A question for Dehydrator owners

[Smiffy]

I didn't want to take TOF's thread on producing fruit powder to add to water off topic so thought I would start a new one

So for any owners - What type of Dehydrators are you using ? What was the cost ? and are you happy with them and their end product ?

This year I will have (hopefully) plenty of fruit in the garden so thought it was about time I bought a Dehydrator, but I'm not looking at spending hundreds of pounds on one.

One last and potentially stupid question, is it possible to dehydrate any vegetables ?

[TOF]

First of all, get this book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Bells-Compl...+mary+bell

The dehydrator I have is one of these:

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/househol...drator.htm

It is probably the most basic dehydrator you can get. It does the job, but it also has limitations. To ensure a quality end product it's necessary to rotate the trays, but then you have to do that with some of the more expensive ones too. As dehydrators go, it's cheap to run being only 250watts. I have had mine 5 years now and it still runs well. I use it on average once or twice a month.
The good points, it's simple, easy to clean as the motor is at the top, cheap to run. It's inexpensive to buy.
The bad points, it needs attention, for really good results you can't just turn it on and leave it.
It has no thermostatic control, which could well go some way to help with quality of end product.
It has limitations on what you can dehydrate, large uneven peices(broccoli and such) don't do well, niether does citrus fruits. However, it makes fantastic fruit leathers.

Would I have a different one ? yes. I would go for one that has a timer and temperature control.

This booklet will give you some idea of what you can do with a dehydrator.

http://www.nesco.com/files/pdf/nah_adj_c...102011.pdf

I also dehydrate some cooked foods to make up my own dehydrated meals to take camping, this includes pasta, rice, cooked beans. I'm a big fan of this chap, he has given me a lot of ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrBabelfish5?feature=watch

The thing to bear in mind, like any preservation method is cleanliness and time, it takes time to get it right, and to make sure you have a safe product to store.

Oh and yes, you can dehydrate veg!

[Smiffy]

Thats great, Thanks TOF.

It's a subject that I have come across a lot over the years but never really paid enough attention. Now my circumstances have changed, i've a good sized garden with plenty of fruit trees and vegetables, and I'm looking at the various ways to preserve some of it

Will download the pdf and go from there

Thanks again

[Skean Dhude]

I have the same dehydrator and it works fine for me. I've used it a few times always with left over fruit. I would look at a more expensive one if I was doing more of it so I could switch on and forget.

It does the job though and there is little to break.

[Tarrel]

We use the warming oven in the Rayburn. Advantage is that it is using heat already being produced and requires no electricity. TBH, we've used it more for producing things for craft products rather than food, but it strikes me that it is a really useful way of preserving.

Quite a few folks in the lightweight backpacking community produce their own dehydrated meals for backpacking trips. The impression I get is that you can dehydrate practically anything.