Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, For Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Gray review and price compare 2024
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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
A. Morton : I chose this product over all the other ones available ...
I chose this product over all the other ones available on amazon because it says Made in USA. That's a complete lie. If you flip the lid over it says Made in China stamped on the product spec label.
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.
Amazon Customer : My first dehydrator and I couldn’t love it anymore the possibilities are endless
My first dehydrator and I couldn’t love it anymore the possibilities are endless. I made my first batch of beef jerky with the Nesco dehydrator in conjunction with the jumbo jerky works kit and everybody loved the jerky. I will be purchasing the Nesco food vacuum seal in the near future to seal all the freshness of my beef jerky. I have also made all natural fruit roll ups for my kids and they can’t have enough. Make sure to purchase additional trays so that you can make a lot because it goes fast.
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.
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.
SRS : Who knew how much one could dehydrate!
We bought this dehydrator originally to make sweet potato rawhide's for our dog after buying some at a specialty store for an outrageous sum of money. Now that one of our dog's is unwell and limited to what she can eat we looked for a way to make these ourselves. The basic Nesco unit is generous with its stacks so we could dehydrate about 7 lbs of potato at once. We have tried one of their recipes for potato chips but will opt not to do that again but it was fun to try. So we've used it four time so far and are happy. The only reason I gave it four stars for durability is because we've had it three weeks. The only other things that I would point out are that it is rather large and can be noisy. When it's running we always think our oven is turned on!
Tom O. Chamberlin : Great machine for preserving fruit!
Good Value for the money.
Easy to use.
Patience required but the results are worth it.
I have dehydrated several batches of peaches and apples. They were a big hit. Obviously the end product depends on the starting product. That said the results were spectacular. The fruit was sweet and great tasting. None of the dehydrated fruit I have bought commercially even comes close in flavor. I soaked the fruit briefly in lemon juice to reduce bacteria and prevent browning. The lemon juice added flavor and the fruit stayed nice looking. I intend to buy another of these for the next season.
Easy to use.
Patience required but the results are worth it.
I have dehydrated several batches of peaches and apples. They were a big hit. Obviously the end product depends on the starting product. That said the results were spectacular. The fruit was sweet and great tasting. None of the dehydrated fruit I have bought commercially even comes close in flavor. I soaked the fruit briefly in lemon juice to reduce bacteria and prevent browning. The lemon juice added flavor and the fruit stayed nice looking. I intend to buy another of these for the next season.
SRS : Who knew how much one could dehydrate!
We bought this dehydrator originally to make sweet potato rawhide's for our dog after buying some at a specialty store for an outrageous sum of money. Now that one of our dog's is unwell and limited to what she can eat we looked for a way to make these ourselves. The basic Nesco unit is generous with its stacks so we could dehydrate about 7 lbs of potato at once. We have tried one of their recipes for potato chips but will opt not to do that again but it was fun to try. So we've used it four time so far and are happy. The only reason I gave it four stars for durability is because we've had it three weeks. The only other things that I would point out are that it is rather large and can be noisy. When it's running we always think our oven is turned on!
John : Amazing Product!
Oh my goodness, this product is totally worth the price and everything. We bought it to make our own beef jerky. Talk about the aroma that it puts in your home oh gosh. This makes the second dehydrator we have had and this one blows the first one out of the water. We love everything about this, the temperature controls are easy to read, clean up is a breeze, and the heat that it gives per distribution is awesome. Totally worth buy if you are tired of the OVER priced store bought jerky. Worth every penny!
Paul Lee : Great gift for dehydrated foods
Got this gift for my son in law, who was always going to a convenience store buying beef jerky. He mentioned that he would like to make his own version instead, and saving money buying that at the store....not to mention all of those unwanted ingredients in those products that are not so good for you....My son in law has put this machine to use and it has not disappointed....He goes to a grocery store and orders a specific cut of meat cut from the butcher so that he can make his jerky his way....This has been one product that he said its "the gift that keeps on giving", and appreciates having this product. This was a purchase well spent and I recommend anyone interested in something like this to consider this product.
joel coronel ramos : Wow! Better then the oven, no flipping
Started makeing salmon jerky, started out in the oven and i saw a Japanese lady on youtube useing this exact dehydrator. Sooooo... i purchased its seems legit. I put 8 fillets of pink salmon and still had some room for 2 more fillets. Took the same amout of time then the oven. Its easy to clean if you soak in a bin with bleach and soap. The machine itself is quiet. Not loud at all. Maintains the smell, compared to the oven. After useing it the first time. I have high expectations now lol. I reccomend!!!
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.
Boris the Spider : Works with the maximum number of trays specified
Tried this with the maximum number of trays. While it obviously takes longer to dehydrate, as long as you rotate the stack things get dry. My major complaint is with the compatibility of add on trays. Their is inconsistency in the sizes making alignment awkward, Equally, the new design, where the inner part of the tray is detachable, is a really bad idea. If you load up a tray with (for example) a fruit leather mix which is sitting in the solid insert, the weight of the fruit and the tray combined means the inner tray often (very frequently!!) pops out. Nesco! Whoever thought this was a good idea needs to have a serious rethink about this as they are VERY FLIMSY! Clearly this is to make their manufacturing process simpler rather than to ensure the best quality.
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.
KDA : Good for beginners and those with little counter space
I like this dehydrator quite a bit. It's hard to know which brand/model/type to buy. So many options and such a range of prices. People say the Excalibur line are the best, but if you're not sure you're really going to like dehydrating enough to spend the money on an expensive model, this Nesco is pretty good. I'm sure the fact that the fan is in the top means it doesn't dry quite as quickly as the ones with the fan in the back that blows air evenly over all trays at once. However, those are the expensive dehydrators, and they're also not expandable. You can't add more trays later.
This one works quite well and you can add several more trays. I also bought the mesh liners and the fruit roll liners . I really recommend getting several sets of each. The first time I dehydrated, I did it directly on the trays that came with the unit, and it was not fun trying to peel off the dried fruit and then clean these trays. It's much easier to work with the mesh and fruit roll liners. Food comes off them easier and they're easier to clean.
The only downsides to this unit are due to the fan being on top: I think that makes drying less efficient, and despite what they say, I think you also do need to rotate the trays. There is a noticeable difference in the dryness of items nearest and farthest from the fan. And while this takes up less counter space than the fan-in-the-back models, you need space to remove and set down the fan unit and the trays while you rearrange and remove things. All in all a good deal, though. I'm really enjoying dehydrating everything in sight.
This one works quite well and you can add several more trays. I also bought the mesh liners and the fruit roll liners . I really recommend getting several sets of each. The first time I dehydrated, I did it directly on the trays that came with the unit, and it was not fun trying to peel off the dried fruit and then clean these trays. It's much easier to work with the mesh and fruit roll liners. Food comes off them easier and they're easier to clean.
The only downsides to this unit are due to the fan being on top: I think that makes drying less efficient, and despite what they say, I think you also do need to rotate the trays. There is a noticeable difference in the dryness of items nearest and farthest from the fan. And while this takes up less counter space than the fan-in-the-back models, you need space to remove and set down the fan unit and the trays while you rearrange and remove things. All in all a good deal, though. I'm really enjoying dehydrating everything in sight.
Sarah Jamieson : Broken and sad
I used to love my dehydrated for dog treats, it did just what I needed to do, it was easy to clean, it was quiet, but I’ve only had it for 9 months and it just randomly broke. I turned it on just like I always do, and the fan wouldn’t turn on and it started smelling like something was burning so I immediately unplugged it. It hasn’t worked since. I only use it like once a month. It’s supposed to have a 1 year warranty so I contacted the website and haven’t had any contact. I’m so sad because I loved this dehydrator, but it’s not worth it if it’s going to break.
BJH : Not quality anymore
So, I have an identical dehydrator that I have used for the past 15 years and it is still going strong. I bought a second one thinking it would be the same quality WRONG!!!!!! I purchased it July 8 2021 and of course didn't receive it or use it until the next week. So here it is Sept 10 and it no longer gets warm. Do not buy this product. The original one was made in USA. The "new ones" are made in China.
Don Hallas : 24 hours later and it still didn't dry oregano!
What a piece of junk! I had such high hopes for this dehydrator. I spent weeks reading reviews on amazon, reviews on consumer sites and comparing products. I should have just spent the (LOTS OF) extra money for the Excalibur model. Since I had never dried food with a dehydrator, I thought I would start with the best reviewed model on the lower end and if it was something I was going to use all of the time, I could upgrade to an expensive model and use both. I decided to start by drying herbs...how hard can that be since I can dry herbs on my countertop in 2 days, easy. Well, I loaded the machine with rosemary and oregano (homegrown), I cut the spine out of every leaf of oregano to make sure that it would dry faster,, stripped the rosemary off of the stem and set it all in the machine in a single layer (not even a leaf touching another leaf). After 12 hours on the recommended setting, both herbs were not even close to being dry. I upped the temp to the recommended for fruit and after an additional 12 hours, still not even close to being dry! I passed my return window 9 days ago, but will still try to return it. DO NOT BUY, THIS DOES NOT WORK! I am so disappointed! I have trees filled with ripening papayas that I was hoping to dry. JUNK!
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.
Sarah Jamieson : Broken and sad
I used to love my dehydrated for dog treats, it did just what I needed to do, it was easy to clean, it was quiet, but I’ve only had it for 9 months and it just randomly broke. I turned it on just like I always do, and the fan wouldn’t turn on and it started smelling like something was burning so I immediately unplugged it. It hasn’t worked since. I only use it like once a month. It’s supposed to have a 1 year warranty so I contacted the website and haven’t had any contact. I’m so sad because I loved this dehydrator, but it’s not worth it if it’s going to break.
jerry collins : Needs Improvement
I found no improvement in drying performance over the bottom blowers, of which I have two. I must rotate the trays as drying proceeds. A check with the infrared thermometer showed a 3 to 4 degree drop in temperature for each tray from top to bottom. While drying split Italian plums overnight at 135 degrees, some drying occurred on the top tray, none occurred on the bottom tray. At the highest heat setting the temperature peaked about 10 degrees less than the selected temperature, even on the top tray. I was disappointed that the unit did not deliver on the recommended temperature for safe meat drying. I kept the dehydrator, knowing its limitations, for drying fruits. On the plus side the trays from my old Harvest Maid dehydrators fit this model. It is light weight and cleans up well.
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!
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.
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.
Bitsyland : Doesn’t even dry herb leaves!
I have been drying my marjoram for 17 hours in my Nesco Snackmaster. The leaves are still soft. This is very disappointing. I did not put much in either as I wanted to give it plenty space. I started at 95* then up to 115* after 8 hours still not dry. I let it go overnight. Just checked it and the leaves are still soft. They have shrunk in size but not dry. I’ve turned it up to the max temp to try and get them dry. I can’t imagine what drying anything with real moisture content will be like. The booklet that came with it says 1-4 hours. That’s laughable. I know it was only a $50.00 machine. BUT I spent $50.00 on it!!! I will be returning it!!
Southern Charm : I love it! It dehydrates a variety of foods to perfection
We use this dehydrator often. It is fun to make all the varieties of foods and herbs. They all come out to perfection and the process is pretty quick. This light gray speckled unit appears well made and is not really noisy. It has a low hum which I don't mind. I may use it outdoors if the weather is hot because it gives off some heat from the fan which is common with dehydrators. I made some cinnamon apple slices and they were delicious! There are some nice recipes in the booklet. This came with flavor packets for jerky but I haven't used them yet. I have made lots of beef and chicken jerky for my dogs and they gobble them and I know they are all natural and safe for them. I only use pure chicken breast or very lean beef and do not add anything else. I pound the beef or chicken to be more uniform in size. I dried basil and oregano perfectly and the special tray it comes with was used so they won't fall out. The trays are sturdy and fit nicely with stacking. I haven't used the fruit leather things, but I will in the future. I will be experimenting with more foods and herbs in the future. I highly recommend this dehydrator!
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.
Joseph McCall : Went from a repeat customer to an ex-customer, shame on Nesco
Long-time, loyal customer and extremely happy in the past with Nesco. I've purchased multiple FD-75 and even given them as gifts due to the quality and usefulness. After recently purchasing my third FD-75, however, they may have permanently lost me as a customer.
My first two dehydrators (with max number of trays) are working great after several years and, as we actually need to dry more, we added a third this month along with separate trays. The blower and base of the new unit appear similar to the older models but both the trays that shipped with the dehydrator and the extra trays are flimsy and warped. I contacted customer support and the response was basically "due to the pandemic we're mass producing the trays and sometimes they get warped". Well, I'm pretty sure you were always mass producing the trays regardless of a global health crisis. The trays were clearly redesigned from the earlier models and I'd appreciate an honest response.
The new trays do not have a large center ring like older models (so now herbs get blown straight down through the trays) and they are all terribly warped and uneven due to cheaper plastics. If sales are up due to so many new home gardeners, and you're manufacturing more trays than ever, why make an inferior product to eek out a few extra pennies per unit? You're not making new, long-term customers and you're actively driving away loyal ones like me.
Shame on you, Nesco.
My first two dehydrators (with max number of trays) are working great after several years and, as we actually need to dry more, we added a third this month along with separate trays. The blower and base of the new unit appear similar to the older models but both the trays that shipped with the dehydrator and the extra trays are flimsy and warped. I contacted customer support and the response was basically "due to the pandemic we're mass producing the trays and sometimes they get warped". Well, I'm pretty sure you were always mass producing the trays regardless of a global health crisis. The trays were clearly redesigned from the earlier models and I'd appreciate an honest response.
The new trays do not have a large center ring like older models (so now herbs get blown straight down through the trays) and they are all terribly warped and uneven due to cheaper plastics. If sales are up due to so many new home gardeners, and you're manufacturing more trays than ever, why make an inferior product to eek out a few extra pennies per unit? You're not making new, long-term customers and you're actively driving away loyal ones like me.
Shame on you, Nesco.
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.
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.
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!
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.
girlreader : It just stopped working
I purchased this dehydrator, but kept it unopened and unused in storage for years. I finally started using it sporadically about three years ago. I have used it 20- 30 times. Three weeks ago, it just conked out. I loaded the trays and when I checked on it the next morning, it wasn't on. The fan, the motor and everything was dead. I expected this dehydrator to last longer.
I would liked to have had a more specific degrees visible on the unit, instead of just a range of temperatures. I am in the market for another one. I will not purchase this model again.
I would liked to have had a more specific degrees visible on the unit, instead of just a range of temperatures. I am in the market for another one. I will not purchase this model again.
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.
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.
Sarah Jamieson : Broken and sad
I used to love my dehydrated for dog treats, it did just what I needed to do, it was easy to clean, it was quiet, but I’ve only had it for 9 months and it just randomly broke. I turned it on just like I always do, and the fan wouldn’t turn on and it started smelling like something was burning so I immediately unplugged it. It hasn’t worked since. I only use it like once a month. It’s supposed to have a 1 year warranty so I contacted the website and haven’t had any contact. I’m so sad because I loved this dehydrator, but it’s not worth it if it’s going to break.
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.
Bytore : Warning! Not was not safe for jerky.
This dehydrator is supposed to reach 165 degrees to make safe jerky. After trying to make numerous items including fruits and a couple batches of jerky I had nothing but issues. Nothing would completely dehydrate. I decided to test the operating temperature. Using temperature probes I use for my smoker I learned my unit only gets to 144 degrees. I will say that the temperature was uniform from the top tray to the bottom though. I liked the build and the thermostat feature, but it is getting returned today.
Synchromom56 : The dogs LOVE THEM!
This is my first summer with a big garden. I've dried tomatoes and peppers. I've also made dog treat "chicken chips". I sliced chicken thinly and dried them till crunchy. The dogs LOVE THEM!!! I use them for training treats. I've also heard sweet potatoes chips are good too. I ordered the extra trays and have used them. So far, you tube has been the best source for recipes. I would recommend and have shared it with friends
Erin M Biggs : Absolutely fantastic
I did a lot of research on these before buying. But I mean when you have over 3000 reviews and you’re still at 4 1/2 stars you can’t doubt this. It made the best jerky I’ve ever had! We used their spices (because they are free with it). Added soy sauce and red wine vinegar. It beats any store bought jerky! I kinda panicked not having a timer. But we have cell phones with them now. We’re doing fruit now! I can’t wait for it to be done. The aromas fill the whole house too! Don’t look anywhere else. This is the best!
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.
girlreader : It just stopped working
I purchased this dehydrator, but kept it unopened and unused in storage for years. I finally started using it sporadically about three years ago. I have used it 20- 30 times. Three weeks ago, it just conked out. I loaded the trays and when I checked on it the next morning, it wasn't on. The fan, the motor and everything was dead. I expected this dehydrator to last longer.
I would liked to have had a more specific degrees visible on the unit, instead of just a range of temperatures. I am in the market for another one. I will not purchase this model again.
I would liked to have had a more specific degrees visible on the unit, instead of just a range of temperatures. I am in the market for another one. I will not purchase this model again.
Chris Gorman : Works great as a filement dryer
I got this food dehydrator to dry the filament for my 3D printer. It works great, but I would recommend that if someone does the same to use a thermometer to double check the temp. I set the nob to 52C and it heats the inside to 47C. Not a big deal because I don't use it for food, but it could be a big deal if you use it for food. Also a little thing I didn't know until I got it, there isn't an on/off switch. If it's plugged in it is on, unplug it to turn it off. And for those currious, I can fit 2 1KG spools of filament inside of it. So if you need to dry more filament you will probably need either more of the inserts or to buy a larger dehydrator. I also set it to "52C" (read 47C) whe I go to dry my PLA, and then I leave it in the dryer for 12-24 hours. If your filament spools are more open on the sides you can probably get away with less, but the sides of my filament are usually quite solid. I havn't tried other filaments in the dryer yet as I only have PLA, but I think that a food dehydrator is a must for anyone who does 3D printing.
And for those who say that PLA is fine sitting on a shelf and doesn't need dried or place in dry storage, the humidity where I live is consistently over 80% for 6+months out of the year. It will absorb moisture at those humidity levels, everything does.
And for those who say that PLA is fine sitting on a shelf and doesn't need dried or place in dry storage, the humidity where I live is consistently over 80% for 6+months out of the year. It will absorb moisture at those humidity levels, everything does.
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.
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.
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!
BJH : Not quality anymore
So, I have an identical dehydrator that I have used for the past 15 years and it is still going strong. I bought a second one thinking it would be the same quality WRONG!!!!!! I purchased it July 8 2021 and of course didn't receive it or use it until the next week. So here it is Sept 10 and it no longer gets warm. Do not buy this product. The original one was made in USA. The "new ones" are made in China.
Chris Gorman : Works great as a filement dryer
I got this food dehydrator to dry the filament for my 3D printer. It works great, but I would recommend that if someone does the same to use a thermometer to double check the temp. I set the nob to 52C and it heats the inside to 47C. Not a big deal because I don't use it for food, but it could be a big deal if you use it for food. Also a little thing I didn't know until I got it, there isn't an on/off switch. If it's plugged in it is on, unplug it to turn it off. And for those currious, I can fit 2 1KG spools of filament inside of it. So if you need to dry more filament you will probably need either more of the inserts or to buy a larger dehydrator. I also set it to "52C" (read 47C) whe I go to dry my PLA, and then I leave it in the dryer for 12-24 hours. If your filament spools are more open on the sides you can probably get away with less, but the sides of my filament are usually quite solid. I havn't tried other filaments in the dryer yet as I only have PLA, but I think that a food dehydrator is a must for anyone who does 3D printing.
And for those who say that PLA is fine sitting on a shelf and doesn't need dried or place in dry storage, the humidity where I live is consistently over 80% for 6+months out of the year. It will absorb moisture at those humidity levels, everything does.
And for those who say that PLA is fine sitting on a shelf and doesn't need dried or place in dry storage, the humidity where I live is consistently over 80% for 6+months out of the year. It will absorb moisture at those humidity levels, everything does.
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.
Michael Bird : Surprisingly good for the price
I'm a food dehydrating beginner. My mother did it a lot when I was growing up, but this is the first one I have purchased for myself.
I have a digestive problem that requires me to eat small meals/snacks very frequently or get uncomfortable abdominal pains. Commercial snacks are expensive and unhealthy, and commercially dried fruits are also really expensive and frequently have sugar added. So I decided to start drying my own snacks. I didn't want to spend very much so I did a lot of research for suggestions on inexpensive dryers and most reviews had this one in the top three so I decided to give it a try.
After my first couple of rounds of food drying, I decided to add two more trays (total of 7) to get a little more food out of each drying session. With 7 trays in, and when drying particularly wet fruits like pineapple or pears, I rotate the trays once about halfway through the drying time, exactly reversing the order of the trays so the middle levels stay in the middle and the top and bottom trays swap positions. So far this single tray rotation has resulted in pretty much perfectly even drying throughout the entire batch, which I really like. It's a definite improvement over the food dryers that my Mom had, where the trays all had to be rotated every hour or the food would not dry properly!
So far I have dried lots of bananas (we like to pull them out when they are still slightly chewy which makes them vastly better than store-bought banana chips that are hard and crunchy and almost flavorless), peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, pears, apples, and pineapple (family favorite). We've also made fruit leather with most of these fruits, and found that bottles of store bought applesauce (store brand when on sale cheap) work amazingly well and for a significantly lower price (and a lot less work) than buying and smashing raw apples.
The first batch of fruit leather turned out pretty bad since the fruit would not separate from the trays until it was badly overcooked. Then we realized that if we spray the smooth trays with a little bit of cooking spray first, the leather just slides off when it is dry enough, and results in very soft, chewy, and great tasting fruit leather just like you can buy at high end deli shops (for a lot more money).
The dryer isn't as quiet as I had hoped based on the reviews, but it is still a lot quieter than the ones that my mother has used, and the steady hum isn't annoying at all. Overall I highly recommend this dryer if you are just getting into the 'hobby', or even if you are a food drying veteran, and you don't want to spend a lot of money.
The one star I took off for ease of cleaning is because the trays cannot be washed in a dishwasher, even on low temperature mode. They melt and warp. And the trays are slightly too big to fit in my larger than average kitchen sink so it's a bit of a challenge to clean them properly. But food particles come off easily when the trays are washed so it's not a difficult process or a significant negative.
I have a digestive problem that requires me to eat small meals/snacks very frequently or get uncomfortable abdominal pains. Commercial snacks are expensive and unhealthy, and commercially dried fruits are also really expensive and frequently have sugar added. So I decided to start drying my own snacks. I didn't want to spend very much so I did a lot of research for suggestions on inexpensive dryers and most reviews had this one in the top three so I decided to give it a try.
After my first couple of rounds of food drying, I decided to add two more trays (total of 7) to get a little more food out of each drying session. With 7 trays in, and when drying particularly wet fruits like pineapple or pears, I rotate the trays once about halfway through the drying time, exactly reversing the order of the trays so the middle levels stay in the middle and the top and bottom trays swap positions. So far this single tray rotation has resulted in pretty much perfectly even drying throughout the entire batch, which I really like. It's a definite improvement over the food dryers that my Mom had, where the trays all had to be rotated every hour or the food would not dry properly!
So far I have dried lots of bananas (we like to pull them out when they are still slightly chewy which makes them vastly better than store-bought banana chips that are hard and crunchy and almost flavorless), peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, pears, apples, and pineapple (family favorite). We've also made fruit leather with most of these fruits, and found that bottles of store bought applesauce (store brand when on sale cheap) work amazingly well and for a significantly lower price (and a lot less work) than buying and smashing raw apples.
The first batch of fruit leather turned out pretty bad since the fruit would not separate from the trays until it was badly overcooked. Then we realized that if we spray the smooth trays with a little bit of cooking spray first, the leather just slides off when it is dry enough, and results in very soft, chewy, and great tasting fruit leather just like you can buy at high end deli shops (for a lot more money).
The dryer isn't as quiet as I had hoped based on the reviews, but it is still a lot quieter than the ones that my mother has used, and the steady hum isn't annoying at all. Overall I highly recommend this dryer if you are just getting into the 'hobby', or even if you are a food drying veteran, and you don't want to spend a lot of money.
The one star I took off for ease of cleaning is because the trays cannot be washed in a dishwasher, even on low temperature mode. They melt and warp. And the trays are slightly too big to fit in my larger than average kitchen sink so it's a bit of a challenge to clean them properly. But food particles come off easily when the trays are washed so it's not a difficult process or a significant negative.
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