Drying food such as vegetables, meat or fruits for proper
preservation and improved flavor is not new. The only difference is in the
effectiveness of the method or tools used. Some people still use the olden ways
of sun drying food items but as technology advances we now have electric food dehydrator available in different sizes and features. A typical electric
dehydrator works by heating air and circulating this hot air throughout the
dehydrator. Dehydration of food is natural and it is done without adding any
chemicals. This process helps you prepare food for sending to family and
friends, backpacking and for school lunches. Ardent gardeners can also use
dehydration to reduce the volume of their products when they have limited
storage space.
General
Benefits of Food Dehydration
The food is considerably resistant to yeast, mold and bacteria
more flavor in food items less interference with food content or structure
Dehydrated food items are less harmful since there are no chemical additives
How to Choose a Food Dehydrator.
There have been numerous improvements on dehydrator types, models,
capacities and shapes since they were introduced. The most common food
dehydrators come in tow shapes; the recommended square dehydrators and the
round dehydrators. The square dehydrators offer more functional room. Although
many marketing gimmicks will claim faster drying, the fact is that most
standard electric dehydrators work almost at the same pace when used to dry the
same type of food. The main difference is in the heat distribution and drying
mechanism characterized by airflow, design, timer and temperature control,
noise level, versatility, wattage, price and the quality of the materials used
in the manufacture of the dehydrator unit. The most important factors to consider
when shopping for a commercial dehydrator include.
Dehydrator Style: There are box-style dehydrators with trays and
stackable food dehydrators.
The box-style dehydrators work more like ovens for even heat
distribution with the fan and heater at the back of the unit. Box-style
dehydrators take more kitchen space compared to the stackable type but their
versatility allows for diverse use such as drying light garments like lingerie,
making yogurt or bread rising. Air is blown horizontally at once through the
entire pile of trays making it ideal for drying mixed foods types. The
advantage of this is the preservation of the different flavors with little to
no tray rotation required. The trays are also easily accessible for simplified
tray removal and food checking. Box-style dehydrators are however not
expandable although this is not a major problem since they come in small to
large sizes. They are easy to clean.
Stackable dehydrators on the other hand have the fan and heater at
the bottom or the top and the air is blown vertically. Sometimes the fan and
heater can be placed on opposite ends depending on the make and model. This
means there are high chances of flavors transferring between different foods.
Access is also an issue because a middle tray can only be accessed by removing
all trays above it. They are easily expandable by buying extra trays but harder
to clean especially if the food drips on the fan. This dripping problem
together the difference in drying periods for different foods to dry makes it
necessary to constantly rotate the stacked trays.
Shopping
For the Best Food Dehydrator
Our top 3 commercial dehydrator list includes the following best
rated dehydrators based on customer reviews and overall performance in terms of
the above highlighted features or specifications.
1. Excalibur D900CDSHD Tray Clear Door Stainless
Steel Dehydrator with Stainless Steel Trays Why? Ever heard of the
Parallax" Horizontal Air Flow and Hyper wave" Fluctuation patented
technology? Well this unique heating and drying combination with a 600w 7 inch
fan is ranked number 1 in the industry and it is the core of the Excalibur
D900CDSHD dehydrators functionality. This top rated dehydrator has a classy
looking stainless steel exterior and a polycarbonate interior. The clear door
is also made of polycarbonate material and it also makes it possible for you to
see the progress of dehydration without having to open the dehydrator. They
also have a 26 hour timer controlled thermostat that stops automatically with a
temperature range adjustable from 105 to 165 degrees F. The 9 stainless steel
trays provide large spaces (approximately 15 sq feet) for food placement and
separation during dehydration. Dry your meat and fish in record 4 – 6 hours
tops. The unit uses 110 – 120 Volts. The dehydrators made in the United States.
2. TSM Products Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator with 5 Stainless
Steel Shelves Why? This dehydrator is made of food safe rust free stainless
steel. The louvered door is designed with air circulation maximizing holes to
let out air and moisture. The temperature range is a bit lower although you can
choose between 90 to 155 degrees on the adjustable thermostat controlled by a
12 hour timer. There is a switch to bypass the timer. The trays are also made
of food grade stainless steel with around 8 sq feet of food placement space.
The fan and heater are conveniently positioned at the back of the unit making
it easy to clean because the panel covering the electrical components together
with the fan is easily removable. The trays sit on support brackets which are
designed to allow for simplified handling while setting up or removing food
from the dehydrator. It is especially a great choice for fruits and vegetables.
You can also insert a digital thermometer through a specialized hole placed on
the face door for better temperature monitoring. This TSM products dehydrator
can be classified as medium capacity. This product is made in the United
States.
3. Excalibur 3926TB Food Dehydrator Why? The
Excalibur 3926TB just like the Excalibur D900CDSHD also offers 15 sq feet of
space on 9 trays for drying your food items and works on the same heating and
drying technology. There is a 26 hour timer for the thermostat coupled with an
on/off switch. Although the front door is not transparent for easy food
monitoring, the timer enables you to carry out your food dehydration without
having to check all the time. One of the unique features of this dehydrator
model is the flexible nonstick poly screen insert for trays. The exterior is
made of durable plastic is ideal for home use. This unit’s versatility allows
you to dry other items such as dough art, clay home crafts, flowers and
potpourri. The thermostat is also adjustable between 105 to 155 degrees F. The
Excalibur 3926TB is available in black.
