Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator, Gray review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
| Brand | NESCO |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Gray |
| Wattage | 500 watts |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 13.5 x 13.5 x 9.25 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- 500 watts of drying power provides even heat distribution
- Adjustable temperature control (95°F - 160°F)
- (5) BPA Free trays with 0. 8 sq. ft. of drying area per tray - Expandable to 12 trays
- Proudly made in the USA of global and domestic components
- Includes (1) Jerky Gun with three tip attachments, (2) Fruit Roll Sheets, (2) Clean-A-Screens, (5) Jerky Seasoning & Cure samples, and a recipe & instruction book
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
Patented Converga-Flow system ensures even drying
The Best Food Dehydrators in the World.
NESCO/American Harvest has been the leader in food dehydrators for over 30 years! These units feature patented technologies that dry your food faster and more evenly than any of the competing models available, we know, because we've tried them all! Our Converge-a-Flow air flow assures even drying from top to bottom, without the tray rotation required by others.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced 'pro', making beef jerky, drying fruits, vegetables, herbs, or flowers, NESCO/American Harvest offers the best units available.
Nesco Snackmaster Express Dehydrator with Jerky Gun
Model FD-61WHC
Introducing the Snackmaster Express All-In-One Kit. It's sleek, contemporary design features 500 watts of drying power, and generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating fruits, vegetables, beef jerky, and venison jerky.
Helps dry food in hours, not days like ordinary food dehydrators. The top mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the the heating chamber!
It contains everything needed to dry all types of food including top mounted fan, 5 trays, 5 jerky spices and cures, a jerky gun with 3 tips, 2 Fruit Roll Sheets, 2 Clean-A-Screens, and a recipe book/care use guide.
- Patented Converga-Flow drying system
- No need to rotate trays
- Dries food in hours, not days
- 500 watts of drying power with top mounted fan
- Adjustable thermostat to dry foods at proper temperature
- Dishwasher safe (except powerhead)
product description
Product Packaging:Standard Packaging
The NESCO FD-61WHC Snackmaster Encore Food Dehydrator is designed to be the ultimate kit for beginners or experts. Accessories include a jerky gun with three tip attachments, two fruit roll sheets, two clean-a-screens, five jerky seasoning & cure samples, and a recipe & instruction book. This dehydrator comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once, with no tray rotation needed. Additional Add-A-Trays sold separately. The adjustable temperature control (95°F -160°F) gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results when drying different foods that need varying temperature settings. The quiet, powerful Converga-Flow fan forces heated air down the exterior pressurized chamber, then horizontally across each individual tray. The air flow then converges in the center for quick, consistent drying that is four times faster than other dehydrators. The top mounted fan eliminates liquids dripping into the heater chamber. The NESCO FD-61WHC Snackmaster Encore Food Dehydrator is great for dehydrating fruit rollups, banana chips, apple chips, jerky, and other healthy snacks.
product details
important information
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Questions about Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator, Gray
Q:
I find some models proclaim BPA free, and others do not. I am looking for a model that is BPA free. FD-61 Snackmasters Encore Food Dehydrator?
Answer: Is the nesco 1018 bpa free also
Answer: I just called the company and they said all the food contact surfaces are BPA Free.
Q:
what are the dimensions?
Answer: 13x11x13 inches. If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the item it has the dimensions and a bunch of other stuff that is helpful.
Answer: Rebecca O. The diameter (distance across) is 13 ½", the circumference (distance around) is 42 ½", the height depends on how many of the trays are used - with 5 trays the height is 10". I set it in a counter corner; therefore, it takes a square space of 13 ½" x 13 ½" of counter space. I hope that this helps to sufficiently answer your question.
Answer: The box is 13x13x11 and the dehydrator in the box in the side. I think while in use it is about 12" high and about 13" wide.
Answer: 13.5 in wide and 11 in tall. Each tray is 1.5 thick.
Answer: 12 inches in diameter, and 5 trays and about 9 inches high
Q:
Is this anodized aluminum ?
Answer: I find this question and the answers very humorous since the product comparisons list the material as aluminum. Should't Amazon remove the product for false advertisement then?
Answer: I dont think so? Its some type of plastic.....but will not melt or rust. Easy to clean with a small scrub brush, soap and water.
Answer: No it is not. It is made of a very hard plastic type of material. I like it and it works well for our family.
Answer: No it is plastic
Q:
what is the jerky gun?
Answer: The recipe book calls for ground beef to make the jerky. Once you mix it together you pack it in the gun and squeeze it. The ground beef comes out a slit in the end. It helps you get uniform pieces so you don't have some done and some not done.
Answer: It if for creating jerky out of ground beef or ground meat of any kind. You load it into the "gun" and you pull the handle and you can make round jerky lengths (like Slim Jims) or you can spread it on the rack in flat strips. It works just like you were using a caulk gun.
Answer: It works sort of like a cake decorator. It is used to extrude ground meat and seasoning on to the trays for making jerky. I use it for extruding fruit pulp for fruit leather when not filling the whole tray.
Answer: You pack your meat into it and it's squeezes it out into nice even stripes to dehydrate just like you buy at the store
Q:
I live now in Europe. Will it work here since it's 220volts?
Answer: You can buy a transformer that steps the 220V down to 110/120V (looks like a block with the standard European plug on one side and 110V outlet on the other side). Look in the electronics section/travel section of stores. These are pretty common and run around $20.
Answer: My guess would be no. It is marketed as 120v. 220 might burn out the motor.
Answer: I wouldn't think so. It isn't like a laptop, which has a power supply that can adapt for the different voltages. I think the motor would just burn up.
Q:
This is the only one that has 'ALUMINUM' listed as material but on the pictures it just looks like the plastic ones. Is it ALUMINUM?
Answer: No aluminum it is just plastic. Maybe part of the motor inside could be but I do not see any.
Answer: it is plastic, the only aluminum I see is the fan blade
Answer: No aluminun that I'm aware of. All trays are plastic, and lid.
Answer: Its plastic
Q:
Is there an adjustable thermostat? Is there automatic on/off timer?
Answer: yes on my FD-61WHC there a adjustable thermostat, but there is not a timer, 95 to 155 degrees F the unit is 500 watts and works great..
Answer: Yes there is an adjustable thermostat, 95 to 155 degrees F. the unit is 500 watts and its works great for beef jerky and veggies. There no auto timer
Answer: The temperature control is adjustable (~95-155 degrees). There is no auto shut off or timer on this dehydrator.
Answer: Yes, there is an adjustable thermostat. No, there is not an automatic on/off timer
Answer: There is an adjustable thermostat. It's a great machine and pretty much foolproof and NESCO is a reliable and helpful company. You won't need a timer for the drier, but if you wanted to you could just plug it in to one of those outlet timers you can buy at any hardware store.
Answer: No to the timer. Yes to the adjustable thermostat. I agree that it makes great jerky and is very easy to use and to clean. I liked it so well that I bought one for my son.
Answer: Yes you can adjust temps. It even tells you what temps to use for seeds, fruits, veggies, spices, jerky, etc. There is no on off timer though. I've never found a need for that.
Answer: Yes ther is a dial to control the temp. No there is not an automatic on/off timer.
Answer: There is no on/off automatic timer on this model. It still works great without it and is one less part to break.
Answer: And yes there is an adjustable thermostat. The machine is very easy to use and clean.
Q:
what is the average length of time for sweet potatoes
Answer: Are you looking to make sweet potato chips, or to dry them as flakes to rehydrate as mashed sweet potatoes later?
Q:
Has anyone dried chicken tenderloins? If so, how did they turn out? My vet recommends using chicken we as humans eat vs the chicken jerky for animals.
Answer: OHHH my little one loves them. I do this every week. I usually buy chicken breast, freeze it so it is easier to slice, then I slice it nice and thin, and use my dehydrator to make the jerky. He goes nuts for it and will actually wait by the machine till its done. Its great for drying liver for treats to!
Q:
can you dry nuts such as filberts in this unit?
Answer: I soak raw cashews for two hours and drain, then I place them in the dehydrator. It takes about 12 hours to dry them properly for the recipe I use to make kale chips. Google recipes will all say 12-24 hours, if I remember correctly.
Answer: Why would you "dry" nuts? Raw nuts are fine on their own. Or you can roast them on a pan with the door of the oven slightly open.
Answer: I've never dried nuts, but I don't see why you couldn't. It might take a while though, since thin slicing of most foods makes for timely dehydrating.
Q:
Up to how many trays can you use? I see it comes with 8, can you add more?
Answer: For 2 lbs of meat, I use 4 or 5 trays
Answer: Ours came with six trays then we ordered three extras online. I would also highly recommend ordering liners for the trays. You can add extra trays.... just number them and rotate them during the dehydrating process. We really have enjoyed our dehydrator! Good purchase!
Answer: Mine came with five trays and 2 screen liners. You can purchase extra trays and screen liners, and have a maximum of 12 trays at a time for this unit. (It also says to use a minimum of two trays.) I also highly recommend buying the extra screens. I love this dehydrator!
Answer: The most I ever used was 7 trays and it worked fine.
Answer: do the trays rotate out or do they have to be picked up to check different trays?
Answer: Yes! You can add as many as you like.
Q:
Does it come with seasoning mix
Answer: Yes, it comes with 3 packs seasoning and 3 packs of cure. You will need to order extra seasoning, you use 1 package seasoning and 1 package of cure for each 1 lb of meat. The machine is very nice, I also bought several addtional trays and all together made 3 lbs of jerky. The 93/7 ground beef works great!
Answer: Yes, Mine came with 6 packets of original seasoning, and 6 packets of cure. Tasted really good when I made it.
Answer: can i order extra liners
Answer: can't say for sure but I think it came with 4 packages. Maybe three.
Answer: YES IT DOES A SMALL AMOUNT .
Answer: Yes, it did.
Q:
Can you buy extra trays? Thank you.
Answer: I believe you can buy extra trays. I haven't looked them up myself, seems like somewhere I did see them. Sorry I couldn't be more specific. I do love my dehydrator. I make chicken jerky treats for my dogs.
Answer: Yes, of course! The unit comes with 5, and you cannot use less than 4 or the fan will burn out from the heat.. But you can purchase extra trays and use up to 8 I believe. It is a great unit, makes excellent dried fruit and beef jerky. I'm very happy with it.
Answer: Yes. Search for trays for your model # on Amazon.
Answer: Yes you can. Saw the option when I bought mine. Patricia's right, you can use up to 8 trays. Would take a little longer, have to rotate the ones on the bottom to the top, since the top dries faster (closer to the fan).
Answer: Definitely here on this site
Answer: Not really sure. It would seem like you could add more but I'm not really sure.
Q:
Can you make vegetarian jerky with this, with or without the gun (using TVP, tofu, seitan, etc.)?
Q:
My friend owns and recommended me a Nesco dehydrator rated at 700 watts. I see this one is 500 watts. Does this mean it'll take longer to dry food?
Answer: I dont know if it will take longer than a 700. I'm very happy with the dry time of mine. The average dry time is 8 hours, give or take for food types.
Answer: I'm not entirely sure, but I've filled all 5 trays with meat, and it only took about 3 hours for it all to dry. I've heard of people having to dry theirs for 10+ hours.The instructions said it would take 6 hours and the jerky was burnt.
Answer: It will probably take longer if you are dehydrating a large quantity of food or craft supplies at once, because this one is lower power. I'd check the guide which goes along with each dehydrator (you can google them) and see how long they think items will take. This one was plenty fast for my needs, and a good value for the price.
Q:
What is the highest temperature on FD-61WHC ?
Answer: 160 degrees
Answer: 160 degrees F
Q:
Has anyone made deer jerky and had good luck?
Answer: Yes. We have ground it up and also used strips of the deer sirloin. We used the prepackaged jerky mix, add garlic, soy sauce,Worcester sauce, pepper flakes to taste. It is very good and lean. Healthier than buying beef.
Answer: I myself don't know of anyone who has done that, but I can't see why it wouldn't turn out just as good as beef jerky.
Answer: Yes. I also have ground it up. Used the package mix and added a little hot sauce and it was great. Not as greasy as beef.
Answer: I have it was great!
Q:
How many watts?
Answer: 500 watts
Answer: 500 watts
Answer: 600. Works quickly for beef jerky. 3-5 hours.
Q:
trays are very hard to clean after making jerky, can you spray them with pam first
Answer: If you are using the tray liners with the small holes, stop doing it. We used those those liners once and found they are not needed and were tough to clean after jerky. We don't spray with anything, just soak for a while in hot soapy water and a quick wipe with a brush gets them squeaky clean.
Answer: After Using them to make jerky I try to soak them first then use an old tooth brush or bottle brush to clean them. Seems to work pretty well. Im not sure if I would add more fat(oil) to the tray before Drying. Also the Pam or anny vegetable oil when dried to something is very difficult to remove. Vincent Z.
Answer: I agree with Robert in using a light coat. I have not used any spray on mine and have not found them hard to clean. Hot soapy water and a dish cleaning brush are what I use.
Answer: Directly from the Nesco site, Helpful Hints page:
Answer: I have never experienced any difficulty cleaning the trays, regardless of what I have dehydrated so far. I use a bit of extra warm soapy water on a cloth, and they clean right up.
Answer: It isnt recommended.. I soak them in a sink full of hot water, Dawn dish soap and 1/4tsp diluted bleach (1 part bleach 6 parts water). I turn the trays in that so every part gets to soak. I keep the trays wet while washing them with a soapy non-abrasive sponge. The clean up is much easier this way.
Answer: Yes, you could spray the trays with Pam first.
Answer: These folks say yes: meatprocessingproducts.com/how-to-make-jerky.html
Answer: I spray mine with vegetable oil and it lasts for a few batches of jerky even after rinsing them.
Answer: Instructions say no. I would suggest good soaking in warm soapy water, more than just a few minutes. A brush might also help. Although I've not made jerky yet...
Q:
What is the difference between this 61whc and the 61?
Answer: fd61whc is All-In-One Kit with Jerky Gun
Q:
Are the trays the same as those used in nesco model fd 60 ?
Answer: I think so
Q:
Is there room in this to make yogurt?
Answer: I don't know. I think it might be possible but might take more than one tray! They come two to a pack!
Q:
What is in the box?
Answer: Read the description but I think all the things that are pictured here. My son received it as a gift but I know that the box included a lot of stuff. Reread the description on Amazon.
Answer: It comes with the base, five trays, the dehydrator head unit, the jerky gun and the tips, and instructions/recipes.
Answer: Everything in the pic
Q:
how many watts is it?
Answer: 510w
Q:
Did I cut strawberries too thin? Very difficult to peel them off! How do you slice strawberries and how long do you dry them
Answer: I would not slice thin and can use liner for the racks I think the time length was about 8- 10 hours on 135 temp. I want my the book recommendations if this helps also.
Answer: MICHAEL, i SLICED THE SMALL STRAWBERRIES IN HALF. THE LARGE ONES WERE CUT INTO THIRDS. YES, THE BERRIES WILL STICK IF THEY ARE SLICED THIN.
Q:
Does this have an on/off switch?
Answer: No it does not, but for a couple of bucks I bought in in-line switch at the hardware store and it took me about five minutes to install. Problem solved.
Answer: No, it does not. When you plug it in it turns on. When you unplug it, it turns off. You adjust the temp with the dial on top
Answer: No it does not. It has temperature setting knob but you have to unplug it to turn it off.
Answer: No, the only control on it is the temperature dial.
Answer: No... Once it's plugged in, it's running! It really doesn't cause a problem at all though, in my experience.
Q:
Could you make fish jerky, like with salmon?
Answer: I am sure you can. You just need the right recipe. I made everything from dehydrated pasta sauces, fruit leather, dehydrated chicken, sweet potato flakes, etc. It comes with a handy guide that has a section about fish. Here is info on their website too...
Answer: I've never tried fish jerky, but apparently you can make it. The NESCO booklet provides some tips, including the advice to use fresh fish. Salmon is not mentioned specifically.
Answer: Sorry we can't help you there. We have not yet tried the jerky equipment. We've only done fruit and mint. We love the heat settings that allow excellent drying of various things.
Answer: do not know never tried it, sorry could not help you.
Q:
is there any dehydrator that is stainless steel?
Answer: Yes, but they're much more expensive, and all the ones I've seen are front loading and thus not expandable. TSM has a 5-tray one for around $400. LEM has a 10-tray one about the same price. Unless you're using it for industrial purposes, I would stick with the plastic ones. This Nesco says it's BPA-Free, which is why I chose it, even though other manufacturer's *claim* the low temperatures mean BPA doesn't leach out even when they do use it.
Q:
Does this make dried fruit similar to that of freeze dried fruit?
Answer: I would say dried fruit is more like a prune or a raisin as opposed to being dehydrated, kind of chewy with some moisture and softness to it.
Q:
Can I use trays from my old dehydrator - model FD50/30 with this dehydrator? After many years of use, it died
Q:
se pude usar con 220 volts?
Answer: No, es para 120V
Answer: No es para110v
Q:
Does the jerky need refrigerated after you make it with this machine or is it shelf stable like what you purchase at the store?
Answer: Don't honestly know about open shelf life...we vacuum seal ours
Q:
What is the total amount of recommended trays? I have 6 or 7 now and wanted to add more
Answer: For this size of motor/space it is not recommended to go over 8 trays. Anything over 8 and the food does not dry well and can have wet spots or issues.
Answer: I believe the maximum number of trays for proper drying would be about 11 or 12, but this is perhaps a question better asked of the NESCO company itself. If you are willing to rotate the trays (not hard to do), the maximum would be higher.
Answer: RTFM (Read the Fine Manual): there you will find it says should use a minimum of two trays and can have a maximum of 12 trays.
Answer: You can stack as many trays as needed, but once you get over 5 or so it really starts to affect the drying time.
Q:
I'd love to make some dried veggies in this. Does anything come out crispy? (Think kale chips) Or is this best for just fruit and meat?
Answer: Yes. My kale chips come out super crispy if I leave them in for a little longer. Same for fruit but you need to slice it thin. I'm not sure about other veggies thou
Answer: can't see y any vege wouldn't work ,make sure you cook it long enough.let us all know how it comes out ekd
Answer: stuff can get dry and possibly crunchy but you could do most of kale in dehydrator and then put in oven to finish
Answer: Yes,
Q:
how long do the dehyraded foods last?
Answer: It depends very much on what food you have dehydrated, of course. I have a jar of apple slices that I dehydrated back in April - it's September 1 tomorrow - and they are in great shape and still tasty. Follow the directions and check to make sure your items are really "dry" and most of the time a little bit crispy. If you have already stopped the process I have found that you can put foods back into the dehydrator if you decide they aren't quite ready yet without any problems.
Answer: I googled the question, it said meats last up to three months, fruits and vegetables up to a year.
Answer: We only use the dehydrator for beef jerkey and it usually lasts two weeks.
Q:
What is the difference between this and the nesco model fd-75a (excluding the extras like the jerky gun)?
Answer: I do have but never try it yet don't know
Q:
Do you find having the jerky gun makes a big difference?
Answer: I don't know. We bought the dehydrator to make chicken jerky for our dog. My husband just uses 100% chicken tenders, he doesn't add any additives, preservatives or liquids to marinate it.
Answer: Yes, especially if you make healthy jerky. By removing all saturated fat from the meat.. Be healthy & creative add sea salt
Answer: Its good for marking the pieces the same size. Also good for making the jerky sticks.
Answer: We have never used the gun.
Q:
Is this unit noisy and does it generate heat if used indoors?
Answer: "Noisy" is a relative term. You can hear the fan, but I run it all night occasionally in the kitchen, and it doesn't affect my sleep. As for heat, yes, it does generate some heat. The trays are gently warm to the touch, but certainly don't put out a lot of heat in the room.
Answer: It's not very noisy--about the loudness of a portable fan set on low. I keep it in the living room on a table while I watch TV and it's fine. The heat is minimal. It does produce some, but not enough to really affect the temperature of a room.
Answer: I keep mine in the kitchen, which is open to my living room. It is not at all noisy. It produces a low, white noise, not even at the decibels of a bathroom ceiling fan - much lower sound. The walls of the counter around the unit do not get warm or if they do, it's not really noticeable.
Q:
What is the range of temperature that this dehydrator has?
Answer: Hello,
Answer: 95-160F
Q:
how much electricity does it use
Answer: Not as much as your bathroom lights. It is very efficient and quite fast. The other day I made some jerky and it took only about 4 hours.
Answer: It use 110 v
Q:
How much drying space
Answer: The FD-61WHC comes with 5 trays that are 13.5 inches in diameter, but can be expanded up to 12 trays (extra trays sold separately) for additional drying space.
Answer: You have 5 trays that are 13" diameter with a 2" empty circle in the center of each one. I've only used mine for making beef jerkey out of hamburger and it will hold 2 lbs of hamburger meat laid out in strips which results in several strips of great jerkey.
Answer: Have used mostly for jerky and my only rule is do not allow touching. The few times I have done fruit or vegetables the same rule would apply. As far as I can tell the Nesco Dehydrator provides good air flow / circulation and that is what I think is critical.
Answer: Doesn't appear to be an issue, with food touching at least mine does good. I fill all the trays with vegetables.
Q:
Can you use the included spice without the cure for the jerky?
Answer: My opinion is, that besides not lasting as long without the cure, the cure itself has salt in it, so the jerky may not be salty enough
Answer: You can cook the meat slices in a brine or marinade to an internal temp of 160 and then dehydrate or dehydrate and refrigerate. if you are storing at room temp, use cure. Botulism is bad news...
Answer: Using a cure is important if you are going for long term storage. Otherwise, there really is no need. I use my own marinade without a cure...jerky doesn't last long in our house.
Answer: The cure is to prevent bacterial growth during dehydrating. So there may be alternatives like salting, etc. The spice mix and cure don't necessarily need to be used together, spice just adds flavor, but you will want to research and make sure your cure-alternative is safe so you don't risk food poisoning.
Answer: Sure can, it just won't stay good for as long. No harm in not use the cure
Q:
Can you make bacon jerky in this.
Answer: I am not sure, I did smoke some ham and slice it thin and make jerky with it. This came out real good. If I was going to try it I would cook the bacon some first to render as much fat as possible. Also for long term storage keep it in the fridge or freezer. Thanks for the idea! I will have to try it now.
Answer: You could, although there is too much fat in bacon. Fat is what spoils the meat. The best jerky is made with the cuts of meat with the least fat marbling...the cheap cuts of meat actually make the best jerky.
Answer: we've only tried venison and beef
Q:
What comes in the box? How many fruit roll sheets and clean-a-screens? This answer seems to be from zero to a few. Thanks to all that answer.
Answer: Sorry for my slow response. Been away. :) I think that there is one fruit roll sheet and 2 clean-a-screens. I am not sure of your names for the items, but I receives one smooth tray with no holes and two trays that had holes, but were closer together, like a net. The drying trays have wider spaces. Hope I could help!
Answer: If I'm not mistaken, i got 2 fruit roll sheets and one flexy screen (currently away from home otherwise i'd check box). I guess the flexy is the clean-a-screen? I have used the dehydrator very successfully for a bumper tomato season (4 times - full drying screens) and I have made jerky once using sliced beef (not needing the gun). I use fruit roll sheet as a drip pan.
Answer: The description of it is what comes in the box.
Answer: I'm not sure what "clean a screen" means. I got 2 solid sheets and 2 tightly meshed screened sheets and 5 shelves that are somewhat loosely screened.
Answer: When I ordered this package deal I also ordered additional items, but, if I'm not mistaken two fruit roll sheets/liners were included. I simply love this little machine and when I see produce on sale I dehydrate the extra vegie's as soon as I get home - you will really appreciate having this machine around too! It's a good machine and price! Love it! :0)
Answer: The description says it comes with one of each, but mine came with two of each.
Answer: You're welcome and I can assure you that you will really enjoy using this machine.
Answer: One of each.
Q:
What is the voltage of this air dryer
Answer: This is run on 120 Volts
Q:
does this have a timer on it
Answer: No, it does not have a timer. You have to time things yourself. It's not a big problem, however, as I like to check periodically for readiness. Sometimes things are done long before the time on the recipe.
Answer: No. It doesn't have a timer. It varies so much as to how long it takes to dehydrate any particular type of food. I've used mine 4 times now, I realize that the 4-8 hour drying window can be much longer depending on how much I load the trays and how thick I slice the pieces. You really have to get to know it first. It is the fastest, easiest dehydrator I've ever used. I don't have to move trays around. I love it
Answer: No Linda it does not have a timer. That is one thing I have notices I would have liked.
Answer: No timer
Answer: No timer
Answer: I bought this updated version for a gift to my daughter-in-law because I love my old one. I don't believe it has a timer. I don't think a timer would be beneficial because if you cut slices too thick it could change the amount of time required. I have
Q:
what are Clean-A-Screens? do you use them with lets say apples or any fruit I should ask?
Answer: Yes you can. They are different than the the hard plastic round trays that have bigger openings. The screens are cool. They have small diamond shaped openings and are flexible.
Answer: A trays is what u place whatever you want to dehydrate
Answer: I truthfully don't know.
Q:
Where can I get replacement trays for Della dehydrator , the 9 tray blue trays ?
Answer: You can purchase them from the manufacturer.
Q:
Is this BPA free? TIA.
Answer: I just checked Nesco's website and it indicates that it is BPA compliant. Hope this helps. I am really enjoying mine and gave beef jerky away with our Christmas cookie plates we give to friends and neighbors every year. I plan to order two additional trays.
Answer: I have no idea. I'd check the Nesco website first. If the answer isn't there, call customer service. They're very helpful.
Answer: My best friend Google told me it was
Answer: Sorry, unsure. I would assume that it would be. I guess you could contact Nesco.
Q:
Any idea why this won’t ship out for over 2 weeks?
Answer: No essential things seem to be taking longer due to covid
Product reviews of Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator, Gray
Colleen : More than Pleased!
Actually this is a replacement for a Nesco Dehydrator that I wore out with use. I LOVE Nesco Dehydrators!!! I've used them for at least 15 years and usually have 3 that I use (yes I dry a lot of stuff!). I started with the ones that have the fan on the bottom and had 2 of those for years. Then I spied the top mounted fan ones and purchased one of those and used it till it died. Then one of the old ones died too, so I was down to one dehydrator. Purchased this all-in-one kit and of course I love it! Chuckled though...I got to looking around in my store room and I have 3 jerky guns now. 2 are unused...I keep getting them with my dehydrators but the first one still works like new!
Great product, works wonderfully and quiet!
Great product, works wonderfully and quiet!
Jax : Shrinkydinks for adults!
Love it! We've been working ours nonstop this past month: jerky, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions, potato soup, tomatoes, herbs, onions, apples, oranges, banana chips, lemon, lime, fruit leather and more. We bought extra trays, tray guards and fruit trays as well. Works incredibly well, we ought this to make our own MREs for camping. We were able to convert 2 cases of cucumbers into chips in 3 days. Best dehydrator I have ever owned!
UPDATE: I really did love this dehydrator...until it melted down, destroying the entire unit, a batch of jerky and my kitchen wall due to the subsequent fire. Buyer beware
UPDATE: I really did love this dehydrator...until it melted down, destroying the entire unit, a batch of jerky and my kitchen wall due to the subsequent fire. Buyer beware
MotherHen : Starting smoking first use.
The top started smoking and it didn't work. I read all instructions and made sure I was doing it "right". Nope. First use and didn't get to use it. I'm just glad I tested it out before prepping my food.
David : Does not fit together very well.
This is a perfect example of going cheap on a dehydrator. Does not keep an even temp. because the trays DO NOT FIT TOGETHER. If you end up buying this product, it will end up in living on the shelf till you toss it.
another reviewer : After 10 years mine freaked out, got too hot and warped the plastic trays
After 10 years mine freaked out, got too hot and warped the plastic trays. I was drying some jerky and after it was done, I noticed the plastic trays were warped. Don't feel I can trust the temperature control anymore.
I used this machine a few times in the summer and fall. It was not like I used it every day. Previously it did seem be the temperature it was set on. Overall pretty good, but not great.
I used this machine a few times in the summer and fall. It was not like I used it every day. Previously it did seem be the temperature it was set on. Overall pretty good, but not great.
Seahorse007 : A must-have if you have fruit trees.
I love this machine! Great investment. instead of tossing older mealy apples into the worm box, now I dry them and then the slices last a long time. In the summer I will be drying the apricots and plums from the tree. We can never keep up with all the fruit, even if we make jam. But now we can! I have also dried strawberries, kiwis, pears and apples that were mushy or too ripe. If I have a large stock of ripening fruit, I keep the machine going for days, and I don't worry about cleaning the racks. I just keep loading the up with slices of fruit. I takes about 24 hrs for 1/4 inch slices to reach a dry but chewy consistency.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
S : Wonderful & works well - it's NOT loud + Update
People have been complaining about the noise it makes - I think you're being over dramatic. It's not even as loud as a hair dryer, maybe you got a lemon. Mine sounds like a low fan, but what else do you expect? It works well, easy to clean, food always comes out wonderful tasting! I've done fruit spreads, pineapples, apples, strawberries, beef, peaches, and apricots. It works well, packaged well, shipping was fast, doesn't take 5 days to do anything, and this was a present for my brother - I am super pleased with my purchase!
Update: May 23, 2013
My brother used this the other day for Kale chips - still works like new, still not loud, still delivers beautifully! I ordered this in 2010 for my brother. He doesn't use it everyday, maybe that's why it still works phenomenally, but still... fantastic product and I'm SO glad I got it for him!
Update: May 23, 2013
My brother used this the other day for Kale chips - still works like new, still not loud, still delivers beautifully! I ordered this in 2010 for my brother. He doesn't use it everyday, maybe that's why it still works phenomenally, but still... fantastic product and I'm SO glad I got it for him!
DanaMe : Jerky for the win!
I bought this for my partner for Father's Day over a year ago because we had made some jerky in the oven and everyone in the family loved it. This dehydrator makes the process much simpler and faster, and the jerky is great. As soon as we got it, we tried just about everything we could think of we had on hand. I had some cans of pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges in the cabinet, and both of those dried up great, really sweet and chewy without all of the extra sugar you sometimes get in packaged dried fruit. Bananas and apples were not as popular, but I think that just our family. Last year we had an enormous amount of cherry tomatoes and we dried those and got a delicious product that's like sweet tomato raisins! I will say those took a very very long time. We have found, however, that our jerky takes much less time than is called for in recipes, so it is important to keep watching every few hours. The racks are a bit hard to clean, but I have found that if you flip the beef strips over 1.5-2hours in, you have less sticking, and slightly easier clean up. The gun for ground beef is great, and if you use the spices with it, you will end up with something that resembles a slim Jim or other packaged jerky, which is super tasty, but the seasonings do have some chemicals that are easy to avoid in strip jerky. I haven't found an alternative recipe for ground beef that I like as much yet though. All components of this kit are easy to use. If I had one wish for an additional feature it would be a timer so that when it gets late and I decide the jerky needs a couple more hours, I could go to bed '... A longer cord wouldn't hurt either. Overall, I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to dehydrate and/or make jerky on a regular basis.
Reyhan Westbrook : Works for a few years then fails; hopefully it won't burn your house down.
This product worked fine for 4.5 years then it overheated and melted the trays and would not work again. I remember growing up with the same toaster for 25+ years. I've had my 'Air Crazy' popcorn popper for 10+ years. This has a pretty short lifespan for something with such a simple job. The fact that it overheated is alarming because it's a fire risk. Ultimately this is a cheaply made product with planned obsolescence woven into the design. They use internal rivets and other engineering that was not designed to be serviced, so with no safe repair options, Nesco is shamelessly selling hunks of plastic trash to quickly end up in the landfill.
Alan : Excellent Machine for Jerky!
Quick Shipping. I also ordered two additional trays so that I would not run out of tray space. I made my first batch of delicious Beef Jerky using the seasoning that came with it. I used 93/7 lean ground beef and dried it for 15 hours occasionally blotting the grease off of each piece. I could not be happier. I took some to work to share and everyone said it was better than the stuff you pay through the nose for. The machine works well, just the fan is a little noisy, and the smell of the jerky drying takes over the house. The wife said next time, plug it in outside on the patio.
The gun works well and I also made some sticks using the stick attachment. I look forward to experimenting with more items, fruits, vegetables.
The machine is well made and I think it is a quality product.
The gun works well and I also made some sticks using the stick attachment. I look forward to experimenting with more items, fruits, vegetables.
The machine is well made and I think it is a quality product.
Amazon Customer : Great product..
The shelves stay stacked securely and offers several temperature ranges with drying suggestions right on the lid. I use this for drying mushrooms and spices such as cayenne peppers and it works wonderfully. The only rather silly thing about this dehydrator is that it doesn't have an "off" setting. It starts running right when you plug it in and the only way to turn it off is to unplug it which is slightly annoying, but not enough to deduct a star. This is my first dehydrator and am pleased with the purchase. I recommend it.
Lien : Awesome purchase
This is a fantastic dehydrator. Bought this in conjunction with the apple peeler to dry fruits. We had apples, pineapples, peaches, bananas, strawberries and tomatoes in this.
All turned out fantastic and was full of flavor. I did my fruit both natural and covered with a cinnamon and sugar mix and they were wonderful. Much healthier and fresher homemade. You control the thickness of your fruit as well as how crispy you prefer.
All turned out fantastic and was full of flavor. I did my fruit both natural and covered with a cinnamon and sugar mix and they were wonderful. Much healthier and fresher homemade. You control the thickness of your fruit as well as how crispy you prefer.
Amazon Customer : Poor Quality
I had a Nesco Dehydrator that I bought 15 years ago from Walmart that worked great. It was loaned out and never came back so I ordered another one. Quality has gone down a lot in 15 years. Trays do not line up with each other because they are thin and flimsy, the jerky gun that came with it broke before even using it (glue holding it together failed after handling it for 2 seconds). I don't expect it to last terribly long based on how cheap and flimsy the thing is.
Mmsb : Works, but lacking two things for a five star rating.
This works but several things I should have checked before buying. No on and off switch. Just the plug. Also this should have a timer on it, so you could set it, and go to sleep in the evening. We had to set the alarm clock and wake up to turn it off.
Doug : DOA and made in China
First, it was dead on arrival. It simply would not power on. In looking for a switch or something obvious missed, I noticed the fan could not physically turn due to a misalignment in assembly. I opened the unit up as shown. After reseating the fan, still no go. In testing with a multimeter, the thermostat piece was not functioning. In doing all this, I noticed the made in China stamping on the heater/fan/control top. Well, I'm sorry, you cannot prominently stamp "Made in USA" on your boxes and feature that in your listings while the heart of the unit, the single most important and valuable piece, is made in China. Disingenuous at best, and fraudulent at worst. Do not hide behind the small print "made with global materials" in such an egregious case as this. The "of global components" stamp is, in my mind, for small ancillary pieces in the box.
Joan Lambert : Easy to use and of good quality
I haven't had a dehydrator for several years, and am in love with this thing. I've dried kiwi, apples, mango, pineapple, and basil, and made beef/turkey jerky for myself and turkey/sweet potato jerky treats for my dogs. The things I like about this Nesco dehydrator are that I can use only the number of trays that I want to at any given time, all the electronics are in the top part so not subject to getting dripped on, the trays and the bottom part are very easy to clean. All the parts, including the screen and fruit leather tray that came with it, seem to be of good quality and durable. The jerky "gun" is easy to use--I do with it held a bit more (it holds about 1/4 pound of meat, so one jerky recipe requires that you fill it four times), but it's not that big of a hassle to refill, and it's also easy to clean. The jerky seasoning that was provided is delicious and can be used either with ground meat or as a marinade for sliced meat. There's a temperature control on the top that provides guidance about the correct setting for different things that you're drying. There was also a useful recipe book that I lost when I moved and haven't been able to find again...but there is a lot of information about dehydrating and jerky making on the Internet so I've gotten along okay without it.
I paid full for this unit, in case anyone is concerned that this could be a freebie review.
I paid full for this unit, in case anyone is concerned that this could be a freebie review.
Seahorse007 : A must-have if you have fruit trees.
I love this machine! Great investment. instead of tossing older mealy apples into the worm box, now I dry them and then the slices last a long time. In the summer I will be drying the apricots and plums from the tree. We can never keep up with all the fruit, even if we make jam. But now we can! I have also dried strawberries, kiwis, pears and apples that were mushy or too ripe. If I have a large stock of ripening fruit, I keep the machine going for days, and I don't worry about cleaning the racks. I just keep loading the up with slices of fruit. I takes about 24 hrs for 1/4 inch slices to reach a dry but chewy consistency.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
Brandon : ... diet and are big outdoors enthusiasts so its a perfect way to have yummy
My husband and I bought this because we eat the Paleo diet and are big outdoors enthusiasts so its a perfect way to have yummy, healthy snacks on our outdoor adventures. We have used this A LOT since we bought it a month or two ago. We have basically dehydrated a batch of food at least once a week since buying it. We have loved it! We go on a lot of hikes, camping, and backpacking trips and bring dried apples, kiwi, bananas, peaches and beef jerky with us every time. It comes with five trays which have been great but we are going to buy more trays in order to dry more at a time. The top tray dries a little more quickly (as expected) so sometimes we rotate the trays part-way through dehydrating. The jerky we have made with it has especially been a hit! The flavoring packets that come with it are really yummy and we've shared with some friends and family who are always asking us for more. This buy was definitely worth it.
DSL : Decent but two very basic things missing
Only had this for a day. Seems like a decent product for the price. However, I couldn't agree more with one reviewer who said it needs two things, both of which seem very basic. There is no switch to turn it on or off. Instead, you have to pull the plug. I never assumed a product wouldn't have a switch. Every decent electrical product in my house has a switch so this one seems to me like a glaring oversight. Think about having to unplug your blender or hair dryer to turn it off. Also, a timer would be most helpful. Assuming some people go to bed and to work and will be away form their drying food for a number of hours. Both of these shortcomings are likely $2 options for which I think most users would gladly pay.
GD : Do not buy cheap and doesn’t work
This does not work do not buy I purchased 2 months ago in May 2020 I just opened it on yesterday September 11, 2020 and it does not work.., It Seems like it wants to catch on fire and the air that came out of the top smells burnt... it’s a cheap and flimsy product Do not buy
My 3 and me : Good bang for your buck
This is a fantastic dehydrator! We made venison jerky the very day it arrived and it was wonderful. I've read the other reviews about not receiving the jerky gun, mine came with everything stated. The jerky spice packets have a really good, mild flavor. I like mine with a little more bite so I think I'll add some cracked pepper to the next batch. My husband and I prefer the strip-type jerky and our kids prefer the Slim Jim-style so we made both. The gun is extremely easy to use and switched between both tips easily.
The recipe book is a great resource as well. It gave me lots of ideas for our next go at the dehydrator. I can't wait to try it this summer when our garden is overflowing with far too much produce to use immediately.
The only criticism I have is that there is no on/off switch. You must unplug it to turn it off. No biggie, we really should unplug appliances when they're not in use anyhow.
The recipe book is a great resource as well. It gave me lots of ideas for our next go at the dehydrator. I can't wait to try it this summer when our garden is overflowing with far too much produce to use immediately.
The only criticism I have is that there is no on/off switch. You must unplug it to turn it off. No biggie, we really should unplug appliances when they're not in use anyhow.
Daquan J. : Came with nothing it advertised
I ordered this item and it didn't come with the jerky nozzle, clean-a-screen, instructions, or recipe guide. The dehydrator was packed in a bag in a box that had already been opened. I literally got an incomplete set and have had no way to contact the manufacturer. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT AT ALL. Spend your money on another brand that you trust - this is not it.
GD : Do not buy cheap and doesn’t work
This does not work do not buy I purchased 2 months ago in May 2020 I just opened it on yesterday September 11, 2020 and it does not work.., It Seems like it wants to catch on fire and the air that came out of the top smells burnt... it’s a cheap and flimsy product Do not buy
David : Does not fit together very well.
This is a perfect example of going cheap on a dehydrator. Does not keep an even temp. because the trays DO NOT FIT TOGETHER. If you end up buying this product, it will end up in living on the shelf till you toss it.
Seahorse007 : A must-have if you have fruit trees.
I love this machine! Great investment. instead of tossing older mealy apples into the worm box, now I dry them and then the slices last a long time. In the summer I will be drying the apricots and plums from the tree. We can never keep up with all the fruit, even if we make jam. But now we can! I have also dried strawberries, kiwis, pears and apples that were mushy or too ripe. If I have a large stock of ripening fruit, I keep the machine going for days, and I don't worry about cleaning the racks. I just keep loading the up with slices of fruit. I takes about 24 hrs for 1/4 inch slices to reach a dry but chewy consistency.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
Kix DeCat : Love this dehydrator!
I bought this a while ago, I didn't want to leave a review until I had owned it for at least a month...I have owned it longer than that by now.
I have not used the jerky gun or the jerky spices that came with it so I cannot speak to that.
The settings on the top make everything a lot more easy than my old machine, there are settings and temps for herbs, fruits, meats and other treats. Comes with the jerky gun, spice mixes, two of the trays for making fruit roll up type items (which I have used and love) and then one plastic screen for smaller items. So far we have done just fruit; strawberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, mango, pineapple, pear, apple, fruit roll ups and coconut. Kiwi is soooo good! The mandarin oranges we used were the canned ones, fresh oranges come out very, very bitter, but the canned ones are like candy. Cleaning is a snap, the fact that the fan/heating part is the lid so on top not on bottom keeps things a lot more clean. If you are thinking about buying this one, just do it, it is a great unit.
I have not used the jerky gun or the jerky spices that came with it so I cannot speak to that.
The settings on the top make everything a lot more easy than my old machine, there are settings and temps for herbs, fruits, meats and other treats. Comes with the jerky gun, spice mixes, two of the trays for making fruit roll up type items (which I have used and love) and then one plastic screen for smaller items. So far we have done just fruit; strawberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, mango, pineapple, pear, apple, fruit roll ups and coconut. Kiwi is soooo good! The mandarin oranges we used were the canned ones, fresh oranges come out very, very bitter, but the canned ones are like candy. Cleaning is a snap, the fact that the fan/heating part is the lid so on top not on bottom keeps things a lot more clean. If you are thinking about buying this one, just do it, it is a great unit.
Doug : DOA and made in China
First, it was dead on arrival. It simply would not power on. In looking for a switch or something obvious missed, I noticed the fan could not physically turn due to a misalignment in assembly. I opened the unit up as shown. After reseating the fan, still no go. In testing with a multimeter, the thermostat piece was not functioning. In doing all this, I noticed the made in China stamping on the heater/fan/control top. Well, I'm sorry, you cannot prominently stamp "Made in USA" on your boxes and feature that in your listings while the heart of the unit, the single most important and valuable piece, is made in China. Disingenuous at best, and fraudulent at worst. Do not hide behind the small print "made with global materials" in such an egregious case as this. The "of global components" stamp is, in my mind, for small ancillary pieces in the box.
Jane E. Smith : Making Beef Jerky & Dried Fruits for the Family - Loving it!
We will never be out of jerky again! My Grandkids love the dried fruits, apples, strawberries, cantaloupe, & pears. It's been a learning process, figuring out how thick or thin to slice the fruits, but having a great time making healthy snacks for the Grandkids. And it's fast! If I make something that requires longer time, I start it in the evening and leave it overnight. By morning it's done and we're on to the next thing. Made ground beef jerky, and it was very tasty, but I also bought an eye of round roast, sliced it really thin, and made great jerky from that too. We will use this kitchen "toy" for a very long time.
Lien : Awesome purchase
This is a fantastic dehydrator. Bought this in conjunction with the apple peeler to dry fruits. We had apples, pineapples, peaches, bananas, strawberries and tomatoes in this.
All turned out fantastic and was full of flavor. I did my fruit both natural and covered with a cinnamon and sugar mix and they were wonderful. Much healthier and fresher homemade. You control the thickness of your fruit as well as how crispy you prefer.
All turned out fantastic and was full of flavor. I did my fruit both natural and covered with a cinnamon and sugar mix and they were wonderful. Much healthier and fresher homemade. You control the thickness of your fruit as well as how crispy you prefer.
Reyhan Westbrook : Works for a few years then fails; hopefully it won't burn your house down.
This product worked fine for 4.5 years then it overheated and melted the trays and would not work again. I remember growing up with the same toaster for 25+ years. I've had my 'Air Crazy' popcorn popper for 10+ years. This has a pretty short lifespan for something with such a simple job. The fact that it overheated is alarming because it's a fire risk. Ultimately this is a cheaply made product with planned obsolescence woven into the design. They use internal rivets and other engineering that was not designed to be serviced, so with no safe repair options, Nesco is shamelessly selling hunks of plastic trash to quickly end up in the landfill.
lsutigeralumna : Great Starter Dehydrator
Don’t get me wrong, I want to get an Excalibur, but it’s not quite in my budget yet. Because of this, I researched for quite some time for a dehydrator I could use to support my journey into raw foods.
Since purchasing this dehydrator, I’ve used it to make kale chips, “sundried” tomatoes and other dried fruit/veggies. I’m QUITE pleased with the results thus far. I don’t find the machine to be terribly loud, but it definitely puts out some noise. In my opinion, that is to be expected. Clean-up is easy and quick, and I don’t feel the machine takes up that much space either.
Purchase a few extra fruit trays, clean-a-screen trays etc. when you purchase the machine. You’ll be glad you didn’t wait to do so.
I haven’t tried making jerky, yet, as I eat very little meat nowadays, so I can’t really comment on that.
My only complaint is the machine doesn’t come with a timer installed, but that has rarely been an inconvenience for me. I can always purchase a timer the dehydrator can be plugged in to if I feel the need to do so in the future.
Since purchasing this dehydrator, I’ve used it to make kale chips, “sundried” tomatoes and other dried fruit/veggies. I’m QUITE pleased with the results thus far. I don’t find the machine to be terribly loud, but it definitely puts out some noise. In my opinion, that is to be expected. Clean-up is easy and quick, and I don’t feel the machine takes up that much space either.
Purchase a few extra fruit trays, clean-a-screen trays etc. when you purchase the machine. You’ll be glad you didn’t wait to do so.
I haven’t tried making jerky, yet, as I eat very little meat nowadays, so I can’t really comment on that.
My only complaint is the machine doesn’t come with a timer installed, but that has rarely been an inconvenience for me. I can always purchase a timer the dehydrator can be plugged in to if I feel the need to do so in the future.
Happy Brosnahan : If it had an off button, would have gotten 5 stars
So much better than my ronco. I love that it actually circulates the air and that it has different temperatures (the low worked wonderful for drying flower petals. They always ended up brown with my ronco). Only thing that is a real hassle is having to unplug every time I'm done using it. I have it set up on a "dresser" in my back room, and needing to reach behind the dresser to unplug is a major pain.
The D Family : Loving It!
This is my first dehydrator. I have been researching dehydrators for a few months and with all the reviews and information I found, this seemed to be a great "starter". I have used it 4 times so far and have dehydrated jerky, mangos, apples, bananas, tomatoes, onions, and applesauce fruit roll-ups. It is efficient and does exactly what it's made for. The jerky tube thingy works very well, but as another poster stated, it leaves a bit in the tip after it's expelled the total of what the plunger can push out. I just use my finger to push the rest of it through.
The things that would be nice, and that I would look for in my next dehydrator, would be a timer to turn it off and I would buy a square one next time, just because trying to arrange the jerky and such on a round surface isn't always easy. At this point I am looking into buying more trays so I can maximize my output.
All in all a great machine, great price and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
The things that would be nice, and that I would look for in my next dehydrator, would be a timer to turn it off and I would buy a square one next time, just because trying to arrange the jerky and such on a round surface isn't always easy. At this point I am looking into buying more trays so I can maximize my output.
All in all a great machine, great price and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
The D Family : Loving It!
This is my first dehydrator. I have been researching dehydrators for a few months and with all the reviews and information I found, this seemed to be a great "starter". I have used it 4 times so far and have dehydrated jerky, mangos, apples, bananas, tomatoes, onions, and applesauce fruit roll-ups. It is efficient and does exactly what it's made for. The jerky tube thingy works very well, but as another poster stated, it leaves a bit in the tip after it's expelled the total of what the plunger can push out. I just use my finger to push the rest of it through.
The things that would be nice, and that I would look for in my next dehydrator, would be a timer to turn it off and I would buy a square one next time, just because trying to arrange the jerky and such on a round surface isn't always easy. At this point I am looking into buying more trays so I can maximize my output.
All in all a great machine, great price and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
The things that would be nice, and that I would look for in my next dehydrator, would be a timer to turn it off and I would buy a square one next time, just because trying to arrange the jerky and such on a round surface isn't always easy. At this point I am looking into buying more trays so I can maximize my output.
All in all a great machine, great price and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
Doug : DOA and made in China
First, it was dead on arrival. It simply would not power on. In looking for a switch or something obvious missed, I noticed the fan could not physically turn due to a misalignment in assembly. I opened the unit up as shown. After reseating the fan, still no go. In testing with a multimeter, the thermostat piece was not functioning. In doing all this, I noticed the made in China stamping on the heater/fan/control top. Well, I'm sorry, you cannot prominently stamp "Made in USA" on your boxes and feature that in your listings while the heart of the unit, the single most important and valuable piece, is made in China. Disingenuous at best, and fraudulent at worst. Do not hide behind the small print "made with global materials" in such an egregious case as this. The "of global components" stamp is, in my mind, for small ancillary pieces in the box.
Mad Jenny Vane : Excellent Way to Make Prep Food for Emergencies!
You will never buy beef jerky in a store ever again! I only use ground turkey when I make jerky, and it's perfect. Only lasts a few days in my house! Warning: it will make your house smell wonderful as long as the dehydrator's on. I have yet to dehydrate vegetables, but it works so well with jerky, that I'm sure it does wonders for everything else. Get the extender pack if you plan to make a lot of any 1 thing, as 1 pound of turkey can take up all five racks depending on which attachment you use (flat, round small or round large).
Seahorse007 : A must-have if you have fruit trees.
I love this machine! Great investment. instead of tossing older mealy apples into the worm box, now I dry them and then the slices last a long time. In the summer I will be drying the apricots and plums from the tree. We can never keep up with all the fruit, even if we make jam. But now we can! I have also dried strawberries, kiwis, pears and apples that were mushy or too ripe. If I have a large stock of ripening fruit, I keep the machine going for days, and I don't worry about cleaning the racks. I just keep loading the up with slices of fruit. I takes about 24 hrs for 1/4 inch slices to reach a dry but chewy consistency.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
I bought the dehydrator b/c I have a persimmon tree that does not quit and we absolutely can't keep up with the hundreds of fruits it produces now. If you know anything about Hachiya persimmons, they have to be completely ripe, to the point of being like jelly, before eating them. If you eat them too soon, the tannins will make your mouth feel weird and unpleasant. But they can be dehydrated before they are ripe and the heat breaks down the tannins. I have dehydrated several hundred partially ripe persimmons since early Nov and almost everyone who visits will nosh on the slices because it is like candy.
I have not tried to make fruit leather or jerky, so cannot speak to the effectiveness of the dehydrator for those tasks. But I have to say the if you have fruit trees of any sort that give bumper crops year after year, this little investment will help you reap the benefits of your harvest without having to give away more than you want or spend hours making jars of jam and pies and whatever else you can think of. The dried fruit has a really long shelf life.
Daquan J. : Came with nothing it advertised
I ordered this item and it didn't come with the jerky nozzle, clean-a-screen, instructions, or recipe guide. The dehydrator was packed in a bag in a box that had already been opened. I literally got an incomplete set and have had no way to contact the manufacturer. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT AT ALL. Spend your money on another brand that you trust - this is not it.
Jax : Shrinkydinks for adults!
Love it! We've been working ours nonstop this past month: jerky, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions, potato soup, tomatoes, herbs, onions, apples, oranges, banana chips, lemon, lime, fruit leather and more. We bought extra trays, tray guards and fruit trays as well. Works incredibly well, we ought this to make our own MREs for camping. We were able to convert 2 cases of cucumbers into chips in 3 days. Best dehydrator I have ever owned!
UPDATE: I really did love this dehydrator...until it melted down, destroying the entire unit, a batch of jerky and my kitchen wall due to the subsequent fire. Buyer beware
UPDATE: I really did love this dehydrator...until it melted down, destroying the entire unit, a batch of jerky and my kitchen wall due to the subsequent fire. Buyer beware
Amazon Customer : Love the American harvest brand!!
I grew up with this brand. My father had gotten the one I had grown up as a wedding gift to my mother and it never fultured. I recently had to throw it away because it was in storage and mice had peed in the bottom heating coil but still it worked. I looked up the American harvest brand and found this one!! I'm in love with the top heat instead of it being on the bottem! It's got quick temp checks for everything you could need right on top and it's so easy to use!! I just hope it lasts as long as our older machine!!! I deffinetly recommend this brand and give it a good 5 stars confidently!! I've already done bannana chips that turned out great!
Shilo : The right choice for me.
Very happy with this unit. Only using it to make beef jerky, though will likely branch out at some point and try drying fruit, etc. Works perfectly. Well-made. Now that I've used it several times, I do agree that a timer would be a nice feature, though as others have pointed out, you can buy an external timer for $10 or so. Jerky is pretty forgiving regarding how long you dry it (I like mine very dry) but for other foods, a timer would help fine-tune how long you dry your stuff. (The option is to set your alarm clock for 2am and get up and unplug it then). Which brings up another feature that I would enjoy having (though again, not a deal breaker). An on/off switch would be nice, since I try to never unplug an appliance when it is on, especially a heat-producing appliance, because sparks jump from the outlet to the plug and can be a safety hazard. All of that being said, I'm glad I bought this item, definitely worth the price and works beautifully. I also bought a separate 2-pack of extra trays, and the batch of jerky I made using all 7 trays came out beautifully. Good product.
4MyMoney : Why only three stars? Read on...
Background: My brother has had one of these for a few years and it works great. I decided to buy one since I have a large garden and didn't want to tie his up all season. I wanted a slightly larger model so I purchased an FD75 from Amazon (also reviewed) When I got it I loaded it up with bananas. They took several days instead of 12 hours. Thinking I might have done something wrong I sliced up some onions and garlic nice and thin. Again, several days... I asked my brother if I could use his to run some performance comparisons between the two. His heated up fast (10-15 minutes) and stayed reasonably well within the thermostat setting. Mine never got up to max temperature and consistently stayed 10-15 degrees cooler than whatever setting I had it on. Fine, a defect. Amazon made it easy to return and sent me a replacement. The replacement FD75 did the same thing, though it was even a little worse. Boxed up and sent back the same day, and Amazon gave me a refund since they didn't want to chance sending a third defective unit.
I ordered the FD61 the day I returned the second FD75 and tested it upon arrival - again using my brother's as a benchmark. His heated up to 155d in about 15 minutes, mine took over an hour and struggled to get past 150d at all. Both FD61s... What changed?
Will this work for what I bought it for? Sure, but not in the way it was designed. I'll need to determine what setting will achieve the desired temperature rather than use the reference settings on the machine. Since it doesn't seem capable of reaching the 155d necessary for making jerky I probably can't use it for that at all. Useable and does do a nice job, but the quality is questionable.
Like my review of the FD75 says: Test it BEFORE you put food in it. (the other review explains how I tested and what the results were)
I ordered the FD61 the day I returned the second FD75 and tested it upon arrival - again using my brother's as a benchmark. His heated up to 155d in about 15 minutes, mine took over an hour and struggled to get past 150d at all. Both FD61s... What changed?
Will this work for what I bought it for? Sure, but not in the way it was designed. I'll need to determine what setting will achieve the desired temperature rather than use the reference settings on the machine. Since it doesn't seem capable of reaching the 155d necessary for making jerky I probably can't use it for that at all. Useable and does do a nice job, but the quality is questionable.
Like my review of the FD75 says: Test it BEFORE you put food in it. (the other review explains how I tested and what the results were)
Honest but true : Motor started smoking on very first use ruining all my fruit.
Would definitely give zero stars if possible. When I got the box it looked like it had already been used and returned but I wasn’t sure so tried it anyway. I prepped about $10 worth of fruit, loaded it up, and when I turned it on and it started smoking really bad and ruined all my fruit. The fan never turned on and I could never get a hold of their customer service. At least Amazon is returning it.
GD : Do not buy cheap and doesn’t work
This does not work do not buy I purchased 2 months ago in May 2020 I just opened it on yesterday September 11, 2020 and it does not work.., It Seems like it wants to catch on fire and the air that came out of the top smells burnt... it’s a cheap and flimsy product Do not buy
Just me : Lots of Fun!!!
I have wanted a dehydrator for years! Finally, I purchased this one. The worst thing I can say is that it takes up a good amount of space in my tini tiny NYC apt. Everything else is great!
I don't like the idea of using a "cure" to make jerky, and am afraid to just use raw (yep, I'm a bit of a dehydrator meat coward). But I have had some various successes when using previously cooked meats (cooked just to the 'safe' temp in the oven and then dried out in my Nesco American Harvest FD-61WHC Snackmaster). It's all trial and error, and totally a matter of personal taste. It really is fun to experiment.
It you purchase one... try dehydrating watermelon! (it's like candy!). I can't make enough of the dried veggies (kale chips are so good!).
My favorite thing so far (and I'm really surprised that this is my fav) is dried cabbage leaves. Yes! really!!! it's crazy! Wash the cabbage leaves, pat dry, toss with a little oil and seasoning, set in the trays and let the machine do the magic. I can't make this stuff fast enough. Talk about guilt free snack time!
Clean up is really easy, just follow the instructions and it's a snap. After use, I fill my kitchen sink up with soapy water to soak the trays overnight. In the morning just give em a good sponge down and a rinse, then you're ready to go again.
I love this machine! I wish it were smaller for my space, and yet I wish it were bigger so I could make even more cabbage chips at one time.
I don't like the idea of using a "cure" to make jerky, and am afraid to just use raw (yep, I'm a bit of a dehydrator meat coward). But I have had some various successes when using previously cooked meats (cooked just to the 'safe' temp in the oven and then dried out in my Nesco American Harvest FD-61WHC Snackmaster). It's all trial and error, and totally a matter of personal taste. It really is fun to experiment.
It you purchase one... try dehydrating watermelon! (it's like candy!). I can't make enough of the dried veggies (kale chips are so good!).
My favorite thing so far (and I'm really surprised that this is my fav) is dried cabbage leaves. Yes! really!!! it's crazy! Wash the cabbage leaves, pat dry, toss with a little oil and seasoning, set in the trays and let the machine do the magic. I can't make this stuff fast enough. Talk about guilt free snack time!
Clean up is really easy, just follow the instructions and it's a snap. After use, I fill my kitchen sink up with soapy water to soak the trays overnight. In the morning just give em a good sponge down and a rinse, then you're ready to go again.
I love this machine! I wish it were smaller for my space, and yet I wish it were bigger so I could make even more cabbage chips at one time.
Amazon Customer : Great Starter Product
First time user of a dehydrator. Great product. It can hold 3 Lbs of ground beef at a time. Have made Dehydrated vegetables and fruit. Great healthy snacks for the family. The Gun provided is really small, have to reload it several times. I invested in a better quality and a bigger capacity, It is worth it. This product has saved us a lot of money. I think it has paid for itself in savings in just 5 months. example of savings 3 Lbs of ground beef will make a pound of Jerky. Beef Cost $15.00. A pound of beef jerky cost approximately $29.00. I saved $14.00. It is also healthier because I do not use any chemicals to preserve it.
Amazon Customer : Great Starter Product
First time user of a dehydrator. Great product. It can hold 3 Lbs of ground beef at a time. Have made Dehydrated vegetables and fruit. Great healthy snacks for the family. The Gun provided is really small, have to reload it several times. I invested in a better quality and a bigger capacity, It is worth it. This product has saved us a lot of money. I think it has paid for itself in savings in just 5 months. example of savings 3 Lbs of ground beef will make a pound of Jerky. Beef Cost $15.00. A pound of beef jerky cost approximately $29.00. I saved $14.00. It is also healthier because I do not use any chemicals to preserve it.
Reyhan Westbrook : Works for a few years then fails; hopefully it won't burn your house down.
This product worked fine for 4.5 years then it overheated and melted the trays and would not work again. I remember growing up with the same toaster for 25+ years. I've had my 'Air Crazy' popcorn popper for 10+ years. This has a pretty short lifespan for something with such a simple job. The fact that it overheated is alarming because it's a fire risk. Ultimately this is a cheaply made product with planned obsolescence woven into the design. They use internal rivets and other engineering that was not designed to be serviced, so with no safe repair options, Nesco is shamelessly selling hunks of plastic trash to quickly end up in the landfill.
MsGrib01 : LOVE this Dehydrator!
This dehydrator is amazing! It was quiet and with two additional trays it made 5 lbs of meat into jerky in less than 8 hours. My parent's old dehydrator took over 12. We knew it was time to replace it, and I am so glad we chose this one. The jerky gun and seasonings made the jerky making process a breeze!! We will definitely be making it again. We haven't done any fruits or veggies yet, but that is next on the to do list. This was an excellent buy for the price! I would purchase this again and have recommended it to my friends and family.
lsutigeralumna : Great Starter Dehydrator
Don’t get me wrong, I want to get an Excalibur, but it’s not quite in my budget yet. Because of this, I researched for quite some time for a dehydrator I could use to support my journey into raw foods.
Since purchasing this dehydrator, I’ve used it to make kale chips, “sundried” tomatoes and other dried fruit/veggies. I’m QUITE pleased with the results thus far. I don’t find the machine to be terribly loud, but it definitely puts out some noise. In my opinion, that is to be expected. Clean-up is easy and quick, and I don’t feel the machine takes up that much space either.
Purchase a few extra fruit trays, clean-a-screen trays etc. when you purchase the machine. You’ll be glad you didn’t wait to do so.
I haven’t tried making jerky, yet, as I eat very little meat nowadays, so I can’t really comment on that.
My only complaint is the machine doesn’t come with a timer installed, but that has rarely been an inconvenience for me. I can always purchase a timer the dehydrator can be plugged in to if I feel the need to do so in the future.
Since purchasing this dehydrator, I’ve used it to make kale chips, “sundried” tomatoes and other dried fruit/veggies. I’m QUITE pleased with the results thus far. I don’t find the machine to be terribly loud, but it definitely puts out some noise. In my opinion, that is to be expected. Clean-up is easy and quick, and I don’t feel the machine takes up that much space either.
Purchase a few extra fruit trays, clean-a-screen trays etc. when you purchase the machine. You’ll be glad you didn’t wait to do so.
I haven’t tried making jerky, yet, as I eat very little meat nowadays, so I can’t really comment on that.
My only complaint is the machine doesn’t come with a timer installed, but that has rarely been an inconvenience for me. I can always purchase a timer the dehydrator can be plugged in to if I feel the need to do so in the future.
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