The best Dehydrators: Reddit reviews

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I make my own beef jerky all the time. It's actually wayyyy easier than people think.

What you need:

1. Buy 2 pounds of some Tri-tip or another meat you enjoy.

2. Buy 1 gallon ziplock bags for marinating the meat overnight.

3. Decide on a marinade, I typically go teriyaki or bbq sauce with some spices. Be sure to use some brown sugar to thickin the sauce so it can stick to the meat.

4. Buy a dehydrator like this one: Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, White - MADE IN USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RDSlBb34SBFTS

Instructions:

1. Cut super thin strips with a filet knife or buy a meat cutter for optimal pieces. It's easier if the meat is half frozen.

2. Put all the cut meat in a 1 gallon ziplock.

3. Create the marinade, you don't need a lot since it's going to go to go in the ziplock.

4. Put the marinade in the ziplock, seal it, and mix it all around. Make sure every piece gets some.

5. Put ziplock bag in the fridge overnight. It's a good idea to move the sauce around every few hours if you remember.

6. After a night of marinating, place each piece of meat on the dehydrator.

7. Dehydrate for ~4 hours at 160 degrees.

8. Enjoy your beef jerky!

Sorry for any misspellings or formatting errors, typed this out on a phone.

Curvature is caused by the cardstock absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. The paper expands slightly, while the metallic front is unchanged. So the foil is effectively pulled taut across the paper, which bends it.

The fix is to remove the moisture from the cardstock. A food dehydrator is the cheapest and most convenient solution I've found. You can get them cheaply online. Here's the model I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-06300-Dehydro-Electric-Dehydrator/dp/B008H2OELY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=presto+food+dryer&qid=1556999178&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Keep in mind that this also heats the cards, so the metal will expand, causing it to bend back the other way. But once the foil cools down, it will go back. However, if you left it in long enough, the cardstock will actually dry out, and when the card cools off, it will be straight.

It's not an exact science. I usually have to put my cards in a couple times. But it does last once you get it right, as long as you make sure to store them in a dry place afterwards.

I heavily recommend against any attempts at "flattening" with heavy objects or such. Those methods aren't really addressing the real issue, and you're actually damaging your cards.

Yes! I own a Nesco Dehydrator similar to this one. It actually comes with a book that gives you the drying times and temps for different fruits.

Without knowing the specifics of what you want to dry, I'll be general. Cut or slice to the desired size (thicker will take longer. It takes a few tries to get the perfect size for you).

Then arrange on the trays with NO OVERLAP. Leave room between each piece. It's all about airflow!

Prep your fruit before drying by cutting, then as some suggest dipping in some lemon juice. I have not found the lemon juice step to be necessary, but some suggest it, so I'll include it here as an option. Then to get that extra sweet taste you need to add some white sugar to the sliced fruit. A simple sprinkle over top is fine. I like to put some more sugar on half way through when I flip the pieces (not required, but adds to it imo). You can also experiment by adding things to the sugar like cinnamon. A favourite of mine and friends/family is to use the pre-sliced pineapple in cans and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Drying times will vary too much for me to tell you exact ones. It can be anywhere from 3 to 12 hours depending on thickness, fruit type, and desired dryness. The dryer it is the longer it will keep. If you like them a bit gummier, just keep in mind they can spoil faster. I'd suggest checking in on it every couple hours until you reach your desired dryness. Then keep a little notebook with your own drying times by experience.

Apples are probably the easiest place to start as they are cheap, forgiving, and easy to work with. The pineapple is pretty easy too.

Good luck and feel free to ask me anything else about dehydrating. It's become a fun hobby for not just dried fruit, but jerky, dried veggies, and drying/preserving my own herbs.

Is it weird to think my best hiking purchase of the past year was a $50 dehydrator? I understand many hikers take on a "food is fuel" mentality but I also can't state enough how amazing it is to be able to eat my favorite chili recipe from home after a long day of hiking.

this dehydrator: https://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-75A-Snackmaster-Dehydrator-White/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=dehydrator&qid=1561684331&s=gateway&sr=8-3

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It gets the job done and is inexpensive. I have used it quite a bit and it still runs without complaint. Get the extra trays, you can cook 8-10 trays at once. It takes longer to dehydrate food than what is listed online. Often I let the food dehydrate for 12 hrs irregardless of how many trays are in use or what temperature it is set to. It is best used for simple fruit and veggies. I use no preservatives for dehydration and the food is good for 6 months. I have also tried dehydrating in my oven and find that this is a far better option.

Not 100% what you asked, but if you are at a desk, you may want to consider one of these.

Crock-Pot SCCPLC200-PK 20-Ounce Lunch Crock Food Warmer, Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H5V7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yMKmCbVTD64RG

You can take the inner pot home and back every day, and it’s dishwasher safe. Plug it in in the morning and you’ve got a piping hot lunch at noon.

It’s just a reheater so it’s perfect for leftovers. I’ve had mine for two years and I can’t recommend it enough.

I bought a cheap food dehydrator on amazon and didn't want to cut out the trays in order to use it for drying filament. Thingiverse to the rescue: Dehydrator Extension. I glued the pieces with superglue and it has held up for a week with no issues so far.

Yeah, they are pricey... eSun, Polymaker...

But maybe a Rosewill Food Dehydrator...$40. Get (2) 1KG rolls in in. But I'd rather have the pricier ones with built in outlet for filament, but can modify the cheaper one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018UR4XJI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TCcpFbBJ7WE2B

If your printing a lot of hygroscopic filament such as Nylon, I'd at least invest in 1 of the better ones.

Also, based on the pictures, it looks like a "clone" or rebadge of this Commercial Chef dehydrator, which people in the reviews have used a lot for drying filament:

https://www.amazon.com/Commercial-Chef-CCD100W6-Dehydrator-Preservation/dp/B075ZB3V9S

Same basic specs (104F to 158F temperature knob, same shape/style, etc)

I just can’t think of one valid reason to not use a food dehydrator on low temperatures

I'll tell you anything you want to know, my friend, no worries.

I bought a dehydrator and an electric herb grinder on amazon. I grew my own peppers (cayenne, habanero, and carolina reaper) as well as purchased some from the local pepper legend at my farmers market. I halved them with a sharp knife and some disposable gloves and placed them in the dehydrator for 24 hours until they were crispy dry and crunched like potato chips. I threw those in the electric herb grinder and blended them to powder, then placed them in repurposed spice containers. I also made blends and taste testing them by using them as the seasoning for the basting oil in nashville hot chicken, which I fried in my cast iron skillet. I say this because I consider it the absolute best way to taste test pepper seasoning combos. You simply mix them with hot oil from the fry along with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and a little bit of brown sugar, mix until dissolved, then baste onto hot freshly fried chicken. Allow to crisp then enjoy. Habanero + cayenne was my favorite blend out of that, but came away with some others as well. Below are the links to the exact products I purchased, I provide them for visual reference only and make no recommendations on which ones you should buy.

Amazon.com: Elite Gourmet Food Dehydrator, 5 BPA-Free 11.4" Trays, Adjustable Temperature Control for Homemade Jerky Herbs Fruit Veggies Meats Snacks Treats, Black: Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: KRUPS Silent Vortex Electric Grinder for Spice, Dry Herbs and Coffee, 12-Cups, Black: Kitchen & Dining

It is quite simple, really.

1. I cut them into half and remove the stems and seeds. /e: But try to not remove the placenta, as this is where most of the capsaicin is, so if you cut it out, your powder won't be as hot.
2. I dry them using a dehydrator (example). I use a very simple model I got from amazon for cheap. It only has a on-off switch, nothing fancy.
3. When they are completely dry (and I mean really dry, they need to start to become brittle when you touch them), I grind them to powder using a electric coffee impact-mill (example).

The most important part is that you always are very careful. You need to wear nitril gloves (latex does not keep you safe!) and if you are doing for the first time, maybe even eye and breath protection. If you get some of the powder in your eyes or in your breathing ways, you are in for a world of hurt.

While I've got dehydrator people here: my wife is also interested in a dehydrator. Do you think a cheaper one like the link below would also work for filaments?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012CG8N26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_HKNGZ6HAFTJ6KXFG1BP5

Just pick yourself up a Dehydrator at Walmart or Amazon. Worth it IMO

I bought this one off Amazon a few weeks ago and at the time, it was the cheapest one I could find with reviews. It's also from Presto and has been working really well to get my first flush cracker dry. Keep in mind there's no temp setting (just on/off) and it operates around 165F (which, after combing this subreddit and Shroomery for a loooong time, seems fine)!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075ZB3V9S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_dlC_CowUFbXBXVZJS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Just snip each tray's insides with a pliars and stack the hollow tray's when done. This is what I did and it works great.

Do you have access to a plug? If so, there are actually little mini crock pots that you can throw your food into early in the morning, and then they are hot by lunch time.

Crock-Pot SCCPLC200-PK 20-Ounce Lunch Crock Food Warmer, Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H5V7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_3hR5wbHTN0NGH

Here's a link. I just searched for "lunch crockpot" on amazon, and this is one that I got. A little expensive at first, but I think it might help you to have more varied meals and in turn will be cheaper than ordering out.

Edit: this is for fully cooked meals btw. So don't throw in raw meat or veg and expect it to be fully cooked. From the reviews, the food does get piping hot though.

I started with this one, *see link below, before graduating to an Excalibur, and it has a digital timer and goes up to 160 degrees. I bought used from Amazon Warehouse it was brand new just one that had been sent back and works great. Can do about 2 1/2 lbs of meat at a time and auto shut off at end of timer which is great for overnight dehydrating. Highly Recommend and still use for herbs and fruit! The flat trays make it a lot easier I think to instead of having to curl the meat around the circular ones and holds more.

• https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-32100A-Dehydrator-Vegetables/dp/B012CG8N26

The "best" way is a dehydrator. The investment is worth it if you intend on storing long term and/or drying many fruits. Reputable growers on shroomery have time and time again debunked the idea that heat considerably reduces potency and asserted that the potency loss from the oxidation of the shrooms while people use alternative methods that are more time-consuming is considerable.

So I just got this one after doing hours of research! I’m very excited by it! This brand has great reviews and I think it may last me for life!

COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine(50 Free Recipes), 6 Stainless Steel Trays with Digital Timer and Temperature Control for Beef,Jerky,Fruit,Dog Treats,Herbs,ETL Listed/FDA Compliant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PY5M579/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XlHyFbQBQYYKP

ETA: Walmart sells it with free shipping if you don’t have prime :)

To be honest, when I started I bought the lowest cost Presto Dehydro with 4 extra trays and still use it to this day (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008H2OELY). It doesn’t have an adjustable temperature, heck it doesn’t even have an off switch. But based on my temp tags it holds a steady 140.

It’s still a workhorse and does the simple task of dehydrating food well. I’m sure I’ll eventually need to upgrade but so far I think I’ve spent $50 extra bucks to make it do everything I need.

This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090WOCN0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_x6EhFbDKAAH7Z. I bought an extra set of racks, cut all of the rails out leaving just the ring and then use those to stack up to make enough space for a spool. As a plus, if you're in to jerky this puppy will pay for itself in under a year. ;)

All dehydrators work with the same overall process: blow warm, dry ait aver the food to wick away moisture. A budget one will do this quite adequately.

How much are you going to use it? If you're using it everyday then maybe the Excaliber line may be best for you but if it's just 1x month or so, my suggestion is save some dough and take a KISS approach.

I have used a Nesco FD-75A for 6 years now and have had zero issues. It's inexpensive. It has a temp control although I always use the lowest settings regardless. If I want a timer I use a timer switch that cost <$10. I did buy an extra 2 trays so I now have 7. This let's me make 4-5 lbs of jerky at once. It's motor and fan are on top which helps keep them clean.

My personal experience and needs do not require bells and whistles nor does it require a very robust dehydrator.

My previous batch, I dehydrated at 115 F , for around 10+ hours (I just leave it on all day). This batch I'm doing 160F all day, after reading a bunch of people saying that potency loss is a myth at that temp. We'll find out.

Just using a cheapy, Hamilton Beach. It works fine, cracker dries them. Heat range is 100F - 160F. https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-32100A-Dehydrator-Vegetables/dp/B012CG8N26/

I noticed that also, and I'm going to say it's a remnant description of an overseas version. If it has a US plug (and I assume it will have a 2-prong US plug), then it's likely a 110v version that didn't get its description properly updated. I'm strongly leaning towards it just being surplus rebadge of this "commercial chef" dehydrator, as it looks identical, right down to the temperature range sticker around the knob:

https://www.amazon.com/Commercial-Chef-CCD100W6-Dehydrator-Preservation/dp/B075ZB3V9S

I don't blame you for not wanting to go through the potential hassle of a return, though lol

Elite Gourmet EFD319 Food Dehydrator, Adjustable Temperature Controls, Jerky Herbs Fruit Veggies Snacks, BPA-Free, Black 5 Trays https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BSQZ2LS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TRYDGHP5JQ7JZ2G9JX74?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator, St... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008H2OELY/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_glt_fabc_FFGKG73GQ7G3C48C75KX?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

Wife got me it for Father’s Day one year to stop me from doing it in the house, looks like they went up to $40 but still worth it. I just cut my hot peppers in half, save the seeds, stack them up in here, let it go over night in the carport. Then I fold a piece of wax paper or ziplock and crush them into hot sprinkle. Can never go back to crushed red pepper though.

Here is the one that is often recommended. There are STLs out there for racks to extend it.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B075ZB3V9S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_ZGCFD3M4Y9TBN0P2KGWD?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1

i use this one as i already had it before i got in to printing: https://www.amazon.com/Presto-06300-Dehydro-Electric-Dehydrator/dp/B008H2OELY/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&amp;keywords=dehydrator&amp;qid=1623115919&amp;sr=8-5

i cut the center out of all the rings. i put an empty spool in the bottom and set the spool i'm drying on top of it. it doesn't get too hot and dries everything perfectly.

Humid here, been getting the same thing with PETG after printing for a couple days. You can reduce the moisture effect by printing at a lower temp but eventually you’ll likely need to put your filament in a dehydrator. These work with a little modification to remove the unnecessary grating between layers: Rosewill Countertop Portable Electric Machine Food Fruit Dehydrator https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018UR4XJI