Food Dehydrators

Food dehydrators  suck moisture out by circulating dry air at temperature of about 140 degrees around your food in a boxy appliance.  They can be countertop devices or giant farm machines and can dry almost anything. You can use them to make dry pasta; beef, poultry, and fish jerky; fruit and/or yogurt roll-ups; raw foods with live enzymes; and lightweight foods for backpacking.

You just cut up your foods to be dehydrated, lay them in the racks of the machine, turn it on, and let it do its magic.  Backwoods Home has a great article on the differences between foods and how to become an expert quickly.

Quick Picks

(Based on reviews from Amazon  and Epinions.)

Nesco American Harvest FD-1010  Any Nesco dehydrator  seems to be a good bet (most got great reviews), but this one is the pick of the litter. All twelve reviews gave it five stars for its ease of use, ease of cleanup, and fast drying times. A little more expensive; it costs around $130. Expandable, since the warm air comes up from the base, you can add more trays on top. One minor complaint was that it's a little noisy, but this is easily solved by tucking it away in the basement.	L'Equip 528  L'Equip is another reliable brand that got good reviews on Amazon and Epinions. There is some controversy on the Amazon reviews about the actual square footage of the drying area in the model, reducing its overall rating because people demoted it for "false advertising," which may have actually been Amazon's fault. As far as the product itself goes, most reviewers are enthusiastic about its functionality (if not its looks). Also expandable with more trays available from the manufacturer.	Excalibur Dehydrators  Excalibur is the highest-rated brand for horizontal-circulating dehydrators. Several models are available, but they mainly differ by number of trays. Praised for sturdiness and workhorse capabilities. One downside (applies to all horizontal dehydrators) is that sometimes the food in the trays needs to be rotated to dry evenly.

What to Look For

Your needs will probably be dictated by three factors:

• Price -- Do you want to spend $100 or $1,000? What's the difference? Usually the factors below:
• Size -- Do you want a countertop model to make snacks or a freestanding machine that will dehydrate your crops? Check the square footage of the product to figure out how much it stores.
• Function -- Will you be drying everything from flowers to yeast to cloth or just fruits, veggies and meats? If your needs are simple, get a simple machine.

The Two Types of Food Dehydrators
Horizontal Air Flow  All trays get equal heat penetration. Several foods dried at once. Reduced flavor mixture.	Vertical Air Flow  The heat comes from the base. Different foods have a lot of flavor mixture. Liquids can drip into heating element.

Other Important Features to Look For

• Double wall construction of metal or high-grade plastic.
• Enclosed heating elements.
• Countertop design.
• Enclosed thermostat ranging from 85 to 160 degrees.
• Fan or blower.
• 4 to 10 trays made of sturdy plastic.
• Some vertical models can be expanded with additional trays available from the manufacturer.
• Fruit-roll sheets
• Special inserts to prevent fruit sauces from dripping so you can make fruit rolls.
• Can also be used to make yogurt snacks or to dry soups and sauces for backpacking.

Why Dehydrate?

• Dehydrating your fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats can preserve them for a year.
• Dehydrated food does not rot easily -- microorganisms that cause decay cannot live without water.
• The nutrients, color, and flavor are preserved.
• Reduces weight and volume, making packing, shipping, and storing much easier.
• Safer, easier, and more reliable than hoping for proper weather conditions.
• A great way to turn your home-grown foods into a possible business.
• Also just a great way to preserve your backyard garden's harvest. if you have a bumper crop, you can save it so you don't have to try to give it away.
• A realistic way to prepare for a disaster. You'll have more food in your home in less space with a longer shelf life.
• You can control what goes into your foods and support local agriculture.

If You Own a Farm

If you own a farm and intend on dehydrating on a mass-scale, you should probably buy an industrial food dehydrator.  There's more information on those here.

Related Buying Guides
Yogurt Makers	Soy Milk Makers	Bread Machines	Slow Cookers

External Links

• Mother Earth News -- Choosing a food dehydrator.
• About.com -- Details on types of dehydrators.
• Food Dehydrator Store -- How they work. (Poorly edited, but informative.)
• Food Dehydrator Store -- The best dehydrators.
• Dry Story -- Dehydration FAQs.
• About.com -- How to know when your food is dried.