Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator, 5 Tray, Gray review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
| Brand | Hamilton Beach |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Gray |
| Wattage | 500 watts |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 10.5 x 13 x 11 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- 48 hour timer with auto shutoff and clear lid so you can easily check food
- Adjustable digital thermostat lets you adjust drying temperature (100-160° F)
- Continuous airflow provides even drying
- Five stackable drying trays and powerful 500 watts
- Includes one fine-mesh sheet for drying small food like herbs and one solid sheet for making fruit rolls
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
Hamilton Beach 32100A Food Dehydrator, Gray
Looking for snack options that are high in nutrients but low in calories? Want to offer your family delicious food options to dress up morning oatmeal or replace that bag of potato chips at lunch? The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator helps accomplish these goals by taking food preparation to the next level. It opens the door to endless possibilities deemed too difficult to do in the past.
With five stackable drying trays and 500 watts of power, it’s easy to dry a variety of fruits and vegetables, and even make beef jerky. The continuous airflow feature provides even drying, eliminating the need to rotate trays. This dehydrator includes an adjustable thermometer for better performance and a timer with automatic shutoff.
The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator comes with two specialty sheets for added versatility. Use the mesh sheet to dry garden herbs for year-round enjoyment, or puree summer fruits and spread on the solid sheet for homemade fruit rolls. Wholesome, home-made snacks for the entire family. ..now that’s Good Thinking.
- 48 hour timer with auto shutoff and clear lid so you can easily check food.
- Adjustable digital thermostat lets you adjust drying temperature (100-160° F).
- Continuous airflow provides even drying.
- Five stackable drying trays and powerful 500 watts.
- Includes one fine-mesh sheet for drying small food like herbs and one solid sheet for making fruit rolls.
Sensational Snacks
A food dehydrator lets you make healthy foods at home like crunchy green beans or dried sweet potato sticks. Have a sweet tooth? Banana chips or dried apples with cinnamon are the perfect fix. And since the fruits are not bogged down with additives or preservatives, their natural sweetness shines.
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Dehydrating Fruits and VegetablesPreparing your favorite fruits and vegetables is simple. For best results, use produce that is in season to capture vibrant flavors and enjoy them for months to come. When your selections are made, just wash and slice. Cut your foods to the same thickness, size and shape to obtain consistent results. | Simple DesignThe Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator’s continuous airflow feature provides even drying, eliminating the need to rotate trays. Once you’ve lined the trays and adjusted the temperature and timer, there is nothing to do until the timer goes off. However, if you like to watch, the clear lid allows for easy viewing. | A Little Time Reaps Big RewardsFoods may take a few hours to dehydrate, but they can be enjoyed for months. When stored correctly, dried fruits can keep up to a year and vegetables can last six months. Even beef jerky can last up to two months at room temperature in an airtight container. What are you waiting for? It’s time to fill your pantry with nutritious snacks for the whole family. |
Make Fruit Rolls at Home
Turn your favorite fruit into a delicious, on-the-go treat by creating your own fruit rolls. Fresh, canned and frozen fruit can be pureed for this simple concoction. Higher pectin fruits such as apples, apricots, blueberries, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapples and plums work best for rolls with a nice leather-like texture. Other favorites such as grapefruits, oranges, strawberries, and raspberries can be used when combined with higher pectin fruits.
Drying Garden Herbs
Enjoying garden herbs doesn’t have to be limited to a few months a year. Capture the fragrance and flavor of fresh basil or rosemary by drying them for year round use. To prevent smaller leaves from dropping through the trays, a special mesh screen is included for optimum results.
product description
Looking for snack options that are high in nutrients but low in calories? Want to offer your family delicious food options to dress up morning oatmeal or replace that bag of potato chips at lunch? The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator helps accomplish these goals by taking food preparation to the next level. It opens the door to endless possibilities deemed too difficult to do in the past. With five stackable drying trays and 500 watts of power, it's easy to dry a variety of fruits and vegetables and even make beef jerky. The continuous airflow feature provides even drying, eliminating the need to rotate trays. This dehydrator includes an adjustable thermometer for better performance and a timer with automatic shutoff. A food dehydrator lets you to make healthy foods at home like crunchy green beans or dried sweet potato sticks. Have a sweet tooth? Banana chips or dried apples with cinnamon are the perfect fix. And since the fruits are not bogged down with additives or preservatives, their natural sweetness shines. The Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator comes with two specialty sheets for added versatility. Use the mesh sheet to dry garden herbs for year-round enjoyment, or puree summer fruits and spread on the solid sheet for homemade fruit rolls. Wholesome, home-made snacks for the entire family. Now that's good thinking. Tip: Post treatment of meat after dehydrating may result in a more desirable jerky texture. Try each treatment to determine which jerky you like best.
product details
important information
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Questions about Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator, 5 Tray, Gray
Q:
What is the tray height? I am looking to dry a non-food item that is 1 inch tall
Answer: I don't know the actual height but it comes with 4 trays. However each tray is approximately 1 inch tall. We have used our Hamilton Beach dehydrator with great success. Also good instruction booklet with receipts
Answer: The lower trays give you an inch, the top almost 2 inch. But the unit works great.
Q:
Are the trays plastic? are they bpa free?
Answer: The video stated that the trays are BPA free
Answer: The trays are indeed plastic. I emailed Hamilton Beach and a few days later they responded that "all plastics used in our products are BPA free in all food zones." They also claim their products are tested by independent laboratories.
Answer: The trays are plastic and dishwasher safe but I am not sure if they are BPA free.
Answer: Yes plastic. User guide does not state BPA free.
Answer: BPA free plastic
Answer: in the video it says bpa free
Answer: I don't know about bpa free. But yes they are plastic
Q:
Can I just use 1 or 2 trays if I'm only dehydrating a small amount or do I have to put in all the trays?
Answer: You do not have to have food on all trays but you need all trays stacked on the machine while drying foods. Right now I have 4 filled trays and 1 empty tray running. If I had planned better I would have had all 5 trays filled to make better use of the energy.
Answer: You can any number of trays you want. All or only one. I have found do many times.
Answer: The manufacturer says use all the trays, and to use the fruit-leather tray (this set includes one) on the top tray to improve the circulation among the lower trays.
Answer: Yes, but must include the top tray that has the center cap.
Answer: You can place all your food o the bottom trays and leave uppers ones empty, it allows for better air flow while running.
Answer: yes, you can use any number of trays you wish.
Answer: Instructions say to use all the trays
Answer: Manufacturer says to use all trays, all the time. Doesn't matter if they are empty. I am sure there is a reason, I don't know what it is, but it is no extra work to follow the instructions.
Q:
What is the temperature range?
Answer: Temperature can be set from 100 F to 160 F.
Answer: 100F - 160F or 37.8C - 71.1C
Answer: I have the book in my hand, I see 100F to 160F. I hope that helps you!
Q:
Is there a drip tray?
Answer: The top of the motor/fan base is the drip catcher, below the last removable tray, it catches drips. As long as you keep the center hole clear of stuff nothing falls into the fan it all goes to the bottom and can be wiped out with a damp cloth or if you are very careful not to get water into the fan opening or the base it could be washed out with a sprayer from the sink faucet.
Answer: No but the bottom of the machine wipes up real nice
Q:
does anyone know where I can get an extra fruit roll sheet for this
Answer: You Can order off Hamilton Beach website under parts for $6.99 each. I use the trays to dehydrate mashed potatoes for instant mash potatoes later. I needed extra trays to do it effiently.
Answer: You can make one from plastic mesh you get from a craft store.
Q:
i see a lot of complaints that the unit will break/melt aftet 2-4 uses, what protection/guarantee will i get that mine qon't just junk out?
Answer: Mine hasn't broken out of 2-4 uses... It still works. It's definitely a long process, and you have to follow directions. But it works just fine! Good Luck!
Answer: I have used mine at least 2 times a week for the last 6 months..thinking about buying one more.. it works fantastic
Answer: mine died after two uses. they said to send another replacement if i pay 10$ postage. now after four weeks i am still waiting because they said it was sent to wrong address!
Answer: Not sure about a warranty. I've had mine for over a year. Dried about 100 lbs of meat. No problems at all. Never had to use a warranty. Great dehydrator
Answer: Product has “Limited 1 Year Warranty” in US. “Warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship “. However, you are responsive for all costs associations with returning product and all costs for them to return product or component back to you. Excluding cover glass, filters, normal use, non conformity with printed directions, accident, alteration or misuse. According to booklet. But mine works fine so far and I like it. Probably would be an expensive hassle to return.
Answer: I've got hundreds of batches of jerky and no problems.
Q:
Do you have to rotate the trays?
Answer: I don't either; I tried rotating trays once, but I don't notice any difference. I do think the top trays get a little more airflow and heat than the bottom ones, and if I'm drying a variety of foods I try to arrange them so that I've got the foods that need relatively more dehydrating go on top and so forth.
Answer: No, I have never rotated the trays. If doing multiple items, I put the longer cooking on bottom and shorter on top. So if I need to pause I can then remove items from top trays and then turn the hydrator back on to continue it's process.
Answer: No, I have never rotated the trays. If doing multiple items, I put the longer cooking on bottom and shorter on top. So if I need to pause I can then remove items from top trays and then turn the hydrator back on to continue it's process.
Answer: Nope. Unless you are OCD or you just want to. It does take a little getting it right. Right temp and time. Just use the pause to check once in a while. You may need less time.
Answer: I don't and everything comes out great.
Answer: No. I suppose you could but I don't know what purpose it would serve. I never have and it works great.
Q:
How do we store food after it has been dehydrated?
Answer: I put the food I dry in ziplock bags and date it. Then either refrigerate or freeze until I want to eat it. But some items can be put in jars and left on the counter. (Chickpeas, kale, etc).
Answer: Place it in a closed glass container, and enjoy every time you open the container!!
Q:
What is the average wattage pull on this? It goes up to 500 Watt but 500 Watt over 24 hours is a lot of electric!
Answer: Better to ask an electrician, but, until then, ponder; it only takes heat equivalent to that produced by a light bulb and a small fan to move that heat away from the source continually. Expense of that is a small price to pay for all that goodness, considering the hours spent in sweaty effort and the cost to preserve same in canning, or freezing, without the lovely benefit of fellowship offered by the bouquet of aroma arising from the unit as it works, allowing you to anticipate the reconstitution of your bounty without so much effort. You won't regret the kwatts at all! Sorry I couldn't be more specific.
Answer: Hi this was a xmas gift for a family member who I will be seeing this sunday I can ask him I am sorry I took so long to reply I gotten this for his camping trip with the family
Q:
Has anyone used this for baby snacks? The kind that melt in their mouths.
Answer: No I am sorry I have not, but Tammy Gangloff has great recipients in her new book, and you can watch her on YouTube.
Q:
can you dehydrate chicken and fish? how long does it take to do something like this?
Answer:
Answer:
Q:
Would this be good for preparing food for hiking?
Answer: I would say yes, it would be good to dehydrate most food for going hiking. My daughter-in-law buys about a pound or two of.beef and has it sliced very thin by the butcher to make some delicious beef jerky. I think fruits would be another good thing.
Answer: Sure dried food will last a long time and light to carry.
Answer: Yes, it would be excellent. I use mine to make dried fruit during harvest which I then mix with nuts and use as topping for my yogurt. Sometimes I eat it just as it is. There's a dehydrator book available on Kindle. It would help you enormously.
Answer: Don’t see why not since product is essentially trail mix.
Answer: yes
Q:
Can you put the trays into the oven on a high temperature?
Answer: The trays are made of a plastic material that would most likely melt in an oven. Temperatures on the dehydrator range from 100 to 160 degrees.
Answer: I doubt it. The trays are plastic
Answer: I really do not know but I would not be confident in doing so. My guess is that the plastic would be OK at 200F or so but anything higher might melt or warp the trays.
Answer: No, they are plastic.
Answer: No I wouldn't
Answer: No
Q:
Does this small thing really use 500 watts? If it does that seems extremely inefficient? Even 100 watts should be sufficient to dry food in this
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Checking the label on the unit confirms 500W. I suspect that it does not draw the full wattage continuously and may be dependent on the heat level selected. Temperature ranges from 100-160 F. I dried apples cut into 1/4 inch rings at 135 F in about 12-13 hours and have not noticed my electric bill spiking. Hope this helps.
Answer: Yes its says 500 watts on the bottom of the machine. I am really happy with it, though it is a bit noisy...like a blow dryer. works well
Q:
Can I use this with nuts?
Answer: I don't see why you couldn't. There's nothing about the device that would preclude using it for nuts, unless the kind of nuts you use are so small that they fall through the screening. Pine nuts might be too small. Might be trial and error to determine a time and temp. I've now made a bunch of salmon jerky and dried some herbs and chilies and it does a great job for me every time. I continue to be impressed with it, especially in light of its reasonable price.
Answer: yes
Answer: I think so
Q:
What trays does it come with?
Answer: 6 trays an 2 tray liners. I am making jerky right now. Love it.
Answer: It is exactly as pictured. Several plastic trays that stack up. There is a separate one for fruit too
Answer: Just the trays shown. I gave as a gift it is very good quality
Q:
can i order additional solid sheets for making fruit rolls?
Q:
I've had this almost a year and the fruit trays have been out of stock at Hamilton Beach's website. Does anyone know where I can get more?
Answer: Might be at Ebay or Craigslist, you never know!
Q:
what is the voltage range of this product? ( 120v or 120-220v)?
Answer: 120v
Answer: 120 V only
Q:
How do you wash the trays?
Answer: I use warm soapy water in the sink and a light brushing! Probaly dishwasher safe also
Q:
as there is no product description on the voltage, frequency mentioned i wonder if your above product can be used in Malaysia. please advice.
Q:
does it have a fan?
Answer: Yes it has a fan.
Q:
Please confirm if this will work with indian power sockets, which is 230 volts, 50 hz ac as the power source, 3 pin (type-d) or 2 pin (type c).
Answer: This is a 120 Volt AC appliance.
Answer: No, this unit works on 110 volts ac.
Answer: I do not know--Why not contact Hamilton Beach directly
Answer: Probably not.
Q:
how variable are the temperature settings for this product? What temperatures does it allow you to specify? Do the temperatures seem to be reliable?
Q:
are fine mesh sheets available for this? i dont see where to buy more.
Q:
can it make fruit like apple or strawberry crunchy like cereal or does it only make the chewy kind? I like it both ways. Just curious.
Answer: It says it can , but like I said earlier it was a gift to my girls. and they seem to like it and have been posting things they do with it in their FB pages... Smile.
Q:
Does anyone use this for drying edible mushrooms ?
Answer: I have only dried them once. They were very good dried. I stored them in the freezer after drying and pull out just what I need.
Answer: Yes, absolutely! It dries them very evenly.
Answer: Don’t know of anyone but I think it will work.
Q:
can you purchase more trays for this machine?
Answer: You should be able to. I went to their website & they seemed to have a verity of things to buy.
Q:
how would be the best way to add height to between trays? I want to do tracheas for dog treats
Answer: You cannot add height to the trays. They stack on top of eachother. The top tray is best for larger or thicker items because the top is higher.
Q:
Can you use the silicone sheets to dry the fruit leather
Answer: It come with 2 sheets one for herbs and the solid one for fruit rolls.
Q:
Does anyone know what to do when the Er message comes on the screen?
Answer: Well I would assume er means error. I don't know what you are supposed to do. But if you can't reset it by pushing buttons. I would unplug it to clear it and try again. It is relatively simple in that you push the top of a button arrow pointing up to have the settings go up for temp and for time..or the bottom of the button down arrow to have it go down. if that doesn't work you probably have a power or cord issue, maybe a short. Refer to the manufacturer.
Answer: No, never had a issue, check the manual.
Q:
can you order more trays?
Q:
Has anyone figured out the best temp, time and thickness to make sweet potato dog treats?
Answer: Cut the sweet potatoes thin with a knife about 1/4 of an inch. Temp 130 for eight hours.
Q:
do they have it in 220 v?
Q:
does it come with a book
Answer: It does come with an instruction manual and a few recipes. It also tell you how to dehydrate properly and the amount of time certain fruits may take to be dehydrated.
Answer: Yes. It comes with a manual and includes recipes.
Q:
Does it make crunchy or chewy veggie/fruit ?
Answer: It depends on how thick you slice, the temperature you set, the length of time set and the moisture content you start. I dry mushroom to total crispy. I make giant raisins that remains soft at 16 hours but add 2 more hours they become crunchy. The point is if you want long term storage dry to crispy. Rehydration is easy for all fruit and vegetables. Jerky doesn’t rehydrate very well. Keep jerky soft.
Answer: You have to get the hang of it. My kiwi fruit was hard, however, my bananas were not as hard.
Answer: Yes. It is a very good product..!
Q:
is it noisey?
Answer: It has a hum when turned on. If I were to stay in the room with it for hours, I might find it bothersome, but I use it in the basement and only check on it periodically. In the same room, one can easily talk with someone, so the hum is not loud. More like white noise.
Answer: Very very very !!! It is also much less effective than any of the other 3 dryers I have had over the years. My advice to you is to spend a little more and get a better machine. This is junk. Good luck.
Answer: Its far less noisy than a hairdryer. It reminds me of a white noise machine. You’d have to turn up the t.v., if its next to you, but it’s definitely tolerable.
Answer: Unsure! Bought as a gift for my dad. He loves it! Uses it all the time. Can't imagine it's too annoying or he wouldn't still be using it.
Answer: Not noisy. Very quiet, though you can hear it. But, does give off a bit of heat.
Answer: There is a slight humming noise from the dehydrating fan. Definitely tolerable.
Q:
Hello, Can you tell me the drying surface (area) that this food dehydrator has ??? Thank you !
Answer: mine has five rectagular racks that measure about 13" x 9"
Q:
Does anyone know if the plastic is BPA free
Q:
Has anyone tried making yogurt?
Q:
Extra fruit roll sheets? They are out of stock on HB, and cant find them on amazon...
Answer: Hey Paul, I had the same problem and ended up waiting a month and a half for a new shipment from HB. In that time frame I never saw any other provider that sold the fruit roll sheets.
Answer: On amazon they sell sheets for dehydrator, I just ordered them
Answer: Soory havent been able to find any either
Q:
Can I dehydrate shredded coconut?
Answer: Must be shredded, if not takes too much time
Q:
Are the trays dishwasher safe?
Answer: Yes, but stay away from sani-temp which means in other words I guess they may not like hot wash. Info with mine says use warm soapy water.
Q:
Does this come in 2 boxes?
Answer: No it comes in 1 box
Q:
What are the dimensions of the trays?
Answer: The dimensions of the tray--9"xl2" It's perfect for my needs--bear in mind that a circular tray will hold more--
Q:
Are the trays dishwasher safe with heated dry?
Answer: Thank you for your question. Yes, the trays used with this appliance are dishwasher safe. However, we recommend that the noted parts are not cleaned using the "SANI" cycle as referenced in the use and care manual.
Answer: I've placed the trays in my dishwasher multiple times without any issues.
Answer: Do not know about heated dry sorry
Answer: No - I would not put them in the dishwasher- pretty sure it will warp
Q:
how many watts is it?
Q:
Where can i get additional trays other than at hamilton itself? any hints/links? thanks!
Answer: Hamilton Beach has them on their web site for sale, but they have been on backorder for at lease six months. They are priced at $15 per tray. I just purchased a second unit to obtain more trays.
Answer: Sorry, but I have not found a source. I think it only supports 5 trays.
Q:
why lid does not fit properly?
Answer: It does not have enough lip. It does fit very loosely and comes off easily.
Answer: I do not have that problem with my dehydrator. It should fit on top fine.
Answer: It just sits on top, it does not latch or fasten in any way.
Product reviews of Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator, 5 Tray, Gray
Jennifer : Overall it's been great
This is my first dehydrator. It has been a fun learning experience with using it. It did come with pretty good instructions and cooking times etc. The noise level is enough that you are conscience of it but not bothersome for me. Cleaning is as simple as wiping with a wet rag. Although the food does stick a little it was easy to get off with minimal effort. Overall it has been great.
jp : Wish I would've used this before my return option passed ...
Wish I would've used this before my return option passed. The buttons didn't work right but I did get it to start up....and then it shut off by itself. Piece of junk.
Stephen Pirak : love it...but only 1 fruit leather tray included...
First time dehydrator user, and I've loved it from the first time i used it...i like the digital controls, and it is not distractingly noisy, just the sound of a small fan. However, i am VERY disappointed that Hamilton Beach no longer offers fruit leather liners for additional after-purchase sale (one is included with the unit)! Honestly, its one of the reasons i bought a dehydrator in the first place (my bad, i should have read the reviews that pointed this out) and though i really like it, i'd love to be able to do more than one fruit leather tray at a time. For everything else, 5 stars, but give me more fruit leather, lol!!
MzSoCali2U : Small great for home use Does not take up much more room than a small toaster oven
Works great arrived on time and in perfect condition. I have already made beef jerky for my husband and chicken jerky for my dogs!
Jade : Used it to dry some peppers
Ran it soon as I got it. Looks nice. It's about as loud as a small fan. Uses almost no electricity, my meter says 2 cents an hour. Which is a steal compared to the oven which was costing 50 cents an hour to dry herbs and peppers... You can do the math, this thing will pay for itself within 80 hours of drying things. Takes about 6 hours to dry a batch of peppers. So in 14 batches of drying stuff, it's completely paid for itself with the electricity I've saved from switching over from my oven!
10/10 would recommend
will update if it breaks down or anything.
UPDATE JAN 8: We've run this thing for a good 70 hours now, no issues. Did notice however that the front corners don't dry quite as quickly as the rest. If you're going to fill the thing totally full on all racks, lift up every tray and flip it around halfway through drying. Everything will dry much more evenly and nicely, especially fruit leather. Or just avoid putting things directly in the front corners.
Still 100% satisfied, I don't think I've ever spent a better $40 in my life.
10/10 would recommend
will update if it breaks down or anything.
UPDATE JAN 8: We've run this thing for a good 70 hours now, no issues. Did notice however that the front corners don't dry quite as quickly as the rest. If you're going to fill the thing totally full on all racks, lift up every tray and flip it around halfway through drying. Everything will dry much more evenly and nicely, especially fruit leather. Or just avoid putting things directly in the front corners.
Still 100% satisfied, I don't think I've ever spent a better $40 in my life.
Oscar : Things to think about
1. save the box it comes in until you’re sure you want to keep it. Otherwise if you try to return it and it doesn’t fit in any boxes that you have the UPS store is going to charge you extra to box it for you
2. Think about it. Do you really want to eat dehydrated food?
3. The unit is noisy.
4. It does the trick if this is what you’re looking for.
2. Think about it. Do you really want to eat dehydrated food?
3. The unit is noisy.
4. It does the trick if this is what you’re looking for.
TechChief : Reasonably Priced, Functions Fairly Well, Has Deficiencies
I bought this dehydrator primarily to dry raw almonds after soaking. I also used it to dry some pineapple, apples and mangoes, and plan to use it at harvest time in the garden for tomatoes, hot peppers and herbs.
This dehydrator uses five stacked trays. There is one special tray that must always be on top, and the manufacturer recommends that you always use the dehydrator with all the trays, even if they're not loaded. They also recommend that you use the included mesh screen and the fruit roll sheet only in the top two trays. I went on the Hamilton-Beach website to purchase a second mesh screen for my almonds, but there seem to be none available. I added my email to the notification list but have not heard back. I made my own mesh screens from some fiberglass/teflon BBQ-grill screens - but I'm sure the manufacturer won't support doing that.
Problem #1: the food tray openings are a little too big, and almonds can fall through. Only one mesh screen is not enough, and the manufacturer recommends using no more that two mesh screens at a time. The food trays are just fine for fruits & veggies, and should be fine for jerky. The dehydrator capacity is about 3# (dry weight) of almonds.
Problem #2: temperature control - uneven heating. When set at the lowest setting of 100° F., the actual temperature in the dehydrator was 120°-122° F. in the top tray and 108° F. at the bottom tray. (Ambient temperature was 69° F) This is a problem when drying temperature critical foods like almonds, as raw, sprouted almonds die above 118° F. You might want to rotate trays during long drying sessions - but you can't do that with the top tray. It always has to be on top. (The top tray has a cap on the air column, so it must always be on top.)
Problem #3 is the noise level. It's just too noisy. I measured 61 db at the unit, and 50db 6' away. This is just plain annoying in the kitchen, so I move it to another room, which is not an ideal situation.
The power cord is short. Because the unit is noisy, I won't use it on the kitchen counter where there's an outlet nearby - so I have to use an extension cord.
Positives: Reasonably priced, fairly easy to clean, works fine for foods that aren't temp. critical - so it should be great for things like jerky that need a higher temp.
I've also used it for small non-food items that need drying out, like wooden musical instrument parts that are locked together from swelling due to moisture. It might also be useful for re-activating silica gel.
Conclusions: not great for drying almonds or smaller items. Additional mesh screens weren't available when I tried to purchase. Noisy. Lower temperature settings inaccurate. It should be fine for fruit slices, veggies, fruit rolls and jerky. Note on fruit rolls - the unit comes with one fruit roll tray, and the maximum recommended is two fruit roll trays, and they must be used in the top two trays. It sure would be nice, if you're making fruit rolls, to be able to use all five trays. Who wants to go to the trouble of making fruit rolls if you can make only one or two at a time?
This dehydrator uses five stacked trays. There is one special tray that must always be on top, and the manufacturer recommends that you always use the dehydrator with all the trays, even if they're not loaded. They also recommend that you use the included mesh screen and the fruit roll sheet only in the top two trays. I went on the Hamilton-Beach website to purchase a second mesh screen for my almonds, but there seem to be none available. I added my email to the notification list but have not heard back. I made my own mesh screens from some fiberglass/teflon BBQ-grill screens - but I'm sure the manufacturer won't support doing that.
Problem #1: the food tray openings are a little too big, and almonds can fall through. Only one mesh screen is not enough, and the manufacturer recommends using no more that two mesh screens at a time. The food trays are just fine for fruits & veggies, and should be fine for jerky. The dehydrator capacity is about 3# (dry weight) of almonds.
Problem #2: temperature control - uneven heating. When set at the lowest setting of 100° F., the actual temperature in the dehydrator was 120°-122° F. in the top tray and 108° F. at the bottom tray. (Ambient temperature was 69° F) This is a problem when drying temperature critical foods like almonds, as raw, sprouted almonds die above 118° F. You might want to rotate trays during long drying sessions - but you can't do that with the top tray. It always has to be on top. (The top tray has a cap on the air column, so it must always be on top.)
Problem #3 is the noise level. It's just too noisy. I measured 61 db at the unit, and 50db 6' away. This is just plain annoying in the kitchen, so I move it to another room, which is not an ideal situation.
The power cord is short. Because the unit is noisy, I won't use it on the kitchen counter where there's an outlet nearby - so I have to use an extension cord.
Positives: Reasonably priced, fairly easy to clean, works fine for foods that aren't temp. critical - so it should be great for things like jerky that need a higher temp.
I've also used it for small non-food items that need drying out, like wooden musical instrument parts that are locked together from swelling due to moisture. It might also be useful for re-activating silica gel.
Conclusions: not great for drying almonds or smaller items. Additional mesh screens weren't available when I tried to purchase. Noisy. Lower temperature settings inaccurate. It should be fine for fruit slices, veggies, fruit rolls and jerky. Note on fruit rolls - the unit comes with one fruit roll tray, and the maximum recommended is two fruit roll trays, and they must be used in the top two trays. It sure would be nice, if you're making fruit rolls, to be able to use all five trays. Who wants to go to the trouble of making fruit rolls if you can make only one or two at a time?
Amber J. Norris : Good for the money
Its a good dehydrator for the money. I have had this dehydrator for a while so I feel I can give an accurate review. It’s not very powerful and the more trays you use the longer it takes for it to dehydrate everything. The fan is at the bottoms so the bottom tray gets the most heat and air. I end up just using two trays. Any more and it just takes to long. It will work well for small amounts of herbs and food. However, If you have a garden and grow a lot of your own food and dehydrating is going to be a main source of storage for you then you need to get a bigger and better dehydrator.
Jozef : Great product!!
Great item, works perfect. Nothing negative to report. Been used over 13 times and no issues. The fan is not too loud, that being said you can hear it but it's not loud at all. Worth every penny
Amazon Customer : Controls SUCK!
It works well, but it really is not very quiet. The control panel has been terrible since we received it an is just getting worse. It switches from temp to time and back again while you're trying to set each setting.
J. Tant : Superior to my Nesco
I'm actually between 4.5 and 5 stars, but it's probably closer to 5.
I hike and camp a lot, and part of that hobby is making sure I have enough food out on the trail. When I was younger and didn't care so much about weight I went in for the full moisture MRE things (and I still do if I'm going some place where water availability might be a concern), but as I get older I've gone more for the dehydrated stuff. Thing is, commercial freeze dried food is kind of pricey per meal. So I started making my own dehydrated meals, figuring that the utility for freeze drying only kicks in if you are storing the food for a long time.
I'm comparing this to my that I've had for a few years. I found this Hamilton Beach model to compare very favorably to the Nesco.
First, big points for being square shaped...that means less wasted space and it's easier to load, at least for me. Total capacity is about the same between the two, and the scheme is the same...stackable trays, etc. I will say that for the dehydrating I do (more on that in a minute), I wish there were more mesh screens available. I actually made my own out of some plastic mesh sheeting I found at Michael's, and it seems to work well.
The overall design is different...the Nesco has the heating element on top, blowing the air downward. This has the element on the bottom, blowing the air up. Intuitively the Hamilton Beach seems to have the better design, since heat rises and the fan doesn't have to work so hard to get circulation through all of the trays. In practice I think the effect was minor but noticeable. The downside to this design is one extra part (a clear plastic lid), but on the other hand that's appreciated. With the Nesco I had to take the heavy top unit off to see if the food was ready, with this one I can look through the lid. So in terms of overall design and convenience, I think the Hamilton Beach product is superior.
As for the use and interface, the Nesco had a simple dial on the top. This one has a digital readout with temperature as well as a timer function. This itself makes the Hamilton Beach more utilitarian than the Nesco (which has no timer at all). I rednecked engineered one by using a lamp timer in conjunction with the Nesco, but having the timer built in is a serious nod to convenience. I also like seeing the exact temperature instead of a simple analog dial.
Results: well, (and people laugh at me for saying this), I found that cooked-then-dehydrated pasta cooks faster on the trail than does pasta right out of the box. This is a concern out on the trail since you have to carry fuel for your stove, and I don't want to carry more than I have to. Anyway, this dehydrator is large enough to dehydrate a pound and a half of cooked elbow pasta, spread thin among the trays on my homemade mesh screens (incidentally, I used mesh screens in all the trays to no ill effect....). I then pack it with some cheese powder/powdered milk into a Food Saver vacuum-sealed bag, and I have a trail lunch/dinner ready to go. The square design makes it easy to make other things, especially dried sausage or jerky...much easier to load straight food items in a square box shape, after all. I'm in the habit of rotating the trays halfway through the drying time, and I did here...though I'm not too sure that it's strictly necessary with this design. End result - it did a very good job on a variety of foods, and as the capacity is slightly larger than my Nesco I'm pretty happy with it.
This isn't really that silent when it comes to operation, but it's not overly loud either. Think of it as a pleasant white noise, perhaps a bit lower in volume than a window box fan. The sound never bothered me.
So I really do like this dehydrator. I found it to work very well. My main nit is with the control panel, as it has that plastic membrane over the buttons. I really like real buttons and stuff, not membrane keyboards. But that's the only real issue I have with this unit. It does a good job, offers the timer function (which is fantastic), and has little convenient touches like being able to look at how a tray is drying without disassembling the whole thing. It's a good product!
I hike and camp a lot, and part of that hobby is making sure I have enough food out on the trail. When I was younger and didn't care so much about weight I went in for the full moisture MRE things (and I still do if I'm going some place where water availability might be a concern), but as I get older I've gone more for the dehydrated stuff. Thing is, commercial freeze dried food is kind of pricey per meal. So I started making my own dehydrated meals, figuring that the utility for freeze drying only kicks in if you are storing the food for a long time.
I'm comparing this to my that I've had for a few years. I found this Hamilton Beach model to compare very favorably to the Nesco.
First, big points for being square shaped...that means less wasted space and it's easier to load, at least for me. Total capacity is about the same between the two, and the scheme is the same...stackable trays, etc. I will say that for the dehydrating I do (more on that in a minute), I wish there were more mesh screens available. I actually made my own out of some plastic mesh sheeting I found at Michael's, and it seems to work well.
The overall design is different...the Nesco has the heating element on top, blowing the air downward. This has the element on the bottom, blowing the air up. Intuitively the Hamilton Beach seems to have the better design, since heat rises and the fan doesn't have to work so hard to get circulation through all of the trays. In practice I think the effect was minor but noticeable. The downside to this design is one extra part (a clear plastic lid), but on the other hand that's appreciated. With the Nesco I had to take the heavy top unit off to see if the food was ready, with this one I can look through the lid. So in terms of overall design and convenience, I think the Hamilton Beach product is superior.
As for the use and interface, the Nesco had a simple dial on the top. This one has a digital readout with temperature as well as a timer function. This itself makes the Hamilton Beach more utilitarian than the Nesco (which has no timer at all). I rednecked engineered one by using a lamp timer in conjunction with the Nesco, but having the timer built in is a serious nod to convenience. I also like seeing the exact temperature instead of a simple analog dial.
Results: well, (and people laugh at me for saying this), I found that cooked-then-dehydrated pasta cooks faster on the trail than does pasta right out of the box. This is a concern out on the trail since you have to carry fuel for your stove, and I don't want to carry more than I have to. Anyway, this dehydrator is large enough to dehydrate a pound and a half of cooked elbow pasta, spread thin among the trays on my homemade mesh screens (incidentally, I used mesh screens in all the trays to no ill effect....). I then pack it with some cheese powder/powdered milk into a Food Saver vacuum-sealed bag, and I have a trail lunch/dinner ready to go. The square design makes it easy to make other things, especially dried sausage or jerky...much easier to load straight food items in a square box shape, after all. I'm in the habit of rotating the trays halfway through the drying time, and I did here...though I'm not too sure that it's strictly necessary with this design. End result - it did a very good job on a variety of foods, and as the capacity is slightly larger than my Nesco I'm pretty happy with it.
This isn't really that silent when it comes to operation, but it's not overly loud either. Think of it as a pleasant white noise, perhaps a bit lower in volume than a window box fan. The sound never bothered me.
So I really do like this dehydrator. I found it to work very well. My main nit is with the control panel, as it has that plastic membrane over the buttons. I really like real buttons and stuff, not membrane keyboards. But that's the only real issue I have with this unit. It does a good job, offers the timer function (which is fantastic), and has little convenient touches like being able to look at how a tray is drying without disassembling the whole thing. It's a good product!
D Hunt : So Simple to Make Dog Treats
I wanted to make dehydrated chicken and beef for my canine. I'vee never used one before, and I was concerned it would be difficult. It's not! I slice the meat 1/8-1/4 thick and place on the trays. After 12-16 hours, I have dog treats my puppy cannot resist. Quick, easy clean-up too! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Mydogissupersmart : Sturdy and efficient dehydrator
I have been using this dehydrator for several months now. It has done a great job on everything from fruit to sweet potatoes (which I dry a treats for my dogs). It comes with a brief instruction guide which also includes a few tips on drying times and temperatures for common items as well as basic recipes for jerky. In general it runs about 10 hours or so when I dry sweet potato chunks. The fan is a little noisy, but not horrible - about as loud as one of those little fans people keep on their desks. I like that it has an integrated digital timer so I can turn it on before I go to bed and my items are dried when I get up in the morning.
Monica Baldonado : Make beef jerky at it's highest setting
I read an article that this exact model was off by a few degrees.. that being said comparing to my actual 1st usage of beef jerky I personally feel it's true. At 130 degrees like it says in the booklet it comes with I'm going on like the 15th hour so the last hour I turned it all the way up and it's looking better faster....OH YA I'm also very disappointed that it seems I can't add trays. Of course I didn't look into that before buying or I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT IT.. I may be a beginner but I cook and bake in big quantities.. and I prefer for my appliance's that I paid alot of money for to be as accurate as their book says.. Also in my opinion it's NOT loud... So I'm not a happy customer but I'm stuck with it so I'll keep using it. It's just ok nothing to be excited about because when I looked it up and it was referred as "for beginners" they meant it doesn't work that great. Kinda reminds me of a kids easy bake oven., Lol... I mean it works but not the greatest. There's way better for the price...and I've always loved Hamilton Ibeach products. hope this helps
Marshall : Pleasently surprised!
From the reviews, I didn't have high expectations from this dehydrator but it actually works really well. Most people complained about having to rotate the stack order but I didn't have this issue though I didn't completely fill the trays to the point that air couldn't flow. I've used it to make jerky and to dehydrate apples and its done great every time I've used it. I feel like the trays could be a little better designed but for the price, I really shouldn't complain.
Burt J. : Won't last long.
After owning this for less than 60 days, the unit no longer works. It worked fine when it did. It was easy to set the duration and the temperature. It is very loud. So loud that it was not able to be used in the kitchen, so it had to be used in the garage. Since this was my first dehydrator, I don't know what to compare it to, but I would hope other brands can be quieter and last longer. After about 20 uses, the unit now comes on for one minute and then displays "Er" in the display and stops working. The price is reduced $10 since the time I bought it and I don't even think that is a low enough price to consider it a value. I would avoid this purchase because it won't last long.
A. Person : 2 years of use and going strong
I have had occasion to have this running days on end when its the right time of year or I get a hankering to do a lot of dehydrating, it has held up just fine. I have used it across the entire temperature range for a variety of different things to good effect. It always works well and I have been very happy with it.
The only problem is I have come to want some extra trays so I can load a bit more at a time - the hamiltonbeach website has extra trays listed for $9 each, but they have been out of stock for quite some time. If you think you might ever want to expand capacity perhaps consider going with one of the popular round models that always has extra trays readily available.
The only problem is I have come to want some extra trays so I can load a bit more at a time - the hamiltonbeach website has extra trays listed for $9 each, but they have been out of stock for quite some time. If you think you might ever want to expand capacity perhaps consider going with one of the popular round models that always has extra trays readily available.
reddishes : Love it
It was affordable and works well. I've been dehydrating herbs from my garden and my house smells wonderful.
Dimitri Lopez : One button not working properly.
The overall materials seem durable and so far I have used it a lot to make chicken jerky for my doggies. They are happy, I am happy. However the problem is that one of the buttons, the up arrow button, is not working properly. It was a minor enough imperfection that I decided not to mess with returns or replacements. If I press the down arrow to put the cooking time then I have to cycle from 48 hours to get to the number I really want, usually 6 hours or less. That is 42 clicks because the stupid up button will not working; it is acting like it is old and worn out.
Mira Hodges : my first dehydrator
Super loud and bulky but it is my first dehydrator and it works. I like being able to control the temperature. There are not enough tray inserts for making fruit roll-ups and drying herbs. And it is hard to get in all the crevices to clean. It takes a lot longer to dehydrate than described in the instruction manual. But it functions pretty well.
YetiKitty : Crashed
I bought this over a year ago. It worked beautifully at first and, thanks to that first month I learned dehydration was easier @ more convenient than canning. Then, it started turning itself off within a few minutes of being turned on and giving error messages. I blamed myself and thought I must have broken it. I stopped trying to use it until recently when I had a lot of vegetables & didn’t want to can so I decided to order a new one but this time I read all the reviews and found out other people had the same problem. I have ordered a new dehydrator but a different brand.
Jordan Swanson : Stops working after a few uses.
After one or two good uses, I tried to use this to make fruit leather. It has been giving me an "Er" message after shutting itself off after an hour or two ever since. Can't figure out why this is happening, and the directions give no indiction of what it means. I got it to start up one other time, but am now back to the same issue. At this point, I wish I had bought something else.
I expected better performance from this dehydrator. When it works it does an okay job, but it seems to break down too easily.
I expected better performance from this dehydrator. When it works it does an okay job, but it seems to break down too easily.
Lisa Bobo : First time using a Dehydrator
I'm reediting my review, since Amazon won't let me tell the truth. The device WAS DIRTY when it came, but it was EASY TO CLEAN. I was able to make banana chips, & some other foods. Working on Beef Jerky Next. The Machine runs smoothly, but I am not happy that I had to CLEAN a NEW product. Just wash with hot water, and soap and the machine cleans nicely.
D Hunt : So Simple to Make Dog Treats
I wanted to make dehydrated chicken and beef for my canine. I'vee never used one before, and I was concerned it would be difficult. It's not! I slice the meat 1/8-1/4 thick and place on the trays. After 12-16 hours, I have dog treats my puppy cannot resist. Quick, easy clean-up too! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Amazon Customer : Great dehydrator
I used it to dehydrte a bumper crop of tomatoes. Very nice. I soaked the trays after and they cleaned up very easily. Nice machine.
sunfish : This Hamilton is easy to use and worth the price
This unit is easy to use and worth the price. It is a bit noisy and that's why I gave it 4 stars. The plastic trays it comes with are easy to clean up.
I mainly purchased it to dry figs and herbs. It works well for the small whole figs but I needed to slice the larger ones into quarters. Wish there was more height between shelves.
I am satisfied with this unit and I recommend this dehydrator for anyone looking for something that has a wide range of temperature, time and is priced well.
I mainly purchased it to dry figs and herbs. It works well for the small whole figs but I needed to slice the larger ones into quarters. Wish there was more height between shelves.
I am satisfied with this unit and I recommend this dehydrator for anyone looking for something that has a wide range of temperature, time and is priced well.
reddishes : Love it
It was affordable and works well. I've been dehydrating herbs from my garden and my house smells wonderful.
J. Steed : Wouldn't buy again
I'm disappointed in this purchase. It takes twice as long (at least) to dehydrate items as it says in the manual. So far I've tried herbs and fruits. No overcrowding, herbs were dry. Going on hour 15 to dry sage leaves as I type. I wanted to try doing jerky but it may take DAYS...
It's also a little noisy - noisier than my microwave.
Pros: temp and time are easy to adjust and it's easy to clean.
It's also a little noisy - noisier than my microwave.
Pros: temp and time are easy to adjust and it's easy to clean.
Ringo5000 : Great unit, blows air sideways and up and down
Does an EXCELLENT job for the money. Id put it up againt dehydrators costing 2 to 3 times the price. Its a bit loud, but liveable. The air circulation is what makes it stand out. Its a stacking unit that behaves much like a slide-in tray unit. Ive run it for pretty much 3 days... almost non stop. No problems.
Oscar : Things to think about
1. save the box it comes in until you’re sure you want to keep it. Otherwise if you try to return it and it doesn’t fit in any boxes that you have the UPS store is going to charge you extra to box it for you
2. Think about it. Do you really want to eat dehydrated food?
3. The unit is noisy.
4. It does the trick if this is what you’re looking for.
2. Think about it. Do you really want to eat dehydrated food?
3. The unit is noisy.
4. It does the trick if this is what you’re looking for.
Amber J. Norris : Good for the money
Its a good dehydrator for the money. I have had this dehydrator for a while so I feel I can give an accurate review. It’s not very powerful and the more trays you use the longer it takes for it to dehydrate everything. The fan is at the bottoms so the bottom tray gets the most heat and air. I end up just using two trays. Any more and it just takes to long. It will work well for small amounts of herbs and food. However, If you have a garden and grow a lot of your own food and dehydrating is going to be a main source of storage for you then you need to get a bigger and better dehydrator.
Lisa Bobo : First time using a Dehydrator
I'm reediting my review, since Amazon won't let me tell the truth. The device WAS DIRTY when it came, but it was EASY TO CLEAN. I was able to make banana chips, & some other foods. Working on Beef Jerky Next. The Machine runs smoothly, but I am not happy that I had to CLEAN a NEW product. Just wash with hot water, and soap and the machine cleans nicely.
J. Chacon : The BEST!
I love love love this thing. I have made 2 batches of apples and mangoes and it came out great. I als made beef jerky and that was incredible. I like the fact that for an inexpensive machine it has the ability to change the temperature unlike others which only have one setting. This one has a max temp. of 160 degrees F.
I recommend it to anyone who wants to make their own beef jerky instead of paying $7 an ounce at the grocery store :
I recommend it to anyone who wants to make their own beef jerky instead of paying $7 an ounce at the grocery store :
shopperextreme : Satisfied
The only reason why this product gets a 4 is because of length of drying time. Directions show one time and I show twice the drying time. So far I am happy with this product. I have dried many herbs and they come out perfect! I have had other dehydrators that had no temp control and would cook rather than dry. Yes they were inexpensive like this one but this one surpasses the ones I have tried. I am very content with this one. I have not done meat or others only herbs but my herbs have not burned like they have in others. Very happy. Time does not bother me only the outcome.
Papadoc : Solid product - not perfect, but more than adequate
I currently have a L'Equipe dehydrator and like it a lot. So this particular unit had a lot to live up to if it was going to impress me. Unpacking the unit, I found it to be a bit smaller than what I had anticipated. However, the trays seem to be a bit deeper and they definitely hold a substantial amount of product for dehydration. The trays have a fairly wide span between ribs meaning that you have to be a bit careful with what you put in it. There is a single small mesh sheet to lay on one tray that will accomplish this, but this isn't quite enough for me if it was my sole unit. The L'Equipe comes with a fine mesh sheet for each of it's 6 trays.
The controls for this unit are great, and much better than what I've been used to. Dials are great and there's not much to break, but they don't give you accuracy. The digital read on this along with a digital timer to shut it off are spectacular in my opinion. I tested the accuracy of the meter and it lines up within a half a degree, so that's pretty good for this kind of unit. My other units are lucky enough to be able to keep it within 4-5 degrees.
As with most square or rectangular dryers, there are areas that get better air flow than others. This means that to get the most efficiency, you have to swap out the trays and move around the product. I won't downgrade because of this because it comes with the territory. However, if you are a first timer, this is something you should realize.
Bottom line is that this is a decent dryer, though you can get better and pay more. Overall though, a sound purchase and one that will do the job you want it for.
The controls for this unit are great, and much better than what I've been used to. Dials are great and there's not much to break, but they don't give you accuracy. The digital read on this along with a digital timer to shut it off are spectacular in my opinion. I tested the accuracy of the meter and it lines up within a half a degree, so that's pretty good for this kind of unit. My other units are lucky enough to be able to keep it within 4-5 degrees.
As with most square or rectangular dryers, there are areas that get better air flow than others. This means that to get the most efficiency, you have to swap out the trays and move around the product. I won't downgrade because of this because it comes with the territory. However, if you are a first timer, this is something you should realize.
Bottom line is that this is a decent dryer, though you can get better and pay more. Overall though, a sound purchase and one that will do the job you want it for.
Amazon Customer : Mass jerky producer here!!
After much research, this seemed to be the perfect fit, and over a year of regular use later it has not let me down. I can usually get an average bushel of bananas on all the trays. About 2.5lbs of steak for jerky will fill the trays. The spice layer is awesome for a topper. The reference book included has great info on temps and times. It tops out at 160, I wouldn't mind 165 for jerky, though I just run it a bit longer, 8 hours or so. So far I have done about 18lbs of jerky, 6 rounds of banana chips, 4 round of pineapple chips, various spices I have grown. Detail: I have not gotten the real crisp on fruit chips. Close but not quite there and I have experimented with times. They last for a while though and everyone loves them. The timer option and adjustable temp are my favorite options
Amber J. Norris : Good for the money
Its a good dehydrator for the money. I have had this dehydrator for a while so I feel I can give an accurate review. It’s not very powerful and the more trays you use the longer it takes for it to dehydrate everything. The fan is at the bottoms so the bottom tray gets the most heat and air. I end up just using two trays. Any more and it just takes to long. It will work well for small amounts of herbs and food. However, If you have a garden and grow a lot of your own food and dehydrating is going to be a main source of storage for you then you need to get a bigger and better dehydrator.
Jessie Murphy : Used 7 times over 33 days and it died.
Had unit for 33 days before getting an ER message after the unit failed to heat. Being it's over the 30 day mark it can not be returned to Amazon. I called Hamilton Beach and they were happy to send a new unit as a replacement but I have to pay $11.95 shipping and wait 7-10 days. I guess it's better than nothing but I ran all of 7 batches of jerky through it in that time and it died on round 7. I was kept in my climate controlled garage on a work bench with nothing around it. Nothing funky done on my part, it just died.
Lulabelle : Not noisy, easy to clean
Nice and compact. Not too loud, but I put mine on a table in the garage. The noise level would be noticeable in a kitchen. The unit cleans easily. The temperatures recommended in the enclosed recipe booklet are about 15 degrees lower (maybe my unit is defective) than I ended up using to dry herbs. I followed the instructions for drying rosemary and after unsuccessfully drying after several hours, I turned up the heat. Then the drying time equalled what was recommended in the booklet. I've never had a dehydrator before so I'm not experienced with this appliance. Over all, after compensating for the temp difference, I'm okay for now.
A. Person : 2 years of use and going strong
I have had occasion to have this running days on end when its the right time of year or I get a hankering to do a lot of dehydrating, it has held up just fine. I have used it across the entire temperature range for a variety of different things to good effect. It always works well and I have been very happy with it.
The only problem is I have come to want some extra trays so I can load a bit more at a time - the hamiltonbeach website has extra trays listed for $9 each, but they have been out of stock for quite some time. If you think you might ever want to expand capacity perhaps consider going with one of the popular round models that always has extra trays readily available.
The only problem is I have come to want some extra trays so I can load a bit more at a time - the hamiltonbeach website has extra trays listed for $9 each, but they have been out of stock for quite some time. If you think you might ever want to expand capacity perhaps consider going with one of the popular round models that always has extra trays readily available.
Brandi H. : Junk
Stopped working. Or maybe it never worked well to begin with.
The first batch of jerky I made took 6 hours. The dehydrator temp doesn't go up high enough for the recipe I found. So that was already longer than it was supposed to be.
Next I made apple chips and it took all day, maybe 12 hours, and they never got that crunch, so I don't think they were fully dried.
Then I tried jerky again, and after 18 hours I said it's good enough and went to bed. That jerky went bad, growing mold. So it absolutely wasn't good enough.
I've used Nescos in the past and this product was a junky toy in comparison, so I returned this and will save up for the Nesco.
The first batch of jerky I made took 6 hours. The dehydrator temp doesn't go up high enough for the recipe I found. So that was already longer than it was supposed to be.
Next I made apple chips and it took all day, maybe 12 hours, and they never got that crunch, so I don't think they were fully dried.
Then I tried jerky again, and after 18 hours I said it's good enough and went to bed. That jerky went bad, growing mold. So it absolutely wasn't good enough.
I've used Nescos in the past and this product was a junky toy in comparison, so I returned this and will save up for the Nesco.
SouthernAmazoner : Nice basic machine
This is the first food dehydrator I've owned and the reason I chose one of the least expensive. I like this machine a lot. I wanted it primarily to make chicken and beef jerky for my dog who is on a low carb diet to lose weight. This dehydrator works perfectly. It makes jerky in about three hours. The LED display shows time left and temperature. The trays are easy to clean. The dehydrator is a little noisy, but since I've never had one before, I don't know if that's normal. It comes with a user manual and a few recipes.
Deserts miss the Rain : Perfect for easy jerky dog treats.
I have been using this for over a month, now. I use it for fruit for myself and for making liver, steak and chicken jerky treats for my dog. Works great and very easy to clean.
Jennifer Alvord : Very simple to use, and does a great job!
I LOVE this dehydrator!
I have never made dehydrated food before, and now I can't stop. I have made apples, pears, grapes, watermelon, and lemon so far, and all of them turned out great, I even made some really good zest seasoning.
I am very happy how simple it is to use, it is a little loud, but that is understandable with the fan keeping the air circulating.
I have never made dehydrated food before, and now I can't stop. I have made apples, pears, grapes, watermelon, and lemon so far, and all of them turned out great, I even made some really good zest seasoning.
I am very happy how simple it is to use, it is a little loud, but that is understandable with the fan keeping the air circulating.
reddishes : Love it
It was affordable and works well. I've been dehydrating herbs from my garden and my house smells wonderful.
iichan : Great little machine!
I contemplated for a while before buying this because I already had a working dehydrator but was really interested in one with temp control. It’s a little noisy compared to my one temp heat only one because this one has a motor and a air blower to evenly dry the items. No more rotating my trays!!! I used it the first time to dry my pickled apricot which worked like a charm at low temp. I then went ahead and tried ground beef jerky’s at highest setting 160F which I think I over dried but still tasty. It was a good decision and I wish I purchased this dehydrator months ago!!!
Dimitri Lopez : One button not working properly.
The overall materials seem durable and so far I have used it a lot to make chicken jerky for my doggies. They are happy, I am happy. However the problem is that one of the buttons, the up arrow button, is not working properly. It was a minor enough imperfection that I decided not to mess with returns or replacements. If I press the down arrow to put the cooking time then I have to cycle from 48 hours to get to the number I really want, usually 6 hours or less. That is 42 clicks because the stupid up button will not working; it is acting like it is old and worn out.
Amazon Customer : Disappointing!
I purchased this unit and am very disappointed. It's VERY NOISY and it does not do a good job of dehydrating. I had an old dehydrator that finally gave up the ghost and it did a much better job of dehydrating. I wish I could return it and purchase something else. The old dehydrator would do apples in about 24-36 hours...this one never did get the apples to be dry...and that was after 3 days! Not recommended.
Tracey L : Defective product, hassle to replace
I received my order and was excited to make some jerky! It ran fine for 4 hours, then I put it on for another 2 hours, and after about 15 minutes an ER code came up. Tried unplugging it and plugging it back in ...the error code kept coming up. Called Hamilton Beach to troubleshoot , after they took the serial number and model number, they said it was an internal problem and they would send a new one. HOWEVER, I had to pay the $12 shipping. WHY? Their product was defective. I called Amazon. They are sending a new one, but I still have to send the old one back (for no charge to me). Which is great from Amazon, but it still irks me I have to be inconvienced because of their defective product. Hopefully the replacement works, or who knows what I will have to do for a refund.
PS. In the few hours it did work, I must say it did run nice and quiet :)
PS. In the few hours it did work, I must say it did run nice and quiet :)
MostPrivilegedUser : Cheap plastic and declaration that I was Like New
This is how the product was received with pieces rattling inside the unit where heating element is located. Cheap plastic!! And the lid at top doesn’t close. I am not sure whether the product is faulty or packaging!! I couldn’t take it and I placed a return request within 5 minutes.
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