Nesco FD-37 Food Dehydrator, NO SIZE review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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
| | |
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
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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:
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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:)
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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
Herbicat : Hairdryer on a plastic set of trys.
This thing drove me crazy with the constant sound of a hairdryer in the kitchen. I did let it finish the first time and made some dehydrated apples that were good but not worth it at all.
I give this a 1 star because the noise makes it worthless to me. You can dehydrate just as well in the oven on very low heat.
Holley A Nickels : Good bargain
It gets the job done fairly quickly, it is a hassle to clean but worth it , kinda noisy and there is only one temperature. But it is very cost effective. And it works great . The jerky comes out perfect
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...
Wanderexplore : This things awesome!
I dont really have anything to compare this to, being my first dehydrator, but I have been drying since I got it with no issues at all. I'm really bad at buying things and letting them go to waste, wanted to save money, and have easy, healthy snacks available. I also bought a food saver, so now I have tons of fruit, apples, pears, mango, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, etc dried and packaged in my freezer for whenever I want. I will be making jerky soon as well. It sounds like a hairdryer on low, so unless you sleep right next to your kitchen, you shouldn't hear it during the night.
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.
0utd00r Wand3r3r : Worked great to dehydrate vegetables for the 4 months it worked
Update-
Got a replacement and been running it again casually dehydrating vegetables. It still is very loud but hasn’t mysteriously stopped working.
**UPDATE*
4 months of casual use it stopped working.
As other reviews have stated it is loud. Not stupid loud, but it reminds of turning your oven hood fan on low. It’s been running for about 8 hours and the fruit looks like it is drying well. Will update if my opinion changes. The instructions mention a fruit tray not included.
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.
Alula : Electronics
First order I never came. Had to make a complaint to finally get what I paid for. Works ok.
A. Dunham : Didn't work for me at all.
This dehydrator didn't work for what I needed AT ALL. It seems to dry at very high temperatures and whenever I followed the "recommended times" on a recipe I would wind up with nasty food that was hard as a rock or as close to 'burnt' as a dehydrator is capable of. It is also VERY VERY loud. I would not recommend this dehydrator.
Richie Rich and The Valens : For the price it's a great device
If you manage to pick this up for under $35 then you will not be sorry. It delivers a decent amount of dried items after each run and it's easy to clean. Other reviewers are right though in the fact that it doesn't hold up well to multiple washes and uses and starts warping early on which may effect me being able to lock it in place over time. For now though strawberries, apples and oranges turned out perfect each time, crunchy or soft. Bananas, pineapples, and blueberries on the other hand were a disaster but that could have been the solution I soaked it in, how thin I sliced it or the cooking time which all vary. Do not hesitate if you want dried apples, strawberries, and pears this dehydrator is fast and consistent. It does run on the loud side but you can suffer for 4-10 hours a week and you won't ever waste any fruit or vegetables again.
Jeremy : Greatest ever
I love this thing and it works really fast and have never had problems of it reaching to high a temperature for ANYTHING.
Pros:fast and not that noisy if you put it in a cupboard or something.
Cons:noisy in a kind of white noise way
Super awesome though I will be ordering another one of these soon (because I moved not because it broke this thing is durable)
Christopher Bergstrom : Don't waste your money!
I bought this after reading the reviews. They didn't seem bad, just run of the mill stuff that people complein about. I received this and I was excited because I love to save money and what better way then to save money then to dehydrate fruit when it's in season? Geeze! This think is so loud I can hear it upstairs with my door closed. Even after having it on ALL night and a few hours into the next day, my apricots still weren't dry and spoiled! I have found that drying food in the oven is easier, faster, quieter! I should've spent the extra money and gone with the more expensive product. Think twice before ordering this.
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.
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!
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.
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.
LP : Totally Useless...Kinda, sorta, maybe
This product was utterly useless. It died within two hours of its first use. So much for its "made it America" claims. The product absolutely sucks. This is the second Nesco food dehydrator I've gone through in the last year. The first dehydrator, the 700 watt FD 75, also died immediately. Although, it lasted a whole two uses. I actually got to taste the jerky a complete two times with that piece of crap. This miserable machine couldn't even muster one batch of jerky. At least it died within Amazon's return window. That cannot be said for the FD 75. All things considered, I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever buy anything from Nesco again. I just cannot believe that these two incidents were coincidences. I do statistical analysis; one machine breaking down immediately is one thing, but two is another. Just look at all the other people who had their worthless Nesco machines die.
Update:
I wanted to update this review, and I'm upping the rating a bit. I actually found out that this thing can get too hot. Right before I was going to send it back to Amazon, I got the inclination to plug it in and see if it worked. Well, it did. It seems that the product has an issue with getting too hot; in which case, it will actually stop working. Since then, I've actually been able to make about six batches of beef jerky that all turned out fine. There is one caveat, however, that should be discussed. While the machine hasn't stopped working once since the first time, I still stage its dehydration process. By that, I mean that I turn it off after about 3 hours to rest for twenty minutes or so. Also, I would never leave this machine unattended for obvious reasons.
All things considered, I'm somewhat happy with the machine. It does its job, and it has worked better than my other FD 75, which died completely after a short while. I'll update this review if anything happens to the machine. I make beef jerky about once a month, so the machine takes a little bit of a beating.
Harley : Love It
I have had several dehydrators over the years, this has got to be the best one yet. 6 hrs and my beef jerky was done.
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!
OAlpha : No complaints
Made delicious jerky, tomato chips, and jalapeno chips. Have plans for more no complaints.
earltash : It came with a big dent in corner of box ...
It came with a big dent in corner of box. No protection inside at all. No Styrofoam or anything.
But at least there was no damage to the unit. I plugged it in and it works. Fan blows warm air.
I now have it drying some apple slices n orange pieces along with some hot peppers.
The test.....I'll add to this review after i see how it works.
Ward : Good dehydrator.
We like this dehydrator because it is fast and efficient. It is pretty easy to clean.
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!
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!
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...
William Stohl : Great Product
If you want to dehydrate food and a low cost, this is the product you will want to buy.
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.
Juniorverse : Loving this product, especially for the price
Having never owned a dehydrator before, I wasn't sure what to expect from this product. All I knew is that the last time I bought dried apple slices from Whole Foods they were very expensive but OH SO GOOD. With this dehydrator, I was easily able to recreate the dried apple chips with cinnamon at a fraction of the price... they came out GREAT! It takes about 7 hours for perfect crispy dried apple slices if you fill all 5 trays.
I also put some sliced bananas in there and they made quite the treat!
The great book that comes with this product includes a lot of sample recipes and tips for getting the best results, and you also get a packet of seasoning for making your own beef jerky! I will have to try that soon.
Cleanup is super quick, and each rack is machine washable. If you've ever thought of getting a food dehydrator, I highly recommend this model. I am very happy with this purchase.
Wanderexplore : This things awesome!
I dont really have anything to compare this to, being my first dehydrator, but I have been drying since I got it with no issues at all. I'm really bad at buying things and letting them go to waste, wanted to save money, and have easy, healthy snacks available. I also bought a food saver, so now I have tons of fruit, apples, pears, mango, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, etc dried and packaged in my freezer for whenever I want. I will be making jerky soon as well. It sounds like a hairdryer on low, so unless you sleep right next to your kitchen, you shouldn't hear it during the night.
Ayanami : Love it! Used it all summer!
Pros:
I've dried a wide variety of items this summer with my dehydrator. I absolutely love it! I joined a CSA for the first time, and the dehydrator was fantastic for most veggies that I could not use immediately.
Fantastic with herbs; dries in an hour or two!
Other things I've dried this summer: onions, leeks, any kind of pepper, squash, tomatoes (see comment below). Everything has come out wonderfully! Haven't tried jerky or fruit rolls yet!
Cons:
Herbs or veggies would sometimes turn brown if dried for too long. Basil in particular usually turned brown (probably due to its high moisture content). Onions as well were prone to turning brown when over-dried. This does not appear to affect their taste; only aesthetics.
There is no temperature or timer settings on this basic unit. This is not generally a problem, but makes it nearly impossible for me to make tomato leathers correctly with this unit. I almost always over-dry and end up with "tomato chips" instead. Of course, then I just throw them into the food processor and make tomato powder instead, so it's not really a big loss, but something to be aware of.
I purchased the optional fruit roll and screen trays to accommodate smaller veggies. I don't have any complaints about these extra trays, but it should be noted that using them will change the airflow in your unit, and you will need to rotate the trays more often to account for them.
Yes, it is a bit loud. About as loud as a moderately noisy fan. If it bothers you, just place it out in the garage or porch.
Bottom Line:
Cons are a minor, and can mostly be solved if you buy a slightly higher-end model. Only real issue is that if you don't want something COMPLETELY dry, you need to keep an eye on it. But for the cheapest dehydrator I've seen on the market, it works like a boss.
UPDATE: Five years later, this dehydrator is still going strong! I use it quite frequently every summer.
LP : Totally Useless...Kinda, sorta, maybe
This product was utterly useless. It died within two hours of its first use. So much for its "made it America" claims. The product absolutely sucks. This is the second Nesco food dehydrator I've gone through in the last year. The first dehydrator, the 700 watt FD 75, also died immediately. Although, it lasted a whole two uses. I actually got to taste the jerky a complete two times with that piece of crap. This miserable machine couldn't even muster one batch of jerky. At least it died within Amazon's return window. That cannot be said for the FD 75. All things considered, I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever buy anything from Nesco again. I just cannot believe that these two incidents were coincidences. I do statistical analysis; one machine breaking down immediately is one thing, but two is another. Just look at all the other people who had their worthless Nesco machines die.
Update:
I wanted to update this review, and I'm upping the rating a bit. I actually found out that this thing can get too hot. Right before I was going to send it back to Amazon, I got the inclination to plug it in and see if it worked. Well, it did. It seems that the product has an issue with getting too hot; in which case, it will actually stop working. Since then, I've actually been able to make about six batches of beef jerky that all turned out fine. There is one caveat, however, that should be discussed. While the machine hasn't stopped working once since the first time, I still stage its dehydration process. By that, I mean that I turn it off after about 3 hours to rest for twenty minutes or so. Also, I would never leave this machine unattended for obvious reasons.
All things considered, I'm somewhat happy with the machine. It does its job, and it has worked better than my other FD 75, which died completely after a short while. I'll update this review if anything happens to the machine. I make beef jerky about once a month, so the machine takes a little bit of a beating.
Ajax Dahgue : Great machine, but what a racket.
I got one of these as a gift and had a grand time making jerky, chicken strips for my dogs (good idea since the Chinese started poisoning our dogs) and dried herbs from my garden. I even wrote my own jerky recipe that friends now ask for.
I used it for a couple of years and the motor gave out. Only complaint I have it that it is noisy as hell. Had to banish it to my shop in the basement to make stuff. A bit of a pain, but for $35 this is a pretty good buy.
When it died, i replaced it with the Nesco FD-80 square model. It is about two-and-a-half times the price, but well worth it. It is whisper quiet and holds a ton of stuff - six racks about 12 inches on a side, which means six square feet of drying space. I also prefer the temp control. This one here - FD37 - runs at a constant temp around 170 degrees F. The FD-80 has a control you can set from 90 to 160/
My conclusion is if you're tight on cash this will do just fine. If you can afford the extra cost, the FE-80 is like having a Lexus dehydrator.
Pros:
Inexpensive. works fine. enough rack space for small to medium size production
Cons:
makes a crazy-loud racket.
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.
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.
Matt : Dehydrator
Working good
Joyce gross : American made
I will always buy American made products!
Tim C : Very pleased
Very good product, used to make some venison jerky and it does a great job. Made 3 trays of jerky in just over 4 hours. Nice tender and flavorful jerky without getting to dry. I recommend cleaning this right after usage, once it dries on there it's very hard to clean the small grates on the trays. Overall great item, should have bought one years ago.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Ayanami : Love it! Used it all summer!
Pros:
I've dried a wide variety of items this summer with my dehydrator. I absolutely love it! I joined a CSA for the first time, and the dehydrator was fantastic for most veggies that I could not use immediately.
Fantastic with herbs; dries in an hour or two!
Other things I've dried this summer: onions, leeks, any kind of pepper, squash, tomatoes (see comment below). Everything has come out wonderfully! Haven't tried jerky or fruit rolls yet!
Cons:
Herbs or veggies would sometimes turn brown if dried for too long. Basil in particular usually turned brown (probably due to its high moisture content). Onions as well were prone to turning brown when over-dried. This does not appear to affect their taste; only aesthetics.
There is no temperature or timer settings on this basic unit. This is not generally a problem, but makes it nearly impossible for me to make tomato leathers correctly with this unit. I almost always over-dry and end up with "tomato chips" instead. Of course, then I just throw them into the food processor and make tomato powder instead, so it's not really a big loss, but something to be aware of.
I purchased the optional fruit roll and screen trays to accommodate smaller veggies. I don't have any complaints about these extra trays, but it should be noted that using them will change the airflow in your unit, and you will need to rotate the trays more often to account for them.
Yes, it is a bit loud. About as loud as a moderately noisy fan. If it bothers you, just place it out in the garage or porch.
Bottom Line:
Cons are a minor, and can mostly be solved if you buy a slightly higher-end model. Only real issue is that if you don't want something COMPLETELY dry, you need to keep an eye on it. But for the cheapest dehydrator I've seen on the market, it works like a boss.
UPDATE: Five years later, this dehydrator is still going strong! I use it quite frequently every summer.
WOW-MOM : Saving Our Health and Money!
After Nestle pulled their chicken and pork treat products off the shelf due to some antibiotic not approved in the US, I decided to make my own pet treats. I have dehydrated meats, sweet potatoes and fruits for my dog. The apples though have made their way to my kid's tummy each and every time. She tells me that they are better than the store bought. She has shared the apples and sweet potatoes with her hamster who eats them up too! So there you go... I have saved quite a few dollars in making stuff at home. I need to get the add on trays though, 1 sliced apple fits on one tray, so if you want to make more than 4 apples, additional trays would be needed. This weekend I am dehydrating a sliced up pork roast to make dried ham fillets..... I love this thing!!!!
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.
Debra Macias : Mixed feelings.
This dehydrator is ok. I was just beginning to can and dehydrate when I purchased it. Now that I have become a passionate canner and preserver, I wish I had bought a higher quality model with a temp guide and so on. Like I said it you do beef jerky and some fruit and veggies this is fine. I do 5 pounds of garlic at a time and it took days to dry the cloves. But made AWESOME jerky. Think what you will use it for before spending money only to buy ANOTHER machine later.
Matt : Dehydrator
Working good
Richie Rich and The Valens : For the price it's a great device
If you manage to pick this up for under $35 then you will not be sorry. It delivers a decent amount of dried items after each run and it's easy to clean. Other reviewers are right though in the fact that it doesn't hold up well to multiple washes and uses and starts warping early on which may effect me being able to lock it in place over time. For now though strawberries, apples and oranges turned out perfect each time, crunchy or soft. Bananas, pineapples, and blueberries on the other hand were a disaster but that could have been the solution I soaked it in, how thin I sliced it or the cooking time which all vary. Do not hesitate if you want dried apples, strawberries, and pears this dehydrator is fast and consistent. It does run on the loud side but you can suffer for 4-10 hours a week and you won't ever waste any fruit or vegetables again.
scaredofspending : Exorbitant satisfaction for the product received and the price payed!!!!!
No tricks, no skimps, no scams, no loopholes, none of that. You get exactly what is advertised for exactly how much it's worth. Stack it up, plug it in and press the on switch. Very simple design, doesnt dirty up very easy, and durable; a baby could be taught how to use this in 30 seconds, don't let your baby cut the fruits haha.
The dehydrator's diameter is that of 1.25ish IPads. It consists of about 4-6 and a cover with a dehydrating apparatus built into it. Dehydrating efficiency and duration vary in different climates, here in Boston I cut up some fruits before I go to bed and let it run over night and then popem out in th morning and they come out chewy semi-crispy which is just how I like it. What your essentially buying is a closed tray mounted fan ventilating what looks like to be 3-4 rungs of heated coils; a blow dryer.
You'll have it forever, you'll use it forever and, if ur in a Boston type climate at least, you haven't had had banana chips until you've made your own they are DIVINE. granny smith apples don't go well for some reason shoot for the redder the better and cut them as thin as possible for the best flavor. ALL CITRUS FRUITS COME OUT ACRID MESSY AND TEXTURALLY UNPLEASENT SAVE YOUR CITRUS' AND TIME, KIWI'S ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME DEAL.
Wanderexplore : This things awesome!
I dont really have anything to compare this to, being my first dehydrator, but I have been drying since I got it with no issues at all. I'm really bad at buying things and letting them go to waste, wanted to save money, and have easy, healthy snacks available. I also bought a food saver, so now I have tons of fruit, apples, pears, mango, kiwi, strawberries, bananas, etc dried and packaged in my freezer for whenever I want. I will be making jerky soon as well. It sounds like a hairdryer on low, so unless you sleep right next to your kitchen, you shouldn't hear it during the night.
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!!
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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