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

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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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Can you make vegetarian jerky with this, with or without the gun (using TVP, tofu, seitan, etc.)?

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.

What is the highest temperature on FD-61WHC ?

Answer: 160 degrees

Answer: 160 degrees F

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!

How many watts?

Answer: 500 watts

Answer: 600. Works quickly for beef jerky. 3-5 hours.

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...

What is the difference between this 61whc and the 61?

Answer: fd61whc is All-In-One Kit with Jerky Gun

Are the trays the same as those used in nesco model fd 60 ?

Answer: I think so

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!

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

how many watts is it?

Answer: 510w

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Can I use trays from my old dehydrator - model FD50/30 with this dehydrator? After many years of use, it died

se pude usar con 220 volts?

Answer: No, es para 120V

Answer: No es para110v

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

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.

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,

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.

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

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.

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.

What is the range of temperature that this dehydrator has?

Answer: Hello,

Answer: 95-160F

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

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.

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

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

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.

What is the voltage of this air dryer

Answer: This is run on 120 Volts

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: 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

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.

Where can I get replacement trays for Della dehydrator , the 9 tray blue trays ?

Answer: You can purchase them from the manufacturer.

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.

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

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.

Parrot Bill : I had a good verity of fruits

I had about a bushel of food dehydrated just before Hurricane Hermine hit and knocked out the lights for 6 days. Lost everything in the freezer and fridge, but the dehydrated food saved the day. I had a good verity of fruits, veggies and meat put away and 15 to 20 minutes in hot water and you couldn't tell the difference between frozen and dehydrated.

DanaMe : Jerky for the win!

I bought this for my partner for Father's Day over a year ago because we had made some jerky in the oven and everyone in the family loved it. This dehydrator makes the process much simpler and faster, and the jerky is great. As soon as we got it, we tried just about everything we could think of we had on hand. I had some cans of pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges in the cabinet, and both of those dried up great, really sweet and chewy without all of the extra sugar you sometimes get in packaged dried fruit. Bananas and apples were not as popular, but I think that just our family. Last year we had an enormous amount of cherry tomatoes and we dried those and got a delicious product that's like sweet tomato raisins! I will say those took a very very long time. We have found, however, that our jerky takes much less time than is called for in recipes, so it is important to keep watching every few hours. The racks are a bit hard to clean, but I have found that if you flip the beef strips over 1.5-2hours in, you have less sticking, and slightly easier clean up. The gun for ground beef is great, and if you use the spices with it, you will end up with something that resembles a slim Jim or other packaged jerky, which is super tasty, but the seasonings do have some chemicals that are easy to avoid in strip jerky. I haven't found an alternative recipe for ground beef that I like as much yet though. All components of this kit are easy to use. If I had one wish for an additional feature it would be a timer so that when it gets late and I decide the jerky needs a couple more hours, I could go to bed '... A longer cord wouldn't hurt either. Overall, I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to dehydrate and/or make jerky on a regular basis.

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!

Kit : Life will never be the same!

I've wanted a dehydrator for a few years. I used Amazon for my research and decided on this model which includes everything you need to make jerky, except the meat. Wowie wow! I could not be more happy with this purchase. I've had this thing for 5 days and have used it everyday. I've dehydrated red onions, tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, ground turkey jerky, ground beef jerky, and beef flank steak. You tube is overflowing with helpful videos that explains how to dehydrate and what to do with the dehydrated goods. No more wasted fruit, veggies, or meat! Next up is dehydrated ground beef, ready for chili, tacos, etc.

Just me : Lots of Fun!!!

I have wanted a dehydrator for years! Finally, I purchased this one. The worst thing I can say is that it takes up a good amount of space in my tini tiny NYC apt. Everything else is great!

I don't like the idea of using a "cure" to make jerky, and am afraid to just use raw (yep, I'm a bit of a dehydrator meat coward). But I have had some various successes when using previously cooked meats (cooked just to the 'safe' temp in the oven and then dried out in my Nesco American Harvest FD-61WHC Snackmaster). It's all trial and error, and totally a matter of personal taste. It really is fun to experiment.

It you purchase one... try dehydrating watermelon! (it's like candy!). I can't make enough of the dried veggies (kale chips are so good!).
My favorite thing so far (and I'm really surprised that this is my fav) is dried cabbage leaves. Yes! really!!! it's crazy! Wash the cabbage leaves, pat dry, toss with a little oil and seasoning, set in the trays and let the machine do the magic. I can't make this stuff fast enough. Talk about guilt free snack time!

Clean up is really easy, just follow the instructions and it's a snap. After use, I fill my kitchen sink up with soapy water to soak the trays overnight. In the morning just give em a good sponge down and a rinse, then you're ready to go again.

I love this machine! I wish it were smaller for my space, and yet I wish it were bigger so I could make even more cabbage chips at one time.

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.

Luetac : Dries Apples & Pears like a Dream!

We have had this for 4 years.

Pros:
* It has a blower/fan that blows the warm air around, so you don't have to rotate trays.
*Does have a Temp. Control
*Everything dries pretty evenly
* The Plastic is a Quality Material. They have not cracked or broken.
* I put one of the "fruit roll-up" trays on the very bottom, as a Drip Tray for Easy Clean-Up
*Has Two Fruit Roll up Trays...I love making Fig Fruit Roll Ups!
*You can purchase an Expansion pack/ extra trays

Cons:
-No timer
-Does not automatically shut off
-wished it came with a couple more trays
-Wished it had a storage bag to keep all the trays and accessories from falling all over the place

I have never used the Beef Jerky Set.
I would definitely buy this again, or give it as a gift

Chrissy : I love it. Easy to use

I bought this to make Jerky. I love it. Easy to use. Easy to clean. Jerky Came out great.
It actually comes with seasoning for your jerky. There's a lot of room so you can make a lot.
I haven't dried any fruits yet but I plan on doing that next. Over all, very happy with my purchase!
Would definitely recommend.

billie krecskay : This machine is great. Lightweight

We read reviews on multiple sites and about multiple products before deciding on this one. We are beginners and only doing the dehydrating for pleasure. This machine is great. Lightweight. Easy to use. Easy to clean. Works great. We have used it four times now and are having fun as a family coming up with different recipes. The only con is the meat tube gun. Plastic and doesn't work well but that's not why be bought the machine so no big deal to us. Get this and have fun with it.

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.

Kit : Life will never be the same!

Cameron W : Great Dehydrator!

Works great! I make beef jerky in my dehydrator all the time! Has plenty of room, and holds about two pounds of meat comfortably! The jerky gun works great too! Easy to assembly, and clean. The only thing they could add to this product is an on/off switch (you have to unplug and plug it up to turn it on and off). Stop paying ten dollars a bag for a half of pound of jerky at the store, and get this dehydrator and make your own how you like it for a fraction of the cost! Overall, I highly recommend this item!

Luetac : Dries Apples & Pears like a Dream!

Amazon Customer : Poor Quality

I had a Nesco Dehydrator that I bought 15 years ago from Walmart that worked great. It was loaned out and never came back so I ordered another one. Quality has gone down a lot in 15 years. Trays do not line up with each other because they are thin and flimsy, the jerky gun that came with it broke before even using it (glue holding it together failed after handling it for 2 seconds). I don't expect it to last terribly long based on how cheap and flimsy the thing is.

David Bohlen : Love it!

Love our dehydrator! We our beef jerky nuts and we have been making it for awhile. We decided to upgrade our dehydrator. This dehydrator is perfect! Easy to use, easy to clean. Anyone can do it! Everyone should try it! It will save you money if you are like us!

J5Family : I love this dehydrator and I also like the jerky maker

I love this dehydrator and I also like the jerky maker.

What I like:
1. The temperature control lets you change it from very low heat to pretty high heat.
2. You can dry just about anything (veggies, fruit, snacks...)
3. It doesn't put out a lot of heat.
4. The bottom tray catches all the drippings.

Yummy things to try:
Eggplant bacon jerky (WOW is this good!)
Zucchini chips (make sure to cut them pretty thick)
Herbs (use the inserts with tiny small holes)
Candied orange peel

What I don't recommend
Meat (unless you use a cure and know what you are doing)

Jax : Shrinkydinks for adults!

Love it! We've been working ours nonstop this past month: jerky, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, onions, potato soup, tomatoes, herbs, onions, apples, oranges, banana chips, lemon, lime, fruit leather and more. We bought extra trays, tray guards and fruit trays as well. Works incredibly well, we ought this to make our own MREs for camping. We were able to convert 2 cases of cucumbers into chips in 3 days. Best dehydrator I have ever owned!

UPDATE: I really did love this dehydrator...until it melted down, destroying the entire unit, a batch of jerky and my kitchen wall due to the subsequent fire. Buyer beware

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.

krisanne allen : Would have been 5 stars....

The dehydrator is everything we wanted and expected. However, we purchased this specific product for the jerky accessory. We used the dehydrator for fruit first and everything came out delicious. Once we cured the meat and put it in the jerky gun, we realized the trigger on the gun does not work. Overall, the dehydrator is great, but disappointed in the jerky accessory. Would have given 5 stars if the accessory was functioning.

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.

Alexis Arnold : great inexpensive dehydrator

this is a really great dehydrator. love that this one has a fan that actually circulates the air. I used to have one of the RONCO dehydrators that only had a heating coil at the bottom of the dehydrator...took things forever to dry and they all dried inconsistently because there was nothing circulating the warmer air.

I've done apples and made jerky with the extruder so far. Following the instructions, the apples seemed to take the listed amount of time, but the Jerky probably only needed have the recommended time. They are REALLY dehydrated, but still edible and the flavor packets that were provided taste good to me. a little on the salty side, but that could of course be because these were dehydrated a little too much.

can't wait to make fruit roll ups with this!

Lady glitter sparkles : Loved it for a year then it stopped working

I was really excited about this dehydrator when I first got it a year ago and tonight it just stopped working in the middle of dehydrating jerkey...these things should last more than a year. Not acceptable. I was also becoming skeptical about the #7 plastic. Maybe bpa free, but doesn't mean it's not toxic. I will be replacing with a different brand and hopefully one that is stainless and will last more than a year.

Amazon Customer : Great product..

The shelves stay stacked securely and offers several temperature ranges with drying suggestions right on the lid. I use this for drying mushrooms and spices such as cayenne peppers and it works wonderfully. The only rather silly thing about this dehydrator is that it doesn't have an "off" setting. It starts running right when you plug it in and the only way to turn it off is to unplug it which is slightly annoying, but not enough to deduct a star. This is my first dehydrator and am pleased with the purchase. I recommend it.

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).

Kit : Life will never be the same!

S : Wonderful & works well - it's NOT loud + Update

People have been complaining about the noise it makes - I think you're being over dramatic. It's not even as loud as a hair dryer, maybe you got a lemon. Mine sounds like a low fan, but what else do you expect? It works well, easy to clean, food always comes out wonderful tasting! I've done fruit spreads, pineapples, apples, strawberries, beef, peaches, and apricots. It works well, packaged well, shipping was fast, doesn't take 5 days to do anything, and this was a present for my brother - I am super pleased with my purchase!

Update: May 23, 2013
My brother used this the other day for Kale chips - still works like new, still not loud, still delivers beautifully! I ordered this in 2010 for my brother. He doesn't use it everyday, maybe that's why it still works phenomenally, but still... fantastic product and I'm SO glad I got it for him!

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.

GD : Do not buy cheap and doesn’t work

This does not work do not buy I purchased 2 months ago in May 2020 I just opened it on yesterday September 11, 2020 and it does not work.., It Seems like it wants to catch on fire and the air that came out of the top smells burnt... it’s a cheap and flimsy product Do not buy

GD : Do not buy cheap and doesn’t work

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.

Kix DeCat : Love this dehydrator!

I bought this a while ago, I didn't want to leave a review until I had owned it for at least a month...I have owned it longer than that by now.
I have not used the jerky gun or the jerky spices that came with it so I cannot speak to that.
The settings on the top make everything a lot more easy than my old machine, there are settings and temps for herbs, fruits, meats and other treats. Comes with the jerky gun, spice mixes, two of the trays for making fruit roll up type items (which I have used and love) and then one plastic screen for smaller items. So far we have done just fruit; strawberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, mango, pineapple, pear, apple, fruit roll ups and coconut. Kiwi is soooo good! The mandarin oranges we used were the canned ones, fresh oranges come out very, very bitter, but the canned ones are like candy. Cleaning is a snap, the fact that the fan/heating part is the lid so on top not on bottom keeps things a lot more clean. If you are thinking about buying this one, just do it, it is a great unit.

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.

Kim U : I love it!

I bought this to dry herbs out of my garden. I read a lot of reviews on a lot of different food dehydrators and chose this one. I have used it about 4 times now and am very happy with it. I dehydrated apples, also, and it did a good job. I tried the beef jerky using hamburger and one of the flavor packets that came with it. It was DELICIOUS!!! The herbs did well, too. You have to use the mesh inserts in order to keep the finer-leaved herbs from falling through the rack. I tried drying apples and herbs together and the herbs tool a little longer, but I just removed the trays they were on and let the apples go a little longer. The taste did not spread from one item to the other, either. I would definitely recommend this. It is also easy to add trays to.

Amazon Customer : Great product..

Jetta A. : Snack possibilities are endless!

You can dehydrate so much! I love dehydrating with this machine. The many trays allows you to really use your time wisely and get a large quantity done in a small space. It is very quite and easy to use. This was my first dehydrator and so far I am loving it! I have made dehydrated honey banana chips, cinnamon apples, jerky, raisins, dried tomatoes for salads, and my favorite, zucchini, garlic, parmesan chips! Those are fantastic and could easily cost you $6 or more a bag at the store for only a little! These are great to make nice, healthy snacks for your entire family, kids and adults!

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.

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.

Mike D : Good dehydrator for the money

1st time user and I had no idea that it takes forever to dry whole jalapeños (even small ones). No where near the hours in the guide that shipped with the unit. They make an accessory tray that's deeper than the very shallow trays provided, but that's an additional $20. it was not possible to dry whole hatch peppers (even the smallest ones) on the standard trays.

I had mixed results dehydrating strawberries & bananas following the instructions exactly

I called customer service with a few questions and they were outstanding.

Overall it's a good unit with a lot of rave reviews. I guess my expectations left me a little underwhelmed.

David Bohlen : Love it!

Little Miss : Super fast transaction! Great product! I will order here again!

Super happy! This is my second one. My garden and herbs went bonkers this year. So one dehydrator was not going to keep up. I have had my first one for I'm guessing ten years I use it all the time. I save so many foods that would have gone to waste otherwise. I have not mastered the perfect fruit roll up yet. But jerky, tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries, celery, onions, and orange peel are so so so very easy! Herbs are fantastic! I save about $300 a year dehydrating my own spices and vegetables. I love this dehydrator and can not say enough good things about it!

Shilo : The right choice for me.

E. Johnson : Bought in 2010 still works great!

I've been using this dehydrator for 11 years now and it never disappoints.
I've made jerky, dog and cat treats, and fruit in it.
It holds 2 pounds of jerky at a time which is great because the Nesco jerky mix comes in 2 pound batch packets. I do rotate the trays during the dehydration process to make sure they dry evenly. It comes with 5 trays, 2 solid inserts and 2 mesh inserts for more delicate foods.
I'd recommend this product to anyone who likes to make snacks.

4MyMoney : Why only three stars? Read on...

Background: My brother has had one of these for a few years and it works great. I decided to buy one since I have a large garden and didn't want to tie his up all season. I wanted a slightly larger model so I purchased an FD75 from Amazon (also reviewed) When I got it I loaded it up with bananas. They took several days instead of 12 hours. Thinking I might have done something wrong I sliced up some onions and garlic nice and thin. Again, several days... I asked my brother if I could use his to run some performance comparisons between the two. His heated up fast (10-15 minutes) and stayed reasonably well within the thermostat setting. Mine never got up to max temperature and consistently stayed 10-15 degrees cooler than whatever setting I had it on. Fine, a defect. Amazon made it easy to return and sent me a replacement. The replacement FD75 did the same thing, though it was even a little worse. Boxed up and sent back the same day, and Amazon gave me a refund since they didn't want to chance sending a third defective unit.

I ordered the FD61 the day I returned the second FD75 and tested it upon arrival - again using my brother's as a benchmark. His heated up to 155d in about 15 minutes, mine took over an hour and struggled to get past 150d at all. Both FD61s... What changed?

Will this work for what I bought it for? Sure, but not in the way it was designed. I'll need to determine what setting will achieve the desired temperature rather than use the reference settings on the machine. Since it doesn't seem capable of reaching the 155d necessary for making jerky I probably can't use it for that at all. Useable and does do a nice job, but the quality is questionable.

Like my review of the FD75 says: Test it BEFORE you put food in it. (the other review explains how I tested and what the results were)

GLOCKer : Glad this one works!

I received one of these as a Christmas present from my in-laws, and I was VERY excited to use it. Unfortunately, it was dead-on-arrival, and going through Amazon, it took over a month to get a replacement! I was crushed!!!! This was a present I had been looking forward to a lot! It really sucked because I prepared 3 lbs of meat to load into the dehydrator just to find out it was not working.

Eventually I was issued a refund for the gift, and I ordered another one immediately. I had a slight disappointment when the replacement arrived and found the jerky gun didn't work; the trigger wasn't engaging the bar so it wouldn't extrude the jerky unless you constantly pushed on the back of it. It was a royal pain in the rear! But I was still able to get my batch of jerky out and it was good!

I contacted Nesco's customer service via phone and spoke with a very nice woman about the jerky gun issue, and she took care of it! I had to wait a couple of weeks for the replacement to process, ship, and arrive at my house, but I'm not sore about that. I am just happy to have a working dehydrator and I was thrilled with the results; great homemade jerky!

Bruce J. : Great product and working well.

This dehydrator works great for jerky. Used it twice already and makes three and a half to 4 lb of jerky in 6 hours. I use turkey and 90% lean ground round. Both meats have produced good jerky. The seasoning is great as well. Just ordered two more trays so I can spread out the 4 lb of meat a little easier. Comes with 5 trays which makes three and a half pounds comfortably.

DSL : Decent but two very basic things missing

Only had this for a day. Seems like a decent product for the price. However, I couldn't agree more with one reviewer who said it needs two things, both of which seem very basic. There is no switch to turn it on or off. Instead, you have to pull the plug. I never assumed a product wouldn't have a switch. Every decent electrical product in my house has a switch so this one seems to me like a glaring oversight. Think about having to unplug your blender or hair dryer to turn it off. Also, a timer would be most helpful. Assuming some people go to bed and to work and will be away form their drying food for a number of hours. Both of these shortcomings are likely $2 options for which I think most users would gladly pay.

GLOCKer : Glad this one works!

Lady glitter sparkles : Loved it for a year then it stopped working

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.

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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