ISO: Food Dehydrator

[pmad]

I am looking for a decent dehydrator. I know there's high end ones, but I don't need that.

I use one maybe once or twice a year for jerky and fruit.
I'd like to stay under $100.

Thanks.

 

[snadamo]

I just purchased this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DHR-20-Food-Dehydrator-Steel/dp/B01IA3HCTU/

Comes with 5 racks which is really pushing the limit for me when I do a 3lb eye of round for example. So, I just purchased 2 additional racks from Cuisinart:

https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/parts-and-accessories/details/DHR-20RACK

I have been happy with it the 4 times I have used it. With the extra room it will be better.

Good luck!

 

[cholloway]

Make Alton Brown proud and invest in a multi-tasker like
a small convection oven that does more than just dehydrate.
There are plenty out there for not much more than you want
to spend.

 

[gtsum]

I have an Excalibur and it’s so far above and better than t he cheaper ones I’ve had and used in the past, I wouldn’t bother with anything else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Fooball]

I've had two Nesco Snackmaster dehydrators for over 10 years.

I only use them for jerky a couple times a year, but after over 10 years, they still run like new.

I bought some extra trays for when I go overboard on meat weight. :tongue:

You can run like 8 trays each with only rotating them once during the cook which is usually about 4 hours at 165 degrees depending on how thick you slice your beef.

$69 at Amazon, I paid $50 each back in the day:

https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-Snackmaster-Encore-Dehydrator-Count/dp/B01991MHME/ref=asc_df_B01991MHME/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198079985682&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16510216140172077180&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012143&hvtargid=pla-350397555240&th=1

 

[LYU370]

Make Alton Brown proud and invest in a multi-tasker like
a small convection oven that does more than just dehydrate.
There are plenty out there for not much more than you want
to spend.

Make Alton even more proud. Get a 20" box fan and some furnace filters to make the jerky.

That said, I have an Excalibur, but that's more than you want to spend.

 

[Itsdone]

My advice is no matter what you want to pay, make sure its got square trays. I replaced one of those round dehydrators with a square dehydrator with i think 10 trays and i can put so much more jerky in each tray.

 

[Pife]

Mine is round and plastic. Wish I had one with metal trays so I could start jerky in smoker and finish in dehydrator.

 

[Itsdone]

Mine is round and plastic. Wish I had one with metal trays so I could start jerky in smoker and finish in dehydrator.

Thats a good point. Mine has plastic trays but i use the skewer hang method in my vertical smoker so i would have to transfer to a tray or rack anyway. But yeah that would make things simpler.


What i like about the hang method is i can fit 7 pounds of 1/8- 3/16 thick jerky in. And that pound and thickness just barely fits in my dehydrator after an hour or two of smoke in my smoker.

 

[pmad]

I just cant justify the Excalibur when I only use it a couple times a year.

Anyone know anything about the Cosori

 

[Itsdone]

I just cant justify the Excalibur when I only use it a couple times a year.

Anyone know anything about the Cosori

I have an older model Cabella's pro 12 tray ( just checked ) but you can get a 10 tray model for $120 right now on their website.
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-deluxe-10-tray-dehydrator


Its not digital like the pro models but the price is right and you will want at least 10 trays, trust me.

 

[Cat797]

I have this unit:

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-Dehyd...efix=presto+food+dehydrator,garden,216&sr=1-3

I bought an extra 6 trays. Round is a little bit of a PITA, but it works well enough for me. I'm in the same boat, not gonna spend a chit load of money on something that gets used a couple times a year.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I'd buy as cheap as one as you can. I mean, it's just a little fan with a heating element. Make sure it goes up high enough for jerky; some of them don't go up to 165 or whatever. Sometimes Bass Pro or Cabelas or Fleet Farm will have them cheap.

I have had a Nesco/American Harvest brand for a decade now. And only used it 15 times in that time, probably. Still seems like new. Same with my parents, thought for much longer.

 

[pmad]

Thank you all for the great advice.

I ordered this
Square, Metal

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PY5M579/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[txsmkmstr]

I just cant justify the Excalibur when I only use it a couple times a year.

Anyone know anything about the Cosori

I don't own a Cosori Dehydrator however if it's anything like the Cosori Air Fryer I do own it should be a winner. For the extra 50 bucks above your budget it looks like you get a lot more. I've had a plastic round unit (no name something cheap) in the past and hated rotating trays.

 

[lawndog19]

Thank you all for the great advice.

I ordered this
Square, Metal

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PY5M579/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just bought that one in october I really like it real easy to use and works great

 

[pmad]

Really happy with the Cosori

2 lb 3 oz of meat
15 oz of jerky

5.5 hours in the Cosori

 

[stangman327]

Broad & Taylor

I have this one and yes it's a bit pricey but it's great!

https://brodandtaylor.com/pages/deh...52sr0qcrZcJ81jnEyIYdKKsY1mbaza0RoCqAAQAvD_BwE

 

[TravelingJ]

I have this one and yes it's a bit pricey but it's great!

https://brodandtaylor.com/pages/deh...52sr0qcrZcJ81jnEyIYdKKsY1mbaza0RoCqAAQAvD_BwE

They make neat stuff. I have their knife sharpener and really like it. Had thought about the 'proofing box' that collapses like that, but then my Sourdough Phase was pretty short lived.

 

[SmokinM]

Nesco is a great one.