✔️ Price: Food dehydrators can run between $80 and upwards of $500. The more accessories, the more versatility. ✔️ Accessories: Most dehydrators come with a drip tray that doubles as a tray to make fruit leather, or with mesh screens for small items like blueberries or herbs. We tend to like the plastic ones, which are more nonstick and easier to clean. ✔️ Tray material: Trays are made of stainless steel or plastic, most of which is BPA-free. Stackable trays increase the usable dehydrating area without adding to the footprint, and because food shrinks as it dries, more vertical space is essential to yield enough. Some round models have a hole in the center of each tray, which decreases the dehydrating area. ✔️ Size: Dehydrators with a small footprint and a rectangular shape create more usable dehydrating area. Most can be programmed in one-hour intervals. A timer is handy for dehydrating overnight or when you're not home so y0u don't risk over-drying. ✔️ Programmable timer: The most basic dehydrators turn on when they're plugged in and off when unplugged, but the more common ones (and our favorites) have timers that turn the dehydrator off when done. Regardless of what you are dehydrating, make sure you are using the correct temperature ranges. We typically like when the intervals are small and very specific, but keep in mind that intervals of one can be hard to program. Most of our picks go below 100℉, which is ideal for delicate items like herbs, and up to 160℉ or higher for safely making jerky. ✔️ Temperature range: A larger temperature range allows for more controlled dehydrating. If you're thinking of adding a food dehydrator to your cooking routine, here are a few factors to keep in mind: It was also the only dehydrator we tested with a light for improved viewing. We appreciated that the unit's door locks shut and has a large glass panel for monitoring and an easy to use control panel. The fast mode allows the temperature to cycle above the set degree so food can dehydrate faster, while the raw mode never exceeds the set temperature to prevent food from being overheated, allowing for more precise dehydrating. It features several dehydrating modes - including fast, raw and a combination of both - which set it apart from competitors. ( A plastic tray version is available, as well, which we found helps with sticking.) We also love how quiet it was in comparison to most of the dehydrators we tested. In tests, we found that this machine dried jerky and apples efficiently and evenly, although we experienced some sticking to the metal. The Tribest Sedona Express is a solid digital food dehydrator with 11 stainless steel trays that accommodate a lot of dehydrating while requiring minimal space on your countertop. We found that while most dehydrators perform similarly, the biggest difference lies in their ease of use. In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, we tested nine different dehydrators of different sizes, shapes and styles. Though you can dehydrate food like apples, mangoes, pineapples, tomatoes and beef for jerky the old-fashioned way (hanging it out in the sun) or by using a wide variety of appliances like some air fryers, toaster ovens and ovens, food dehydrators offer a more controlled environment with plenty of surface area to maximize your yield. The process also retains more nutrients and extends shelf-life. Dehydrating concentrates the flavor of food, so dried herbs will taste stronger and fruits will taste sweeter. A dehydrator dries food at a low temperature over a long period of time, removing moisture from the food. If you buy in bulk or are looking for more ways to preserve produce when it's at its peak, like herbs from your garden, then a food dehydrator will level-up your cooking experience. We carefully reviewed this article in June 2023 and continue to stand by our top-rated picks.
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