# Need a new dehydrator



## rhiana (Aug 5, 2013)

Under $100, what would you recommend?:scratch


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

I've always liked my Nesco I got at walmart($68) *shrugs* I know Bed Bath and Beyond did have extra trays and screens for $10 a pack but that was a couple of years ago so I don't know about now


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

I got my dehydrator from BassPro shops. No complaints and just under $60.

http://www.basspro.com/Open-Country-7-Tray-Food-Dehydrator/product/97756/


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

My Presto from Chinamart(yes, I bought one thing from them)cost $35 with NO timer and NO temp. gauge.

I am completely satisfied--tomatoes are drying at this moment on my covered back porch!!:teehee:

I bought 4 extra trays(so now I have 8), 4 non-stick mesh(for finely chopped foods), and 4 fruit roll trays(for dried milk) so I really have $90 in my dehydrator.

http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-LSS-2-6...id=1406317602&sr=8-1&keywords=fruit+roll+tray

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-06306-...d=1406317711&sr=8-4&keywords=dehydrator+trays

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-06307-...mr0&keywords=Non-Stick+mesh+Dehydrator+Sheets

I did not pay these prices; must have had a price increase--wow!!


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We have a nine tray Excalibur with timer. Love it.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

I have the Nesco snackmaster and I love it! $50 on amazon. I have a lot of trays though. I had one of the early models of this, and the old design had the heating element and fan on the bottom, I had disassembled it to clean that out one time and then moved and lost a lot of the parts/pieces, but the trays are the exact same size for the new models, which are greatly improved because the heat and fan are now integrated into the lid! big improvement.

And I scored an extra 4 trays when a neighbor was throwing hers out, it was busted but the trays were in perfectly useable condition.

http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-60-S...6322408&sr=8-3&keywords=nesco+food+dehydrator


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Recommend? I'd recommend save up some more and then get the Excalibur. I got a cheap unit and it worked great... three times. Then it died. The Excalibur has a 10 year warranty, timer, variable temperature, fan, etc. Definitely the top of the line for home units but I'm extremely pleased with my 9 tray unit. Of course if you don't want to do large batches you can get a 4 tray model for not much more than $100.

9 Tray deluxe model $202 http://amzn.com/B004Z915M4

4 Tray economy model $122 http://amzn.com/B0047WOWHE

If I was buying again I'd actually probably get a couple of 4 or 5 tray units instead of a single 9 tray as I think the two smaller ones would be more versatile and provide some redundancy. A warranty is great as long as there is a functioning economy and company to return it to if it breaks.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

I have this http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-FD-61WH...d_sbs_k_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VCP9E9J0WER1JBCWEFE

When I bought it, I also bought an extra one because I wanted the extra trays. I've had it for several years & have put it under heavy use & I still haven't had to use the second motor. It dries my strawberries potato chip crisp, that's good enough for me.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Country Living said:


> We have a nine tray Excalibur with timer. Love it.


I second the Excalibur ... even if you need to save a little more for it.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Dont know if Wally's still carries them but if they do - avoid the "Oster" dehydrators like the plague, they work great for a few hours then go belly up.

The old Oster models that they sold about 10 years ago are good reliable workhorses but they only work with 4 - 6 trays, the trays are small, have no timers and only one temp(ON).


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

I agree on the excalibur. Best money we've spent on equipment to put food up with. The 4 tray model would probably be best. The 9 tray model is huge and you don't always have enough to fill it with.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

I am considering making a dehydrator 

I saw a few designs one was solar and another used a light bulb 
with a simple bulb holder and used 60 to 100 watt depended on size.
an old computer fan and power supply for air circulation.
some window screen to keep bugs out but allow air through.

If your OK with electricity this should be fairly easy 
the box was made of scraps and used trays from 
broken dehydrators slid in on wood rails.

I just wanted to post this because some people have more scraps 
than money and as far as I know a cardboard box works as well 
for dehydrating and meat smoking or making jerky.
just chunk it at the end of the season.


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## squerly (Aug 17, 2012)

If you're looking for an electric dehydrator the my vote goes to Excalibur. But of all the suggestions in this thread, no one mentioned a solar dehydrator. I googled it and found these. Looks like some pretty neat designs and as soon as I'm done planting trees tomorrow I'm going to get serious about designing/building one.

I'll take pics!

EDIT: Oops! Looks like nightwing was posting about the same time as I was.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

actually speaking of Solar Dehydrators, I bought a AA Sun Oven last year from Cantina West, one of the forum sponsors, I use that quite a bit actually, I love it, but the package I bought came with racks for dehydrating. I havent tried that yet, I'm usually too busy baking bread or cooking roast beef and potatoes with it! Love that little sun oven! 

I'll try that this week with some tomatoes or something from the store. Tsrwivey posted about strawberry slices and I went to the farmers market today and got 3 huge baskets of strawberries for $6 and they are really big ripe and sweet. I'm going to shave those up and put them on the dehydrator as soon as I get done feeding bunnies in a couple minutes


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Wait--I think our grandmothers used the solar dehydrator...called it a tin sheet artydancen a roof!!!


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

IF where they lived it was feasible. Some places do not get all the sunshine like others. and with the way the weather has been, have the folks in Michigan even had a summer?
just a thought


I'm thinking that I remember reading in one of the foxfire books (ages ago) that they would take apple slices and place them on the handles of their brooms and such to dry. but don't hold me to it lol


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Genevieve said:


> IF where they lived it was feasible. Some places do not get all the sunshine like others. and with the way the weather has been, have the folks in Michigan even had a summer?
> just a thought
> 
> I'm thinking that I remember reading in one of the foxfire books (ages ago) that they would take apple slices and place them on the handles of their brooms and such to dry. but don't hold me to it lol


I remember peaches and apples dried on the roofs--delicious eating.

Oohhh...apricots also delicious.


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## tleeh1 (Mar 13, 2013)

My Nesco has worked just fine for the two of us for over two years now. No problems at all. I've dried fruit, veggies, and made jerky. I think I would like one with a timer, but...


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Genevieve said:


> ...
> I'm thinking that I remember reading in one of the foxfire books (ages ago) that they would take apple slices and place them on the handles of their brooms and such to dry. but don't hold me to it lol


Took a while to find some who blogged about it...

http://gracefullittlehoneybee.blogspot.com/2013/11/air-dried-apple-rings.html


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

DW got a Kitchen Living dehydrator for $20.00 at some store, not Walmart.

But looks like the next one will be an EXCALIBUR!
This site has not let me down yet.


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