Is a dehydrator worth the money?

[justinesmith]

Today I went to a co-op near my house. They have a truly amazing assortment of raw food items. I picked up: key lime pie, blueberry cheesecake, saurkraut crackers, eggplant meatballs w/BBQ sauce, cacoa nibs, kombucha... just to name a few. MOST of the items I purchased could have been made at home using my commercial sized dehydrator (I got it at Cabella's and it's freakin' huge) but sometimes its nice to just have it done for you.... ohhhhh there's that "convenience" factor we all miss so much. Anyway, my grocery total was $178.00. That is more that half of what I paid for my dehydrator. I was HORRIFIED that I paid $178.00 for convenience. So, as I keep reading and hearing from people that a dehydrator is too much money or is it really worth the money, my opinion is a resounding YES it is worth the money 100 times over.

Well, I am off to hide the grocery bill from dh as we are strapped right now for said money. Just kidding, we don't hide anything from eachother. We will however enjoy that pie and those crackers to the hilt because we'll never buy them again. We'll just MAKE our own!! :D

[lore-ah]

I use the heck out of my dehydrator. I couldn't be raw without it! With that said, I wish there was some place where I could buy "convenience" raw food once in a while. I'd be so happy to be lazy once in a while.

[lodestar]

nope....not for me.

[tvillemom]

Justine,
If I were you, if you like the items that you bought, you can try to mimick what you bought, and save yourself some money next time!!

I read one time, that if you've never HAD raw sauerkraut, you should buy it pre-made the first time, to taste it, and then make your own. (So you could do the same with the foods you bought, maybe even request recipes from the vender you bought them from!)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my dehydrater, and FOR ME, warming things up, and having dehydrated foods available to carry out the door, are what helps keep me raw!!

In HIM,
Wendi

[justinesmith]

Justine,
If I were you, if you like the items that you bought, you can try to mimick what you bought, and save yourself some money next time!!

In HIM,
Wendi

Hey Wendi! That is EXACTLY my plan. By the way... the eggplant meatballs weren't even that good (frick!) but I think if I adjust the BBQ sauce it might help bring out the flavor. Always thinking..... :D

[shine72]

It's been WELL worth the money for us! Sometimes it's just nice to have a big hearty calzone, or some pizza! Justine knows the pizza of which I speak!;)

[RawHeaven]

Justine, first I can't get past the cost of all those groceries! Wow. In Calif, you'd be looking at a much higher bill for all those raw goodies you bought. You're also lucky you have a store that stocks such a variety of items. Even Rainbow Grocery in SF, our mega vegetarian store, there's only a small shelf of raw food options. I hope they expand this in the future. I just spent $100 just on a moderate amount of organic vegetables and fruit.

Regarding the dehydrator, I keep putting off purchasing one. Since it's just myself I may get the 4 or 5 shelf Excalibur. The more I'm getting closer to 100%, the less I'm interested in eating the raw crackers and desserts and such like when I first started. But I may just get one anyway, just so that I have one in the event I want to make a special meal one day. I just bought Matt Amsden's Rawvolution, raw prep book which has a bunch of raw gourmet recipes. http://www.amazon.com/RAWvolution-Gourmet-Cuisine-Matt-Amsden/dp/0060843187 The more advanced ones require a dehydrator and the photos look good enough to eat, so yeah I'll probably buy one! :D

[MrGreenJeans]

Justine,
If I were you, if you like the items that you bought, you can try to mimick what you bought, and save yourself some money next time!!

I read one time, that if you've never HAD raw sauerkraut, you should buy it pre-made the first time, to taste it, and then make your own. (So you could do the same with the foods you bought, maybe even request recipes from the vender you bought them from!)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my dehydrater, and FOR ME, warming things up, and having dehydrated foods available to carry out the door, are what helps keep me raw!!

In HIM,
Wendi

Hey Wendi,
Tonight after work I made a batch of home-made sauerkraut. After having made my own raw kraut and trying kraut in the store there is just no comparison. Mine wins hands down. I can't even eat other kraut. I'm spoiled (or fermented) :D

Since I live by myself, I wonder if an Excalibur 4 or 5 tray would be sufficient?

[Stina]

I've got a nine tray and could have made do with the smaller one. But I love the dehydrator. I just wouldn't be able to be Raw without it now. I've got Sea Tangle noodles with a sauce in there right now. I'm so good to myself! Why deprive myself on this diet?

[beppa66]

Is a dehydrator worth it?

As my wise older brother used to say..."Does a fat dog fart when you kick it?"...I think that means yes. LOL

[Lady Green Jeans]

I have a four tray which was purchased many years ago when I was buying a juicer and wheat grass juicer at the same time so cost was my main purchasing factor. Had it not been, would have went for the nine tray and sprung for the timer, too. Cannot make mine bigger, but it does the job for me. It's only me, but there are times when I'd like to make a "mess of" whatever.

Mr. Green Jeans--would love your instructions on making kraut. Last attempt was in my teens back in Ohio--sadly it was not a success and my mother insisted upon its odiferous removal from the house. Have been paying upwards of $10 a jar for the raw stuff and would adore giving this another shot if you're open to sharing your recipe.

[eachpeachpearplum]

Justinesmith: I am so with you; I came back from Ravolution with a very very small plastic bag of packaged raw snacks and my bill was just under $100!:eek:

Big or Small?
Those of you considering the small 4/5 tray. . . .please please please go for the big one!

Its not really how many you have in your family it's the amount of space a recipe takes up. If you plan to do more than one recipe at a time or need to remove a tray because of tall food; and dont forget about doing soaked nuts too, these are all reasons to go bigger.

I have a 4 tray. I was lucky that I already owned one before going raw though it sat never used in its box in the garage!

My four tray is running pretty much 24/7. . .really. In my years on this site I have never rad of an account of someone who said they were happy with their 4/5 tray.

[River Mom]

I Keep Mine Going Day And Night Pretty Much All The Time.
Love To Get Up On Cold Mornings And Have The Heat Of It Warming My Kitchen.

Rm

[MrGreenJeans]

I have a four tray which was purchased many years ago when I was buying a juicer and wheat grass juicer at the same time so cost was my main purchasing factor. Had it not been, would have went for the nine tray and sprung for the timer, too. Cannot make mine bigger, but it does the job for me. It's only me, but there are times when I'd like to make a "mess of" whatever.

Mr. Green Jeans--would love your instructions on making kraut. Last attempt was in my teens back in Ohio--sadly it was not a success and my mother insisted upon its odiferous removal from the house. Have been paying upwards of $10 a jar for the raw stuff and would adore giving this another shot if you're open to sharing your recipe.

I have a Harsch crock which simplifies everything! With it you don't have to skim off the kam crap for it does not develop.

For this crock I weigh out 2.5 lbs of shreaded cabbage, put it in the crock and .238 grams of sea salt (no iodine, no other additives). I mix that in the cabbage that is in the crock, then I punch down the shreaded cabbage. If you have a clean wooden baseball bat that will work too, just don't crack the crock. I sprinkle some dill seeds into the mix too. I continue making 2.5 lbs. batches until crock is almost filled.

Then when the cabbage have filled about 5/8 of the crock I push down the cabbage so water rises above it, put in some full leaves of cabbage on top then put the weighting stones that come with the Harsch crock and make sure the briney water covers the stone by about an inch. Put lid on crock, and put water in the water troph. Put crock on kitchen table where it is a little warmer for three days then set in a cooler place where it is cooler. Wait 6 weeks, open, put in canning jars, put in bottom of fridge, enjoy!

[ski bumette]

I would be lost without my dehydrator. If I used it for nothing else I have to have it for my pizza bread and flax seed crackers. These are the 2 staples I cannot do without.
I'm not having good luck so far with my dehydrated recipes. Made Stuffed Mushrooms last night and can't say I'm fond of them. I made the onion bread too and it's wayyyyy too salty. Might try it again using less braggs soy sauce (Braggs) next time.
Most recipes that I have enjoyed don't require the dehydrator but gotta have the flax crackers and pizza bread so definitely gotta have the dehydrator. I'm sure I'll find more dehydrator requiring recipes as I progress along my raw journey.

[tinystrawberry]

hECK YEA - it's worth it even if you only make the onion bread :D :D :D
the onion bread is so frickin gooood

[crystalmoon]

Im really happy with my 5 tray excaliber.
I know alot of people say to get a 9 tray but as it is only me the 5 tray is definitely big enough. I often halve recipes anyway or I end up making too much of one item & getting bored of eating it.
I use mine to make flax crackers, onion bread, my own 'lara' type bars, raw chocolate brownies, to warm up soups etc, to dry my freshly grown herbs & to make my own dried fruits (at least I know they are truly raw that way!).
I also looked into the running costs & impact on the environment energy wise when i was deciding which to buy & the 5 tray uses way less energy.

[Yeshia]

Hey Wendi,
Tonight after work I made a batch of home-made sauerkraut. After having made my own raw kraut and trying kraut in the store there is just no comparison. Mine wins hands down. I can't even eat other kraut. I'm spoiled (or fermented) :D

Since I live by myself, I wonder if an Excalibur 4 or 5 tray would be sufficient?

Please pretty please can i have the recipe:) opps you posted it thanks

what is a crock though the recipe is in Greek lol oops

buy the 9 tray:D :D

[chopstiklb]

Here is my two cents worth in regards to dehydrators.
I sell them as a side line and personally, wouldn't be without one!
Just making our Flax crackers that we enjoy soooo much;) is well worth it.

I say yes to dehydrator no matter what kind you have. Beats those Microwave thing-a-majigs that we threw out years ago.

Great article JustinSmith:)

Chopstiklb

[MrGreenJeans]

Oops. Below I wrote earlier:

For this crock I weigh out 2.5 lbs of shreaded cabbage, put it in the crock and .238 grams of sea salt

I meant to say that for every 2.5 lbs of shreaded cabbage, I put in .232 OUNCES of salt, not .238 grams of salt.

[Lady Green Jeans]

Sorry to get off-topic on this thread

Thanks Mr. Green Jeans for sharing your kraut recipe. Will have to do a little research to find out what a Harsch crock is and where to get one. :)

[StarFire]

JUSTINE... ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEE!!! :eek:

GIRRRL..... I loooove my dehydrator! Okay - you're paying for convenience (which is nice once in a while...) but let me tell you.... you just can't beat the fresheness of making stuff yourself! NOT TO MENTION... that it can be a really fun thing for kids to get into too! making banana leather -- or cookies...

I love the adventure of un~cooking! I have a blast everytime I'm playing in my kitchen! besides.... how else will you be able to get material for your stand up comedy routine if you don't experience life in it's fullest!!! Lord knows -- I'm a regular screw up in my kitchen - from green smoothie on my ceiling and my doggie innocently walking by - to killing my blender by trying to make fudge in it.... to tripping and falling and slime-ing dh with soaked flax seeds.... yep.... I'm a :eek: wonder in the kitchen!! but the stuff tastes great and I wouldn't give it up for nuttin!!!

get that dehydrator working girl.... or give it to me!!! :D

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/Flwr07.gif

[Madeleine.Blythe]

nope....not for me.

Agreed; simplicity is key.

[crystalmoon]

My dehydrator is really helping me to stay raw now the weather has got really cold in the Uk & most of what I make on it is really simple. Tonight I dusted slices of young banana with nutmeg & cinnamon then put them in the dehydrator for an hour...they turned out warm, soft & scrummy. Also I was able to take advantage of lots of reduced fruits at my local store today cos I can dehydrate any that are getting too ripe before I have a chance to eat them.

[missthomas86]

Hey all im a newbie. Any food suggestions until i get a dehydrator. I was planning on doing green smoothies for a while as i really dont like raw veggies that much. I dont have a juicer either, but will try to order at least a dehydrator by the end of the week. Thanks.

[ron4540]

My Excalibur arrived by FedEx last night. I paid $275 for the 9 tray model plus non-stick sheets. It's really quite large -- like the size of a microwave oven.

For breakfast, I had some warm foods. They were soooooo good. Especially now that it's getting cold outside. As a raw newbie, I think that warm raw foods in the winter will make like easier. I'm striving for 100% raw on most days.

[CaliRaw]

My Excalibur arrived by FedEx last night. I paid $275 for the 9 tray model plus non-stick sheets. It's really quite large -- like the size of a microwave oven.

For breakfast, I had some warm foods. They were soooooo good. Especially now that it's getting cold outside. As a raw newbie, I think that warm raw foods in the winter will make like easier. I'm striving for 100% raw on most days.

What did you have warm for breakfast?

[pete]

i couldn't imagine not having my 9 tray.
it's the "oven" of the raw food world.
we use ours all the time.

[missthomas86]

I got mine today its not a 9 tray but it will get the job done im sure.

[GypsiAnsara]

We are having a big debate in my house about a 5 or 9 tray model. I'm wondering, since the two other adults in my house are really enjoying the side effects of me being 100% raw (they are eating A LOT of my food) that maybe a larger model would be better for us. The con is that it seems so big and we already don't have much room. Also, where we are situated in California, we have access to a lot of free fruit that could be dehydrated throughout the summer and fall months to get us through the winter and maybe the 9 tray would be better for that. Hmmmmm.... I definitely feel that I need SOMETHING! SOON!! I cannot stand paying $8 for a tiny pack of seed crackers at the healthfood store. It seems so ridiculous. But I need crackers. Very hard without the crackers.

[crystalmoon]

GypsiAnsara hi there, I have the 5 tray & Im only preparing raw food for myself,it is big enough for one but if you are going to be regularly making food for 2 or more then I would say you need the 9 tray...especially when it comes time to dry all the free fruit ;)

[RaWonderWoman5]

I hope so. I just bought mine (like 5 minutes ago) from Alissa. I CANNOT wait!!!! :D

[firefaery]

ITA. I have a family of 5 and we are all raw. I have the 9 tray and I regret it. I wish I had the 5 tray. I don't think the 4 is worth it-it's not just one less tray, the trays are also smaller. THe 5 to me is the perfect size. That said, we clearly don't rely on dehydrated food. I much prefer my juices and smoothies.

[missthomas86]

I bought my dehydrator from walmart (nesco $35) and i does not have tempature settings. Is this going to overcook my food and rid it of enzymes?

[rainbowgirl]

On ebay......any no ways or yes ways.

I don't have the money for an excalibur, and want a 5 tray (dh is bringing it back for me from the states and I can't have him carry a HUGE thing....along with the laser printer I want, lol).

Ok. Which ones have temp dials and are good?

Why is nesco a pain?

What about mr. coffee?

WHat about excalibur smaller ones?

RaWnbowgirl

[missthomas86]

Can anyone help me with my dehydrator question?????? I would appreciate it!

[GypsiAnsara]

I'm just about to order a dehydrator - going to go with an Excalibur. The consensus seems to be for the 9 tray. I was in a cookware store over the weekend and I talked to another customer about dehydrators there who said she has an Excalibur she got off Craigslist and it is very loud. I haven't heard anyone else mention that, so I hope it is just hers. Otherwise ours will be living on the laundry porch!

MissThomas86 - All I've heard is that if there isn't a temp control, yes, the likelihood of overcooking is high.

[lily]

I've been raw for 2 years how and I have not bought a dehydrator.

I know people say you can't use an oven, but I find mine produces excellent results. I set it for 105 deg F and keep a thermometer in it to check the temp.

It's a fan oven which I think helps. Some moisture is produced and does trickle down the inside of the oven door but I just wipe it off with a cloth from time to time.

I bought some teflon sheets at my local hardware shop and use these on the oven rails or on flat cookie sheets. I make all the normal dehydrated things in my ovent, and they come out perfect every time.

Just mentioning this in case it's helpful to anyone...

lily