Nesco FD-37 Food Dehydrator, NO SIZE review and price compare 2025
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you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand | NESCO |
Material | Plastic |
Color | White/Clear |
Wattage | 400 watts |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 14.12 x 14.25 x 9.2 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- 400-watts of drying power
- Expandable to 7 trays and the warranty for this item is 1 year
- Clear top to monitor the drying process
- Fan forced radial air flow means no tray rotation needed
- Made in USA
From the manufacturer
NESCO, FD-37 Food Dehydrator, White Speckled/Marbled, 400 watts
NESCO, FD-37 Food Dehydrator features an innovative top mounted powerhead that dries food quickly and evenly with superior results. Detaches to make dehydrator dishwasher safe for easy clean up. Fan-Flow technology means faster, more even drying with no tray rotation necessary. Make great tasting beef jerky or venison jerky! Also makes delicious turkey jerky, fish jerky, homemade trail mix, apple snacks, banana chips, dried soup mixes. Dry tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupes, papaya and many other fruits. Additional Add-A-Trays (SKU: WT-2SG) sold separately.
Features
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400 Watt Powerhead Generates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating foods safety. | On/Off Switch With Fixed Temperature Continuously regulated temperature setting that makes dehydrating easier. | Clear Top Cover Allows for convent viewing of dehydrating food. |
Features
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Expandable Up To 7 Trays Increase the overall drying area by expanding your dehydrator with additional trays. | BPA Free Drying Trays Made of high-quality food grade plastic. Each tray provides 0.75 sq. ft. of drying space. | Seasoning and Cure Sample starter pack for immediate jerky making. Try our full line of flavors. |
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Watts | 400 | 400 | 600 | 700 | 1000 | 1000 |
# Trays | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
Max Tray Capacity | Expandable Up To 7 | Expandable Up To 7 | Expandable Up To 12 | Expandable Up To 8 | Expandable Up To 30 | Expandable Up To 20 |
Temperature Control | Fixed | Fixed | Digital Controlled | Adjustable Thermostat | Adjustable Thermostat | Digital Controlled |
Additional Accessories (By Sku) | LM-2-6, LSS-2-6, WT-2SG | LM-2-6, LSS-2-6, WT-2SG | LM-2-6, LSS-2-6, LT-2SG | SQM-2-6, SLD-2-6, SQT-2 | MS-2-6, SLD-2-6, TR-2 | MS-2-6, SLD-2-6, TR-2 |
Approximate Size, Inches (L x W x H) | 13.5 x 13.5 x 9 | 13.5 x 13.5 x 9 | 13.5 x 13.5 x 9.25 | 14.5 x 14.37 x 9.75 | 14 x 14 x 10 | 15 x 15.5 x 9.5 |
product description
The NESCO FD-37 Food & Jerky Dehydrator is perfect for a beginner or an experienced jerky maker! This dehydrator comes with four (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 7 trays so you can dry larger quantities, with no tray rotation needed. Additional Add-A-Trays sold separately. The fixed temperature control takes the guesswork out of finding the optimal drying temperature when making jerky and the quiet, powerful fan forces heated air down the center chamber, then across each individual tray for consistent drying. The clear top cover lets you conveniently watch the drying process. Sample seasoning and cure packs are included to get started. The NESCO FD-37 Food & Jerky Dehydrator provides the drying power for dehydrating great jerky snacks for the active lifestyle.
product details
important information
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Questions about Nesco FD-37 Food Dehydrator, NO SIZE
Q:
Temp of the 400 watt nesco dehydrator FD 37
Answer: I used a ThermoPop stuck in the middle vertically from the side, it takes a while to stabilize and get an accurate reading because it draws air from the sides. But it settles in around 140-145.
Answer: I believer 160 is the set temperature, but mine is running between 180-190 now. (One I've had for a while, not brand new out of the box)
Answer: I believe the temperature is 90 degrees or better, I can dry fresh mint leaves in one hour with the racks full as can be. Drying is simple, but this unit does not shut off automatically. so I bought a timer that turns it off for me.
Answer: I really don't know. However, I find it works faster than my last one (Ronco).
Q:
Are the trays made of plastic, aluminum, non-stick or other harmful materials?
Answer: The trays are made from good quality plastic.
Answer: Hello, the trays are made of plastic material. Hope that helps!
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Plastic
Answer: Just a thin plastic like mesh it's a nice I've had no problems
Q:
how big are the trays
Answer: The entire device is 14" in diameter and 8" tall. Each tray is 14" in diameter by about 1.5" tall.
Answer: The trays are 14-16 in diamenter with the circle approx 4 in diamenter. They hold a large amount of food.
Answer: The trays are approximately 12" to 15" in diameter and plenty big for our needs, especially since there are so many trays.
Answer: About 14 or 16 inches in diameter. Between the five trays, they will hold four apples sliced up.
Answer: Trays are a very nice size and are big enough to hold tons of fruits and veggies
Answer: The trays are about 14 inches in diameter with an inner circle of about 3 and a half inches cut out for the cylinder motor which drops down through the trays to the bottom of the unit. I like to make my sheltie, Bailey, chicken jerkey strips with the hydrator. I know then that there are no preservatives, etc. on them and it's less expensive than store packaged chicken jerky treats. It's a very good product.
Answer: I dried some apples and it holds about one and a half apple (medium sized) slices in each tray.
Answer: The trays are approx 16 in diameter and the center is approx 4 in diameter. I tend to spread out my food and still have plenty of room for apple, carrots, and other larger slices of fruit and veggies.
Answer: They are 13 1/2 inches across from edge to edge with a 3 inch hole in the middle to accomodate the motor/dryer.
Answer: As Elizabeth said, they are about 13 1/2 inches across with a 3 inch hole in the middle.
Q:
Is there an option to use it with no heat? So just air
Answer: No, it has an off/on switch that powers both.
Answer: No there is not
Answer: No.
Answer: No there isn't.
Q:
have been feeding my dog jack links jerky - vet says all the salt is killing him. have never used a hydrator but he must have his jerky! is it hard to make? do i slice meat thin first? does this hydrator come with instructions? thanks for any help - new to this dehydrating idea.
Answer: It makes excellent jerky. Instructions are included about jerky but we found our favorite marinade on line. Most jerky has salt in it as part of the curing. My recipe uses soy sauce. It must be cut in strips 1/4 inch thick or less. Time consuming but worth it. I do 20 pounds of meat at a time and it lasts 6 months without spoiling. Just be sure it's dry and look out for fatty deposits.
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Answer: I remove the excess fat from a boneless/skinless chicken breast, slice it thin and make jerky for my dog. No seasonings at all. The dogs absolutely loves it!!
Answer: I have 2 Jack Russell's who would LOVE healthy jerky from our Nesco. I've been jerking meat & fish for years so know exactly how to make it for the dogs. First, in answer to your question about 'is it easy'..YES, and YES it comes with a recipe book but I agree with the others who responded to your question: I would NOT use ANY seasonings. Too much salt in them and Dogs don't need anything other than the taste of the meat in it's natural form. I'll bet we can even find other suggestions on the web! Good luck, I'm going to make some for my two boys very soon..
Answer: My husband slices the beef 1st then marinates it before dehydrating. He does use quite a bit of salt but you have the ability to adjust the recipe it a variety of ways. We did receive instructions with the dehydrator.
Answer: I use Bottom or top round meat. Cut it thin and marinate in Soy sauce as well as liquid smoke. For a dog, I wouldn't marinate in anything because of the high salt content. It comes with instructions as well:)
Answer:
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Q:
does motor overheat and shut off
Answer: I have had this run for 8-12 hours a stretch, a few times a week. I've been using it for a few months and have not had a problem with overheating of the motor. As far as I am aware (and I admit I have only had it a few months, but it gets great use), there are no motor problems, and mine is still going strong.
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Answer: I have used it back to back with very little time in between and it has never over heated.
Answer: have not experienced that issue so far with the machine.
Answer: I bought it as a gift
Q:
are the plastic trays BPA free?
Q:
how many kilos of fruit I can put in a cycle of dehydration?
Answer: With four trays, I say 4 to 5 kilos. At one time. It does depend how you slice the fruit. Or if you are making leathers, it could take more. Also making jerky uses a lot of meat. But it is good.
Answer: I'm really sorry it took me so long to answer. I'm not sure in kilos. But I've only used it for beef jerky. It can hold at least 4 lbs. Others have commented about the noise. And the fan is a bit loud.
Answer: I only done 2 kilos of meat
Answer: I haven't done fruit yet
Answer: About 1 kilo
Answer: It holds a good amount. I do a bundle of sliced bananas at once
Q:
bpa free?
Answer: You also need to be concerned with BPF and BPS, chemicals replacing BPA in some products.
Answer: According to NESCO BPA-free, and dishwasher safe trays
Answer: I'm sorry, "BPA"? a product chhemical question should go to manufacturer.
Answer: I don't know. Sorry. But the answer below is probably right, you should ask the manufacturer.
Answer: yes
Answer: Yes
Q:
Are the FD-35 trays interchangeable with this unit?
Answer: I'm sure they are. After purchasing the D-37 I wanted more then the 4 trays it came with. I bought a pack of two trays that are for the 30's series which would include the 35.
Q:
Might be a stupid question, but I assume this works for any food items I want to dry, right? like , eggs?
Answer: It's a dehydrator. You put something in it and it moves warm air over the item inside to remove moisture. You can put anything in there. Eggs, beef, an old shoe, etc, and it will dehydrate it.
Answer: I use mine to make beef jerky and to dehydrate fruit. I really don’t know how you would do eggs on it.
Answer: Yes, but why eggs???
Answer: Yes. Just keep in mind the trays have small holes for the air to circulate.
Q:
This did not include any type of instructions or paperwork,just the dehydrator itself in box,(not even plastic or bubble wrap) is this normal or did I get a used machine instead of new that I ordered?
Answer: mine came with a "cookbook"/instructions. Yours may still be considered "new" if the person never used it. But they just didn't include the paperwork.
Answer: Mine came with instructions/ jerky mix but no plastic wrap. Ask your shipper.
Answer: Not normal. Mine came beautifully packaged and with instructions and a recipe guide etc.
Answer: I received mine complete with instruction book, parts list and recipes. I ordered it from Amazon.
Answer: No it is not. We received instructions, wrapper, etc. You should bring it up to them.
Answer: You are definitely missing the instructions.
Answer: Mine came complete with manuals jerky mix packed in plastic looks like you got a used one.
Answer: Mine also came with the jerky mix
Q:
does it works whith 220 v?
Answer: no it is made to operate on 120 volt a/c current
Answer: 110 v
Q:
Are fd-37 & fd-37a trays interchangeable?
Answer: Yes, the trays are interchangeable between these units.
Q:
Can you add more trays
Q:
what is no size means
Answer: No size means just that. It is standard. It is not small, medium or large. It comes in one size.......standard.
Answer: Its just part of the description. Not sure why it was added but the dimension's given are correct. Don't let the words "NO SIZE" keep you from buying it. Its a great dehydrator and you can't beat the price. I use mine a lot to dry herbs from my garden I then turn into powders. Great product.
Q:
How loud is the unit? Say compared to a blender...
Answer: Compared to a blender, it makes no noise at all. The fan is very quite. My house is small, the bedroom is only about 30 feet from the kitchen, when I run the dehydrator at night I am still able to have a good sleep.
Answer: It isn't as loud as a blender. It is more like a window fan which runs steady for as long as you have the dehydrator on. In the other room you can't hear it too much. It is kind of like a refrigerator in that you know it is running but forget it. You let your refrigerator run when you leave don't you?
Answer: It's the same loudness of your bathroom fan, so if you have it on, there is a lot of white noise. The unit doesn't have a timer, so we plugged it into a timer for our Christmas lights and then we could set it to run at night so it wasn't too loud while we were up.
Answer: It is quieter than a blender. In my experience blenders are really loud and you have to stop talking or talk louder. With the dehydrator you can talk with the dehydrator on, even have a phone conversation. You can't talk on the phone with a blender.
Answer: Probably between a fan on high speed and a blender....plus you had better watch out, it might catch fire. I threw mine out after just using it once.....it was red hot and the room that I had it in was totally hot, i.e., well over 100 degrees..............just be careful that's all........use it outside if you have a covered area........good luck....I was glad to get rid of the thing!!!!
Answer: Not loud at all. sounds like a computer fan.
Answer: It's about as loud as a floor or box fan.
Answer: The unit is actually really quiet. It is like the box fan you have in college, you can hear it but you don't really notice it. It just becomes background whitenoise.
Answer: About half or more less loud as my blender. Sometimes I forget it's going....:(
Answer: A blender is louder. Its not that bad...
Q:
Is it dual voltage?
Answer: It is not dual voltage. I am happy with the product myself.
Answer: If you mean more than one speed, no it isn't. If it is usable in a country other than the United States, it has the standard 110 V plug for the U.S. so it would also be a "no."
Answer: No
Q:
What size ad on tray do i buy for my FD60?
Answer: Nesco LT-2SG Set of 2 Add-A-Tray for FD-61/FD-61WHC/FD-75A and FD-75PR. This set of two trays fits Nesco 60 series. You can buy the set right here on Amazon for $13.99.
Answer: Only come in one size.
Q:
Can the heat be shut off?
Answer: With ours it goes down to 95 degrees, a cool heat with the fan blowing!
Answer: No. The switch turns both the fan and the heating element on and they DO NOT work interchangeably.
Answer: Nope. It's either on and heating or off
Answer: the blower and heat are on together.
Answer: There is a switch that turns the unit on and off. Heat is not separate from the blower.
Answer: No, you cannot shut off the heat. Hope this helps
Answer: And run only the fan, no.
Q:
What are the two plastic handles for?
Answer: If you mean the two white plastic stays, they snap all the trays together on the sides to keep everything stable and together.
Answer: The handles hold the top to the unit....
Answer: these lock down the top of the unit. if you are drying some items that are slightly taller than the normal space, the clips hold the whole thing together,
Answer: They are to keep the trays and lid tightly in place during shipping. I actually use them while drying because it keeps the trays aligned and sealed tightly. Can't use them though if you use more trays. They aren't really a necessity
Answer: People use them for different . Some people use them when drying incase they need to move the dryer around the kitchen. You can also use them to keep everything together if you need to take your dryer to someone elses house whether in the middle of drying or just loaning it someone it makes it safer transport. I know one lady who uses them when she stores it away on her shelf so it makes it harder to knock off the shelf and to keep the trays from getting lost. It's up to you.
Answer: They are just 'holdowns' for shipping, I think because you don't need them. Absolutely not necessary to hold trays in place or seal them. Can't use them anyway if you get more trays.
Answer: You clip them top to bottom to keep the unit together. I carry the filled unit from my kitchen to my basement so I don't hear it.
Answer: To hold the trays together.
Answer: We use them to secure all of the baskets during and to keep a tighter seal.
Q:
Would someone please tell me why it would cost $53.85 shipping to Oregon?
Answer: Mine was shipped free to WA because it was over $25. Check the different sellers that offer this item. They may have different shipping rates.
Answer: I don't know why. We shipped this to Oregon and the shipping was free.
Answer: yikes - am in oregon too, gonna read fine print
Answer: Maybe u live in a rural area. It should give free shipping if u buy it with amazon prime.
Q:
Is the fan supposed to run constantly? I started using this for the first time today to make some jerky. After about an hour of drying the fan just turned off completely, like nothing was happening anymore. 45 mins later it flicks back on. Is this normal? or is it overheating? Thanks everyone for your replies. Turns…
Answer: I haven't used it to make jerky. But if I had to guess I would say no it is not normal. So far I have only dehydrated crackers, nuts and kale in it. When I start to dehydrate something I plug it in and turn the switch on. It has a loud fan but I have never have had the fan turn off and later turn back on again. It stays on until I switch it off. I think it was made to handle jerky. It sounds like it isn't operating like it is supposed to.
Answer: Yeah the fan is supposed to run constantly. I don't know what to tell you. This doesn't sound good. Does turning it off or taking the plug out and replugging it work? Usually when overheating happens I see smoke or smell a burning smell. I hope that everything turns out ok.
Answer: Sounds like it is overheating. I've never had a problem with mine "shutting" off. The fan should constantly be on, when it is plugged in and turned on.
Answer: The fan on our dehydrator runs constantly throughout the entire process. I would check out your connections. Warranty time.
Answer: i have used mine atleast a hundred hours and the fan and heater run constantly.
Answer: We are also having trouble with our dehydrator. It just stopped working in the middle of making jerky. We had to throw out our meat. The next day it worked fine. STRANGE!!!!
Answer: as an after thought the fan might be shutting off on thermal overload which indicates a fan problem. better get your warranty papers out.
Answer: The fan on mine has never turned off by itself.
Answer: I was getting on to answer your inquiry but it seems as though you got your answer! That's good! (FYI-Mine never stops running until I turn it off) I hope you're enjoying yours as much as I do mine! God bless!
Answer: Oh I am sorry I can't answer that, I just know that the one I purchased heated up the whole room and did not do what it was supposed to.....I followed instructions, however, was too scared to use it again in case of a fire.....threw it out!
Product reviews of Nesco FD-37 Food Dehydrator, NO SIZE
Kay : There’s no temperature control and no timer . It’s noisy.
I’m sorry there’s no timer or temperature control. I have it and it works, but I wish you had known how much a “bare bones” this model is!
RG : So efficient!
I bought this back in the beginning of April. I use it every week. Dried tomatoes, beets, apples, bananas, on and on...
I gave this product a 5 star rating because it is easy to clean. When I make beet chips, the plastic trays do not stain. It's super easy to clean - I haven't washed it in my dishwasher, mostly because I treasure this too much, but a simple wipe down and it's clean. Instead of waiting 5-6 days for my herbs to dry it now takes 2-3 hours!
The only con, this is the first dehydrator i've ever owned so it may be the "norm", is the noise. It kind of cancels out sounds in the house and I have to be a room away to talk on the phone.
Buy it! You'll love veggies and fruits again!
Bob : Great for peppers!!
This product saved me a TON of time! I was spreading out all of my hot peppers on a cookie and letting them dry in the sun but that took soooooo long. With this I was able to dry a batch of cayenne peppers in just 1 day. However, bigger, juicer peppers like jalapenos required significantly longer, about 4-5 days depending on how many peppers you put in. But for the price and the fact that it's made in the USA, it's a great product!!
A. Hockenberry : Great!
I have been looking for a food dehydrator to make my own dried fruit. Not only is it so much more expensive to purchase pre dried fruits, but they usually have added sugars and preservatives. I have been drying fruit in the oven, but I thought this would be easier and it is! I am looking forward to trying to make my own potato chips next! It was easy to use and clean as well. The noise level isn't too loud, but you can definitely hear it running. All in all I am very happy with my purchase!
Scottyy : So far...it's great!
I received this for Christmas 12/2012 and have since dried apples, strawberries, peppers, bananas, and made fruit roll-ups (with the purchase of extra trays). I am very pleased with this product! Not only does it do a great job drying, it also adds a wonderful aroma to my house (cinnamon apples). However when I do decide to make jerky, I think I'll plug the dehydrator in the garage.
Daryl82much : CAUTION!!
My wife has developed O.D.D. (Obsessive Dehydrator Syndrome) since I gave her this for her birthday. Almost every day, I will come home to a new batch of dried apple slices. (She works at a fruit market, so she gets all the apples she wants.) Her friends love them and eat them like candy.
The machine has worked great, but it is somewhat noisy. The fan, of course, runs constantly for several hours, which can be a bit annoying, but if you run it in a back room or have other noises (TV), it's OK.
All in all, it's a great kitchen tool. I'm going to buy some more racks so my wife can do more at one time.
T. Webb : Cheap and easy to use!
Pros: Super easy to use. Inexpensive. Doesn't take up too much space. Quiet-ish* (see note below).
Cons: Only one temperature setting. Plastic trays are a little sharp on the bottom side so be careful when washing.
*Note: Before I bought this dehydrator I read the reviews and saw that some people thought it was too loud. Now I know why. Most of the time, the unit quietly hums when it's on (I've made multiple batches of yummy apple chips in the last 24 hours since my dehydrator was delivered yesterday). But SOMETIMES it emits a loud high-pitched whine. This sound comes and goes for me, but when it's whining, I can hear it over my television and over the jackhammering that is going on outside. I'm not even kidding. If the noise continues I may try to exchange it for another one.
pharbach : Nice and simple dessicator
Has one temp setting but who cares! You want stuff dried out economically, and this is the best pick. This replaces an exact dessicator I had for years. Replaced it with this because I dropped the old one and the fan/heating element got damaged beyond repair.
Note to self: Take care of things and things will take care of you!
DrZ : Works great, but noisy
The dehydrator works really well - banana chips are dry within 8 hours or so! They also are easy to remove from the trays (not so with a prior dehydrator I had) and the trays are easy to clean. The only downfall of the product is that it is noisy - it's very noticeable when you turn it on. I would suggest turning it on overnight when you are not around it to avoid annoyance with the noise.
Joyce gross : American made
I will always buy American made products!
Paul Greenwood : Works for what I bought it for....
I bought this to make chicken jerky for my dog. With the recent recall scare on jerky products from China, I thought it best to make my own. I cut chicken breast very thin, and placed it in the dehydrator. I was amazed to see the chicken dried in only 3 hours. Next time I think I would cut the chicken a little thicker, but, in any case, the machine was great...dried the chicken thoroughly in a short time. I was unimpressed, however, with the drying of fruits and beef. I placed thin cut bananas, pineapple and apple in the dehydrator. After 13 hours of drying, the fruit was still not 100% dehydrated. The fruit never came out how I wanted, like the dried fruit you buy in a bag in the supermarket, even after 16 hours of drying. I also tried thin cuts of beef with the same result. After at least 12 hours of drying, I did not get Slim Jim type jerky. I used the jerky packet that came included, and followed instructions to the letter. The meat came out unappetizing and super salty. I will try again and experiment. For now, I give it 3 stars because it serves the purpose for what I bought it for,namely chicken jerky for my dog, but I was hoping to make Beef jerky like store bought, and I don't think that will ever happen...As far as noise, I used this in my garage so I didn't have to listen to it for 12 hours, but the fan noise, to me, is not that bad....like a normal fan...I would recommend this dehydrator for pet owners looking to make dog treats. For other uses I would not recommend. I will update after a few weeks of experimenting.
Lulu Benoit : UPDATE Neat but died after six uses
It is only fair tomupdate. After contacting the company regarding the broken and glowing device, I found customer service to be helpful and knowledgable. they guided me through the return process and quickly replaced the device. since then it has been flawless and I have recommended the dehydrator to many.
former review: Love the machine conceptually, but after starting to sputter four uses in, but mid cycle on the sixth, it just stopped. I let it rest for an hour then tried again...still dead, but now glowing. Clearly a fire hazard.
chloemarie : A lot of fun, but def has hot spots
This thing is a hoot! So far I have dried peaches, apples and cherries and made beef jerky. That is more the function of how great dehydrators in general are though. THis one isn't ridiculously loud at all, as some people have said. You amy have to turn the TV up a few clicks if it is in the saem room, but you don't really notice it over a conversation or anything. Reasonable amount of space to dry stuff. My main issue is that it has major hot spots. I have to remove the fruit and stuff piece by piece every couple hours because some areas dry much mroe quickly. In retrospect, it would probably have been worth an extra $10 to find one without hotspots (but who knows, maybe that one would have them too and then I would have wasted $10). If this lasts through drying all of my produce this season, I will probably increase my review to 4 stars. Regardless, buy a dehydrator, even if it isnt this one!
Paul Greenwood : Works for what I bought it for....
I bought this to make chicken jerky for my dog. With the recent recall scare on jerky products from China, I thought it best to make my own. I cut chicken breast very thin, and placed it in the dehydrator. I was amazed to see the chicken dried in only 3 hours. Next time I think I would cut the chicken a little thicker, but, in any case, the machine was great...dried the chicken thoroughly in a short time. I was unimpressed, however, with the drying of fruits and beef. I placed thin cut bananas, pineapple and apple in the dehydrator. After 13 hours of drying, the fruit was still not 100% dehydrated. The fruit never came out how I wanted, like the dried fruit you buy in a bag in the supermarket, even after 16 hours of drying. I also tried thin cuts of beef with the same result. After at least 12 hours of drying, I did not get Slim Jim type jerky. I used the jerky packet that came included, and followed instructions to the letter. The meat came out unappetizing and super salty. I will try again and experiment. For now, I give it 3 stars because it serves the purpose for what I bought it for,namely chicken jerky for my dog, but I was hoping to make Beef jerky like store bought, and I don't think that will ever happen...As far as noise, I used this in my garage so I didn't have to listen to it for 12 hours, but the fan noise, to me, is not that bad....like a normal fan...I would recommend this dehydrator for pet owners looking to make dog treats. For other uses I would not recommend. I will update after a few weeks of experimenting.
Dax Tipson : New to Dehydration
Totally newbie to dehydration. Wanted something quality, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. So far, have dried a number of different items. They didn't turn out so well, mostly due to operator error and bad recipes. Speaking of which, although the instructions were easy to follow, I wasn't necessarily impressed with the recipe book that came with the product, but I do think there were a few helpful tips included. As far as the dehydrator itself, it kicks off some heat, as expected, but nothing too crazy, and of course you hear the motor, but it isn't so loud to drive me crazy. If you are new to dehydration, you may want to check websites or purchase a quality food dehydrator book to go along with it. I don't have any website or book recommendations as I'm still searching myself.
Blair : Pretty cool!
We have made two batches of beef jerky so far. My husband loves using this. I just bought 7 mangoes yesterday to try next. So far this is awesome. For now its only the two of us. If you have a big family, you may want to get the larger size, because this doesn't make a ton of quantity. It makes 1.5 lbs of jerky, which is about 2 Ziploc sandwich size bags full. Great product though!
Amazon Customer : A little noisy but good beginner dehydrator
I was a little disappointed when it first arrived but I gave it a teat run and it worked well.
Even though it was not as quiet as i imagined it would be it was not too bad.
One thing I will get next time is a variable temperature control. This one only runs at about 145 degrees F so the herbs dried in about 2 hours and the peppers and tomatoes took about 9 hours.
All turned out well.
This is the lowest priced one on Amazon and you get what you pay for.
I will see how long it lasts...
Amazon Customer : A little noisy but good beginner dehydrator
I was a little disappointed when it first arrived but I gave it a teat run and it worked well.
Even though it was not as quiet as i imagined it would be it was not too bad.
One thing I will get next time is a variable temperature control. This one only runs at about 145 degrees F so the herbs dried in about 2 hours and the peppers and tomatoes took about 9 hours.
All turned out well.
This is the lowest priced one on Amazon and you get what you pay for.
I will see how long it lasts...
Lexy Caylor : Dried Fruit Turns Out Dry
So far have made jerky, dried fruit, and mint tea using this and they all worked great. Not too loud, but could get annoying if you have it in the same room for hours. Was worried it would be too small, but I often have problems filling it all the way. Really easy to clean so far. So far my favourite thing has been dried oranges.
infinitime : Works well, but make sure you use it in a well ventilated area, preferably somewhere far away
I've always wanted a dehydrator. All those infomercials I watched growing up instilled the unshakable belief that home-made raisins and apple chips are infinitely superior to store bought variants. After 20 years, I finally bought one!
The unit we bought is nicely designed, being easy to use and to clean. While I didn't expect it to be whisper quiet, I also didn't expect it to sound like a hairdryer on full blast. Upon reflection, it makes sense, as the construct is very similar to a hairdryer, with a heating element and a fan to circulate the hot air.
Thinly sliced apple chips are done in about 5 hours, banana chips in about 16 hours, and raisins... well, after 24 hours the grapes are still quite plump.
Overall, this is a good deal for $35, but unless you are comfortable with the constant drone of a spinning fan, this unit is probably best to leave in a faraway room, where it does its magic out of earshot.
I also question the longevity of the item, as the plastic trays are quite thin, and have began to warp already after two days of (constant) use.
infinitime : Works well, but make sure you use it in a well ventilated area, preferably somewhere far away
I've always wanted a dehydrator. All those infomercials I watched growing up instilled the unshakable belief that home-made raisins and apple chips are infinitely superior to store bought variants. After 20 years, I finally bought one!
The unit we bought is nicely designed, being easy to use and to clean. While I didn't expect it to be whisper quiet, I also didn't expect it to sound like a hairdryer on full blast. Upon reflection, it makes sense, as the construct is very similar to a hairdryer, with a heating element and a fan to circulate the hot air.
Thinly sliced apple chips are done in about 5 hours, banana chips in about 16 hours, and raisins... well, after 24 hours the grapes are still quite plump.
Overall, this is a good deal for $35, but unless you are comfortable with the constant drone of a spinning fan, this unit is probably best to leave in a faraway room, where it does its magic out of earshot.
I also question the longevity of the item, as the plastic trays are quite thin, and have began to warp already after two days of (constant) use.
iland99 : Still going strong!
I've only used the dehydrator a couple of times so far, drying morel mushrooms with it both times. Each time the mushrooms dried a bit quicker than was expected, but I kept a close eye on things so no problems there. The entire house smelled like morels as they were drying which to me was a HUGE plus! I started with 4 lbs of morels and was able to fit them all in a small airtight container once finished. This dehydrator will be getting more of a workout soon as we start harvesting our garden later this summer/fall.
*edit* This fall we dehydrated onion greens and several batches of tomatoes with it. Worked great every time!
*edit again* Almost 6 years of ownership and it's still going strong. Our usage has ramped up a lot over the years and have now used it to dehydrate literally hundreds of pounds of wild mushrooms plus tomatoes and other various veggies from our garden. If it quit working tomorrow I'd buy another one without hesitation!
Bob : Great for peppers!!
This product saved me a TON of time! I was spreading out all of my hot peppers on a cookie and letting them dry in the sun but that took soooooo long. With this I was able to dry a batch of cayenne peppers in just 1 day. However, bigger, juicer peppers like jalapenos required significantly longer, about 4-5 days depending on how many peppers you put in. But for the price and the fact that it's made in the USA, it's a great product!!
L. Capell : Lightweight, easy-to-clean and effective!
Oh, why hadn't I ever dehydrated anything before? It is so easy! And what comes out is so delicious!
Before we purchased this inexpensive dehydrator, I read the reviews. A little noisy, yes. However, I put it out on my back porch and it doesn't bother anyone. It also puts off a little heat as it dries the food so I didn't want it inside the air conditioning. That being said, let me sing the praises of this little effective dehydrator. I love it! It is lightweight to carry and oh-so-easy to clean! We have tried bananas, pears, apples, tomatoes, eggplant and mushrooms so far. Wonderful tasting as dried. Easy to rehydrate later. So much easier than canning. And the shelf life is similar without similar mess and work. The enclosed booklet has a chart that will tell you how long each type of food needs.
By the way, I came online to order more trays... that should say it all!
omegalegend : work well for mushrooms
no temperature guage. but drys out my mushies fast and well
Toni Leland : Excellent
I read all the reviews and thought this would be the one to buy. And I'm not disappointed. Many reviewers said it was too noisy, but I don't find it any worse than the window air conditioner or a box fan.
It works great, dries food quickly and is easy to clean. Plan to buy more trays once the growing season arrives!
Toni Leland : Excellent
I read all the reviews and thought this would be the one to buy. And I'm not disappointed. Many reviewers said it was too noisy, but I don't find it any worse than the window air conditioner or a box fan.
It works great, dries food quickly and is easy to clean. Plan to buy more trays once the growing season arrives!
Yada yada : Groovy good
I use it to make dog treats of sweet potato, orange and apple slices. So far.
Those treats cost a bundle in the store bought bags. Easy to use and it loads in the dishwasher for a lazy cleanup. Seems well made for the price. Noisy fan though. We'll see how it holds up. I'm saving back the purchase price on my second batch of treats. Unless you want to go high class, look no further
Satisfied.
Heather : Definitely one of the best purchases I've ever made
I use this constantly! I expanded it with 2 more trays and I have 2 clean a screens and also a leather insert for every tray. This has already paid for itself many times over! Definitely one of the best purchases I've ever made. The only thing I may have done differently is pay a little more for one with a temperature gauge, but I pretty much only dehydrate fruits, vegetables and herbs, so a temp gauge isn't entirely necessary.
Zack Minkel : Always good
I got this as a present .turns out it was the wrong design .I've used this brand before and it dries everything to a crunch
Matt : Dehydrator
Working good
Bob : Great for peppers!!
This product saved me a TON of time! I was spreading out all of my hot peppers on a cookie and letting them dry in the sun but that took soooooo long. With this I was able to dry a batch of cayenne peppers in just 1 day. However, bigger, juicer peppers like jalapenos required significantly longer, about 4-5 days depending on how many peppers you put in. But for the price and the fact that it's made in the USA, it's a great product!!
billiesbaby : AWESOME!!
My Husband is permently disabled and he uses this weekly! He loves all the different things, especially jerky, that he can make with this! And it's something that he can do and it keeps him busy as he doesn't get around well! My favorite are the bananas! Would recommend to all!
AvgJoe : Awesome!
I love it! Made a metric ton of jerky the first week I had it. No complaints. The cook times recommended are a bit long and the spice included is bland, but mixing up your own is just as easy. Haven't tried it with anything but beef, poultry, and fish so I can't comment on fruit or "dog treats"...if that's what you're buying this for then...idk
Toni Leland : Excellent
I read all the reviews and thought this would be the one to buy. And I'm not disappointed. Many reviewers said it was too noisy, but I don't find it any worse than the window air conditioner or a box fan.
It works great, dries food quickly and is easy to clean. Plan to buy more trays once the growing season arrives!
K. dillon : love love love this
I have had many dehydrators. some to small, some to big. this is just right........ It runs mostly night and day. the plastic trays sort of warp with the heat, but works great. easy to clean. much easier since the motor runs right through the middle.
Joyce gross : American made
I will always buy American made products!
Kay : There’s no temperature control and no timer . It’s noisy.
I’m sorry there’s no timer or temperature control. I have it and it works, but I wish you had known how much a “bare bones” this model is!
Rikki : Food Dehydrator
My sheltie, Bailey, has a preference for chicken jerky treats. The expense of store bought chicken jerky was escalating, and there are many comments on the Internet about problems with chicken jerky from digestive issues to toxins. So I purchased the Nesco Food Hydrator, never having used one before, and I just love it. Bailey does, too!
B F : Nope
Never worked right. For what I paid for it, it should of worked better. Was hoping to make bananas and beef jerky.
Melanie : love!
very cheap and big! ive used it to make beef jerky and all kinds of dried fruit.. the beef jerky takes about 3 or 4 hours and the fruit takes more or less depending on how much water is in it.. makes a huge batch though and it's fairly quiet
Wisnic : Great for small jobs.
My parents have a similar dehydrator to this one, design wise, but a good 15 years older. This guy seems to have improved circulation and drying time. I wish it were smaller, prettier, and easier to store, but for the options available I'd buy it again.
The top of it does get quite hot. I don't fear lighting our cats whiskers on fire or anything, but I don't *really* like leaving it on while I'm not home... for similar reasons that I always unplug the toaster.
For the money, this is a good deal. I feel like it will last for many years-- and the dried pineapple and peaches were worth it!
Beemama : Great way to save surplus garden tomatoes
We saw one of these in use at a friend's house and wondered why we had never thought to get one for ourselves. We always have surplus cherry tomatoes at the end of summer and just can't eat as many as we pick. Drying them has been a great help and an added treat to take in lunch to work. It is amazing how sweet the little tomatoes are. We also dry apples which we sprinkle with cinnamon prior to drying. Can't keep enough of them on hand. They go down so easily. The machine holds several layers and different things can be dried at the same time. The only draw back is the noise that the motor makes. We put it in a rarely used room. Problem solved. Well worth the money. It has already paid for itself.
Becca : Really cool!!!
I have never used a dehydrator before and I didn't realize how many creations could be made using this simple device. There is no temperature control, but if you follow the booklet that comes in the box, there is no need to change temperatures, only the amount of time something is dehydrated.I contacted the Nesco company to see if it was safe to leave on all night and they said it was a personal preference. Apparently there are two safety mechanisms that prevent it from catching fire. I also questioned how long it can be left on without giving it a break and they said 48 hours. Just thought I would share that information since it is kind of important to know. I have been leaving it on at night since it seems pretty safe. The heat created isn't even hot enough to even burn you. I heard that it reaches between 90 to 130 degrees F. Oh, and I am making a peanut butter banana gram cracker tonight. I have never tried it before so I'm not sure how well it will turn out, but if you are interested, here is a link to the recipe ([...]).
One more thing. I have read many complaints about how loud the machine is. To give you an idea, it kind of sounds like one of those small handheld vacuums. It will get annoying if you are in the same room for a long period of time, but its not loud enough that you will have to shout to have a conversation. If you are in a separate room, you probably won't hear it at all and if you do, it will sound like a quiet buzz in the background.
Bob : Great for peppers!!
This product saved me a TON of time! I was spreading out all of my hot peppers on a cookie and letting them dry in the sun but that took soooooo long. With this I was able to dry a batch of cayenne peppers in just 1 day. However, bigger, juicer peppers like jalapenos required significantly longer, about 4-5 days depending on how many peppers you put in. But for the price and the fact that it's made in the USA, it's a great product!!
April Michele Owens : Love, Love, Love!!!
I purchased this dehydrator originally to make homemade beef jerky since store bought jerky has high levels of salt. We are now making our own powders like onion powder, tomato powder and so forth. I am also dehydrating fruits and vegetables for long term storage. I have been watching alot of videos on YouTube about dehydrating and it has been great. Instead of letting my produce go bad I am dehydrating it and using them at a later date.
Trevor Collins : Simple, cheap, but a little noisy
This product is exactly what you think it should be...a glorified hair dryer forcing hot air around 4 trays of food. I ordered this out or pure experimentation and have to say that it worked great!
I only have 2 cons for it:
1) The fan inside the machine is definitely not whisper quiet, though quieter than a hair dryer. I only noticed it as being annoying because the device takes 8-20 hrs to dry what you want it to dry. Beef jerkey took 8 hrs, but blueberries took over 15 hrs.
2) There should be a timer to turn the device off after X hrs. I felt like I had to babysit a load of laundry that wouldn't dry after 12 hours.
Ward : Good dehydrator.
We like this dehydrator because it is fast and efficient. It is pretty easy to clean.
chloemarie : A lot of fun, but def has hot spots
This thing is a hoot! So far I have dried peaches, apples and cherries and made beef jerky. That is more the function of how great dehydrators in general are though. THis one isn't ridiculously loud at all, as some people have said. You amy have to turn the TV up a few clicks if it is in the saem room, but you don't really notice it over a conversation or anything. Reasonable amount of space to dry stuff. My main issue is that it has major hot spots. I have to remove the fruit and stuff piece by piece every couple hours because some areas dry much mroe quickly. In retrospect, it would probably have been worth an extra $10 to find one without hotspots (but who knows, maybe that one would have them too and then I would have wasted $10). If this lasts through drying all of my produce this season, I will probably increase my review to 4 stars. Regardless, buy a dehydrator, even if it isnt this one!
L. Capell : Lightweight, easy-to-clean and effective!
Oh, why hadn't I ever dehydrated anything before? It is so easy! And what comes out is so delicious!
Before we purchased this inexpensive dehydrator, I read the reviews. A little noisy, yes. However, I put it out on my back porch and it doesn't bother anyone. It also puts off a little heat as it dries the food so I didn't want it inside the air conditioning. That being said, let me sing the praises of this little effective dehydrator. I love it! It is lightweight to carry and oh-so-easy to clean! We have tried bananas, pears, apples, tomatoes, eggplant and mushrooms so far. Wonderful tasting as dried. Easy to rehydrate later. So much easier than canning. And the shelf life is similar without similar mess and work. The enclosed booklet has a chart that will tell you how long each type of food needs.
By the way, I came online to order more trays... that should say it all!
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