Food Dehydrators

[*jo*]

Does anyone have a food dehydrator?  With all the amazing summer fruit coming in and the cost of dried fruit I was thinking it may be a good investment.  Any info would be great thanks...

[Meagan]

I would love to hear peoples thoughts alos  A friend has one and I have borrowed it before to make dried apple. I think if I had one I would use it. I know Quirky Jo has two I think??

[andiesenji]

I have three of the Excalibur dehydrators and I dry a lot of fruit. 
The first one I got was the 5-tray, some 25 years ago and it still works.  However, after I moved up here and had access to a lot more local fruits, it was not big enough so I bought a 9-tray and later another 9-tray.  I have one in my pantry all year because I use it often.  It is perfect for drying bread as I don't have to fire up the oven.  I bake crackers and they have to be dried well so they won't get moldy and I use it for that.  I also use it to make jerky and it gets a lot of use when I make candied peel.

Before I got the Excalibur, I has several other smaller dehydrators, none worked well and I tossed them in the trash. 

Here's a photo from one of my candied orange peel projects.


I know they are available in Australia because my friend in Victoria has one.  She bought it on eBay a year or so ago. 

[Tebasile]

If I would  have as much space as Andie I would have one more  . My 9-tray Excalibur is always filled with some goodies, kale chips, apples, crackers, soaked nuts and grains:

[judydawn]

Somehow I don't think the girls in Australia are thinking of anything that big 

[cookie1]

My brother has one and he loves it. He uses it to dry bits and pieces from his vegie garden that are surplus. He can't share it with me as he lives in Canberra.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I bought one at the start of the year, but haven't used it much yet.  I read an article about naturally dried fruit not being good for children systems (sugar is too concentrated from memory), so haven't wanted to dry much fruit.  I do want to get into baking crackers and vegie chips though. 

[*jo*]

Andie  I have dehydrator envy!!!  That is just mind blowing, I love the idea of doing peel too.

The kale chips sound amazing Tebasile great photograph.

I have done some research prior to my queryand the excalibur seems the mercedes benz, (it can't be the rolls royce, that badge is only for the Thermomix )

There is a huge price difference here in Australia too, from $90 for a Breville or similar brand that have one horizontal fan, less even air flow and longer drying time, to the $350 and some, that have two vertical fans, obviously more even air flow and faster. 

Judy, Judy, Judy bigger is better!!!!!!!! LOL...except when it comes to the price tag

Bummer cookie he can't share it with me either hehe.

As for the concentrated fruit, my son has type one diabetes so fructose CAN be an issue.  The problem with dried fruit is not the concentration as much as we tend to eat more so hence greater intake of fructose.  I might eat one maybe two fresh apricots in one sitting however give me some dried apricot halves and I can assure you I will eat more than four small pieces, which is the equivialnt to two fresh apricots.

There also doesn't appear to be the range available here, maybe that is just Perth

[judydawn]

  if you have room for it *Jo* 

[Meagan]

Jo hi,

They have a different brand at loose produce in Como and have run some classes in the past but I haven't managed to see them or go to the classes.

HTH

[*jo*]

Nice one Judy

Meagan excuse my ignorance, what is Comoros?  There is an organic store in Morley that sells the 5 and 9 tray excaliburs with 5yr warranty but KACHING $$$...then again Christmas is around the corner...hhmmm...

[achookwoman]

I have a 'Harvest Maid" dehydrator.  It is good,  and I don't think they are very expensive.  I have had mine for about 15 years without any probs.  You can buy extra trays.   If I have a big run of something,  say Apricots,  I leave it run all night.  When making jellies,  the residue can be spread over plastic sheets,   that come with the machine,  and dried as sheets of fruit .  I used to make a dried vegie mix for soups,  but now with the TMX,  I don't bother.   They supply a powder from which you make a solution to dip the fruit in to prevent it going brown.   I don't use this but use lemon juice in water that does the same.  I dry fruit and then Vacuum seal it in small bags.  Hope this helps.

[Meagan]

Sorry Jo that is my iPad predicting what I am writing and correcting it. It was meant to say Como!!!

[Hestonfan]

I can vouch for the 9 tray Excalibur (recommend also the recipe book, very comprehensive). The smaller size would be filled too quickly. I make dehydrated fruit snacks for all the family, but have to say we don't consume them daily.
Judy has a point- it is fairly big- but it is reasonably light ( like the TMX) and can be moved around. Before we had our kitchen done it used to be carried between rooms! The trays are the heaviest part, but can be easily removed and stored away.
WOW Andiesenji  I would love to see your gadget collection 

[Hestonfan]

I found an interesting review about dehydrators- it might be topical for the raw foodists

http://www.greensmoothie.com/dhd/specs-exc.html#temp