Who would prefer cold, soggy and moist food for lunch or dinner? Well, it is believed that if the food tastes good it can enlighten your mood in just a few minutes. However, if you are served cold and moist food on your plate, it would definitely spoil your mood. Sometimes, intense moisture can spoil the food as it initiates the growth of bacteria. In such cases it is necessary to preserve your food well to keep it safe and healthy.

Dehydrating is one of the best methods for the preservation of food. This is because it draws out the unwanted moisture from the different food items and keeps it fresh. Dehydrated foods can last for a long time. Moreover, by dehydrating the food its flavour is enhanced further. But you must be thinking how you can dehydrate the food easily. 

The dehydrator will easily draw moisture from food items like meat, fruits and herbs. Especially jerky, a kind of meat which requires appropriate drying. Thus for better preservation and dehydration of jerky, the dehydrators are the best choice. Some of the best dehydrators for jerky have been well researched and shortlisted for your convenience.

Types of Food Dehydrators 

There are mainly two types of food dehydrators : vertical flow and horizontal flow. These are the main categories that you would get in the market. As the name suggests, in the vertical flow food dehydrators the food is lined up vertically into the dehydrator. While in the horizontal flow food dehydrators the food is lined up in a horizontal manner. The functioning of the two dehydrators are also different from each other. Let’s take a look into how each one of them works. 

• Vertical flow Food Dehydrator- In these types of dehydrators, the source of heat is placed at the bottom of the dehydrator. In some of them, it is often placed at the top of it. Being an affordable dehydrator, this dehydrator is preferred by many. But at the same time the food does not heat up uniformly into this type of dehydrator. Thus, you can use this type of dehydrator for fruits, and vegetables. For food items such as jerky or meat you need to put in the manual effort to heat it up properly. 

Advantages of the Vertical flow food dehydrator:

• It is not so expensive. 
• It does not have much space and in some cases it might be considered small.

Disadvantages of the Vertical flow food dehydrator:

• Does not heat up the food as evenly as the horizontal dehydrator. 
•  Heating up food in it is a tedious task as it requires more manual work. 
• It doesn’t heat up the meat efficiently. 

• Horizontal flow Food Dehydrator- these dehydrators are also known as shelf tray food. In this type of dehydrator the source of heat is placed at the back of the dehydrator. These types of dehydrators are a bit expensive but functions more efficiently as compared to the vertical flow food dehydrator. You can appropriately heat up the meats such as jerky and beef easily. 

Advantages of Horizontal flow food Dehydration:

• The food is uniformly heated throughout.
• You can easily use the dehydrator and heat your food in a just a few minutes.
• This dehydrator is quite appropriate for meats. 

Disadvantages of Horizontal flow food Dehydration:

• It is expensive as compared to the vertical flow food dehydration.
• There is more storage and therefore these dehydrators are larger. 

Benefits of Having a Food Dehydrators 

• You do not have to worry about the seasonal foods anymore as you can snack on the out season fruits and vegetables easily with the help of the dehydrators.
• The food can be preserved easily and thus you can enjoy the healthy food full of nutrients. 
• Your food will not be wasted any more as you can store your fresh food directly into the dehydrators and eat it later.

Factors to keep in mind before buying the Food Dehydrators 

Each individual has their own preferences regarding the type of food dehydrators. The purpose for which you will use the dehydrator. There are a wide range of options in the market, each dehydrator has its own use. Therefore, let us look into the factors to be kept in mind before buying a food dehydrator.

• Easy to Use- always go for the food dehydrators which are easy to use and can preserve or heat up the food in just a few minutes. You need to keep in mind that the dehydrator which you will buy is able to heat the food evenly and you don’t have to switch the shelves more often. 

Buy the one which does not require much of your manual work. You can just leave your food into the dehydrator and do some other work while your food becomes ready to eat. Therefore the easier it is to use the dehydrator the more time will it save. 

• Distribution of heat and air flow-  as we know one of the main functions of the dehydrator is to dry out all the moisture from your food. Thus it is important that you buy a dehydrator that serves its purpose well. Your foremost preference should be a dehydrator that would distribute the heat uniformly throughout the food. Each model of dehydrator has a different level of heating. Therefore you need to look into the temperatures and the air flow specifications of each dehydrator. 

• Price of the Dehydrator- the price of different models of dehydrator may differ, some might cost as low as $30 while some may reach up to $600. The prices may differ according to the type and model of dehydrator you are buying. If you would buy the dehydrators with a higher price range, then it would have several other beneficial factors such as uniform heating, larger capacity, and quick drying out of the moisture from food. On the other end, if you buy the one with a lower price range then you can only get the dehydrators with basic features. Therefore you should buy the dehydrator keeping in mind your budget and at the same time the purpose for which you will be buying it. 

• Capacity and Size- another significant factor that you need to consider is the size of the dehydrator and its storage capacity. Whenever you buy a dehydrator, keep in mind the amount of food you want to store. If you do not have to store a large amount of food, then you can buy a dehydrator with a less storage capacity. However, if you have a large amount of food to store and you wish to preserve all at once, then you should definitely go for a larger model.

• Amount of Noise- the dehydrators have in-built fans that help in the process of dehydration. However, in some of the models of dehydrators these fans might emit some noise which might be disturbing to your ears. It is recommended to buy a dehydrator that emits as low noise as possible. 

• Features- the dehydrators that you buy should have some of the extra features that would make it more convenient to use. Some such features have been mentioned below.

1. Auto Shut- if you want to be completely free after you put in the food in your dehydrator then you should buy a dehydrator with an automatic shut off feature. Thus you can set the time and your dehydrator will shut off automatically once the food has been dehydrated.   
2. Timer Alert- dehydration of the food might take a long time. In the dehydrators with a timer you do not have to worry at all. You won’t have to do the tedious task of checking the food again and again. As you can easily set a timer and once the food has been dehydrated, the timer will immediately alert you.
3. Adjustable temperature- different types of food dehydrate at different temperatures. Therefore you should buy a dehydrator which has the feature of adjusting the temperature. This would help you in drying out different kinds of food in one dehydrator. 

Some Popular Brands of Dehydrators 

There are a lot of top rated brands out there in the market which sells the best of the food dehydrators. However, there are some brands which are specifically well known for the type of dehydrators that they sell to their customers. Let us take a quick look into the popular brands of food dehydrators. 

• PRESTO- Presto is well known for its vertical flow food dehydrators. With a simple design, this dehydrator can fall best into your budget. It is available in different sizes and fits well for the first time users. Although, it does not have the advanced features such as timers or temperature regulators, yet it has been a preference of many due to its efficient functions and affordable nature.

• KOOLATRON- Koolatron is one of the most reliable brands when it comes to the dehydrators. They are well known for the vertical flow food dehydrator which is also within the budget. Although you might not get the advanced features but the products they manufacture are quite satisfactory and suffice the needs of the customers. 

• EXCALIBUR- This is one of the top brands and produces high quality dehydrators. Well known for its horizontal flow food dehydrators, this might be a bit heavy on your pockets. However, if you are the one who practices food dehydration on a regular basis then this is all you need. Some of its models come up with the advanced features and will be definitely worth your money. 

• NESCO- The dehydrators sold by Nesco are of a standardized quality and have satisfied a lot of its customers. It manufactures variant models of vertical flow food dehydrators. Each of its models has different features and you can choose the model as per your needs. It is considered as one of the best brands when it comes to the food dehydrators. 

What can be made in a food dehydrator 

Food dehydrators are not just used for the purpose of drawing out all the moisture from your food. There are a lot of things that can be prepared in the food dehydrator as well. You will definitely get quality food out of your dehydrator. Some of the food items that can be prepared with the help of the food dehydrators include:

• Homemade Yoghurt.
• Lemon slices that can be used for multiple purposes.
• Peels of orange which can  be used for the tea blends.
• Dehydrated Cheese
• Parmesan Tomato Chips
• Jerky
• Fruit Leather
• Dehydrated Marshmallows
• Dried Pepperoni
• Green Bean Chips

 You can enjoy all these delicious and lip smacking food items with the help of the dehydrators. Some of the brands manufacture the dehydrators specifically for a particular dehydrator. For instance there might be different kinds of dehydrators for jerky and distinct types for fruits and vegetables. All you need to do is buy the dehydrator as per the food you wish to store or the amount of food you need to prepare in the dehydrator. 

1. Magic Mill Commercial Food Dehydrator Machine

This Magic Mill commercial food dehydrator machine is a perfect blend of stainless steel and plastic.  It has been upgraded to 11 trays with an adjustable timer and temperature control settings. It provides safe overheat protection and also a perfect way to preserve food.

Brand Magic Mill

Material Stainless steel, plastic

Color Stainless steel

Shape square

Type Shelves

No. of trays:11

Temperature range: 95°F to 167°F(with 9 num. increments)

Features 

• Material:  Imagine, sitting at a corner and scrubbing the dirt all day long. Definitely a big ‘no’ to that. Right?. So, this product provides you with a set of 11 stainless steel trays that can be clean with less effort and preferably saves a lot of your much-needed time.
•  11 trays: The Magic Mill Dehydrator has been upgraded to 11 trays to add 30 inches of extra drying space. If you are someone who generally buys and grows an abundance of fruits and veggies then this product is the best fit for you.
• Unique Heat Distributor: This product will also take care of your good health as half or overcooked food is questionable to your well-being. This very product is equipped with a rear-mounted drying fan and airflow circulation technology to promote even drying without overheating without any need to rotate the shelves. It cooks the food evenly.
• Digital set timer Temperature Control: We often forget about the food being prepared in our kitchen and consequently, it gets burned. Therefore, this product gives you a preset adjustable thermostat and timing that helps you to choose your right temperature from 95° to 167°F. You can set the food at night before going to bed and wake up to the pleasing scent of it.

Pros

• It provides overheating safety protection.
• It is easy to care.
• It provides you with a large capacity of 11 trays.
• A transparent door allows you to simply monitor progress.

Cons

• It creates a lot of noise.
• A bit expensive in comparison.

2. Elechomes UH0401 Food Dehydrator

The elechomes UH0401 Food dehydrator machine comprises 6 trays with mesh screen and fruit roll sheet. It is a fast-drying machine to cook beef, meat, fruit, etc. It also has digital time and temperature control settings along with power saving up to 409W and BPA free.

Brand Elechomes

Color White

Item weight 5 pounds

Package dimension 13.5×13.2×12.4 inches

Features

• Endless possibilities: If you are a food lover, you definitely need to try this out. You will be blown to see what not this product can create. You can make nutritious homemade food with fruits and vegetables, or even chips, meat, and much more very easily and relaxingly.
• 6 non-stick clear tray: It provides you with 6 non-sticky trays where you can dehydrate food and can clean it easily which saves a lot of your precious time.
• Digital thermostat and timer: After buying this product, you don’t have to worry about the food being prepared in the kitchen. You can precisely set the temperature between 95°-158°F and adjust the timer from 30 mins to 72 hrs for any kind of food with no troubles.
• Free Mash screen and fruit roll sheet: You love buying products when you get something complimentary with them. Here, to make sure you can dry as numerous food types as possible, this product gives you a free mash screen and fruit roll sheet.

Pros

• It is easy to clean.
• It gives you evenly drying results.
• It is affordable.

Cons

• It comes with only six trays.

3. OSTBA Food Dehydrator Machine

OSTBA food dehydrator machine is a blend of stainless steel. It has adjustable temperatures control food dryer dehydrator LED display electric food dehydrator with 72H timer with 240W. It also includes a recipe book.

Brand OSTBA

Material Stainless Steel +PP

Shape Rectangular

Item weight 5.74 pounds

Package Dimension 12.6× 11.54× 9.8 inches

Features

• Digital temperature control: You can set an accurate temperature between 35-70°C to make delicious food and preserve it. This feature will help you to continue with your other ongoing work rather than just sitting in front of the machine and waiting for the food to be prepared.
• Two different interlayer heights: What can be more surprising than two in one element. This product provides you with two different interlayer heights, 3.2cm and 2cm where the trays are properly designed for different sizes of food.
• Easy to clean: This product is made of stainless steel which will save your time and make your work hassle-free.

Pros

• You can store food.
• It is easy to clean.
• It provides you with a variety of food choices.

Cons

• A bit smaller in size.
• Might take a long time to prepare food.

4. Elite Gourmet EFD308 Digital, 4 Stainless Steel Trays, Timer Function Food 

Dehydrator

The Elite Gourmet EFD308 food dehydrator is made of stainless steel material with 4 trays in it. It even has a digital timer food setter and an adjustable temperature control feature where luscious food can be prepared including fruits, vegetables, meat, etc.

Brand Elite Gourment

Material Stainless steel 

Color Black

Item weight 7.93 pounds

Package dimension 13.5×12.25×10inches

Features

• Temperature control: It helps you to control and temperature digitally by avoiding the burning of food. And the horizontal airflow distributes heat evenly and efficiently with less needed efforts of yours.
• Safety tested: Whenever you look for something in electronics, you have a check on the safety level of that product. Similarly, this machine provides you with all the securities and is perfect for home use.
• Healthy snacks: Being a fitness freak is also a tough job to prepare healthy food all day long. This product lessens up your work by preparing 100% all-natural dehydrated foods and snacks without any sugar, additives, or preservatives.

Pros

• It provides you with a 1-year warranty.
• It has even a heat distributor feature that prevents food from getting burned.
• You can prepare healthy snacks.
• It is easy to wash.

Cons

• It comes with only 4 stainless steel trays.
• A bit small in size.

5. Food Dehydrator Machine,8 Trays Dehydrators for Food and Jerky

This food dehydrator machine comes with Chvntye 8 trays dehydrator for making healthy jerky, snack, and other delicious foods. It has a digital timer and a temperature control stainless steel food drying with dehydrator sheets and a recipe book by Chvnty.

Brand Chvnty

Material Stainless steel 

Product dimension 17.7×13.4×12.6 inches

Item weight 20.1 pounds

Features

• Digital set timer Temperature Control: We often forget about the food being prepared in our kitchen and consequently, it gets burned. Therefore, this product gives you a preset adjustable thermostat and timing that helps you to choose your right temperature from 95° to 167°F( 35-75°C) You can set the food at night before going to bed and wake up to the pleasing scent of it.
•  Safety tested: Whenever you look for something in electronics, you have a check on the safety level of that product. Similarly, this machine provides you with all the securities and is perfect for home use.
• 8 trays: It provides you with 8 dehydrating trays which will help you to cook varieties of food together and will save your valuable time.
• 360° Hot Air Circulation: The air circulation makes each tray heat evenly which will help you to prepare your food properly.

Pros

• It is easy to start.
• It has 8 stainless steel trays.
• It comes with a recipe book from which you can prepare some healthy food.
• It is safe to use.

Cons

• It is a bit expensive.
• Efforts are needed to clean the tray.

6. Elite Gourmet EFD3321 Compact Food Dehydrator

The Elite Gourmet EFD3321 is made of stainless steel with 5 trays in it. This food dehydrator has adjustable temperature control features through which various delicious food like jerky, herbs, snacks, etc can be prepared.

Brand Elite Gourmet

Material Stainless steel 

Color Stainless steel

Item dimension 11.75×8.49×10.8 inches.

Item weight 5.94 pounds.

Features 

• 5 trays: This product comprises 5 stainless steel trays that help to cook healthy food with no effort of cleaning it. This product will save a lot of your time.
• Two different interlayer heights: What can be more surprising than two in one element. This product provides you with two different interlayer heights where the trays are properly designed for different sizes of food.
• Various possibilities: If you are a food lover, you will love this product. You will be blown to see what not this product can create. You can make nutritious homemade food with fruits and vegetables, or even chips, meat, and much more very easily and relaxingly.

Pros

• It is easy to use.
• It is easy to care.
• It comes with two different interlayer heights.

Cons

• It is a bit small.
• It is expensive in comparison.

7. Magic Mill Commercial Food Dehydrator Machine 6 Stainless Steel Trays

 This Magic Mill commercial food dehydrator machine is a perfect blend of stainless steel. It has 6 trays with an adjustable timer and temperature control settings. It provides safe overheat protection and also a perfect way to preserve food.

Brand Magic Mill

Material Stainless steel 

Wattage 600W

Item dimension 17×14×12 inches

Shape Rectangular

Item weight 23.9 pounds

Features

• Spacious stainless steel tray: While buying a product, you always look for something rich in quality and quantity. You can do a lot in one batch with this machine as it provides you with 6 spacious stainless steel trays which include fruit roll trays as well. You can use this tray for regular food and the mesh trays for smaller food as nuts and herbs. 
• Digital set timer and Temperature Control: You can perfectly get your food done with optimal temperature and exact timing without any effort of waiting in the kitchen for long and wasting your time as this product has a digital time setter and automatic temperature control feature.
• Rear Mount Fan For Supper Heat Distribution: This feature allows the machine to dries food evenly. You are not a professional chef, so this product is a must for you to buy.
• Easy to clean: This product will make you work hassle-free as it is made of stainless steel which can be easily cleaned.

Pros

• It saves your time.
• It is easy to use.
• It dries your food evenly.
• It has a digital thermostat.

Cons

• It comes with only 6 trays.

8. Ivation 6 Tray Commercial Food Dehydrator Machine

Ivation 6 tray commercial food dehydrator machine is made of stainless steel with a wattage of 600w. It is easy to use and has a digitally adjustable timer and temperature control feature. This machine is a good choice for making various foods and vegetables.

Brand Ivation

Material stainless steel

Color stainless steel

Wattage 600

Item dimension 17.75×13.37×12.25 inches

Features

• Rear Mounted Automatic fan: It comes with a warm air circulation fan of 600w of heating power to ensure that your food is evenly dried and is healthy to consume.
• Digital set timer Temperature Control: We often forget about the food being prepared in our kitchen and consequently, it gets burned. Therefore, this product gives you a preset adjustable thermostat and timing that helps you to choose your right temperature from 95° to 167°F. You can set the food at night before going to bed and wake up to the pleasing scent of it.
•  Stainless Steel body and tray: It provides you with non-sticky trays where you can dehydrate food and can clean it easily which saves a lot of your precious time. Moreover, all the parts are BPA-free and keeps your food free from harmful toxins.
• Easy to clean: This product is made of stainless steel which will save your time and make your work hassle-free.

Pros

• It provides you with home-made and nutritious food.
• It is easy to use.
• It is of good quality.
• It cooks perfectly even.

Cons

• It comes with only 6 trays.
• Might be a little too expensive for some.

9. Homdox Food Dehydrator Machine

The homdox food dehydrator machine comes with 8 food dryer trays. It also has a digital timer and temperature control feature with a wattage of 400w. It is even BPA free.

Brand homodox

Material Stainless Steel and Plastic

Rated Voltage: 110 V

Package dimension 14.69×12.99×12.17 inches

Item weight 8.17 pounds

Features

• Multifunctional food dehydrator: If you are a food lover, you will love this product. You will be blown to see what not this product can create. You can make nutritious homemade food with fruits and vegetables, or even chips, meat, and much more very easily and relaxingly.
• LCD digital temperature settings: With growing technology, this product comes with easy to watch digital temperature settings that allow to dry out different types of food to perfection. 

Pros

• It is BPA free.
• It is easy to clean and has an adjustable height.
• Start dehydrating with just a click.

Cons

• It might be a little noisy.

10. KGK Dehydrator for Food and Jerky Food Dehydrator Machine

The KGK dehydrator for food and jerky food dehydrator machine is made of ABS and plastic. It is a digital temperature control electric food dehydrator with 6 BPA free Trays of 400w. It has some of the outstanding features that will definitely appease you. 

Brand KGK

Material ABS+ plastic

Wattage 409W

Package dimension 13.6×12.9×12.8 inches

Item weight 6.74 pounds

 Features

• 6 BPA- free trays: Health is wealth. This product is BPA-Free that will provide you with healthy and intoxicated food. It comes with 6 dehydrator trays where you can make delicious homemade and nutritious food for your family.
• Two different interlayer heights: What can be more surprising then two in one element. This product provides you with two different interlayer heights where the trays are properly designed for different sizes of food.
• Digital set timer and Temperature Control: You can perfectly get your food done with optimal temperature and exact timing without any effort of waiting in the kitchen for long and wasting your time as this product has a digital time setter and automatic temperature control feature.

Pros

• It comes with a fruit roll sheet including a mesh screen.
• It is suitable for all kinds of food.
• It is easy to clean.

Cons

• It is a bit noisy.

11. Excalibur 9-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings dehydrator

Considered as one of the popular brands of food dehydrators The Excalibur 9-tTay Electric Food Temperature Settings Dehydrator is designed with high quality plastic and serves multiple functions at a time. It has automatic timer settings for up to 26 hours. It comes with a 10-year warranty.

Brand Excalibur 

Material Plastic

Color Black

Wattage 440 watts

Item dimension 19×17×12.5 inches

Features

• Capacity: Along with the quality you need to see the quantity or how much space this product gives you. This machine comes with 9 spacious trays that can be used to cook any type of food with no restrictions.
• Time and Temperature: Preparing food in this machine also helps in multitasking as it comes with an automatic timer and adjustable temperature settings. The temperature range is low enough for fruits and vegetables and high enough for dehydrating meat for jerky. 
• Easy to use: You don’t have to be a professional in using this product. It is easy to use and prepare delicious food for your family and you.

Pros

• It has a 10-year limited coverage.
• It comes with 9 spacious trays.
• It has a 7-inch fan for increased circulation.

Cons

• Efforts are needed to clean the tray 

12. ETE ETMATE Food Dehydrator Machine 

This ETE ETMATE food dehydrator machine comes with 8 stainless steel trays. It has a digital adjustable timer and temperature control feature that is used to make various types of food like meat, jerk, fry fruits, vegetables, etc.

Brand ETE ETMATE

Color Silver

Material Stainless steel

Vol 110 V

Item dimension 30×35.5×30 cm

Features

• Multifunctional food dehydrator: If you are a food lover, you will love this product. You will be blown to see what not this product can create. You can make nutritious homemade food with fruits and vegetables, or even chips, meat, and much more very easily and relaxingly.
• LCD digital temperature settings: With growing technology, this product comes with easy to watch digital temperature settings that allow to dry out different types of food to perfection. 
• Stainless steel and Glass window: This product is much more durable than others because of its stainless steel material. It will cut your unnecessary expenses and will be a one-time investment for you. Moreover, the glass window will be convenient for you to track the progress of drying ingredients.

Pros

• It is spacious.
• It consumes less energy.
• It is easy to clean.

Cons

• Food might not be evenly cooked.
• It might take a long time for the food to be prepared.

13. Colzer Food Dehydrator Machine

Colzer Food Dehydrator Machine comes with 8 stainless steel trays. It has an adjustable thermostat and is a digital food dehydrator for beef, jerky, fruit, etc. It also provides you with 67 free recipes.

Brand Colzer

Material Stainless Steel

Color silver

Wattage 500w

Item dimension 10.63×15.16×12.8 inches

Features

• Capacity: Along with the quality you need to see the quantity or how much space this product gives you. This machine comes with 8 spacious trays that can be used to cook any type of food with no restrictions.

• Digital set timer and Temperature Control: You can perfectly get your food done with optimal temperature and exact timing without any effort of waiting in the kitchen for long and wasting your time as this product has a digital time setter and automatic temperature control feature. The temperature ranges from 68°F to 194°F and is integrated with a timer for up to 24 hours.

• Stainless steel and BPA free: This product is BPA-Free that will provide you with healthy and intoxicated food. It comes with 8 stainless steel dehydrator trays where you can make delicious homemade and nutritious food for your family and can clean it easily with less effort.

Pros

• It cooks the food evenly.
• It comes with a new well-designed tray.
• It is easy to use.

Cons

• It is a bit expensive.

Conclusion  

From the above discussion of the detailed review, it is evident which  food dehydrator will suit best for which type of usage and in which dehydrator you would be able to prepare your jerky well. Depending on the needs and demands of the users, there are several varieties of models available in the market that has different features and functions. We have picked the choicest varieties to suit you basic yet versatile needs. Even the varieties in your need have been kept in mind while picking up the best of products. 

The best option from among these protectors  which is also budget-friendly is Elite Gourmet EFD3321 Compact Food Dehydrator but if money is not an issue then you should go for this model Excalibur 9-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings dehydrator as it has a very good value for money and offers some of the best features such as thermostat, timer and other advanced characteristics that would definitely be worth your money.