The Best Food Dehydrators Reviews

We have reviewed numerous dehydrators and have come up with a list of the best food dehydrators.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about these convenient kitchen appliances.

NESCO Gardenmaster Pro Food Dehydrator - Best overall

The overall best dehydrator money can buy is the powerful and reasonably priced NESCO FD-1018A Gardenmaster.

It is sold in eight trays, so you can arrange and dehydrate large quantities of different fruits, herbs, jerky, and other food products at the same time. This gives you a massive 8 square feet of drying area to line up all of those products on.

It allows for spreading and drying about 5 lbs. of sliced beef strips and up to 6 lbs. of sliced apples at the same time.

You can further expand this excellent dehydrator to an impressive 30 trays if you have a lot of products you need to dry and store.

All you need to do is buy the extra Nesco American Harvest dehydrator trays you need, and you will have a food-dehydrating device which has the perfect capacity for your needs.

Thanks to the added eight fine mesh inserts in the dehydrator, you don’t have to worry about parts of food falling down through the cracks of the unit.

It also comes with plastic fruit-rolling sheets for each tray and eight clean-up screens.

The motor is 2,400 rpm and has a 4 ½ inch fan on the bottom to ensure that the upward airflow throughout the unit is evenly spread.

The temperature can be adjusted easily from 95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and the appliance is one of the fastest workings on the market.

You can easily adjust the temperature to one of the seven available temperature settings: 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, and 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Plus, you don’t have to rotate trays throughout the dehydrating process, which will save you a lot of effort and hassle. The design allows for working with various foodstuffs on each tray without any flavor or odor mixing during the heating and drying process.

The racks fit perfectly to one another to create a closed chamber and to minimize the loss of hot air during the drying process.

Thanks to its vertical design, and its special Converga-Flow technology, the hot air passes evenly through each and every tray, so you can expect consistent results for the foodstuffs placed on the different trays and levels.

Also, each of the racks is sloped upwards from the end to the center so that the food on the edges does not block the airflow to the middle. Each tray has notches on its rims, allowing for an even flow of hot air and consistent evaporation.

An added extra feature makes this dehydrator even more efficient it recycles some hot air via the special central cone in the base of the unit.

The exterior is opaque, which blocks any light from the outside in order to preserve as many of the vitamins and nutrients in the food inside as possible.

The trays and the cover of the NESCO FD-1018A are all dishwasher safe, so you won’t need to deal with hand washing all those trays when you are done.

The appliance is sold with a useful recipe book which will guide you through the dehydrating process for every food and ingredient you want to process.

The size of this excellent countertop dehydrator is 17 x 15.5 x 14 inches, and it weighs 17 lbs.

The dehydrator is sold with a 1-year warranty, it is easy to use and is expandable to meet the needs of all households.

Related content – The Best Chocolate Tempering Machines

Samson Silent Dehydrator 6-Tray - The runner-up

The name of the runner-up in our list says it all. The Samson Silent Dehydrator operates very quietly, so you can run it at any time without the noise associated with most other dehydrators on the market.

It has six racks and trays and requires minimal reshuffling during the drying process.

This modern kitchen appliance has an easy-to-read and set digital control panel on top and has some nifty features, such as a timer and an auto shut-off function, so you can let it work unattended safely.

You can set the temperature of the device to one of the eight available settings: 95, 104, 113, 122, 131, 140, 149, and 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thanks to the fact that it has a sliding tray design, means that you can remove one or more trays, if you require more space for certain food products you are going to dehydrate, such as fermenting yogurt and drying flowers.

The unit is 400 watts, which means it will take about 25% more time to dry the foodstuffs than the top-rated product on the list.

But then again, it will dry all the foods and products evenly, with a minimal rotation of the trays, as the heat is produced from the back of the appliance. It has a powerful and large-sized, super-quiet 7-inch fan to help circulate the hot air evenly.

It comes with fine mesh inserts for each of the six trays to prevent food from falling.

The unit is also available in a larger 9-tray version for those of you who have more products to dry.

The Samson Silent 6-tray dehydrator has a countertop or table footprint of 17 ¾ x 13 ½ inches and provides a total of 6 ½ square feet of drying space.

The height of the dehydrator is 12.51 inches, and it weighs 12.05 lbs.

This excellent quality dehydrator is sold with a 5-year warranty for peace of mind.

Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator - The best budget-friendly option

If you are shopping for a good quality dehydrator but do not want to spend too much money on such an appliance, then we strongly recommend the inexpensive Presto 06300 Dehydro Food Dehydrator.

It has four stackable trays and a see-through top cover so you can keep an eye on the food getting dried on top.

The 600-watt heating element and fan are on the bottom of the unit for a better and more even airflow upwards through all four trays.

All of the trays and the cover can be immersed in water, and are dishwasher safe for easy washing and rinsing. They are BPA-free and safe.

When it is not in use, this appliance can be stored easily, thanks to the design allowing for the unit to nest all of the trays inside. The cord can be neatly stored in the base of the unit as well.

The affordable dehydrator can be expanded to up to eight trays if you decide to buy one or more of its inexpensive extra trays offered on the market. You can also buy the special non-stick mesh screens, as well as the special jerky spice and jerky gun kits.

The size of this low-priced appliance is 14.5 x 15 x 6.25 inches, and it weighs 7.5 lbs.

For this price, the Presto 06300 is great for fruit, veggies, jerky, rolls, sun-dried tomato pesto, herbs, and spices you can buy on the market.

You will save tons of money from buying commercially available dehydrated jerky, fruits, and other products, and will be able to make them yourself with no harmful additives, and by preserving all healthy nutrients and tastes.

You can even make healthy snacks and treats for your dog with this and the other dehydrators we have added to this list, which will further lower your monthly bills for dog food.

Magic Mill Commercial Food Dehydrator Machine - The rest of the best

Do you want to save money by making your own healthy and delicious dehydrated treats in the comfort of your home?

With the Magic Mill MFD-6100, you can do that easily, quickly, and at an excellent price. Plus, it comes with a wide variety of racks and trays which you do not have to purchase separately.

Key features:

• All racks and parts which are in contact with the food are safe and BPA-free
• A rear-mounted heater and fan spreads the hot air evenly without leaving any raw parts and without overheating certain foods
• It has an adjustable thermostat for optimal drying and delicious taste and crispiness
• The auto shut-off function will allow you to let the machine do its thing while you spend your precious time doing something else
• Its six 13 x 12-inch stainless steel mesh racks, 2 plastic fine mesh trays, and 2 nonstick trays for drying all kinds of foods and products
• Also included are oven mitts for safe handling and rotating of the racks and trays
• You can remove a few racks to make more space for larger products you want to dry
• The drip pan is also very easy to clean
• It has a digital thermostat
• An easy-to-set timer can be set to up to 19.5 hours of drying
• The temperature can be adjusted from 95 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit
• It operates quietly, so you can set it up to work overnight and wake up to a vitamin-rich and delicious breakfast
• The dimensions of the unit are 15 x 13.5 x 19 inches, and it weighs 15.45 lbs.
• A stylish black design that will look great on your kitchen countertop

Homdox Food Dehydrator

With the Homdox Food Dehydrator, you will have an excellent and easy-to-use appliance for preserving all kinds of vegetables, fruits, and other food products. You can also make delicious and healthy treats for yourself, your family, and even your pets in it.

Key features:

• A 400-watt motor powers the heating element, and a fan on the bottom of the unit
• It comes with 8 BPA-free stackable trays
• The trays and tray liners are dishwasher-safe
• It has a timer that can be set to up to 72 hours
• The temperature can be set from 95 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit
• The digital control display will show the exact temperature at all times
• Thanks to the see-through design of the unit, you can keep an eye on each of the trays without the need to open the unit or remove any of the trays
• No rotation of the drying trays is necessary, as the hot air will spread evenly throughout the appliance thanks to the 360-degree hot air circulation system
• You can choose from two tray settings – you can rotate them at 180 degrees or set them at different distances from one another depending on the size of the foods you are drying
• The dimensions of the appliance are 14 x 12 x 10 inches and it weighs 4.2 lbs.

Although a dehydrator is a quite useful appliance, it is definitely not a universal kitchen tool that everyone needs.

The results of using the dehydrator can be very rewarding, though, especially if you fall into one of the following categories:

An advanced gardener or farmer

If you tend to end up with more excellent products than you can actually use and then you need, you can use a good quality dehydrator to preserve your riches, instead of looking at ways to give them away to family and friends.

You can dry all kinds of veggies, fruits, herbs, and spices, which you can store for months and even years and use as snacks, or for cooking various meals during the winter and throughout the year.

Dehydrated fruits and veggies take up much less space than canned or frozen ones, and they also maintain their nutritious value and their taste when dried properly.

An avid hunter or fisherman

If you have come home with a treasured catch from fishing or hunting, you know just how much space in your freezer your venison or fish takes up. By using the dehydrator, you can turn part of the meat into jerky, which can safely be stored outside of the fridge, and which not only saves space but is a very tasty snack.

The same goes for drying salmon, trout, and tuna.

An enthusiastic DIYer

If you love spending time making your own healthy, tasty and inexpensive snacks at home, then the dehydrator is an excellent investment for you. You can make so many different types of snacks with one of these nifty appliances.

You can make your own fruit leather, jerky, and even make treats for your dogs or for your baby.

This is an excellent option if you want to save money, and also if you want to make sure you know exactly what is in these snacks, unlike the ones which are commercially available. This is great if you have food allergies or sensitivities or if you are on a special diet with limited ingredients.

If you want to support your local farmers and producers

If you have pledged to support your local food producers as much as possible, you can easily buy seasonal products dry them, and preserve them, so you can use them during the rest of the year.

Imagine having free access to fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs in the middle of the cold winter? With a dehydrator, this can be achieved very easily.

A hiker or camper

If you love spending your free time on camping or hiking trips, then dehydrating your own meals will not only help you save loads of money but will also allow you to prepare your packable and lightweight snacks and meals exactly in the way you prefer them.

If you are health conscious and want healthy treats and foods for your family and pets

Dehydrated snacks are much healthier than sugary and other commercial snacks, which are full of preservatives and fillers.

With a dehydrator, you can make delicious and healthy treats for yourself, your children, and even your dogs.

Not only will this save you tons of money for commercial treats and snacks, but you will know exactly what your treats contain every time.

Start easy

Dehydrating food is a food preservation method used since 12,000 BC., but even today, newbies must know that this process does require some practice and experimenting.

This is definitely not a quick process with quick results, so you will need to be patient before you get the results you expect.

Start with easier types of food that require less time for drying, and after you get used to the process move on to others that require more drying time, like grapes, which can take over 36 hours to dry properly.

Use top-quality products at the height of the season

Always use fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, and spices which are at the peak of their season. Avoid dehydrating something that is still ripe, or overripe let alone rotting.

The result of the drying process depends on the quality of the product you put in the dehydrator, so make sure you use high-quality foods and remove any bad parts or bruised spots from the pieces.

Dehydrating sweet and succulent fruits make their sweetness even more concentrated.

When processing meat or fish always make sure that it is firm and fresh before drying them.

You’ll want to harvest fruit and vegetables when they’re at their peak.

Cut the pieces uniformly

Use a mandolin or a rotary tool to ensure that you get even and consistent slices and cuts of food. This is essential not only for aesthetics but also because foods of the same size and thickness require the same time and temperature for drying.

If you are making jerky, a jerky gun may be a good idea to use, as it will help you make uniform sticks of ground meat jerky.

Remember that juicy fruits and veggies need to be cut as soon as possible after harvesting them or buying them before you place them on the drying sheets.

No matter whether you decide to use a specialized tool or a kitchen knife for cutting your produce, just use the same technique for the entire batch. Consistency is key for good results when drying food.

Although you can dry different types of foods on the different racks or trays of your dehydrator, you should place only one type of food on each of the trays or racks.

When drying kale, wash it, de-stem it, and tear it into large pieces about the size of your palm. They will shrink significantly during the drying, so one head of kale will turn into a small bag of kale chips like the ones sold in stores.

If you want to dry green beans, then you just need to trim their ends and then lay them on the drying sheets.

The good news is that if you are consistent and patient enough, you will gradually find the best prepping and drying process which suits your needs, and the entire dehydrating process will run faster and more smoothly.

Enhancing the colors and flavor of the foods

If you have the patience and time to work on preserving not only the taste but the color of your dehydrated foods, then you can prep them before placing them in the dehydrator.

Fruits and veggies like potatoes, pears, or apples will turn brownish after drying. To preserve the natural color, you can soak the slices in lemon juice or in a solution of water with crushed vitamin C tablets. Just dip them and remove them. This will help keep their color without affecting their taste.

You can also use a spray bottle to mist the slices with the acidic solution.

If you would like to experiment with the taste of your dried foods, here are some great ideas for dehydrating and seasoning different fruits and vegetables:

Apples can be marinated in a mixture of coconut oil with cinnamon.

Green beans become even tastier when spiced up with some cayenne and paprika.

Sliced beets can be seasoned with a touch of olive oil and some Himalayan salt.

Sweet potatoes can be sliced like fries and placed in a marinade of soy sauce overnight.

You can continue experimenting with combining the foods and tastes that you love – the combinations are virtually endless.

Dry the food completely

It is essential for safety and for reasons of preserving the foods that you dry them completely. The drying time varies on the type of food you are processing. It can also be affected by the climate you live in. Obviously, if you live in a dryer climate, the dehydration will be faster.

Also, keep in mind when you will be consuming your dried food. If you are going to store it for longer, it will need some extra drying time.

It is crucial for your safety to familiarize yourself with the food safety best practices, especially when drying meat and fish. Use the National Center for Home Food Preservation website as a reference, in order to prevent dangerous foodborne illnesses.

Store the dried food properly

The drying process is just the first part of food preservation with a dehydrator. After that, you will need to store it properly in order to prevent it from spoiling over time.

Once you are done with the drying, let the food cool down completely. This means leaving it out for 30 minutes or more before placing it in bags, jars or containers.

The dehydrated food will stay fresh for longer if you place it in airtight containers. You can use mason jars with tight-fitting lids, zip-lock bags with the air removed, or dry storage containers.

You can also vacuum seal the dehydrated food, which is especially useful if you have limited space at home, or if you are going to be taking the food camping or hiking with you.

If you notice condensation in the jar or bag, you can put the food back into the dehydrator, but if it has been a while then, unfortunately, you should throw it away.

Keep the jars or bags in a dark and cool environment.

If you are planning on using dehydrated food for a couple of years, then you should place them in freezer bags, remove the air, and freeze them.

Dry the food, do not cook it!

Drying the food is not the same as cooking it. Although the two require heat, one of the key differences is the temperature used. Dehydrators preserve the enzymes in the food and also the nutrients.

Always keep the temperature at the lowest level that will do the job. You can speed up the process by turning on the dehydrator to a higher temperature for the first 30 minutes, and then turn it down to the lowest recommended temperature for the rest of the drying process.

If you find that you have over-dried your food, like apple or pear slices, then you can rehydrate them by spraying or misting them with some water.

Make good use of your dehydrator

Since drying most types of food takes hours, and dehydrators use electricity, it makes sense to ensure that your appliance is filled up every time you use it for maximum efficiency.

The amount of cleanup required after drying one or several batches of food is almost the same, so utilize your dehydrator properly, if you want to save time, energy, and money, and make the most of your kitchen appliance.

Don’t be shy of experimenting

As we said earlier, learning how to master the drying process can take quite a lot of experimenting and testing, as well as patience.

You should keep an open mind, and try out different recipes, or different food and spice combinations, in order to find that perfect snack or food for your taste.

Thankfully, many of the dehydrators on our list come with recipe books and guides for drying which you can use. Of course, you can use multiple online resources for dehydrated food recipes as well.

Use a timer

If your dehydrator doesn’t have a built-in timer, make sure you use another mobile or other kitchen timer to control the drying process.

The units which come with auto shut-off after the time is over are extremely useful if you want to leave the dehydrator unattended and go run errands, or go to sleep as the machine is working.

It will shut off automatically, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your home, or about the results of the drying even if you are out of the house.

Keep your home safe

Dehydrators emit heat and work for long hours, so they will heat up the area they are used in. Appliances like this need sufficient room to allow them to “breathe” and prevent overheating.

So, do not place your dehydrator in a tight or enclosed space, and keep it away from under the cabinets if you are using it on a countertop.

You can take it outside on your patio if there is no risk of rain or other water and weather damage. But even if you use it outside, do not store it outside, because it will wear from the sun and the weather faster.

Common fruit and veggie drying times

Here are the basic drying times for the most common fruits and vegetables. The time may need to be adjusted depending on the size of the pieces and their juiciness, but these are some guidelines that will help get you started:

To keep the produce raw, dry it between 105-118 degrees Fahrenheit for:

Apples: 7-15 hours

Apricots: 20-28 hours

Asparagus: 5-6 hours

Beets: 7-12 hours

Carrots: 6-10 hours

Cherries: 13-21 hours

Corn: 6-10 hours

Eggplant: 5-8 hours

Figs: 20-25 hours

Green Beans: 6-12 hours

Leafy Greens: 3-7 hours

Mushrooms: 3-7 hours

Onions: 4-8 hours

Peaches: 8-16 hours

Pears: 8-16 hours

Peas: 4-8 hours

Peppers, Chili Peppers: 4-8 hours

Persimmons: 10-19 hours

Potatoes: 6-14 hours

Pumpkin, Winter Squash: 8-11 hours

Strawberries: 5-15 hours

Summer Squash: 10-14 hours

Tomatoes: 5-9 hours

Yams: 7-11 hours

Zucchini: 6-11 hours

Keep a close record of your drying recipes and experiences

It is useful to keep a journal with your different drying experiments and attempts, including the type of foods, the seasoning used, as well as the drying time, the temperature, and the batch sizes.

This will help you prevent future mistakes, and will also help you keep a record of your successful attempts so you can make the same batches again in the future.

Related: Best Rice Storage Containe

As you can see, drying your food is an excellent way to retain the taste and nutritional qualities of seasonal produce throughout the year. It will help prevent spoilage and wasting food.

Also, dried food is easier and more compact to store.

It can be used for cooking, as food for camping and hiking trips, as well as for pet food, as healthy snacks for you and your children, and even for making treats for your pets.

With a dehydrator, you can enjoy the nutritional and taste qualities of every type of fruit and vegetable when it is at its peak.

You can also process your precious catch from your hunting and fishing trips.

Overall, this is one of those kitchen appliances which will change the way you perceive food, and hopefully, it will be for the better.

Good luck with your purchase, and enjoy drying your own delicious foods!

Sources:

• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• The Ultimate Guide to Dehydrating Your Food | Foodal
• Expert-Level Food Dehydrating: Tips and Hacks for Drying
• The Dehydrator Bible: Includes over 400 Recipes
• 10 Top Health Benefits of Using a Food Dehydrator | Vitality 4
• Learn How to Store Home-Dried Foods – The Spruce Eats