If you are looking for ways to cook and store food, dehydration is the way to go. Dehydrating foods like meat or fruits save the nutrients that are normally lost in high heat cooking. Dehydrated meats are good for snaking (think beef jerky) and dried fruits are great for your favorite trail mix recipes. There are a number of food dehydrators on the market and vary in size and in style. Included in this article are some highly rated food dehydrators found online for home use.
One of the first dehydrators that caught my attention was the Back to Basics Food Dehydrator. This particular hydrator is pretty small and compact at only seven pounds. It contains 5 trays for adding meats, fruits and vegetables and it also has an herb tray. It has an automatic fan that circulates warm air to evenly dry the contained products. This dehydrator is perfect for smaller families or to save space if you have a small kitchen. Even though it is little in comparison to other dehydrators, it does it job just as well as larger units. The Back to Basics dehydrator is retailed at $42.99.
A larger unit that I noticed was rated 5 stars for the company’s support for its customers. The L’Equip 528 Dehydrator is a 6 tray dehydrator that is a bit bigger in size compared to the Back to Basics Dehydrator. The L’Equip dehydrator comes with a computer controlled hear sensor, 6 mesh sheets, and an adjustable thermostat from 93 to 158 degrees. The company gives a 12 year warranty on the product as well which is a huge plus for the consumer if it breaks down or needs a part replaced. The unit also has a power saving 550 watt heating element. The L’Equip food dehydrator is priced online for $139.99.
Another smaller, yet impressive dehydrator is the Excalibur Model ED-2500 5 tray dehydrator. This unit, although not as small as the first dehydrator, is small enough for a small family or to families just beginning their adventures in food dehydration. The Excalibur has a horizontal airflow drying system that evenly dries all foods perfectly on each tray. It’s unique (and trademarked) drying system is located on the back of the unit in contrast of other dehydrators. This prevents the user from having to rotate trays and forces the warm air from the back of the unit and out of the front. Trays can be removed to expand the drying chamber and is made of FDA approved polycarbonate plastic and a Plexiglas door. The only notable issue with this dehydrator was that it makes a bit of noise. The unit comes with an instruction manual with 50 recipes to help you get started. This unit is the more expensive dehydrator of the three listed at $179.95.
Dehydrating foods is a fun way to make a healthy change to your eating habits…especially if you are dieting or have children. I have personally made homemade fruit roll ups for my kids and they couldn’t tell the difference…aside from the lack of a wrapper. So if you are in the market for a new dehydrator, check online for the various styles that are available and be sure to look for reviews from consumers to see what they think of the product. These three wonderful dehydrators and many others can be found at www.877myjuicer.com.
