We put some of the most popular food dehydrators to the test with everything from jerky to fruit leather and dried flowers.
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I’ve been food dehydrator-curious for longer than I can remember. I knew some fellow mushroom foragers had these mysterious and bulky-looking appliances, but I never looked into owning one until I tried to dry sliced sweet potatoes in my gas oven. Not only did using my stove at its lowest setting for hours produce indoor air pollution, but I was unable to set my gas stove below 170 degrees Fahrenheit. My efforts produced burnt versions of the dried sweet potato slices sold as my dog’s overpriced treats. I also wanted to make beef jerky and dry flower petals, those glossy lemon and orange citrus rings for cocktails, potato chips, and fruit leather, and develop my own dehydrated meals for camping, since they are so expensive to buy.
I had been reluctant to buy a dehydrator because I live in a New York City apartment. I vet appliances on a basic formula of the amount of counter space the appliance would take up multiplied by how often I would use said appliance. Lack of counter space is why I don’t own an air fryer or bread machine. And so testing food dehydrators was a bit of a dream assignment and the perfect excuse to see if owning one was worth it. Spoiler alert: They are. Especially our top pick—Brod & Taylor's Sahara Folding Food Dehydrator ($295).
For more useful appliance advice, check out some of our other kitchen-related guides, including Best Air Fryers, Best Toaster Ovens, and Best Espresso Machines.
July update: We've added the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro, Excalibur DH08SCSS13, Café Couture, and Elite Gourmet EFD329WD, and Dehytray Solar Dehydrator as picks, and ensured accuracy of links and prices.
Best Overall
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroBrod & Taylor
Sahara Folding Food Dehydrator
$295 Amazon
$295 Brod & Taylor
The compactable Sahara by Brod & Taylor didn’t require a smoke-out (see above) and is the only model that came with a washable air filter to keep contaminants out of the dehydrator. The Sahara is billed as the “world’s first folding dehydrator,” made by a company known for its high-end folding bread proofer and slow cooker. If you’ve ever spent time with a King Arthur Baking Company catalog, then you’ve seen Brod & Taylor's work; it makes sense that they've also created the Sahara.
The Sahara takes up the most kitchen counter real estate of all the dehydrators tested, but it’s made to collapse down to one-third the size when not in use. Brod & Taylor sells a carrying case ($60) to keep it tidy for storage. After my initial assembly of the Sahara, I know I can pop it up and have it ready to use in under four minutes. And it’s idiot-proof; even the power cord has its own slot.
Another feature of the Sahara is the ability to program dual time and temperature controls. There is a Time 1 and Time 2 along with a Temp 1 and Temp 2. The feature enables users to set, say, a short time at a high temperature and then a longer time with a lower temperature. The desire to have a small dehydrator in a small kitchen results in a tiny amount of drying rack space. The Sahara solves that problem in its ability to fold away while also providing the largest rack area of any dehydrator in this roundup. And while the Sahara doesn’t have an interior light, the large front glass panel makes it easy to view the dehydrating progress. The Sahara also comes with a silicone drying rack that I’ve used for fruit leather. The Sahara was the most expensive model I tested, but it’s also the one I most highly recommend. It has the most features and a robust warranty, making it a solid investment.
SpecsDrying tray space1,584 square inchesCounter space (closed)22" x 12.25" x 3.75"Weightdehydrator, 12.8 pounds; stainless steel shelves, 4.9 poundsTemperature range85–165 degrees FahrenheitTimer15 minutes to 99 hoursAppearanceBlade Runner dehydratorWarranty3 yearsEasiest to Use
Photograph: AmazonNesco
FD-7SSD Digital Food Dehydrator
$170 Amazon
$170 Walmart
$170 Nesco
This Nesco is perfect for beginners and is the only model I tested that had a light—this is an important feature, as much of dehydrating food is checking to see if it’s done. The larger fan makes a steady, almost white-noise hum. At 17 pounds, the Nesco's large profile takes up space. Its seven trays provide ideal drying space for large batches. And like all the models tested in this roundup, it has programmable time and temperature. Its large window makes the drying progress easier to view than Nesco’s smaller Snackmaster Jr.
The control panels were intuitive and easy to use. And while this Nesco is a real presence on any kitchen counter, reminiscent of a mini wine fridge, it’s out of proportion for my city kitchen—it would be an ideal appliance in a large kitchen or dedicated pantry. Its large capacity makes an excellent addition for the home cook looking to expand their repertoire.
SpecsDrying tray spaceSeven trays, surface area N/ACounter space (closed)16" x 14" x 12"Weight17 poundsTemperature range90–160 degrees FahrenheitTimer1 to 24 hoursAppearanceMini wine fridgeWarranty1 year
Best Value
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroCosori
Pioneer 5-Tray Food Dehydrator
$50 Amazon
$50 Cosori
At $50, this Cosori food dehydrator is the best bang for your buck when it comes to dehydrators. It’s a workhorse that produced consistent results. Unlike the other models I tested that had their fan in the back, the Cosori’s fan is in the base. Even with the old-school setup of stackable rings, everything dried evenly. Still, there are some drawbacks. The Cosori uses BPA-free plastic ring dehydrator trays that are bulky. And while they are top-shelf dishwasher safe, only a few can fit on the top shelf at a time. Also, the cylinder shape takes up more space than it should on a counter. It’s also an old-school white plastic.
The trays are stackable and can adjust to a wider width between trays, which comes in handy. I don’t love plastic trays, even though these are BPA-free. And because the dehydrator has an almost Lego-like design, the rings come apart if I don't move the Cosori from its base. I also find cylindrical appliances challenging in terms of my kitchen-counter Tetris. And because I don’t love the old-school dehydrator look of the Cosori, I would want to store it. Fruit trays are sold separately, or you can cut parchment paper to fit the circular tray, though that seems a bit laborious. Still, the Cosori Pioneer does what it’s supposed to, and Cosori publishes some of the best dehydrated food recipes I’ve used. For the price, it’s an excellent first dehydrator.
SpecsDrying tray spaceFive 11" diameter trays with 1.1 pound capacityCounter space12" x 12" x 9"WeightN/ATemperature range95–165 degrees FahrenheitTimer30 minutes to 48 hoursAppearanceOld-school white plasticWarranty2 yearsBest Multitasker
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroBreville
Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
$400 Amazon
$496 Walmart
$400 Best Buy
$400 Williams-Sonoma
Yes, it's an air fryer (and not to be confused with the smaller Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Compact), but the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a multitasker. Its airflow has the capacity to bake, toast, air fry, roast, and proof, along with dehydrating. And unlike the Cafe Couture below, Breville makes it very clear that the Smart Oven can dehydrate up to four trays at once, quadrupling its drying area to larger than many dedicated dehydrators. The Smart Oven takes up more counter space than the Cafe, making it a less attractive option for those with small kitchens. Still, for those who make pizza, love air frying, and need a dehydrator, this versatile Breville might be for you.
I was able to fit the slices from two medium sweet potatoes into the Breville’s basket, and I set the temperature to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. It took about five hours to get the dried but chewy texture I was looking for. If I had cut the slices thinner, I would have achieved dry, snap-in-half chips. Breville’s display is easy to read and the front glass tray placement signage makes it almost idiot proof.
SpecsDrying tray space194 squre inches with one tray, 778 square inches with four traysCounter space (closed)17.5"D x 21.5"W x 12.7"HWeight30 lbsTemperature range80–480 degrees FahrenheitTimerYesAppearanceStainless steel all businessWarranty2 years
Best Looking
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroNesco
FD-41B Snackmaster Jr. Dehydrator
$76 $64 (16% off) Amazon
$71 Wayfair
$75 Nesco
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Harmony Hearth.
This dehydrator was designed to be a permanent fixture on the counter. It’s as demure as dehydrators get with its petite profile, magnetic door, and four tiny mesh screens. Nesco made this model to make “fresh snacks that last one or two people a few days,” and it does just that. Its navy blue retro design gives ’50s kitchen nostalgia. The control dials are simple to use, though it shows only the hour without minutes until it hits the 59-minute mark, which can be annoying.
And while the mesh metal trays can be washed in the top rack of a dishwasher, the surface area—less than 4 square feet—is too small for my efforts when it comes to the prep involved with dehydrator cooking. If I’m going to slice fruits or veggies with precision or go through the trouble of dry-rubbing or marinating meat for jerky, I’m going to make a good batch. One of the selling points of dehydrating food is that it extends the shelf life, so to have such a small space doesn’t make the Nesco ideal. If you’re looking to dry some herbs or really only want small batches of fruit, then for the price and looks alone this Nesco makes sense.
SpecsDrying tray spaceApprox. 576 square inchesCounter space (closed)13.3" × 13" × 10"WeightN/ATemperature range95–175 degrees FahrenheitTimer1 to 24 hoursAppearanceNostalgic kitchenWarranty1 yearBest Capacity for the Price
Photograph: Kat MerckExcalibur
DH08SCSS13 Select Digital Food Dehydrator
$179 Amazon (8-Tray)
Excalibur is the OG name in food dehydrators, known for its commercial and professional units. However, the company also makes a series of consumer dehydrators that offer large tray capacities at low prices. This eight-tray, 7.2-cubic-foot Excalibur dehydrator has all the modern dehydrator features you’d expect—metal trays (though they're not dishwasher-safe), mesh and fruit roll sheets, French doors, and a timer. You can also pause the time to add minutes if need be, and there’s a free digital recipe book ("Preserve it Naturally") accessible via a QR code on the side.
I tested the Excalibur with fruit, tomatoes, beef, and marinated salmon, and it dried everything in nearly half the time than my old bargain-basement round Nesco Snackmaster with plastic trays. Best of all? The 600-watt motor is strong, but not loud—at all. I had it running in an open-concept kitchen/living room and clocked it at 40 decibels, which didn’t even require turning up the TV. I wish the warranty were a bit longer than one year, but this is still an extremely user-friendly dehydrator that just about any casual user would be happy with. —Kat Merck
SpecsDrying tray space1,037 square inchesCounter space (closed)17.32" D x 13.39" W x 14.08" HWeight16.5 lbs.Temperature range85–165 degrees FahrenheitTimer30 minutes to 80 hoursAppearanceMini commercial convection ovenWarranty1 year
Best for Those Who Want Fancy and Fast
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroCafé
Couture Oven with Air Fry
$449 $349 (22% off) Amazon
$450 Williams-Sonoma
$450 Crate & Barrel
As someone with a smaller kitchen and limited counter space, I was curious if there was a countertop oven that had a dehydrator mode. It would be nice not to pull an appliance from my storage closet when I want to dehydrate food. I also prefer appliances that have more than a single purpose. Enter the Cafe Couture Oven with Air Fryer. At 18.6 inches wide, the Cafe takes up only slightly more space than my old toaster oven. Among the 14 different cooking settings, the Cafe has a dedicated dehydrator function and uses the air fryer basket. Dehydrating food is all about air circulation and constant temperature settings.
And while I like the Cafe’s countertop dimensions, this is a drawback when it comes to drying area. While I couldn’t find the answer online, I do think I could buy a second and possibly a third basket and double or triple the dehydration area. And those extra trays might be worth it, as the Cafe was one of the fastest dehydrators I’ve tested. It is also WiFi compatible, though I’m not a fan of the SmartHQ app and wish bigger companies like GE would make appliance-dedicated apps.
SpecsDrying tray space156 square inchesCounter space (closed)12.5” diameter, 6” compact, 10.5” full sizeWeight36 lbTemperature range80–450 degrees FahrenheitTimerYesAppearanceHigh-end polished kitchenWarranty1 yearBest for Small Spaces and Budgets
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
- Photograph: Lisa Wood Shapiro
Elite Gourmet
EFD329WD Digital Food Dehydrator
$40 Amazon
I was looking for a collapsible dehydrator at a lower price point than the Brod & Taylor Sahara Folding Food Dehydrator, above, and the $43 Elite Gourmet Digital Food Dehydrator is an ideal option for those with small spaces on a budget. Its trays nest into each other, compacting to a little over 6 inches tall, and expands to just over 10 inches when all five trays are assembled. The machine is 12.5 inches in diameter, about the size of a vinyl record. The trays are dishwasher safe, but the dehydrator does not come with fruit leather mats—those need to be purchased separately.
The base-mounted fan and heater blow warm air upward. And I did notice the food in the trays closer to the base dried out a bit more than the upper trays. Still, I was able to dry two thin-sliced, medium-sized sweet potatoes at 131 degrees Fahrenheit in about six hours to achieve dry but slightly pliable chips. The light-up display is easy to read and it automatically alternates between time left and temperature when it’s in drying mode.
SpecsDrying tray space410 square inchesCounter space (closed)12.5” diameter, 6” compact, 10.5” full sizeWeight5.29 lbTemperature range95–158 degrees FahrenheitTimerYesAppearancePlastic utilitarianWarranty1 year
Best for Back-to-the-Land Lovers
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroDehytray
Solar Dehydrator
$100 Amazon
$100 Walmart
$140 $100 (29% off) Jua Technology
The Dehytray from JUA Technologies is a solar-powered dehydrator. It’s the brainchild of two Purdue University professors who wanted to make it possible for small farmers/households across the world to have access shelf-stable food. As a city dweller, I’ve looked with envy at the DIY solar dehydrators that usually involve glass, wood, and a mirror. The Dehytray is bulky but lightweight. I brought it on a recent girls' weekend out in the Hamptons where I knew I would have space and constant sunlight, something I can’t guarantee on my Brooklyn fire escape. At 33” long and 16” wide, the Dehytray has a significant amount of food-drying real estate.
Once I was finished pulling the protective blue wrappers off the acrylic sheets, I snapped everything in place and looked for a spot that had all-day sun. I cut up sweet potatoes, but wasn’t sure how long it would take to dry the slices into the stiff, slightly pliable chips I use as dog treats. I started around noon and left the Dehytray out till dusk. I picked up the entire unit and brought it inside. The next morning, I returned the Dehytray to its spot in the sun. After about a total of eight hours and change, the sweet potato slices had shrunk and stiffened. They were done. There was little cleanup other than wiping down the tray. And while JUA says I can dry fruits and even meats in the Dehytray, I worried about insects or critters, as this is an outdoor product. I wouldn’t attempt to dry fruit leather in the Dehytray, but I could see doing vegetables and herbs. You can even buy additional trays and stack them for drying. At $99, this would be ideal for the home gardener.
SpecsDrying tray space528 square inchesCounter space (closed)33”L × 16”W × 5” HWeight5 lbs.Temperature rangeSolar poweredTimerWhen the sun’s upAppearanceGarden equipmentWarranty90 daysBest for Those in a Hurry
Photograph: Lisa Wood ShapiroMagic Mill
Pro Food Dehydrator Machine
$150 $135 (10% off) Amazon
The Magic Mill has both fast and raw modes. And its double-time fast mode did dry apple slices, banana chips, and kiwis in about half the time of when I ran the dehydrator at regular speed one day. While I liked the large viewing window, the Magic Mill doesn’t have an interior light, so I had to pull out the trays to check their progress from time to time, as I couldn’t clearly see how the items were doing.
While the Pro has a smaller footprint than the Nesco seven-tray, it still takes up a significant amount of counter space, depending on your kitchen’s size. The fan is quieter than other models I tested, and its stainless steel trays are dishwasher safe.
SpecsDrying tray spaceSeven 11" x 10" trays with 8 pound capacityCounter space (closed)15.5" x 11.5" x 10.75"Weight13.75 poundsTemperature range95–167 degrees FahrenheitTimer30 minutes to 24 hoursAppearanceModern stainless steelWarranty1 year
The first factor to consider is how much food you need to dehydrate at once and how much space you have available. Commercial food dehydrators come in different sizes and shapes, ranging from countertop models to large cabinet units. You should choose a food dehydrator that can accommodate the volume and variety of food you want to process, while also fitting in your kitchen or storage area. You should also check the dimensions and weight of the food dehydrator, as well as the power requirements and cord length.
The second factor to consider is how the food dehydrator circulates air and distributes heat. There are two main types of airflow systems: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal airflow systems have a fan and a heating element at the back or side of the unit, which blow hot air across the trays. Vertical airflow systems have a fan and a heating element at the bottom or top of the unit, which blow hot air up or down the trays. Horizontal airflow systems tend to provide more even and consistent heat distribution, while vertical airflow systems may require more tray rotation and adjustment. You should choose a food dehydrator that has an airflow system that suits your needs and preferences.
The third factor to consider is how the food dehydrator controls the temperature and time of the dehydration process. Different foods require different temperatures and times to dehydrate properly, so you should look for a food dehydrator that has a wide range of temperature settings and a timer function. Some food dehydrators have digital controls that allow you to set the exact temperature and time, while others have manual controls that have preset options or dials. You should choose a food dehydrator that has a temperature and timer control that is easy to use and accurate.
The fourth factor to consider is what features and accessories the food dehydrator offers. Some food dehydrators have additional features that can enhance the functionality and convenience of the device, such as auto-shutoff, adjustable thermostat, transparent door, noise level, indicator lights, and more. Some food dehydrators also come with accessories that can expand the range of foods you can dehydrate, such as mesh screens, fruit roll sheets, non-stick mats, jerky guns, spice packets, and more. You should choose a food dehydrator that has the features and accessories that meet your needs and expectations.
The fifth factor to consider is the quality and warranty of the food dehydrator. You should look for a food dehydrator that is made of durable and safe materials, such as stainless steel, plastic, or glass. You should also check the reviews and ratings of the food dehydrator, as well as the reputation and customer service of the manufacturer or seller. You should also look for a food dehydrator that has a warranty that covers the parts and labor for a reasonable period of time, in case of any defects or malfunctions. You should choose a food dehydrator that has a high quality and a good warranty.
The sixth factor to consider is your budget and the value of the food dehydrator. Commercial food dehydrators vary in price, depending on the size, features, quality, and brand. You should compare the prices and benefits of different food dehydrators, and look for discounts, deals, or coupons that can lower the cost. You should also consider the operating and maintenance costs of the food dehydrator, such as electricity, cleaning, and replacement parts. You should choose a food dehydrator that fits your budget and offers the best value for your money.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit food dehydrator supplier.