The Best Food Dehydrators (Review) in 2020

Affordable, compact and versatile, the Nesco Snackmaster is the perfect solution to dehydrating multiple batches of food simply and quickly. This dehydrator machine comes with five trays but is expandable to 12 if you want to work with larger batches. Its thermostat is adjustable from 95º-160º F, so you can dry different foods at proper temperatures. The machine also boasts a patented Converga-Flow drying system which sends air down the pressurized chamber first and then horizontally across all five (or 12) trays. This ensures the food is thoroughly and quickly dried, without flavor mixing.

The Nesco food dehydrator has an opaque shell which blocks harmful light, helping preserve the nutritional value of the food you’re dehydrating. Among many accessories included, this machine comes with two solid liner sheets for making fruit rolls and drying liquids like soups and sauces. There are also two mesh sheets for drying herbs and spices, as well as three jerky spice and cure packets to get you started making your own jerky.

Sturdy, spacey and easy to use, the Excalibur 3926TB is a top-shelf food dehydrator model that allows for quick drying of various foods. With 9 trays and a total of 15 sq.ft. of drying space, this machine can dehydrate quite a bit of food, including vegetables, fruits and some herbs. Drying meat to jerky is also a piece of cake, and you can even raise bread if you wan to. The Excalibur food dehydrator has an adjustable thermostat (105°F to 165°F), so you can dry all kinds of food items safely. Most conveniently, the machine also has a 26-hour timer.

The heating element, thermostat and fan are all located in the back of the unit, so cool air is drawn in, heated and then distributed evenly across each tray of food. The machine uses the patented Parallex Horizontal Airflow which helps dehydrate food faster while preserving more nutrients.

If you’re looking for a quality, beautiful food dehydrator for your kitchen countertop, check out Gourmia GFD1950. With 9 trays, adjustable thermostat (95°F- 158°F) and drying timer, as well as a sleek, dark outer shell, this machine is not only highly convenient, but great-looking too. Whether you want to dry fruits and veggies or meat and herbs, the Gourmia dehydrator is a great choice as it’s easy and quick to use. Why? The unit has a Select-and-Set LCD panel which allows you to set up the drying time up to 19.5 hours, as well as to adjust temperature settings (there are 8 preset settings).

The Gourmia uses Circusmart 360˚ Air-Flow Circulation System which promotes even dehydration across all trays. The accessories include micro-mesh trays, fruit leather sheet and drip tray, as well as a recipe book with 12 easy to follow recipes.

If you’re just starting with food dehydration, the Presto 06300 is the perfect unit. Compact, simple to use and ideal for small batches, this electric machine is the starter unit that most beginners swear by. There are 4 trays for dehydrating food which come with the machine, but the unit is expandable up to 8 for added capacity (the extra 4 are sold separately). The bottom fan and heater provide consistent airflow for even drying, so no tray rotation is necessary. Speaking of temperature, the machine operates consistently at about 165° F, meaning it’s not adjustable.

The Presto doesn’t have a timer, so you’ll have to be nearby to turn it off when done. If you need extra accessories, fruit roll sheets, jerky gun, jerky kits and non-stick mesh screens are available.

Square, with a top-mounted fan and a budget-friendly price, the Nesco FD-80A is somewhat of a rarity in the dehydrator world. Indeed, this medium-sized machine has a stacking design that is super-easy to use, doesn’t take much space, yet manages to dry quite a bit of food at once. With an adjustable thermostat, you can customize the temperature settings between 95 to 160º F and properly dehydrate various foods, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat and fish. The machine comes with 4 trays, but is expandable up to  8 trays if you want to work with larger batches.

The Nesco FD-80A uses the patented Converga-Flow drying system for consistent and even drying of foods. The 700-watt motor helps ensure fast drying time, so you get proper dehydration that is also super-fast. The unit comes with two jerky spice and cure packets, as well as one  clean-a-screen.

The Hamilton Beach 32100A features an adjustable thermostat (100-160° F), a 48-hour timer and an auto-shutoff feature, making it one of the best affordable food dehydrators on the market. The thermostat is digital so you can easily set the proper drying temperature for a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, meat and herbs. There are 5 stackable trays, so the unit is perfect for drying smaller batches of food. With 500 watts of power and continuous airflow feature, the drying is consistent and even, meaning there’s no need to rotate the trays at all.

The Hamilton Beach machine comes with two specialty sheets for added versatility. So, besides regular drying of fruit, veggies and meat, you can also puree fruits, make fruit rolls and dry certain herbs.

Another excellent food dehydrator by Nesco, the Snackmaster FD-60 is the perfect choice for folks on a budget. Versatile, easy to use, quick to dry, this unit has it all at a modest price. Like the previous square-shaped model, this round unit too has a top-mounted fan, as well as an adjustable thermostat from 95 to 155 º F. Thanks to a 500 watts of drying power, the food is dried very quickly, including all kinds of fruit, veggies and meat. This is a 4-tray food dehydrator that can be expanded up 12 trays, although you do need to purchase the extra ones separately.

Using the Nesco’s patented Converga-Flow drying system, the food is dried consistently and evenly, without flavor-mixing. The unit comes with one fruit roll sheet, and two original-flavor jerky spice and cure packets.

Looking for ultra-durable, versatile, easy to use food dehydrator? You can’t go wrong with Magic Mill, the professional 9-tray unit that comes with everything both professionals and beginners need for proper food drying. This machine has a digital thermostat that you can adjust from 95º F to 158º F, as well as a 19.5-hour timer with countdown feature. The fan is rear-mounted to promote even drying without overheating, but the overheating safety feature already provides maximum safety. The trays are made of stainless steel, so they’re guaranteed to last a long time. Plus, they can be used for drying any food item, including dried fruit slices, beef jerky, dried herbs and many, many more.

The Magic Mill dehydrator’s 600 watts drying power ensures the job is done quickly, and equally important, evenly across all trays. For extra versatility, various accessories are included: 2 non-stick fruit leather sheets, a fine mesh sheet, hanging rack and oven mitts

Cheap but durable, the Nesco FD-37A is the perfect starter dehydrator for absolute beginners. There is no adjustable thermostat as the machine runs at consistent 160 degrees to dry everything from fruits and jerky meats, to vegetables and certain spices. The unit features Fan Flow Radial Air system which ensures each tray is dried evenly and consistently. Speaking of trays, there are 4 included with the unit, although you can fit 7 if working with bigger batches (the 3 extra trays are sold separately).

Although simple in its design and features, the Nesco FD-37A does a great job at drying a variety of foods, as the process is quick and food always thoroughly dehydrated.

Versatile, durable and simple to use, the Ivation food dehydrator is one of the best mid-priced machines on the market. The unit has a digital thermostat that can be adjusted from 95 to 158º F, as well as a digital timer with automatic shutoff feature. The fan is 480 watts and rear-mounted for even drying without overheating (but there is also overheating safety protection). And with 6 height adjustable racks, you can dry a variety of foods, including fruits, nuts, seeds, veggies, meat and herbs.

This model has a drip tray to collect any residue from the drying process, so cleaning is a piece of cake. The accessories include one nonstick fine-mesh sheet for drying herbs and spices, and one solid sheet for making fruit rolls.

With 6 large drying trays and precise temperature control, the Aroma Housewares food dehydrator offers the option of drying larger batches of foods properly, easily and quickly. Its thermostat has 7 preset temperature programs, so you can dehydrate a variety of options the right way, including the trickiest of foods. The rear-mounted fan promotes even drying and optimal crispiness, so you can dehydrate pretty much anything you can think of – from vegetables and fruits, to herbs, nuts and jerky meats, this machine really does it all.

The Aroma Housewares dehydrator circulates air all on its own, so there is no need to rate the trays ever. And importantly for some, it’s super-quiet too.

Looking for a quality, affordable jerky dehydrator? Check out Nesco’s Jerky Xpress Dehydrator kit that comes with a jerky gun. Using Fan-Flow Technology, this unit dries food faster and more consistently with no tray rotation necessary. Since it works with a fixed temperature, it’s perfect for beginners, although even seasoned professionals would like this convenient little machine. There are 4 trays (plus the base tray), but the unit is expandable up to 7 trays. If you use all 7 trays with over 7 sq.ft. of drying space, you’ll get about 7 pounds of jerky in just one batch!

This beef jerky dehydrator is a simple machine and as a result, very easy to use. To help you get started, it comes with a jerky gun with 3 tip attachments and spice and cure packs

If you’re looking for a quality, super-durable but easy to use food dehydrator, you’ve found it. The STX International’s unit is not only made of stainless steel, but comes with several useful features that make food dehydration quick and easy. The machine features 1200 watts of power and an adjustable thermostat from 95 to 165 degrees. There are 12 stainless steel trays so the unit fits quite large batches of food with no issues. For even and consistent drying, the STX International model uses a 7-inch rear-mounted Horizontal Air Flow fan system.

To provide maximum convenience, the unit has a stainless steel drip tray which catches any residue from drying. Even more importantly, there is a 12-hour automatic shut off timer, making this one of the best, if not the best dehydrator in the higher price range.

Small, convenient and very reasonably priced, the Nutrichef’s dehydrator is the perfect option if you dehydrate food occasionally or only for yourself/small family. This little unit is a multi-tier electric dehydrator that can dry a variety of food items, including veggies and fruits, meat and fish. It’s simple to use too – with only one operational button and consistent running temperature of 180°F, all you have to do is place your food, click the button and let the machine do its thing.

The Nutrichef PKFD12 has 5 stackable trays and heat circulation that travels through each of that tray quickly and evenly. It also comes in two colors – white and black – so it’s easy to pick the unit that best complements your kitchen.

Last, but certainly not the least on our list, is the Tribest’s Sedona Express food dehydrator. This high-quality, durable and elegant looking dehydrator is one of the most advanced machines on the market. This doesn’t mean it’s complicated to use though – on the contrary, this unit has a brightly lit LED digital display on the front panel that is super-simple to use. The Tribest boasts 11 stainless steel trays with an advanced TST feature that speeds up the dehydration process significantly. With an adjustable thermostat from 75 to 167°F, this fruit, veggie, herb and meat dehydrator allows you to properly dry pretty much any food item that exists.

The unit has a powerful central fan and overheat protection, ensuring maximum efficiency and safety. Importantly, it also has a continuous operation mode feature which allows you to dehydrate for up to 99 hours at a time! But that’s not all – the Tribest model comes with a washable and reusable air filter so you never have to worry about flavor mixing.