Best Food Dehydrators: 2022 Buyers Guide

I've been dehydrating food for years, so I know a thing or two about them. In this article, I'm going to share with you what I think are the four best food dehydrators for home use. This is based on personal experience and also on information gleaned from hours and hours of research.

You'll be able to compare the features, the pros and cons, and prices of the four models. I've also included information about dehydrators in general, how to use them, and what to consider before buying one. 

I hope this will help you in your search for the food dehydrator that's right for you.

I don't want to keep you in suspense, so I'm going to tell you up front that my Number One Best Food Dehydrator Pick is the Excalibur 3926TB. You can get the details below.

Or if you're in a hurry, you can click here to go to Amazon to check the current price and read the reviews.

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Best Food Dehydrators Comparison Table

In this table, you'll find my top four food dehydrator picks along with some basic comparison information.

Best Food Dehydrators Mini Reviews

Mine is just like this, except it doesn't have an automatic timer. If I had it to do over again, the 3926TB would be my choice.

By the way, the "B" in the model number means black. The white version is model 3926TW.

Here are some its great features:

Something I like a lot about this food dehydrator is the simplicity of the controls.

You have two dials on the top of the unit. One is to set the temperature, and the other is to set the timer. There is no power button. The timer itself serves as the on/off switch. You just set the time for as long as you want, and it starts up the motor. When the time is up, it shuts off automatically.

The temperature range doesn't go quite as low as the Presto and Nesco do, but I haven't found that to be a problem. The difference between 95°F and 105°F is negligible when you're drying things like herbs. You can just decrease the drying time a little bit if your recipe calls for a temperature lower than 105°F.

It's obvious that the Excalibur 3926TB is a big dehydrator. It has a total drying area of 15 square feet. That's more than twice as big as the two stackable models! Even if you add extra trays to the others, they're not going to have as much area as the Excalibur.

So if being able to dehydrate large quantities of food is a high priority for you, this one is the clear winner.

Keep in mind, though, that it takes up a lot of space. It's not going to fit well on most countertops, so you'll need to think about where you can put it. 

It's 12.5" high by 17" wide by 19" deep. That depth is from front to back. The fan is in the back, so you'll need a couple of inches of space for air flow. And you'll be loading the trays from the front, so you need plenty of space for maneuvering. 

One major difference between the Excalibur and the stackable food dehydrators is that the fan and heater are located in the back of the unit. A large 7-inch fan draws in air from the back and distributes the heated air evenly throughout the interior.

Because of this design, you don't need to shift trays up and down to achieve even drying. 

However, with certain foods, you may find that one side dries faster than the other. If that's the case, you can rotate the trays 180° halfway through the drying process. 

Another advantage of the design is that it makes cleanup a snap. You don't have to worry about juices dripping down and making a big mess in the fan and electronics since they're on the back of the unit. There's nothing in the bottom, so it's easy enough to just wipe it out.

The drying trays come with flexible plastic mesh inserts. Because they're flexible, you can pick them up and bend them a little to easily peel off sticky pieces of food like fruit.

And, when you're done drying non-sticky foods like nuts or herbs, you don't have to pick up the individual pieces. Just pick up the whole sheet, bend it almost in half, and funnel the pieces into your jars or food storage bags.

Unfortunately, you don't get any solid drying sheets with the Excalibur. So if you want to make fruit leather, you have to buy them separately. The good thing is they're not very expensive.

You can check the price and availability of a pack of 9 non-stick sheets at Amazon by clicking here. 

By the way, the drying trays are dishwasher safe, but the mesh inserts and solid drying sheets are not.

If you really don't like the idea of dehydrating food on plastic, you can purchase Excalibur stainless steel replacement trays. You can buy them individually or in multipacks of 3, 6 or 9.

Check the price of Excalibur stainless steel mesh replacement shelves at Amazon.

This video has more information about Excalibur dehydrators:

For even more information about the Excalibur 3926TB, please see my detailed review, Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator: Why So Popular?

Here's a short video about Nesco dehydrators, made by the manufacturer:

For more information, please see my detailed review of the Nesco Snackmaster Pro.

With the six trays that come with the Dehydro, you get about 6 square feet of drying space. To help you visualize, that translates into about  6 pounds of strawberries, 5 or 6 mangoes, or 2 bunches of kale.

If you find that's not enough space, you can add extra drying trays, up to a total of 12. Extra trays come in sets of 2, and you can check availability at Amazon or at Wayfair. 

You can also find extra fruit roll sheets at Wayfair.

Of the four food dehydrator models, this one has the widest temperature range and the lowest temperature setting. That's going to give you maximum flexibility in what you can dry with it. 

One of the best features of this dehydrator is the digital control panel that allows you to customize the settings exactly how you want them. Plus the timer lets you run overnight while you're sleeping, or during the day while you're at work. It shuts off automatically, so no need to worry.

This unit takes up more counter space than the Nesco one does, and that also makes it a challenge to store. But the trays nest inside each other, and that reduces the vertical storage space by 43%. And, the power cord stores in the base, so that also helps with the storage issue.

The manufacturer says that the food dries out evenly, and you don't need to rotate the trays. But sometimes, with certain foods, you will find that the top layer takes longer to dehydrate. That's because the heating element and fan are on the bottom of the unit.

So you may find that you will need to rotate the trays sometimes. Not a deal breaker, in my opinion, but something you should be aware of if you're considering this model.

Also, you may have to deal with juices dripping down through the trays and getting on the fan. That makes it a bit more difficult to clean than the other brands.

What's the biggest complaint that people have about the Presto Dehydro?

It's the loud noise it makes. But that's common to most dehydrators, and you'll be hard pressed to find one that doesn't make noise. This one just seems to be louder than others.

As far as warranty goes, Presto offers a one year limited warranty. If you have any problems with it in the first year, they will repair or replace it.

See my detailed review of the Presto Dehydro 06301 for more information.

Here are the main factors you should consider when shopping for a food dehydrator:

Food Dehydrator and Dehydration FAQs

What is a food dehydrator?

A food dehydrator is an appliance that preserves food by taking the moisture out of it. Drying inhibits the growth of bacteria in food, so it dramatically reduces the rate of decay.

What are the benefits of dehydrating food?

There are plenty of benefits. Here are a few:

• Allows you to make healthy and delicious snacks like dried apples, fruit leather, kale chips, and jerky.
• Saves you money.
• Preserves food without canning or freezing.
• Saves storage space.
• Prevents waste of excess garden produce.

Dehydrators reduce the water content of foods using heat and the flow of air. The devices have some sort of heat source and a fan to circulate the air.

It can take from a couple of hours up to a day or so, depending on several factors:

• The type and quality of the dehydrator.
• The humidity level of the air where the dehydrator is situated.
• The type of food and the amount of water in it.
• The size and shape of the pieces of food.

At what temperature should I dry the food?

Different foods should be dried at different temperatures. For example, the best temperature for herbs is between 90° and 110°F, but meat for jerky should be dried at about 160° to 165°F.

Most dehydrators come with a user's guide that gives you the recommended temperatures for various foods. You can also find information online, or you could buy a food dehydration reference book.

I like these two books:

• The Dehydrator Bible (check current price at Amazon)
• The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook (check current price at Amazon)

Why is a dehydrator better than using the oven?

Controlling the air temperature and air flow are crucial to successful dehydration.

A dehydrator has a more precise temperature control than an oven. Plus the optimal temperature range for dehydrating is somewhere between 90° and 165°F. Most ovens can't go that low.

Also, ovens don't have a way to circulate the air. The food can't dry evenly without the proper air flow.

What kinds of foods can you dehydrate?

Oh, my, too many to list! But here are some ideas to get you going:

• Fruits like bananas, apples, mangos, strawberries, peaches and grapes.
• Vegetables like onions, peppers, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, and kale.
• Herbs.
• Nuts.
• Meat.
• Raw food energy bars.
• Pureed juices to make fruit leather.
• Spaghetti sauce.
• Eggs (not in the shell, of course - scramble and dehydrate raw eggs to make egg powder).
• Granola.
  
  

For even more ideas, see my post, Easy Dehydrator Recipes That Anyone Can Make.

How do you use dehydrated foods?

You can eat them as is, or reconstitute them with water to use in cooking.

If you're making soup or other dishes with a lot of moisture, you can just toss the dried foods straight in.

How should I store my dehydrated food?

You can use any kind of airtight container. I like to use glass jars.

It's best to keep them in a cool dark place. Putting a small food grade oxygen absorber in the container will help make the food last longer.

If you have a vacuum sealer, that's a great option, too, because you can get all the air out. Plus the bags take up less storage space.

When properly stored, dehydrated foods can keep for several years.

Freeze drying removes about 98-99% of the moisture in food, while dehydration removes about 90-95%. So freeze-dried food has a much longer shelf life - like 25 to 30 years!

It is possible to freeze dry foods at home, but the machines are quite expensive and out of most people's price range. That's why I purchase some freeze-dried foods for long term emergency food storage, but dehydrate foods that I will use in the next year or two.

Does dehydrating affect the nutritional value of food?

Not really. Most vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, and calories remain intact. Vitamin C is more sensitive to exposure to air and heat than other nutrients, though.

Compared to the extreme temperatures used for canning and freezing, dehydration has a minimal effect on the nutritional value.

What are dehydrators good for besides drying food?

You can do more than just dry food in a dehydrator. But that depends a lot on the design of the appliance. Box and shelf type dehydrators like the Excalibur are the most versatile because you can remove all the shelves and have a large empty space if you need it.

Here are some other uses for dehydrators:

• Proofing bread dough.
• Drying bread for crumbs and stuffing.
• Making yogurt.
• Drying sprouted grains for making flour.
• Drying flowers.
• Making homemade dog treats.
• Making paper.
• Drying Papier-mâché or other crafts that require drying.
• Making potpourri.
• Drying garden seeds for saving.

Tips for Successful Dehydrating

Here are some pointers I've learned over the years:

• Cut pieces of food in uniform sizes for even drying. A mandolin slicer or food processor can be a big help here.
• Most dehydrators' fans are loud. If the noise bothers you, try running it at night. Or put it in a room where you can shut the door.
• Be aware that some foods like mushrooms and onions don't have a pleasant aroma while they're drying. This is another reason you might want to run the dehydrator in a out of the way place. If the air isn't too humid, you could put it in the garage or a enclosed porch.
• Make sure that the food is completely dry before storing it. Allow it to cool, then test it by trying to break it. If it bends rather than snaps, it's not done.
• Mix lemon juice and water in a small spray bottle, and give fruits a spritz before drying. This will help keep them from turning brown.
• Spraying the trays with a light coat of cooking oil can help prevent sticking.
• When making jerky, choose lean cuts of meat to prevent fat from turning rancid.
• This should go without saying, but read the user's manual that comes with your dehydrator before using it for the first time.

Verdict: What's the Best Food Dehydrator?