Sandra,

I can vouch for the Excalibur. I had two for 20 years with no problems. Unfortunately, we lost them both in Superstorm Sandy. I usually used them on a screened porch but don't ever remember noise being an issue. They were used hard because I was maintaining a one-year food storage program and the dehydrators ran 24/7 summer-fall. If I purchase a new dehydrator it will be another Excalibur.

Have fun - there are so many neat things to make with a dehydrator.

/tricia

I also have an excaliber and I love it. I had another, a Harvest Maid, that lasted for 25 years but eventually burst into flames (yeah, really).

I use mine in the garage, even in the winter, but I don't really find it to be particularly noisy.

Another thing I like about the Excaliber is that it's a large enough "box" that I can remove all the trays and set quart canning jars inside on the bottom to make yogurt. I can fit 6 quart jars in easily.

Annie

I dream of owning an excalibur............(I borrow my friends for now)............... so question on banana chips is there a way to make them crunchy or is that only freeze dried.

I prefer Excalibur.

Takes less room on the counter because it is square shape.

The top is free to put things on.

The trays do not have a center shaft, allowing me to have more flexibility to dry. For instance, I am drying small pizza sized slices of watermelon.

CLBlakey, set the temperature at the highest and you can make crispy banana chips, or any other fruits/vegetables.

dcarch

Multiple endorsements of Excalibur. Dcarch, thanks for pointing out the advantages of the trays without a shaft in the middle and the flat top. The trays would make a big difference in arranging largish slices, as you said. Had not occurred to me.

Does the difference in wattage matter? Nesco is significantly more "powerful." 1000 watts vs. 600.

Dcarch, do you operate this in your kitchen? What about the noise? What would you compare it to?

I am intrigued by the possibility of storing it in my work shed and operating it there, on a table in the carport, or in the garage as Annie 1992 says she does. Hadn't considered that idea either. Then noise is irrelevant.

Triciae, Annie, Dcarch, CLBlakely, I really appreciate your feedback, since this is an appliance I knew NOTHING about before beginning to read here. I had never bothered to use the old one we have in the basement. Thought it was some kind of lab equipment from my husband's old laboratory at work. Duh! He told me he bought it for $5 from a coworker, and he had not used it either. It has neither thermostat nor timer. Not sure I want to try it now, either!

Love the idea of dried watermelon slices!

Anyone else with input regarding choice of Nesco or Excalibur? Or alternatives to the models I suggested?

Sandra

I have a Nesco. My 25+yr. old Pressure Aire by American Harvest, which had a lifetime warranty, died for the second time and they had no more old parts, I'd collected a lot of trays, fruit leather trays and berry screens (which I dry everything on), so it made sense to stick with round. Especially since they gave me a great deal.

It's a good dehydrator, but if I was starting with nothing I'd go with the Excalibur.

(Re: alternatives...my Master Food Preserver group tested a dozen different ones, from a zippered net thing you hang in a tree to a plywood box with a light bulb to Ronco to Excalibur. They all worked. Consensus was get the best one you can afford because rotating trays is a PITA.)

You can't go wrong with either one if price isn't a variable.

The Nesco comes with 4 trays, so don't forget to factor in additional cost for more trays and/or other accessories for each machine. You can use up to 20 trays with the model you are looking at (my NESCO Snackmaster Pro is smaller - 500 watts - and holds 12 trays which equals 10-sq. ft.). At 1,000 watts, that may be overkill and will cost you more to get the same job done that can be done with a 500 watts dehydrator, especially since it's probably rare you would actually use 20 trays. Two to six trays will probably be more in line with what you will typically use at any one time.

Over time I've added trays, fruit/vegetable roll sheets and Clean-A-Screen sheets (used for sticky foods like pineapple, or small things that might fall through regular trays), but rarely need all the trays that I have except during apple season. Although I got along just fine with only 4 trays for years before finding more trays at a thrift store. With a Nesco you can dry food on just one tray, if necessary, which I often do. One tray for a small bag of frozen vegetables, or a discounted container of mushrooms, or a bunch of herbs, etc.

Why do you need a timer? A thermostat, yes, but you can use any kind of plug-in timer like you use for a lamp or Christmas tree lights. Personally, I've never needed or used a timer in all the years I've been using a dehydrator. You can save even more money by getting a NESCO without a timer. I just purchased one for my son from Amazon.com for $53.98 (free shipping).

-Food doesn't dry by a clock, but rather according to the amount of moisture in it, thickness you slice it, the temperature you dry it, size of the pieces, air-flow and the relative humidity in the room you are drying it in. It dries faster when the relative humidity is low and takes longer the higher the relative humidity.

-You generally need to rotate the trays once or twice (depending on what you are drying) - so you use your kitchen timer to remind you to do that. Some things need to be turned/flipped (kitchen timer to remind you to do that as well), and with fruit or vegetable roll-ups, peel them off the plastic trays and finish drying them on the regular trays once they are "set" enough to do so. They dry at different speeds depending on how thick you spread the mixture, as well as what the mixture is made from. I make some sheets crispy dry (like sweet potatoes) so I can make them into powder, so you really can't use a timer on the dehydrator all that successfully for making them.

-If you set your dehydrator to stop and that time is in the middle of the night or 3-hours before you come home from work, your dried food will have too much resting time and will reabsorb moisture from the air while sitting there, and possibly absorb enough moisture it won't be properly dried and may require more drying time (wasted money for electricity). Crispy-dry items could rehydrate enough to be limp, not crispy.

-Not all trays of food items are done at the same time because you can be drying a mixture of food items, or the same item that is different sizes. For instance, when I dry potato slices I'll put the small end slices on one tray, the mid-size slices on another, and the largest pieces on yet another tray. This way the small slices, which are done much earlier than the large slices, can be removed without riffling through EACH tray trying to find the ones that are done and leaving the rest. This helps you avoid over-done and under-done slices you get when you mix the sizes of slices. So you really can't successfully use a timer - you need to judge the doneness by feel and time is only a good (or bad) guideline. You can also load your trays with the smaller items on one half of the tray and the larger on the other side, so at least you have them localized.

-You should jar your food as soon as it comes to room temperature after it's finished drying.

-Don't jar food warm from the dehydrator and place a lid on the container because the warm food can continue to expel moisture. Enough moisture to cause the food to mold during storage.

-Don't let the food set for a prolonged period of time after it has completely cooled or it will rehydrate, especially if there is a high amount of humidity in the room.

-Don't leave the lid off dried food for a prolonged time - always get in and get out when removing a portion. If it's something you will be getting in-and-out of frequently, you may need to place the food in a smaller jar so the entire contents doesn't get exposed to moisture frequently or portion in plastic bags before jarring it. As an example - We use dried apple slices for snacking, or adding small amounts to baked goods/cereals, making a serving or two of applesauce, etc. I package them in zip-lock snack bags and pack the bags into a quart or 1/2-gallon jar with a lid. This way all the apple slices are protected from moisture in the air each time the jar is opened. I also dry some apple slices until they are crispy dry and others that are leathery (for different uses), so don't mix those in the same jar.

-Don't forget to condition your fruit after it has been jarred. Conditioning is a process used to evenly distribute the minimal residual moisture throughout all pieces. Place cooled, dried fruit loosely in a large plastic or glass container, about two-thirds full. Cover and store in a dry, well-ventilated place for 4-10 days. Gently stir or shake containers daily to separate and mix the pieces. IF beads of moisture form inside the container (and be on the lookout for that), return the food to drying trays and finish drying them and condition again when done.

-Don't use any food that have "off" odors or show signs of mold - without taking proper precautions your dehydrated food can grow dangerous bacteria. If there is mold, the mold spores will be through the entire jar of food, not just on the ones showing signs of mold, and you need to trash the entire container of dehydrated food.

Warning: Potatoes are notorious for developing mold. They need proper pre-treatment, best when you cut even slices you get using a cutting mandolin rather than a knife, and careful drying. I pack them in small 1/2-pint or pint jars rather than a largeer container like a quart or 1/2-gallon jar. This way only a small amount would be exposed to mold.

-Grainlady

“---Does the difference in wattage matter? Nesco is significantly more "powerful." 1000 watts vs. 600.----”

Difficult to say without a side-by-side test. If there is a difference, it would be in timing, not the final quality of the food.

“--Dcarch, do you operate this in your kitchen? What about the noise? What would you compare it to?---“

I have mine in the basement. Since there is no need to keep checking the food, no sense in cluttering the kitchen up. Yes, it makes noise, but not noisy.

Beside “Sun dried” tomatoes, I make all kinds of dehydrated crispy pureed seedless skinless tomato sheets, which can be turned into powder of pure tomato taste. I do the same with fruits, mango, cherry, apple, etc. I use the fruit powder to sprinkle on pancakes, ice cream, etc.

Also, crispy tomato sheets and fruit sheets and powders make nice gifts.

Let me share with you how I do it:

Use 3/8” x 3/8” wood sticks to make a frame. Stretch and Scotch tape somewhat loosely a sheet of plastic produce bag on the frame. The frame will hold very liquidy purees for drying. Interesting that the plastic is non-stick, and the plastic frame will last many seasons.

dcarch

I have the Nesco, and it works fine. Only thing, it's a PITA to clean the trays. I end up putting them in a plastic tub outside with water and some chlorine bleach; in a day or two I hose them off.

If I were to start again, I think I'd save my pennies and get the Excalibur. But if you get a really good deal (I've seen them at thrift stores and eBay) the Nesco is quite acceptable.

Whatever you do, get a copy of Mary Bell's dehydrator cookbook. New or used, it's worth it.

Here is a link that might be useful: dehydrator cookbook

"Use 3/8” x 3/8” wood sticks to make a frame. Stretch and Scotch tape somewhat loosely a sheet of plastic produce bag on the frame. The frame will hold very liquidy purees for drying. Interesting that the plastic is non-stick, and the plastic frame will last many seasons."

Great idea way cheaper than the paraflex or silicone sheets

I wonder if parchement paper would work on the regular racks I see on the excalibur site they have disposible sheets.

Wood sticks are available in hobby shops and art supply stores.

dcarch

Love the DIY frames, Dcarch. I will definitely make some. (I just had to replace my father's ancient miter saw to finish trimming out some new bookcases. Maybe I'll make the frames with fancy mitered corners! ;-)

Arley, the Mary Bell and the Phyllis Hobson books (also recommended by Grainlady) are on order. Should arrive today or tomorrow via Amazon Prime (used copies saved a few $$).

CLBlakey, I wondered also if parchment paper could be used or if it would interfere with air circulation. Maybe the books will tell me.(Since Dcarch uses plastic film without problem, maybe air circulation would not be compromised by parchment paper.)

Grainlady, I am going to print off your hints and store them with the dehydrator when I decide which to order. You are an endlessly rich source of info. The idea of storing smaller quantities of frequently accessed dried foods in multiple small bags inside large jars made especially good sense. I have some commercially dried mushrooms in fairly large bags bought at a great little Asian market that I am going to repackage that way.

Can anyone else speak to the utility of a timer? It appears to add about $30 or so to the cost of the device (assuming I use BB&B's coupon). Worth it or not?

This post was edited by Bellsmom on Thu, Aug 15, 13 at 10:23

"------Can anyone else speak to the utility of a timer?----"

Yes. some of the uses for me:

You can fry green tomatoes, you can also fry ripe tomatoes.

I dehydrate ripe thick tomato slices halfway first. Otherwise ripe tomatoes turn to watery when fried.

Also makes better roasted tomatoes. Very intense tomato flavor for your recipes.

Chicken 45 minutes in the dehydrator to dry up the skin gives you much crispier skin for your roasted chicken.

dcarch

This post was edited by dcarch on Wed, Aug 14, 13 at 12:26

There is also a method where you partially dry food and then freeze it - DEHYDROFREEZING.

Fruits dried at home normally have had 80% of the moisture removed; vegetables, 90%. By removing only 70% of the moisture the food has good flavor and color, take up less space in the freezer, and reconstitute in about 1/2 the time it takes for traditionally dried foods. BUT, because there is so much moisture remaining in the food you MUST freeze it in order to prevent bacteria growth and mold. And if you quick-freeze it first on a cookie sheet (or other flat surface) then vacuum-seal the food, it will have a longer storage-life than fully dehydrated food stored at room temperature.

-12-square ft. of drying space dries about half-bushel of produce.

-Fruit, due to a higher sugar content, will last longer in storage than vegetables; but a good rule of thumb is to use your dehydrated food by the next harvest. Keep it rotated - first-in, first-out and used on a regular basis. Although you can keep home-dehydrated food in your pantry for long periods of time, and it's generally considered safe to consume, the older it is the less nutritional value it will have, texture and taste may alter, and color fades. According to the Clemson Extension: Recommended storage times for dried foods range from 4-months to one year. Because food quality is affected by heat, the storage temperature helps determine the length of storage; the higher the temperature, the shorter the storage time. Most dried fruits can be stored for one year at 60-degrees F, or six months at 80-degrees F. Vegetables have about half the shelf-life of fruits.

I continually use my dehydrated foods and consider them pantry foods. They are not part of my long-term food storage - which extends to at least 3-years, or longer.

-Vegetables contain less carbohydrates and tend to dry faster than fruits.

-If you are going to dry cranberries (I wait to purchase them after the holiday's when they are drastically reduced), you need to process them first, you can't dry them whole. You can cut them in half OR drop in boiling water for 30-seconds until the skins pop and split (the preferred method). This goes for blueberries and gooseberries as well.

-Dehydrated bananas at home are nothing like the crispy (fried) banana chips you buy at the store. You can add dried banana sliced directly to batters, combine with other dried or fresh fruits. One cup of dried banana slices yields about 1-1/4 c. refreshed (squishy) banana slices or 3/4 c. mashed bananas.

-The toughest part about dehydrating is learning how to use it. I'd suggest a copy of the book "Making and Using Dried Foods" by Phyllis Hobson because the information isn't just about how to dehydrate, but also how to use it, plus recipes using it.

-Be sure to check raw foods blogs for recipes made in a dehydrator. Monday I made cookies with raw almond/coconut pulp after I made almond/coconut "milk" - no baking necessary. I make "cereal" and crackers in the dehydrator using almond pulp.

-Avoid raw shell eggs for anything you dehydrate. Choose pasteurized eggs or egg products (Egg Beaters), or even an egg substitute made with flax seeds or chia seeds. I use powdered whole eggs for things I dehydrate - like egg noodles or pasta.

-If making your own wooden frames, make sure the wood is NOT chemically treated because it can off-gas in the heat of the dehydrator. Avoid zinc-coated screen. For screens choose stainless steel, Teflon, Teflon-coated fiberglass, nylon or food-grade plastics.

-You need to heat-process vegetables (boiling water or steam blanching) in order to stop the enzyme action, just as we do when we freeze vegetables. There are a few that don't require blanching and you can find charts on-line that tell you how long you need to blanch them for dehydrating.

-You don't need to heat-process frozen vegetables because they have already been processed before they were frozen. I usually give them a quick dip in acidified water to aid in preventing spoilage, maintain color, adds a little vitamin C. Then give them a gentle spin in my salad spinner to remove the excess water before filling my trays.

There is a great deal of practical information at the link below, including the New Home Drying Recommendations, with links to other great information and charts.

I've been getting ready to teach my 25th class on dehydrating. It's always a great group of people!

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Colorado State Extension - Food Safety

so now I am confused

Dcarch- says yes you can make crispy banana chips

Grainlady- says no

I have tried them but they turn out leathery not crispy like the freeze dried store ones. Am I missing something?

post removed

This post was edited by triciae on Wed, Aug 14, 13 at 16:04

"so now I am confused
Dcarch- says yes you can make crispy banana chips

Grainlady- says no

I have tried them but they turn out leathery not crispy like the freeze dried store ones. Am I missing something?"

I am going to make some today. I am sure I remember I did it last year.

BTW, dehydration is completely different than freeze drying.

dcarch

Is it thickness and even slices? I have not used a dehydrator in years but am following suggestions. I appreciate the book recommendations. I may have a good fruit crop this year.
Especially asian pears. I usually freeze but the crisp and grainy texture does not do so well freezing.
Sweet potato, kale, and beets do so well in my gas wall oven. It does keep a low temp...aprox 130. I use a mandoline, paperback book cover thin. Get crispy chips that curl.
I see a dehydrator in the near future. : )
I've been using an oil mister with warm coconut oil for oven drying. I suppose a different animal all together?

Freeze dried was the only comparison I had for crispy banana chips. I know the process is completely different. I am hoping there is some trick I missed in getting mine from leathery to crispy.

Sorry for the hijack

Oh. And a super big thank you to those that share their experiences. So much to learn!
So appreciated. Thank you!

CLBlakly, I am NOT sorry for the hijack. It has led to so much info here, especially for a know-nothing like myself.

I DO hope anyone else with an opinion about the models and makes of dehydrators will still respond.

As of now I think I will go with the Excalibur, although I am not committed (although sometimes my DH grumbles that I should be!)

Today I printed some of the info from the great Colorado State Extension source that Grainlady linked. There are wonderful, concise tables of times and temperatures for different foods there, as well as much more info.

I am hoping that Dcarch can tell us how to produce crispy banana slices.

And Sleevendog, an Asian grocery I visit periodically has sometimes had large bags of Asian pears at a great price. I have never bought them in such quantities because I couldn't use that many quickly. But soon. . . . .

Wow I just checked the price of shipping to me and it (excalibur of course lol) is $96 but if I send it to AZ it is only $11 what a difference.

CLBlakey (sorry I misspelled this last post)
I don't know where you live, but do you have a Bed Bath and Beyond fairly close by? If so, they will often forego shipping if you use one of their coupons for something not available in their local store--at least in my experience. Really a good idea to get on their list, I think.

Amazon Prime membership costs a fair bit, but gives you free 2 day shipping on most items. It also is well worth the annual membership cost to me.

Now if I could just decide which dehydrator to buy.

OK, I just dehydrated some bananas. Yes, bananas can get crispy.

1. Set dehydrator at the highest setting.

2. Slice bananas thin. It takes a long time to dry.

When the slices are warm, they are leathery. After cooling, they become crispy.

You have to store the slices in an air-tight container immediately, otherwise they get leathery very quickly.

If your dehydrator is not hot enough, you can microwave to further dry the slices.

dcarch

Riper bananas make a sweeter but chewier product, green bananas will be crispier.

dcarch, do they stay crispy for long, even in the air-tight container? I've never had much luck with that.

I used to cut them into thirds and split the pieces lengthwise into three segments for banana sticks (or...UglyButGoods). The first time I gave The Kid a commercial fried-in-oil banana chip she spit it out, lol.

Thanks Dcarch for the experiment and the info.

Bellsmom- I am from Northern Alberta where we really should have sled dogs LOL 8 months of snow on the ground. We are getting a Bed Bath and Beyond in the next few weeks not sure what the opening day is. I am not sure how this works "they will often forego shipping if you use one of their coupons for something not available in their local store" they buy things for you from other stores?

I can buy a refurb directly from Excalibur for $250 and have it shipped to AZ then have my parents bring it home or drive to Edmonton (5 hours) and buy for $350. Hoping that BB&B is a better alternative

In the States you can sign up at BB&B in stores or on line for coupons and special sales info. The coupons, which arrive regularly by mail and email, are good for 20% off any single item (with a few exceptions, which sometimes the store will ignore. I bought my Breville oven there, using a coupon, although Breville items were listed as excluded on the coupon.)
When I am interested in something, such as the dehydrators, I check both BB&B and Amazon on line. Then I visit a BB&B. BB&B stores will order an item that is listed in the on-line inventory if they do not have it in stock. I pay at the store, using a coupon, and the item will be shipped directly to me from some central warehouse. As I said, they will usually forego shipping charges. (I have to negotiate this, and a manager has to clear it.) This makes them competitive with Amazon Prime, and the BB&B customer service and return policy is absolutely super.

Hope this is clear. Don't know if Canada BB&Bs offer coupons.

(We have driven through Alberta, but in the southern part--as far north as Edmonton, where a good friend used to live. I loved the towns and people. But snow 8 months of the year? BRRRRR.)

I will look into it thanks. You are so right about the Brrrr!!! Someday I hope to be a snowbird and fly south for the winter.

Just signed up for the emails. Price is $379.99 here which is still cheaper than driving to Edmonton.

This post was edited by CLBlakey on Fri, Aug 16, 13 at 18:39

"---(We have driven through Alberta, but in the southern part--as far north as Edmonton, where a good friend used to live. I loved the towns and people. But snow 8 months of the year? BRRRRR.)---"

I was in Edmonton. I didn't know why they had many electric outlets in parking lots. Then I found out why.

dcarch

Probably so they could hook up their dehydrators.

(Grin)