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View Full Version : toaster oven = dehydrator?


cassidy
05-23-2006, 04:04 PM
Can you use a toaster oven that goes down to 100 degrees in place of a dehydrator?
faith4u
05-23-2006, 05:09 PM
I would think so.

A good way to check it would be to run it with a cooking thermometer to see if it stays below whatever you want it below.
Brianna
05-23-2006, 05:15 PM
Sounds like it would work to me.
Revvell
05-23-2006, 09:06 PM
A dehydrator includes a fan which blows the air over the food. You might wish to do a search here (points up to the banana) to get more anwers on this.

Revvell
RawFoodieMom
05-23-2006, 09:10 PM
I think it would work, but I agree with the previous post, you might want to test it with an oven thermometer (they're inexpensive).

Also, how would you run it for the number of hours needed to dehydrate something? I don't think the timer would go that high would it?

I would also suggest as a safety precaution to check the users manual to see if there's any maximum amount of time that the element should be on, since they aren't really built to be on for that long at a time.

Take into consideration also that the toaster oven would probably use more energy than a dehydrator, and you're running it for half a day to a day at a time.

If it all works out, it would be an interesting option for those that don't have a dehydrator to make a little something different once in a while.

Hmm, that's a lot of things, sorry. :confused: Let us know how it works out!

Good luck!
RawFoodieMom
05-23-2006, 09:13 PM
A dehydrator includes a fan which blows the air over the food. You might wish to do a search here (points up to the banana) to get more anwers on this.

Ahhh, good point. The one thing I forgot. LOL! I don't know if just drying things with the heat coming from the bottom element would work, there'd be no air moving around, you're right.

I don't think it's looking good for the toaster oven experiment. :(
cassidy
05-23-2006, 11:32 PM
Yes, I think you are right. It's not looking good. I worry about the toaster oven burning up... it is a flimsy little thing. I wouldn't be able to step away from it without worrying about it. Guess now I HAVE to buy the excalibur :D
rawpriestess
05-24-2006, 02:08 AM
Excaliburs are great, however if you wish to save money, you can buy a Nesco, american Harvest snack master dehyddrator (get the one with the temp control) from K mart and it's about $40 or so, works fine, if money is an object with you.