The Best Dehydrators for Raw Food in 2022 | Top 5 Best Options
The practice of dehydrating food is not something new. For centuries, different communities and cultures have learned to dry their food using natural elements such as the heat of the sun and the wind.
Although this way of dehydrating food is still used, today we can also use an electric food dehydrator to dehydrating food.
With a food dehydrator it is easy to create a whole new range of recipes at home, with different smells and flavors. The drying process removes water and natural moisture from the fruits, to achieve a unique concentration of flavors. Making a snack, preparing crunchy cookies and prolonging the conservation of fruits, vegetables and meats, will be easy.
In such a way that dehydrators allow us to take full advantage of the full potential of food. They maximize its flavor and even improve it, opening a door of endless opportunities to prepare various recipes. The aroma that a dried product gives off is equally penetrating and appetizing.
That is why food dehydrators have become a trend, becoming part of household utensils for regular use. They turn an ordinary meal into a truly succulent dish, with aromas and flavors that everyone will love.
Bringing home a food dehydrator will always be a good investment, as it brings a touch of variety to your daily food preparation. Dried products gain in flavor and texture, plus they can be kept for months or even years.
Things to be considered before you buy your own food dehydrator-
Design of food dehydrators: Select one which design is suits for your kitchen. As you can imagine, it is possible to find many designs of food dehydrators: rectangular, square and circular.
Your choice will depend on the space available in your kitchen and the interior decoration. Try to choose a specimen that does not clash with the place where it will serve, so that it quickly integrates into the home environment.
Many users have seen advantages in the rectangular or square models, as they can be located in any corner of the worktop to save space. Circular dehydrators are a good option for larger kitchens, where they will also serve as accent pieces.
Fan of food dehydrators: Every dehydrator has in its structure at least one fan that is responsible for distributing the hot air through the trays. The best food dehydrators have been found to place the fan at the rear of the appliance. With this, a better distribution of the hot air is achieved, for a more effective dehydration.
The power: For its part, the power of the food dehydrator for raw food will determine the speed of drying and the amount of food that can be dried in the same period of time. Household dehydrators generally have a power of 250W. But if you are looking to prepare a greater amount of food, you should choose one with greater power.
The size and number of trays of the food dehydrator: An important detail in any food dehydrator is the size and number of trays. Look for a model that makes it easy for you to place several foods at the same time, thereby making the most of your time and energy. Some models have 10 or more trays and their size ranges from 12 to 20 inches.
Cleaning system of the food dehydrator: It is something that you must take into account when choosing your best dehydrators for raw food. Choose a model whose trays can be easily removed and are dishwasher safe. Likewise, that the section where the motor and fan are located can be easily cleaned with the help of a damp cloth.
Price: Depending on the type of dehydrator, its power or number of trays, the price may be higher. On average, the price of a food dehydrator can range from 50 dollars and it goes up to 500 dollars depending of its features and benefits.
Top 5 Best Dehydrators for Raw Food in 2022 -
1. COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine with Digital Temperature setting
Brand- COSORI | Material- Stainless Steel | Color- CP267-FD | Wattage- 600 watts | Item Dimensions- 13.4 x 17.8 x 12.4 inches
- This COSORI food dehydrator comes with 6 Stainless Steel Trays, 1 Mesh Screen, 1 Fruit Roll Sheet, 1 Manual, 1 Recipe book.
- This food dehydrator made with food-grade stainless steel and glass front door. This dehydrator is perfect for making healthy beef jerky, snacks, fruit leathers, dog treats, bread crumbs, and for preserving herbs, flowers, row foods and much more.
- It is easy to use. With the digital control panel you can set the timer in 30-minute increments for up to 48 hours. Make average-sized batches of dried foods with accurate temperatures between 95º℉-165ºF.
- Quiet to Use: Just simply press the start button to dehydrate your food and go to sleep. The noise level of this food dehydrator is less than 48dB, which equals noise levels recorded in library
- It is safe to use: Tray liners of this dehydrator are BPA-Free. It also has auto shut off and overheating protection. Auto shut off kicks in right when the timer ends and Overheat protection will activate if the dehydrator overheats.120V, 600W. Please note that this voltage only applies to USA and Canada
- Easy to Store and Clean: The 6 trays of this dehydrator are dishwasher-safe and tray liners can be washed on the top rack of your dishwasher if you remove them before the drying cycle
The rear-mounted fan and heating elements of this food dehydrator evenly heat each tray, so your food dehydrates quickly. With this LED display you can easily choose the settings according to your requirement. Four simple touch control buttons let you fully customize how you dehydrate your items.
With this great food dehydrator, you can enjoy delicious snacks like dried fruits, cookies and beef jerky that are tasty as well as healthy and also you can save money on groceries by making homemade dried herbs and dog treats.
2. Elechomes 6-Tray Food Dehydrator With Digital Time & Temperature Control
Brand- Elechomes | Material- BPA Free AS+PP | Color- Black | Wattage- 400 watts | Item Dimensions- 11 x 11 x 10 inches
- This Elechomes food dehydrator machine is perfect for food storage like beef jerky, fruits, vegetables, dry backpacking food for outdoor hikers. With this food dehydrator you can also make non-addition fruit rolls for your kids easily with a bonus fruit roll sheet.
- This Elechomes food dryer comes with 6 stackable BPA-FREE trays; each layer has 2 adjustable heights to ensure that you can make a variety of dried food at once. The transparent trays let you grasp the process without removing the trays.
- It comes with digital thermostat and timer; with the digital control panel, you can precisely set the temperature between 95°F- 158°F and adjust the timer from 30 min – 72 hrs to produce the best drying results. It also comes with overheat protection that guarantees your safety.
- Easily clean the dehydrator’s base with a damp cloth or a sponge, all 6 trays of this food dehydrator are removable and dishwasher safe.
- With this Elechomes Food Dehydrator you can get 1xMesh Screen, 1xFruit Roll Sheet, User Manual, Worry-free 18-month maintain and friendly customer service.
The Elechomes food dehydrator imitates the natural air-drying process, drawing out the moisture from food which allows it to keep for a long time while retaining its taste and giving it a pleasing, soft texture and retains its original flavor without preservatives.
The trays of this food dehydrator are BPA free and height adjustable. Transparent design of this dehydrator makes it easy to check on the progress of drying, no need to open the lid.
With this food dehydrator you get 1 fine mesh sheet and one solid sheet for drying herbs, scented tea & fruit rolls so you can dry as many food types as possible. It also comes with LED digital screen and you can handle all operations with digital screen.
It also has auto shut off features; once the dehydrator process is finished it automatically shut off.
3. Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine with 7 Stainless Steel Trays
Brand- Magic Mill | Material- Stainless Steel, Plastic | Color- Black | Wattage- 600 watts | Item Dimensions (LxWxH)- 15 x 13.5 x 19 inches
This electric dehydration machine comes with a rear-mounted drying fan and air flow circulation technology to promote even drying; there is no need to rotate the shelves as needed by other brands. It also comes with transparent door window so you can easily monitor the dryer process.
It also comes with digital thermostat and timer and automatic shut off features. An adjustable temperature and timer ensure you to have your delicious, dehydrated food done to perfect at optimal temperature and exact timing; the countdown timer will show you when it will be done, once done it will automatically shut off.
The dehydrator comes with 7 adjustable trays and each tray is 13 x 12″. This dehydrator has spacious adjustable stainless steel trays with fruit roll trays. Use the trays for regular food and the mesh trays for smaller food such as nuts and herbs, for fruit roll ups use the fruit leather sheet which can also be used for drip trays. You can do a lot in one batch with this Magic Mill dehydration machine.
Cleaning of this dehydrator is easy; all trays and liners are dishwasher safe, and the housing can be easily wiped down with a damp cloth.
This food dehydrator is made with food-grade – BPA Free material. It also has a features of overheat protection and it will activate if the dehydrator overheats.
With this food dehydrator you can dry Jerky, beef, herbs, vegetables, fruit, granola, fruit leathers, breadcrumbs and preserving herbs, flowers, and much more.
4. Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydrator
Brand- Hamilton Beach | Material- Plastic | Color- Gray | Wattage- 500 watts | Item Dimensions (LxWxH)- 0.5 x 13 x 11 inches
- It comes with 48 hour timer with auto shutoff and clear lid so you can easily check food
- The adjustable digital thermostat of this dehydrator lets you adjust drying temperature (100-160° F)
- Continuous airflow of this dehydrator provides even drying
- This food dehydrator comes with five stackable drying trays and powerful 500 watts
- It includes one fine-mesh sheet for drying small food like herbs and one solid sheet for making fruit rolls
With five stackable drying trays and 500 watts of power, it’s easy to dry a variety of fruits and vegetables, and even make beef jerky. The continuous airflow feature of this food dehydrator provides even drying, eliminating the need to rotate trays. This dehydrator includes an adjustable thermometer for better performance and a timer with automatic shut-off.
The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator comes with two specialty sheets for added versatility. Use the mesh sheet to dry garden herbs or puree summer fruits and the solid sheet for homemade fruit rolls.
The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator’s continuous airflow feature provides even drying, eliminating the need to rotate trays. Once you lined the trays and adjusted the temperature and timer, there is nothing to do until the timer goes off. However, if you like to watch, the clear lid allows for easy viewing.
5. Chefman Multi-Tier Preserver Electric Food Dehydrator Machine With Touch Screen
Brand- Chefman | Material- Plastic | Color- Black | Wattage- 480 watts | Item Dimensions (LxWxH)- 13.58 x 17.52 x 12.4 inches | Warranty- 1 Year
Features:
- Adjustable digital thermostat
- 14 temperature presets ranging from 95 degree to 158 degree Fahrenheit
- Automatic shut-off and integrated countdown timer
- Innovative design- maximizes optimal airflow for even drying without overheating
- 6 spacious adjustable plastic drying trays
- Transparent viewing window
- BPA free plastic material
The Chefman dehydrator comes with 6 spacious (13″x12″) adjustable BPA free plastic trays, so you can create different types of dehydrated foods in one convenient batch at a fraction of the cost of commercially dried foods. You can make a great healthy snack with this dehydrator and it is ideal for people with allergies as there are no preservatives.
It also comes with digital temperatures preset settings and it’s ranging from 95º F to 158º F and also integrated with a countdown timer up to 19.5 hours, that provides accurate drying times and temperatures to make it super easy for you to start creating delicious dried fruit, herbs, meat or yogurt.
The Chefman 480W Food Dehydrator comes with a built in innovated design that maximizes airflow that results in an even drying without overheating ensuring the perfect dried fruit slices, long-lasting dried herbs, delicious beef jerky and many more. You can even use this dehydrator when making your own pasta or use it to freshen up stale cookies or crackers.
This dehydrator comes with transparent viewing window which allows you to observed or monitor the progress of drying meat, beef jerky, fruit slices, sweet potato and vegetables, or any other dried food, snack without opening the door.
This dehydrator comes with auto shut-off features and integrated timer settings. The integrated countdown timer allows you to dehydrate for up to 19.5 hours at a time for perfect results and it is automatically shuts off when the time is up.
Advantages and disadvantages of the best dehydrators for row food
Advantages of food dehydrators
-Food dehydrators are simple and easy-to-use products that rarely pose a danger to the user.
-Depending on the capacity, you can dry several units of the same food simultaneously, and even dehydrate different products at the same time.
-When you remove moisture from fruits and vegetables, your calorie level is reduced.
-The taste and smell of food are concentrated in such a way that the result is simply appetizing.
-One of the main advantages of food dehydrators is that they allow you to keep them for much longer, leaving them ready for consumption.
-Food drying appliances require very little maintenance and cleaning them is relatively simple and inexpensive.
Disadvantages of food dehydrators
-When we dehydrate a food, it loses all its moisture and, consequently, it’s satiating power. So, to feel satisfied, we may end up overeating.
-The storage of dehydrated parts requires absolutely dry containers. In practical terms, dry food takes more work and hygiene than food stored in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ): The Best Dehydrators for Raw Food
What is a food dehydrator?
A food dehydrator is an appliance designed to dry almost all types of food. Fruits, vegetables, greens, aromatic herbs, mushrooms, meats, fish and other products can be dehydrated.
This process is nothing more than the elimination of moisture or water present in the fibers of the food, through the constant circulation of slightly warm air.
How does a food dehydrator work?
Electric dehydrators are basically made up of three elements- Heating mechanism, a Fan and a set of trays. The heating mechanism, responsible for generating controlled heat; a fan, to distribute the heat evenly, and a set of trays where the pieces of food are placed to dry.
It is a very simple but effective mechanism to give a touch of variety to the meals of daily consumption.
The heat generated by the heating mechanism must be indicated for each type of food. Therefore, the dehydrators have an easy-to-use temperature adjustment system. Depending on the food to be dried, in a few minutes or a couple of hours you will have a moisture-free, delicious and long-lasting product.
What foods can I dehydrate?
You can dehydrate basically all kinds of food, from fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, aromatic herbs, meats, chicken, fish, etc.
To do this, you will need to cut the product into thin strips and then put them on the trays. It is even possible to dehydrate vegetables such as onion and garlic, to season your meals.
How long can I keep a dehydrated food?
It might surprise you to learn that many dehydrated foods can keep for several decades. Cereals, such as rice and wheat, last up to 30 years.
Some herbs and vegetables should preferably be consumed before the end of the first year after dehydration. For its part, meats have to be eaten in a period of 2 or 3 months.
Does all food take the same time to dehydrate?
No, because the composition and amount of moisture in each product varies considerably. In addition, the temperature necessary to dehydrate some foods is insufficient to dry others.
For example, meat needs 6 to 10 hours at a temperature between 62-68ºC; apples, on the other hand, take between 4 and 8 hours exposed to a heat of 58-64ºC.
Can I use my oven to dry food, instead of a dehydrator?
It is not recommended, since ovens do not offer such precise heat at low temperatures. Controlling internal heat and maintaining it for a long period of time can be difficult. Dehydrators, on the other hand, are designed for this very particular type of procedure.
What is the best way to store dehydrated food?
Once dehydrated, it is very important to store food correctly. To do this, you can use hermetically sealed containers or bags, making sure they are perfectly dry when you store them.
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