Top 10 Best Food Dehydrators in 2023 Reviews

Last updated on January 11, 2023

As people start to appreciate the modern ways of drying food without breaking a bank, dehydrators are coming into the picture. Nowadays, food dehydrators are a common kitchen appliance in almost every home. The fact that the dehydrators preserve the same amount of minerals and vitamins as freshly stored food makes them quite popular. Dehydrated food can last you for years ensuring you always have enough supply even when there are shortages. When most people here about dried food, they imagine of potato clips and some preserved fruits, but that is far from the truth. With advanced food dehydrators, you can now dry even meat, vegetables, herbs and much more keeping them safe for years.

So, the big question is what the best food dehydrator to buy is? There are different models of food dehydrators out there to choose from made of plastic or metal materials. They dry food by passing hot air through it to reduce the moisture content. When selecting the best food dehydrators, you need to decide whether to go for the stacked dehydrators or shelf/box dehydrators. In this review, we are narrowing for you the search to only ten dehydrators that we think are the best on the market currently. Read on and choose one that best suits your food drying needs.

10. Excalibur 3926TB 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator

Excalibur 3926TB 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator

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This is a large 9-tray food dehydrator to help dry a wide range of foods. The dehydrator features a 15 square feet drying space to fit in as much food as possible. It also features an adjustable temperature setting of 105 to 165 degrees F to help dry different foods at different temperatures. The wide temperature range allows for safe drying without killing the active enzymes in vegetables and fruits. There are a 26-hour timer and a built-in on/off switch for easy starting and shutting off the dehydrator. Overall, this is a large dehydrator for big families with a large 7-inch fan. The trays feature poly-screen tray inserts that prevent food from sticking when drying.

Pros

  • Excellent temperature range for safe food drying
  • Easy on/off switch
  • 15-square feet to dry large junks of food at once
  • Does not allow food to stick due to the flexible poly-screen tray insert

Cons

  • None

9. Magic Mill Commercial pro-XI Stainless steel 10 Tray Food Dehydrator

 Magic Mill Commercial pro-XI Stainless steel 10 Tray Food Dehydrator

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This is a powerful 1000 watts food dehydrator with excellent drying capabilities. The dehydrator features durable stainless steel construction and a front door that helps retain heat inside. There are a total of ten stainless steel trays with each tray capable of holding 1.3 pounds of weight. It is a dishwasher-safe dehydrator featuring five non-stick sheets, 10-inch fine mesh, and a fruit tray roll. The motor is mounted on the rear side while the fan blows air horizontally allowing for uniform drying. Overall, this is a pretty simple dehydrator that is quite easy to use. It features digital temperature controls with a degree F range of 95-167.

Pros

  • Easy temperature control
  • Excellent temperature control range
  • Durable stainless steel construction
  • Even heating

Cons

  • Metal racks are sharp

8. Chefman Food Dehydrator Machine, Electric Multi-Tier Food Preserver

Chefman Food Dehydrator Machine, Electric Multi-Tier Food Preserver

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The Chefman is a spacious multi dehydrator with six spacious plastic trays to dry different types of foods. It is a quality pick with the plastic BPA free for safety. The dehydrator features a digital temperature setting range of 95 -158 degrees F. There is a further integrated countdown timer of 19.5 hours for easy starting even when away from home. This is a unique and innovative design dehydrator maximizing on the airflow and faster food drying. It features a powerful 480 Watts motor and a transparent door for easy observing of the drying process. You get a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year hassle free warranty.

Pros

  • Transparent window for easy observing of the drying food
  • Quality and BPA free plastic trays
  • Trays are spacious
  • Even drying

Cons

  • A bit expensive

7. Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, White

Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, White

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The Nesco is one of the best-selling food dehydrators out there with excellent reviews and recommendations. It is a quality pick and features an adjustable thermostat with proper temperature ranges of 95-160 degrees F. This allows you to dry different foods at different temperatures with ease. There is a powerful 600 Watt top mounted fan running on 120V. The dehydrator features 5 trays with a capacity to expand to 12 trays. It also features an opaque Vita-Save exterior that helps keep harmful light out preventing damage to food nutrients. Overall, this is a must-buy food dehydrator with a patented converging and flow drying air system. It does not require any rotation or flavor mixing.

Pros

  • Adjustable thermostat to handle different foods
  • Prevents destruction of food nutrients
  • Can expand to 12 trays to meet more food requirements
  • Quality construction

Cons

  • Lacks a timer to turn it on automatically

6. Gourmia GFD 1950 Electric Food Dehydrator Machine

Gourmia GFD 1950 Electric Food Dehydrator Machine

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The Gourmia is another highly rated electric food dehydrator with 9 removable trays to dry almost all types of foods. The trays are non-stick and offer plenty of room for drying. It also features a digital control with adjustable temperature settings ranging from 95-158 degrees F. The fan is mounted at the back and provides consist heat circulation and airflow. It is a silent fan that can run through the night without disturbing you in your sleep. The machine rings when the timer stops and shuts off automatically. The transparent door allows for easy food viewing. Overall, this is a quality machine that is ETL Certified and BPA free. You can order with confidence knowing you’re getting good value for your money.

Pros

  • BPA free and ETL certified
  • Consistent air and heat flow
  • Non-stick trays
  • Transparent door for easy viewing of the drying food
  • Pretty easy to clean

Cons

  • None

5. Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator

Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator

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The Presto is another leading brand in the industry with a four-tray system to help dry food at a fraction of a time. The dehydrator dries food to commercial standards without using any preservative or additives. The top features a see-through cover to help you monitor the drying process. The fan is mounted at the bottom and provides consistent airflow. This dehydrator is pretty easy to use, wash and maintain. The trays are water immiscible and dishwasher safe. The trays nest to allow for compact storage after use. Overall, this is a quality pick that comes with a preset temperature of 165 degrees F.

Pros

  • Easy to store with trays that nest
  • Easy food monitoring through a see-through cover
  • Bottom mounted fan that consistently flows hot air for even heating
  • Dries food to commercial standards

Cons

  • You have to manually rotate the food to ensure the food dries out completely

4. Cuisinart DHR-20 Food Dehydrator Steel Gray

Cuisinart DHR-20 Food Dehydrator Steel Gray

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Cuisinart kitchen appliances are some of the best in the world, and you can never go wrong in choosing this product. It is a high-quality dehydrator with an adjustable temperature control to dry a wide range of foods. You can choose from the fan only, low, medium and high heat to dry foods like meat, herbs, vegetables, fruits and much more. The dehydrator naturally dries foods without adding any preservatives or additives. It features a powerful 620 watt motor at the top for even and faster drying. The dehydrator features additional trays that allow stacks of up to 9 trays.

Pros

  • Preserves food naturally
  • Quite easy to use and operate
  • Powerful motor that heats evenly
  • Adjustable temperature control

Cons

  • Trays are not dishwasher safe

3. Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator Machine

Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator Machine

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The Hamilton Beach 32100A is another excellent food dehydrator with a 48-hour timer and auto-shutoff feature. This dehydrator also features a clear lid so that you can view the food as it dries. It also features an adjustable digital thermostat to let you dry any type of food from a low of 100 to 160 degrees F. The airflow is continuous allowing for even food drying. Other excellent features include five stackable trays, a fine mesh sheet to dry small foods and a powerful 500 watts motor. Overall, this is a pretty compact design dehydrator that will occupy little counter space and serve your needs well.

Pros

  • Even drying through the continuous airflow
  • Easy storage with five stackable trays
  • Space-saving design
  • Adjustable temperature settings to dry a wide range of foods

Cons

  • The trays are pretty wide and can let food fall

2. Ivation 480W Precision Electric Food Dehydrator Pro Machine

Ivation 480W Precision Electric Food Dehydrator Pro Machine

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The Ivation is an excellent home dehydrator to let you dry foods safely. It is a perfect fit to dry fruits, herbs, beef and several other foods. The dehydrator features a rear-mounted fan that allows even airflow without overheating. It also has an adjustable thermostat and automatically shuts off after the counter timer is over. There are six spacious racks for drying foods. The racks measure 13 by 12 inches and can hold large junks of foods with ease. You can adjust the 8 temperature levels from 95-158 to suit different foods drying requirements. Overall, this dehydrator is one of the best ways to dry food economically.

Pros

  • Space-saving design
  • Can fit huge junks of foods
  • Even airflow for even drying
  • Feels cool on the outside when drying

Cons

  • None

1. Westinghouse Food Dehydrator, Beef Jerky Maker

Westinghouse Food Dehydrator, Beef Jerky Maker

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The Westinghouse is our last pick for the best food dehydrators to buy this year. It is another pretty simple design with five removable trays and a rotary knob for faster food drying. The trays are nicely spaced and offer users plenty stacking room. You can also adjust the temperature with ease keeping it in the range of 104 to 158 degrees F. This machine uses the special airflow technology to eliminate tray rotation and offer even drying. It has a 245-watt motor making it an energy efficient selection.

Pros

  • Easy to stack and store
  • Even drying
  • Energy efficient
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • None

Food Dehydrators Buying Guide

Before buying any food dehydrator, it is important to consider the following factors. This is the only way to ensure you buy a food dehydrator that meets your needs and is of good quality.

Size and space

The size of the dehydrator you choose should be small enough to fit your counter space. For those with small counter spaces, it is advised you choose stackable dehydrator with a minimal footprint. A stackable model is flexible and allows for size reduction. You cannot say the same of shelf/box dehydrators. So whatever your selection make sure you consider the size and the available space.

Heat and passage of air

The heat passage for stackable models have is not the best when they exceed 10-12 racks as heat becomes uneven. This requires regular rotation to avoid over-drying foods. Depending on your needs to store enough food, a large shelf or box dehydrator is the best.

Quality materials

Almost all food dehydrators are plastic or metal. Make sure the plastic used is FDA approved and free of FBA. The metal should also be of good quality and acceptable in the food grade materials. Overall, metal dehydrators tend to last for long.

Portability

You can small stackable dehydrators of you often travel or choose the big box ones if you rarely travel. The choice of size depends on your needs of travel.

Modifiability

Depending on the foods you want to dry, you can choose a dehydrator that is quite easy to modify. Stackable dehydrators are ideal when you expect huge spikes in the food to dry while shelf dehydrators are ideal for drying huge junks of foods at once.

Price

Your budget might also determine the dehydrator to buy but overall make sure the price matches with the features.

Conclusion

This brings us to an end of selecting the best food dehydrator to buy this year, Make sure you consider the factors above and choose a model from the list that best suits your needs. These by far are the leading food dehydrator models on the market with good reviews and recommendations to buy. You can confidently order from our carefully selected list and be sure of getting a great value for your money.

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