Dried fruits and vegetables are gradually filling the shelves of many stores, which is easily explained by the demand for a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, the popularity of the technique of preparing such products at home is becoming more popular. In our ranking of the best dryers for vegetables and fruits in 2021, we will talk about the features of choosing such inventions, as well as consider a selection of the most popular devices in different price categories.
Before considering popular models, I would like to understand which products achieve the goal:
- Electric ovens — allow you to cook drying in low temperature mode (from 40 to 60 degrees), but such cabinets must support convection. At the same time, it will take from 3 to 5 hours to complete the task, so you will not be able to cook other dishes for a long time;
- Dryers are classic — they have a cylindrical shape, and a berry arrangement of berries, fruits or vegetables. Such products have a simpler design and a less wide range of applications. The advantage is a more affordable price, but complex dishes, such as apple or banana chips, are extremely difficult to prepare with a simple dryer.
- Dehydrators are more complex products that involve many automatic modes of operation and high-quality heating elements. Products in such devices are placed on special perforated trays, so the fruit can be cut into thinner slices.
The best dryers for vegetables and fruits
Before learning about this segment of technology, the editors bought a model from Belomo in order to understand the strengths and weaknesses of this product category.
As a result, it turned out that inexpensive dryers have several disadvantages:
- They perform their tasks for a long time (rarely meet the expectations of customers);
- Pallets are often brittle, dissolving quickly when handling large amounts of food;
- The heating elements are poorly protected from overheating.
Taking into account the stated shortcomings, we studied the entire market and chose leaders based on the experience of the editorial board and open sources of information.
BBK BDH301M
The entry-level model of the BBK BDH301M series opens the Top 10 vegetable and fruit dryer with a heating element power of 240W. The low cost of the invention did not prevent the brand company from equipping the product with a convenient cascade design with an accessible control system. Of the shortcomings, only fragile pallets can be noted, which can be understood from the comments of many buyers. However, if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, there is nothing to worry about. Reliable mechanical control compensates for a small drawback. The fan runs quietly and is mounted on a durable bearing. The operating temperature can vary from 35 to 70 degrees. Includes 5 food grade plastic trays. This is enough to prepare a solid crop.
Advantages:
- silent fan;
- working temperature;
- mechanical regulators;
- low price.
Flaws:
- fragile pallets.
GALAXY GL2635
Another inexpensive convection dryer, the power of which is enough to cook various vegetables and fruits at home. The GALAXY GL2635 series features overheating protection, durable trays and compact dimensions. We note right away that the instruction manual for this device contains more inspiring numbers than in practice. However, one cannot even say that this product performs its tasks for a long time. In fact, a good result can be easily explained by the extreme lower position of the fan supporting the temperature range from 40 to 70 degrees. Up to 9 liters of food can be dispensed at the same time. Each of the 5 baking sheets measures 25 x 23 centimeters.
It is worth noting that the dryer is equipped with transparent pallet walls, which make it easier to control the preparation of products. Many users use the technique to remove water from cereals, berry products. For meat seasoning, this device, in our subjective opinion, is not ideal.
Advantages:
- engine protection;
- quiet work;
- transparent trays;
- compact pallets;
- good ability.
Flaws:
- takes longer to dry than stated.
REDMOND RFD-0159
If you have not yet decided which inexpensive medium-capacity dryer to choose for cooking vegetables, fruits or berries, you should pay attention to the REDMOND RFD-0159 model. At first glance, one can understand that the manufacturer paid due attention to the design and assembly of the invention. The diameter of the used pallets (quite high quality) is 32 centimeters. Enough capacity to harvest a good crop. The manufacturer guarantees that there will be enough power to dry not only vegetables, but also spices, fish and meat. Obviously, with more complex products you will have to «tinker». The temperature is adjustable from 35 to 70 degrees. There is a timer that can be set up to 72 hours. You can control the process with a clear but bright LED display.
Advantages:
- elegant design;
- durable pallets;
- there is a screen;
- there is a timer.
Flaws:
- timer interval 30 minutes.
BelOMO 67281
As many have already guessed, the BelOMO 67281 dryer is the editors’ choice in the indicated price category. To be honest, before buying this equipment, we were also embarrassed by the simple design of the equipment, but “spoiled” by many years of experience of the Belarusian manufacturer. And we were not wrong. The product is not as simple as it might seem. The advantages of the dryer include durable and wear-resistant pallets for vegetables and fruits. The power of the heating element is 500W, which is enough for seasoning meat. Checked! Another plus is a baking sheet for marshmallows. If one seems not enough, you can buy it. Pleased with a simple but reliable mechanical control. The temperature can be adjusted from 45 to 60 degrees. In general, as practice shows, this is quite enough.
Advantages:
- trays for marshmallows;
- reliable heating element;
- good power;
- compact size;
- good ability.
Flaws:
Garlyn D-08
The best vegetable and fruit dryer of 2021 is the Garlyn D-08 500W mechanically controlled. The capacity of the device is 30 liters, so the device occupies the first position in our rating. The set includes 8 trays, which distinguishes the equipment from competitors. With this dryer you can make marshmallows. Another nice plus is the thermostat with temperature control up to 70 degrees. The heating element is at the bottom. Long service life due to high-quality protection system and mechanical control. The lower trays of this model are easy to disassemble, many users prepare homemade yogurt in shallow jars. The design weighs approximately 2.2 kilograms.
Advantages:
- many trays;
- you can make marshmallows;
- suitable for kefir;
- reliable management;
- protection system.
Flaws:
The best dehydrators for home
It is obvious that powerful machinery is required for large crops of vegetables and fruits. For obvious reasons, we have divided our rating into classic vertical dryers and cubic dryers. Using the latest solutions, you can not only cook chips and other fruit and berry delicacies, but also dried meat, fish, etc. In general, their scope is much wider, but not all of these products meet the expectations of customers. That is why we have relied on reliable dryers from well-known companies.
RAWMID Dream Vitamin DDV-10
The mid-range Dream Vitamin DDV-10 model from RAWMID completes the evaluation of fruit and vegetable dryers. The device has a durable heating element, durable metal shelves, optimal capacity. Of the quibbles of users, we paid attention only to reviews about the not very convenient position of the buttons, but this, of course, is not a reason to ignore the good price / quality ratio. In addition, the engineers of a fairly well-known company managed to create a compact device in which there are up to 10 power levels. You can cook marshmallows, pizza, crispbread and other healthy dishes in them.
Advantages:
- wide scope;
- compact size;
- optimal cost;
- silent fan.
Flaws:
- button position.
KITFORT KT-1911
Considering affordable dryers for vegetables and fruits, I want to draw your attention to the Kitfort KT-1911 model, which quickly established itself as an effective solution for the home. The device has a well-thought-out design, up to the presence of carrying handles. The glass window on the door allows you to control the drying process, so there is no need to constantly disassemble the device to evaluate the result. Users appreciate the extended configuration which includes 6 chrome steel trays, 6 marshmallow trays and 6 small food drying nets. High performance is guaranteed by a heating element located on the rear wall of the device, the power of which is 650 watts.
Advantages:
- spacious model;
- elegant design;
- easy to clean;
- extended complete set.
Flaws:
- noisy fan.
Gemlux GL-FD-635S
Perhaps the best dryer for cooking jerky at home, in our opinion, is the Gemlux GL-FD-635S model, which has a digital control system and shelves made of durable metal and stainless steel. The body of the square dehydrator has 6 shelves made of food steel, which are not afraid of minor mechanical damage. At the same time, the device does not create discomfort during operation, since the fan is very quiet, but effective for even heat distribution. There is enough power to work not only with fruits, but also with nuts, meat, fish. User reviews directly indicate the actual removal of moisture from the listed foods. The timer can be set to 99 hours. Controlling the process is very easy thanks to the use of a thermostat and a small screen.
Advantages:
- there is a timer;
- good fan;
- 6 steel shelves;
- excellent manufacturer;
- in quality footage.
Flaws:
- simple design.
Gastrorag FD-1000
If you need a large dryer for vegetables and fruits, you should pay attention to the Gastrorag FD-1000 for drying large crops at home. The middle-class home dryer can accommodate many steel pallets, and the internal volume reaches 1.4 square meters. At the same time, the products are dried evenly thanks to the use of a high-quality fan. The built-in timer can be programmed for 12 hours by setting the temperature in the range from 30 to 70 ° C. The control is carried out using mechanical switches. The design is made with high quality: the air supply is distributed evenly, a stable air supply is achieved at all levels.
Advantages:
- volume;
- excellent thermostat;
- inner space;
- uniform distribution of heat;
- build quality.
Flaws:
- not the best timer.
Gemlux GL-FD-1235S
The best vegetable and fruit dryer of 2021 is a spacious electric model from the Gemlux GL-FD-1235S series, which has a reliable electronic control system with two digital indicators at the same time. This series differs from the previous one in that it supports 12 stainless steel wire racks. Long service life is also due to a good digital control system, with which you can adjust the temperature in the range from 35 to 70 degrees. There is a timer function that can be set up to 99 hours. The set includes 6 plastic trays for simple tasks and 6 more trays for liquids. The volume of this device is limited only by the imagination of the buyer and, of course, the instructions.
Advantages:
- dryer capacity;
- excellent equipment;
- steel meshes;
- reliable manufacturer.
Flaws:
How to choose a good dryer for vegetables and fruits?
Buying goods from a good manufacturer who values his reputation, you already minimize the risks of buying low-quality goods. However, if you do not know how to choose a dryer for your home, pay due attention to the following features:
- Optimum power: 350 W is enough for classic 4-5 pallet dryers. For dehydrators, the power can be 500-1000 W, depending on the power.
- Number of pallets — don’t chase more sections if yields are low, as a large number of sections requires a lot of power. Otherwise, fruits or vegetables will dry out worse at higher levels. Pay attention to the instructions for placing different products.
- Fan location: in cubic dehydrators, the heating element is located at the back, as in ovens, so nothing threatens the heating element, since the juice will not flow down. Another thing is whether the choice fell on a dryer in which the fan can be placed high or low. The latter option is cheaper, but juice from succulent foods can drain, and good protection is important here. Top fan dryers are more expensive and less common. Marketers know how to take advantage of this design, but in our opinion, you should not pay too much if you buy a product of a good brand.
- Thermostat — you can’t do without this function, because different degrees are needed to cook different products. It is optimal that you can adjust the temperature in the range from 30 to 70 degrees, but the threshold may be lower.
- The timer is a convenient and useful option for protecting plastic trays from overheating.
- The noise level is an important parameter, because many products need to be cooked for 48-72 hours. Optimally up to 45 dB.
What is the best dehydrator/dryer to buy in 2022?
When thinking about which vegetable and fruit dryer to buy today, do not forget about the difference between vertical and cubic types of equipment. Here it is worth starting from the goals of the purchase and your crop. If you need to periodically cook healthy sweets, it makes no sense to focus on large and massive square blocks that take up a lot of space. If you want to get delicious jerky, then you are unlikely to be satisfied with the result of the cylindrical model. Our conclusion is:
- Cheap marshmallow dryer — BelOMO 67281;
- Economical model for large volumes of fruit — Garlyn D-08;
- The best dehydrator in terms of price and quality is Gemlux GL-FD-1235S;
- Premium model for dried meat and fish — GALAXY GL2635.