Best Raw Food Dehydrator Reviews with Buyer Guide

Raw foods are a great choice for those who are fond of eating natural foods without any kind of artificial flavors added to the food. There is a wide range of raw foods that you can prepare at home in your dehydrator.

A dehydrator simply dries the moisture from the food without cooking it and gives you amazing flavors and unique textures of food that is good to eat and healthy as well. The biggest advantage of dehydrators is that you can dry a large variety of foods in these appliances. From fruits and vegetables to nuts and herbs, raw food dehydrators can offer you great taste and good health in a single package.

Comparison Chart of Best Raw Food Dehydrator

Serial No	Product Name	Dimensions	Weight	Trays	Adjustable Thermostat	Watts	Editor’s Rating
1	Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator	22.13 x 13.75 x 13.87 in	9 lbs	Five trays, expandable to twelve trays	Yes	600 watts	4.5/5
2	Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator	17 x 19 x 12.5 in	22 lbs	Nine trays	Yes	600 watts	4.7/5
3	Nesco FD-80A Square-Shaped Dehydrator	10.25 x 15.25 x 15.63 in	9.9 lbs	Four trays expandable to eight trays	Yes	700 watts	4.0/5
4	Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator, Black	17 x 19 x 12.5 in	22 lbs	Nine trays	Yes	600 watts	4.7/5
5	Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator	15 x 14.5 x 7.25 in	8.5 lbs	Six trays, expandable up to twelve trays	Yes	750 watts	4.4/5
6	Nesco FD-1040 Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator, White, 1000-watt	15.5 x 15.5 x 9.5 in	8.95 lbs	Four trays, expandable up to twenty trays	Yes	1000 watts	4.4/5
7	Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator, 4-Trays	9.75 x 13.62 x 13.5 in	6.9 pounds	Four trays, expandable up to twelve trays	Yes	500 watts	4.5/5
8	Excalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator	17 x 19 x 12.5 in	22 lbs	Nine trays	Yes	600 watts	4.6/5
9	Nesco American Harvest FD-1018P 1000 Watt Food Dehydrator Kit	17.25 x 17.5 x 16 in	19.4 lbs	Eight Trays, expandable up to thirty trays	Yes	1000 watts	4.2/5
10	Hamilton Beach 32100A Food Dehydrator	5.86 x 11.25 x 12.75 in	8 lbs	Five trays	Yes	500 watts	4.3/5

Finding a raw food dehydrator is not an easy task as there is a wide range of dehydrators available in the market. You need to look into various factors such as adjustable temperature, capacity, type of dehydrator, timer, and other features when it comes to selecting a dehydrator.

You need to understand how these features differentiate each dehydrator from the other and how you can make the best use of these appliances for drying the raw foods that you want to eat.

In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the best selling raw food dehydrators that are ideal for dehydrating all kinds of raw foods. Whether you want to dry fruits, nuts, vegetables, or herbs, you can do it all with these dehydrators in the best manner possible.

Quick Navigation

• Comparison Chart
• Advantages
• Things to Look for
• How we Selected
• Reviews
• FAQ
• Conclusion

Advantages of Raw Food Dehydration

Raw food dehydration is a great way to make some tasty and healthy snacks and foods at home. If you buy these same dried snacks from your local grocery store, not only will these have a lot of sugar, salt or chemical preservatives, these will also cost you a lot to buy. But when you dry food at home, you can save money and also be sure that your dried food is free of preservatives. Here are some advantages of raw food dehydration.

1) Nutritious Dried raw foods offer great nutrition as these are dried at a much lower temperature that allows for all the enzymes and nutrients to stay present in the food. This is much healthier than choosing foods that are dried at higher temperatures.

2) Free from Preservatives When you dry your own foods at home, you can rest assured that the food does not contain any chemical preservatives that can be harmful for your body if you’re trying to stay on a raw food diet. The lack of preservatives means that you will need to consume the foods sooner as it might begin to spoil.

3) Filling Eating a diet full of dried raw foods does not mean that you will need to go hungry. Dried foods are rich in calories and taste so even if you eat a little, you will feel full for a long time. This can help you to control your diet portions and enjoy weight loss as an added benefit. Just make sure you don’t overdo on eating the dried raw foods.

4) Easy to Prepare Preparing dried raw foods in your dehydrator is easier than cooking any other kind of dish. All you need to do is keep the food in the dehydrator, set the temperature and the timer and switch on the dehydrator. That’s all. You might need to flip the food slices or rotate the trays depending on your dehydrator model.

Things to Look for When Choosing a Raw Food Dehydrator

Choosing a raw food dehydrator is not a simple task and here are some features you should look for when you want to buy a raw food dehydrator.

1) Size The raw food dehydrator should have large enough size to meet all your dehydrating needs. Remember, a large dehydrator will accommodate more food, but it will also increase the drying time if you load all the trays with food.

2) Power The power of the dehydrator matters a lot as a dehydrator that takes in more power will dry the food quickly as compared to a dehydrator that takes in less power. This might mean more electricity usage, but you can get your food dried faster.

3) Timer A timer is essential when you’re looking for a raw food dehydrator as you don’t want to dry food beyond the time that is actually needed. If the food gets too dry, it will lose its nutrients and not taste as good either.

4) Airflow The direction of the airflow matters a lot when it comes to drying food. The dehydrators with fan at the bottom or top require trays to be rotated through the drying process. On the other hand, the dehydrators that have the fan at the back of the unit, the trays don’t need to be rotated at all. In this article, we are going to take a look at both types of raw food dehydrators.

How We Selected Raw Food Dehydrators for This Review

Here are some of the factors that we took into account while choosing raw food dehydrators for this review.

1) User Reviews We read through the user reviews left by buyers of dehydrators and chose the dehydrator models that received the best reviews from the users.

2) Features We looked at the features of the dehydrators and gave higher ranking to the dehydrators that offered better features more suitable for raw food dehydration.

3) User Ratings Users often leave ratings for the products and these ratings can help in deciding how well a product works in real life situations. We took into account the level of ratings that users gave to various dehydrators and chose the dehydrators that received the best ratings.

4) Warranty Warranty of a dehydrator is most important because it can help you get a replacement or repair in case the dehydrator stops working or develops a fault. We gave a higher ranking to dehydrators with longer warranty period.

5) Thermostat We chose dehydrators with thermostats as raw food dehydrating requires foods to be heated up at less than 118 degrees F. Without a thermostat achieving this temperature won’t be possible.

Reviews of Best Raw Food Dehydrators

1. Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator

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Nesco is a well known name when it comes to dehydrators. The FD-75A is a dehydrator with a top-mounted fan and it comes with 5 drying trays that offer ample space for drying all kinds of raw foods. This dehydrator is a powerful unit that works on 600 watts of power and it can dry food without the need to switch trays. The opaque exterior of the dehydrator helps to block any harmful lights and keeps the food fresh while it dries. Let’s take a quick look at the specifications of this dehydrator.

Accessories Included

• 5 Drying Trays
• 2 Clean-A-Screens
• 2 Fruit Roll Sheets
• 3 Original Jerky Spice Packets
• 52-page Recipe and Instruction Book

Pros

• Powerful dehydrator with 600 watts of power
• Trays are expandable up to 12 trays
• Ample space on trays for all kinds of foods
• Adjustable thermostat for dehydrating raw foods
• Converga Flow drying system for quick drying
• Quiet drying operation

Cons

• The highest temperature can be hot enough to warp trays
• Fruits can take a long time to dry
• The trays need to be switched through the drying period
• The dehydrator does not come with an on/off switch

Editor’s Verdict

This small sized dehydrator is the ideal unit when you want to dry food without spending too much effort or time. The trays are wide and large so that you can accommodate food slices on it without any slices touching or overlapping.

The dehydrator is highly durable and you can keep using it for years to come with usual upkeep and maintenance. This is the ideal unit if you want to combine your love for healthy eating with raw dehydrated foods.

2. Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator

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Excalibur is a company known for building reliable and durable dehydrators. One of the first dehydrator companies that introduced a back-mounted fan for greater drying efficiency.

The Excalibur 3926TB is a high capacity dehydrator that offers up to 15 square feet of drying area. The trays can be lined with ample amount of food and the dehydrator also comes with a timer for better drying option for food. Here’s a look at the technical specifications and features of the unit.

Accessories Included

• Flexible polyscreen tray inserts

Pros

• Parallex horizontal airflow for faster dehydration
• Fan in back for added drying power
• 26 hour timer for automatic drying
• Hyperwave fluctuation technology
• 600 watts of power
• Extensive drying capacity with 9 trays

Cons

• The plastic construction is not very durable
• Trays have very little space between them
• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying
• The door of the dehydrator does not fasten
• The dehydrator is large in size and it might not fit on regular kitchen shelves

Editor’s Verdict

Excalibur dehydrators are known for their quality and durability. The 3926TB offers quick dehydration and ensures the food gets dried up deeply. When you dry your raw foods in this dehydrator, you can rest assured you’re getting the best results in the business.

This dehydrator is a powerful unit and as the fan is at the back of the unit, there is no need to rotate the trays either. If you’re looking for a dehydrator unit that will last you for years to come, get this Excalibur dehydrator.

3. Nesco FD-80A Square-Shaped Dehydrator

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The FD-80A is a 700 watt dehydrator from Nesco that offers powerful performance for drying all kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more. The dehydrator comes with the patented Converga-Flow drying system that helps to move air from all parts of the dehydrator.

There is no need to rotate the trays in this dehydrator as the continuous airflow means all trays get the hot air from the dehydrator. You can also adjust the thermostat of the dehydrator to dry the raw foods at your preferred temperature. The dehydrator is dishwasher safe and it also comes with an instruction manual so that you can get familiar with its features. Here’s a look at the specifications of this unit.

Pros

• Powerful 700 watt dehydrator
• Converga flow system allows in-depth drying
• Top mounted fan for better heat rotation
• No need to rotate trays through drying
• Adjustable thermostat for better temperature control
• The dehydrator comes with dishwasher safe parts

Cons

• The motor of the unit is prone to failure
• There is no power switch on this dehydrator
• The dehydrator does not come with a timer
• The initial few times of use, the dehydrator smells of plastic

Editor’s Verdict

The Nesco FD-80A is a solid dehydrator if you’re looking for a reliable machine to dry all kinds of raw foods. The dehydrator comes with trays that have ample space on them so that you can dry slices of food without worrying about slices sticking to each other or overlapping.

The square design of the dehydrator looks great in any modern kitchen. Parts of the dehydrator are also dishwasher safe and you can clean the rest of the parts with a soap solution and a soft cloth. This unit is easy to use and you can enjoy drying all kinds of raw food in this dehydrator.

4. Excalibur 3900B 9 Tray Deluxe Dehydrator

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The Excalibur 3900B is a dehydrator with 9 trays that offer ample space for drying all kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs and much more. This dehydrator has a built-in on/off switch and it operates on 110v of power.

The powerful 600w of heating capacity of this dehydrator makes it ideal for large families and garden owners that have a lot of products that need to be dried. For drying raw foods, you can use the thermostat to adjust the temperature to your liking. Here’s a quick look at the features and specifications of this unit.

Pros

• Parallex Horizontal Airflow technology for quicker more powerful heating
• Hyperwave fluctuation technology dries food from inside out
• Accurate temperature controls
• Square trays hold ample food for large batches of drying
• The 7-inch fan is powerful enough for quick drying

Cons

• The dehydrator does not come with a timer
• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying food
• The dehydrator is large in size and doesn’t fit on small kitchen shelves

Editor’s Verdict

The Excalibur 3900B is the ideal dehydrator for those who have an extensive requirements for drying all kinds of foods. The dehydrator offers 15 square feet of drying space with 9 trays. With a back-mounted fan, the dehydrator has enough power to make quick-drying an easy job. The dehydrator also comes with an extensive ten-year warranty so that you can get it repaired or replaced in case something goes wrong with the unit. The polyscreen tray inserts with the dehydrator are easy to use and clean. If you’re looking for a reliable and powerful dehydrator, get this one today.

5. Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator

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The Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator comes with six trays that can be used to dry any kind of food. The dehydrator is the ideal choice for drying raw foods as you can adjust the temperature to 118 degrees F with the provided thermostat.

The fan in this dehydrator is mounted at the bottom and it offers optimum drying without the need to rotate trays. You can also buy additional trays to expand the capacity to a total of twelve trays. Here’s a look at the rest of the features and specifications of this unit.

Included Accessories

• Two fruit rollup sheets
• Starter packs of jerky spice and cure
• Two nonstick mesh screens

Pros

• See-through cover on top to monitor drying progress
• The bottom mounted fan offers consistent airflow
• Digital timer and thermostat for better temperature control
• Powerful performance with 750 watts
• BPA free plastic for added food safety

Cons

• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying food
• The dehydrator takes a long time to dry food
• The food on top trays takes longer to dry
• The dehydrator does not make food crispy
• The return policy is only 30 days

Editor’s Verdict

The Presto 06301 is a powerful unit and you can use it to dry all kinds of raw foods. The dehydrator is easy to use and you just have to place the food on the trays and select the time and temperature for which to dry the food. The powerful 750 watt motor dries food efficiently and quickly.

As the fan in this dehydrator is located at the bottom, it’s best if you keep a drip collection sheet or a fruit roll-up a tray at the base to collect any food drippings. This is the ideal dehydrator is your drying requirements are large and you want to dry whole batches of fruits and vegetables.

6. Nesco FD-1040 Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator

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The Nesco FD-1040 is a dehydrator with a huge drying capacity and it is also powerful enough to deliver a great performance. The dehydrator can be expanded up to 20 trays and you can use it to dry large batches of food.

The temperature control is adjustable and the dehydrator comes with the Converga-Flow airflow system that moves the air efficiently through the trays and helps in drying food properly. The programmable digital timer allows you to set the drying time and you don’t need to supervise the dehydrator as the food dries. Here’s a quick look at the rest of the features and specifications of this unit.

Accessories Included

• 52-page Recipe and Instruction Book
• 1 solid sheet
• 1 mesh sheet
• 1 packet jerky spice

Pros

• Patented Converga-Flow system for efficient drying
• 2,400 RPM motor for drying food quickly
• Vita-Save exterior blocks light and retain food’s nutrients and vitamins while drying
• Efficient drying means no need for tray rotation
• Adjustable thermostat allows you to adjust the temperature to your liking

Cons

• The dehydrator doesn’t heat evenly
• The dehydrator doesn’t make the food crispy dry
• Food can fall down from the trays if not used with the inserts
• The fan motor can be problematic when used for long durations
• The trays might get deformed at high temperatures

Editor’s Verdict

The Nesco FD-1040 is a dehydrator for those who need to dry a lot of food. The dehydrator can be expanded up to 20 trays that offer a total of 20 square feet of drying space. You can simply slice up all the fruits and vegetables you want to dry and the Converga-Flow system of the dehydrator will make sure all the food gets dried up quickly and efficiently. If you’re looking for huge capacity, powerful dehydrator, pick this unit today.

7. Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator 

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The Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator offers quick-drying features with its 500-watt motor and top-mounted fan. The temperature in this dehydrator is adjustable which is ideal for drying all kinds of raw foods. You don’t even need to rotate the trays as the Converga-Flow drying system makes sure all trays get an equal amount of heat. The dehydrator is ideal for drying large batches of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and more. Here’s a look at the features and specifications of this unit.

Included Accessories

• Fruit roll sheet
• 2 original-flavor jerky spice and cure packets

Pros

• Powerful unit offering 500 watts of drying power
• Adjustable thermostat for precision temperature control
• Converga-Flow drying system dries food quickly and efficiently
• The capacity can be increased up to 12 trays
• Opaque exterior saves the nutritional value of the food

Cons

• The unit doesn’t work well in an extremely humid environment
• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying food
• The trays don’t feel sturdy or high quality
• There is no on/off button on this device
• The fan of the dehydrator tends to malfunction with time

Editor’s Verdict

The Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator is just the unit you need if you’re into drying large batches of food. The dehydrator offers an efficient performance as it comes with a powerful motor and patented Converga-Flow system that pushes air through an exterior chamber so that air flows horizontally over all the trays.

This removes the need to rotate the trays through the drying process and the food on the trays gets heated efficiently. The dehydrator is an exceptional unit in terms of design and performance. If you’re looking for a reliable and powerful dehydrator, get this unit today.

8. Excalibur 2900ECB 9-Tray Economy Dehydrator

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The Excalibur 2900ECB is a 9 tray dehydrator that offers extensive drying capacity for drying all kinds of foods. You can dry raw foods, vegetables, fruits, and much more in this dehydrator.

The fan is located at the back of the unit so there is no need to rotate the trays during the drying process. You can also adjust the thermostat for drying at the exact temperature that you want. In case you have any bulky items to dry, you can also remove the trays to make extra space in the dehydrator. Let’s take a quick look at the features and specifications of this unit.

Included Accessories

• Flexible polyscreen tray inserts

Pros

• Powerful 600 watt motor for efficient drying
• 7-inch fan for quick drying
• Provides 15 square feet of drying space
• Offers even drying for food on all trays
• The dehydrator offers thermostat for temperature control

Cons

• The thermostat can be a bit inaccurate
• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying foods
• The sides and trays feel like they’re made of flimsy materials
• The dehydrator takes a long time to dry foods

Editor’s Verdict

Excalibur is a trusted brand when you need to buy dehydrators that simply work and offer great performance throughout the year. Keep in mind, the performance of the dehydrator can be impacted by various factors such as the weather, humidity, cut of the food and more. Excalibur dehydrators excel at drying foods as the fan is located at the back of the unit and it flows hot air through the trays horizontally so there is no need to rotate the trays. Get this unit today!

9. Nesco American Harvest FD-1018P 1000 Watt Food Dehydrator Kit

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The Nesco American Harvest FD-1018P is a powerful dehydrator that comes with a 1000 watt drying capacity. The dehydrator capacity can be expanded up to a massive 30 trays that offer ample space for drying large batches of raw foods, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more. The thermostat is adjustable, so you can dry food easily at the requires 118 degrees F for raw foods. The dehydrator looks great on any modern kitchen shelf as it has a contemporary design. Let’s take a look at the rest of the features and specifications of this unit.

Included Accessories

• 8 Trays,
• Fruit Roll Sheets
• Clean-a-Screens
• How to Dry Foods Book

Pros

• Powerful dehydrator with 1000 watts of power
• Expandable up to 30 trays
• 2,400 RPM fan dries food quickly and efficiently
• Drying pressure adjusts according to the number of trays added
• Opaque exterior to prevent food from losing nutrients and vitamins during the drying process

Cons

• The dehydrator does not come with a timer switch
• Finding parts for the dehydrator is difficult
• The fuse of the unit is problematic and blows often
• The dehydrator makes a lot of noise while drying foods
• The plastic trays and liners can melt at high temperatures

Editor’s Verdict

The Nesco American Harvest dehydrator is a unit for those who want to dry large batches of food easily. The dehydrator can be expanded to accommodate up to 30 trays and the unit automatically adjusts the drying pressure as needed. There is no need to rotate the trays on this unit as the heater unit offers enough power to push hot air through all the trays. If you’re in the market for a unit with expandable capacity, this is the dehydrator to get.

10. Hamilton Beach 32100A Food Dehydrator

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The Hamilton Beach 32100A food dehydrator comes with a range of features that make using this dehydrator a complete joy. Whether you want to dehydrate raw fruits and vegetables or dry nuts and herbs, this dehydrator will be the ideal unit for the job.

The unique design of the dehydrator has a clear lid so that you can observe the food as it is being dried. You can set the temperature for drying raw foods with the provided digital thermostat. The dehydrator has a continuous airflow so that all trays get equal amounts of heat. A dehydrator is a powerful unit and it comes with 500 watts of power for five stackable trays. Here’s a look at the features and specifications for this dehydrator.

Included Accessories

• One fine-mesh sheet for drying small food like herbs
• One solid sheet for making fruit rolls.

Pros

• Includes a timer and adjustable thermostat
• Simple controls for all settings
• Easy to clean plastic trays
• Ample space for drying all kinds of foods
• The dehydrator is lightweight and easy to maintain

Cons

• The LCD is not clearly visible
• The noise from the fan is audible while drying foods
• The dehydrator takes a lot of time in drying foods
• The unit smells like plastic for the first few uses
• Not ideal for drying large batches of food

Editor’s Verdict

The Hamilton Beach 32100A is a unique food dehydrator that will fulfill all your needs for drying all kinds of raw foods. The five trays of this dehydrator offer ample space for drying foods quickly and efficiently. The dehydrator also comes with a 48-hour timer so that you can set up the timer and it will shut off automatically once the timer is done. The square shape of the dehydrator means it takes very little space on the kitchen shelf. It is the ideal dehydrator for any modern home.

FAQs About Raw Food Dehydrator

Users often have questions queries about raw food dehydrators. Here are some of the frequently asked questions by users.

Conclusion

The raw food diet is great for several reasons. It’s healthy, it can help you to lose weight, it’s nutritious and free from chemicals, and you can also save money while you’re on a raw food diet. By drying the foods that are in your home or you’ve bought from a market, you can add your own healthy twist to the dried foods. Such foods are tastier and easier to eat as they do not contain any additional preservatives or chemicals to enhance their taste.

Buying a raw food dehydrator is the best decision you can make for your raw food choices. These dehydrators are easy to use and over time, they pay for themselves as you can make large batches of dried food in these unique machines. From dried fruits and vegetables to nuts, herbs, and more. The choices for raw dried foods are endless and only limited by your imagination. You can also mix and match various batches of fruits and vegetables to come up with unique twists on traditional dried food recipes.

We hope this article has helped you in making up your mind about the dehydrator that you want to buy. You can also leave a comment in case you have any questions or queries about dehydrators. For more information about dehydrators, accessories, and use cases, please browse through this website.