5 Best Food Dehydrators, Tested and Reviewed (2025)

All dehydrators were tested with the same ingredients during drying time, taste and taste. Everyone except the Sahara needs at least 30 minutes of “smoking” to remove factory smoke from dehydrators. The manufacturer’s manual recommends doing this in a well-ventilated space. I ended up using the deck for several models because I didn’t want that smoke in the house.

I’m most excited to make beef jerky in the dehydrator, but please be aware USDA safe food handling rules include cooking meat before dehydration at 160 degrees Fahrenheitavoid foodborne diseases. I’ve tried this method for the first time to make beef jerky. It is this extra safety step that produces a less appealing texture. While I don’t advocate anyone skipping the initial cooking steps, this recipe from Brod & Taylor cooks in a branded dehydrator at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the recipes I view online or in the vast world of dehydrating agent Tiktok skipped the pre-cooking step. The best beef jerky hack I’ve learned was bought from a creator who bought the exact meat for Korean barbecue and dried it with rubbing. The online world of dehydrated cooking has endless recipes and tips.

Manage your expectations: Consumer dehydrators cannot always produce results through commercial freeze drying. I was surprised by some of the final products of the dehydrator “cooking”. Some fruits and vegetables remain flexible, while others are fragile and satisfying. There are some trials and errors, with slice size and timing. Every time I use the dehydrator, I’m better at preparing and time.

Finally, when you enter the clear world of dehydration, know Ambient humidity and the amount of water in food can affect drying time. In other words, it may take less time in Brooklyn in August when it takes eight hours in Maine.