Do you enjoy dried fruits, jerky, or fruit leathers and want to make them on your own? How about making your own fresh seasonings from your homegrown dried herbs?
Well, you can… with food dehydrators.
If you're growing vegetables and fruits in your backyard, you can also use food dehydrators to preserve much of a year’s harvest.
And it can be really enjoyable, too.
To get started, you just need to get the right equipment.
That's what we're going to talk in this article. Today, I want to give you a list of some of the best food dehydrators on the market.
Hopefully, this post will help you make the best decision possible when it comes to purchasing equipment for your food preservation.
| Rank | Food Dehydrator | Price | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator | $$ | A+ |
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| 2 | Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator | $ | A+ |
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| 3 | Presto 06301 Dehyrdo Digital Electric Food Dehydrator | $$ | A |
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| 4 | Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator | $$$$ | A+ |
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| 5 | Ivation Electric Countertop Dehydrator | $$$ | B+ |
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| 6 | Nutrichef Kitchen Electric Countertop Food Dehydrator | $$ | A |
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| 7 | Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator | $$$$ | A+ |
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| 8 | Nesco FD-1040 1000-Watt Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator | $$$ | A |
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| 9 | Waring Pro DHR30 Professional Dehydrator | $$ | B |
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| 10 | L’Equipe 528 6 Tray Food Dehydrator | $$$ | B+ |
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| 11 | Aroma Houseware Professional 6 Tray Food Dehydrator | $$$ | A |
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| 12 | Excalibur EXD500W 5 Tray Dehydrator | $$$ | B |
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| 13 | STX International Dehydra 10 Tray Stainless Steel Digital Food Dehydrator | $$$$$ | A |
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| 14 | TSM Products Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator | $$$$$ | B+ |
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| 15 | Excalibur 9-Tray Clear Door Stainless Steel Dehydrator | $$$$$ | A+ |
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| 16 | Nesco FD-37A American Harvest | $ | A |
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1. Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
This food dehydrator is a very budget friendly option.
One of the best thing about this dehydrator that it has a top fan. With a top fan, there is no need to rotate your shelves, and your flavors won't mix.
This is an important detail to be considered when purchasing a food dehydrator because if you are dehydrating vegetables and fruits together, you wouldn't want a tomato flavored apple.
The thermostat of Nesco Snackmaster Pro is adjustable between 95 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Because it is small, it wouldn’t take up much counter space and would be a great option for a smaller kitchen.
2. Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator
This is another budget-friendly option.
The Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator is a 4 tray dehydrating system.
It's small, so it won’t take up much space.
When you are working in a smaller kitchen, having an appliance that can get the job done while not taking over the kitchen is a must!
This dehydrator has a bottom mounted fan and a clear top so you can check the progress of your food easily.
There's one thing you need to know:
Presto 06300 doesn’t have the digital thermostat.
For some people, this could be a turn-off. But, for someone that just wants a simple dehydrator that you plug in and forget…it wouldn't really matter.
3. Presto 06301 Dehyrdo Digital Electric Food Dehydrator
This food dehydrator is the family member to the Presto 06300 above, hence the name.
It's quite similar, but with a few upgrades.
Instead of 4, like 06300, The Presto 06301 Dehydro is a 6 tray system that requires no rotation. The fan is located at the bottom of this dehydrator.
The top is also clear, so you can check the progress easily.
Another bonus of having this dehydrator that 06300 doesn't have is that it offers a full digital thermostat and timer. The temperatures range from 90 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator
Excalibur 3926TB is one that means business.
In its description, it says it is meant for those that are serious gardeners and sportsmen. So if you have a large garden or if you love to hunt and fish for your food, this might be the food dehydrator for you.
The Excalibur 3926TB offers 15 square feet of dehydrating space.
That equates to 9 trays.
It also has an on/off switch, a digital thermometer, and a 26-hour timer. These are amazing features to have on one machine.
However, unlike the ones above, you can't simply plug-in and forget with this food dehydrator.
5. Ivation Electric Countertop Dehydrator
Ivation Electric Countertop has a lot of bells and whistles in a smaller grade package.
First of all, it is a countertop dehydrator so it won’t take up massive amounts of room in your kitchen. If you are like me and have limited counter space, you’ll appreciate it.
The Ivation Electric Countertop Dehydrator has a fan mounted in the back of the dehydrator. It'll make the drying process more evenly.
Moreover, Ivation Electric Countertop is a 6 tray drying device that has a digital thermostat that ranges from 95 degrees to 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
It also offers a timer and an automatic shut-off.
6. Nutrichef Kitchen Electric Countertop Food Dehydrator
This is another budget-friendly option.
It is also fairly simple to use. Nutrichef Kitchen Electric Countertop is known for its simplicity.
It has 6-trays and one on/off button.
The maximum temperature for this dehydrator is 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has a clear top and clear sides which allow you to check the progress of your food easily.
7. Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator
Excalibur 3900B is a heavy duty food dehydrator.
However, if you preserve a lot of your food with this method or have a large family, then this could be a great option for you.
It has 15 square feet of drying space which equate to 9 trays.
This dehydrator also has an on/off switch.
There is no digital thermometer or timer but if you are someone that doesn’t really need it then this is a great way to get a heavy duty dehydrator with a little less expense.
8. Nesco FD-1040 1000-Watt Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator
This Nesco has all of the features of its previous family members already mentioned in this post. However, it also has some added upgrades without a lot of price difference.
If you are someone that doesn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for a quality food dehydrator but still want a few upgrades, this could be a great option for you.
This dehydrator comes with only 4 trays. But, it can be expanded up to 20!
You can do some serious dehydrating with 20 trays.
It also allows you to adjust the temperatures and offers a digital timer.
9. Waring Pro DHR30 Professional Dehydrator
If you want a professional grade dehydrator that won’t break the bank, Waring Pro DHR30 might be for you.
It comes standard with 5 interlocking trays.
You can adjust the temperature. The settings are as follows: off, fan only, low, medium, and high.
10. L’Equipe 528 6 Tray Food Dehydrator
The L’Equipe 528 food dehydrator is a great option for someone that wants to dry a variety of things from herbs, flowers, and food.
This dehydrator comes with 6 trays which equate to 12 square feet of drying space.
It also comes with a 10-year limited warranty.
11. Aroma Houseware Professional 6 Tray Food Dehydrator
I really like the chic look of this dehydrator. It just looks very easy to use and organized.
It is a horizontal food dehydrator which makes it all around easier to use, in my opinion. All you have to do is pull the trays out towards you.
There is no stacking and restacking.
This dehydrator comes with 6 trays that can hold up to 1 pound of food per tray.
It also has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95 degrees to 155 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a drip tray as well.
12. Excalibur EXD500W 5 Tray Dehydrator
This is a 5 tray dehydrator with a total of 8 square feet of drying space.
It does come standard with a built-in on/off switch which does equate to easier usage.
The description states it is of best use to families with smaller gardens. So if you consider you have a small backyard garden, this could be a great option for you.
This dehydrator does include an adjustable thermostat as well.
13. STX International Dehydra 10 Tray Stainless Steel Digital Food Dehydrator
a.k.a. The ‘Mack Daddy’ of food dehydrators.
It comes with 10 stainless steel trays. That equates to 16 square feet of drying space.
STX International Dehydra is also a horizontal food dehydrator which means there is no stacking, unstacking, and then restacking again.
It also has easy pull-out drawers.
The fan is located in the back of the dehydrator which makes for even airflow.
The heat settings range from 95 degrees Fahrenheit to 155 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has a 15-hour timer.
One of the greatest things about this food dehydrator is the warranty. It comes with a 1-year fix or replace guarantee. This does include parts and labor.
Because of such a great package, this company has managed to maintain a 99.8% overall customer satisfaction rating.
If you decide to purchase this dehydrator, it sounds as if you are purchasing from a company that really stands behind their product.
14. TSM Products Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator
This food dehydrator comes with 5 stainless steel shelves. It has food grade stainless steel which will not rust.
The design of this product allows for the back panel to be removed for easier cleaning and maintenance. It also includes an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95 degrees to 165 degrees Fahrenheit plus a timer.
This is not a machine that easy on your budget. However, it has a 4.5-star rating and has many great reviews on Amazon
15. Excalibur 9-Tray Clear Door Stainless Steel Dehydrator
Just like the name, Excalibur 9-Tray Clear Door is an all stainless steel dehydrator.
Even the trays are in stainless steel.
It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 105 degrees to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
One thing that isn't a stainless steel is the clear door so you can see what is going on inside while your food is dehydrating.
It is also a convenient horizontal style so no stacking.
There are 9 trays which equate to 15 square feet of drying space.
This dehydrator also comes with a 26-hour timer.
16. Nesco FD-37A American Harvest
After strolling through the ‘fancy’ section of food dehydrators, I wanted to end on another budget-friendly dehydrator.
This is definitely it!
The Nesco FD-37A has a 4.5-star review and a great price to boot.
It is another stackable food dehydrator. It comes standard with 4 trays, however, it can expand up to 7 trays.
This dehydrator offers a clear top so you can see what is going on while your food is dehydrating. All parts are dishwasher safe.
The best part is there is no rotation of the trays needed during the dehydrating process.
