Dehydrators.

[VitalHarvest]

Ok you guys. . I am having a pretty severe dehydrator quandary.


About 3 weeks ago, we bought an Excalibur 9 tray with timer.

I had spent about 10 years before the purchase feeling bummed about how I didn't want a plastic machine that uses heat (even slight heat is too much for me) for my family's food and yet having to miss out on dehydrated treats. So we were being raw eaters with a significant disadvantage because dehydrators really do open up a lot of new options that aren't otherwise available.

Well, I broke down and bought this one, thinking that there weren't any better options as everyone in the global raw community that I've ever met over the past 12 years has said that Excalibur is the one to go with specifically for raw foodists (due to even-heating, etc.). Period.

I love having the dehydrated food (mainly for my children as it doesn't work too well for my body's needs) but the machine itself is sooooo so-so. It is loud, for one, and it is . . . . freaking PLASTIC! Sorry, but I'm feeling really frustrated because I really, really hate to have plastic touching my family's food.

So, I did a little research online as well as read about Alissa's dehydrator that is coming out ??when?? and we need one ASAP. Excalibur has a 30 day return policy if you're not satisfied and I'm feeling unconvinced that this is the one for me, now that I've tried it.


So, I've got only a few days left to make up my mind.


Here is one (http://www.everythingkitchens.com/sausagemaker_food_dehydrator.html) that I am interested in and wanting feedback on, if available.

Also, does anyone know any more info on Alissa's dehydrator? If it is going to be available soon (like in the next couple of months) and the price is going to work for me, then I feel safe returning the Excalibur. I don't want to return the Excalibur unless I am certain that it's not the right one for us, and I need to gather all of this other info before making that decision. I don't want to spend more than about $300 total and I'm very clear that I'm wanting to avoid plastic (can you tell?!). I also care a great deal about temperature regulation accuracy as I do not want to dehydrate over 100 degrees and I want to be able to have full control over that.



Any feedback is greatly, greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Veganforlife]

Why don't you e-mail Alissa's staff directly at:
alissa@alissacohen.com and see if they can answer it for you. I'm thinking I heard tell it IS going to be stainless steel and if you are that set against plastic, then send the Excal. back. If Alissa's isn't stainless then yep, I'd get the one you showed in your thread.
But let me ask you this. Do you use the mesh screen? How about the teflex sheets? How do you dehydrate? Now I'm confused...
Ah, I see this one comes with metal trays. So you really couldn't do wetter foods. OH...

[VitalHarvest]

Thanks for your reply Veganforlife. :) That is a good idea to email Alissa's people, thank you.

The link looks like it has stainless steel mesh screens. I am not using Teflex, btw, because that was going too far for me. I got a roll of the 100 piece vegetable parchment paper, instead, for wetter foods. It works great and is truly non-toxic.

Do you have a dehydrator that you like?

[Revvell]

Thanks for your reply Veganforlife. :) The link looks like it has stainless steel mesh screens.

The link you showed shows it has
chrome PLATED shelves .
I'd be as concerned about heated chrome plate as I would be about plastic.

So, when you purchase food from the market, none of it goes into plastic bags at all? You never purchase anything that's been plastic wrapped?

Have you heard how the metal one sounds while drying?

[VitalHarvest]

Oh wow, thanks for pointing that out about the link in my PP, Revvell. Yes ~ I too feel concern about chrome-plated anything. I also am clear that I do not want aluminum in a dehydrator.

TBH, I've not found an entirely stainless steel dehydrator, yet. I am wishing and hoping that Alissa's new version will be such, but wondering about the logistics of it all.




So, when you purchase food from the market, none of it goes into plastic bags at all? You never purchase anything that's been plastic wrapped?


Some of it does. Most of it goes into reusable, muslin produce bags. If it is something that is messy then, yes, it goes into a plastic bag. When I get home I often put these items into bowls in the fridge.

Yes, I purposefully avoid purchasing products wrapped in plastics. However, I will still buy plastics if the priority of the food item is high and there's not an alternative (there often is, though). Also, if I have to buy plastic I prefer it to be a rigid plastic; harder plastics are more stable than flexible and thin plastics.

In addition, temperature plays a really big role in the release of constituents. So if something in plastic is stored in the fridge then there is a big difference between the level of off-gassing going on there and the level of off-gassing going on in a warm environment such as a dehydrator. Plus, the mesh screens for the Excalibur are pretty flexible. Their ability to bend and not break comes at a price in safety, IMO.

Lastly, my aim is to reduce and minimize the exposures, yk? I'm well-aware that it is very difficult to avoid plastics 100%, but I also strive to keep it at its lowest level possible. I used to get even more intricate in my efforts toward how low a level of plastics I could achieve in my home. During one radical time period in my life, it was only my telephone, stereo and CDs! As a mother, I feel especially responsible for maintaining this minimization of exposure because of the highly insidious-yet-pervasive nature of plastic chemicals such as hormone mimicry. So, if there is a dehydrator available that is not plastic - it's the choice I would like to make. It is entirely worth it to me.




Have you heard how the metal one sounds while drying?


It is a lesser of my concerns, to be sure, because I'm trying to pick my battles carefully and, being that I've got a lot of strong feelings in the other areas, I'm a little less concerned about this area. Besides, if there's one that's stainless steel and it sounds like the Excalibur then maybe that's just how it 'has' to be. But I did notice Alissa mention that her new one is quieter and I think that's a plus, for sure.


:)

[Gittel]

I, too, use muslin/cloth bags for produce. I also have predominantly wooden toys, as well as cotton and silk cloths, for my children to play with and be creative with. Plastic toys outgas (that's the lovely smell when they come out of the package) and they are typically single-function.

I tried using glass containers in the frig several years ago, but found that hard plastic containers didn't break as frequently. I also use those green-colored produce bags in the frig, Ever-Fresh, I believe. They help the produce last a bit longer.

Please let us know if you get an answer about Alissa's upcoming dehydrator. I'm very interested.
Gittel

[Conscious Midwife]

My guess is that the metal one would rattle more.

The natural noise volume in my home must be pretty high because I don't really notice my excalibur dehydrator noise.:)

[Revvell]

FYI> Alssa's dehydrator is going to be stainless steel ~ all of it. It's gonna have all kinds of gadgets and stuff and she thinks it's going to be under $300. Don't really know until all is done methinks.

So, buy Alissa's and help her pay for Rawkin' Radio, 'k? :D

[SchoolOfRAWk]

I love my Excalibur. Honestly, I mean, it's more dangerous to just inhale the air driving on a highway in my opinion. I doubt the Teflex really leaches is all. I mean, rinsing veggies in tap water is surely dangerous, too. I think sometimes it's worse for us to stress about all of this than it is to just use the item, not that we shouldn't be aware.

[snowdrop]

my alarm bells went off when i noticed it only said 'adjustable thermostat'... being it touts jerky, the temp range may be too hot to handle for enzymes.
just check it out first. better safe than sorry.

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Which is this?
The Excalibur goes up that high but certainly goes down low enough. Nice to have high settings for the first few hours of dehydrating, totally. ;-)

[VitalHarvest]

My guess is that the metal one would rattle more.



Wow, that's an interesting thought I hadn't yet thunk. :D


Revvell, I hear ya. ;) I definitely am curious to check out her machine. It's details are sounding seriously perfect-O to me too.

I suppose the time crunch for me is just going to have to lead me to surrender. I did take your advice Veganforlife and contacted Alissa's people directly. I've decided to just keep this machine since it's looking like Alissa's won't be out till near the end of the summer. TBH, I think it's worth it to just have this one until then, even.




Honestly, I mean, it's more dangerous to just inhale the air driving on a highway in my opinion. I doubt the Teflex really leaches is all. I mean, rinsing veggies in tap water is surely dangerous, too. I think sometimes it's worse for us to stress about all of this than it is to just use the item, not that we shouldn't be aware.



I hear you, SchoolOfRAWk. The thing for me is - I have more options available to me in the area of things such as dehydrators (as illustrated by this very thread) than in the scenario of vehicle fumes on a highway (although there is more than one option present in that scenario, as well).

Teflex, in my opinion, DOES leach. That is just what I believe and it's based on countless hours of research. I like to minimize things there, too, so I use only the vegetable parchment paper. And, yes, I agree that rinsing veggies in tap water is not ideal, either, so I don't do it unless it's really noticeably dirty. I'd rather eat dirt, etc. than chlorine, etc. And lastly in response to your very thought-provoking comments, I agree with the one about it being worse to stress about these things. Which is why I don't (thank the goddess for The Work of BK). I feel totally peaceful in my grounded and thoughtful efforts to find the least biologically-offensive ways of preparing my food and doing other things in life. I like to live simply, naturally, as much as possible.


Thanks for the stimulating convo, everyone! :)

[elfinbaby]

Was there every a guess when Alissa's dehydrator will come out? I'm in the market for one soon and am anxious to buy. However, I'd hate to miss out an an awesome machine just cause I'm impatient:p

April

[ocean spray]

Sometimes I set mine out on the deck when it is hot out, (so the house does not get any hotter) you could do the same thing for the noise. Or if you have any outlet out side?