Topic: Small dehydrators

[lillian]

I want one, but which one?

Anybody use the smaller round ones that usually have 5 trays and cost between £40-£70? Are they a waste of space or should I get  something like the l'equip at £150.

[Spudbash]

I've had an Eezi-dri dehydrator with five trays for a few years, now - I guess that it fits into the "smaller round" category. I've used it to dry fleshy tomatoes, halved, small plums and apple rings, as well as for making fruit leather. It's absolutely fine for my purposes and now that I've got a plug-in gadget that tells me how much electricity I'm using, I'll be able to find out how efficient it is (when I have a crop large enough to dry!).

It does give off quite a warm breeze into the room, so I tend to use it on cool days and certainly never in a heatwave.  In autumn, I do apple rings on cold days and it saves on central heating. Oh and it smells wonderful!  ;D

I don't know the more expensive make you mention, lilian, but I'm happy with the size of my Eezi-dri because it's small enough to put away when not in use. I've never needed to buy more trays for it (I think it would take up to fifteen, an all).  If you have a huge plum or apple crop or similar, you might want something bigger.

Hope this helps!

 :)

[Jeannine]

Hi, I am not familiar with the different brands of dehydrators in the UK as I didn`t buy one for the few years we came over but I  have used several ovre the years and would suggest when looking for one get one with a variable temperature if you can, many of the small ones just have on or off and it can be limiting.Also I personally feel that the ones with the heat source at the side are better than those with a heat source at the bottom. No drips on the heater,you can mix different foods better,all trays dry at equal rates,easier to clean.

I can give you instructions for making your own, it is US but would probably adapt easily but it is bottom heat.

Good luck, I wouldn`t be without mine.

XX Jeannine

[lillian]

Thanks for the input. I'v finially decided to go for the Ezidri Snackmaster which is alittle more expensive then I had orignally planned for.  Hopefully the dehydrator should freeup some freezer space :)

[TISH]

This is the one I covet (someday when I have a bigger kitchen):

http://www.ukjuicers.com/excalibur-9-tray-dehydrator-black

[lillian]

This is the one I covet (someday when I have a bigger kitchen):

http://www.ukjuicers.com/excalibur-9-tray-dehydrator-black

You must ave alot of drying to do :D

[Ellen K]

I have Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian cookbook and amongst other things, she discusses drying tomatoes by cutting them in half then leaving them for 12 to 18 hours in the oven on an oven tray, at about 50C to produce something akin to a commercial sundried tomato.

I'm on economy 7 and have given this a go 3 trays at a time - it does produce a good result compared to all the other ways of preserving tomatoes (like bottling).

It is a dilemma really, whether to buy a gadget or try with standard kitchen equipment.  After losing a lot of potatoes stored in the shed to the cold last December, I considered a KitchenAid mixer to make mashed spuds which I could freeze.  Certainly worth a go with Charlotte and many other varieties but the start up cost seems huge.  But when you think of the economics of GYO, maybe I should be buying my veg in Loughborough market at shutting up time and save myself oodles of time and money on the plot.  Maybe.

[lillian]

It is a dilemma really, whether to buy a gadget or try with standard kitchen equipment.  After losing a lot of potatoes stored in the shed to the cold last December, I considered a KitchenAid mixer to make mashed spuds which I could freeze.  Certainly worth a go with Charlotte and many other varieties but the start up cost seems huge.  But when you think of the economics of GYO, maybe I should be buying my veg in Loughborough market at shutting up time and save myself oodles of time and money on the plot.  Maybe.

I've never had much success with freezing potatoes but I intend to have ago at drying them for soup and stews ect.

Youtube has alot of very interesting videos on dehydrating foods. Some even dehydrate frozen veg from the supermarket.....

[brown thumb]

i have frozen potatoes with good results either boiled suitable for mash also and as  blanched chips i found it agood way to store them  when they start to sprout and theres no way their going to get used in time

[lillian]

Mine always get a grainy / watery texture.  So I don't bother;D

[Jeannine]

The Excalibar is excellent I can personally attest to that. It would be my number one choice  again if I had to replace mine. I didn't know you could get them in the UK.I do know the company make them for the UK voltage but I thought you would have to have them shipped over which would be pricey I think.

In my opinion, this is the top of the heap....way higher than eveything else. they do come in various sizes by the way.

XX Jeannine

[artichoke]

I'm with DenbyVisitor - we already possess dehydrators if we have an oven to cook in. I have done tomatoes in a gas oven, sliced on a baking tray, but it is very easy to overdo it and end up with charred slices.....difficult to get really low heat in a gas oven without the flames actually dying when you are not looking. If it works, the flavour is intense, sweet, sharp, just perfect.

However, I have a  second electric oven, fan assisted, and this works exactly like a dehydrator. I leave things in overnight (cheaper electricity) at minimum temperature, and the results are good. I am still snacking on last year's apple rings (have never had a tomato glut, sob). I bought a set of cake cooling trays (very carefully examined  on Amazon) to drape the apple slices over, as the oven shelves are not suitable.

I also have the magic apple/peeler/corer/slicer and can process lots of apples really quite quickly.