12” )
- Adjustable from 95 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit
- Includes one solid sheet for fruit rollups
- Overheating protection
- BPA-free components
- Up to 19.5 hours of drying time in 30 minute intervals
- Measures 17.7 X 13.6 X 12.4 inches – just over 15 pounds
This unit has some great reviews and seems to be a solid performer. What I really like is that most say it’s simple to use and it doesn’t seem to be as loud as some of the other units of similar size. Ivation has become known for quality and their dehydrators are excellent products.
NOTE: The racks are plastic, and although some people say they put them in the dishwasher, I think a dishwasher with a hot drying cycle may make them warp or even melt. It’s best to wash them by hand by letting them soak for an hour or so and then washing thing.
Chefman 9 Tray Food Dehydrator
This is a slightly larger unit that has 9 trays for those that are a little more serious about dehydrating food, or maybe frequent campers or serious backpackers who need a reliable, larger volume machine. Chefman dehydrators are top notch machines,.
Let’s look at some of the features of this highly-rated dehydrator.
- 9 spacious 13” X 12” trays
- Made with BPA-free plastic
- Digital preset temperatures – one touch with ranges from 95 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit
- Innovative design maximizes airflow for even drying
- Transparent door so you can easily monitor the progress
- 1 year warranty
- Access to Club Chefman for recipes, videos, and cookbooks
- Measures 14 X 17 X 18 inches – weighs 18 pounds
You may have noticed that almost all these products do basically the same thing, and it’s a matter of getting a unit that you have the space for and that are comfortable with. If you’re thinking about seriously getting into dehydrating foods and would like to do large batches to save time and money, this unit will do the trick for you. It’s highly quality and has loads of great reviews.
Aroma Housewares Professional 6 Tray Food Dehydrator
Here’s another solid unit that performs very well indeed. The Aroma Housewares Professional Food Dehydrator is around the same size as the others we’ve reviewed, and has many of the same features, but is a bit simpler for the controls and ease of operation.
Look at all these features and benefits:
- 6 BPA-free trays that support up to one pound of food each
- Great airflow and circulation, no need to rotate trays
- Thermostat adjusts from 95 – 155 degrees Fahrenheit
- Can handle meat, fruits, nut, and herbs with ease
- Measures 17.7 X 13.6 X 12.4 inches – weighs 11.4 pounds
- Offers both stainless steel and plastic trays
- Great for those just getting started or for more serious users
This unit does more of the same, and it’s a matter of preference which one you prefer. As noted above, the manufacturer offers both stainless steel and plastic trays, so if you prefer one over the other, please unsure you have the correct one when ordering so you won’t be surprised or disappointed.
In Conclusion
We’ve reviewed a number of the best food dehydrators we could find – and you could probably tell that they all share a lot of the same features.
Finding one you’re comfortable with is extremely important, as well as something that looks nice and fits well with the counter space you have.
Once you get one of these I’m sure you’ll be using it all the time, so you won’t want to bother with storing after each use.
I{ hope these food dehydrator reviews will help you make the best decision when it comes to dehydrating, no matter what you’re using it for.
Thanks for reading, best of luck!
Stay healthy!
About the Author Ted
Ted is a writer and avid researcher on the subject of nutrition and general wellness. He has recently published books on Sugar Detox as well as the inflammation epidemic, and continues to improve his knowledge by constantly remaining up to date with the latest news and trends in the nutrition world. When not busy writing, you can find him playing banjo and guitar, or outside fishing.
