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Thread: thinking about a dehydrator

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Default thinking about a dehydrator

    We decided to get a dehydrator this year. Been dabbling to and fro on getting one but this year the income tax return came and decided now was the time.

    any thoughts on a good brand?

    we're not sure on what size to get. Those little round models are to small for us.


  2. #2

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    Buy the small one and just make more then one batch and save storage space.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I have the five drawer Excalibur. Mine is the first row right hand side.

    http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/D...ors-37-cat.htm

    You can even purchase factory refurbished units from Excalibur. I just noticed you have to buy the paraflex sheets separately on the refurbished units. That would add about $100 more to this one.

    https://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/...gular-prod.htm

    http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/N...gular-prod.htm
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    Senior Member Winnie's Avatar
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    I can't suggest Brands, as you have a much wider choice available than I. I would recommend you get one with a thermostat and a timer though.
    Recession; A period when you go without something your Grandparents never heard of.

  5. #5

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    I have a 750w Nesco with the adjustable temps. It can store away under my counter when not in use but it's large enough with 5 trays (can use up to 9) to make 3 lbs of meat into jerky at a time. I can dehydrate 7-8 cups of stew/soups/cassarole with room to spare.
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    The Excalibur is considered by many to be "top of the line". When I upgrade mine it will be with an Excalibur 5 or 9 shelf model. The sideflow air movement dries food on the various levels more evenly (I've been told). Most models have an upgraded version with a timer......not sure it's worth the extra bucks when you could just plug the machine into an external timer.

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    I've been thinking about the 9 tray excalibur. Probably get it at cabalas.

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    One of the round american harvest dehydrator models can be expanded up to 30 trays for 30 sq ft vs 12.5sqft for the 9 tray excalibur. For the price of the exclibur, you can get that model plus 10 extra trays (18 total) or about 50% more area.
    http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/dehydrators.aspx

    On a much larger scale, stumbled across this one earlier today:
    The Rocket Food Dryer is a hybrid wood powered/electric food dryer that has a maximum capacity of 100 kg of raw food (such as mangoes, tomatoes, pineapple, bananas, and mushrooms). It utilizes a small wood furnace and two 80 W electric fans. During tests in Malawi this year, the Rocket Dryer used 20 kg of eucalyptus over an 11 hour period to produce 6.9 kg of dried mango (the average wood: dried fruit ratio during trials was 2.94:1). This compares favorably to the existing system, which required ~1000 kg of wood to perform the same task.
    http://www.rocketstove.org/

    Solar plans:
    http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...ing.htm#Drying

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    What you don't see on the Nesco is the motor is on the bottom, which means you have to rotate the trays. 30 trays is a lot of rotating. If you drop/spill anything inside it lands on the motor, which can be a bear to clean up. Been there done that. That's why I have an Excalibur.
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  10. #10

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    My Nesco has the motor on top.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Well that would be a huge improvement on them and make them a lot more user friendly. They used to be on the bottom and stuff like sauce or fruit was a pain to clean up. Do you still have to rotate the trays?
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    thanks for all the info. I'll ponder on it.

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    No, that has not been necessary. I think if I stay within the suggested 9 tray limit on the 750 watt model I won't have to do any tray rotating.
    Wilderness Survival:
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Then they've made some good changes in their product line. I need to get out into the world more (sigh).
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  15. #15
    Off Grid! Darkevs's Avatar
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    I have the 5 tray Excaliber.......though I do not use it much as i dry/dehydrate most foods in an overhead drying rack in my cabin, saves on power usage as I am off grid......the wood heat in my home dries most veggies/fruits in just a few days.

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