Need advice on buying a dehydrator please :)

[phedre]

I'm thinking of buying a Nesco FD-60 Snackmaster Express Food Dehydrator. It's around 50 dollars... http://www.nesco.com/products/?category=300&id=40

Does anyone have this one and have opinions about it?
Does anyone have another dehydrator around 50 dollars and recommend it? :)

I appreciate the help! :D

[domestic goddess]

Lets just say I bought a less expensive dehydrator...and now am a proud owner of an Excalibur. Honestly, you get what you pay for. Until I found a used one on ebay for a good price, I just didn't dehydrate. The cheap ones do not seem to have a steady temp (too hot or too cool) and because they do not have the fan, take FOREVER.

In my cheap D it took 24 hours to make dried apples. I made some today in my Ex. and it took 8.


eta...I didn't see that one had a fan the first time I read it. Maybe it would be ok then. I am not a fan of round trays either, BUT you certianly can still make great things!

[spiralgirl]

phedre,

I have an Excalibur but others on this forum have mentioned the one you are considering and it's a great one if you are on a budget.

[juliebove]

I have the one you mention and I like it. I did buy lots of extra mesh sheets, fruit leather sheets and trays for it.

[phedre]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the feedback!! :)

[foxieroxie104]

The 1st time we started on this quest to healthier living my dh friend gave us the ins and outs of things. He was telling us the round dehy are harder if you want to make pizza and that sorta stuff. So we just got a juicer and ended up quiting in 2 1/2 wks.

Now we had decided to give it another try and do this 100% so I went and bought a vita mix and the company is 2 citys away from where I live and always wanted one but the sale was when we saw a demonstration and that was it. I really wanted one for sure.

So I got that and the dehydrator the excalibur I called the company and there is a difference the ones you get on line and thru sites don't have a timer. So make sure you get one with a timer you never know. We just got it and I can't wait to take it out for a test run. I called and talked to the people at the company itself and I called and talked to some others just to get opinions and see what everyone had to say I also had to justify my purchase too. I see us using it in the long run also. You need to decied is this a lifetime commitment or a whim???

If you are testing the waters then get the round one and see how it goes you may need to up grade down the road.

Have a green day.

Roxanne

[Emma-Liza]

Hi, Phedre!

I have a round one w/o a fan and it gets too hot. It's great for warming wet foods that don't heat up too much, but that's about all. Since that is not a problem with the one you are considering, I would only add that it's hard to make crackers and thin batter-y things unless you have the teflex sheets and even then, it's a bit awkward with the hole in the middle. No matter how careful I was, somehow, something always dripped onto the heating element.:confused: I followed the link and I think it looks really promising, except for the hole. 'Course, maybe no one but me has this little problem!:o


I am aiming for an excalibur at some point, but already this summer we bought an new compressor & furnace :eek: and a badly-needed new cage for the parrot, so I'm holding off a bit on the dehydrator and juicer.

[Green_Woman]

Save your money for a few weeks longer, and invest in an Excalibur... I use the 5-tray, got it for $100 on Ebay (brand new, w/ teflex sheet and all the goodies) and have NEVER been happier with a dehydrator (I've had the less expensive brands before... and yes.... they're awkward, take forever, etc)

Considering you can get a TOP QUALITY brand for only $50 more than you're already willing to spend, just save and invest in something you'll be GLAD you bought!!! :D