Top Best Food Dehydrator Reviews with Complete Buyer Guide

After writing plenty of food dehydrator related articles on this blog, now I know how to pick the right kind of dehydrator for all-purpose usage. So if you are looking for the right dehydrator, then you are in the right spot.

You can consider my best dehydrator pick list seriously.

Many dehydrators come and go. I always try to update the comparison chart to the latest best dehydrator but not the reviews of each product.

Comparison of Best Food Dehydrator – 2021 (Updated List)

Our Rank	Product Name	Temp Range (°F)	Wattage (Watts)	Trays	Max Trays	Air Flow	Thermostat	Timer	Warranty (in Years)
1	COSORI Premium	95 - 165	600	6	6	Horizontal	Adjustable	Yes	1
2	Excalibur 3926TB	105 - 165	600	9	9	Horizontal	Adjustable	Yes	10
3	Nesco FD-75A	95 - 160	600	5	12	Vertical	Adjustable	No	1
4	Presto 06300	165	600	4	8	Vertical	No	No	1
5	Nesco FD-61WHC	95 - 155	500	5	12	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	1
6	Excalibur 3900B	105 - 165	600	9	N/A	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	10
7	Nesco FD-60	95 - 155	500	4	12	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	1
8	Nesco FD-1018A	90 - 150	1000	8	30	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	1
9	Nesco FD-80	90 - 155	700	4	8	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	1
10	Excalibur 2400	95 - 155	220	4	N/A	Horizontal	Adjustable	No	5

Table of Contents

• Comparison
• Reviews
• What
• Types
• Things to Consider
• FAQ
• Conclusion

At present, several food experts from all over the world are thinking to prepare as many as healthy foods they can. One of the highly recommended food preserving devices that are becoming quite popular among people is the food dehydrator.

It not only offers the option of preserving food but also preserves it in a healthy way. This also helps you in avoiding various kinds of chemicals and contaminants that are easily found in commercial oriented dried fruits or vegetables.

Some studies have also proved that these toxins can lead to severe medical conditions like high blood pressure, cancer, allergy, etc. That is why a food dryer machine benefits you in having organic delights without spending an excessive sum of money.

A food dehydrator mainly utilizes a mixture of low heat as well as airflow to eliminate moisture from the foodstuff, but by holding the food’s nutritious value for long duration period. When you store the dried food in an airtight bowl, it might be preserved for many years.

However, there are still few people who are unaware of this product and it becomes quite difficult for them to choose the right dehydrator from the available choices.

A perfect choice basically depends on a few things like your needs, budget, and expectations. Therefore, the below information will not only help you in making the best dehydrator 2020 selection but also saves your valuable time as well as money. 

After carefully analyzing the market, user reviews, user ratings, best food dehydrator consumer reports and few other metrics we shortlisted these best-rated food dehydrators in 2020 as shown below. If you are thinking what is the best food dehydrator? then we have the right answer for it here. 

Reviews of Best Food Dehydrator

1. Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator FD-75A

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The Nesco Snackmaster Pro is one of the latest dehydrators that is launched by the American Harvest company. It owns a smooth and fashionable design. The strong motor of this product provides supreme quality for drying out the fruits, beef jerky, venison jerky, and vegetables.

It also benefits in drying the food in very fewer hours with this food drier. It is not like a general food dehydrator. You may also try some new recipes with this product. It is one of the best food dehydrators for a beginner. If you are looking for a budget meat dehydrator then probably this is the right fit for it. 

Features of Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator FD-75A

• There is a modifiable thermostat (i.e. 95 to 160 degree F) that offers the flexibility to yield the finest drying outcomes.
• There is a fan mounted on the top and a 600-watt motor that helps in the quick drying of the food.
• The impervious vita-save external body of the dehydrator helps in blocking the destructive light that eliminates the nutritious content of the food (which needs to be dehydrated).
• The airflow system in the dehydrator forces the externally coerced compartment (not with the trays) for quicker drying and no mixing of flavors.
• This product comprises of five drying trays and two fruit roll sheets. 
• One of the best dehydrator for the money.

2. Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator

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The Excalibur 3926TB is undoubtedly one of the best professional food dehydrators that is presented in the market currently. It provides numerous outstanding features with superior quality outcomes to the buyers.

The manufacturer of this product is the well-known company around the globe. It is a lifetime investment for the buyer who buys this product. Most of the customers who bought this product are fully satisfied with this product.

Features of Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator

• You may modify the temperature of these food dryers within the range of 95° – 155° F. The high temperature is safe for drying the meat for preparing jerky and lower temperature is good for delicate foodstuffs.
• A 26-hour regulator is fitted into this product for the convenience of the user.
• A special Parallexx drying system is provided in this product for controlling the temperature and for even distribution of the heat in all the trays.
• The trays might be detached to let the dehydration of large items or big containers.
• A total of 15 square feet area of drying is given which is great in the harvest period or during hunting time.
• The door of this dehydrator is also detachable for the easier filling and cleaning up.
• Suits best as a meat dehydrator
• It is one of the best large food dehydrators
• It also consists of nine poly screen tray attachments along with flexible net sheets.
• The manufacturers offer ten years warranty period also.

3. Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator

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Presto Dehydro 06300 has an expandable 4 tray structure dehydrator that dries out the fruits, vegetables as well as it can also prepare household jerky from poultry, seafood, and meat. It is a user-friendly product that is quite stress-free to store also.

The dehydration process helps in preserving the natural vitamins along with the minerals with no flavors or additives. If you are looking for cheaper fruit dehydrator, then is something you can opt for. 

This product consists of 4 dehydrating trays that can be expanded to 8 trays for increasing the drying capacity. There are various additional accessories (like more drying trays) that can be purchased easily from the market. This is one of the best fruit dehydrators as well as best food dehydrator for the money.

Features of Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator

• There are 4 tray systems in this dehydrator.
• The user can expand it to the 8 trays when required.
• There is one fan mounted at the bottom along with the heating element.
• You can see the whole process of dehydration through the cover of the dehydrator.
• The drying trays plus the cover can be fully immersed in water and also washable in the dishwasher.
• The drying trays case and the cord are stored in the base of the dehydrator for enabling compact storage.

4. Nesco American Harvest FD-61WHC Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator

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The Nesco FD-61WHC is particularly comprehended to benefit you with the numerous advantages of food drying without spending a lot of money. It is actually one of the most reasonable machines available in the market. If you are looking for some good vegetable dehydrators, then you can choose this one. 

The main purpose of manufacturing this dehydrator is to deliver speedy as well as extremely delicious food in very less time. This device is fully equipped with an extensive variety of features that will certainly support you in the drying procedure. It is also quite comprehensible and will flawlessly suit every new consumer whose budget is low. This is one of the best affordable food dehydrator you can get.

Features of Nesco FD-61WHC Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator

• There is one top mounted fan in this dehydrator that provides even flow of air in the device.
• A Jerky firearm is also given with this product.
• The total number of trays is 5 that can be expanded up to 12 as per your requirement.
• It basically comes with a free recipe guide and a fruit roll sheet.

5. Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator

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From the year 1973, Excalibur has occupied the lead in progressions connected to the method of dehydration that comprises of air flow, heating subtleties, and resources. It is one of the best quality food dehydrator device that evenly dries out the entire food in very less period of time. 

The tray provided with the product is quite big in size that helps you in dehydrating large quantity of food. It weighs only 10 kilograms. You may also dry the herbs in the mesh lines of the trays.

Features of Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator

• There are nine trays in this dehydrator along with 15 sq. ft. area for drying that offers outsized capacity.
• There is no compulsion of removing or rotating the trays during the dehydration process.
• The temperature can be set between 95 to 155°F.
• The Excalibur 3900B is perfect for the bigger families who require more foodstuffs.
• One of the best food dehydrator for meat

6. Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator

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The Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster comes with drying power of 500 watts. It is one of the utmost prevalent top dehydrators currently in the market that is available at very cheap price. However, it is not fully packed with all the specialized features which are usually found in other costly appliances.

But, it does its job very well and surely aids you with the innumerable advantages of food dehydration. For example, various studies have revealed that drying of fruits or vegetables can inspire a person for substituting the fast food with the healthier and household snacks.

Features of Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator

• This food dehumidifier has a power capacity of 500 watts.
• It consisted of four trays that dry the food in few hours.
• There is a fan which is mounted at the top of the device.
• A modifiable thermostat is also provided that can control the temperature between 95 degrees – 155 degrees F.
• Due to the even drying system, the flavor of the food does not get the mix. It also eliminates the requirement of rotating trays.
• Its dimensions are around 13-1/2 × 13-1/2 × 9-4/5 inches.

7. Nesco FD-1018A Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator

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The famous Company named Nesco is one of the big names in the segment of the home appliances. The Nesco Gardenmaster is one of its leading food dehydrator that is an impeccable replica of the manufacturing and devotion to quality. It is also quite inexpensive food dehydrator to buy.

Features of Nesco FD-1018A Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator

• There is a digital programmable clock in this product that shuts down when the process is finished.
• A strong motor of 1000-watts power and a 2400 rpm fan is given in this home dehydrator.
• The air flow technology in this product can dehydrate around twenty trays at one point of time.
• The control of the temperature ranges between 90 to 160 degrees F.
• A digital easy-to-read LCD screen is also provided for better governing of the process.
• A complete 52 pages guidebook along with recipes is accompanied free with this dehydrator.

8. Nesco FD-80A Square-Shaped Dehydrator

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The Nesco FD-80 Square is the latest dehydrator that has been launched in the market. The inventive design of this product features so many attractive features that make it unique from all the other available appliances in the market. The fan which is fixed on the top stops the liquids from falling into the heating compartment.

Features of Nesco FD-80A Square-Shaped Dehydrator

• The exclusive four-sided design of this dehydrator provides more than 40% drying area than the equivalent curved dehydrators.
• It is equipped with high power motor of 700 Watt along with a 2400 RPM fan that provides quick results in few hours.
• The air flowing system of the product enables in even drying of the foodstuff without passing the air through the trays only.
• You can easily adjust the temperature according to your requirement as there is an adjustable thermostat feature is also present.
• It mainly comprises of four drying trays that can be increased up to 8.

9. Excalibur 2400 4-Tray Economy Dehydrator

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As everybody knows, dehydration is the healthiest, stress-free and most inexpensive technique of preserving foodstuffs. With the Excalibur 2400, you just have to load the trays with the food and adjust the temperature required.

This dehydrator will dry out all the food quite evenly. It also maintains the natural taste, sugariness and the aromas of the food. When you prepare food with a dehydrator, it is much far healthier than the high-fat content snacks and sugary candies. This product also consists of plastic poly-screen tray attachments that help in stopping the food from sticking to the trays.

Features of Excalibur 2400 Economy Dehydrator

• There are four trays in this dehydrator for drying out the food.
• A space of around 4 so. ft. is also given for drying.
• You do not require moving or rotating the trays during the whole operation.
• You may set the temperature between 95° to 155°F whenever needed.
• The correct temperature panels help in proper dehydration of the food.
• The trays can be removed when desirable in order to upsurge the height required to dehydrate the large items.

What Food Dehydrator Actually Do to Food items?

Generally, the water content in a food is around 50 to 90 % of the weight of the food and if the water remains in the food for the longer period, it might result in the formation of bacteria or fungus. All this will further lead to dangerous health issues in human beings.

The solution to such problem is removing the water from the food to large extent. That is why a food dehydrator is needed.

A food dehydrator is a plastic or metallic box which may dry/dehydrate the foods by the flow of hot air that helps in decreasing the water content in the food.

However, the water must not be removed entirely but should be retained in the proportion of 0.75 – 1 to the content of protein. A food dehydrator uses flowing hot air to eliminate the extra moisture from the foods to make it worthy for storage. Such types of foods can be consumed later with the help of this product, even during the season when they are not available in the market.​

Types of Dehydrator

There are several methods of dehydrating food i.e. from solar drying to commercial food dehydrators. There are 2 types of food dehydrators that are the most useful and effective for the household use, which is as follows:

​1) Stacked Food Dehydrators

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A stacked food dehydrator holds an electrically-powered base that dispenses hot air in all the stacks of the food. It mostly comprises of racks which have a tray for preserving the foods.

There are few outlets on its border that assist in air circulation. The racks are positioned on the top of each other and are sealed in such a way that the heat does not leak from the dehydrator. A fan is also provided that is located at the bottom-most area. It actually moves the air in an upright direction.

The main benefit of these dehydrators is its smaller size and as the quantity of the food increases, you may also upsurge the size of the device. However, there is one drawback that the food which is kept closer to the heating element dries out faster and you need to make interrupted shuffling of the racks for completing the process.

2) Box and Shelf Dehydrators

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A box and shelf food dehydrator appears like a handy oven. An electric heater as well as a fan is situated in the back of the container. It basically comprises of a box (also termed as the outer case) and shelves (known as trays). These food dehydrators function like an electric oven. The trays are placed in in a prearranged style. The fan on the backside of the box helps in blowing the hot air throughout the foods on every single tray.

The benefits of such food dehydrators are its enhanced insulation and all the trays fetch equivalent quantities of heat. The main disadvantage of such device is its reasonably bulky size that requires large space irrespective of the volume of food.

Important Things to Consider before Buying Food Dehydrators

When you start doing research regarding the buying of food dehydrators, either online or at shopping stores, you might come across a wide range of products with lots of diverse features. It becomes quite difficult for you to select the best product.

There are so many things that need to be kept in mind at that time. Some of the important points that are required to be considered before buying a dehydrator are as follows:

1. ​Size as Well as Space

​It is very vital to buy a food dehydrator whose size matches up with the space available at your place. If you have a less space, you may opt for stacked food dehydrator.

Such type of dehydrator requires 12 to 30 racks that can be placed over one another as per your requirement of food storage. But, if you have ample space, then a box and shelf dehydrator will be the best choice. Whatever kind of dehydrator you choose; it will be a lifetime investment for your kitchen.

2. ​Heat and Air Channel

​A stackable dehydrator possesses fans at its top and bottom that are not good for irregular heating, as soon as the rack levels go beyond 10 to 12 you need to rotate the racks frequently to evade over-dehydrating of the foods.

But, if you want to dehydrate a lot of foods on a consistent basis, then you must spend your money on buying a bigger box and shelf dehydrator. This might be more sustainable as it has fans at its backside for drying all the racks similarly.

3. ​Modifiability

If you want to dry out the big food pieces, you have to take out the racks from the dehydrator and this feature is available in box and shelf dehydrator model.

It assures that all the foods dried evenly. However, this benefit is not possible in the stackable models because here the racks are fitted closely on top of each another.

4. ​Material used in Manufacturing Dehydrator

A food dehydrator machine is generally manufactured from a plastic or a metal.

A plastic dehydrator must have FDA (Food and Drug Administration) qualified food evaluation plastic without BFA (Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance). Some people are not comfortable heating eatable food items with plastic materials doing some health risk. So, we advice buyers need to think before ordering plastic food dehydrators.

In the same way, the metals (stainless steel) used in preparing dehydrator must recognize by the FDA. However, in the long run, the plastic material starts degrading but a metallic product will run for longer period of time.

5. Portability

Portability is one of the essential points that need to be considered while purchasing a dehydrator. People usually like to carry their dehydrator with them while traveling by car or a private vehicle.

During such situation, a stackable dehydrator owing to its small food dehydrator size can become a perfect companion.

It is quite lighter in weight and does not cause alarms at metal sensor entryways. Conversely, a metal dehydrator is large, heavy and is also not allowed to carry with you in airways due to the metallic material.

6. Price

The price of the food dehydrators varies with the type and the size. There are so many brands that offer dehydrators at the lesser price but with ineffective features.

A stacked food dehydrator is normally cheaper than the box & shelf dehydrator. Therefore, it is up to your choice that what type of product you want to buy according to the budget and the requirements.

​7. Fans

​A fan is one of the most important features that must be present in a dehydrator for food for faster dehydrating process. The fan can be at the topmost area, bottom area or rear.

However, there are few dehydrators that do not come with a fan. The position of the fan has the major effect on the movement of heat as well as the air which influences the dehydration procedure.

​8. Temperature Control

​The next important thing that needs to be considered while buying a food dehydrator is the temperature control feature. When you have the complete control over the temperature settings, then only you can use this appliance judiciously. The different categories of foods required the diverse form of temperature settings in order to dry out the food items perfectly.

​The range of the temperature may vary from model to model. Some of the food dehydrators also possess the feature of pre-set temperature in which the appliance automatically adjusts the temperature to a specific degree.

​9. Timer

​The timer in a food dehydrator does not have a straight impact on the outcome of the food you dehydrated, but you can get great results. If there is a timer in a food dehydrater then it will provide you an additional advantage of ease and comfort.

You can set the timer for hours or even for days. All the food dehydrators do not contain this feature and in this case, some people prefer to buy an extra timer for them.

Read More:Food Dehydrator with Timer and Temperature Control​ – Our Buying Guide and Top 10 Picks

​10. Consumption of Electricity

​When you dehydrate your food in a food dehydrator, you should also know about the cost of using this appliance. Basically, there are three factors which will help in determining the electricity usage by a dehydrator i.e. dehydrator wattage, estimated hours of usage and the cost of electricity in your area. If the wattage capacity of a dehydrator is high then it will lead to more electricity consumption.

​11. Noise

​A food dehydrator possesses different levels of noise that can be equivalent to the sound of a microwave or fan. There are few food dehydrators that produce louder noise which can make you feel quite uncomfortable. So, it will be better if you opt for less noisy appliance so that you can use it comfortably even during the night time without disturbing the sleep of your family members.

12. ​Cleaning

​Every buyer wants to buy dehydrators which consumes less time in cleaning procedure. All the food dehydrators have dissimilar designs. Generally, dehydrators that have fans at the bottom area are difficult to clean as compared to the dehydrators that comes with a fan mounted at the top or at the back.

The drying trays of the box and shelf dehydrators are bigger in size that it cannot be fit in the regular sink. Hence, this also created problem while cleaning the trays.

​13. Warranty Period

​You must choose that food dehydrator which has at least one year warranty period. There are few manufacturers who offer five or even 10 years period of warranty.

The time period of warranty is very beneficial if your product needs any replacement or repairing. So, you must consider this significant point while buying a food dehydrator.

14. ​Reliability of the brand

​A food dehydrator that belongs to a reliable and trustworthy brand offers you a better product than the others. These brands also provide good customer care services even after the expiry of the warranty period. You must try to buy the food dehydrator of that brand who possesses reliable image in the market.

15. ​Ease of Use

​There are few dehydrators in which rotation of trays is required and this may irritate you during the dehydrating process of your food. So, you can buy that appliance in which heat is circulated all over the trays by providing uniform drying of all the food items. This will help you a lot during the usage of the product during the night time.

Besides this, when you have to dry out the delicate food items like fruits (which require low temperature) and hard food items like jerky (which require more heat), then an adjustable thermostat feature will benefit you a lot and will make your work easier.

​16. Heat Distribution and Air Flow

​When you dehydrate the food in the food dehydrator, the main important thing is that all the food must get evenly heated and dehydrated by the elimination of water content. There are two types of flow of heat that completely dehydrate the food items i.e. horizontal flow of air and vertical flow of air.

​A horizontal flow is the better option than the vertical flow of air. However, some manufacturers also provide fans in their models which feature vertical flow in order to improve the entire heating process. So, you must check the effective heating criteria of the food dehydrator before purchasing.

Few Reasons for using Dehydrators

The following are few reasons that why we should use a food dehydrator in our daily life:

1) Helps you in becoming an efficient chef

A food dehydrator deliberates and exaggerates the delicious flavors of the food and also decrease the preserving time required. It also benefits in making the thicken sauces, fermenting the yogurts, preparing cheese as well as other health encouraging foods.

2) Relish the out-of-season vegetables or fruits

There are so many seasonal fruits and vegetables that come only in their season. So, it becomes quite annoying for people who want to use that particular fruit or vegetable in making any delicious recipe.

However, with the help of food dehydrator, you may preserve such types of foodstuffs and use it at any time you desire.

3) Reduce the wastage of food

The two big reasons for the wastage of the food are surplus meals and the spoilage of food before you eat. So, if you have the dehydrator at your home, you may dry out the food and reduce its wastage.

A food dehydrator can preserve the food from two to five months approximately. You can also save lots of money that you may spend in buying that food again.

Read More: 15 Reason to Have Food Dehydrators in your Home

Frequently Asked Questions on Food Dehydrators

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Conclusion:

A food dehydrator is becoming an essential part in the kitchen of every person. However, still people are not well-acquainted with the benefit of this health-oriented device and gets difficulty while selecting the best equipment for them.

All the above-discussed products (along with the features) are the best food dehydrators that are available in the market and also at various online shopping websites.

This buyer’s guide will also provide the complete information regarding the types of food dehydrators and how to choose them. All this information will help you in making the best decision so that you do not regret it about in the future.