Shopping for a Dehydrator

[Wifezilla]

I picked up a NESCO at goodwill for $5.99. GREAT buy. I never bother rotating trays, but I main dry small stuff like cherry tomatoes and grapes.

 

[Emerald]

I have the American Harvest one and I love it. Hub's bought mine over 12 years ago and got me a few extra trays (that the middles come out of so you can do thicker things and I even put yogurt in pint jars in there) and I've bought 2 more just like it at yard sales(Each only a buck!) and got extra fruit roll up trays and mesh trays to go with mine.
The first one says Harvest maid on the side but the other two just say American harvest.. but all three are the same.
I just did potato slices in mine and to make more room I put layer on and then put a mesh insert over that layer and put another layer on top of the mesh and did that for 3 layers and they dried wonderfully. So I can say that it will probably work for other types of dehydrators with the fan too,
I only have the ones with the fan/heater element on the bottom and can not say about the newer ones with the fan/heater on the top.

 

[sufficientforme]

I don't have to rotate but I have the 1000 watt Nesco gardenmaster. Mine came with all the screens and fruit leather trays, it was a better value for me at the time I bought it, but to do it over I would probably get the Excalibur for it's shape and style of drying.

 

[valmom]

I have a 30 year old (I think) Harvest Maid. The plastic trays were yellow and brittle and hard to clean without breaking them, and I couldn't find replacement trays that I thought would fit. So I was shopping and liked the Excalibur- the round trays are sort of a pain. The sticker shock made me go with the 4 tray model. I LOVE the dehydrator, but save up and get the biggest one you can! 4 trays are NOT enough That said, my old white, yellowing plastic one is still working fine, too, as long as I am very very gentle with it.

 

[DesertChick]

I just replaced my 18 yr old American Harvest Snackmaster with the new Snackmaster. In fact, I got it today and I'm currently drying sliced bananas and carrots. My old model had the fan on the bottom and I never had to rotate the trays. I'm waiting to see if having the fan located on the top will make a difference in the drying process.

I spent several days deciding whether to buy the Snackmaster with 5 trays or the Excalibur. I went with the Snackmaster because of the price. Also, I can use my old trays to expand it for a total of 9 trays. Plus, the new unit came with a jerky gun which I'll be using tomorrow. I bought it on Amazon and shipping was free.

ETA: My new one is so much quieter!

 

[Emerald]

@Valmom-I just saw on Amazon that you can buy new trays for the harvest maid.. any where from about $16 to $20 for two. The trays that I have that come apart in the middle(to dry bulkier stuff) are turning yellow and are quite fragile compared to the rest and I use a mesh liner on top of them to keep them cleaner.. that way I am not having to scrub them roughly to clean them.
After I get all the holiday gifts with my swagbucks cash I am going to invest in a few more.. I have three bases/lids but only 10 trays all together. I want more..
Hubby got me three boxes of trays that are for the same brand($3 each 2 per box) and are clear, but do not have the same "air flow" holes as the original and I think they are for the top based heater/fan one. so I have all my family looking for one at yard sales and thrift stores..
only way I can use them right now is I put mushrooms in them and put them in a light mesh(think wedding veil) bag to keep bugs out and I dry stuff in the car with only one window cracked open out in the full sun. Mushrooms dry in one day out there.. Plus they benefit from the sun.. is supposed to bump up the vitamin D in them.

 

[Beanie]

So I finally decided and ordered a Nesco F60. 500 wtts and has the jerky maker.
I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas!! LOL!!

thanks for all the great info from everyone!!!

 

[k0xxx]

Congrats! Keep us posted on all the fun.