I'm thinking of getting a food dehydrator. Any suggestions?

[bluethruandthru]

I've never used one before but the idea of buying fresh fruits and vegetables (or growing them) and drying them for future use appeals to my frugality. :) Anyone know a good brand or have any dehydrating tips?

[NEOhiodemocrat]

1. I have had several over the years

Right now have a nine shelf Excalibur Food Dehydrator. It is by Parallexx. it may be a bit pricy to start out with, but my kids got it for me last Christmas. I am guessing it was in the $150 range? Could look it up on the net. Anyway, before that I had two different ones that were from garage sales. The one with light bulb in center bottom I did not like at all. Other one had a blower, it was fine and I used it for about 30 some years. Sorry don't remember the brands, both were round and about foot or so high. I would definitely go with the ones with a blower. Much more efficient. I dehydrate mainly fruit. My kids love dried bananas, peaches, apples etc. I have done tomatoes and celery from the garden, but generally can or freeze them. I have mine out on the kitchen counter right now. Anytime I can get fruit cheap I dehydrate it. Have five kids, all out of the house, and they all put dried fruits on their Christmas, birhtday and Easter wish lists! My son in law wanted dried pineapple, so I did some for the first time this Easter, it turned out really good. And pineapples were on sale at Aldi's $1.49. We have our own fruit tree and bushes so I am generally in good shape for things to dry in the summer and fall and this year am going to try some blueberries and hope the plum trees finally have a big crop. Should be about time. The best tip I have is to use a thin material, like sheer curtain material, to line the plastic trays. That way the fruit doesn't stick to the shelf. I even use the material in the new dehydrator even though it has plastic webbed liners. (Reminds me of the things people use to make plastic and yarn crafts, can't remember what they are called) Anyway with the material you can just pick it up and if the food sticks it is easy to pop off with your fingers. Can wash and reuse. I have used the same material for years. If you have anymore questions I am happy to help!

[bluethruandthru]

4. Good info....

I wouldn't have known about the material for lining the trays. I like the idea of using fabric rather than plastic. Would cheesecloth work? Thanks!!

[NEOhiodemocrat]

16. Cheesecloth was the recommended fabric

but I found that the food stuck to it! And even left little threads hanging on when I finally pried the fruit off the cheesecloth. I have had much better luck with the sheer curtain material I use. Have even used a type of veiling like would have for a wedding veil that I picked up a roll at garage sale also.

[badgerpup]

14. Thanks for that tip!

:hug: About the cloth...
drying bananas or jerky or sticky drippy stuff will be much easier now! :yourock:

[Warpy]

2. I checked into it a few years ago

before I realized my 1946 kitchen would simply not hold another piece of equipment.

Excalibur is the most highly rated brand, year after year.

The two essential parts to any good one are a heat source and a blower. Some cheaper ones have only the heat source and dry very unevenly, cooking the food closest to the heat source in the process.

Other than that, you're just looking at capacity and shape and where it will live in your kitchen.

[bluethruandthru]

8. Kitchen space is always an issue isn't it?

I'm thinking of retiring my blender to a back cupboard and replacing it with the dehydrator which I hope will get much more use.

[noamnety]

3. Mine was 6 dollars at a thrift shop

Mostly it stays in the basement but when my fruit trees are in season or I get other good deals on fruit, it comes up to the kitchen for a while.

The biggest problem I have with it is that the warm drying fruit is irresistible to me. I find myself snacking on the stuff on the trays while it's hot before it finishes drying.

[Vinca]

5. I found one in the recycling shed at the dump and I use it to dry tomatoes.

It's a basic, plastic cover with plastic trays bubble, but works beautifully. You can also dry stuff outside in the sun on clean screens if you're so inclined.

[bluethruandthru]

10. How do you use the dried tomatoes? n/t

[Vinca]

12. Mostly I toss them into tomato-based sauces or reconstitute them for pasta dishes.

They taste great and I'm sure there are loads of other ways to use them that I haven't tried.

[GoCubsGo]

6. My dehydrator is a hand-me-down

Whatever model you buy, the instructions should come with tips on drying. Meanwhile, Google books has a preview "How to Dry Foods" online. It will give you an idea of what it takes to dehydrate fruits and veggies:

http://books.google.com/books?id=aSBfsPQP_MQC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=apple+varieties+best+for+drying&source=bl&ots=NHU_1iyHEm&sig=CmvZ4f7GcgJeWzrMMyLuhkhD15M&hl=en&ei=NNHxSomqN4Go8Aaxz_CACQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCEQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=apple%20varieties%20best%20for%20drying&f=false

[bluethruandthru]

7. Thank you for the info!

:hi:

[GoCubsGo]

9. You're welcome!

:-)

Just don't forget you have the dehydrator when you find huge sales on produce, like I did last summer when Aldi had blueberries for 99 cents a pint. I am still kicking myself over that one.

[bluethruandthru]

11. We have a large local produce stand near here

and they always have unbelievable sales on bushels of tomatoes, peaches, etc. I never take advantage because I don't have a large freezer. It seems dehydrating would be the way to go. I'm also planning to put in a vegetable garden and hopefully I'll have a bumper crop! ;)

[badgerpup]

13. Mine's a Snackmaster...

Received it as a gift about 15 years ago- can dry up to 12 circular trays.
:loveya: I love my dehydrator...

Got a deal on some bell peppers at our local thrift grocery store-you know, the pretty ones you pay $$$ for...the red, yellow and orange ones?
Fifty cents each. :bounce: Got several pounds of those...sliced and dried them. You can still use them in salads in this form. They don't lose flavor or color and they take on a chewy texture. :9

They also made some nice gifts...the reds, yellows and oranges were so pretty all mixed together in a clear mason jar.
Called it "Sunrise Mix". The mix with the green was "Confetti".


Did some banana chips, too. Found they don't turn quite as brown (the dehydrating does turn them darker) if after you slice them you give them an oh-so-quick dip in a very weak solution of lemon juice and water. Stops the oxidation (browning) and didn't seem to affect the flavor.

[bluethruandthru]

15. Good info....

especially about the banana chips. My daughter is looking forward to them! I love the dried green bean snacks from Trader Joes. I'm hoping to duplicate those too!

[Warpy]

19. A friend at work had one

and found that a lot of foods really didn't need the dip in lemon juice. Bananas were the worst for browning, though, and did require it. Apples and pears really didn't.

She got things really, really dry. I miss those crunchy apple chips she made.

[NEOhiodemocrat]

17. Few more thoughts about preparing the fruit

I take an apple and use veggie peeler and just cut four slices in the skin from stem end to bottom, and a few swipes at the ends for good measure. Then use corer and remove the center of the apple. Take a knife and cut apples in circles about 1/4 inch thick, side to side of apple. So you end up with shape like a donut with cored area in the middle and outer edge has peel with several open areas between. This way you do not waste all the good fiber in the apple peels and by removing some in place the apples do not dry up all screwy.

I don't dip any of the fruits I dry in anything. They really do not darken much if you sit and do them all up, putting on the trays as you go. I like the idea of natural fruit without adding anything. If you start out doing them this way, that slight darkening is what you learn to expect. I have done apples, bananas, peaches, pineapple, blueberries and raspberries (golden, red and black), nectarines, and kiwi this way so far.

One interesting veggie I dried last summer was celery from my garden. Then used the dried bits to flavor my soup in the winter. Pretty good! Stems and leafs.

One more thought on using the material, I don't like cheeseclothe to line the trays because it does not hold up to washing. With the sheer curtain material you can just throw the fabric liners in the washer with your towels and have them nice and clean ready to go.

[pengillian101]

20. Best ever tip!

"One more thought on using the material, I don't like cheeseclothe to line the trays because it does not hold up to washing. With the sheer curtain material you can just throw the fabric liners in the washer with your towels and have them nice and clean ready to go."

I got away from dehydrating when my machine got stored down in the basement. It's just too too big to store in my tiny kitchen.

I used it mostly for beef jerky. And I did tomatoes once. Chewy candied treat that was.

Ronco brand. You know, the hair spray guy, lol. It worked well and had a fan. I had to move the trays around, but I bet that's normal.

[MajorChode]

22. If anyone doesn't like the browning...

simply soak them in a 1:2 solution of lemon juice and water. As lemons are also a fruit, you still end up with 100% fruit. The acidity of the lemon juice prevents the enzymes in the apples from turning them brown.

[badgerpup]

24. Was trying to keep apples from browning once...

...not for dehydrating, but for serving 'fresh' on a munchy tray and gave them a quick dip in diluted cider vinegar.
This tastes GOOD! :9
'Specially if you're using a tart apple like Granny Smith or McIntosh...:thumbsup:

[shirlden]

18. Just got a new one

I had an American Harvester for many years and used it mainly to fix dehydrated foods for camping and backpacking. Loved it, but finally had to toss it. Got a new 9 tray Good4U (yes, that is the name) in January after checking out what was available. I chose it over the Excalibar for a couple of reasons. I am into a lot of "raw food". I love the dehydrator.....it was all I could want and more....except for one problem. The controls are not working very well. They need replaced. I called the customer service number last week but no one has gotten back and will call again tomorrow. My son wants one and I will probably buy him the Excalibar. I really do like the Good4U, but if I can't get service on it, then I will junk and not buy another one from them. Planting a big garden, so planning on the dehydrator running this fall a lot.
I use parchment paper, instead of teflon, as it seems to dry the food faster. You can use the paper over a couple of time, so it is not a huge expense and it does save time (money) in drying.
Would be interested in hearing about what you buy and how you like it.

[Denninmi]

21. Sausagemakers in Buffalo, NY area.

If you don't mind spending a couple hundred dollars, it's a heavy duty, professional type model that's all metal contruction, stainless steel, really nice, fully controllable temp, etc.

I never regretted the investment I made in this. The cheap-o mass market ones work ok, but this is so much better if you want to dehydrate more than a little bit of stuff. It holds a LOT at one time.

Their web address is sausagemaker.com

[Tab]

23. I have a GardenMaster (I think)

Just a different model from the snackmaster.

I like it because it fully circulates the air (no dead spots) and has a timer on it. Granted, you can plug any dehydrator into a time, but this just makes it easier.

It has two forming tips for pushing out meat if you're making jerky - one for flat jerky, one for a "rod" of jerky. Of course, that's from ground beef. You can still use regular sliced steak if you want that kind.

I think it's great, no complaints about it at all.

- Tab