Recommend a dehydrator

[Suz]

Hey all,

anyone care to recommend a dehydrator? or even one to avoid? i am looking to make some bulk meals for dehydrating.

how long also do you reckon stuff keeps after drying? and/or will it last longer if you freeze it once dried?

my basic approach is a tendency towards mid-range or above mid range quality that will lasts and will not break down with moderate use. if it is cheap and good, all the better, but GOOD is better than CHEAP any day.

[Mark F]

Most driers are fine, just ensure they have adjustable temperature. The circular ones can be a bit small if doing large volumes and ensure you can get tray liners to suit.

I keep my finished foods in the freezer unless they are going to used quite quickly. This especially applies to meals containing meat or oils. I have eaten meals after 12 months in the freezer without issue.

[vanNek]

Xcalibur mate...

http://www.excaliburdehydratorsaustralia.com

You'll never buy another dehydrator in your lifetime.


"No half measures......"

[kitty]

+1 Excalibur. Great ptoduct, works really well and the square trays are easy to work with. Get some silicone sheets to go with it for dehydrating soups and sauces.
Keep your finished product away from oxygen and light to make it last longer - think about getting a vac sealer.

[paul_gee]

I have a few nuts-for-dehydrating raw vegan mates that swear by Excalibur, and a few that own the top-of-the-line Sedona. The consensus among these guys is generally: buy quality, buy once.

[Suz]

perfect, thanks everyone. i will look out for a good deal on an excalibur with square /rectangle trays, adjustable temp and some silicone sheets

[dunamis]

I'm using a cheap Sunbeam. Only three settings. Works ok but the trays need switching around every few hours which is not ideal if wanting to dry overnight.


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[zac150]

sounds cliche but buy what you can afford and yep you get what you pay for.

We started with a vacola it did the job but was small so took a few days to work through food for a trip and for some reason we couldn't dehydrate everything I.e yogurt.

I upgraded to the Excalibur which is amazing, quieter and I can fit a weeks dehydrating for four people at once which does make life easier.

I can also dehydrate yogurt and things which I couldn't before.

[Eljimberino]

Has anyone tried the new Sunbeam DT6000 model?

[Xplora]

Cut the fat out of the meat as this goes rancid. We also vacuum seal everything and then freeze. Oxygen and temperature are the 2 most important things for bugs that can harm you once you take the moisture out. Doing this we have keep food for years and it has been fine. Ours is a Harvest Maid and we have extra trays and some solid trays for the more liquid things. It has done us well but I am sure there are better. As mentioned, square trays would be handy sometimes but really it is about total surface area. Consider their power usage as well if that sort of thing concerns you.

[neilmny]

Has anyone tried the new Sunbeam DT6000 model?

Haven't tried it but it looks the goods.

We have a Luvelo with adjustable temperature from 35C to 68C.
This one - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KpvuzAR0xME/U ... ator+l.jpg
Note - no affiliations it was the only quick picture I could find.

[GBW]

Sunbeam here...paid $45 on ebay a couple of years ago and has done the job.

sunbeam dehy.jpg (4.06 KiB) Viewed 34723 times

[That_Asian_Bloke]

Here's mine and I swear by it. Initially bought it for my wife but I get more use out of it.

Also for anybody that does multi-day hikes, my wife and I have used it to dehydrate wet wipes.

[walk2wineries]

http://www.littleecofootprints.com/2011 ... t-car.html

[dagsands]

Has anyone tried this bio chef 6 tray?
http://www.productreview.com.au/p/bioch ... -bcaz.html

I'm seriously considering...

[dunamis]

I'm using the big square sunbeam. Very happy with it


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[BethJ]

This just arrived in the mail today - can't wait to try it out!
https://www.groupon.com.au/deals/panatech-99

[keithy]

This just arrived in the mail today - can't wait to try it out!
https://www.groupon.com.au/deals/panatech-99

That seems really cheap for one with a timer! Did that include the shipping as well?

[BethJ]

Shipping was $9.95, but when I signed up to the website, they emailed me a $10 off voucher which I applied straight away, so technically, I got free shipping.
I have put apple and pineapple in it so far and they worked. I'm going to make mixed fruit leather when I get home from work tonight.

[monica2e]

Keep an eye out on Gumtree & eBay for second hand dehydrators - lots of people buy them thinking they'll use all the time & don't. I bought my Fowlers Vacola from an older woman who was moving into a retirement village & not needing a dehydrator once she left behind all her fruit trees. Bargain at $50 and paid for itself dehydrating DIY meals for the Overland Track for 2 people instead of buying ready made meals.

The Fowlers Vacola has been fine - it dehydrates my food well, no timer or anything but I usually put it on overnight on a weekend when I'm around. The trays usually need rotating as the bottom ones dry faster than the top ones but that's not difficult. I've mostly done ready made meals though rather than individual ingredients. Minced or grated stuff dries better than chunks. My favourite is a lentil bolognese (I'm vego) with extra tempeh & heaps of vegetables blitzed in the food processor into tiny pieces.

[dagsands]

Has anyone tried the new Sunbeam DT6000 model?

I'm interested in this one too $179 to $199 with a timer, don't have to rotate trays. Suitable for meat, yoghurt.

Did you end up getting one eljimberino?

[undercling-mike]

This just arrived in the mail today - can't wait to try it out!
https://www.groupon.com.au/deals/panatech-99

I'll be interested to hear your impressions of this machine and how you go with it. Also wondering if you have the dimensions as I didn't see them on the website?

[jensnell]

I've got an Excalibur 9 tray. Love it, but in hindsight I'd only get a 5 tray. I struggle to fill up the 9 tray and would rather have a bit more room in the kitchen.
I've got one of the excalibur silicon liners and also bought a pack of cheap liners from Amazon.. The silicon liner is so much better, I wouldn't waste time on liners that are anything but now.

[dagsands]

I bought the sunbeam dt6000 and am very happy with my purchase $185 from Harvey Norman, timer, excellent air movement /fans, instructions. Recommended.