We evaluated the best food dehydrators on the market, putting each through a series of tests and factoring in airflow, heating elements, size, weight, and overall design. Our full list of the best food dehydrators features our top choices for beginners and professionals, plus the best models for preserving jerky, herbs, and produce.
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Using a dehydrator opens up a world of culinary possibilities and is a space-saving, long-lasting way to preserve food from your garden or farmers market while it's at its peak. It's also great for using up dried herbs and seasonings like ramp powder, and you can get creative and use it for everything from citrus powder to fruit roll-ups.
Dehydrating food, from vegetables and fruits to meat and fish, is one of our oldest food preservation technologies. Christina Ward, the Master Food Preserver for Wisconsin and author of Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation, and Dehydration, says, "Dehydrating — removing the moisture from food and thereby eliminating one of the elements needed for bacterial growth — is a good method to preserve food while retaining maximum nutritional benefits."
We liked that this dehydrator is customizable. Using the four included trays keeps it more compact, but for bigger dehydrating projects, you can expand it up to 20 trays. It also remains cool to the touch during operation, and the machine is easily opened with a handle on the lid. The round trays mean that longer stalks of herbs will need to be cut into pieces to dry efficiently. We found that though it is technically dishwasher-safe, you'll want to remove the trays from the dishwasher before the drying cycle. Or, you can just hand wash them: This was the only model we felt was very easy to clean by hand.
Herbs are the perfect dehydration project regardless of experience level, and people love to have dried herbs on hand. What novices likely don't know: You want a dehydrator that preserves an herb's essential oils and other flavoring compounds rather than one that blasts them at too high a temperature, which can damage the fragile plants.
It's simple to use and can be customized with additional trays to suit your needs.
We loved the Samson's design, ease of use, and quiet operation. Though it is a bit harder to clean than other models, we found it made delicious, snackable treats from whatever fruit and vegetable we threw at it. It's not too tall, so it can fit easily into a cabinet. We also felt like they would be more durable than the plastic trays in other models. The one downside is that it's harder to clean than some of our other top picks: The metal racks have some crevices and ridges and are not dishwasher-safe.
We've all been there: An over-enthusiastic trip down the produce aisle or at the farmer's market leaves you with more fruits and veggies than you know what to do with. Don't despair; turn to your dehydrator. Dried fruits and vegetables pack a big flavor punch, store well, and are great for seasoning blends and garnishes as well as packing into risotto and stews.
The Cosori rose to the top in our jerky tests, making jerky with great texture and flavor. We were especially impressed with its quiet operation and ease of use and cleaning. It even comes with an extra fruit roll sheet. The controls are easy to use, dry evenly, and come with a special fruit leather tray. We also loved its practicality: It's a nice, compact, medium-capacity machine, not taking up too much space on a countertop. The door opens and closes nicely from the side and stays open when you move trays in and out of the machine. Finally, the front door has a glass window to see the contents easily while dehydrating.
Homemade jerky is much better than many store-bought brands, which can use cheap cuts or artificial flavorings and colorings. By making jerky at home, you can control what goes in it and experiment with different flavors using different marinades and seasonings . Similarly, homemade fruit leather is noticeably better than anything from the store, and it's a great opportunity to use overripe or blemished fruit rather than throwing it in your compost bin .
It evenly dries jerky, it's easy to use and clean, and it doesn't take up too much counter space.
It has a small footprint and capacity, making it a good choice for kitchens that don't have a ton of extra counter space to spare. Because the machine is round, the trays are slightly less efficient to load because of their shape. However, we liked the handle on the top where the motor and fan are, making it easy to lift and remove. The trays are easy to stack and fit well together, and while it comes with five trays, additional trays can be purchased and can fit up to 12 at a time. We'd prefer a more accurate temperature gauge, as this one only has a dial with a few preset temperatures, but no timer. That said, for less than $100, this is a well-performing, plug-and-play, compact machine for the first-time dehydrator. To clean, the trays are dishwasher-safe on the top rack.
If you haven't used a dehydrator before, the Snackmaster is an affordable entrance into the world of dehydrating food. We had many good things to say about its design, size, and performance, noting its round stackable trays that fit together well, capped by a lid encompassing the fan and controls.
Vertical airflow makes it less efficient than some other models, and fewer presets mean the temperature is less customizable than other models.
It's a simple plug-and-play dehydrator. It comes with bonus items like jerky seasoning and fruit roll mats to help you get started right away.
During testing, there was even drying from top to middle to bottom, and everything dried quickly. The fruit leather, in particular, came off in one piece without any sticking or cracking. The only downside is that it is taller than it is wide, so it may not fit inside some cabinets if you do wish to store it away.
We loved the Tribest for ease of use and cleaning, which rated as highly as the Magic Mill, as well as its design and quiet motor. In fact, it's so quiet that the sound essentially fades into the background. We also appreciated the design, especially the dishwasher-safe trays. The Sedona has a large capacity without being bulky, and we found it to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing models with its clean and simple design. What's more, we'd have no problem leaving it out on our countertops to display.
It's heavier than some models and more expensive than others on our list.
We loved that the door is easy to open and stays open while the dehydrator is being filled up, as well as its automatic shut-off and 'keep warm' feature. The trays are easy to slide in and out, and the see-through door helps you track your food's progress without opening the whole machine up. The trays are dishwasher-safe, too, making cleanup a breeze. Most importantly, it does a good job producing high-quality, dehydrated food. During testing, we experienced even drying across all the dehydrator racks. There was no cracking, the food peeled off easily, and it came up to temperature after 40 minutes and stayed at the same temperature during the entire test.
The Magic Mill dehydrator received top marks across the board in our tests for ease of use, design, performance, ease of cleaning, and noise. It is quiet, simple to use, and can be thoroughly cleaned so the food you dehydrate in one batch doesn't linger into the next one. It even comes with a cookbook and a free silicone oven mitt.
Our Favorite
The best dehydrator for you is one that fits your budget and the ways you plan to use it in your kitchen. If you plan to dehydrate a variety of foods or want room to grow your practice, consider a model like our top pick, the Magic Mill. If you want to just dehydrate a few herbs and veggies from time to time, an affordable and compact dehydrator like the Nesco Snackmaster Pro should work great for you.
Food & Wine / Victor Protazio
The Tests
To find the best dehydrators on the market, we performed three different tests on 23 dehydrators. Following the instructions for each, we dried herbs, made beef jerky, and made fruit leather. For the herbs, we used fresh thyme springs, and for the jerky and fruit leather, we dried out beef round steak, blueberries, raspberries, and lemons. During the testing process, we took note of the following:
Factors to Consider
Heating Elements
"A high-quality dehydrator must have a fan to ensure airflow throughout the machine. People are often surprised to see that the heating element in many models is a lightbulb. Dehydrators work because circulated heat evaporates the moisture in the food. However, cheap models without a fan can still work much more slowly and inconsistently, and usually only once before the heating element burns out," Ward says.
If you do decide to go with a model that has a top or bottom heating element, you'll want to rotate the trays occasionally for even drying, according to Ward, who would opt for a model with the heating element on top.
Airflow
Rear-mounted heating elements are ideal for even temperature and air distribution, according to Ward. "Because airflow is key to success, look for dehydrators that allow enough space for the trays. What makes dehydration work is time, airflow, and heat. If you add extra layers or overcrowd the trays, you impede the airflow and overtax the heat capacity, resulting in uneven dehydrating and, in the worst case, bacterial activity before sufficient moisture is removed," she says. This is something to bear in mind with the Nesco Gardenmaster: If you buy extra trays, make sure you aren't overcrowding your food.
Size
The capacity and physical footprint of the dehydrator are also deciding factors for how well one of these machines will perform (and fit) in your kitchen space. Depending on how many things you intend to dehydrate at once, that can impact which machine is right for you.
Food & Wine / Victor Protazio
What are the benefits of using a food dehydrator?
Dehydrating food helps to reduce moisture, which prevents spoilage, thus preserving your food. "Other benefits are ease of storage and transportation," says Ward. Some foods, like dried peas or mushrooms, are not necessarily meant to be eaten as-is but rather to be used as ingredients. In these cases, added to a soup or another dish and rehydrated. "Finally, there are end-use foods that can be prepared with dehydration. Jerky, of course, but the very popular fruit roll-ups with kids are easily made at home. And with less added sugars and no chemical preservatives," says Ward.
What foods can you make in a dehydrator?
Ward has dozens of ideas to share when it comes to dehydrators: "Dehydrators are fantastic for making fruit leathers and jerkies (as finished, edible foods) and dehydrated fruits into 'chips' (bananas, pineapples, apples, strawberries, pears, etc.). Fruits and vegetables can also be chopped and dehydrated together for specific uses. Mixed berries can all be done together, then stored, then added by the handful to yogurt, cereals, whatever! One of the more useful things to make is dehydrated mirepoix. You can make a batch that will last for an entire soup season without having to chop vegetables each time," she says.
"Vegetables like green beans, shucked peas, shucked corn, and sliced or cubed potatoes can also be dehydrated and stored for future reconstitution. Keep in mind that the reconstituted vegetables will not have the same mouthfeel as fresh ones, so dehydrated and reconstituted items are best used as an ingredient for a recipe that will be cooked or baked, like soups, stews, and casseroles," says Ward.
"Dried herbs, of course. Again, you can make spice blends with dehydrated leaves or take it a step further and grind the dehydrated leaves into a powder. Also useful is dehydrating a fruit or vegetable completely, then grinding it into a powder. A great way to add a ka-pow of extra flavor to whatever. Add powdered tomato to red sauce and powdered apple to pie. And my favorite workaround for canning pumpkin butter: dehydrate pumpkin, grind it to powder, add spices as wished, then add to apple sauce and cook," says Ward.
How long do dehydrated foods last?
"The key to keeping dehydrated foods is storing the item in an air-tight container. The longer you keep out the air and moisture, the longer the food lasts. Dried foods should also be kept in a cool-ish (meaning temperature consistent) dark space. The official recommendation from the Center for Home Food Preservation is one year," says Ward says.
"One technical thing you may want to note is that storage length is also determined by how much moisture is left in the food item. We don't tend to dry beef jerky until 100% moisture is gone – enough to keep it safe but enough moisture remaining to transmit flavors and make it chewy. Everyone is a little different as to what kind of mouthfeel they like. The general rule: the more moisture the food has, the shorter the shelf life," she says.
Some storage ideas include canning jars with any type of screw-on lid, double-row zip-top plastic bags, and tight-fitting lidded plastic or glass containers.
Other Food Dehydrators We Tested
Strong Contenders
Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator ($95 at Amazon)
The trays also fit nicely together, and fingertip handles help give you a more confident grip as you add and remove them. Ultimately, it didn't make our list because it wasn't as effective at handling fruit leather as some other models: the leather itself had ridges in it because of the shape of the trays, and it stuck to the tray, making cleaning more difficult.
Gourmia Premium Electric Food Dehydrator Machine ($190 at Gourmia)
Though a small machine with a small footprint, the capacity felt better/larger than some of the other small models. It also dried fairly evenly, more so than many compact models we tested. In all, the controls are very basic, and we didn't like that the racks are not dishwasher safe.
L'Equip FilterPro 6 Tray Food Dehydrator ($139 at Amazon)
This medium-sized machine with a medium footprint has a larger capacity than some of the compact models we tested. Unlike some models, it is entirely opaque, so you can't check on your food without entirely opening the dehydrator to see inside. The trays are also not dishwasher-safe and would be hard to clean in a smaller sink, and we noted that this dehydrator also does not dry as evenly as some others.
Aroma Housewares Professional 6 Tray Food Dehydrator ($150 at Aroma Housewares)
This dehydrator is quieter than some other models, and we found its trays were easier to wash by hand than some models. The trays slide out nicely, and the holes in the trays are well-spaced. We did not include this model because it only has a temperature gauge and does not have a timer.
What Didn't Make the List
We tried a number of other models to find our favorite dehydrators, including from top brands like Cuisinart, NutriChef, Aroma, LEM, and Hamilton Beach. With some, we were unsatisfied with the control panel or design elements, while others took too long to dry or were too difficult to clean. A few models were uneven in their drying, gave us safety concerns, or were simply too complicated or bulky to be considered top performers.
Our Expertise
Julia Skinner, Ph.D., is a writer, culinary educator, avid gardener, and food preserver, and author of Our Fermented Lives. She writes about and teaches fermentation and food preservation through her business, Root, and through her newsletter. Christina Ward is an author, editor, and the Master Food Preserver for Wisconsin. She is the author of Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation, and Dehydration.
If you're looking for a dehydrator that performs well, doesn't cost too much, and fits a fair amount of food, we recommend the Samson "Silent" Dehydrator. For more space, our large-capacity dehydrator pick is the Excalibur 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator.
Dehydrators are a fairly niche product for the average home cook. However, dehydrating your own food is a way to preserve seasonal ingredients—and maybe save a little money. Big sale on berries at your local store? Dehydrate them and you're left with a great cereal or oatmeal mix-in for months. A fan of camping or backpacking? Make your own freeze-dried food that, likely, will taste far better than what's at the store. Bumper crop of vegetables in your summer garden? Well, those tomatoes are just begging to be dehydrated.
In fact, dehydrator sales increased upwards of $273 billion between 2010 and 2019. This means, consequentially, there are a lot of dehydrators on the market. To find the best one, we rigorously tested 12 of the top-rated models. Here are our favorites, and, of course, which ones just didn't cut it.
The Winners, at a Glance
The whisper-quiet Samson "Silent" Dehydrator did well in all our tests and fit a fair amount of food, but was still small enough that it didn't take up too much storage space.
While this dehydrator didn't have the capacity or ultra-even drying of some of the other models, it still did a good job and came at a great price.
For a large-capacity dehydrator, this model from Excalibur is second to none. It performed incredibly well in all of our tests and while its large size did make it difficult to move around, its trays were dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
The Sahara Dehydrator is pricey, but it has a large capacity and dries food evenly and efficiently. It folded down for compact storage and featured glass doors that allowed you to check on food without having to open the unit.
What Is a Dehydrator?
Dehydrators function by blowing warm, continuous air over the surface of food, evaporating moisture, and drying it out. Every dehydrator employs a fan and a heating element to control the airflow and temperature. However, some dehydrators have fans located at the base below the trays, creating vertical airflow. Other dehydrators have fans on their back walls, creating horizontal airflow. Models with vertical airflow have holes in the center of their trays, which, in theory, allows the air to pass more readily from the base of the machine to the trays above. A dehydrator is, as the name suggests, a machine that helps you remove moisture from food. This is a great way to preserve past-its-prime produce (for example, tomatoes can be dried to make homemade "sundried" tomatoes) and make snacks like beef jerky, fruit leather, and chips.
The Criteria: What to Look for in a Dehydrator
The Excalibur Food Dehydrator.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
Firstly, a good dehydrator must dry food efficiently and evenly. In our testing, we found models with horizontal airflow to be more effective than those with vertical airflow, as the former allows all of the dehydrator's trays to receive equal heat exposure. With vertical airflow, the trays at the bottom of the dehydrator inevitably get more air exposure than the trays at the top. Some other product differences to consider: The machine should meet and hold temperature accurately, have a sizable capacity, and come with a good manufacturer’s warranty (our hope for any electrical appliance). In order to be used in a home on an even semi-consistent basis, the dehydrator has to be relatively quiet and shouldn’t require a ton of supervision, like having to routinely shuffle trays to achieve even drying. Ideally, a dehydrator should also have trays that are dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up.
The Testing
Before testing any food, we first set out to unpack and analyze each machine. We double-checked all specs, including the product's dimensions and weight and the number of trays included. We looked at things like the machine's wattage and examined its control panel.
Test 1: Apple Rings
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Apple slices before being dehydrated in a model with vertical airflow.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
For the first test, we peeled, cored, and sliced over 20 pounds of Granny Smith apples and soaked them in a solution made with ascorbic acid (to prevent the apples from darkening). Each apple was sliced to 1/4-inch thickness using a mandoline and dried at 140°F for a minimum of 5 hours, at which point we checked on their progress. Before drying, we measured in grams the total amount of apple slices each machine could accommodate without crowding.
The dehydrators with vertical airflow produced more inconsistently dried apple slices. The apples on trays at the bottom (left) were more dried than the trays at the top (right).
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
The best dehydrators were able to hold more than two pounds of apple rings (although the Excalibur accommodated a whopping five pounds) and were able to dry the apples adequately and evenly in five to six hours producing slices that were nearly indistinguishable from tray-to-tray. Conversely, a lower-performing model from Dash held just a pound of apple slices, and after 5 hours, produced apples that were completely dried at the bottom but totally raw on the top trays. We continued to let the apples dehydrate for seven more hours (for a total of 12 hours), which is what the manufacturer recommended. However, after 12 hours, the apple slices on the top trays were dried, while those on the bottom were too brittle.
Test 2: Beef Jerky
An example of a large-capacity dehydrator tray.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
For the second test, we prepared 17 pounds of flank steak according to Alton Brown’s recipe for homemade jerky and weighed in grams how much each machine could accommodate without crowding. As with the apple test, capacity varied widely from machine to machine and the best machines, at a minimum, could accommodate 1300 grams or about 2.8 pounds of beef slices (the Excalibur came out on top capacity-wise, again, at about 6.5 pounds). The smallest models were able to hold just 700 to 900 grams or 1.5 to 1.98 pounds of beef.
The NESCO dehydrator was one of the only vertical airflow models to do well in our beef jerky tests thanks to its trays' more sizable center hole and powerful motor.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
After three hours, we began checking the jerky every hour until it finished dehydrating. Overall, the models with horizontal air flow dried much more efficiently and evenly. The models with vertical airflow, for the most part, took longer and their bottom trays dried faster. Shuffling these models' trays periodically did help, but it felt inconvenient compared to the horizontal airflow models that didn't require shuffling. When it came to the Dash Dehydrator (a vertical airflow model), the beef on the upper trays had barely begun to cook even after three hours, which was possibly hazardous. The only vertical airflow models that were successful had larger holes in the center of their trays—limiting capacity, but allowing more air through—and/or more powerful, higher-wattage motors.
Test 3: Fruit Leather
Fruit leather on the Samson's nonstick sheets.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
For the final test, we made fruit leather. We followed the guidance from The National Center for Home Food Preservation, which involved pureeing strawberries with lemon juice. We determined how much puree each tray could hold (up to 1/8-inch thickness), weighing it in grams, and began drying at 140°F. We let the machines dehydrate for five hours before checking on their progress and then monitored every hour for doneness. We were only able to conduct each test with units that included trays for fruit leather drying or had some that were easily obtainable (puree would just fall through the slots or grid pattern of a normal tray).
Our favorite model, the Samson, had non-stick sheets (sold separately) that fit perfectly in each rack. Because the Samson utilized these sheets as opposed to trays, like the other models we tested, the results were a bit different. With the plastic trays, the fruit puree could be filled to exactly 1/8-inch thickness and spread evenly to the sides. When fruit puree was added to the Samson’s non-stick sheets which have no “sides," it spread out thinner, to about 1/16-inch. However, this proved to be helpful: the Samson's fruit leather dried the quickest and most uniformly of any of the dehydrators. It was also easier to remove the fruit leathers from these non-stick sheets, as we were able to peel them off in one large piece.
The tray on the right shows fruit leather that's clearly undercooked towards the center.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
For the other dehydrators, this was by far the hardest test. Many of the otherwise solid-performing models struggled with fruit leather, producing leather that cracked, had large patches of undried puree, or were not dried at all toward the center. Since the fruit leather fully covered each rack from edge to edge, it clearly showed the airflow patterns. Once again, the vertical airflow models struggled and produced unevenly dried fruit leather from tray to tray. When it came to removing the fruit leather, most of the dehydrators also had issues: the leather clung to their trays and we had to peel it off in strips.
Observations on Ease of Use
We loved that the Sahara dehydrator folded down for easy storage, but had a spacious capacity when in use.
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
When it came to user interface and functionality, we analyzed every aspect of each machine. First, for regular home use, the dehydrator must not be too big and therefore too cumbersome to store and move. (We particularly liked that the Sahara dehydrator folded down flat for easy storage.) The machine must also be reasonably quiet. Some of the dehydrators we tested were so loud you had to almost shout when speaking near one...and we’re just not fans of persistently loud humming for hours on end. Next, we assessed how easy the trays were to clean. Those with dishwasher-safe trays came out on top. Some machines (like the NESCO) had trays that were not dishwasher-safe and were too big to fit fully in a regular kitchen sink, making them a pain to scrub.
Lastly, we looked at how intuitive the dehydrators were to use and how easy it was to move trays around. The best machines had controls that were easy to operate without consulting the manual. Also, we thought that machines that had automatic shutoffs were key. That way, you could set the machine before work or bed and not worry about your food over-drying.
The Best Food Dehydrators
What we liked: The Samson "Silent" Dehydrator really was fairly silent. It was the quietest machine we tested, even when fully loaded with jerky, apples, or fruit leather. In every test, it dehydrated food efficiently and easily. It was also the only unit that made multiple trays of evenly dried fruit leather that didn't crack and peeled off easily (thanks to its nonstick sheets). It had an automatic shut-off and came with a 5-year warranty
What we didn’t like: This dehydrator has a few drawbacks. Jerky stuck to its metal trays, making them tougher to clean. And while the dehydrator's manual didn't state whether or not this model's trays were dishwasher-safe, we successfully ran them through the dishwasher without any issues. Also, this model's temperature can’t be freely adjusted—instead, there are eight pre-set temperatures ranging from 95°F to 158°F.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
What we liked: If you’re looking for a starter dehydrator, this could be a good pick. The Presto Dehydro Square was able to evenly and efficiently dry apples almost as well as any other model. This compact dehydrator is easy to store and it comes with two fine-mesh inserts and two fruit leather drying trays, making it a great overall pick as a beginner dehydrator.
What we didn’t like: When testing the fruit leathers, the cracks began to show (literally). Because of its vertical airflow, the fruit leather was unevenly dried and the bottom tray of leather was done in half the time of the top tray. It did a decent job with the jerky, but needed its trays shuffled to produce even results. It's also noisy.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
What we liked: When it came to sheer capacity, none of the other models compared to the Excalibur. This dehydrator could dry five pounds of apples or six-and-a-half pounds of beef jerky at once—that's pounds more than any other model. It dried evenly and efficiently and, because of its horizontal airflow, didn't call for reshuffling the trays. It was easy to clean, thanks to its dishwasher-safe trays, had an automatic shut-off, and was quiet when on. The Excalibur also comes with a whopping 10-year warranty.
What we didn’t like: This dehydrator is heavy, weighing almost 18 pounds. If you have a sizable work area and lots of storage space and want to dehydrate large batches of food, then this may be the right model for you. Because the company didn't sell fruit leather trays or inserts, we didn't make fruit leather with this model (however there are some off-branded non-stick sheets on Amazon that claim to be compatible with the task). It's also quite expensive.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
What we liked: While this dehydrator was expensive, it came with a lot of bells and whistles. It dried evenly and had the second-largest capacity of any dehydrator we tested. We liked its clear glass doors that allowed you to check on food without having to open them. Its trays were also dishwasher-safe and it was quiet when running, but its best feature was that it can fold down to just 3 3/4-inch high when not in use for easy storage. And while we found storage and set-up to be intuitive, this model also comes with a quick set-up guide filled with handy pictures that were easy to follow.
What we didn’t like: Again, this model comes with a hefty price tag (and weight). It was a bit slower than some of the other top dehydrators and didn't come with fruit leather drying trays (however, standard-sized silicone baking mats fit its trays). Also, this unit only comes with a 1-year warranty (or three years if you register it).
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
The Competition
FAQs
Can I dehydrate foods in an air fryer?
Depending on the model and whether its temperature setting goes low enough, you could dehydrate in an air fryer. However, an air fryer has a relatively small capacity. So, if you're looking to dehydrate a substantial amount of food, we recommend investing in a dehydrator.
Can dehydrator trays be cleaned in the dishwasher?
As no two dehydrators are completely the same, the ability to be washed in a dishwasher varies from model to model. Many of the models we tested do feature dishwasher-safe trays (including our favorites). We recommend checking your dehydrator’s manual before putting any parts in the dishwasher—just to be safe.
Do all dehydrators have BPA-free trays?
Depending on the dehydrator you choose, the trays may be made of stainless steel or plastic. If you're concerned about BPA, we recommend choosing a dehydrator with metal trays, double checking the dehydrator's product listing, or reaching out to the manufacturer to ask if the trays are BPA-free.
Do I need a food dehydrator?
If you're into preserving food, or just like fruit leather and jerky a lot, then a dehydrator could make for a nice addition to your kitchen equipment collection. They are also useful for mitigating food waste since you can use them to dehydrate food scraps (like carrot peels and leek tops), which you can blitz into powders for flavoring all manner of dishes (soups, dips, spice rubs).
What is the best food dehydrator?
We had a few top picks when it came to food dehydrators, with factors like size and price making a difference. Our overall top pick was the Samson "Silent" Dehydrator, which made uniformly dry apple slices and has nonstick trays which made food removal easy. We also liked the Presto Dehydro Square Dehydrator as a budget-friendly pick, and finally, two splurge-worthy dehydrators: Excalibur 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator and Brod & Taylor Sahara Folding Food Dehydrator, both of which performed well.
What foods you can dehydrate?
Yes, dehydrators can make fruit snacks and jerky, but there's also a whole lot more than can be used for. For example, one chef we spoke to uses a dehydrator to desiccate vegetable scraps (like leek tops or mushroom stems), which he then pulverizes to make flavored powder—add a pinch of onion flavor to salad dressing, or give soups a hit of umami with mushroom dust. While there isn't a whole lot you can't dehydrate, there are things that don't lend themselves as readily, like fatty foods such as avocados or butter (which...will just melt), and things that need extra care and precautions, like eggs or cheese.
What are a food dehydrator's benefits?
Food dehydrators not only make yummy snacks (like fruit leather or dried apple rings), but they are also a great way to mitigate food waste. For example, if you have some sad, slightly shriveling apples, slice 'em into rounds and turn them into a crunchy snack. A food dehydrator also makes cooking fun, since you can experiment (with food safety in mind, as always!) with making flavored powders to use in salad dressings, cake frosting, etc, etc.
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