dehydrators, wish I had never heard of them

**Scarlet** · 13-01-2015, 09:55 AM

Yeah, go with your gut instinct and get the best you can afford

I bought a small cheap one (forgotten the name!) though my Mum stole it

I use the slow oven in the Aga for drying stuff. I wouldn't be without the fruit leathers....

**Kristen** · 13-01-2015, 10:01 AM

I did the same and decides I needed rectangular, multi-tray, fan-at-back.

But as I do in similar scenarios I bought a cheap model, but one with sufficient reputation to do a decent enough job, and bought that; if it becomes critical in my life I then use the new-found knowledge & experience to choose & buy the model that best suits my needs.

I rarely use my dehydrator now. Dried apple slices have amazing flavour, but I don't like them THAT much, I prefer a fresh apple - which I can buy 365 days of the year in the Supermarket ... I dry my Chillies in mine, but friend freeze theirs ... and so on.

**sparrow100** · 13-01-2015, 10:44 AM

I've got a cheap round one. Hate to buck your trend, but I love it. This month I am mostly enjoying my own intense strawberry slices on my morning porridge and whacking OH's sticky paws if he tries to snaffle any. I can't grow enough courgettes to feed our courgette crisp addiction and a jar of apple rings will vanish in hours. In summer we add in pineapple, carrots, parsnips and beetroot to the trays.

Next year I am planning a foray into the world of fruit leathers, and drying tomato skins for powder.

**Mikey** · 13-01-2015, 10:52 AM

lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala.

Not listening, I can't I already have enough stuff in my house. I still fall in the area of what's that, do I need one!!

lalalalalalaallaalalalalalalala.......!

**Jay-ell** · 13-01-2015, 11:29 AM

I have an Andrew James rectangular digital dehydrator which comes with y trays. It cocked out just before Xmas (probably because I kept it on my microwave and the heat buggered it up) however the company did replace it quickly.

I was at a loss as i wasn't able to do anything -especially as dehydrated apples, toms amd strawberries were on Xmas lists.

**Kier** · 13-01-2015, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by Kristen View Post

I did the same and decides I needed rectangular, multi-tray, fan-at-back...

this is my problem will I need it in two years time
although fruit leathers as mentioned before are going to be out of this world when I learn to make them

**Kier** · 13-01-2015, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by Mikey View Post

lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala.

Not listening, I can't I already have enough stuff in my house. I still fall in the area of what's that, do I need one!!

lalalalalalaallaalalalalalalala.......!

But Really you should have one ,

**sparrow100** · 13-01-2015, 12:06 PM

To be honest, apart from price there isn't much difference between the round and rectangular ones. The fruit and veg I dehydrate isn't rectangular and fruit leathers don't have to be...Round works just as well and saves you ��.

**Mikey** · 13-01-2015, 12:09 PM

You now sound like Mrs Doyle from Father Ted,

'Would you have one Father?'

'Ahhh, no thanks Mrs Doyle'.

'Ahhhh go on,'
'go on....'
'go on, go on, go on, go on.....!'

I really really don't need to know any more about them....really. I have a yoghurt maker, and I don't make yoghurt.

**Jay-ell** · 13-01-2015, 12:38 PM

But this would mean that you could not make yoghurt with home made not dehydrated fruit

**sparrow100** · 13-01-2015, 01:06 PM

Originally posted by Mikey View Post

You now sound like Mrs Doyle from Father Ted,

'Would you have one Father?'

'Ahhh, no thanks Mrs Doyle'.

'Ahhhh go on,'
'go on....'
'go on, go on, go on, go on.....!'

I really really don't need to know any more about them....really. I have a yoghurt maker, and I don't make yoghurt.

You've rumbled my cunning plan...

**Alison** · 13-01-2015, 01:09 PM

I too love my cheapo model, only paid about �26 for it years ago and it gets used every year. Mainly to dry mushrooms, fruit and herbs to properly dry but also to do sundried level tomatoes. Don't use it for leathers much as they don't tend to last long enough for the amount of fruit they use

**Kristen** · 13-01-2015, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by sparrow100 View Post

there isn't much difference between the round and rectangular ones. The fruit and veg I dehydrate isn't rectangular and fruit leathers don't have to be...Round works just as well and saves you ��.

The difference, assuming that the fan is at the back on the rectangular ones, is that on a stacked circular one the tray nearest the heater gets hot, dry, air, whereas the trays furthest away get moist hot air. Thus the drying time, and amount of dryness, is different for the trays.

For the fan-at-the-end ones all trays have the same hot, dry air. This makes a difference if there are a lot of trays, so more suitable to doing larger quantities perhaps.

There may also have been some benefits from the max temperature of the rectangular ones when I did my research, some years ago, but memory is now hazy on that.

**Bill HH** · 13-01-2015, 01:55 PM

How about chucking your fruit into the tumble drier?

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