Which size dehydrator?

[Sharon]

Hello everyone - I'm wondering if Alyssa or anyone else could advise me on which size of dehydrator to buy? I'm looking at the Excalibur 5-tray or 9-tray. I have read that the 9 tray's fan is really loud. I would need it only for my use, for flax crackers, pizza crusts, that sort of thing. (Well, you would know better than I what I'll be using it for! LOL :D I want to buy one by the end of this week, so please let me know asap!

Thanks so much, and a hug of support for us "rawies!" :p

[Kristi]

I am the only one that eats dehydrator food. I have a 5 tray and the fan is loud enough on that.

[ConsciousCuisine]

I have the 9 tray and the fan is not irritating or loud or anything. I like it and it's only a bit more costly than the 5 tray and so I think it's worth it to get the larger one...but then again, I prepare Cuisine for many people... :) I guess I want everyone to share too ! :) Get the big one!

[Analeah]

I just got a stockli dehydrator a few days ago and it came with three trays. The first time I used it I filled up all three trays so the next day I went out and bought four more. Now the dehydrator has been on constantly ever since I bought it and all seven trays have been fill just about all the time. Because you can't add trays later with the excalibur, I'd say it's better to get the larger one. It's better to buy it bigger and not use a couple trays rather than buy the smaller kind and always have to wait around. Then again if you know for certain you will only make a few things on occaision for yourself, a smaller one might be better. But like CC said it's always nice to share so the more trays you have the more food you can make and share with others!

[Sharon]

Thanks for your help....although I'm still confused! ;) I'll ponder it some more. I have a small kitchen so that's an issue, too. The 9-tray does make sense, but I'm not sure how much dehydrating I'll do. Decisions are not my best suit!!! :D

[rawjojo]

Hi Sharon!
i have been trying to decide on a dehydrator also. I have pretty much decided on the 9-tray. I figured it would be better down the road. I have heard the the 9-tray fits perfectly in the oven for storage. {since you won't be needing hte oven anymore.........right?!?!?!?!lol) the best price I could find was 199. Did you find anything cheaper?

[AJ Bodine]

I have the 9 tray and my Mom has the 5 tray. They sound exactly the same, the 9 tray is not louder. It reminds me of the sound when your microwave is cooking something. I love having extra trays for making a few things at a time and my Mom now wishes she would have bought the 9 tray. You don't have to put it in the kitchen. My Mom made a space for hers down in her basement on a special shelf where she keeps all her supplies for dehydrating. Mine is in my kitchen, but only because I don't have a stove/oven. Where that should go, my husband built shelves and my dehydrator is on one of them.

[Sharon]

OK - I'm thinking 9-tray now. JoJo - I found one at www.2-life.com for I think $185 incl tax and shipping in the US. Thanks again everybody! :o

[Lyis]

Hi --

I just wanted to add my two cents. I just bought the 9-tray and love it. And my purchase included 6 teflex sheets. These sheets are wonderful -- and necessary if you want to make crackers, cookies or anything that might drip through a mesh grid. Many websites throw some of these in -- otherwise, they cost about $7.00 apiece. Good luck!

-- Lyis

[Sharon]

The man I'm working with at 2-life thinks the 9-tray would be overkill for me. SO, tell me people, what are y'all dehydrating? I am gonna buy Alissa's book any day, so I don't know what her recipes entail. I know I want to warm up raw pizzas and do flax crackers. Why would I need all that space? Love you all for your help! Sharon :p

[Ertarox]

It depends on what you are interested in. We have a 5 tray and 9 tray here, and both sound of equal noise (which isn't much). I have the 9 tray at home b/c when I make stuff, I try to make a lot of it most of the time, so I don't have to make it as often. If you are more gourmet and into small batches, go smaller. But for my style, the larger worked.

Either way, you'll do fine!

Erica

[AJ Bodine]

Sharon,

Whenever I'm making something like crackers/chips, I also dehydrate some sprouted nuts at the same time. I keep those sprouted/dehydrated nuts in a jar for a later date when I make something or just to pop a few in my mouth once in a while. I try to utilize the time my dehydrator is working and have a few things going at once. If you are just making things for yourself, in reality, a 5-tray would be fine.

One more thing I've used mine for more recently was to dry herbs and raspberry leaves for sun tea. Oh, and DH and I love to eat lightly dehydrated coconut meat. If there was anything that tasted more like pure butter, I can't think of it. (Other than pure butter of course!). I love to drink the milk out of them and then put the meat in the dehydrator and let it sit for an hour or two. It's warm and really delicious and buttery. If you let it dehydrate a long time, say 10+ hours, it get's crunchy and buttery. Also very yummy! We have this as an evening snack every so often.

Let us know which one you decide on!

AJ

[Kristi]

Alissa sells the 9 tray for $199 and also sells the teflex sheets. I bought my stuff from her. It was a way to give back to her for all the support she's given me with her site and this board.

[Curtis]

Thats an excellent idea AJ, never thought about coconut in my dehydrator. Thank you. :)

[AJ Bodine]

Curtis,

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of this treat. Let me know if you think it tastes like butter too. Put some in and try some just warmed for 2 hours and then leave some in longer for the crunchy version. Both ways are really good.

AJ

[Sharon]

Kristi - I didn't even think of getting it from Alissa and I already made my purchase. Sorry Alissa! :o

Thanks to all of you for the insight and ideas. Do you shred the coconut, by the way?

I think the 9-tray will be good and will offer more flexibility. I'm anxious to get it, now that the weather here in Nebraska will be cold soon! :rolleyes: I do love these little faces!

Take care and have a great weekend!
Sharon

[Kristi]

Where in Nebraska? I lived there for 3 1/2 years around Omaha.

[Sharon]

Really? I'm in Lincoln! Where were you here, and what did you do here, if I may ask?!

[ConsciousCuisine]

Curtis,

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of this treat. Let me know if you think it tastes like butter too. Put some in and try some just warmed for 2 hours and then leave some in longer for the crunchy version. Both ways are really good.

AJ
I'm not Curtis but I think it is buttery-rich goodness! MMM...LOVE it! :)

[Kristi]

Really? I'm in Lincoln! Where were you here, and what did you do here, if I may ask?!

I lived Omaha and Papillion. I was stationed there for 3 1/2 years with the US Air Force.

[AJ Bodine]

No need to shred the coconut, just scoop it out (flip your spoon so that the front of the spoon is doing the scraping, opposing curves. It comes out easier when you do it that way) and lay it single file on the open trays (no teflex sheet I'm trying to say).

I like to drink 1 coconut per day. My body just craves having that sweet milk. So I put the tops back on and save them up for 3-5 days before scooping it out all at once and dehydrating it. I just did 2 trays today, so tomorrow, DH and I will have a snack to take to the Brewers game. (while everyone else is scarfing down hot dogs and beer!) :D

AJ

[smasty]

I love my 9-shelf dehydrator, and I do it only for me. Since it is just slightly more than the 5-shelf (like someone said) that's what justified it for me. If you ever buy in bulk to dehydrate, you'll be happy for those extra shelves. Finding space for it, that's another thing! I only got 3 teflex sheets, I would like at least 1 more. I did read on another board that someone was using unbleached parchment paper instead of teflex sheets, just an idea.

[AJ Bodine]

I use unbleached parchment paper a lot instead of the teflex sheets. I get mine from a chain called "World Market" and it's like $2 a roll. It works great.

AJ

[Sharon]

Hiya~ Just want to say thanks to everyone again for the input on this. I'm happy with the decision to go with the 9-tray, and am very excited to get it! You'll laugh, but my major hobby (BEFORE!) was cooking. I used to be a food editor and own close to 300 cookbooks! LOL :rolleyes: So, while some raw foodists out there are very strict and won't eat dehydrated things or even spices or salt, etc. (and I totally respect everyone's right to do whatever and we're all on this journey but in different ways.....) I enjoy making different things and am excited to have a new tool to do this. Anyway, thanks again and have a great week everyone! I think this is great, positive forum, by the way. Thanks for that, too! :D

Sharon

[Ingunn]

I am thinking of getting a dehydrator, but I'm wondering if anyone knows how much electricity/energy one of those bad boys uses - it's a twofold concern for me since I am a university student (no money) taking environmental studies...