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
| | |
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
| | |
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:)
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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
Ann : Love it
Okay folks don't do what I did. If you are use to American Harvest this one is different. It doesn't have a temperature control so it only runs on high. Since this one has a blower that goes down the middle from the top you have to do 3 trays at a time but you can put in empty ones if you need to. This does NOT come with any extra trays for rollups or herbs so if you are planning on doing those things look at what is usually bought with this to get the right size trays to go with it. Also note that if you need rollups trays they are normaly sold 2 at a time.
So now that you know it's downfalls let me tell you it is a good machine. The trays are durable and it does a great job. If you haven't used this kind of dehydrator before you need to keep an eye on it your first time. Every area is different because of humidity and evelation so be careful. Normally my rollups would take about 10-12 hours but this runs so hot it only took 9 hours.
Good luck and enjoy.
Buddy : Easy to use & clean
I use this all the time now. got mine used and it came in almost new condition with extra trays and fruit roll trays. It's really easy to use. Prep your food item,set what your drying on the racks, turn it on and forget it til it's done. I put the racks right in the dishwasher for easy clean up. I have already made Jerkey, dried apples, peaches, apple sauce roll ups, and dried Italian Sauce. It paid for itself just from the first two batches of Jerkey. Next is dried chopped beef for camping, I'm going to get the optional screens for that.
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.
Amazon Customer : Does the job well
Very loud but does a great job. No temp control but not really necessary. Great value for the money but I plan to set it on the patio or deep freezer in the garage while using it just because of the noise. Still very happy with the product and value!
CBS : Fantastic
I wanted to replace my old dehydrater and chose the Nesco. I also ordered the two-tray extension. I just wanted to say how very pleased I am with this product! I've only used it 4 or 5 times so far, but it is by far the best dehydrater I have seen. It does the job in half the time; evenly with great quality! It is very versatile, also. I need to order some of the fruit rolls so I can do fruit rollups, and I just found a way to do my own powdered eggs. I'm very excited!
Contemporary Reviewer : It works, but...
I was very excited to find and order a food processor. I read the various reviews provided by Amazon and decided to take a chance on this one. I found out that everything previous user's complained about applied to my food dehydrator. It is horribly loud... it sounds as loud as my bedside fan, well to more accurately describe it, I'd say it is equally as loud as my over the range microwave fan (hopefully this makes sense). I also saw some reviews that said it came with the fruit leather, it didn't. Also, the drying racks don't dry evenly so you do need to rotate the trays. It does the job and it was cost effective, though.
Lizbeth Navarrete : Great purchase
So far so good! I’m loving it
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
J. Marshall : So happy with this dehydrator!
You can not beat this quality for the price. I am one of those infamous people that watches a documentary and jumps on the bandwagon, only to quickly abandon my new goals within a month. Just ask my juicer that has been collecting dust for months ;)
For that reason, I did not want to spend too much but obviously no one wants to purchase a crappy product. I am happy to say that a year+ later, I still use this product! Banana chips, flax crackers, zucchini chips, fruit roll ups, kale chips, home made tortillas, and I have a to-do list of more things to try.
That said, it's a great size for someone who needs to store it away when it's not in use, who may use it once a month, but if you're already a dehydrator junkie and looking to dehydrate in bulk, I'd recommend spending a little extra so you can dehydrate more at a time.
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!
Nirit Cohen : Great
I bought this one to make treats for my dog ,as we no longer buy anything made in china ,it works like magic ! I made full cans of chicken treats,the dogs love it and we feel like wer giving them the best treats,easy to clean.and ready for another round.love it.
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!
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.
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.
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!!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
vivi : a bit loud, but a great purchase overall
I purchased this dehydrator to make jerky. I tried all kinds of jerky that can be found in grocery stores, and found all of them intolerably salty. I have tried oven baked homemade beef jerky, and always overcook them. I am so glad that I bought this dehydrator. Homemade jerky has never tasted better. I've tried all kinds of marinates. So far, my favorites are korean BBQ and pineapple teriyaki.
Now about the noise. It does sound like a blow dryer on low. You definitely don't want to be in the same room with this dehydrator running (unless with a top quality noise canceling headset, i guess.. ).. Also, it seems quite safe to leave it running all day without attending to it. The unit will stop automatically if it gets too warm.
It is very efficient. It takes about 3-4 hrs to make a batch of kale chips (humidity 60-70), and 6-7 hrs to make beef jerky (I sliced my jerky meat really thin though...) I have also tried apple chips. I read that you are supposed to pre-treat them by soaking them into lemon water to prevent them from browning - but honestly, that doesn't seem to make too much of a difference, my non-treated apple chips look just as good. But do remember to add a dash of cinnamon =) Strawberry and kiwi get sour after dehydrating (from the heating). I probably won't dehydrate strawberry ever again... But if you cut your kiwi a bit thicker (>=1/4 inch), it gets very chewy, yum. Bananas will turn out incredibly sweet, but they will also have that cooked banana after taste.
Lizbeth Navarrete : Great purchase
So far so good! I’m loving it
omegalegend : work well for mushrooms
no temperature guage. but drys out my mushies fast and well
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lois G. : A quality product and good value with helpful instructions for use
A quality product. Better than others I looked at before purchase. A good buy and lots of capacity for drying. Easy to clean up after use. I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can dehydrate. I used it for a banner crop of fresh figs. Also good instructions and ideas for use were included, which I appreciate since this was my first time using a dehydrator.
Kathleena Sammy : Amazing product!!!!
This machine is fantastic. I bought it to solely make Jerky. The trays are large, easy to clean, the motor detaches so you can clean the lid. I was expecting for the Jerky to take at least two/three days to finish, but with this machine, I was already eating it the next morning.
The motor is quieter than any I have had in the past. I would say its as loud as your stove oven fan on low.
Buy this machine, I promise you won't regret;)
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.
OAlpha : No complaints
Made delicious jerky, tomato chips, and jalapeno chips. Have plans for more no complaints.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
MJ : Looking for cheaper dehydrator
I have used this 3 times now to make apple crisp chips, kale chips, and eggplant bacon. This is a great inexpensive dehydrator. However, if you are a big family that does not have a lot of time to waste then you will want to find one that is a little bit more $$ and powerful.
Kathleena Sammy : Amazing product!!!!
This machine is fantastic. I bought it to solely make Jerky. The trays are large, easy to clean, the motor detaches so you can clean the lid. I was expecting for the Jerky to take at least two/three days to finish, but with this machine, I was already eating it the next morning.
The motor is quieter than any I have had in the past. I would say its as loud as your stove oven fan on low.
Buy this machine, I promise you won't regret;)
De Anna L. Gullett : Newco American Harvest Dehydrator - Great Investment
Before I purchased this product, I checked the product out online through a lot of sites. The biggest complaint was the noise. I didn't find the noise to be a problem at all. It does have a "working sound", however the sound doesn't drown out any other noise so I found it tolerable. My first use for this product was for making jerky which came out perfect. I found this to be a simple machine for the person who is going to use it once or twice a month. If you are a person who plans on using your machine a couple of times a week, you might consider getting a more advanced version with control settings. This machine has the simple on/off setting and works great for me! Great investment on my part. Very glad I purchased this and definitely have encourage others to purchase this item as well.
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.
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.
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.
PC : Check on your foods and switch trays around if needed for heat distribution.
It would be better to have temperature control. It's a nice dehydrator. Does a great job.
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.
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!
omegalegend : work well for mushrooms
no temperature guage. but drys out my mushies fast and well
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!!!!
Amazon Customer : Durability and cost are awesome
Never update this product it works as good as my old one did
William Stohl : Great Product
If you want to dehydrate food and a low cost, this is the product you will want to buy.
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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