Ronco 5-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator review and price compare 2025

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Product overview

Brand	Ronco
Material	Plastic
Color	White
Wattage	125 watts
Item Dimensions LxWxH	11 x 13 x 13 inches

product features

This fits your .

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Get creative; Perfect for DIY arts and crafts
Make portable snacks for lunchboxes, trail snacks, or just on the go
Quiet, convection heat drying
Easy to use: Just slice and place the food in the trays
Use from 2 to 5 trays
All plastic components made from BPA, free plastic
Trays and lid are top rack dishwater safe

From the manufacturer

Ronco 5-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator

Quiet, Yet Effective

This dehydrator uses convectional heating, meaning it is quiet, effective and requires no additional energy. Use up to 5 trays (which are FDA-approved for food contact that won't deteriorate like others) at once so you can make large batches of dried goods.

Options Are Endless

With the 5-tray dehydrator, you can make apple chips, dried bananas, turkey jerky, beef jerky and tons more. An instruction booklet is included with recipes. Not only does it make food, but it's great for crafts such as ornaments and drying flowers too!

product description

Make healthy, homemade snacks for a fraction of the cost with the Ronco 5-Tray Food Dehydrator. Dehydrate your favorite fruits and vegetables while in season and enjoy them year-round. Make delicious apple chips, dried bananas, jerky and more using the Ronco Food Dehydrator. Take control of what your family eats by making the snacks they crave…without all the additives & preservatives.

product details

important information

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Questions about Ronco 5-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator

Can you control the temperature on this? Does it have a fan?

Answer: It has a fan. No you can not control the temperature. It has an even distribution of warm air to all levels.

Answer: no, there is no temperature control. nor does it have a fan. the heat rises out thru the adjustable top vent plate.

Answer: there is no temp control or fan all which would definitely help the process

Answer: No, you cannot control the temperature. There are no settings that allow you to control it.

Answer: no fan, one temperature, you just throw stuff in an leave it on for a day or over night, it works great but its the only kind ive ever owned, so i dont even know about fans, if you are asking if it over heats no, but i suggest putting a dish towel under it if you use extra marinade stuff for your meat, its easy to clean, just pull out te coil wipe and replace:) hope i was helpful

Answer: I returned this item immediately after examining it. To me it looked as though it would be more of a problem than an asset. It is poorly constructed and an item that I would not consider having in my kitchen. Hope this helps. :)

Answer: no

Answer: no, one temp

Can you dry herbs in it?

Answer: Yes, you can use it to dry herbs.

Answer: Of course you can. I also had some left over of yam, and I simply sliced them and dried. It came out like yam chips. This thing will dry anything as long as you don't need them in one hour or so. If you are new with this, just make sure the bottom of the unit is clear when you dry something, and you won't have any over-heating like some reviewers complaint about. I have been using them (2 of them I have now) for over 10 years for various items from beef jerky to anything you want to dry.

Answer: it can be used for drying fruit and veggies but you need a better quality machine with an adjustable heat

Answer: Oh I also made some kale chips. My daughter loves them... You can find the recipe on internet. Just google it.

Answer: Yes of course, but it's not a reliable device. See other feedback.

Answer: yes

Can you buy replacement trays?

Answer: You can I was needing one tray but for $ 16+ I would need to buy at least 2. $11.00 more realisticly the better buy would be getting another machine for sure. The machine is great with herbs and fruit thought not nessararly mean for beef jerky.

Answer: You can I was needing one tray but for $ 16+ I would need to buy at least 2 $ 11.00 more realistic lyrics the better buy would be getting another one for sure. The machine is great with herbs and fruit thought not nessararly mean for beef jerky.

Answer: I don't know if you can but the company ronco. I will never buy from them again. I bought mine and after 3 uses the trays started falling apart. And I have been trying for the last 9 months to get a replacement and have filled out the warranty 3times already and no response

Answer: I'm sure you can, but 3 of my 5 melted and broke apart after 3rd use. Ronco didn't respond to my questions trays being so crappy. Won't buy Ronco again!

Answer: don't want to. they will just melt in the new dehydrators.

Answer: I'm not sure- I haven't checked, but I bet Amazon sells them if they do.

Answer: If you purchase it from the manufacturer, yes

Answer: Yes. I can definitely do that.

Who is resposible if ronco wont respond or throws the customer under the bus

Answer: There are t colors of Ronco Machines. The smoke color and the clear. The clear ones crumble rapidly. The smoke do not. I have used one of the smoke for years without a problem other than to say that they are definetly entry level models.

Answer: no idea, my latest two dehydrators melted my trays, complained, no response

Answer: That happened!? That's ridiculous, thank you so much.. I am not buying this product for both of those reasons.

porque me cobraron 44.09 yluego3.00 si valía 30.00 era envío gratis

i see a lot of complaints that the unit will break/melt aftet 2-4 uses, what protection/guarantee will i get that mine won't just junk out?

Answer: Just don’t buy it get something better

Answer: Cant help you there. Cause I returned mine

It says it was made in the usa but the country of origin says china. which one is it?

Answer: china

What is the power of the engine？

Answer: There is no engine or fan. The heating element (wire) at the bottom gets warm and the warm air rises to dry . Loved mine, recently bought a second.

why does it say dehydrater when the pic shows a vegimatic?

Answer: huh?

Does it have a on / off switch. If yes, where is it

Answer: No switch automatic

Answer: No, it does not. Plug and go.

Answer: No, it turns on when you plug it in.

Answer: plug

what are the numbers on the lid for 0 through 5 ??while turning the air flow vent...

What dehydrator is good for herbs

Answer: The Ronco 5-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator comes with 5-trays made of a clear, brittle plastic. When I first used it to make beef jerky, I could hear the plastic expand after I plugged it in, and the element started to heat up. When I finished and unplugged it, I could hear the rigid plastic contract as it cooled. I’ve had and used my dehydrator for several months now, and every tray is cracked and needs replacement. I believe the cracking might also happen with herbs as well. I would recommend a more durable brand.

Answer: I have not dried herbs on mine, but lemon peels, banana peels and Apple slices. It definitely dries very well. I'm sure you will not have an issue drying the herbs.

Answer: Ronco, i wouldn't leave on over night , you woukd end up burning the herbs.

Is it bpa free?

Answer: Its junk.

Can you use this to make jerky?

Answer: It was a gift. But my grandson said he has made jerky . It comes out good. Made it lots of times.Hope this answer will help you.

Answer: I wasn't very pleased with the results making dried fruit as the trays became brittle and broke ( I used it alot) so I would say spend more money to get a better quality dehydrator which I did.

Answer: not the new ones. they melt the trays. I have two about 25 years old and still work fine. The new ones melted even the old trays.

Answer: Yes but it may take a considerable amount of time depending on the thickness of the meat and what kind of marinade is used on it.

Answer: We haven't tried yet, but according to the instruction booklet, it is possible, and gives detailed instructions on how to do it.

Answer: Yes! Does it very well! Cut meat into thin strips and evenly.

Answer: too how melted tray

Answer: Hi, yes you can. I bought this for my mother and that's what she uses it for.

Love how the rotate trays every 2 to 4 hours is not mentioned until you read manual. Toooo much trouble! Anyone omit this process? Results?

Answer: You should rotate the trays on order to get even drying. If the heat isn't too high, you can rotate them less often.

Answer: Stacked Dehydrators

Answer: Chances are the food will dehydrate quicker on the bottom. I never had the chance to find out--my trays cracked and fell apart after the first use. Good luck with yours

Answer: If you don't do it, the trays melt. I had the machine going over night and it melted my tray on the bottom....

Answer: This is an awful product. My trays simply fell apart

Is it any good

Answer: I purchased the product for a gift. I know the party has given good comints on the gift.

Answer: yes its very good but you do have to rotate the trays

Answer: My granddaughter and husband loved it . They use it very often. No complaints from them.As far as rotating the trays I don't know. But I will ask them.

Answer: junk over heated and melted trays over cooked food

Answer: they were, not now.

Is this product easy to clean

Answer: I do not recommend this particular product. I used mine once and the trays all broke. So I didn't even need to wash it.

Answer: Yes. Enjoy it! It's easy to use and clean

Answer: Yes, I just clean the trays in warm soapy water and air dry. I had a used one several years ago and the motor died and the trays were still good. I have used mine five times and it is just like new!

Answer: Yes, it is easy to clean, but it is very brittle and the shelves break very easily. The Ronco Food Dehydrator is a classic example of you get what you pay for. It worked effectively, however after a single use the plastic trays started breaking. Essentially, the Ronco is a dispoable food dehydrator, so if you want it for one use it is certainly the most cost effective. If you plan on multiple uses, do not buy this dehydrator.

Answer: Hmmm. Okay.. I got the trays to go with and a tub 9f hot water will do it.. But get the trays or forever put wax paper down

Answer: Yes it is

I have a problem because the booklet wasn't in the package. How can I have this booklet?

Answer: Google "Ronco food dehdrator" and select the pdf link (it was the third result from the top on mine). It is a pdf of the instruction booklet. Alternatively, try calling them @ 1-855-85-RONCO.

Answer: The downloads are at Ronco.com

Does it dry meats to make jerky?

Answer: Yes it did and completely noiseless. I loved it so much until the heating elements stopped working after five weeks. I threw it in the trash and threw out of my heart love to dehidrators

Answer: YES, this is the 3rd dehydrator I have had and by far the best. It dries evenly and works great.

Answer: YES!! Very much so

Answer: Yes.

Can i dry tofu?

Answer: We tried to make jerky in it and we're unsuccessful so we quit using it

can you get plastic trays for Ronco dehydrator?

Answer: The replacement trays don't last any longer than the original's. The Ronco dehydrator is a CRAP and a waist of money

Answer: Yep, found best deal w/Wal-Mart

220v or 110v?

Answer: 110v

Answer: 110v and don't waste your money. this thing does not prevent the heating element from becoming ruined by the fluid coming off the food that is dehydrating. I bought a replacement and it died just as the first one did when I tried to dry tomatoes that are very wet.

Answer: I just plugged it into an existing indoor outlet--

How many additional trays can you add and still get a good result if you rotate them?

Answer: You can add up to ten trays, but remember the more trays the longer it takes

Answer: When you qualify the question with "if you rotate them", I'd say you could have a ridiculous number because one will always be closest to the heater, but practically speaking - you could probably double the amount - it might take as much as an additional day depending on what you are drying.

Answer: You can use all the trays that came with the machine. You may need to rotate the trays in order to dehydrate evenly from top to bottom

Answer: None. They will all melt. Mine did with no response from Ronco.

Answer: I can not say as it was not what I expected and I returned it .

is there an operator's manual?

Answer: Yes. It comes with a booklet.

How long does it take to dehydrate fruits and meats?

Answer:

Does the heat exceed say ...100 degrees?

Answer: It doesn't have a temperature adjustment on it, but I think it gets up to like 110 degrees. It was a little low for what I was dehydrating and it took forever and made the trays brittle. But it would be perfect for herbs or fruit leathers, certainly nothing thicker than 1/4 inch. It's super basic, if you're looking to start dehydrating every weekend get something a little more sturdy, if you want to experiment but are nervous this is the way to go. It's hard to screw up when there's nothing to adjust.

Answer: it goes up to 180 degrees

Answer: Don't Know and don't Care it was a gift to some one else and they have not stated one way or the other...

Shiped from which country ???!

Answer: USA

what is the shipping to Taiwan if I want two of these? thanks

can you dry liquids like broths

Answer: Although the dehydrator did not come with trays for liquids, I believe they are available to buy separately. Ronco does not feature broths and other liquids in the recipe book, but since they sell the trays I suspect one would be able to do this. Be aware that you would have to resort to on line searches for directions (unless they come with special order trays).

Answer: To be honest I had to look this up, there is nothing on this product it's self about broth so I researched the process of dehydrating broth and many people have used all kinds of machines. I guess with the time involved that's it's not that popular, but your question now has me wanting to try it also and thank you for that, but this is a dehydrator so it should work for that as well.

Can I make deer jerky in this?

Answer: Yes. This unit does not have a fan, simply heating coils. You should rotate the trays about every 3 to 4 hours, top to bottom, then top to bottom and so on. Properly dried jerky will take approximately 8 to 9 hours, depending on how thick the cut is. This is a simple dehydrator and works very well.

Answer: absolutly. deer jerky and cow jerky.

Answer: yes. I haven't but there are instructions on how to. The dry time is pretty long for it and you're supposed to rotate it 1/4 turns every 4 hours or so. If you're doing a lot I would look into spending a little more for a higher quality / faster working one

Answer: More than likely, but the wait time is around 36-48 hours.

Answer: yes. it was the first thing we tried. first try we over did it. so adjust your time down to start.

Answer: Yes. There are great instructions with he unit. Enjoy!

Do they sell liquid trays for this model?

Answer: Years ago they sold liners for fruit leathers & such. I'm not sure if they are still available. Sorry.

Answer: No idea. Mine failed and I threw it away.

Answer: That I do not know. Sorry!

will it work for 220 volt wiring?

Answer: No. Definitely not.

what is the temp of the heat?

Answer: The one I have heated to 137 degrees

Answer: high enough to melt plastic.

Does it dry meats to make jerky?

Answer: Yes it did and completely noiseless. I loved it so much until the heating elements stopped working after five weeks. I threw it in the trash and threw out of my heart love to dehidrators

Answer: YES, this is the 3rd dehydrator I have had and by far the best. It dries evenly and works great.

Answer: YES!! Very much so

Answer: Yes.

Product reviews of Ronco 5-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator

Mollballs : Do not buy this dehydrator. The element is too ...

Do not buy this dehydrator. The element is too hot and melted 4 out of 5 trays. I only used it twice. It could be a fire hazard. I don't think it even deserves a 1 star rating!

Lucero : One Star

2 trays melted after first use. Do not buy!

Anna : nowhere near what I thought this product would do. ...

nowhere near what I thought this product would do. The trays do not stay steady on each other and pivot.
I would return it but i have exceeded the days for the return policy. Should have opened it sooner. Wish I could get my money back

Jason : DOA

This product arrived dead on arrival. After opening the box, my first thought was about how flimsy it felt. I have never used a dehydrator before, nor looked into how they should work. I filled all 5 of my trays with fruits and meat, let it sit over night, and now I've wasted more money in food than the actual dehydrator costs.

My advice, do research, buy a dehydrator with a fan. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

J A Schiffenhaus Jr : Trays melt

The unit worked well functioned well, however after 4 months the trays began to melt and separate causing in somplaces 4 " gaps. The melting is the pulling apart of the grid in the trays and not as in melting and dripping.as per the attached pictures. I saw in the Q & A on the product that there were others that had the same problem and could not get it resolved I had another Ronco unit for over 10 years and used it all the time and never had the melting issue. It was a darker unit and the trays were a smoked dark color and I saw in the Q & A that others had the same darker unit and did not have this issue. I would not recommend this unit but if you do buy it then buy the additional warranty. I don't know if the warranty would allow for a replacement but even if it did I would say to save yourself the hassle and just buy another brand food dehydrator

Tonto : Questionable Quality

I purchased this product 11/12/2010, I've used it four times since then to do beef jerky and for the most part aside from the inconvenience of having to rotate the trays I've been satisfied with the results. One major problem I found is the quality of the material or the design. After the second use I noticed that the plastic weaving begun to split and shrink. I'm in the process of trying to get it returned and plan to use the money towards a better quality food dehydrator even if I have to pay more. I always read the reviews before I make a purchase on line, this time I didn't bother and here are the results.

Amazon Customer : Five Stars

Perfect !!!

Lucero : One Star

2 trays melted after first use. Do not buy!

JZ : Came on time and works great. Apples turned out awesome and I love that ...

Came on time and works great. Apples turned out awesome and I love that it does not make a sound.????

Cheryle Casar : Why did the Ronco trays melt down?

I used this for the first time to dehydrate chicken livers for my dog. It was on for 24 hours when we began to smell something. Some of the trays had melted. What a mess. Livers ruined and machine an absolute mess. I had a Ronco for 30 years and it finally wore out. That is why I bought a new one. What a mistake.

Renee SD : Not worth the plastic it's made from

After following the limited instructions available, I decided to make jerky over Christmas weekend for my dogs. Long story short, the product overheated, melted the tray closest to the heating units and almost caused a fire. Will NOT purchase another. Contacting Ronco today.

ned j. augustyniak : Five Stars

so much quality for the price!

Trisha M. : Five Stars

Great

CathyM : A great product.

I love this unit, its so easy to use, clean and put away. AND it doesnt cost much. Worth the buy!

J. Finch : Great product

I had a Ronco dehydrader for many years previously and it always worked great. Unfortunately it was broken during a recent move and I needed to replace it. The new model is almost exactly the same as the previous one (different color is the only difference) and it works great. It dried the food well and there was no problems with the trays warping as mentioned in other reviews. It cleans up easily in the dishwasher. I'm not sure if it is supposed to go there but I have always done it that way with no issues. Just make sure it completely dries before using it again. I would definately recommend this product.

A.Gilbert : I love this thing

I love this thing! There are so many trays for different things to dehydrate. Extremely quiet and doesn't make a noise

Judith Christian : WARNING...WARNING...DO NOT BUY

DO NOT BUY PRODUCT

I just used this product fo rthe FIRST time. Had I looked at the costumer reviews first I wouldn't be complaining right now because I wouldn't have bought the product.

My first time using this product, I did Kale & Spinach Chips and when I look at the trays once chips where done. I notice that they are melted in some area's. Of couse I come on and read the reviews after the fact and I'm upset....

Please DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY on this product.

Now I guess I have to buy another one :-( THIS TIME I will look at the reviews....

Trisha M. : Five Stars

Great

kellie : Trays Disintegrate....

Since I ordered this item, I've used the dehydrator under a dozen times. Now, the trays are breaking down under the heat and use. I would not recommend this item. it made for VERY expensive dried fruit... I would have been cheaper to purchase at the grocery store.

Anne W. Orr : Defective product

The first time this dehydrator was used, the bottom tray melted. I called Amazon and they had me return it for a replacement, at no shipping charge. The second one did exactly the same thing. I called Amazon and they told me to return it, at no charge to me, and I would be refunded the purchase price.

I have since purchased this same model dehydrator, here in town, and used it several times. It has worked perfectly. Obviously, Amazon has gotten a defective shipment from the manufacturer. The woman I talked to, at Amazon, told me this item would be listed as unavailable until such time as they found out what the problem was.

I received notification, this morning, that my Visa account has been credited for the full amount charged. I would like to add that this is the first time, ever, that I've had a problem with something I purchased from Amazon, and would not hesitate to purchase again.

Peter S : Spend more for better quality, features.

It's merely a fixed heat source, so it's nothing you couldn't do in your oven. Many of the recipes I wanted to try call for variable heat, and this unit is only on/off. Most importantly, the bottom plastic tray melted on the very first use. Can't recommend.

SRS : Food Dehydrator

I'd recommend this product if you are in need of a less expensive dehydrator. I really like the simple design.
It is silent and meets my needs perfectly.

Sheila Palazzolo : Poor Quality and even less Customer Service!

We have had one of the original Ronco dehydrator for many, many years and were very happy. I purchased the new one for Christmas. After the very FIRST use, ALL the trays melted! We've contact Ronco Customer Service several times with no response. I'm very disappointed with the lack of quality put into the product and even more disappointed with the lack of service help. I can NOT recommend this product at all.

Grace Marie : Wanted for soups

The apples came out great, cranberries not so good. I still need to try some vegetables to see how they work.

Renee SD : Not worth the plastic it's made from

crystal scott : It works like it's supposed to but nobody told me you have ...

Not what I expected. Too much trouble to dry fruit and veggies. Needs time and commitment. It works like it's supposed to but nobody told me you have to stay awake for 36 hrs turning trays and changing positions of trays.

cool : Five Stars

Love

Julie AZ : Don't Do It!

Don't buy this Ronco Dehydrator. The trays melted and cracked after one use! And of course, it was past the 30 day return date. Ronco was willing to replace the trays after much discussion, but why? It's just going to happen again. Most expensive jerky I ever made.

A.Gilbert : I love this thing

I love this thing! There are so many trays for different things to dehydrate. Extremely quiet and doesn't make a noise

Stephanie Molloy : A MUST BUY, love it!!!

I absolutely LOVE this, I make everything! Best item I've ever bought! Everyone should have one of these! I love making my beef jerky & strawberry chips. Plus I'm saving a lot of money this way. As a mom it's wonderful! Perfect for the whole family!!!

Piano Lover : No fan included. Just heating element. No on off switch, no timer...nothing. Terrible product.

Don't buy. There is no fan to disburse the heat. Taking days for things to be done, cooks very unevenly and requires tray rotation. The bottom tray is melting. Just purchase a different brand with fan. Tossing this one into the trash!

Patrick Daugherty : Works great. Takes a bit longer than the bigger more ...

Works great. Takes a bit longer than the bigger more expensive ones, but you get what you pay for. I don't mind the extra work. And everything's turned out great so far

Cheryle Casar : Why did the Ronco trays melt down?

evangeline shank : This is total junk

My family bought me two for Christmas. After a few uses (mostly quick items like kale and chard), the plastic trays had either fractured or melted down onto the heat element. I rotated the trays and kept the vents wide open, as directed, but the plastic could not take the heat near the bottom. All the trays that have not yet melted are missing large pieces because the plastic became very brittle. Both are now ruined because of the lower tray being melted to the bottom. It seems unconscionable that they continue to sell this defective product.

Nitenurce : Food dehydrator - recommended

Much larger than expected. Easy to ready, user friendly manual. The product itself is a breeze to use, nothing complicated, has multiple shelves for a variety of fruits or vegetables. Highly recommneded if you are looking for an easy to use large capacity food dehydrator. It offers a very good way to make your very own healthy snacks without all the additive/preservatives as the store bought products.

Grace Marie : Wanted for soups

The apples came out great, cranberries not so good. I still need to try some vegetables to see how they work.

Amazon Customer : MELTED TRAY!

My tray melted after dehydration. I've moved the trays and rotated like it says to do. Would like them replaced. I will change my rating if they replace it.

DougieDougDoug : Four Stars

Gave as a wedding gift and I hear it works...

Cheryle Casar : Why did the Ronco trays melt down?

Tonto : Questionable Quality

69101 : I'm a little disappointed

I got this for Christmas. I've had a lot of fun with it and it makes great dried fruit. I even made some crackers wtih it. I've used it a lot, but it's a month old and some of the trays have melted and gone out of shape. I think if you are going to use a dehydrator a lot, you will be happier with one that has sturdier construction.

Tonto : Questionable Quality

Julie AZ : Don't Do It!

randall lowe : Hard to clean. Not very warm.

Hard to clean . Not very warm .

Connie Brinkmann : Nice unit for the money

I have two of these units and am very happy with what I've been able to do. I have never made jerky in them but they work great for drying vegetables, herbs and grapes.

Amazon Customer : Five Stars

I like it it takes time to fix the foods but so worth it

Bonz137 : inexpensive and works great

I love this item. This is actually my second one. I had the first one for 6 or 7 years before I eventually burned out the heating element but I used it a lot. I loved it so much that I insisted on buying the same exact one. It is definitely worth the price and works perfectly.

lilvixn64 : DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!

Big flop! I had to click at least one star to be able to comment. Trays melted with first use. Thought maybe I did something wrong-NO. Just junk. No temp setting to adjust. Wrote to Ronco on April 1 and didn't even get an apology, comment or anything except a confirmation my email was received. I have been checking my email (and my spam) for a response. Nothing......Here are a couple of pictures I sent to Ronco.

Amazon Customer : Saftey Hazard

purchased 12/26/2015 - trays fell apart as soon as I started using - called Ronco and I could not remember when I purchased and they refused return - they could have checked with Amazon but they did not - I threw away broken trays - major safety hazard - I would like replacement no return - very disturbed - Dave Hawkins

Karen Green : Works well.

Have had this for 2 years and have dried apples, tomatoes, zucchini and lots of herbs. The only problem I've had is the trays are extremely fragile and break quite easily (the little pieces that make up the grids).

you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you