Best Food Dehydrators for 2022 Reviewed
#1: NESCO FD-75A Food Dehydrator
- EVEN HEAT DISTRIBUTION: 600 watts of drying power provides even heat distribution; consistent drying that is four times faster than other food dehydrators
- ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The adjustable temperature control (95°F -160°F) gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results when drying different foods that need varying temperature settings
- EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
- EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: (2) Fruit Roll Sheet, (2) Clean-A-Screens, a sample of Jerky Seasoning & Cure, and (1) Care & Use Guide
Small, cute, and as per requirement, Nesco produced the dehydrator, which is compact and easy to use. The dehydrator is grey and has a perfect look. It has a handle on top, which makes it easy to carry around.
The thermostat installed in the appliance allows you to dehydrate different food based on their humidity level. The thermostat is, therefore, adjustable. It has a top-mounted fan that is powered by 600 Watts of the motor to speed up the dehydration process.
Where do you think you place the food in the dehydrator? There are five trays available in the dehydrator. In cases where you require more, you can have up to 12 of them. Each try is 13.5″ in diameter. The drying process by Nesco is patented. The hot air flows horizontally across each tray to ensure even drying across all the trays takes place.
On top of the appliance, there is a knob that controls the temperature. There is also an instruction/information provided on top to indicate which food requires what temperature for them to be dried. You can store all these dried food items for up to 1 year.
The FD-75A machine is made in the USA, with all the parts being domestic. Only the powerhead is from China. The assembly also takes place in the US.
Pros
- Can be upgraded to 12 trays if required
- It can dry the food in hours rather than in days
- Made in the US
- Cool Looking machine
Cons
- Made in Chine tag
- The heater was dead pretty faster
- Some customer experienced very so drying
- Some customers received the faulty machine
#2: Presto 06300
- Great for homemade jerky and dehydrating nutritious fruits and vegetables. Even makes healthy pet treats.
- This particular model is 06300-05.
- Top-mounted fan and heating element provide consistent air flow for optimum drying.
- No tray rotation needed; no mixed flavors.
- Includes 4 drying trays; expands up to 8 trays. Additional trays sold separately.
Presto has introduced the dehydrator with multiple tray options. It also comes in a package of 2, 3, and 4 pack combinations. One precautionary point in the case of the dehydrator is, there is no on/off switch.
The dehydrator comes with four trays that allow you to preserve the food without any preservatives
The Presto dehydrator is smartly designed to give the user the features that really matter. Like, the top of the dehydrator is transparent, allowing the user to monitor the drying process.
Unlike some dehydrators, the fan for this one is at the bottom of the dehydrator. It enables a constant and consistent flow of hot air. The hot air gets evenly distributed and also ensures optimum usage of the heat that is produced.
The trays are easy to clean after usage. You can use the regular washing liquid to clean them. You can also use them in the dishwasher.
The dehydrator also has multiple accessories to ensure better usage. You can also nest the trays together for compact storage. The power chord can fit in the base of the machine.
The fan is also designed to work if you are adding in 4 more trays (a total of eight). The design of the dehydrator is such that no rotation of the shelves is required. The drawback is you cannot set a temperature of your own. The dehydrator works with a single temperature, which is 165-degree F.
Pros
- Food can be dried without any preservatives
- Compact storage of the machine is possible
- Multiple pack options
- The see-through cover enables you to monitor
Cons
- No on/off switch
- It has a single temperature of 165-degree F
#3: Hamilton Beach
- Healthy snacks without additives or preservatives, a digital thermostat that lets you adjust drying temperature (40 70° C/100 160° F)
- Perfect for drying fruits, vegetables, jerky & more; Note: Kindly refer the user manual before usage of the product
- 5 stackable drying trays
- 1 fine mesh sheet for drying small food like herbs
- 1 solid sheet for making fruit rolls
Hamilton Beach is a unique, rather different-looking food dehydrator by Hamilton that is filled with features. It is designed in a rectangular shape with a grilled structure/base of each tray.
The grilled structure allows the hot air from the bottom to flow upward. The dehydrator has five trays you can use to dry the food items.
Hamilton dehydrator best fits to be a snack maker and retain all the nutrients of the food items, and you can enjoy the crispiness while consuming. The one uniqueness is, you can set the timer on it so that it auto shuts off once the timer hits.
Luckily, unlike the last product, we discussed the temperature can be adjusted between 100-165 degrees F. Airflow from the bottom of the device and fastens the drying process. The airflow is continuous and no breaks in between.
As the trays are rectangular and there is no rotation required. A 500W motor powers the fan at the bottom. As mentioned earlier, the fan is the reason for faster drying.
There are various accessories provided to enable different kinds of usage. There is a small meshed base provided that you can use to dry small food like herbs.
There is also one solid sheet base that you can use to prepare the fruit rolls. As the design of the dehydrator is simple, the usage is also simple.
You don’t need to wait for the drying to be completed, you can simply switch on the timer and then stop worrying. You can also watch the drying of the food from the transparent cover on top.
Pros
- Unique looking rectangular shaped dehydrator
- Digital timer is available to enable auto shut off
- Transparent top cover
- It can be used to prepare healthy snacks
- Temperature can be controlled
Cons
- Received defective product
- Stops working after usage
#4: NutriChef Food Dehydrator Machine
- EFFICIENT DEHYDRATION: A multi-tier electric food dehydrator can quickly and efficiently remove moisture from fruits, vegetables, meat, beef jerky and other foods, preserving their flavor, nutrients, and texture for longer storage times.
- EASY ACCESS AND OPERATION: Built with easy to use one operational button. Dehydrate with just a click. It has a temperature control system with a maximum of 180°F.
- HEALTHY SNACKS: Dehydrated foods are a healthy snack option, as they are free from additives, preservatives, and excess sugar and salt. They can also be a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making them a great addition to any diet.
- PRESERVE FOOD: Drying your own fruits, vegetables, and meats can be a cost-effective way to preserve food and reduce waste. retain nutrients and flavor, store for extended periods without refrigeration, and enjoy a cost-effective, educational activity with friends and family
- HEAT CIRCULATION: Through scientific testing, our food dehydrator has been shown to increase the shelf life of food by utilizing high heat circulation that travels evenly through each tray. This process effectively removes moisture content, resulting in shrunken but nutrient-dense food that retains 97% of its original vitamins and minerals.
NutriChef has come up with this user-friendly machine food dehydrator whose features are innumerable. I am pretty sure one person cannot use all the features at once. NutriChef mentions it to be a multi-tier.
It is because the multiple variants of trays can accommodate different food items in a single go. NutriChef ensures that the food preserved using this dehydrator cannot go spoilt.
When I mentioned the various features, it also includes the ease with which you can use the dehydrator. There is one button to switch the dehydrator on and one to adjust the temperature. The highest temperature you can set it to is 180 degrees F.
There are five trays provided in the pack, and they are stackable, which means it gets easy to store them away when not in use. These are also easy to clean and also can be used in a dishwasher.
The heat circulation in the machine distributes the air in such a way that the food items receive the heat evenly. Each tray gets the same amount of heat, ensuring the drying is even. 97% of the nutrients are retained during the drying process.
The machine is also small enough so that it is easy to carry around. It does not make much noise; even if you keep it switched on during the night times, you will not realize its presence.
Pros
- Easy to clean trays – as they are removable from the machine
- Temperature control with a maximum of 185-degree F on the controller
- Unique heat circulation enables protection of nutrients from the vegetables
- Portable – easy to carry around sure to its small size
Cons
- The heating was not consistent with frying the vegetables in the bottom
- Faulty product received
#5: Chefman Food Dehydrator Machine
- DEHYDRATING SIMPLIFIED: The Chefman dehydrator includes 6 spacious (13 x12 ) adjustable BPA free plastic trays, so you can create different types of dehydrated foods in one convenient batch at a fraction of the cost of commercially dried foods. Makes for a great healthy snack and ideal for people with allergies as there are no preservatives.
- DIGITAL TOUCH SETTINGS: Digital temperatures preset settings ranging from 95 F to 158 F, integrated with a countdown timer up to 19.5 hours, provides accurate drying times and temperatures to make it super easy for you to start creating delicious dried fruit, herbs, meat or yogurt.
- CONSISTENT RESULTS: The Chefman 480W Food Dehydrator has a built in innovated design that maximizes airflow that results in an even drying without overheating ensuring the perfect dried fruit slices, long-lasting dried herbs, delicious beef jerky and more. You can even use this dehydrator when making your own pasta or use it to freshen up stale cookies or crackers.
- EASY TO MONITOR: The process of drying can be observed without opening the door, designed with a clear door that allows you to monitor the progress of drying meat beef jerky, fruit slices, sweet potato and vegetables, or any other dried food snack
- RESOURCES: cETL approved with advanced safety technology for long lasting durability, & 1-year warranty provided by Chefman, so you can purchase worry-free - we've got your back. For information on how to use your product, scroll down for a PDF User Guide and Quickstart Guide. 480 Watts/120 Volts – RJ43-SQ-6T
Chefman has introduced a slightly bigger than most of the dehydrators we have discussed so far. It is a posh-looking and durable dehydrator from Chefman with some unique features. Chefman’s dehydrator has six trays in it with the dimension of 13×12″ of tray size. Each tray is made from BPA-free plastic.
You need not add any preservatives to dry up the food in this machine. The machine comes with a digital touch screen control on top of the dehydrator. The touch controller has the facility to control the temperature from 95-158 degrees F.
Not just that, to ensure ease usage, there is also a maximum timer of 19.5 hours. With the 480W of the fan installed in it, the airflow becomes consistent so that the drying is consistent.
It also ensures better storage after drying the food. Like an over which has a clear glass viewing area, similarly, this one also has clear glass in front that helps in monitoring the drying process.
The machine is approved with various certifications, making it safer to use. The durability of the product is also high. To make your purchase worry-free, they also provide a 1-year warranty.
The timer also has an auto-off function. The touch screen installed on top is also a neat feature as that is something most of their products don’t have.
Pros
- Bigger and better – the dehydrator is larger and very durable
- Temperature controller making it easy to dehydrate a variety of food
- Easy to monitor like an oven
- Touch screen controller makes it cooler
- Easy to use – 6 trays at a single go
Cons
- Made of poor quality
- Instructions manual missing
#6: Homdox Food Dehydrator
Homdox has introduced a completely transparent design of the dehydrator. A dehydrator is a seven-tray machine that enables a large quantity of drying possible in a single go.
These trays are made from Bpa free plastic; hence they are healthy to be used. It is a multi-functional device that does various tasks like drying vegetables, fruits, meat and also preparing some dishes like fruit rolls.
The height of the machine is adjustable, so you can make sure you can adjust it as per your usual height for convenient usage. You can set the temperature by turning the knob at the base of the dehydrator; it ranges from 95-158 degrees F.
The trays are removable, making them easy to clean up. You can wash these trays with a liquid detergent diluted to make sure it does not affect the smell. You can also use these in a dishwasher to clean them. You can easily stack these strays to enable easy storage when not in use.
The dehydrator fan is powered by 250 Watts, which ensures the airflow is controlled and also even across the machine. The company lets you replace the trays if they are broken when you receive them. There is also the feature of the auto shut off when it gets overheated. The product comes with a two years warranty.
Pros
- Two years warranty
- Replacement available if the trays are received broken
- Prevents overheating by – auto-shutoff
- Easy to clean and also can use it in the dishwasher
Cons
- None at this moment
#7: Rosewill Countertop
- 5 Tray Capacity : BPA-Free Herb trays, roll trays and stackable trays
- Adjustable thermostat: 95 to 158 Degress F, 350 Watt of drying power
- A fast & easy way to make delicious, healthy and natural snacks like banana chips, fruit roll-ups, beef jerky, and dried meats
- Use for drying-crafts: flowers, apple wreaths, meat and more
- Bottom-mounted fan and heating element provide consistant air flow for optimum drying and no rotation needed
Another portable Food dehydrator and this time from the Rosewill Brand. The dimension of the dehydrator is very small when compared to most of the products that we have seen now. Its diameter is 12″ and a height of 10″ only.
The size makes it easy to carry around. The part where the tray fits in is all transparent. The dehydrator has five trays made of BPA-free plastic to ensure the safety of the consumer. It avoids the formation of any germs within the dehydrator.
The base of the machine is white. The base has an on/off switch. Just beside the switch is the knob used to control the temperature of the machine. The temperature varies from 95-158 degrees F.
There is no rotation of the trays required as the device is smaller. The see-through plastic enables you to monitor the drying process better. The fan is fitted in the base of the machine, which circulates the hot air as required to complete the drying process faster. s
With this dehydrator, it is also easy to prepare the fruit roll. You can also dry the herbs and make the yogurt. The circulation of the air in the machine is designed to give out optimal heat.
Pros
- The machine keeps the food dry and preserves for a long time
- Temperature controller available makes it easy to dehydrate a variety of food items
- 250Watts fan is installed in the bottom that speeds up the drying process
- No rotation required to dry the food
Cons
- Poor quality made
- Does not heat up as expected
#8: NutriChef Multi-Tier Food Dehydrator
- 250W HIGH POWERED HEATING: The compact food dehydrator features 250 watt high powered heating output and adjustable temperature control of 95 up to 158 Celsius that dehydrates food in hours unlike ordinary food dehydrators that take days
- 5 STACKABLE TIER: This multi tier countertop food preserver comes with 10 removable slide out food preservation trays or dryer trays. Since the trays are removable, they are very easy to clean including the dehydrating machine
- SIMPLE PLUG-IN DESIGN: Built with easy to use operational knob. Choose to dehydrate with just a click. The unit is stain resistant and safe for placement on any kitchen or tabletop. Made with stainless steel professional engineered ABS construction
- PRESERVE FOOD: This food preserver uses temperature control for preserving food. Can dehydrate and preserve meat like the infamous beef jerky. Also a maker of organic healthy snacks by dehydrating fruit, vegetables and make potato or kale chips etc
- HEAT CIRCULATION: Scientifically tested to increase food shelf life with high heat circulation that travels through each tray. Effectively dries food by removing moisture content, shrinking the food but still retain 97 percent of vitamins and mineral
Another dehydrator from NutriChef. We have seen one from NutriChef. It is a different one with additional features on it. NutriChef’s dehydrator is a Multi-tier food dehydrator that is designed with various temperature levels to ensure a variety of food being able to process.
It comes with transparent trays with a black cover on the top. All these are washable trays, and you can also use them in the dishwasher if required.
The machine has a 250-Watts of fan at the bottom, which regulates the movement of the hot air within the machine. Multi-tier means there are five trays where you can place different types of vegetables and food items to dehydrate them in a single go.
Just on the side of the base of the machine, there are two knobs. One knob is the on/off knob, and the second one is the temperature controller. There is a small led in between those two knobs, which indicates if the machine is on or not.
Heat circulation is designed to reach all the trays evenly, avoiding uneven drying of the food items. It ensures the shelf life of the food items increases, and some vegetables can be used as crispy snacks. It retains up to 97% of nutrients without fail. The trays are stackable and hence make it easier for storage purposes.
Pros
- Five trays for drying available
- Simple plug-in design available
- Preserves the food
- Unique heat circulation
Cons
- Low-quality plastic used
#9: Gourmia Premium Electric Food Dehydrator
- 6 TRAY: Six trays provide plenty of room to get creative drying anything from sweet pineapple slices to sticky dates and even chewy beef jerky! Also comes with a bonus fruit leather sheet and drip tray.
- 360º CIRCULATION: Simple, precise, digital controls activate 360º airflow circulation for thorough uniform drying without overheating- no rotation required.
- TRANSPARENT DOOR: Door is clear for easy at a glance monitoring of all sheets.
- FRESH & HEALTHY: Forget store bought processed junk. Now you can make a more flavorful, nutrient dense, preservative/additive free, and much much cheaper alternative to commercial products.
- ETL CERTIFIED: We, at Gourmia, take the quality of our products seriously. This product is ETL certified and BPA free, so you can be confident that you're receiving a safe, efficient, high quality appliance.
A high-quality, durable food dehydrator from Gourmia packed with features. It is an oven-like design in which you can view the food items from the front of the machine.
On top of the device is a digital display showing the temperature at which it is running. There is also various button like temperature, on/off switch, timer, and others.
The dehydrator has 6 trays in it where you can place the food items to dry them. The airflow is designed to give a full 360 degrees circulation of the hot air.
The flow makes sure the food is dried well, across all the trays. You can place in sliced vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. The front door of the machine is transparent to enable the monitoring of the drying process.
The drying is also safe for the food. It retains up to 97% of the nutrients from all the items in the machine. Hence you need not worry about losing a nutrient-rich snack.
Additionally, there are no preservatives added like in those in the dehydrated food found at the supermarket. The trays are made of plastic, which is also BPA-free. These are also made of certified materials.
Pros
- 360-degree circulation of airflow designed
- Transparent door for easy monitoring
- BPA free plastic trays
- A recipe book is included
Cons
- Damaged product received
- Low quality as mentioned by a few customers
#10: Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine
- REAR MOUNT FAN FOR SUPPER HEAT DISTRIBUTION – DRIES FOOD EVENLY The electric dehydration machine is equipped with a rear-mounted drying fan and air flow circulation technology to promote even drying, there is no need to rotate the shelves as needed by other brands, monitor the dryer process easily with the transparent door window
- DIGITAL THERMOSTAT AND TIMER- AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF WHEN TIMER DONE -- An adjustable temperature and timer ensure you to have your delicious dehydrated food done to perfect at optimal temperature and exact timing; the Countdown timer will show you when it will be done, once done it will automatic shut off
- SPECIOSE ADJUSTABLE STAINLESS STEEL TRAYS – INCLUDED FRUIT ROLL TRAYS
- EASY TO USE AND CLEAN - DISHWASHER SAFE TRAYS You want to dry Jerky, beef, herb, vegetable, fruit, granola, fruit leathers, bread crumbs, and for preserving herbs, flowers, and much more, cleaning is easy all trays and liner are dishwasher safe and the housing can be easily wiped down with a damp cloth
- SAFETY FEATURE / BPA FREE Overheat protection will activate if the dehydrator overheats. Built with food-grade – BPA Free material
Magic Mill has designed the dehydrator differently when compared to the remaining products we just discussed. The uniqueness of this one is, the fan that regulates the airflow is behind the trays.
The brand claims it is better way to control the airflow than most of the methods used. It also looks like a mini oven with the ability to stack the trays from the front side. The front opens like a door from the side.
There is a touch controller on top of the machine which has various functions to control. There is a time/temp button that is multi-functional. You can set the pre-set temperatures there, or you can set the timer.
There is an led display showing what temperature or the time for which it’s been running. There is a digital thermostat, which enables you to set the temperature. The timer also helps you time the heating process. It automatically shuts off once the timer hits.
The trays are not made of plastic like in many other devices. Instead, they are made of stainless steel. Even though they are made of stainless steel, they are easy to clean.
You can either wash it by hand or also use it in the dishwasher to clean it. All materials are certified ones, and also they are BPA-free.
Pros
- Rear-mounted fan for better distribution of the of air
- Digital thermostat for précised temperature control
- Stainless steel trays instead of plastic
- Easy to clean accessories
Cons
- Customers have received faulty and damaged products
Best Food Dehydrator Buying Guide
We have understood some of the features of these food dehydrators in the section above. We have also discussed a few of the brands that are available in the market and how are they different from one another. With various features available in many products, it is a difficult task to understand which these are worth buying.
Some might have a lower price, but the quality is worse. Some might not have one of the basic features at all. In this section, we are trying to put in a few points on what are features you need to look into when buying these dehydrators.
Material Used
Ensure the material used in the machine is certified food-grade equipment. Advisable to use trays made of stainless steel instead of plastic. Although plastics are BPA-free, it is safer to use stainless steel.
With the increased usage of plastic in heating devices, they ideally are harmful when compared to other users of plastic as they are exposed to heat. Hence avoid the ones with the plastic trays.
The Fan Orientation
The dehydrators have the fan installed on different sides, expecting to give better results. However, determine if this really matters to you. I prefer buying the one behind the trays (rear-mounted).
That is because the air to all the trays is evenly distributed. In the case of bottom or top fans, the air reaching the farthest side would take time. But the rear-mounted fans distribute to all the trays at the same time evenly. Hence I would prefer to buy the one with the rear-mounted fan.
Trays Number
You can also look into the number of trays that are available in the product. Some are also expandable to add in additional trays. It depends on how much quantity of food do you want to dehydrate for later use. If you regularly use the dehydrator, then go for the trays that are more in number. If there are multiple trays, then it becomes easy to dry large quantities of food in a single go.
Brand
The brand is an important feature. If you are loyal to a brand, then go with that brand. It is easier for you to tackle any issues with those brands that you have already got hands-on experience with. Look for the rating of the brand before you buy it. Also, read through the comments of the one-star reviews. These comments will give you the right picture of the product and the experience of its users.
How Food Dehydrators Work
Food dehydrators are small home appliances that are used in the kitchen to remove humidity or water content from vegetables or any food items. It is a straightforward concept to ensure the shelf-life of your food increases.
The simple idea is that the bacteria and other germs thrive in a humid environment that speeds up their activities of them. This reaction is how food gets spoilt. The germs or bacteria are more active when there is a high presence of water.
The dehydrators work with simple logic. There is a light flow of hot air inside these machines that evaporates the water content, and a fan helps blow the hot air to the food items. The dehydrators are designed in a way so that removes only certain humidity or water content to ensure the nutrient values of the food do not disintegrate.
Vegetables, although they get, dehydrated, when you add them back to the dish you are cooking, retain their original taste. So, ideally, you don’t need to worry about losing the nutrients from the dehydrated food.
The temperature needs to be just right for the dehydration process works as expected. The excess heat will end up destroying the nutrients in the food. You might end up burying the food if not take precautions. If you are in a hurry to dry up the food faster, then this machine is not for you. You need to give the required time to ensure the process to complete.
For the dehydrator to work effectively, wash the vegetables or fruits properly before putting them in. Then you can pat them dry with a cloth before putting them into the dehydrator. Once dehydrated, storing them is very important. You cannot store them in places where there is an excess of sunlight, moisture, or heat. All these can cause the shelf life of the food to reduce.
Conclusion
Having gone through the features of all the products, I believe I was able to guide you to some extent of which dehydrator would best fit your needs. All these products listed are from different brands, are all rated very well. Hence it is all down to you which one you would buy based on the research that we have put through. There are also other models and brands other than those listed, however,
