What Is Food Dehydrator?
Food dehydration is a known and…
…true method of food preservation. It works by sucking moisture…
…out of food, preventing bacteria from growing.
Food may last indefinitely when properly dried…
…which is one of the reasons dehydrated food…
…makes a terrific on-the-go snack.
Dehydrating bulk things like herbs from your garden…
…or mangoes you bought on sale is also a wonderful way…
…to preserve them, and because dehydrating increases…
…the flavor of fresh food, dried herbs will taste stronger…
…ideal for seasoning meat and fruits will taste sweeter.
While most items may be dehydrated in the traditional method…
…or under the sun on a hot, dry day or in a cold, dry region…
…dehydrators work faster and provide more…
…regulated environment.
We would like to share Elisa’s story…
Elisa and food dehydrator’s
I’d had a nagging desire to make my own yogurt for over a decade…
All I needed was a heat-resistant flask, an airing cupboard…
…and the determination to succeed. My secret ambition was…
…revealed to my sister at some time. My next birthday brought…
…two electric yogurt machines, one from her and the other from…
…my mother, and the desire to manufacture solidified milk products …
…vanished.
A food dehydrator was the only thing I really wanted—needed.
Then I noticed a barrel-shaped item under the Chanumas tree this year.
I pretended to be perplexed, but the reality was dawning on me…
…my reckless wish had come back to torment me like a cursed…
…heroine in a fairy tale. It was a Christmas miracle, no greater…
…than I deserved because my partner had bought me…
…a damned amazing food dehydrator from Nesco.
I dehydrate my own meals for traveling, make chicken jerky for my dogs…
…beef jerky for humans, and even eggs. I’ve gone through…
…two previous Nesco dehydrators.
Sounds impressive right?
By dehydrating food items, they preserve the nutrients contained in the food items, which include healthy vitamins and enzymes. Moreover, commercial food dehydrators help in retaining the flavor of the food without using additives, thus eradicating the possibility of harmful effects of food additives.”
MANU GUPTA. A PROFESSIONAL OF TECH-BIZ
Let’s dig a little deeper…
There Are Two Types Of Dehydrator
There are two types of home food dehydrators…
…vertical airflow and horizontal airflow.
Know more…
Vertical Flow
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, Gray | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | NESCO Snackmaster Digital Food Dehydrator, FD-79 , Grey | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Nesco FD-37 Food Dehydrator, NO SIZE | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | NESCO FD-61WHCK, Food Dehydrator with Jerky Gun, White, 6 trays, 500 watts | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Nesco JerkyXpress dehydrator, 14 inches X 9.75 inches, White | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Nesco Food and Jerky dehydrator, 15.25 x 10.25 x 15.63 inches, White | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Vertical-flow dehydrators have a basic design: the chamber…
…is created by stacking trays, and the air is circulated…
…throughout the unit by a fan located at the top…
…or bottom of the device. Vertical-flow dehydrators…
…are less expensive and have a smaller footprint…
…than horizontal-flow versions.
Moreover…
Extra trays can be purchased to increase…
…the drying capacity of various vertical-flow dehydrators.
You can’t dry anything thicker than the depth of the tray…
…with vertical-flow dehydrators since they rely on…
…on the stacked trays fitting together to create…
…a sealed drying chamber. For drying sliced food…
…thin meat strips, and purée for fruit leather…
…this isn’t an issue.
On the other hand…
Some vertical-flow dehydrators can accommodate…
…larger products, such as yogurt jars, using special trays…
…that can be purchased separately.
Horizontal Flow
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine(50 Free Recipes), 6 Stainless Steel Trays with Digital Timer and Temperature Control for Beef,Jerky,Fruit,Dog Treats,Herbs,ETL Listed/FDA Compliant | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine (10 Stainless Steel Trays) Digital Adjustable Timer | Temperature Control | Keep Warm Function | Dryer for Jerky, Herb, Meat, Beef, Fruit and To Dry Vegetables | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine | 7 Stainless Steel Trays | Adjustable Timer, Temperature Control | Dryer for Jerky, Herb, Beef, Fruit | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator, 5 Tray, Gray | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Colzer Dehydrators for Food and Jerky, 6 Tray Food Dehydrator Machine Professional Fruit Dryer Dehighdrater Food with Timer for Herb, Meat, Beef, Vegetables, Cat and Dog Food | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | OSTBA Food Dehydrator, Dehydrator for Food and Jerky, Fruits, Herbs, Veggies, Adjustable Temperature Control Electric Food Dryer Machine, 5 BPA-Free Trays Dishwasher Safe, 240W, Recipe Book Included | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
A horizontal-flow dehydrator, which resembles…
…a miniature convection oven is made of plastic…
…or stainless steel. The heater and fan are located…
…in the back of the machine, blowing hot air over…
…the slide-in trays. The Excalibur 3526TCDB 5-Tray Dehydrator…
…is the most popular horizontal-flow model.
Let’s get down to the business…
Best Nesco Dehydrator
When you can dehydrate your own fruit chips and jerky…
…making nutritious snacks doesn’t have to be tough.
Since 1978, Nesco has been the market leader in dehydrators…
…and developed to include the accessories you need.
Dehydrating food has never been easier! Nesco has a wide range…
…of food and accessories dehydrators to meet…
…your requirements.
Get this:
Nesco Gardenmaster
- 1000-Watts of power dries foods in hours, not days.
- Converga-Flow drying system pushes heated air up and across each tray.
- Adjustable Thermostat (95°F - 160°F).
- Comes with 8 dishwasher safe trays and expands up to 30 trays.
- Includes (8) Fruit Roll-up Sheets, (8) Clean-a-Screens, (1) Recipe Instruction Book, (1) Original Jerky Spice Pack with Cure.
- Made in the USA of Global and Domestic parts
- Note: The model number 1010 and the 1018A are from the same series and the main component pieces are the same. The 1018A version has additional items included
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Nesco FD-1018A Gardenmaster is a good choice…
…if you’re searching for a food dehydrator that’s quick…
…consistent, and simple to operate. If you have a particularly…
…large harvest, this stylish device can extend to fit up to 30 trays in total.
It has 1,000 watts of drying power, a specially built 4.5-inch fan…
…and a 2,400-RPM motor to quickly and quietly dry food…
…without moving trays.
The good news is…
The device’s light-blocking cover helps to keep more nutrients…
…when drying, and its adjustable thermostat spans from…
…95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to dry foods at…
…a variety of temperatures (say, low for apple slices and high for beef jerky).
Fine mesh mats and fruit roll sheets are included…
…as well as other essential accessories.
Plus, the covers and trays are all dishwasher-safe…
…making cleanup a breeze.
Next!
Nesco Snackmaster Pro
- Adjustable thermostat allows you to dry different foods at proper temperatures (95º-160º F)
- Powerful Top Mounted Fan. 600 watts of drying power. 120 Volt
- Comes with 5 trays, but is expandable to 12 trays. (Trays are 13 1/2 in diameter)
- Opaque Vita-Save exterior helps block harmful light which destroys nutritional content of food being dehydrated
- Patented Converga-Flow drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber (not through the trays). The hot air is forced horizontally across each individual tray, converging on the core for fast, even and nutritious drying. No flavor mixing and no need to rotate trays
- Made in the USA of Global and Domestic parts.Only the powerhead of this item is imported from China. The rest of the product is 100% made and assembled in the
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Anyone who is new to food dehydrators will want to start…
…with a high-quality, user-friendly gadget that isn’t too expensive.
Another Nesco choice, the Snackmaster Pro, is the finest…
…food dehydrator for your money if you’re seeking to…
…spend less than $100.
It has an adjustable thermostat, similar like the Gardenmaster…
…to quickly dry fruit, vegetables, and meat, as well…
…as a light-blocking shell to conserve nutrients.
The Snackmaster Pro, on the other hand, has a lower…
…drying power (600 watts) and can only hold up to…
…12 trays (it comes with five).
Good for you…
The Snackmaster Pro may be significantly less potent…
…than its sibling, but it still has legions of devotees.
We are amazed at how nicely it works. It is silent and…
…performs flawlessly. It dehydrates evenly and…
…is simple to clean. The temperature management is simple…
…and straightforward. This is one we would highly suggest…
…to anyone, but especially novices.
You should know this…
Factors You Should Consider Before Buy A Food Dehydrator
Dehydrators are deceptively simple machines…
…requiring only a low-wattage heating source, a fan…
…and open racks that allow air to circulate freely.
However, some models outperform others significantly…
…and the price isn’t always an indicator of performance.
So, whats it’s all about?
Even Drying
The best dehydrators evenly dry food without…
…requiring much, if any, rotation or rearrangement of the trays.
The amount of time and effort you must devote…
..to the drying process is determined by how well…
…your dehydrator circulates air.
We discovered that spherical vertical-flow dehydrator…
…with the motor at the bottom produced the best results.
Heat rises, and a bottom-mounted motor pushes hot air…
…where it naturally wants to go (up, it wants to go up).
Top-mounted dehydrators have a harder time pushing…
…warm air down to the lower trays, necessitating…
…extra care and rotation.
The important things…
The frequency with which you must rotate the trays…
…is determined by a number of factors, the most important…
…of which is what you’re drying and the dehydrator itself.
Going down…
The Capacity
Preparing and drying your own food takes a long time…
…and the end result is only a fraction of the weight…
…you started with. So you’d like to be able to dehydrate…
…a large amount of water at once. However, this does not…
….imply that you must deal with a massive space hog.
Dehydrators with a good combination of bulk…
…and drying volume is our favorite.
It all comes down to good design.
For example!
We evaluated two 15-inch-diameter rounds…
…vertical-flow dehydrators—one had 1 square foot…
…of drying surface per tray, whereas the other had…
…only three-fourths of a square foot per tray.
This was due to a larger gap around the edge…
…of the trays on the latter model, which took away…
…valuable usable space.
Accessories
- Fits NESCO 60 and 70 Series Dehydrators
- Set of two trays / Expand your dehydrator with accessory trays
- Made of durable, high-quality food grade plastic – reusable & easy to clean
- Compatible with 13½” diameter trays
- Made with pride in the USA
- HAND WASH O
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Fine-mesh mats and fruit-roll trays are useful additions…
…to your dehydrator’s accessories. Small things…
…like herbs, are kept from dropping through the trays…
…by fine-mesh matting. Fruit-roll trays are especially…
…useful for hikers and campers who want to dehydrate small…
…packable meals. Some businesses offer these items…
…with the dehydrator, while others require an additional fee.
Consider how you’ll use your dehydrator to get…
…the most bang for your buck.
Keep reading…
Nesco Dehydrator Dishwasher Safe
Dishwasher-safe NESCO American Harvest Dehydrator trays…
…are required to be placed in the top rack of the dishwasher.
Remove the trays from the dishwasher before the drying cycle begins…
…or the trays may melt due to the excessive heat.
The dehydrator cover cannot be washed in the dishwasher….
The NESCO dehydrator’s base is not watertight…
…therefore it cannot be submerged in water.
Wash the dehydrator trays by hand and cover with a clean…
…washcloth or a soft-bristled brush. Soak the trays in warm water…
…for 10 to 15 minutes to make it simpler to remove the food particles.
On the trays, use a light detergent and avoid using scouring pads…
…or other metal objects. After unplugging the base unit from the wall outlet…
…clean it with a moist rag. To clean the base, avoid using scouring pads or sharp tools.
And, finally…
To Sum Up
Using a food dehydrator to eliminate moisture…
…from foods like fruits, vegetables, and meats results…
…in food that is naturally concentrated, rich, and delicious.
Not only that, but when you make your own meal…
…you know the quality and freshness of the ingredients…
…you’re using, unlike when you eat dry foods…
…from the supermarket.
Conclusion
Actually, there’s a lot of brands that have some benefits…
…or maybe the same with Nesco. You can do research…
…to know more about it. Share your experiences…
…in the comment below!
Our latest articles:
- The Ultimate Realtor Mug Collection
- Accountant Mug: 6 Powerful Reasons It’s a Must-Have
- Chef Mug: 6 Powerful Reasons It’s a Kitchen Must-Have
💻 Amazing Way To Dry Fresh Herbs Using a Dehydrator | Do You Really Need a Dehydrator | A Beginner’s Guide to Dehydrating Food
Was this helpful?
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
