Your opinions on types of food dehydrators, please

[punkin]

I am wanting to invest in a food dehydrator. What kind do you have and why do you like/dislike it?

 

[USS Galaxie]

The easiest methods are usually the best....
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/beef-jerky-recipe/index.html
Get one of the better quality fans, around $20-$25. Remember to get cellulose (paper) not fiberglass filters.
I use cheese cloth on the filter and over the meat just in case.
Eventually I will make a more permanent set up like this ... http://diyjerky.com/ (click on "instructions" at top of page).
I would still use a filter between the fan and first wire rack just in case the fan picks up dust or pet hair and blows it on the meat.
Note, I haven't tried fruit yet, but you can probably do a google search and find drying times for the box fan method.

Commercial dryers use heat, thats called 'cooking' and not the proper way to make jerky and as with fruit cooking takes out some of the nutrients.

 

[coopy]

I got mine at Wal-Mart for around $20.00 have had it for years and use it all the time. It is an American Harvest.

 

[farmchick]

I wouldn't use anything except a Excalibur. They are pricey but well worth the extra cost. They are safer than those round dehydraters too, because they have the heat source and fan in the back of the machine, so all shelves get equal heat. They also dehydrate 10 times faster than the round ones. I know because my first dehydrater was a Ronco (round one).

 

[rockytopsis]

I have 2 Nesco dehydrators, one I got a Wallyworld on sale the other I got at a Sundry store and they both work great.

 

[averytds]

I have the Nesco American Harvest also. I liked it at first, but I think more that I liked the concept. It's cheap and extras like more trays and fruit roll up shields are more readily available.

I have to move the trays around if I want even drying, which is a a pain sometimes as I'll forget and then I ruin things.

The trays won't fit in my dishwasher.

I use it only for a few months a year and it takes up a lot of storage space the rest of the time.

With the rising energy prices I've begun being bothered with having it running for days on end. How much is it really costing me kind of thing.

I'm looking into alternatives.

 

[Nubsmum]

USS Galaxie-Have your tried Alton's method with fruit? Was wondering on the results. I saw the episode and it looked so easy.

 

[simple life]

I love mine. Its a Nesco that I bought online from Target. If you get the extra trays with it you can dehydrate alot at once and not have to run it as often. You will be surprised at how much you can do at one time with all those trays. The Nesco that I have really doesn't take up that much room, comparable to a crockpot or corn/lobster pot, smaller than a canner.
I don't have a dishwasher and I just clean mine in the sink, I think they are very easy to clean.I use all of the tray options, I love the variety. You can do jerky,fruit roll ups etc.

 

[averytds]

In all fairness I never thought anything good or bad about mine until a couple days ago. It was just a dehydrator like most everyone else owns. Cheap, readily available accessories and all. Two years ago I went with the extra trays and fruit leather guards. I think it was a combination of several days running almost nonstop, getting my too high electric bill, overdrying a tray or two, kitchen sweatbox w/drying/canning and looking out at endless grapes and zucchini....

I decided then and there DH just had to get right on a solar dehydrator.

 

[USS Galaxie]

USS Galaxie-Have your tried Alton's method with fruit? Was wondering on the results. I saw the episode and it looked so easy.

Not yet.