Dehydrator Options

[Joel Benjamin L]

I need some help finding a dehydrator. I have done some research online, including reading far too many amazon reviews, but find ultimately that I do not know who or what to trust. My wife and I will not be dehydrating loads and loads of fruits and herbs, but would like to have a reliable small machine. Any recommendations?

[RIHans]

I make dehydrated apple chips with my students. I have an Excalibur.

Great unit, pretty good yields.

[Peter Polack]

I have a NESCO American Harvest FD-60 Snackmaster Express unit. It came with 4 trays, and is expandable to 12 trays. I expanded it to 8 trays with no loss of performance. The heating unit is at the top and forces air downward via fan. NESCO has a Pro model with the heating unit at the bottom. It may be more effective at drying food but I question whether dripping liquids will eventually foul the motor and whether heat from the unit will discolor the surface it's resting on.

It is quiet, fast, and has a thermostat. It has a 2100 rpm motor and 500 watts of heat. NESCO also has a 2400 rpm, 1000 watt model called the Gardenmaster, but I think my model is effective enough.

[steve garro]

I have a NESCO American Harvest FD-60 Snackmaster Express unit. It came with 4 trays, and is expandable to 12 trays. I expanded it to 8 trays with no loss of performance. The heating unit is at the top and forces air downward via fan. NESCO has a Pro model with the heating unit at the bottom. It may be more effective at drying food but I question whether dripping liquids will eventually foul the motor and whether heat from the unit will discolor the surface it's resting on.

It is quiet, fast, and has a thermostat. It has a 2100 rpm motor and 500 watts of heat. NESCO also has a 2400 rpm, 1000 watt model called the Gardenmaster, but I think my model is effective enough.

I have one as well & I'm going to buy another - it's going to be a big fruit season!
Also great for herbs, tomatoes and mushrooms.
- Garro.

[steve garro]

IMG_1854.JPGIMG_1858.JPGIMG_1860.JPGI have two Nesco head to head, and have been drying peaches for almost a week - those flats are just 1/2 of what I have dried.
tomatoes next, mushrooms on the way.
Busy.
Also a gallon of scratch marinara and 20lbs of tomatoes worth of red/arbol salsa.
BUSY.
- Garro.

[echelon_john]

We've had a tabletop dehydrator but I'm planning to build something a little bigger in the next week or so to use for the fall harvest. I'll post pics once I make some progress.

Lots of plans online...pretty simple principles—heat and air movement!

[steve garro]

Lots of plans online...pretty simple principles—heat and air movement!

Mesh tables outside in the open air is how I've seen it done all over the world.
- Garro.

[dhoff]

I have found this place, harvestessentials
very helpful in answering all questions on Dehydrators and Juicers. I suggest giving them a call. They offer many options and tremendous expertise and their support after the sale is among the best I have seen.

-d

[Mabouya]

I've considered getting one, but from what I can tell they are massive energy hogs, especially if you're using it indoors during the summer. 1,000 watts for any period of time really adds up, then your A/C has to work to cool everything back down (and remove the humidity from the air, but it isn't that much water). During the winter it's less of an issue, since you're not wasting the heat but there's just not much stuff available at that time of year, certainly not anything that's locally grown.

I gave up on the project and figured it would be simpler to find a commercial brand of dried fruit that didn't put all sorts of preservatives and other stuff in. Trader Joe's has some decent options.

[steve garro]

I've considered getting one, but from what I can tell they are massive energy hogs, especially if you're using it indoors during the summer. 1,000 watts for any period of time really adds up, then your A/C has to work to cool everything back down (and remove the humidity from the air, but it isn't that much water). During the winter it's less of an issue, since you're not wasting the heat but there's just not much stuff available at that time of year, certainly not anything that's locally grown.

I gave up on the project and figured it would be simpler to find a commercial brand of dried fruit that didn't put all sorts of preservatives and other stuff in. Trader Joe's has some decent options.

Until you've had delicious tree ripened organic dried fruit you won't understand what a deal it is.
That shit is EXPENSIVE.
If you want them to dry fast put them outside in the sun.

If you wanna get a all hippy about it how about the gas driving to TJ's (I not so secretly hate that place full of re-branded pseudo-healthy bound three bags deep & then in a cardboard box off name mystery brands like "organic gluten free naturally flavored tofu dog bites" and weird ass stuff like that) and all the carbon footprint to get it to where ever to your local strip mall?
I like to know where as much of my food as possible comes from, and also do it very selfishly as it's simply the best tasting food I can find, and I get it from nice people I know, or make it myself.
My Dos Centavos, YRMV.

PS - AC?
What's that?

- Garro.

[steve garro]

IMG_1818.jpgIMG_1860.JPGStraight from peaches and on to wild mushrooms!
- Garro.

[Amaro Bikes]

Yo-yo-ma!!! thanks for sharing all this info, now I'll try to make some big apple dry reserves.
How good is dried REAL fruit!

[steve garro]

Yo-yo-ma!!! thanks for sharing all this info, now I'll try to make some big apple dry reserves.
How good is dried REAL fruit!

As you see there, I am dipping the peaches in lemon juice = it stops oxidation, so they do not turn brown.
I then seal them in jars, and store them in the fridge.
I think I would do this with apples as well - anyone?
Free apples everywhere here right now.....
- Garro.

[Amaro Bikes]

As you see there, I am dipping the peaches in lemon juice = it stops oxidation, so they do not turn brown.
I then seal them in jars, and store them in the fridge.
I think I would do this with apples as well - anyone?
Free apples everywhere here right now.....
- Garro.

I have done apples before using some water with salt (small spoon for a 1ltr bottle) for the oxidation issue, is the way a good friend from the Ardennes told me to do, but I'm sure the lemon juice is a better way, and probably making some kind of special extra flavour?
Envy corrodes me... I'll have to move to Garroland!