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
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.
Michelle : Great price, Great Dehydrator
I have never used a dehydrator before, but grew up watching my mother use hers and hearing my sister rave about hers. So I was on a mission to find a good one that was easy to use for first time users. I looked at many dehydrators and reviews and settled on this one. When I opened the box and began to wonder what to do it became intimidating, but I was determined to figure it out and start using it.
I am very excited to report that the manual was a breeze to understand and I had the dehydrator together and was ready to use it. I went out and bought a bag of oranges, since that was my favorite from my sisters dehydrator and cut them as thin as I could manage and placed them on the racks like the manual said to do. I then set the temperature and plugged it in to start it. It was not exactly quiet, but it was not overly loud either. It was just a mid sounding hum. I check on them after about 3 hours just to see where they were in the drying process and they still looked like they had quite a while to go. I ended up having to run it for about 10 hours to get them to the proper dehydration for storing. But it said it could take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on the humidity level in your house. I was very pleased with the end results. I did find a couple of slices that I had not managed to get quite thin enough and were still just a little chewy but only a few, so I just put those few back in and finished them up separately. I didn't have to store them long because my family wouldn't stop eating them. I'm just glad I got a few.
The next thing I attempted was jerky. First off let me tell you that the seasoning that comes with it is very good. My kids and husband were very impressed with its flavor. Of course, tastes are a matter of personal opinion, so you will have to decide for yourself. But here is a tip, the spice is very strong for the salt. The first batch I made I did with a very lean roast. I followed the directions to the letter and the jerky was delicious, but a little heavy on the salty side. I like salty jerky, but this was even a little to much for a salt aholic like myself. So I made another batch with burger that was 98% lean. But this time I used only 3/4 of the package of seasoning and followed the rest of the directions to the letter again using the tool for making flat strips. My husband and I loved the second batch, but my kids preferred the first batch made with the roast. So it just goes to show how different palettes prefer different flavors and consistancy. Also, I am not a experienced dehydrator user and recipe maker, so I don't know if it is actually ok to use only 3/4 of the package for 1 pound of meat, but I did and we ate it all and we did not get sick. We ate it up within about 4 days though. Now as far as the attachment goes, it worked perfectly. I did have a little meat left in the bottom, but I simply took the press apart and (after washing my hands) molded the remaining meat into a strip and placed it in the dehydrator. I guess if you are the type of person that doesn't like to get your hands dirty or touch meat, that might not appeal to you, but I am fine doing it that way and I didn't lose any meat. I was very pleased with just how fast it drys the meat. After only 4 1/2 hours per each of my batches, one batch being the roast and the second being my ground beef, they were both done and dried completely. I had checked on both of them after 2 hours and dabbed off the excess oil like it says to, but there just wasn't much oil in the first place. Then after checking again 2 hours later they actually looked done at that point, but I left them for another 1/2 hour anyway.
Over all it has been working great and has performed extremely well. I have had it for 4 months now and use it almost every week for so many different foods from drying herbs, fruit, vegies and meat. I would recommend this dehydrator for anyone starting out or even for those who have lots of experience drying food. As long as you follow the manual and all its tips and advice and recipes for drying times, you can't go wrong.
I am very excited to report that the manual was a breeze to understand and I had the dehydrator together and was ready to use it. I went out and bought a bag of oranges, since that was my favorite from my sisters dehydrator and cut them as thin as I could manage and placed them on the racks like the manual said to do. I then set the temperature and plugged it in to start it. It was not exactly quiet, but it was not overly loud either. It was just a mid sounding hum. I check on them after about 3 hours just to see where they were in the drying process and they still looked like they had quite a while to go. I ended up having to run it for about 10 hours to get them to the proper dehydration for storing. But it said it could take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on the humidity level in your house. I was very pleased with the end results. I did find a couple of slices that I had not managed to get quite thin enough and were still just a little chewy but only a few, so I just put those few back in and finished them up separately. I didn't have to store them long because my family wouldn't stop eating them. I'm just glad I got a few.
The next thing I attempted was jerky. First off let me tell you that the seasoning that comes with it is very good. My kids and husband were very impressed with its flavor. Of course, tastes are a matter of personal opinion, so you will have to decide for yourself. But here is a tip, the spice is very strong for the salt. The first batch I made I did with a very lean roast. I followed the directions to the letter and the jerky was delicious, but a little heavy on the salty side. I like salty jerky, but this was even a little to much for a salt aholic like myself. So I made another batch with burger that was 98% lean. But this time I used only 3/4 of the package of seasoning and followed the rest of the directions to the letter again using the tool for making flat strips. My husband and I loved the second batch, but my kids preferred the first batch made with the roast. So it just goes to show how different palettes prefer different flavors and consistancy. Also, I am not a experienced dehydrator user and recipe maker, so I don't know if it is actually ok to use only 3/4 of the package for 1 pound of meat, but I did and we ate it all and we did not get sick. We ate it up within about 4 days though. Now as far as the attachment goes, it worked perfectly. I did have a little meat left in the bottom, but I simply took the press apart and (after washing my hands) molded the remaining meat into a strip and placed it in the dehydrator. I guess if you are the type of person that doesn't like to get your hands dirty or touch meat, that might not appeal to you, but I am fine doing it that way and I didn't lose any meat. I was very pleased with just how fast it drys the meat. After only 4 1/2 hours per each of my batches, one batch being the roast and the second being my ground beef, they were both done and dried completely. I had checked on both of them after 2 hours and dabbed off the excess oil like it says to, but there just wasn't much oil in the first place. Then after checking again 2 hours later they actually looked done at that point, but I left them for another 1/2 hour anyway.
Over all it has been working great and has performed extremely well. I have had it for 4 months now and use it almost every week for so many different foods from drying herbs, fruit, vegies and meat. I would recommend this dehydrator for anyone starting out or even for those who have lots of experience drying food. As long as you follow the manual and all its tips and advice and recipes for drying times, you can't go wrong.
Shari in TN : Very satisfied
I'm very happy with the FD-61WHC Snackmaster. I have used it extensively since I got it for a wide variety of foods. I haven't done any jerky yet because I don't really eat meat so it's not a top priority. I have done herbs, veggies, and fruits, and they have all been excellent. Times are usually faster than the book suggests. I was worried about the heat it puts off since I live in a hot area, but it hasn't been a problem. It's the perfect size for me and a good value for the money, especially with the accessories. I belong to a Yahoo group on preserving that has given me tons of ideas for using my new toy.
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.
Erica : Awesome Dehydrator at an Awesome Price
I bought this dehydrator as a gift for my husband, primarily for making jerky- and I've found myself using it more often than him! I admit that we have no used the jerky gun, or the seasonings that came with it.
Just the dehydrator and the plastic mats. I've made dried fruits, dried herbs, jerky and have even dried flowers with it. Everything has turned out wonderful, and the instruction booklet is incredibly helpful if you're a beginner. I have found that more often than not we only use 3-4 of the available trays. The capacity of this dehydrator is impressive.
5/5, great purchase. Bought it two years ago and would buy it again.
Just the dehydrator and the plastic mats. I've made dried fruits, dried herbs, jerky and have even dried flowers with it. Everything has turned out wonderful, and the instruction booklet is incredibly helpful if you're a beginner. I have found that more often than not we only use 3-4 of the available trays. The capacity of this dehydrator is impressive.
5/5, great purchase. Bought it two years ago and would buy it again.
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.
SweetiePieMarie : So many more food options
I bought this dehydrator because I wanted to make healthy food choices for my family. I make spinach chips (so yummy), jerky and fruit rolls in giant batches. This dehydrator works very well and the jerky kit included is very helpful (although we don't use the spices). I bought more trays and fruit roll sheets to expand my dehydrator. My only complaint would be the fact that this doesn't have a timer. Do yourself a favor and order a plugin timer with this dehydrator - it will save you sleep and time so that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to turn the dehydrator off.
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.
Lillian T. : Sturdy, great product
Was very pleased with this dehydrator. The construction is great, all trays and pieces are made of a very sturdy plastic. Very happy with the ability to adjust temperatures to a fine degree. The unit can get very warm to the touch, but I haven't yet had a problem with burns or anything of the sort. I wouldn't call the machine whisper-quiet, per se, but it is much quieter than other dehydrators. The jerky gun is kind of cool, I haven't yet had a need for it, but I may try making soy jerky with it someday.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
Kindle Customer : what fun!
I have been having such fun with my dehydrator! So far: onions & peppers (frozen from a bag); celery; sliced mushrooms; red and yellow peppers (raw); collard greens (yummy! I'm so surprised!); apples (granddaughter LOVES them); strawberries; pear; bananas. I did two trays of pinto bean stew. I have beef jerky prepping. Everything has been delicious. And it's so easy to drop a handful of dried veggies into my rice or pasta. Love this thing. As for "noise", you can hear the fan but it's white noise that blends into the background (for me anyway). Get one, you'll enjoy it.
Ted : OMG Raisins take a long time!
I love this machine. It has been running non-stop for two weeks now. Just about everything takes a shorter time than they say except raisins... and bananas (they take about 12 hours). Raisins, whole and un-blanched, take about 48 hours. They are the biggest, sweetest raisins I ever tasted. (I mean huge!) They took so long I decided to take them outside in the sun. When the bees started showing up, I put them back. This thing will be even better in the winter. It pumps out a lot of heat. Tomatoes are awesome! I get my stuff from the back of the fruit and veggie isle where the old stuff is packaged up for a quick cheap sale. It was costing me a fortune before that. Beef is still expensive. I had a hard time cleaning the trays until I got a boat bristle brush. No issues now. I cut the jerky mix in half and added a bit of salt, sugar and red peppers. That way I got two times as much for my money. My only complaint is with other members of my household yelling at me for shrinking all the food in the house.
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.
Lisa : Received the Nesco dehydrator pretty fast. I have used it and it seems ...
Received the Nesco dehydrator pretty fast. I have used it and it seems to do a good job. Like all dehydrators it's dependent upon the a lot of conditions on how fast your item of choice drys. I sliced potatoes 1/8" thick and they dried well and did not turn grey or black. I chose bananas and sliced then from 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. They were a little ripe and did not dehydrate as well. They tasted really good though and can't say they went bad because they were eaten fast. My husband has only two concerns... that is it takes so long to dehydrate and how much is our electric bill going to raise. He doesn't seem to think this is going to be cost effective over already dehydrated backpacking food. I guess we both will have to see since I just started using it.
someonewhoshops : Best on the market for price point
I had an earlier version of this dehydrator years ago and loved it. Finally, it stopped working. I bought another brand to replace it but it didn't seem to work as fast or as quietly. So I sold that one and went back to this brand. Although it doesn't have impressive bells and whistles which may be temping in other brands, it works very well through it's simplicity. The spice pack I received contains only hot spice packs, so buyer be aware...I would have like to have had a variety. But the spices are delicious. Now that it's summer, I fill my dehydrator with whatever I choose, stick it in the garage and let it go all day. No added heat to my kitchen. Easy Peasy!
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.
Frogflier : Great Product!
This was a Christmas purchase for my family of four sons that love beef jerky and dried fruit snacks. It came well packaged and with instructions that were fairly well written. Here are our observations:
- Good capacity that is scaleable to the amount of food you are dehydrating. The trays all stack so you can leave out ones you aren't using.
- Fairly easy clean up - the trays are fairly non-stick. However, I imagine the mesh can get some messier foods stuck in-between to make cleaning more time-consuming.
- Easy to use temperature control.
- Accessories like jerky gun seem to work well, but we'll see how long the plastic tool lasts.
- Unit's fan is a bit noisy and will produce a fair amount of heat (like a blow-dryer on low). Not a real issue in the winter, but may add unwanted heat to your home in the summer.
- As indicated in the manual, food drying time depends on factors such as the thickness, moisture content, surface area, etc. The best way to determine drying time is to experiment and keep a log of how long certain foods take so you don't have to keep checking in the future.
Overall, we're very happy with this appliance. It definitely but a dent in our jerky expenses!
- Good capacity that is scaleable to the amount of food you are dehydrating. The trays all stack so you can leave out ones you aren't using.
- Fairly easy clean up - the trays are fairly non-stick. However, I imagine the mesh can get some messier foods stuck in-between to make cleaning more time-consuming.
- Easy to use temperature control.
- Accessories like jerky gun seem to work well, but we'll see how long the plastic tool lasts.
- Unit's fan is a bit noisy and will produce a fair amount of heat (like a blow-dryer on low). Not a real issue in the winter, but may add unwanted heat to your home in the summer.
- As indicated in the manual, food drying time depends on factors such as the thickness, moisture content, surface area, etc. The best way to determine drying time is to experiment and keep a log of how long certain foods take so you don't have to keep checking in the future.
Overall, we're very happy with this appliance. It definitely but a dent in our jerky expenses!
lyndad : Your life is not complete if you don't have one.
Like it better than my old dehydrator because the heat comes down instead of up so it is easy to clean. It has a lot of settings so I can dry a lot of different things. Shipped fast and arrived in one piece. I made my dog yam treats so it paid for itself already because yam treat are expensive at the pet store. Plus dehydrated fruit too. Next Jerky. Cut my Jerky bill way down I shall. Dry flowers who does not like them? Get one now, don;t hesitate.
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.
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).
DJsGrl : I'm so happy with this dehydrator and it's a great deal!
I have to admit, this was a bit of an impulse purchase because I suddenly decided that making my own dried fruit and beef jerky was a great idea. After reading tons of reviews for different dehydrators, I went with this one because you got so many accessories included in the great price! So far, we've made dried apples with cinnamon, dried bananas and beef jerky. I made the jerky using ground beef and one of the seasoning packets included. Everything has been great! My family has loved everything I've made and I love the ease of using the dehydrator. Everything is easy to clean, easy to set up, easy to do. Making ground beef jerky is especially easy! The jerky gun works great and my jerky was done in about 4 hours. I'm very pleased with this purchase!
Lisa : Received the Nesco dehydrator pretty fast. I have used it and it seems ...
Received the Nesco dehydrator pretty fast. I have used it and it seems to do a good job. Like all dehydrators it's dependent upon the a lot of conditions on how fast your item of choice drys. I sliced potatoes 1/8" thick and they dried well and did not turn grey or black. I chose bananas and sliced then from 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. They were a little ripe and did not dehydrate as well. They tasted really good though and can't say they went bad because they were eaten fast. My husband has only two concerns... that is it takes so long to dehydrate and how much is our electric bill going to raise. He doesn't seem to think this is going to be cost effective over already dehydrated backpacking food. I guess we both will have to see since I just started using it.
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.
Annette : Try it out!
I have used it a few times since I bought it --and let me just say--it does the job! I haven't made the beef jerky as of yet. However, my son made banana chips, and they came out so good. If you want your banana chips crunchy -slice them thinly. If you want them a little crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, cut them about an inch thick....I also dehydrated some apples, and they came out good as well. I will go ahead and try to make the beef jerky this coming weekend, and experiment with other fruits and vegetables.
The only thing is --there is no power button. You have to disconnect when you are done, and plug it in when you want to use it. But other than that, no complains.
The only thing is --there is no power button. You have to disconnect when you are done, and plug it in when you want to use it. But other than that, no complains.
David : It would still take a while for those savings to pay for the unit but at least you can enjoy your own marinades and rubs in the
Made tons of jerky, dries quarter inch slices in 4, sometimes 5 hours (3lb undried spread over 2 trays). The spice and cure packs are very salty, you can probably use half what they say though it might shorten jerky storage life. Usually not a problem since it's gone in less than a week. I used lean roast from butcher at $5/lb and this still comes out way cheaper than buying jerky in store. It would still take a while for those savings to pay for the unit but at least you can enjoy your own marinades and rubs in the meantime.
Also did some dried strawberries, blueberries, and bananas, filing all trays at once; did the deed in 17 hours which seems long, but not really considering it was jammed full of high water content food.
Also did some dried strawberries, blueberries, and bananas, filing all trays at once; did the deed in 17 hours which seems long, but not really considering it was jammed full of high water content food.
RandomSybil : It has been very easy to make healthy all natural dog treats instead of ...
This dehydrator stays out of the box and ready for use in our house. With a 13 year old chocolate lab and a neighborhood full of dog friends, we use this dehydrator for making lots of dog treats. We buy the bogo bags of chicken tenderloins and make jerky for the pups and lots of other flavor varieties of jerky using the extruder. It has been very easy to make healthy all natural dog treats instead of buying mystery ingredient products for our dog and his friends. I have recommended this product to friends and neighbors.
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.
Jackie : Tasty Jerky and Banana Chips
The Snackmaster is a fairly standard dehydrator.
Pros:
* It comes with 5 trays which is nice because I only use two or three at a time, and swap them out between uses so I always have a clean set ready to go.
* It has a heat setting on top so you can set more sensitive items at a lower temperature, however I usually dry things with the top two settings
* I'm drying a lot of veggies so I can make vegetable soup this winter.
* Dried Onions and Garlic are great to use for cooking later.
* The Jerky gun is nice, however it is messy. Make sure you don't overdry your jerky, or you'll literally cut your gums up eating it.
* Banana chips are easy to make- put them on the mesh insert, and half way through, flip the mesh on the tray and they'll dry and peel right off.
* The Jerky mix that comes with it is fairly tasty.
Cons:
* I hate cleaning it. Hate Hate Hate. If you use the platters, and you spill your fruit paste, it'll take forever to clean it off once it dries.
* the base has grooves- if you get drips in those grooves and it gets down to the inside of the feet, you'll never get it out.
* It is dishwasher safe, but the trays don't fit in my dishwasher very well.
* There's no off button, which means you're constantly plugging and unplugging it.
To be honest, you probably won't find a better dehydrator- it gets the job done as well as can be expected. Other than the cleaning grief, it's very nice.
Pros:
* It comes with 5 trays which is nice because I only use two or three at a time, and swap them out between uses so I always have a clean set ready to go.
* It has a heat setting on top so you can set more sensitive items at a lower temperature, however I usually dry things with the top two settings
* I'm drying a lot of veggies so I can make vegetable soup this winter.
* Dried Onions and Garlic are great to use for cooking later.
* The Jerky gun is nice, however it is messy. Make sure you don't overdry your jerky, or you'll literally cut your gums up eating it.
* Banana chips are easy to make- put them on the mesh insert, and half way through, flip the mesh on the tray and they'll dry and peel right off.
* The Jerky mix that comes with it is fairly tasty.
Cons:
* I hate cleaning it. Hate Hate Hate. If you use the platters, and you spill your fruit paste, it'll take forever to clean it off once it dries.
* the base has grooves- if you get drips in those grooves and it gets down to the inside of the feet, you'll never get it out.
* It is dishwasher safe, but the trays don't fit in my dishwasher very well.
* There's no off button, which means you're constantly plugging and unplugging it.
To be honest, you probably won't find a better dehydrator- it gets the job done as well as can be expected. Other than the cleaning grief, it's very nice.
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.
J. Earl : Excellent dehydrator
Wanted a dehydrator like my parents, this one was even better. Sure, fruit leather takes at least 12 hours but that's because we're in humid Seattle area weather, the fruit leather still comes out perfect! Buying fruit and using this dehydrator is waaaaay less expensive than buying prepacked dried fruits, it just takes time. I set my unit up at night so it's all done in the morning! I haven't tried the jerky gun yet, excited to though!
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.
BarbaraS34 : So glad we bought this one!
We really didn't know anything about a dehydrator or the brand to buy that was best for our needs. This one was perfect! We were afraid it would be another appliance that made its way to the basement for storage. But because it is so easy to use and big enough to make a nice quantity of whatever it is you want to make, we found we use it a lot! Our favorite thing to make is jerky. It came with the neatest dispenser that is so easy to clean, it makes making jerky a pleasure. The grandson's love jerky, too. And it is expensive in the stores, so we feel we got a great deal! Thank you Amazon!! You're the best!
Lillian T. : Sturdy, great product
Was very pleased with this dehydrator. The construction is great, all trays and pieces are made of a very sturdy plastic. Very happy with the ability to adjust temperatures to a fine degree. The unit can get very warm to the touch, but I haven't yet had a problem with burns or anything of the sort. I wouldn't call the machine whisper-quiet, per se, but it is much quieter than other dehydrators. The jerky gun is kind of cool, I haven't yet had a need for it, but I may try making soy jerky with it someday.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
Muriel A. : Great Dehydrator
I have ordered three others of these, they are my favorite dehydrators.. I got rid of all the other brand name ones I had and only use these nesco ones, they are fast without over heating the fruits, vegetables or other foods I put in them. We grow big gardens and I love to dehydrate a lot of it so we have it during times when we aren't growing any. These are perfect. :)
Plant Lady : A perfect way to preserve herbs
Owning this dehydrator is like making a slower, less exciting (but certainly more fruitful) episode of “Will It Blend?” You will root through your produce wondering to yourself “Can I dehydrate this?” The answer is yes. The answer is always yes. Even if your whole reason for buying this is to decrease the amount produce in your kitchen by dehydrating your garden harvest, you’ll soon find yourself at the store buying even more things to dehydrate.
From my own garden, I dehydrated: chili peppers, tomatoes (Roma, beefsteak, and cherry), herbs (mint, basil, oregano, sage), squash (yellow and zucchini), and beans. I also bought apples, sweet potatoes, and eggplant to slice and dehydrate.
Some tips:
1. You may benefit from a mandolin slicer. Test your slicing thickness on only a few pieces first, though. I sliced zucchini as thin as I could, but the dehydrating process essentially disintegrated them. I tried again with a thicker slice and was rewarded with beautiful zucchini chips.
2. Dehydrate herbs and veggies on a lower temp than is recommended. This isn’t necessary at all, but lower temps mean brighter colors. I included a photo of some chili pepper flakes. The brighter red ones on the left were dehydrated at 95 deg F, and the darker ones on the right were dehydrated at the suggested 135 deg F. They taste the same, but the ones dried on the lower temp are more colorful. The trade-off is that it takes substantially longer to dry things at lower temps. One way around this is to dehydrate at the higher temp for a few hours and then lower it.
3. Keep things spaced out. Airflow is key. All the trays have a gap in the center that lines up with the fan, but leaving some gaps does help speed up the drying process.
4. For herbs with many small leaves on each large stem (like oregano), remove the leaves after they’re dry. It’s much easier to just run your finger down the stem and push the leaves off into a container than it is to remove them from the stem, put them on the trays, and move them to a container one by one.
From my own garden, I dehydrated: chili peppers, tomatoes (Roma, beefsteak, and cherry), herbs (mint, basil, oregano, sage), squash (yellow and zucchini), and beans. I also bought apples, sweet potatoes, and eggplant to slice and dehydrate.
Some tips:
1. You may benefit from a mandolin slicer. Test your slicing thickness on only a few pieces first, though. I sliced zucchini as thin as I could, but the dehydrating process essentially disintegrated them. I tried again with a thicker slice and was rewarded with beautiful zucchini chips.
2. Dehydrate herbs and veggies on a lower temp than is recommended. This isn’t necessary at all, but lower temps mean brighter colors. I included a photo of some chili pepper flakes. The brighter red ones on the left were dehydrated at 95 deg F, and the darker ones on the right were dehydrated at the suggested 135 deg F. They taste the same, but the ones dried on the lower temp are more colorful. The trade-off is that it takes substantially longer to dry things at lower temps. One way around this is to dehydrate at the higher temp for a few hours and then lower it.
3. Keep things spaced out. Airflow is key. All the trays have a gap in the center that lines up with the fan, but leaving some gaps does help speed up the drying process.
4. For herbs with many small leaves on each large stem (like oregano), remove the leaves after they’re dry. It’s much easier to just run your finger down the stem and push the leaves off into a container than it is to remove them from the stem, put them on the trays, and move them to a container one by one.
RandomSybil : It has been very easy to make healthy all natural dog treats instead of ...
This dehydrator stays out of the box and ready for use in our house. With a 13 year old chocolate lab and a neighborhood full of dog friends, we use this dehydrator for making lots of dog treats. We buy the bogo bags of chicken tenderloins and make jerky for the pups and lots of other flavor varieties of jerky using the extruder. It has been very easy to make healthy all natural dog treats instead of buying mystery ingredient products for our dog and his friends. I have recommended this product to friends and neighbors.
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.
isaytomatoyousaytomahto : Love this!
Been researching dehydrators to make jerky and healthy dog treats, this Nesco was the best rated without spending a fortune.
I have had it for over a month and love it. It takes some time to figure drying times, as with any dehydrator but it does what it is supposed to very well.
PROS:
Faster than the bottom element dehydrators because of the top heating fan.
Comes with jerky gun and atrachments to form ground meat jerky sticks (flat or round).
Comes with 2 easy clean and two fruit roll tray linings.
Not as noisy as most.
Didnt burn or brown my countertops from the heat.
Comes with 5 trays.
Does an excellent drying job for the money and even if I had paid more.
Recipes included are basic but a good introduction if this is new to you.
Temperature settings.
CONS:
No off switch. (That is why I gave it 4/5 stars)
No internal thermometer to check actual tray temps.
All in all, very worth while. Does the job well. Would recommend.
I have had it for over a month and love it. It takes some time to figure drying times, as with any dehydrator but it does what it is supposed to very well.
PROS:
Faster than the bottom element dehydrators because of the top heating fan.
Comes with jerky gun and atrachments to form ground meat jerky sticks (flat or round).
Comes with 2 easy clean and two fruit roll tray linings.
Not as noisy as most.
Didnt burn or brown my countertops from the heat.
Comes with 5 trays.
Does an excellent drying job for the money and even if I had paid more.
Recipes included are basic but a good introduction if this is new to you.
Temperature settings.
CONS:
No off switch. (That is why I gave it 4/5 stars)
No internal thermometer to check actual tray temps.
All in all, very worth while. Does the job well. Would recommend.
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.
Michelle : Great price, Great Dehydrator
I have never used a dehydrator before, but grew up watching my mother use hers and hearing my sister rave about hers. So I was on a mission to find a good one that was easy to use for first time users. I looked at many dehydrators and reviews and settled on this one. When I opened the box and began to wonder what to do it became intimidating, but I was determined to figure it out and start using it.
I am very excited to report that the manual was a breeze to understand and I had the dehydrator together and was ready to use it. I went out and bought a bag of oranges, since that was my favorite from my sisters dehydrator and cut them as thin as I could manage and placed them on the racks like the manual said to do. I then set the temperature and plugged it in to start it. It was not exactly quiet, but it was not overly loud either. It was just a mid sounding hum. I check on them after about 3 hours just to see where they were in the drying process and they still looked like they had quite a while to go. I ended up having to run it for about 10 hours to get them to the proper dehydration for storing. But it said it could take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on the humidity level in your house. I was very pleased with the end results. I did find a couple of slices that I had not managed to get quite thin enough and were still just a little chewy but only a few, so I just put those few back in and finished them up separately. I didn't have to store them long because my family wouldn't stop eating them. I'm just glad I got a few.
The next thing I attempted was jerky. First off let me tell you that the seasoning that comes with it is very good. My kids and husband were very impressed with its flavor. Of course, tastes are a matter of personal opinion, so you will have to decide for yourself. But here is a tip, the spice is very strong for the salt. The first batch I made I did with a very lean roast. I followed the directions to the letter and the jerky was delicious, but a little heavy on the salty side. I like salty jerky, but this was even a little to much for a salt aholic like myself. So I made another batch with burger that was 98% lean. But this time I used only 3/4 of the package of seasoning and followed the rest of the directions to the letter again using the tool for making flat strips. My husband and I loved the second batch, but my kids preferred the first batch made with the roast. So it just goes to show how different palettes prefer different flavors and consistancy. Also, I am not a experienced dehydrator user and recipe maker, so I don't know if it is actually ok to use only 3/4 of the package for 1 pound of meat, but I did and we ate it all and we did not get sick. We ate it up within about 4 days though. Now as far as the attachment goes, it worked perfectly. I did have a little meat left in the bottom, but I simply took the press apart and (after washing my hands) molded the remaining meat into a strip and placed it in the dehydrator. I guess if you are the type of person that doesn't like to get your hands dirty or touch meat, that might not appeal to you, but I am fine doing it that way and I didn't lose any meat. I was very pleased with just how fast it drys the meat. After only 4 1/2 hours per each of my batches, one batch being the roast and the second being my ground beef, they were both done and dried completely. I had checked on both of them after 2 hours and dabbed off the excess oil like it says to, but there just wasn't much oil in the first place. Then after checking again 2 hours later they actually looked done at that point, but I left them for another 1/2 hour anyway.
Over all it has been working great and has performed extremely well. I have had it for 4 months now and use it almost every week for so many different foods from drying herbs, fruit, vegies and meat. I would recommend this dehydrator for anyone starting out or even for those who have lots of experience drying food. As long as you follow the manual and all its tips and advice and recipes for drying times, you can't go wrong.
I am very excited to report that the manual was a breeze to understand and I had the dehydrator together and was ready to use it. I went out and bought a bag of oranges, since that was my favorite from my sisters dehydrator and cut them as thin as I could manage and placed them on the racks like the manual said to do. I then set the temperature and plugged it in to start it. It was not exactly quiet, but it was not overly loud either. It was just a mid sounding hum. I check on them after about 3 hours just to see where they were in the drying process and they still looked like they had quite a while to go. I ended up having to run it for about 10 hours to get them to the proper dehydration for storing. But it said it could take anywhere from 8 to 12 hours depending on the humidity level in your house. I was very pleased with the end results. I did find a couple of slices that I had not managed to get quite thin enough and were still just a little chewy but only a few, so I just put those few back in and finished them up separately. I didn't have to store them long because my family wouldn't stop eating them. I'm just glad I got a few.
The next thing I attempted was jerky. First off let me tell you that the seasoning that comes with it is very good. My kids and husband were very impressed with its flavor. Of course, tastes are a matter of personal opinion, so you will have to decide for yourself. But here is a tip, the spice is very strong for the salt. The first batch I made I did with a very lean roast. I followed the directions to the letter and the jerky was delicious, but a little heavy on the salty side. I like salty jerky, but this was even a little to much for a salt aholic like myself. So I made another batch with burger that was 98% lean. But this time I used only 3/4 of the package of seasoning and followed the rest of the directions to the letter again using the tool for making flat strips. My husband and I loved the second batch, but my kids preferred the first batch made with the roast. So it just goes to show how different palettes prefer different flavors and consistancy. Also, I am not a experienced dehydrator user and recipe maker, so I don't know if it is actually ok to use only 3/4 of the package for 1 pound of meat, but I did and we ate it all and we did not get sick. We ate it up within about 4 days though. Now as far as the attachment goes, it worked perfectly. I did have a little meat left in the bottom, but I simply took the press apart and (after washing my hands) molded the remaining meat into a strip and placed it in the dehydrator. I guess if you are the type of person that doesn't like to get your hands dirty or touch meat, that might not appeal to you, but I am fine doing it that way and I didn't lose any meat. I was very pleased with just how fast it drys the meat. After only 4 1/2 hours per each of my batches, one batch being the roast and the second being my ground beef, they were both done and dried completely. I had checked on both of them after 2 hours and dabbed off the excess oil like it says to, but there just wasn't much oil in the first place. Then after checking again 2 hours later they actually looked done at that point, but I left them for another 1/2 hour anyway.
Over all it has been working great and has performed extremely well. I have had it for 4 months now and use it almost every week for so many different foods from drying herbs, fruit, vegies and meat. I would recommend this dehydrator for anyone starting out or even for those who have lots of experience drying food. As long as you follow the manual and all its tips and advice and recipes for drying times, you can't go wrong.
lyndad : Your life is not complete if you don't have one.
Like it better than my old dehydrator because the heat comes down instead of up so it is easy to clean. It has a lot of settings so I can dry a lot of different things. Shipped fast and arrived in one piece. I made my dog yam treats so it paid for itself already because yam treat are expensive at the pet store. Plus dehydrated fruit too. Next Jerky. Cut my Jerky bill way down I shall. Dry flowers who does not like them? Get one now, don;t hesitate.
BarbaraS34 : So glad we bought this one!
We really didn't know anything about a dehydrator or the brand to buy that was best for our needs. This one was perfect! We were afraid it would be another appliance that made its way to the basement for storage. But because it is so easy to use and big enough to make a nice quantity of whatever it is you want to make, we found we use it a lot! Our favorite thing to make is jerky. It came with the neatest dispenser that is so easy to clean, it makes making jerky a pleasure. The grandson's love jerky, too. And it is expensive in the stores, so we feel we got a great deal! Thank you Amazon!! You're the best!
danno101 : Good value
Nothing spectacular here. It does in fact dehydrate foods and does it fairly well. The instructions leave a bit to be desired though. The parts of the unit are not identified and their use is not clearly defined anywhere. Only thru reading the recipes does one grasp the idea of how the roll-up trays and the fine trays are to be used. I use it for drying spices/herbs. Rosemary, basil thyme, and sage all dry per chart. Oregano took over 4 days beyond chart value at recommended temp setting. Along with this unit came a jerky gun. There were 5 or 6 unmarked packets (different sizes) of seasoning ? for this purpose. Unable to use as nothing more than a production code is present and contents are not identified.
Amazon Customer : one of my favorit kichen gagets yet!
It makes great jerky! It is easy to use and easy to clean. The dishwasher cleans the racks right up. It is a little loud so I just put it out in the garage and set a timer. It is neat that you can just order more racks to expand its capacity. Most dehydrators you are stuck with the size you buy. This one you can add or remove racks to best suite your needs.
Lillian T. : Sturdy, great product
Was very pleased with this dehydrator. The construction is great, all trays and pieces are made of a very sturdy plastic. Very happy with the ability to adjust temperatures to a fine degree. The unit can get very warm to the touch, but I haven't yet had a problem with burns or anything of the sort. I wouldn't call the machine whisper-quiet, per se, but it is much quieter than other dehydrators. The jerky gun is kind of cool, I haven't yet had a need for it, but I may try making soy jerky with it someday.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
I've had the unit for almost a year now and have used it two to three times a month - it's still working great, and I imagine it will work well for years to come. Very happy with this purchase.
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.
Humphrey : Was going to use this dehydrator for the second time today and it wouldn’t even come on.
I intended to use this dehydrator for the second time today. While using the gun, I decided I was going to buy a different one. With this gun, ground meat backs up behind the plunger, it holds a small amount and the trigger mechanism is difficult to use.
THEN... I had all the trays loaded with jerky.. and the dehydrator doesn’t even come on!
I have never written a review before, but this item required one.. a bad one. $80 thrown in the garbage.
THEN... I had all the trays loaded with jerky.. and the dehydrator doesn’t even come on!
I have never written a review before, but this item required one.. a bad one. $80 thrown in the garbage.
Ted : OMG Raisins take a long time!
I love this machine. It has been running non-stop for two weeks now. Just about everything takes a shorter time than they say except raisins... and bananas (they take about 12 hours). Raisins, whole and un-blanched, take about 48 hours. They are the biggest, sweetest raisins I ever tasted. (I mean huge!) They took so long I decided to take them outside in the sun. When the bees started showing up, I put them back. This thing will be even better in the winter. It pumps out a lot of heat. Tomatoes are awesome! I get my stuff from the back of the fruit and veggie isle where the old stuff is packaged up for a quick cheap sale. It was costing me a fortune before that. Beef is still expensive. I had a hard time cleaning the trays until I got a boat bristle brush. No issues now. I cut the jerky mix in half and added a bit of salt, sugar and red peppers. That way I got two times as much for my money. My only complaint is with other members of my household yelling at me for shrinking all the food in the house.
Jennifer C : Fantastic!
I bought this so we could make our own turkey jerky. It is fantastic! We have dried snap peas in it as well, but haven’t tried fruit yet. Still amazing!
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.
isaytomatoyousaytomahto : Love this!
Been researching dehydrators to make jerky and healthy dog treats, this Nesco was the best rated without spending a fortune.
I have had it for over a month and love it. It takes some time to figure drying times, as with any dehydrator but it does what it is supposed to very well.
PROS:
Faster than the bottom element dehydrators because of the top heating fan.
Comes with jerky gun and atrachments to form ground meat jerky sticks (flat or round).
Comes with 2 easy clean and two fruit roll tray linings.
Not as noisy as most.
Didnt burn or brown my countertops from the heat.
Comes with 5 trays.
Does an excellent drying job for the money and even if I had paid more.
Recipes included are basic but a good introduction if this is new to you.
Temperature settings.
CONS:
No off switch. (That is why I gave it 4/5 stars)
No internal thermometer to check actual tray temps.
All in all, very worth while. Does the job well. Would recommend.
I have had it for over a month and love it. It takes some time to figure drying times, as with any dehydrator but it does what it is supposed to very well.
PROS:
Faster than the bottom element dehydrators because of the top heating fan.
Comes with jerky gun and atrachments to form ground meat jerky sticks (flat or round).
Comes with 2 easy clean and two fruit roll tray linings.
Not as noisy as most.
Didnt burn or brown my countertops from the heat.
Comes with 5 trays.
Does an excellent drying job for the money and even if I had paid more.
Recipes included are basic but a good introduction if this is new to you.
Temperature settings.
CONS:
No off switch. (That is why I gave it 4/5 stars)
No internal thermometer to check actual tray temps.
All in all, very worth while. Does the job well. Would recommend.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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