What To Look For When Choosing A Food Dehydrator

What To Look For When Choosing A Food Dehydrator

Preserving food by dehydrating it has been proven to be effective. Dehydrating the food prevents bacteria from growing. One of the reasons to purchase a food dehydrator is that properly dried food can last indefinitely. This device can be used at the height of the season for purchasing produce in bulk or preserving fresh produce from your garden. Dried fruits, like those used in seasoning steaks, and herbs (like those used to season beef) have a strong, sweet flavor after dehydration.

Foods such as apples, mangoes, pineapples, tomatoes, and beef can be dehydrated using air fryers, toaster ovens, and ovens, but food dehydrators provide much greater surface area for greater yields.

We tested nine different dehydrators from leading brands at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab. In addition to testing the evenness of the jerky, apples, and the drying speed, we also evaluated the product’s performance.

Despite the similar performance of all four dehydrators, the most important differences were their ease of use, and ease of assembling, using, and cleaning the trays, as well as ease of access to their control panels. These are the best food dehydrators available in Canada right now, according to tests and reviews:

Sedona

Tribest’s digital food dehydrator from Tribest has 11 stainless steel trays that allow for adequate drying while taking up minimal counter space. Featuring a monitor and control panel that are easy to operate as well as a lockable door, this product is desirable. Furthermore, it was the only dehydrator we investigated with a light to facilitate viewing. Even though some jerky and apples stuck to the metal, Sedona Express dried them evenly. The dehydrator was relatively quiet in comparison to others (a tray is provided for easy assembly).

Its variety of dehydrating options – including raw, fast, and a combination of the two – makes it superior to its competitors. When in fast mode, the unit can cause food to dehydrate faster by cycling the temperature above the set temperature.

Buying a Food Dehydrator: How to Choose (and Use) the Right Model for You -  Storey Publishing

With the raw setting, you ensure the unit won’t overheat the food, since it won’t be set to exceed the preset temperature. When comparing appliances, raw mode is usually preferred over fast mode because raw mode allows for more precise dehydration.

Premium Features On A Dehydrator

Its stainless steel trays and see-through window, together with easy controls, make for a great food dehydrator, even though we did not test it. This book has been reviewed by over 10,000 people on Amazon, with a rating of 4.8 stars. Its simplicity and quietness have been praised by several reviewers.

Its temperature range is 95°F to 165°F, and its timer can be set to 30 or 48 minutes, making it suitable for food such as jerky, herbs, and cheese. Due to the strength of stainless steel, this product is more durable than plastic. Additionally, it has integrated handles for ease of movement.

The Digital Age Of The Dehydrator

Five dehydrating trays stack neatly in this Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator. Neither the parsley nor the jerky stuck to the trays during drying or congealing. You can watch the progress of the dehydrator inside, since the top is transparent. Programming the unit is easy because the buttons are easily accessible. Those searching for the basics will appreciate the product and item that can be conveniently stored when not in use.