# Dehydrator question.



## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

I would like to get a food dehydrator but I'm not sure what would be a good one. I realize this could turn into a ford vs Chevy thing. Why would you all recommend?


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

I have and old Nesco (tan) I like and a new Excalibur that’s nice (black).

Nesco - Pro’s – only use as many trays as needed. Drying time is just a little faster with only a tray or two. Cons – bulkier items won’t fit sometimes.

Excalibur – Pro’s – it’s nice for larger items like whole seed heads. You can remove the tray above to accommodate this. It has more precise temperature control. Cons - you’re heating the entire unit.

I'm glad I have both styles now. Hope this helps.  I successfully dried a lot of medicinal herbs this year.


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

For me it is an Excalibur. Yes, they are more expensive but when I only have one of something g I want it to be a good one. It works really well and I believe it will probably outlast me. Mine doesn't have a timer. I didn't see the need when I can tell time myself.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

We like our Excalibur. We use the timer when we put something in during the evening and it will be done after we go to sleep. Also, we have upgraded to the stainless steel trays and we can put them into the dishwasher and use the dry cycle.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks for the replys guys! I'll start looking around .


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

I love my Excalibur, but if I had it to do over again, I would pay more to get the timer, and not get the 'economy' model.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

I like my American Harvest. I have two of them & so far they've done everything I've wanted to do. If I wanted to dry something bulky, I'd just take the wire cutters & remove the inside of one of the trays. Sounds like it'd work anyway.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

The Nesco I have is great. Funny, I considered your solution, but… Either I lost the use of a tray or... I weave a replacement wire base within the tray frame. Sadly, the only wire I had was galvanized or aluminum, neither of which I want near food of medicine.

I sort of cheated, I won my Excalibur in a contest… very thankful for it!!! and to the fellow responsible… JW Rawles. He has done much for me and my family. I won his contest on Survival Blog. For folks new to prepping… lots of good info there. I have learned much from his books. A Christian man, a good man!


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## Idaholady (Apr 24, 2010)

I have an Excalibur and like it; used it today to dry some Fuyu persimmons. I also inherited a round dehydrator from my mother; who has now passed away. 

I really like that one because I can control the heat AND the fan speed; I can't control the fan speed on the Excalibur. I don't know the name of the round dehydrator, It has a logo with a wheat shaft on it followed by the words: PRESS-AIRE-IZER. Might be a Bosch...I don't know, but it has eight trays and works very well.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

You've been using your Presto a lot and you're still happy with it, thats good to know. I'll add that to my notes I'm keeping on dehydrators.



masterspark said:


> I have a Presto that I just got a month or so ago, and am pleased. It was cheap money a Wally's online and has bee going 5-6 days a week since I got it. I'm a newbie to drying and wasn't sure if I wanted to invest in the top end dehydrator. I'm into it for about $80 and I have extra trays, screens and trays for fruit rollup type stuff. It all packs down to take up about as much shelf space as a crock pot. I have done apples, pears, pineapple (lots of it), onions, beef jerky. All have come out very good. The high end dehydrators are great and have extra options, but I didn't need them just yet.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We have the Excalibur with the timer and we are very pleased with it. I didn't know about the stainless steel trays... will have to check on that.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

Country Living said:


> We have the Excalibur with the timer and we are very pleased with it. I didn't know about the stainless steel trays... will have to check on that.


Well I won't mention any names, but... some old, bearded fellow in my home placed some of the plastic trays on top of a toaster oven that was in use. The trays warped so I bought the stainless trays direct from Excalibur. I've since _mostly_ "unwarped" the original trays, but the stainless are very nice.


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## SmokeyNJ (Jun 12, 2013)

I recently got a chepo brand from Harbor Freight, like $25, I thought it would be lame and probably burn or just rot anything I put in it, nope, works great. For wetter stuff or just for first few hours and then to finish I MacGyuver'ed an old air hockey table fan into a box underneath it to move some air and help it dry. I don't always need or even use the fan, I have had very good results.

Note: I am kind of a noob at dehydrating (except for jerky, which I have always done in the oven with just the pilot flame or lowest setting)

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-tier-food-dehydrator-66906.html


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