Food Dehydrator

[NicoleDaboin]

My family and I are starting the raw food diet February 19th. Right now we are all reading through the book and I have been preparing to go on the diet. We bought a food processor. I am about the order a Saladacco (Buying it from Ebay for $20 including shipping :)) Now I am wondering about a food dehydrator. I have read quite a few people either get sick from eating dehydrated foods, avoid them because they cause them to crave cooked foods, or just don't use one because they choose to eat more simply especially later on. Well the rest of my family is a little more questionable about this diet than I am and they are really wanting a dehydrator. We cannot afford the excalibur right now. So, basically I am wondering if I should buy a cheaper one, something for under $50 with a temperature knob, or if they are not even worth it compared to the excalibur. I'm very curious why the excaliburs are so expensive!! Are they that much better?

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi there!

Many of us have no problems eating dehydrated foods so you may not either!

The American Harvest Snackmaster (with temp. control) is a great starter - I and many others here own one. I also have an Excalibur. I like them both - but the Excalibur is a top of the line model that you can remove the trays to fit in, say a pie plate or something and it is larger and just a bit more versitile.

But to start, the round model is just fine and will do what you need it to do to make a nice variety of foods for yourself and your family. Only drawbacks are the hole in the center, the fact that you cannot make more space (although if you go to their website at www.nesco.com you can order what they call "convert-a-trays" that are deeper for taller items such as loaves or stuffed mushrooms) and the outcome of some things maybe be awkwardly-shaped...but like I always say, that has no bearing on the TASTE! ;)

But again, it will serve it's purpose well.

[darkchild]

I was very unhappy with the round Nesco model that I started with last year. I know that everybody is different, but I expected more out of mine. I could never make any really versatile dishes, just dehydrate fruits, vegetables, and I did make some stuffed mushrooms... but it seemed to take way to long and the finished product was not as good as I get with the Excaliber. I saved up my money and bought the 9-tray with teflex sheets. Worth every penny!



Dawn

[christiahall]

i would wait before you invest a bunch of money on appliances. my family was going to switch to raw food forever, but they gave up after 3 days. I was dismayed but glad i didn't get rid of my stove and buy a dehydrator. i don't need it for just myself. i get by just fine without a dehydrator or a spaghetti maker. (a cheese grater works great.) If after awhile, you are still into it, then buy more things you need, a little at a time. Of course, I only say that because we are always scraping by. Maybe that isn't your situation.