Nesco Food Dehydrator Review 2021

Dehydration is a process of extracting the moist from the food in order to preserve its nutrients and quality for a longer period of time.

The only reason why our food eventually decays is because of the bacteria that live inside the water (moist) of the food.

This is where the food dehydrators come in.

They dry the food to such extent where it no longer contains any moisture, therefore delaying the process of decay.

Once dehydrated, the food retains around 90% of its original nutrients, and can later on be re-hydrated.

Here is a list of the best Nesco food dehydrator :

1-Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator

Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator is a powerful model from a brand that has been producing food dehydrators for a long time.

According to Amazon, over 90% people who bought this item were more than satisfied with their purchase, which is no surprise if we consider all the benefits.

What are the benefits of Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator?

With a 700-Watt motor power and 5 large circular trays, drying food with FD-75PR is a breeze and takes only a couple of hours (instead couple of days).

The 5 default trays can even be upgraded with 7 additional ones, leaving no room for scarcity.

This is more than enough for a whole family to enjoy a big, healthy, dried meal.

All the trays have a circular shape and can be cleaned very easily, as they are completely dishwasher-safe.

There’s no need to rotate the trays either (although you can if you wish to do so) and the flavors of the food don’t mix.

Nesco FD-75PR Food Dehydrator has a top-positioned fan, preventing the potential damage of juice leakage.

All the food juices are collected in the bottom part, so they never come in contact with the motor itself, therefore prolonging its life-span.

The juices drip to the bottom part of the dehydrator, making it very convenient to maintain.

Patented Converga-Flow® fan forces the heated air from the top to the bottom of the dehydrator, while spreading evenly across the trays and drying the food uniformly.

With Nesco FD-75PR, you can control the intensity and the pace of the food drying by adjusting the built-in thermostat.

You do this by setting the desired temperature from 95-160 degrees Fahrenheit.

The cool thing about this dehydrator is the Vita-Save® Exterior feature which basically prevents and isolates all harmful exterior lights in order to preserve the healthy nutrients inside the food.

Also, when you make a purchase, you will get a free 52-page recipe book to get your creativity juices flowing, giving you plenty of ideas for your next meal.

What are some of the downsides of Nesco FD-75PR?

Although not really a downside, it is actually funny that this great dehydrator doesn’t have an ON/OFF switch!

You have to do this manually by plugging/unplugging the cable.

Also, with dimensions of approximately 13x13x10-inch, this dehydrator (like most other dehydrators) takes up a lot of space, so it is advisable that you consider the ideal place for it before you actually make the purchase.

This item is currently available for purchase on Amazon! Click here to check it out.

If you thought these dehydrators are quiet, you’d be wrong.

While turned ON, they make a rather noisy sound as the fan heats and dries the food inside.

This, however, is the case with all dehydrators and not only Nesco FD-75PR.

The good news is that most people seem to get used to the sound after some time.

With all this in mind, it is still pretty clear that the Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator is certainly a high quality product that won’t let you down.

2-Nesco FD-80 700 Watt Square Food Dehydrator

Nesco Square Dehydrator FD-80 is a great food dehydrator made by a company that boasts to produce ‘the best dehydrators in the world’.

As the name suggests, the FD-80A has a square shape.

This characteristic distinguishes it from other, circular dehydrators.

Square-shaped dehydrators are known to perform somewhat better in terms of drying the food.

Top-mounted fan is responsible for generating and dispersing the heated air through the trays of the dehydrator.

The patented Converge-a-Flow heating system of FD-80 forces a hot stream of air horizontally across each tray, instead of vertically through the trays (as in case of circular dehydrators).

This ensures that the food is dried evenly and uniformly.

Nesco FD-80 Square Dehydrator comes with 4 food trays that can be expanded up to 8 trays.

This covers enough space, no matter how big your appetite is!

There’s absolutely no need for rotating the trays and worrying whether the flavors will mix.

They are also very easy to clean and can be safely put in your dishwasher.

The FD-80 has a built-in thermostat which enables you to adjust the heat settings and determine the pace and intensity of food drying yourself.

You have to realize, however, the slower you dry your food, the more nutrients it will retain.

Having said this, it is advisable that you let the food dry a little longer and ensure more healthy nutrients are being preserved.

The heat temperature can be set between 95 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another excellent feature of the FD-80 is the Vita-Save® Exterior which is responsible for blocking out all the outside lights that destroy the nutrients inside the food.

Upon purchasing, you will receive an instruction manual which will guide you step-by-step through everything you need to know to successfully operate your dehydrator.

Check current pricing here.

As mentioned before, the 4-8 large food trays are really more than enough to satisfy anyone’s appetite.

However, the very best aspect of this dehydrator is also its biggest handicap.

It can be rather hard to find a suitable place for such a large-sized accessory unless you’ve already got plenty of space in your kitchen.

Also, it will take some time before you get used to the ‘noisy sound’ that the dehydrator produces while active.

This is only typical for every food dehydrator (not just the FD-80) and you shouldn’t pay too much attention to it.

With all this taken into consideration, it is still reasonable to conclude that the Nesco Square Dehydrator FD-80 is surely a bargain for all it offers!

3-Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator

The Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator is a great quality food dehydrator at a very affordable price.

You can guess by its name what it does best… that’s right – making snacks! Tasty, healthy and nutritious snacks that will make everyone curious about the recipe.

The Pros Of Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator

Containing 5 trays with an option of separately buying and installing 7 additional ones, Nesco Snackmaster Dehydrator is ready to dry and prepare as much food as you can handle.

It is a perfect tool for smaller families who like getting together and enjoy a healthy, tasty meal.

The amazing feature of this dehydrator is its unique heating system positioning.

Usually dehydrators have a rear or a bottom motor placement, but Snackmaster has it on top!

This enables a unique heat flow through the trays, spreading vertically through the trays and horizontally above each separate tray, ensuring the food is dried properly and evenly.

Also, the flavours of the food don’t mix and the trays don’t need rotation.

The trays have a circular shape and a small hole in the center to ensure a proper flow of the heat.

They are very easy to clean and the juices from the food always end up on the bottom of the dehydrator, making it easy to wash and maintain.

All the trays of the Nesco American Harvest Snackmaster Dehydrator are completely dishwasher-safe.

Opaque Vita-Save exterior makes sure all the harmful outside lights are isolated in order to perfectly preserve all the nutrients of the food.

The Snackmaster is also equipped with a built-in thermostat which enables you to regulate the intensity and pace of dehydration.

You can set the temperature between 95 and 155 degrees, depending on the food and the degree to which you want to dry it.

Check current pricing here.

The cons Of Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food dehydrator

Being a small 500W beast, Nesco Snackmaster Encore Food Dehydrator does produce a rather loud noise while active.

However, this is the type with almost all current dehydrators and most people get used to it fairly quickly.

Also, its size can sometimes be deceiving.

If you plan on buying one of these, you have to find a place where you can fit it without causing discomfort.

Final words

The cheap price and amazingly positive customer review ratings make the Nesco dehydrators very high on our list.

It is recommended for everyone who is no longer willing to settle for low quality junk food and ready to live a healthier and happier life!

FAQs

This part list out a few of the frequently asked questions about food dehydrators so that you can make an informed purchase decision.

1-What are the advantages of dehydrated food?

Dehydration of food has many advantages associated with it. It is a low-cost method to preserve foodstuff without having to worry about bacterial contamination.

Dehydrated food is an alternative to canned and frozen foods. They require less space than canned foods and the freezer need not be kept running.

2-How does the food dehydrator work?

The food dehydrator dries food by passing warm air over surfaces of foodstuff. It reduces the water contained in the foods.

Warm air at specified temperatures helps to preserve both the nutrients and the flavor of the food.

3-What are the different types of dehydrators that are available?

There are two main types of dehydrators that are available.

One type has trays stacked one on top of the other on which the food is kept for drying.

These trays are placed above a heater unit with a fan.

The second type has removable trays and warm air flows over the foodstuff from the sides or the rear.

4-What are the different foods that can be dried in a dehydrator?

Fruits and vegetables (125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit), herbs, leaves, and other delicate plant foods (95 degrees Fahrenheit); and fish, meat products (155 degrees Fahrenheit), etc., can be dried using a dehydrator.

It can be used to make yogurt (115 degrees Fahrenheit). Dairy foods and grains can also be dehydrated.

5-Can the oven be used to dehydrate food?

Ovens cannot be used to dehydrate food as they do not offer precise temperature control like the dehydrator.

Moreover, there is no scope for circulation of air in an oven.

Warm stagnant air is definitely a risk factor in food safety.

6-Do the trays of a stacking dehydrator have to be swapped intermittently?

In these types of dehydrators the drying is from the bottom to the top.

This creates a temperature gradient with the top portions becoming cooler.

For even drying, the trays have to be interchanged occasionally.

7-Is it more advantageous to dry foodstuff using dehydrators than purchase dried food?

It is an advantage to use your own dehydrator as you are in total control of the quality of the food.

You can choose a method that offers maximum retention of nutrients.

Over the longer term, dehydrated food items work out cheaper than buying dried food.

Dehydrated food bought from stores may contain preservatives.

8-What is the time taken to dehydrate food?

The time taken to dehydrate food depends on many factors, including the drying temperature, the surrounding temperature, the piece-size of the food, and the moisture content of the food, among others.

It is recommended to follow the instruction manual for the time required for dehydration of different types of food.

9-How is the food stored after it is dehydrated?

Dehydrated food can be stored in sterilized, airtight and rigid containers.

The food should be filled to leave only a minimum volume of air in the container. Vacuum sealed bags can also be used to save space.

10-Can dehydrators be used for drying stuff other than food?

Dehydrators can be used to dry a wide range of items. Whereas some use dehydrators to make raw dog food treats, some others use it to dry flowers to make potpourri. Yet others use it to dry cine film for the purpose of storage. They can be used to dry metal jewelry and clay.

11-Can dehydrators be used to dry whole meals during camping, hiking, etc.?

Dehydrators can be used to retain the nutrition of entire meals during hiking and camping pursuits.

Steaks and casseroles as well as other lightweight protein-rich food can be dehydrated.

12-How useful is a dehydrator with a timer?

These types of dehydrators are useful if you need to leave them unattended for a while.

They automatically switch off after a certain period of time. The result after drying is more predictable when a timer is used.

13-Do dehydrators consume a lot of electric power?

The heating element of a dehydrator is thermostat controlled and it works to provide an optimum amount of heat by switching the power supply on and off according to the requirement.

The energy used depends on a number of factors including surrounding temperature, humidity, moisture content of the foods etc.