Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, For Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Gray review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
| Brand | NESCO |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Gray |
| Wattage | 600 watts |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 13.75 x 22.13 x 13.87 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- EVEN HEAT DISTRIBUTION: 600 watts of drying power provides even heat distribution; consistent drying that is four times faster than other food dehydrators
- ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The adjustable temperature control (95°F -160°F) gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results when drying different foods that need varying temperature settings
- EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
- VITASAVE EXTERIOR: The opaque exterior blocks harmful light to retain more of the food's nutrients and vitamins during the drying process
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: (2) Fruit Roll Sheets, (2) Clean-A-Screens, a sample of Jerky Seasoning & Cure, and a 52-page recipe & instruction book
- MADE IN THE USA: Proudly made in the USA of global and domestic components. Only the powerhead of this item is imported from China. The rest of the product is 100% made and assembled in the USA
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
The NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator dries your favorite foods in just hours. With Converga-Flow drying action, air is forced up and across the trays where it converges in the center for quick, even, and nutritious drying. The top mounted fan prevents liquids from dripping into the center. Instead of purchasing store-bought, the NESCO Snackmaster Pro allows you to enjoy dried fruits, jerky, veggies, and more right from home. This model includes 2 Fruit Roll Sheets, 2 Clean-A-Screens, a sample of jerky seasoning with cure, and a recipe and instruction book.
Features
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600 Watt PowerheadGenerates maximum speed and quality for dehydrating foods safety. | Adjustable ThermostatAllows user to dry different foods at proper temperatures (95°F - 160°F). | Converga-Flow SystemProvides even heat distribution without having to rotate trays. |
Features
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BPA Free Drying TraysMade of high-quality food grade plastic. Each tray provides 0.8 sq. ft. of drying space. | Expandable Up To 12 Drying TraysIncrease the overall drying area by expanding your dehydrator with additional trays. | Recipe BookletGreat recipes, tips, and tricks to help you get the most out of your dehydrator. |
| Wattage | 400 | 600 | 700 | 1000 | 1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of Trays Included | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| Max Tray Capacity | Expandable Up To 7 | Expandable Up To 12 | Expandable Up To 8 | Expandable Up To 30 | Expandable Up To 20 |
| Temperature Control | Fixed | Adjustable Thermostat | Adjustable Thermostat | Adjustable Thermostat | Digitally Controlled |
| Additional Accessories (By SKU) | 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 x 13 x 11 | 14.5 x 14.37 x 9.75 | 14 x 14 x 10 | 15 x 15.5 x 9.5 |
product description
Product Packaging:Standard Packaging
Easily dry fruit, vegetables, and jerky in hours instead of days with the BPA Free NESCO FD-75A Food and Jerky Dehydrator. The unit's patented Converga-Flow drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber, then horizontally across each individual tray, converging in the center, for fast, even, and nutritious drying. Flavors don't mix, and there's no need to rotate the trays. It's top-mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the heater chamber, and an opaque Vita-Save exterior helps block harmful lights in order to retain more of the food's nutrients and vitamins during the drying process. The unit's adjustable thermostat ranged from 95 degrees to 160 degrees F, providing the flexibility needed to ensure excellent results. It's a 600 watts unit. Five trays come included, but the unit can be expanded to 12 trays (additional trays sold separately) for drying larger quantities at one time. Accessories include two fruit roll sheets, perfect for drying semi-liquids like soups, sauces, and fruit rolls; two Clean-A-Screen flexible screens, which allow for easy drying of small items such as herbs, spices and potpourri; and three original jerky spice packets for making jerky. A 52-page recipe and instruction book also comes included. With a speckled gray design, the food dehydrator measures approximately 13-inch by 13-inch by 10-inch.
product details
important information
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Questions about Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, For Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Gray
Q:
What type of metal are the trays made of?
Answer: The trays are plastic, not metal.
Answer: The answer is right in the description, next to the photo.
Answer: I called the company, they are made of bpa free plastic.
Answer: They are made of foodgrade plastic.
Answer: Plastic.................
Answer: Plastic
Answer: You said plastic?
Q:
does it have a timer
Answer: It does not have a timer... the only thing that this dehydrator does not have!
Answer: No, it doesn't have a timer. I've made dried apple slices & fruit leather. I'll put it in late afternoon or evening & just check it the next day. It's been fine without a timer. It's easy to pull apart the trays & check on whatever you're making.
Answer: No timer you have to watch the clock and check on what you are doing every so often to make sure its all going good.
Answer: There is no timer but you could use a simple vacation type timer normally used for lamps.
Answer: No, and I didn't think it was necessary till I made some extra dry beef jerky.
Answer: No it does not. But I understand you can buy one at your local hardware store if you need it.
Answer: Does it turn off after 10 hours?
Answer: No.
Answer: No it does not.
Q:
Is this loud or quiet? I had one before and the loudness drove me nuts to where I couldn't use it
Answer: It makes a nice background white noise that you could use to help you fall asleep. If you want to set it on the kitchen table between yourself and someone else you're trying to have a conversation with, it is too loud for that. I don't think it was your food dehydrator that drove you nuts. ;)
Answer: It is incredibly quiet, you can stand next to it and whisper and still be heard (my wife and I were doing that talking about presents for the grandkids). Someone called it white noise, and that's a good description.
Answer: I don't think it's loud at all. I can barely hear it with the tv or radio on.
Answer: It's more like a very small fan. I'd say it is relatively quiet. It's not a rattling sound or anything. I usually use mine at night so it's ready by morning.
Answer: The unit is fairly loud. It has a fan so you cant expect whisper quiet.
Answer: I agree with the other poster, a good comparison is a small fan. it's not an annoying sound (to me), just like a whirrrrr like you put a small/medium 12" standing fan on low-medium.
Answer: No louder than a small desk fan.
Answer: How long does it take
Answer: I wouldn't want the thing running next to my bed, but you have to work at it to hear it from another room. "White" noise.
Answer: In terms of noise I think a house fan would be a good noise comparison.
Q:
The owners manual states to use "precooked or processed" turkey when making turkey jerky to avoid harmful bacteria. Has anyone used raw turkey?
Answer: This dehydrator only goes to 160 °F. USDA says poultry needs to be taken to 165 °F to kill the bacteria.
Answer: To add to the discussion, water activity and salt also controls bacteria growth, so its not just the temperature that is it is processed. As with dried cured country hams. They are ready to eat after being cured and are not heated to 165 to kill salmonella. So the 160 temperature should be fine..
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: The USDA specifies temperatures and times for killing Salmonella from 151 degrees for 41 seconds to 157 degrees for 10 seconds. Lethality to microorganisms isn't a simple measure of temperature but a combination of temperature and time. I am very confident that a temperature of around 160 degrees for the hours it takes to process meats is very effective at eliminating Salmonella, and as it is the more durable of the bugs one finds in food that temperature and time covers pretty much everything. Well, except prions, but nothing in your house get hot enough for that.
Answer: I make chicken jerky from raw chicken. Cut drying time a little and finish in 200 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Answer: Raw fowl is perfect for salmonella bacteria (food poisoning). Don't do it. Turkey is very lean so it should dehydrate
Answer: I have been making Chicken Jerky from raw Chicken for years and nobody has died
Answer: I make turkey jerky all the time with raw ground turkey all the time never had a problem
Answer: It is best to precook it as it takes a bit of time for the dehydrator to come to the bacteria killing temperature. When bacteria is in the low hundreds they replicate much much faster than room temperature. Even after the bacteria is killed the toxins remain so you can still get sick from it.
Answer: As long as you run it on high, as directed, you should not have a problem. The temperature of 160 degrees is the magic number for killing the nasties.
Q:
where is this product made?
Answer: Hi, I am the President/owner of Metal Ware the company that makes the FD-75A Snackmaster Food Dehydrator. The dehydrator is made primarily in our facility in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. We are a privately held company and have been for almost 100 years. The top of the unit is made in China. The trays, base, seasonings, care and use guide, packaging, fruit leathers, clean-a-screens are all made right here in Two Rivers. I hope you enjoy this product as we take great pride in making as much as is economically possible here in the USA. Please see our other USA made products like our bakeware which is 100% made in the USA.
Answer: Almost all Nesco products are made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or Chaska, MN. They are all American made.
Answer: The trays appear to be made in the USA but the actual power unit is made in China. This was very disappointing as this is where the quality is most important. Likely a tray will not fail but if the dehydrator itself is by far more likly. It is like buying a car being sold as "made in America" just to find out that all of the guts are made in China such as the engine, transmission and so on.
Answer: The case and trays are of hard food grade plastic
Answer: Under the Wisconsin address it says "Made in China"
Answer: Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Answer: Mine says "Made in China". Very disappointing.
Q:
Can I make yogurt in it
Answer: I make yogurt (48 oz) once a week in my FD-75 using Nesco Convert-A-Trays purchased from Nesco website: Convert-A-Tray Set of 2 Speckled Item Number: CT-2SGP $14.95.
Q:
What is the maximum height food you can put on a tray (space b/w trays)? Also, how wide is each tray from the center to the edge? Thank you.
Answer: That's not how dehydration is done. You want the food sliced THIN and to leave ROOM between the top of the food and the next layer on the next tray up for airflow. It is essential for even, timely dehydration. If you cannot fit all the food in one dehydrator then you either need a larger one, to get more trays, or get more dehydrators.
Answer: It's funny that I just got a notification to answer your question because I making beef jerky right now! (About my 25th batch since owning) I can fit about 1.5 lbs of beef jerky on the 5 included trays. From the center of the trays to the edge is roughly 5 3/4 inches.
Answer: There is a total space between trays of almost an inch (7/8") 1/2" on the top side and 3/8" on the bottom. There is a center hole for airflow. This hole is 1.3/4". The radius from the hole to the outside wall of each tray is 5.1/4".
Answer: I use the Convert-A-Tray Speckled CT-2SGP (Nesco website) . They can be used as a regular tray or, with the removable center, can expand the height to whatever you need. (Nesco FD-75)
Answer: There is approximately 1 inch of clearance between trays. I have dried grapes into raisins with no problem. If you try to dry anything with a lot of thickness, you are going to increase the drying time substantially. This could result in the exterior of what is being dried to have a dryer texture than you might want. I have dried curly leaf kale where the leaves had to be slightly pressed down. The result was fine.
Answer: The trays are 12 inches wide and 1 and 1/4 inches high. The more trays you put on the longer it takes. I use 8 trays at a time to do sliced bonless ckicken breasts for snaks for my dog and all of her friends. I let them go for 24 hrs and everybody is happy
Answer: The height is about 1 inch.
Q:
Can you dehydrate blueberries or willl they fall through?
Answer: I'm just in the process of dealing with that issue. YES blueberries or anything else in that size range will fall through the fairly large web on the trays. I will get as many of the "Clean-a-Screens as I have trays. I would NOT get the solid fruit roll-up trays, as another suggested, for this purpose as they are solid and do not allow for air circulation.
Answer: I have never tried, however you can always put the fruit sheets on the dehydrator trays. they are solid for making fruit gels.
Answer: I think regular sized blueberries will be fine. But, just in case if I were you I would order the 'jelly roll sheets' pronto. I did and I use those for anything that may fall thru. Besides, you'll love using them to make other things too. they are worth buying!
Answer: They fall through. I use the small mesh inserts for blueberries, grapes, herbs, etc. Big help.
Q:
How can I make veggies crispy and crunchy like chips?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I'm not sure which veggies you're using, but slice them into thin slices.. say 1/8 inch or thinner. I've done banana and strawberry chips this way. There is no exact dehydrating time, but I usually set mine for 4-6hrs and check if they are done or need a little more time.
Answer: although I haven't made veggie chips yet, the dehydrator does come with a cookbook. it has tips and tricks, so I would imagine you would just put them in the dehydrator and let it go until you reach the consistency you like.
Answer: I've blanched the veggies as instructed but they still come out with the texture of tree bark. Still working on that.
Answer: No, they will never become anywhere close to as crunchy as chips.
Answer: bread and deep fry or bake
Q:
After 10 hrs. my 1/4" thick Banana slices still are "soft" in the Centers. Do they need to be dried to "chip like" so they don't mold or go bad ?
Answer: When I did banana chips I had a similar issue. Slice them thinner next time, less than 1/8", and plan to run the dehydrator longer, around 16 hours or so. Check it every couple of hours and remove chips that are sufficiently dried. As for food safety regarding these chips that are still soft, they are fine to eat within a day or so, or keep in the fridge, but I would not plan on storing them longer than that.
Answer: Yes they need to dry longer or be cut thinner. The more moisture you leave in the more likely they are to mold or rot, and/or do so sooner. Don't necessarily expect them to be chip-like crunchy but not soft either.
Answer: need to be dried , cut thinner next time
Answer: No, they won't last as long, but they are fine, if not mushy. I try to cut mine thinner and sometimes dry them longer.
Answer: Yes
Q:
what is the difference FD-75A and FD-75PR? The listing shows FD-75A but the reviews keep popping FD-75PR. The manufacturer site does not list FD-75A
Answer: Per Nesco customer service, FD-75A is sold strictly by Amazon. FD-75PR is sold by Nesco. THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!
Answer: One difference is that I cannot buy additional treys from Amazon. Three orders have all been wrong size and unusable!! (You know I double checked)
Answer: Both dehydrators are the same. The FD-75PR is simply a promotional bundle and they added some jerky seasoning packets.
Answer: Product Description
Answer: I am not sure what the difference is, but usually it means what comes with the product. Maybe an extra tray or whatever it may be. Sorry can't help you more.
Answer: Unfortunately I have no idea what the difference would be .. however, it probably has something to do with an "extra" something. Wish I could offer more.
Answer: NO Idea sorry But this one has no Timer. but Easy and best.
Q:
What is the difference between "Frustration-free" and "Standard" Packaging?
Answer: Have you ever got a pack of D size batteries and they put them in that tough plastic packaging that is just brutal to get into? Well, Amazon will send you those batteries (or whatever you are ordering) in a plain thin cardboard box that is super easy to open and is "Frustration-free".
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: No clue...however, this item came in easy to unpack fashion. No stuffing with extra packaging material, just the styrofoam inset holding the processor firm in the box.
Answer: It's Amazons custom packing that is supposed to make for easier opening. It's also recyclable and protects the product.
Answer: Not a clue.
Q:
turkey
Answer: Sucka!
Answer: Jive talkin'
Q:
What is the wattage
Answer: Your answer in in the description, at the top of the page.
Answer: 600W
Answer: If you scroll down on the listing, you will see a comparison chart for this dehydrator vs some others. The wattage is there for all the comparisons. This one is 600 watts.
Answer: This model the FD-75A is only 600 watts. Contrary to the product description which says that the "FD-75A and FD-75PR are the same item.", is false. The FD-75PR is 700 watts (according to Nesco's website).
Q:
Is it really supposed to be so flimpsy? The trays barely seem to stack up on top of each other evenly. I'm wondering if it will last over time. Thanks
Answer: It does seem flimsy when it comes to using the trays, but so far I had no issues with the trays after multiple uses and washes. You can always get a replacement tray if something happens to the current ones by going here http://www.amazon.com/Nesco-LT-2SG-Add-A-Tray-FD-61WHC-Dehydrators/dp/B000FG0ONC/ref=pd_bxgy_k_text_y
Answer: This lasted all of four months with three uses altogether. It wasn't the trays that gave up though. It was the fan. Stopped working just like that.
Answer: I use 11 trays most of the time several times a week for either jerky, fruit or veggies and have done so for the several months I have owned this. I have had no problem with the trays or the unit and believe me it definitely gets a work-out around our house!
Answer: I have had no problems with the trays. This summer and fall, I have been drying tomatoes, green peppers, pumpkin slices, crowder peas and Fordhook lima beans. The dryer worked extremely well on all these vegetables.
Answer: I have mine a few years and use it about five times a month and no problem at all. Not flimsy at all even got one for a friend one as a gift he uses his more than l do
Answer: It's not flimsy at all, you just aren't stacking them aligned with each other.
Q:
Has anyone used it to dry herbs? If so how did it do?
Answer: It takes a while to get the temperature right (the temperature recommended took three days to dry the herbs), but once I figured it out, the drying worked really well. I usually set it at 120 - 125
Answer: It takes a while to get the temperature right (the temperature recommended took three days to dry the herbs), but once I figured it out, the drying worked really well. I usually set it at 120 - 125
Answer: It does great for herbs, they end up much more flavorful and colorful than the fan-forced air drying I did before I had the dehydrator, and only hours instead of days (which varies based on ambient humidity level).
Answer: I've done a couple of loads of Sweet Basil, Thai Basil, and Rosemary. As I recall, it took about 2 - 3 hours or so on Fruit/Nut setting. Does a great job. You just have to check it often to remove dried leaves to keep from overdrying. It's a great lttle unit. I put an inexpensive lamp timer on mine when I do jerky so I can let it work at night and not over dry. Highly recommend.
Answer: I dry cilantro and oregano and only take around 3 hours at 140*
Answer: keep in mind because it has a fan it dries very fast, just keep an eye on pretty much anything you are dehydrating with this. It is awesome that it takes less time, but a lot of recipes need adjusting for the time. My first attempt at jerky turned the meat to powder because I went by a recipe that said it took 17 hours. I have found it takes about 5.
Q:
are they bpa free
Answer: is this BPA free?
Answer: All dehydrators are BPA free. Practically every single thing there is related to food is bpa free EXCEPT certain older water bottles and the linings of some metal cans.
Answer: My box says BPA free received on 12-20-13 with 600 watt fd75pr unit.
Answer: Nesco says that "the food contact surfaces are made of ABS plastic, which is BPA free."
Answer: Read the description.
Answer: what is the wattage?
Q:
Is it ok to turn off the unit to check status of your food? Will this effect the process?
Answer: It is perfectly OK.Most of models have no OF/ ON switch,so the one and only way to check on your food is to turn it's OFF, to open lid to check on your food,then turn it's back ON.Good. Luck!
Answer: It only takes a few seconds to check the food, you can just lift the top off and set it on the table upside down while you check. It does not get too hot to hold, does not pose any burn hazards.
Answer: It's a very simple machine. You can turn it off or leave it on. I leave mine on and just prop the cover on something so the fan can circulate the air while I check progress. It's a nice dehydrator.
Answer: You can leave the unit on if you are just lift the cover off and check the contents. I left my running and put the cover on the counter top for about 30 seconds and it blew the thermo fuse inside.
Answer: Yes, it is fine to unplug it for a minute and check on the progress. Actually, if making beef jerky you should do this -- to pat off some of the excess fat -- a few times during the cooking process. I also check my dried fruit a few times too and have found I like to dry my fruit quite a bit longer than the instruction manual suggestions.
Answer: I check the chicken jerky about once every two hours. I just unplug, open the top, and even restack the trays in different order just to rotate the cooking. I don't know if it's neccessary, I didn't read anywhere that said I should rotate trays...I just do it. It's a very easy machine to use. I love it and my dogs love the chicken jerky.
Answer: You can turn it off or simply lift the top up and check...try and keep it to a minimum. A quick check.
Answer: It just expands the time. I have even left it off for several hours.
Q:
Can this dry out whole portabella mushrooms?
Answer: i have not done portabella mushrooms, but i have done regular white mushrooms. they came out very well. since they are from the same family more or less i would have to say you would have success with the portabella ones as well.
Answer: They probably wouldn't fit between the trays. If the do fit then answer is "yes"
Q:
Where is the written confirmation in the product that trays are from BPA free material?
Answer: The trays are made in Two Rivers, WI and are BPA Free.
Q:
Is this good for dying psilocybe cubenesis?
Answer: Yes! You can definitely dry mushrooms in the dehydrator.
Answer: mushrooms can easily be dehydrated in this Nesco.
Q:
what is the wattage
Answer: Your answer in in the description, at the top of the page.
Answer: 600W
Answer: If you scroll down on the listing, you will see a comparison chart for this dehydrator vs some others. The wattage is there for all the comparisons. This one is 600 watts.
Answer: This model the FD-75A is only 600 watts. Contrary to the product description which says that the "FD-75A and FD-75PR are the same item.", is false. The FD-75PR is 700 watts (according to Nesco's website).
Q:
This machine makes crispy apple and bananas? I live in Brazil and can't test after buying it... I will stay at an hotel for few days.
Answer: I make crispy apple slices in it all the time, my kids love them much more than the store-bought rubbery apple slices.
Answer: I tried a few apple slices, they were more shriveled up than crispy. Don't know the proper way to prepare them. My hot peppers did dry very nicely, they ground up to a powder.
Answer: Yes it will. I made the mistakes of not slicing the banana thin. 2nd time around went much better.
Q:
Is there a California warning?
Answer: Warning - California is very expensive and sometimes has earthquakes.
Answer: There isn't a California warning. The packing box does say BPA free.
Answer: All of our products are BPA free. Enjoy!
Answer: Not that I am aware of. Suggest you contact the manufacturer to respond to.your question.
Q:
gas
Answer: Beano?
Q:
I know 12 tray max is recomended but additional trays comes in 2 packs. Anyone tried using 13 trays max?
Answer: I have not used additional trays.
Answer: I use 13 all the time.
Q:
Can I use this dehydrator to make raw seeds/veggie crackers?
Answer: This is not a baking machine.
Q:
This was never $88 before black friday. i have had it in my cart for about a week, and it has always been $58. why the deceit?
Answer: I do apologize, we do not control pricing from Amazon. You may be able to speak with a representative for them in regards to this matter.
Q:
can I make astronaut ice cream in this??
Answer: This machine would not work for the Astronaut Ice Cream. The Astronaut Ice Cream needs to be freeze dried.
Q:
does it make crispy food?
Answer: Yes. If you leave it long enough.
Q:
Can you use it to dehydrate homemade pasta?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Never tried that but you can dehydrate fruit. I guess it would work as long as you keep eye on it before it petrified. May get too dried.
Answer: Yes, this dehydrator works great. I love it! It has sheets and mesh you can use, as well as the racks. Everything I've used it for, it's done an excellent job.
Answer: When we've made pasta in the past, we just air dried it on a pasta rack at room temperature. Should be no issue doing it in a dryer, just faster. To save a bit on electricity I would use low heat as air alone does the job. Might be a pain for longer noodles, but would be great for shells, etc.
Q:
was wondering, where and in what container do you all store the dryed veggies and fruit? In the refrigerator or freezer like the direction says?
Answer: In my experience well dried fruits and veggies will keep for years if kept totally dry. I use any container that has a good lid seal. Being a frequent COSTCO shopper, I love to reuse the large plastic containers that nuts, candy, salsa, and many of their other products come packaged in. Have also used plastic screw top pint gellato containers for small batches of things. As long as it's airtight it will work fine. No experience with jerk other than store bought, and that I would keep in the fridge for LONG term storage.
Answer: Hi Ingrid, I store dried fruit/veg in plastic containers, either use within a couple of months if not in fridge or feezer though, I guess they will keep longer but I'm not sure of the loss of flavour. Beef Jerky I make for my son keeps ages (when he leaves it alone!) I have kept dried apples for over a year without any lost of flavour but you need to keep it in a dry dark area to avoid colour loss. I've also dried herbs & stored in plastic bags just in the cupboard. good luck Kate
Answer: We use canning jars in various sizes, they seal tight and keep dehydrated product for a long time. We store them in the basement with the other canned items we do, it is a cool place for storage, but you could leave them anywhere provided the lids are tight. Hope that helps.
Answer: I store my beef jerky in a freezer bag kept in the refrigerator. It doesn't last long enough to worry that it might go bad. lol
Q:
What size are the trays (diameter), I have some old ones that are 13-1/2" in diameter from my old broken machine.
Answer: 13x3x13 that is what they are.
Q:
how many trays does this hold?
Answer: It comes with 5 trays but it can operate with up to 12 trays. Drying pressure automatically adjusts to number of trays.
Answer: They are all separate and stack on top of each other. Then the dehydrator part goes on top. You can do 1 tray only or keep stacking. So far, I have stacked 7 trays with my beef jerky and it took about 5 hours.
Answer: we have extra trays ,have successfully used 7-8 to dry tomatoes,peppers,herbs..check and swap trays, herbs take less drying time,but can do @same time
Answer: The manufacturer recommends using a minimum of 3 trays while dehydrating, which means 2 empty trays plus the tray you're dehydrating. I assume that's either a safety standard or quality standard as the first time I used it was with one tray and the pineapple chunks were like rocks.
Answer: I added two supplemental trays that I purchased at a local store. It works fine with seven trays to dry apples.
Answer: it comes with 5 trays
Q:
Whats the voltage? - I am looking for 220
Answer: I used 120 volts unit uses 600 watts
Answer: ...it is the standard 110 volts.
Answer: Its rated for 110V 60Hz only.
Answer: 120 volts.
Answer: 110
Answer: Standard 110
Answer: Unit is rated 120v.
Answer: 115volts
Q:
What is the manufacturer's warranty on this? Thank you!
Answer: There is a card in the package for a 1 Year Limited Warranty that you'd have to mail in. In a nutshell, the warranty says that Nesco will cover the appliance if it is defective, or something goes wrong while you're using it normally. If its damaged any other way, especially if you were to start using it a different way than intended, then it won't be covered. All you have to do is rip one half of the warranty card off, put a stamp on it, and send it out.
Answer: The warranty indicates "One Year Limited Warranty". There is more info regarding the warranty & their customer service number is 1-800 288-4545 if you have further questions. Hope this helps!
Answer: I have the warranty card and it's the typical one year materials and workmanship. You have to fill it out and send it in to register the product. Good luck and God bless.
Answer: Sorry, I don't know anything about warranties. I've had this dehydrator for a while and not problems. My elderly cousin has had it for several years and it works fine. Good luck.
Answer: I gave this as a gift to my son and do not have that info as he lives in another state. Will forward when I can find it out.
Answer: Well I am not sure...but they are taking it back so we will see if tbey fix it
Answer: 1 year.
Answer: Mine said one year.
Answer: Mine says one year.
Q:
So, I want to make chicken, venison, and beef jerky, can you use raw uncooked meat? or should I cook the meat first?
Answer: I bought this for my daughter in law and they made venison jerky using raw meat. It was delicious
Answer: I make chicken jerky using sliced raw chicken breast. I soak mine overnight in Nesco's jerky cure and spice. For beef I use 93% lean raw hamburger. For the hamburger I mix in 1 packet of cure and 1 packet of spice. I use their jerky maker, which is kind of like a small caulking gun, to make my strips. They turn out great.
Answer: Jerky should never be cooked first, you leave it raw, but make sure you marinate it first for flavor, soak it in whatever liquid and seasonings you want for flavor for a day or more, then dehydrate.
Answer: No need to cook the mes t first. Generally raw meat is cut in thin strips and cured in a brine or seasoned marinade for a day or so and then dried in the dehydrater. We made beef jerkey and it was far superior to what is offered for sale.
Answer: We make jerky with raw beef all the time. Never tried chicken or venison.
Q:
Watts
Answer: Watts what? 700 watts (stamped on the machine) is probably the answer. Here's the whole story, discovered because of your question:
Answer: UL stamp on machine says:
Q:
Does model number inside the top of the FD-75A actually show the model as "FD-75A" or "FD-75PR??" I just want to make sure they are ACTUALLY alike!
Answer: FD75-PR is on my actual dehydrator...my box is out in the shed, so I can't compare numbers right now....however....I DO LOVE my dehydrator!
Answer: Mine says FD-75PR inside the top of the dehydrator and on the box
Answer: FD-75PR is on mine
Q:
Does this make good kale chips? I'm a huge Brads Raw foods Nacho Kale chips fan, but they are really expensive and hard to get.
Answer: I havent tried kale chips (not a big fan of kale) but I made banana chips and they were awesome.(the good kind isnt very cheap in stores either) Its worth a try to make your own trust me! Kale is pretty cheap for a bag so you can try a few different flavors if you want without costing a tone. Just a warning: Ive had to play with the temperature a little bit when using my dehydrator. The booklet that comes with it isnt always right but close. I hope this helped
Answer: Makes amazing kale chips...obviously depends on the recipe, but I do them all the time...happy to give my recipe if you want..makes absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS kale chips... ;-)
Answer: Yes! Have made many batches.
Q:
Can a 5 lb roast for beef jerky fit into 5 trays, or does it require more room than just the 5 trays?
Answer: That depends on many things, how big and thick you cut the meat, just how wet it is. I would guess not, you would most likely have to do it in 2 possibly 3 lots. You have to leave room for air to circulate thru the trays, so you can't cover the tray totally full. The meat should be about 1/4" thick, with spaces between each slice, that's about the best answer I can give you. You could contact Nesco, they may have a better answer.
Answer: You're going to need between two and three batches with 5 trays to do 5lbs "properly". You're supposed to cut the meat very thin.
Answer: Really depends on how you cut it... I've put over 4 lbs of meat in there before but again its going to come down to how thin you cut the strips. If you go very thin you may need a couple more trays.
Answer: I've fit 4 pounds on 4 trays, so I think you could do 5lbs in 5 trays. I cut mine about 1/4"-3/8" thick for reference.
Answer: How do you fit jerky on round trays?
Answer: It possibly will need to be done in two batches, while you can really pack the meat in you need to make sure there is plently of air movement for good drying of the beef.
Q:
will i be able to make protein bars on here or "raw" pies?
Answer: Should be able to make protein bars
Answer: i have no idea, here are recipes from pinterest:http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=food%20dehydrator%20recipes&rs=ac&len=18 i hope that helps =)
Answer: I think so. Since it has a low heat seting for nuts and fruit rolls.
Q:
how many lb.of beef make a lb.of jerky and do you need to but suger to fresh fruit to dry it.
Answer: I have found that you end up with about 1/2-1/3 of the starting weight you start with. e.g. 2lbs of meat will result in about a lb or so of jerky depending on what kind of moisture content there is in the meat to start with. As far as sugar with fresh fruit, I would say no, dehydrating enhances the sugar taste and adding sugar usually is too much
Q:
Does anybody connected the dehydrator to a transformer before for usage out of USA? Would like to know the ratings of the transformer if you have.
Answer: Hi!!! I live in Costa Rica, but here we use 110V/AC. So, I don't had to connect the dehydrator to any transformer. Maybe you'll need to use the transformer if your're going to use the dehydrator in Europe (220V/AC).
Answer: The dehydrator should work well with a transformer if the transformer is large enough. The dehydrator draws 700 watts at 120 volts (about 6 amps). To be safe, the transformer should be rated at least 1000 watts.
Answer: sorry, can't help you with 100% accuracy, but i would think that as long as 120v/ac and 5 plus amps comes out the outlet end of the transformer that it would work fine.
Q:
warranty
Answer: My paperwork shows a"Limited One Year Warranty". Fill out and mail in. Am dehydrating pineapple right of the can as I type.
Answer: Did not Follow through with warranty no issues yet ( $ amount is reasonable for my first expierience ) so far I have dehydrated Pinapple apples green and red apples, Grapes to raisins , bannana chips , chantrell mushrooms and am about to hunt for walnuts . have fun with it.
Answer: Limited One Year Warranty applies to Nesco appliances purchased for personal or household use. Warranted to be free of defects in materials or workmanship under normal home use...
Answer: Good afternoon Sir, I can't tell you about the warranty, because I have not use it. Thanks
Answer: p43 of instruction booklet says one year
Q:
Has anyone made yogurt with this? I assume you are preparing your warm, treated milk and then pouring into the fruit leather liners? Tips? Thanks
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I have not made yogurt in this. Just dried fruit, bananas and apples.
Q:
Do flavors mix?
Answer: More than aroma than the flavor but to a minor extent yes the flavors do mix. You can keep this in mind when stacking the trays and put the things most likely to flavor others where that is undesirable, towards the bottom as that is the path of airflow from top to bottom and out the bottom.
Q:
What are the outer overall dimensions? There are two different dimensions listed on the product page..
Answer: Which ever is the largest dimension.
Answer: It's 13.75 diameter and 13.75 height with the handle up but only about 12 inches high with the handle down. I don't know where they get 22 inches from?
Answer: It works great by the way.
Q:
Do i have to use jerky cure when drying beef? or can i use something else that will do the same thing?
Answer: There are some other salts that will do the same thing. If you're not using our NESCO Jerky Cure, another one that we recommend is Morton's Tender Quick.
Answer: I have used it a few times now and haven’t used the cure I have used my own seasonings or followed recipes on line that never called for the cure and it still turned out really good. :)
Answer: There are individuals who use celery juice as an alternative to nitrites/ nitrates. I don't know if your asking this particular question is related to the salts or other preservatives, but some feel comfortable not using the nitrates and nitrates. To each his own.
Q:
Is this a 5 drying tray or a 2 drying tray ? The description says 5 in one place and 2 in another, please clarify.
Answer: It comes with 5 trays. It has also 2 screens you place on top of the tray (perhaps there might be the confusion) and 2 covers for fruit rolls. Hope this helps.
Answer: Ours came (this was a time ago) with 5 and then, we purchased a couple of extras.
Answer: That would be a 5 drying tray.
Answer: Correction there is 5 trays
Answer: It comes with 5 trays. It can hold up to 12 if you want to buy extra trays
Answer: It is a 5 count.
Answer: 5 trays
Answer: 5 trays
Answer: There is only two with room for more
Answer: I had five
Product reviews of Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, For Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Gray
Rae B. : Amazing for preparing backpacking foods
This dehydrator is just what I needed. My job has me working in the backcountry for a week at a time, carrying all of my food and camping gear on my back. So I obviously want my food to be as light as possible. But I'm also a bit of a food snob and love to cook delicious foods. I'm not super fond of many of the readymade backpacking food, not to mention that they can break the bank. This dehydrator solved all of my problems. It's so easy to make many types of meals at home, dehydrate them (either whole or in parts) with this, and carry them out to the field where I can cook them up and enjoy healthy, homemade food. By far my favorite thing to make is chili. It's awesome to use the fruit leather trays and just pile the chili on. The tray collect and dry out all the delicious liquid, saving all of the flavors and helping you make some of the best trail food you will ever have. My coworkers love me because of this :)
C. Smith : Homemade Dog Treats
I used it to dehydrate chicken feet, chicken necks, turkey necks, chicken hearts and gizzards for dog treats. I put it at 160F and less than 4 hours it’s ready to feed to the dogs. It’s so much cheaper to make homemade treats then buying it.
Robert C. : Nope
Plastic doesn't line up, trays are warped. Unit doesn't power on unless I jerryrig the cord to pull at a 90 degree angle. Oh and it smells like burning plastic on use. Avoid this item unless you're looking to cash in on a insurance policy.
Sherry Ireland : Had to return TWICE!!! Not Happy!
I was so excited to try this dehydrator after seeing all the good views and it being listed on multiple websites as being the best for the best price. The first dehydrator they sent was completely damaged. The top unit was broken on the inside and pushed in (where the fan and electrical parts were located), and a crack on the outside rim. The box it was shipped in was in good condition so I assumed it was already damaged when they sent it. That raised a red flag. I decided to have them send a replacement because I really wanted this dehydrator...( and I already had a fridge full of food I had bought, didn't want to waste it). The second dehydrator arrived a couple days later, it looked okay, no visible damage, other than the knob not being attached, but it looked like I could just pop it back on. When I turned it on, it was HORRIBLY loud! I was surprised because no one had mentioned that in a review. About 20 minutes into it the loud noise subsided, BUT then shorty after I noticed a burnt plastic smell lingering from the kitchen. I went out to check and saw what looked like smoke coming out from the sides and the burnt smell was terrible. I unpluged the unit and tried to take the top off but it was soooo HOT I had to use an oven mit to grab it. I left it outside overnight to cool off, I was worried it was going to catch on fire. I am SADLY disappointed in this product!! I've had to make 2 trips to return both, have a fridge full of food that going to go bad before I can eat all of it, and its going to take forever to get my money back!!! :(
p_rod : You Should Reconsider Buying This Particular Dehydrator!
I am very disappointed with this Nesco dehydrator. When researching dehydrators, I noticed this one had a 72% 5 star rating, the mistake I made was not reading some of the 185 ONE star ratings.
I will make a long story short....the unit failed on it's very first usage. (as many in the reviews did).
The fan worked fine but the unit created no heat, none. I even measured it's temp with an infrared thermometer and when set to 160 degrees, it only registered room temperature.
I just initiated a return with Amazon and this unit is going back via UPS first thing in the morning. I do give Amazon FIVE stars on it's ease of making a return on a defective product.
No, I cannot recommend this unit for purchase to anyone.
I will make a long story short....the unit failed on it's very first usage. (as many in the reviews did).
The fan worked fine but the unit created no heat, none. I even measured it's temp with an infrared thermometer and when set to 160 degrees, it only registered room temperature.
I just initiated a return with Amazon and this unit is going back via UPS first thing in the morning. I do give Amazon FIVE stars on it's ease of making a return on a defective product.
No, I cannot recommend this unit for purchase to anyone.
Josh Frantz : Needs Auto-Off Timer, Practice, and Patience (Which I Don't Have)
Most of all, this item really needs a auto-off timer. Without a timer, you can't just "set it and forget it." I did not find this to be convenient or to save money. I got it for fresh fruit, but did not fully realize how little dehydrated product results from fresh fruit. It think it would be more cost-effective to just buy dehydrated fruit that was produced in bulk unless you need to be very picky about ingredients or have an orchard where you already have the fruit and need a way to preserve it. Another issue is that the photos show all sorts of different fruits combined on different trays, but different types of fruit finish at different times, so in my experience, some were done, some overdone, and some needed much longer. I'm sure this would improve with some practice, but practice means wasting food. This is why I didn't attempt to make beef jerky: I bought the beef but didn't want to risk making something inedible. I also made a fruit leather, which did taste good, but was very messy (leaked onto the other trays - pain to clean) and was very difficult to scrape from the tray so it did not look pretty. Again, that probably would improve with some practice, but I just don't have the patience. I returned for full refund.
Dorothy G : Love this dehydrator
This is my first summer with a big garden. I’m using the dehydrator to save my harvest for use throughout the year. I have used it multiple times each week since I got it 2 months ago. Since I am new to dehydrating, it took a few trials to get the hang of it. Uniform sizes of the fruit and vegetable slices is important. Drying time varies with the weather. The guide booklet that comes with the dehydrator is a helpful starting point but I found that I had to adjust thickness of slices and drying times from their recommendations. It’s super easy to keep clean. I gave it 4 stars for cleaning only because the silicone mesh for small items tends to stain easily.
Denise Hanuschak : Use it all the time
Guess what? You can use this to make yogurt. Just buy enough extra trays to accommodate the height of your yogurt jars (6 rings is enough room for a quart Mason jar), using wire cutters snip out the grid where it’s attached to the side ring, re stack the rings, set it for 110F - 115F, and let it go. I like kind of sweet yogurt so mine runs for 6 - 8 hours.
You’re welcome.
Hey, NESCO! How about making it official & produce yogurt rings.
You’re welcome.
Hey, NESCO! How about making it official & produce yogurt rings.
LegoDad : Ripoff, never gets more than 131 degrees
I've been using a Nesco Jerky Express dehydrator for a lot of years. Worked great. I had to rotate the trays, and cook the beef afterwards to get it to 160, but that was expected.
When my gun that came with it broke, I gave it away and bought this instead when I bought a new gun. I checked reviews, saw this was one of the few that got to 165 degrees, supposedly negating the need for baking in the oven to kill any organisms.
Imagine my disappointment when it never got above 131 degrees, no matter how many hours it ran.
So I'm still forced to cook my beef in the oven, when I purchased this to negate that step.
Can't return as I already had broken down the box it arrived in and put it out for recycling yesterday, so I'm stuck with it.
When my gun that came with it broke, I gave it away and bought this instead when I bought a new gun. I checked reviews, saw this was one of the few that got to 165 degrees, supposedly negating the need for baking in the oven to kill any organisms.
Imagine my disappointment when it never got above 131 degrees, no matter how many hours it ran.
So I'm still forced to cook my beef in the oven, when I purchased this to negate that step.
Can't return as I already had broken down the box it arrived in and put it out for recycling yesterday, so I'm stuck with it.
D. Knight33 : Don't wait purchase this great product!!!!
Best item I've purchased yet!!! I've been making Beef and Salmon Jerky for sometime now and I love this dehydrator, simple to use, perfect temperature settings and you don't have to rotate the trays for air ventilation. The only con is there is no on or off switch, you will have to unplug the dehydrator to turn it off. After I make Salmon Jerky I throw the trays in the dishwasher and they come out spotless with no smell. Great investment, I should have bought this sooner!!!! And one thing if your buying this to make beef jerky, dehydrating fruits, etc. invest in a small auto timer, I used the timer from my Christmas tree and now I set it I don't have to watch it anymore and worrying about unplugging it to stop the dehydration. You can find the timer on Amazon too!
Rob W : If I knew it was this easy to make great beef jerky
If I knew it was this easy to make great beef jerky, I woulda bought it long ago. The book explains how to make different things, and I think I've tried about 85% of them. The temperature control is easy to read/use. Clean up is easy if you do not put them in a dishwasher, but if you do, do not use heated drying or they may warp a little (one tray did on my set). Not unusable, but it is a little warped.
So far I am still using it after about 6 weeks of ownership, hopefully I continue to use it. I will say, no more throwing out older fruit though, I just slice it up and throw it on the dehydrator until I have dried fruit.
So far I am still using it after about 6 weeks of ownership, hopefully I continue to use it. I will say, no more throwing out older fruit though, I just slice it up and throw it on the dehydrator until I have dried fruit.
toni carswell : Good product/reasonable price
I have been researching dehydrators for a while now and this one came up on quite a few "consumer best" lists. For a "newbie" I think this was an excellent purchase. I was a little intimidated by the process so I went with the one that wouldn't be a huge investment if I decided it wasn't worth my time or effort. It really has been a game changer. I did know that I wanted one with a top fan and a temperature control. I would go for a back fan and the additional timer feature if/when I decide to purchase another. Overall I think this was exactly what I was looking for and it's SO QUIET! (My SO was actually impressed with how little noise it makes.) I definitely would recommend this product!
Jesse Knott : First one was DOA, but prime to the rescue, second unit arrived 2 days later and is perfect!
First one of these I ordered had a faulty heating element, as I have seen other reviews complain about. It seemed that the system would max out at 135° which is way too cool for making Jerky (FDA recommends 160° minimum to kill all bacteria). Along comes Amazon to the rescue, I initiate a return and they send a replacement unit the same day! The new unit has arrived and so far I am VERY pleased! This new appears to be working fine so far, and I will update if I have any complications.
All this being said, I love the trays, and while I have had some sticking problems with some fruit, namely strawberries, and bananas, I still am extremely pleased with the units performance now that I have a new one that reaches the proper temperature. The only reason for the 4/5 stars is that the first unit was DOA, and had I not been skeptical and checked the temp manually I could have been faced with under cooked and potentially dangerous jerky.
All this being said, I love the trays, and while I have had some sticking problems with some fruit, namely strawberries, and bananas, I still am extremely pleased with the units performance now that I have a new one that reaches the proper temperature. The only reason for the 4/5 stars is that the first unit was DOA, and had I not been skeptical and checked the temp manually I could have been faced with under cooked and potentially dangerous jerky.
Madeline H. : Works great, but trays are much cheaper than before
Had to replace my old one of these that randomly died. Ordered the exact same model. However, the trays that come with this are definitely lower quality than my old set. The tray on the right is the older one, and on the left is the new one. The new tray feels much more flimsy and the screen part is bowed out on all them.
Aside from being disappointed in the racks, the dehydrator works just fine. I made jerky with it, and did notice that it doesn't dry the meat completely consistently. There are areas on the rack that dehydrator slower, which I didn't notice with my last one.
Still, it's a decent dehydrator for the price and does the job. The only reason I didn't buy something different was that I already had trays from my old one, therefore double the capacity.
Aside from being disappointed in the racks, the dehydrator works just fine. I made jerky with it, and did notice that it doesn't dry the meat completely consistently. There are areas on the rack that dehydrator slower, which I didn't notice with my last one.
Still, it's a decent dehydrator for the price and does the job. The only reason I didn't buy something different was that I already had trays from my old one, therefore double the capacity.
Robin A. Wendt : The best food dryer and preservative you’ll find!
Never had a purchase with which I have higher satisfaction. After several years it’s still going strong. And cleanup is very easy. The engineering on this is nothing short of perfect.
Sitting here as a covid-19 shut-in and looking at LOTS of venison in freezer. Making jerky has just not given me something to do but also a healthy snack for family and friends.
Will do lots of herbs this year too - sage, thyme, chives, oregano and rosemary.
Sitting here as a covid-19 shut-in and looking at LOTS of venison in freezer. Making jerky has just not given me something to do but also a healthy snack for family and friends.
Will do lots of herbs this year too - sage, thyme, chives, oregano and rosemary.
Alanni : Would NOT Recommend
This was my first food dehydrator purchase. I got heavily invested into videos, articles, and recipes over the summer about dehydrating and I spent months debating if I should buy one and if so, which one? I did plenty of research and decided on this one due to positive reviews I read and it being on the more affordable side. From my experiences since making the purchase, I regret buying this one and would not recommend it. I don’t know if I will even continue this hobby. My food dehydrator takes 3-5x the amount of time it says it will take to dehydrate something, even in smaller batches. This adds up on my electricity bill, not to mention the inconvenience of not knowing whether your food is finished because it’s already been well over the suggested dehydrating time.
robin spindler : takes forever to dry anything
This takes way longer than it should to dry everything I put on it. Mostly I dry very thin sliced tomatoes, sliced habaneros, greens, and herbs; in most cases they have to get crispy dry because I pulverize them in a blender and then screen them to make powder. If I just wanted the food to get leathery this might be worth three stars.
I had an American Harvest dryer that I bought decades ago; this brand was bought out by Nesco. My AH dryer finally stopped working and I wanted to buy one just like it but now the company has been taken over by Nesco. But it looked the same. So I bought it. And oh what a difference; it takes way longer to dry food, and I have to turn up the heat more than I like to do to get the food to dry.
What makes it worse is that between the old and new dryer I moved from very humid eastern Nebraska to the dry climate of Arizona. So my new dryer should dry faster in this environment. But it doesn't; it dries way slower.
Nesco says they will send me a new head. I hope it works. I don't know if I trust this vendor though, since they sold me a model in 2020 that was made in 2012.
I had an American Harvest dryer that I bought decades ago; this brand was bought out by Nesco. My AH dryer finally stopped working and I wanted to buy one just like it but now the company has been taken over by Nesco. But it looked the same. So I bought it. And oh what a difference; it takes way longer to dry food, and I have to turn up the heat more than I like to do to get the food to dry.
What makes it worse is that between the old and new dryer I moved from very humid eastern Nebraska to the dry climate of Arizona. So my new dryer should dry faster in this environment. But it doesn't; it dries way slower.
Nesco says they will send me a new head. I hope it works. I don't know if I trust this vendor though, since they sold me a model in 2020 that was made in 2012.
Jordan : Great dehydrator
I love my dehydrator. I've had it or about a 2 years now and it was one of the best purchases I have made. The price is great for what you are getting and so far I've had great result with mine. I dehydrate a lot of food for backpacking and camping trips and it has made my backpacking and camping food prices drop so much because I just make my own meals rather than buy those overpriced packs of freeze dried food. Granted this is a dehydrator and not a freeze drier so food doesn't rehydrate as easily as it would if it were freeze dried but this is so much cheaper and I don't mind the extra crunch in my food. I also use it to dehydrate fruits and vegetables when they are about to go bad for snacks and such. This little thing just has so much use. There are a lot of dehydrators on the market and I searched but for the price I think this is one of the best on the market. It's pretty quiet when it's on, just sounds like a fan. Doesn't use much electricity, is safe to leave running overnight, and has 5 trays to do lots of dehydrating at once. Granted just don't put onions and pineapple in there together or you will end up with pineapple that has an onion taste to it. It comes fully equipped with different tray inserts so you can dehydrate different shaped things without stuff falling through, it comes with a handy booklet, and packets of seasoning for dehydrating meat. This was a fantastic investment and I've gotten so much use out of mine. It's good for people who are looking to save money when it comes to packing food for trips and camping and stuff like that. It's also good for people who want to have dehydrated food for themselves or their kids but don't want to spend a bunch of money on dehydrated snacks. It does take a little more prep time than just buying prepackaged food but money wise it's well worth it and you know exactly what you are putting into your body.
Josh : Was not aware this would be pre-owned
Opened the shipping box and there was the unit. No manufacturers box inside, no packing protection, just a plastic bag over the lid and a single cardboard cutout around the dial. The user manual was curled around the corners and the other items inside were disheveled and sloppy. There are multiple dents in the plastic on the device. I'm not sure if I just bought a return product or what, but I expected a new and well packed device, not... this. At this point I haven't even plugged it in to try it out and I'm not sure that I will, but even if I do and it works flawlessly, this review wouldn't change. My expectations are never so high that I can't see reason, but this item looks like it was bought at a garage sale, not on Amazon. With such good reviews, I'm floored to say the least.
Christina M : Amazing! Works perfect
I've been using this product for several months. I have made beef jerky, fruits, vegetables, dog treats, and candy. The plastic trays are durable and so easy to clean. I bought extra trays to go with it, so I'm running 14 trays each time. The heat is so evenly distributed that I don't have to rotate or flip anything. Everything comes out perfect every time. The temperature actually only gets to about 155. So any meat I put in the oven at 170 for an hour to make sure its safe. You cannot beat this product at this value. Its amazing for everything. I'm doing herbs and spices this week. I love it.
Anthony D. Czesak : Heater died after four uses.
I love eating jerky which is why I was so excited to purchase my own dehydrator. I made several large batches over a period of several months. The fourth time I was going to make jerky the unit did not start at all when I plugged it into the outlet. There was no burning smell, no noises, no clicks...nothing. It had already passed the warranty date. It's a simple heating element with a fan and vertical stacking trays of plastic. The trays are a pain to clean. Adjustable temperature control is important, but I only ever got to do meat instead of use the other settings. To be fair, I don't think it accurately knows what temperature to sustain. It would be interesting if someone did some tests to see how accurate the temperature control is. I want to buy another one but I don't want to be burned twice. I want something that will hopefully last longer so I may invest in a more expensive model with better functionality. The circle shape of the unit is hard to store in small kitchens.
Rae B. : Amazing for preparing backpacking foods
This dehydrator is just what I needed. My job has me working in the backcountry for a week at a time, carrying all of my food and camping gear on my back. So I obviously want my food to be as light as possible. But I'm also a bit of a food snob and love to cook delicious foods. I'm not super fond of many of the readymade backpacking food, not to mention that they can break the bank. This dehydrator solved all of my problems. It's so easy to make many types of meals at home, dehydrate them (either whole or in parts) with this, and carry them out to the field where I can cook them up and enjoy healthy, homemade food. By far my favorite thing to make is chili. It's awesome to use the fruit leather trays and just pile the chili on. The tray collect and dry out all the delicious liquid, saving all of the flavors and helping you make some of the best trail food you will ever have. My coworkers love me because of this :)
D. Knight33 : Don't wait purchase this great product!!!!
Best item I've purchased yet!!! I've been making Beef and Salmon Jerky for sometime now and I love this dehydrator, simple to use, perfect temperature settings and you don't have to rotate the trays for air ventilation. The only con is there is no on or off switch, you will have to unplug the dehydrator to turn it off. After I make Salmon Jerky I throw the trays in the dishwasher and they come out spotless with no smell. Great investment, I should have bought this sooner!!!! And one thing if your buying this to make beef jerky, dehydrating fruits, etc. invest in a small auto timer, I used the timer from my Christmas tree and now I set it I don't have to watch it anymore and worrying about unplugging it to stop the dehydration. You can find the timer on Amazon too!
Donna D. : I really wanted to like this.
After reading many reviews, I decided on this dehydrator. When it came in, I was so excited. I had beef marinating for a little over a day and I was anxious to make my beef jerky. I lined the trays with the meat and turned it on. Meanwhile, while I waited, I decided to order a set of 2 more tray because I still had some beef left that I couldn't fit on the trays which meant another 4-5 hours instead of all at once. After a mere three hours, I saw something weird happening with the trays. They were starting to bow out and steam was escaping from the sides of the dehydrator. Immediately I cancelled the order for the additional trays and I put in for a return on this item. This is not acceptable. The plastic was definitely flimsy but with all of the rave reviews and the fact the the temperature was only at 160 degrees, I didn't think that something like this would happen. I will try another brand because I really want a dehydrator. My search continues.
mcdee : This is the dehydrator for you!
**Update** I'm so impressed with this dehydrator I bought a second one so I can do more fruit at one time. I didn't want to increase the drying time by adding a lot more trays. I have increased the trays on each by one. I also made fruit leather a couple of days ago. It was so easy and it turned out great. Running both dehydrators at the same time still does not cause a noise problem. I honestly hardly hear them.
After a few years of being very angry with NESCO over the large Garden Master dehydrator that never worked, I took the advice of a friend who has this smaller, less expensive dehydrator and bought it. I love it. With an open floor plan I didn’t want a dehydrator that sounded like I was landing a jet in my kitchen. This one is quiet and efficient. My apples are done in nine hours. Clean up is a breeze. I highly recommend it.
After a few years of being very angry with NESCO over the large Garden Master dehydrator that never worked, I took the advice of a friend who has this smaller, less expensive dehydrator and bought it. I love it. With an open floor plan I didn’t want a dehydrator that sounded like I was landing a jet in my kitchen. This one is quiet and efficient. My apples are done in nine hours. Clean up is a breeze. I highly recommend it.
HonestJoe : 100% recommend
This thing is fantastic! It's my first food dehydrator and I think as far as firsts go this is great! I made myself some tasty jerky and it came out beautifully. I even made my dog some dried sweet potatoe treats and they are lovely. I can't wait to try all kinds of things on it! It's quick, it's quiet, it's low effort and clean up is beyond easy!
Brett S. : Definitely worth it!
This is my first dehydrator and I'm so impressed with this one! We make a substantial amount of beef jerky to keep up on our protein intake. We'd been doing it in the oven and it warned up the house, jerky was oily, and it took a lot of power. With the dehydrator the jerky is completely dry, not oily, taste even better and only requires one time of flipping the pieces halfway through cooking (heat dries from the top so flipping meat helps it dry evenly). Ir takes about 6 hours (versus 5 hours in the oven), but it's very quiet, doesn't heat up the house, requires much less power and is super easy to clean! My wife loves this dehydrator add much ort more than I do and I look forward to making jerky, as it's so easy this way with almost no cleanup.
Michele : Why did I wait so long??
I finally got this as an addition to my other dehydrator. This is great! I do use the clean screens with it to keep smaller foods from falling through the racks and have added 4 add-a-racks to it so I can dehydrate more at one time. I haven't had any issues with foods not being dry. The air is forced down to the bottom which makes the bottom try much easier to clean as the motor is on the top; the motor/fan is on the bottom of my other one making it difficult to clean. If I ever need another dehydrator, I will buy this again.
Susan brodeur : Not Happy with this product
I am very disappointed with this product. The packaging and everything was fine - no problems there.
I am very disappointed with the temperature control. The knob does not adjust to the labeled heat settings. The knob doesn't go down to the lowest setting or go all the way to the highest heat setting. It is a guessing game to figure out where the settings should be.
Dehydrating books give a general range of how long it should take to dehydrate food. Because I need to do some guessing as to the temperature control it takes forever to dehydrate, even when I adjust it much higher than recommended. Even at a higher temperature it sometimes takes twice as long (and longer) as the books recommendations. I have an inexpensive dehydrator that has a low, medium, and high setting and it does a much better job.
I did a test batch and put half of a batch of carrots in each dehydrator and the Nesco took three times longer to dehydrate than my cheapo (on low).
Would appreciate recommendations on a good temperature controlled dehydrator.
I am very disappointed with the temperature control. The knob does not adjust to the labeled heat settings. The knob doesn't go down to the lowest setting or go all the way to the highest heat setting. It is a guessing game to figure out where the settings should be.
Dehydrating books give a general range of how long it should take to dehydrate food. Because I need to do some guessing as to the temperature control it takes forever to dehydrate, even when I adjust it much higher than recommended. Even at a higher temperature it sometimes takes twice as long (and longer) as the books recommendations. I have an inexpensive dehydrator that has a low, medium, and high setting and it does a much better job.
I did a test batch and put half of a batch of carrots in each dehydrator and the Nesco took three times longer to dehydrate than my cheapo (on low).
Would appreciate recommendations on a good temperature controlled dehydrator.
Jeff : Great dehydrator but temp is way off...
I bought this dehydrator sort of like many people did: after reading the things you can do with it, I got all excited, thinking, "I'm going to dehydrate EVERYTHING and it's going to be amazing!!!" Of course, in reality that doesn't really happen. When people say you'll use it for a while and then it will collect dust, I totally get how that could happen. Fingers crossed, it hasn't happened to me yet.
So, from my point of view, I see a number of excellent things about this dehydrator and one main problem. Let's start with the good stuff.
So far, I've used the dehydrator to make a couple of batches of each of:
- Apple chips (thin apple slices soaked for a few hours in a combo of lemon juice and cranberry juice, then dried)
- beef jerky (this dehydrator comes with a starter park for jerky, plus I made my own marinade the next time)
- chicken jerky
- bacon bits (the ends and "bad cuts" of my own home-cured, smoked bacon, finely chopped, cooked, and then dehydrated. best bacon bits you will EVER taste)
- sweet potato dog treats (just sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise and dehydrated. Healthy, and she goes NUTS for them)
- chicken jerky dog treats (regular, inexpensive frozen chicken breast cut into strips and dehydrated, she goes nuts for those too).
The jerky is better than the packaged stuff by a pretty wide margin. There are all sorts of ways to modify it to suit your tastes, of course. My wife didn't care for the fruit dehydration at first because she was expecting crunchy apple chips like you can get at the store. They don't come out like that. They're still pliable and soft. The benefit is that all of the vitamins are still intact, whereas if they were baked to the point of crunchy, all of that good stuff goes away. You also need to grow accustomed to the relatively small yield -- slicing three whole apples and dehydrating them results in about one sandwich baggie worth of apple chips! Three pounds of meat going in will get you around one pound of jerky. So don't think you're going to make your own jerky to save money. If you're lucky you might break even (not including the time and effort, and not including cost of making the marinade or the electricity used to run the dehydrator all day). The real benefit is the flavor and lack of preservatives, etc.
It comes with five trays, but you can use as few as four (I don't know why you need a minimum of four, and I wish you could just use what you need). It also comes with a couple of inserts for small things and fruit leather type stuff. There is no power switch, you just plug it in and it starts going. The temperature can be dialed in from 95ºF to 160ºF as printed on the top (remember that problem I mentioned? yep. see below.)
The temperature seems to be pretty consistent from top to bottom. It uses a system that circulates the air not just through the middle, but also out along the edges via hollow walls on the outer circumference of the trays. It seems to operate similar to a thermostat. The fan is always on, but the heating element shuts on and off depending on the internal temperature of the unit. Once the temp falls below a certain threshold, the heater kicks back on to get it into the right range. You can tell when this happens, but you really need to be listening in order to hear it because it's very subtle.
So, I love it. What about that problem I mentioned? Well, I have tested the actual running temperature of the dehydrator against the printed values on the dial, and they're not even close.
I used several methods to determine the temperature:
1) A pointed directly into an exhaust vent (see photo) with the dial set to the maximum 160ºF.
2) A long wire probe connected to the above thermometer, which I mounted near the center of the dehydrator on the third tray (routed up through an exhaust vent so as not to introduce any error from external air coming in where the wire is inserted). I ensured that the probe touched nothing but air while reading, and watched the values at both the 135ºF setting and the 160ºF setting. (see photos)
3) An analog metal probe thermometer placed deep into a lower and an upper exhaust port.
4) A digital metal probe thermometer ( ) inserted into both the upper and lower exhaust ports
In all cases (except #3, which responded too slowly) I was able to see the lower temperature at which the heater kicked on, as well as the upper temperature at which the heater turned off (in theory, this would be right around the number printed on the dial). The numbers were effectively the same in all tests.
- At the 135ºF setting on the dehydrator, the actual temperature maxed out at around 120ºF, at which point the heater turned off and the temperature dropped slowly until the heater came back on.
- At the 160ºF setting (maximum), it was the same story but with an actual temperature topping out at around 135ºF.
What concerns me is this unit's suitability for jerky -- the minimum recommended temperature for any meat is 160ºF when making jerky. I'm not too terribly concerned about the beef jerky because I routinely eat beef at a much lower temperature than that (though it does make a good case for refrigerating the jerky in this case), but the chicken jerky could have gone pretty badly!
It could also be that it's just mine that has this problem, I don't know. But for me, part of the reason for getting this model instead of some of the cheaper ones is because of the adjustable temperature. And now it looks like it has to be on maximum pretty much all the time anyway? Hmm...
Without the temperature issue, it would have been 5 stars. But this drops it significantly, because that's HALF of it! Heat and air.
So, from my point of view, I see a number of excellent things about this dehydrator and one main problem. Let's start with the good stuff.
So far, I've used the dehydrator to make a couple of batches of each of:
- Apple chips (thin apple slices soaked for a few hours in a combo of lemon juice and cranberry juice, then dried)
- beef jerky (this dehydrator comes with a starter park for jerky, plus I made my own marinade the next time)
- chicken jerky
- bacon bits (the ends and "bad cuts" of my own home-cured, smoked bacon, finely chopped, cooked, and then dehydrated. best bacon bits you will EVER taste)
- sweet potato dog treats (just sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise and dehydrated. Healthy, and she goes NUTS for them)
- chicken jerky dog treats (regular, inexpensive frozen chicken breast cut into strips and dehydrated, she goes nuts for those too).
The jerky is better than the packaged stuff by a pretty wide margin. There are all sorts of ways to modify it to suit your tastes, of course. My wife didn't care for the fruit dehydration at first because she was expecting crunchy apple chips like you can get at the store. They don't come out like that. They're still pliable and soft. The benefit is that all of the vitamins are still intact, whereas if they were baked to the point of crunchy, all of that good stuff goes away. You also need to grow accustomed to the relatively small yield -- slicing three whole apples and dehydrating them results in about one sandwich baggie worth of apple chips! Three pounds of meat going in will get you around one pound of jerky. So don't think you're going to make your own jerky to save money. If you're lucky you might break even (not including the time and effort, and not including cost of making the marinade or the electricity used to run the dehydrator all day). The real benefit is the flavor and lack of preservatives, etc.
It comes with five trays, but you can use as few as four (I don't know why you need a minimum of four, and I wish you could just use what you need). It also comes with a couple of inserts for small things and fruit leather type stuff. There is no power switch, you just plug it in and it starts going. The temperature can be dialed in from 95ºF to 160ºF as printed on the top (remember that problem I mentioned? yep. see below.)
The temperature seems to be pretty consistent from top to bottom. It uses a system that circulates the air not just through the middle, but also out along the edges via hollow walls on the outer circumference of the trays. It seems to operate similar to a thermostat. The fan is always on, but the heating element shuts on and off depending on the internal temperature of the unit. Once the temp falls below a certain threshold, the heater kicks back on to get it into the right range. You can tell when this happens, but you really need to be listening in order to hear it because it's very subtle.
So, I love it. What about that problem I mentioned? Well, I have tested the actual running temperature of the dehydrator against the printed values on the dial, and they're not even close.
I used several methods to determine the temperature:
1) A pointed directly into an exhaust vent (see photo) with the dial set to the maximum 160ºF.
2) A long wire probe connected to the above thermometer, which I mounted near the center of the dehydrator on the third tray (routed up through an exhaust vent so as not to introduce any error from external air coming in where the wire is inserted). I ensured that the probe touched nothing but air while reading, and watched the values at both the 135ºF setting and the 160ºF setting. (see photos)
3) An analog metal probe thermometer placed deep into a lower and an upper exhaust port.
4) A digital metal probe thermometer ( ) inserted into both the upper and lower exhaust ports
In all cases (except #3, which responded too slowly) I was able to see the lower temperature at which the heater kicked on, as well as the upper temperature at which the heater turned off (in theory, this would be right around the number printed on the dial). The numbers were effectively the same in all tests.
- At the 135ºF setting on the dehydrator, the actual temperature maxed out at around 120ºF, at which point the heater turned off and the temperature dropped slowly until the heater came back on.
- At the 160ºF setting (maximum), it was the same story but with an actual temperature topping out at around 135ºF.
What concerns me is this unit's suitability for jerky -- the minimum recommended temperature for any meat is 160ºF when making jerky. I'm not too terribly concerned about the beef jerky because I routinely eat beef at a much lower temperature than that (though it does make a good case for refrigerating the jerky in this case), but the chicken jerky could have gone pretty badly!
It could also be that it's just mine that has this problem, I don't know. But for me, part of the reason for getting this model instead of some of the cheaper ones is because of the adjustable temperature. And now it looks like it has to be on maximum pretty much all the time anyway? Hmm...
Without the temperature issue, it would have been 5 stars. But this drops it significantly, because that's HALF of it! Heat and air.
CGR : 3 years and counting!!
When I first purchased this, I used it for fruits, onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, the like. We had a big garden at our last property and many fruit trees. This little snackmaster was excellent to help me preserve the extra food.
We moved onto more land a few years ago and I am more recently using it to make powdered whey (leftover from cheese making) and powdered eggs. For both of those, it is working excellently. I put them on about 135* - 140* and dehydrate them for at least 10 hours, but sometimes it takes longer, like 12 to 16 hours. I really think drying times has to do with your own humidity and other factors. We live in Northeast Texas, and presently, have 62% humidity in our house. Things take a wee longer to dry. I do not worry too much about time nor temperature. To me, they are all guidelines and I just cook them until they are done.
This comes with two fruit roll type trays, and those are what I used for milk and eggs. This also comes with other slotted plastic trays. Really, you know all this from reading other people's reviews and the listing. I do not wish to be redundant.
I just wish to convey that I, personally, have not had any problems with my machine. It functions as it should, as it has for the last 3 years. I attached a short video of my current project. The dehydrator actually is a quieter than the it comes through on the video. I have two dehydrators running currently to fulfill my egg & milk project for the winter.
Oh! I should mention this ==> this dries from the top. To me, after also owning a bottom dryer, the top dryer is preferable. When you have spill overs, and you will, you can easily wash the bottom of this model. It is more difficult for me to wash the bottom of my other one since it houses the electronics. You may not have thought about this, but to me, it is important.
And another mention ==> I wash my trays in my dishwasher, no problem. Top rack and no heated dry. Dishwashers run hotter than this baby, it is pretty common sense that without proper positioning, you will warp your trays. I have never done so. So if you do, be smart and be careful!
A con to mention. There is no bonafide on and off switch. You just have to plug and unplug it. That to me is weird.
Enjoy whatever model you buy! Happy drying!!
Donna D. : I really wanted to like this.
After reading many reviews, I decided on this dehydrator. When it came in, I was so excited. I had beef marinating for a little over a day and I was anxious to make my beef jerky. I lined the trays with the meat and turned it on. Meanwhile, while I waited, I decided to order a set of 2 more tray because I still had some beef left that I couldn't fit on the trays which meant another 4-5 hours instead of all at once. After a mere three hours, I saw something weird happening with the trays. They were starting to bow out and steam was escaping from the sides of the dehydrator. Immediately I cancelled the order for the additional trays and I put in for a return on this item. This is not acceptable. The plastic was definitely flimsy but with all of the rave reviews and the fact the the temperature was only at 160 degrees, I didn't think that something like this would happen. I will try another brand because I really want a dehydrator. My search continues.
Amazon Customer : Great performance at a value price
We have been so happy with this dehydrator. I only wish I had bought more trays so I could do more at once. We live in a fairly dry climate so this works pretty quickly for us. I thought the lack of a power button would bother me but it isn't that big of a deal. I usually rotate my trays for my own piece of mind, but when I don't I don't notice a difference. Easy-ish to clean, I just have to soak 1-2 at a time because that's what fits in my sink.
After reading the reviews about the temperature not reaching the right degree, we did our own test with the meat thermometer and it reached the temp. it was supposed to. This is really only a concern with Jerky anyway and you should research the required temp and time for that. You can use the oven along with your dehydrator to reach the safety requirements.
After reading the reviews about the temperature not reaching the right degree, we did our own test with the meat thermometer and it reached the temp. it was supposed to. This is really only a concern with Jerky anyway and you should research the required temp and time for that. You can use the oven along with your dehydrator to reach the safety requirements.
Shawn D. : Does not get as hot as "thermostat" states
I ran this dehydrator for 4 hours with nothing inside except for a thermometer. After the 4 hours at 160 degrees, the unit never got past 137 degrees.
I am going to return it and try another one. If I get the same result, then I will return and go with another model. I will report back with the outcome. If the next one works correct, then I will also adjust my star rating.
Got the replacement dehydrator in, and same thing. Can't get it past 135 degrees. Tried multiple thermometers thinking that might be the issue, but they all read the same. Sadly have to return this one as well.
I am going to return it and try another one. If I get the same result, then I will return and go with another model. I will report back with the outcome. If the next one works correct, then I will also adjust my star rating.
Got the replacement dehydrator in, and same thing. Can't get it past 135 degrees. Tried multiple thermometers thinking that might be the issue, but they all read the same. Sadly have to return this one as well.
Jax D : Makes great jerky!
We use this every couple weeks to make jerky! It takes a few hours with the amount of jerky we do. Makes the house smell wonderful! Cleaning the trays sucks. I have to soak the trays in hot water with soap for a while and scrub hard with a dish brush to get the majority of the cooked marinade off.
robin spindler : takes forever to dry anything
This takes way longer than it should to dry everything I put on it. Mostly I dry very thin sliced tomatoes, sliced habaneros, greens, and herbs; in most cases they have to get crispy dry because I pulverize them in a blender and then screen them to make powder. If I just wanted the food to get leathery this might be worth three stars.
I had an American Harvest dryer that I bought decades ago; this brand was bought out by Nesco. My AH dryer finally stopped working and I wanted to buy one just like it but now the company has been taken over by Nesco. But it looked the same. So I bought it. And oh what a difference; it takes way longer to dry food, and I have to turn up the heat more than I like to do to get the food to dry.
What makes it worse is that between the old and new dryer I moved from very humid eastern Nebraska to the dry climate of Arizona. So my new dryer should dry faster in this environment. But it doesn't; it dries way slower.
Nesco says they will send me a new head. I hope it works. I don't know if I trust this vendor though, since they sold me a model in 2020 that was made in 2012.
I had an American Harvest dryer that I bought decades ago; this brand was bought out by Nesco. My AH dryer finally stopped working and I wanted to buy one just like it but now the company has been taken over by Nesco. But it looked the same. So I bought it. And oh what a difference; it takes way longer to dry food, and I have to turn up the heat more than I like to do to get the food to dry.
What makes it worse is that between the old and new dryer I moved from very humid eastern Nebraska to the dry climate of Arizona. So my new dryer should dry faster in this environment. But it doesn't; it dries way slower.
Nesco says they will send me a new head. I hope it works. I don't know if I trust this vendor though, since they sold me a model in 2020 that was made in 2012.
Diane Karraker : MAKING HEALTHY SNACKS FOR MY DOGS - NO MORE CHEMICALS
2 years ago I went to feeding my 2 dogs (terriers) human grade food after buying the expensive store bought food that was costing me a fortune. I now pay less for quality meats, fish, produce and starches to be feed to my dogs vs buying expensive pet food with ingredients I can't pronounce. However, I still had an issue with treats, especially for training. So I purchased this dehydrator and finished making their first batch of eye of round jerky and currently making chicken jerky as I write. Nothing added just pure meat. They LOVE IT to say the least. And I don't have to worry about unknown ingredients. We did that for ourselves 2 years ago also and have seen health issues disappear. Our motto is "If God created it and its natural unaltered, we can eat it" Our food bill went down some and we are healthy. Give yourself and your pets a gift of health by buying a dehydrator.
Kindle Reader : Did not even turn on.
This was my first food dehydrator and the machine did not even turn on. I wasted 5 trays of food because this machine did not work right out of the gate. I WILL be returning it. $75 plus the wasted food... I'm out a little over $125. NOT IMPRESSED! I'd give it less than a star if I could.
Joe Tairei : Works great, a must have for anyone seeking to extend and preserve food
I bought this dehydrator mainly to make beef jerky, and after seven months of use we have not been disappointed. So far we have made the following:
- beef jerky
- orange slices
- grapefruit slices
- apple slices
- banana slices
- green beans
There are many recipes for beef jerky, but I would recommend the one on allrecipes.com which is a good, hearty, all-around tasty jerky. The Nesco came with packets of jerky spices, but I haven't used them, nor have I used the Nesco recipe. Just slice your beef (an electric knife is best), marinate overnight in a mixture of Worcester, soy sauce, pepper, garlic, onion, cayenne, and pepper flakes, then dehydrate them on high for 8-10 hours. Delicious!
The jerky can be tough to chew. They recommend slicing against the grain, to minimize the length of fibers, which does help a bit. I've tried pounding the beef with a 48-blade tenderizer to make the jerky less tough, but it doesn't really make much difference for all of that work, though it does help with marinading more thoroughly. The best solution I've found is simply to take smaller bites, and it's just easier to chew up! Lasts longer, too.
The other success story is apple slices. I don't bother with their special fruit tray. Just core and slice the apples (we have one of these old fashioned "Johnny Apple Peeler" hand cranked models that does a whole apple in 10 seconds, a must-have if you do a lot of apples), stick them on the regular trays, and give it about 8 hours on the fruit setting. I freeze the slices afterwards to maximize longevity. I bought a 6-pack of mealy, mediocre apples off the local supermarket discount cart for $1.29 and dehydrated them -- and they turned out sweet and delicious. Then, after a month or two in the freezer, in a freezer bag, they became apple crisps!
I would also recommend trying orange slices. Give it a good 12 hours because there's a lot of liquid to evaporate. They come out sort of like orange crackers. They're crunchy and delicious, peel and all. It's not for everyone, perhaps, but a great trail food along with dried apples and beef jerky.
The green beans came out unappetizing. Note that one side effect of dehydration is to concentrate the flavor. The grapefruit came out rather bitter. Still not too bad but don't expect it to be a hit with the kids.
Some people use it to dehydrate herbs and spices from the garden. We haven't tried this yet but for this, you probably do want to use the provided special tray that has smaller gaps.
The product is assembled in the U.S. from domestic and foreign components. That's OK with me; a little is better than nothing. At least they have a factory here. The important thing is that the company make a good quality product that lasts a long time, and so far, there have been zero problems with this unit. If anything goes wrong, I'll update this review.
One deficit is the lack of a built-in timer. However, this problem is easily solved with a $5 lamp timer you can get from the hardware store or online. You just set it to turn off at a certain time, and then you can go to bed or go to work with no worries. It's handy when you have prepared a 10-hour batch of beef jerky and it's only 4pm; you can rest assured it will run the required amount of time and shut off at 2am. Jerky is designed to last for weeks at room temperature, so it will be fine to leave it in the machine for a few hours. The salt is a preservative, but without sulfites or other preservatives, it's a good idea to freeze the jerky and it will last you for weeks or months.
This is a great appliance that is very easy to use. We love using it, it's not too noisy, and the main problem has been finding a spot to keep it in between uses, in our crowded kitchen. I have just ordered two more trays, to be able to make larger quantities; they just stack right in and add a couple of inches to the height of the unit, no big deal.
- beef jerky
- orange slices
- grapefruit slices
- apple slices
- banana slices
- green beans
There are many recipes for beef jerky, but I would recommend the one on allrecipes.com which is a good, hearty, all-around tasty jerky. The Nesco came with packets of jerky spices, but I haven't used them, nor have I used the Nesco recipe. Just slice your beef (an electric knife is best), marinate overnight in a mixture of Worcester, soy sauce, pepper, garlic, onion, cayenne, and pepper flakes, then dehydrate them on high for 8-10 hours. Delicious!
The jerky can be tough to chew. They recommend slicing against the grain, to minimize the length of fibers, which does help a bit. I've tried pounding the beef with a 48-blade tenderizer to make the jerky less tough, but it doesn't really make much difference for all of that work, though it does help with marinading more thoroughly. The best solution I've found is simply to take smaller bites, and it's just easier to chew up! Lasts longer, too.
The other success story is apple slices. I don't bother with their special fruit tray. Just core and slice the apples (we have one of these old fashioned "Johnny Apple Peeler" hand cranked models that does a whole apple in 10 seconds, a must-have if you do a lot of apples), stick them on the regular trays, and give it about 8 hours on the fruit setting. I freeze the slices afterwards to maximize longevity. I bought a 6-pack of mealy, mediocre apples off the local supermarket discount cart for $1.29 and dehydrated them -- and they turned out sweet and delicious. Then, after a month or two in the freezer, in a freezer bag, they became apple crisps!
I would also recommend trying orange slices. Give it a good 12 hours because there's a lot of liquid to evaporate. They come out sort of like orange crackers. They're crunchy and delicious, peel and all. It's not for everyone, perhaps, but a great trail food along with dried apples and beef jerky.
The green beans came out unappetizing. Note that one side effect of dehydration is to concentrate the flavor. The grapefruit came out rather bitter. Still not too bad but don't expect it to be a hit with the kids.
Some people use it to dehydrate herbs and spices from the garden. We haven't tried this yet but for this, you probably do want to use the provided special tray that has smaller gaps.
The product is assembled in the U.S. from domestic and foreign components. That's OK with me; a little is better than nothing. At least they have a factory here. The important thing is that the company make a good quality product that lasts a long time, and so far, there have been zero problems with this unit. If anything goes wrong, I'll update this review.
One deficit is the lack of a built-in timer. However, this problem is easily solved with a $5 lamp timer you can get from the hardware store or online. You just set it to turn off at a certain time, and then you can go to bed or go to work with no worries. It's handy when you have prepared a 10-hour batch of beef jerky and it's only 4pm; you can rest assured it will run the required amount of time and shut off at 2am. Jerky is designed to last for weeks at room temperature, so it will be fine to leave it in the machine for a few hours. The salt is a preservative, but without sulfites or other preservatives, it's a good idea to freeze the jerky and it will last you for weeks or months.
This is a great appliance that is very easy to use. We love using it, it's not too noisy, and the main problem has been finding a spot to keep it in between uses, in our crowded kitchen. I have just ordered two more trays, to be able to make larger quantities; they just stack right in and add a couple of inches to the height of the unit, no big deal.
Patrick : Failed after two uses
Bought it for my son-in-law for Christmas 2019, failed after two uses....before Covid, contacted customer service multiple times, no response then 3 weeks later a email response saying they will replace the part, a phone call saying the part would ship, three months later no part. Another round of poor customer service and they say the person that handled my claim no longer works there and,,,,they have no record of my previous transactions. Nine months later...nine months still no replacement part. Is this really a company you want to deal with?
There are soooo many other nice dehydrators on this site that will fit your need.
There are soooo many other nice dehydrators on this site that will fit your need.
Dave : Not built to last, takes long time to dehydrate fruits
I've purchased three of these dehydrators over the last six years, and last me about two years before the heater fails. Each time, I would purchase a new unit and reuse some of the trays from the failed unit with the new unit. However, when you get to seven trays, it takes a long time for fruit to dry. I did call the company, and they said this dehydrator was 'not commercial', which must mean that you can only dehydrate items once in awhile or that you can't really dehydrate several batches of oranges or pears. Between the units failing, taking a long time to dehydrate the food, and the poor quality, I'm going to look at a different brand that can do a better job.
Khazar : Love it
I have been using the crap out of this thing and so far I love it. I dehydrated carrots (needs some cutting), zucchini, cabbage (shredded), peppers, jalapeno peppers, spinach, kale, pineapples, yogurt (spread it on the tray kind of thing inside) etc. I love it so far. I've been making vegetable powder to add to my soups. I haven't cleaned the trays in the dishwasher though. I'm worried that they'll break. So I've been hand-washing them.
Fenley : Venison jerky
Have used it once with 12 trays for venison jerky (wet marinade). Got this one to replace an older version (still works after about 10 yrs) that had a bottom fan but only went to 145 F. Wanted hotter temperatures to kill any bacteria that might be there. This unit takes about the same amount of time to dry a load of jerky (about 10 hrs). Only complaint I have is that the new trays are flimsy and I already cracked a couple of the grids during cleaning. The old trays (same size) were better made and heavier.
Michael Burnstein : Broke Immediately
It arrived yesterday. I had meat ready and I laid it all out, seasoned it, and placed it on several racks in the dehydrator. When I plugged it in the fan came on. I unplugged it, placed the top on and plugged it back in. I marveled at how quiet it was. Then I realized it wasn't working for the last 2 hours. There appear to be no lights or other indications of power/operation on this model.
Amazon is providing a no hassle replacement. Let's see if the next one works.
Amazon is providing a no hassle replacement. Let's see if the next one works.
Josh Frantz : Needs Auto-Off Timer, Practice, and Patience (Which I Don't Have)
Most of all, this item really needs a auto-off timer. Without a timer, you can't just "set it and forget it." I did not find this to be convenient or to save money. I got it for fresh fruit, but did not fully realize how little dehydrated product results from fresh fruit. It think it would be more cost-effective to just buy dehydrated fruit that was produced in bulk unless you need to be very picky about ingredients or have an orchard where you already have the fruit and need a way to preserve it. Another issue is that the photos show all sorts of different fruits combined on different trays, but different types of fruit finish at different times, so in my experience, some were done, some overdone, and some needed much longer. I'm sure this would improve with some practice, but practice means wasting food. This is why I didn't attempt to make beef jerky: I bought the beef but didn't want to risk making something inedible. I also made a fruit leather, which did taste good, but was very messy (leaked onto the other trays - pain to clean) and was very difficult to scrape from the tray so it did not look pretty. Again, that probably would improve with some practice, but I just don't have the patience. I returned for full refund.
Big Basin Guy : Reasonable good product and a good value for the price
This is the second one of these I have ordered for a long distance mushroom foray and I haven't used the new one yet but am happy with the first one I purchased. It is built well, priced reasonably and does the job. I like that it has a continuous temperature dial so you can vary the dehydration temperature over a continuous range of temperatures. It does not dehydrate herbs or mushrooms very fast at the lowest temperature and takes about 18 hours to do the job but I don't know if an Excalibur which costs 4-5 times as much would give you much more bang for the buck at low temperature settings since I have never owned one. One claim that does not seem to be 100% true is that the design eliminates the need to rotate trays. I have found that it drys more consistently than the old design which had the fan on the bottom however I still find myself rotating trays at least once during a dry cycle which is not a big problem considering the modest cost of this appliance. The top mounted fan/heater also eliminates the problem of food particles falling through the trays onto the fan/heating components.
toni carswell : Good product/reasonable price
I have been researching dehydrators for a while now and this one came up on quite a few "consumer best" lists. For a "newbie" I think this was an excellent purchase. I was a little intimidated by the process so I went with the one that wouldn't be a huge investment if I decided it wasn't worth my time or effort. It really has been a game changer. I did know that I wanted one with a top fan and a temperature control. I would go for a back fan and the additional timer feature if/when I decide to purchase another. Overall I think this was exactly what I was looking for and it's SO QUIET! (My SO was actually impressed with how little noise it makes.) I definitely would recommend this product!
Brett A. : Completely Satisfied
There are so many highly rated dehydrators available on Amazon, I honestly didn't know where to start. I finally decided to take the plunge and buy Amazon's best seller. I am glad I did, and I am already very pleased with this machine. Very easy to use, easy to clean.
The day I got it, I did my first batch of beef jerky that I had marinating for a couple of days in the fridge. After about 6-7 hours, the jerky turned out perfect. The extra tray capacity of this machine (up to 12 total) is a major bonus. This dehydrator comes with 5 trays... I purchased another 2, and I am glad I did. Out of the 7 trays, I used 6 of them for one roast's worth of jerky. I plan to buy a few more trays soon for even more dehydrating space.
Five stars.
The day I got it, I did my first batch of beef jerky that I had marinating for a couple of days in the fridge. After about 6-7 hours, the jerky turned out perfect. The extra tray capacity of this machine (up to 12 total) is a major bonus. This dehydrator comes with 5 trays... I purchased another 2, and I am glad I did. Out of the 7 trays, I used 6 of them for one roast's worth of jerky. I plan to buy a few more trays soon for even more dehydrating space.
Five stars.
sewgirl : Nesco Food Dehydrator
I have been borrowing our sons dehydrator to see if my husband and I would like the process of dehydrating foods and then cooking with them. We found it very beneficial and fun to dehydrate/store veggies and fruits for winter meals.....that convinced me to purchase our own. I chose the Nesco Snackmaster Pro model. It arrived yesterday in great condition and only one day past expected delivery date, which was not a problem. The dehydrator was well packed, a box within a box....my only concern is that the inside box that housed the dehydrator was a regular brown box, not a manufacturing box, like you would get if this were purchased at a 'big box' store. This made me wonder if I had recieved a refurbished item. I contacted customer service and they assured me it was indeed a new item and that is how it was received by them from the manufacturer...Amazon then packs it in their own(the second) box for shipping. With only having it one day I really can't give a complete review....I have grapes dehydrating now and it is working fine....we'll have raisins by the morning!
Jesse Knott : First one was DOA, but prime to the rescue, second unit arrived 2 days later and is perfect!
First one of these I ordered had a faulty heating element, as I have seen other reviews complain about. It seemed that the system would max out at 135° which is way too cool for making Jerky (FDA recommends 160° minimum to kill all bacteria). Along comes Amazon to the rescue, I initiate a return and they send a replacement unit the same day! The new unit has arrived and so far I am VERY pleased! This new appears to be working fine so far, and I will update if I have any complications.
All this being said, I love the trays, and while I have had some sticking problems with some fruit, namely strawberries, and bananas, I still am extremely pleased with the units performance now that I have a new one that reaches the proper temperature. The only reason for the 4/5 stars is that the first unit was DOA, and had I not been skeptical and checked the temp manually I could have been faced with under cooked and potentially dangerous jerky.
All this being said, I love the trays, and while I have had some sticking problems with some fruit, namely strawberries, and bananas, I still am extremely pleased with the units performance now that I have a new one that reaches the proper temperature. The only reason for the 4/5 stars is that the first unit was DOA, and had I not been skeptical and checked the temp manually I could have been faced with under cooked and potentially dangerous jerky.
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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