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Dehydrating your own foods is the best way to create delicious snacks and foods without all of the preservatives and added junk that processed food uses. Having one of these dehydrating units in your house allows you to transform your diet with ease. The best food dehydrators for jerky will dehydrate just about any food with stunning success.
Using our five years of experience with dehydrated foods, we’ve compiled a list of the best food dehydrators by comparing characteristics such as power, number of trays, design, etc. So let’s jump right in!
Top Dehydrators for Jerky Reviews
1. COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine
The third meat dehydrator for jerky in the reviews is the COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine. This bad boy has six stainless steel trays that are adjustable and removable.
The unit appears as a small oven and is built in a heavy-duty fashion. The liners are entirely BPA-free and the unit is ETL-listed and FDA-approved.
Consumers mostly note the high-quality build of the dehydrator. The price is considered reasonable and consumers claim the dehydrator saves tons of money.
Features
- 6 x Stainless steel trays (dishwasher safe)
- Digital control panel (set time in 30-minute increments up to 48 hours)
- Simply press the start button to dehydrate your food and go to sleep (noise less than 48dB)
- Tray liners are 100% BPA-free
- Overheat protection (ETL listed and FDA compliant)
- Comes with a mesh screen, fruit roll sheet, manual, and a recipe set
- 600 W, 120V (U.S. and Canada)
- Dimensions: 13.4″ x 17.8″ x 12.4″
- Weight: 23.4lbs
Pros
- The heavy-duty, stainless steel machine is highly durable and operates without any intervention
- The stainless steel trays are dishwasher safe, making cleanup a breeze
Cons
- Do not expand beyond six trays
2. Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator
The next best, cheap dehydrator for jerky is the Presto 06300 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator. This unit is conveniently designed to be collapsible and so it stores easily. It also has a see-through lid so that you can keep an eye on your food without disturbing the process.
Consumers claim this Presto 06300 makes “perfect jerky every time.” Others call it highly functional and capable for the price point.
Features
- 4-tray system for dehydrating foods at a fraction of the cost of commercially dehydrated foods with no additives or preservatives (expands up to 8 trays)
- See-through cover
- Bottom-mounted fan and heating element provide consistent airflow for optimum drying (600 W)
- Drying trays and covers are fully immiscible and dishwasher safe
- Dimensions: 14.5″ x 15″ x 6.25″
- Weight: 7.5lbs
Pros
- Very easy to store thanks to its collapsibility
- The top cover is see-through, making keeping an eye on your dehydrating foods simple
Cons
- There is no On/Off button, the unit is on once plugged in
3. Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator
The next unit in review is the Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator, a high-quality food dehydrator. This Hamilton Beach unit has a 48-hour timer with auto shutoff, ensuring the safety of use. The adjustable thermostat ranges from 100 – 160ºF and the unit deploys continuous airflow for even drying.
Consumers are mostly satisfied with this dehydrator. People note-making all sorts of things, such as dog treats, apple slices, jerky, etc. It comes highly recommended for anyone looking to get healthy and save dollars.
Features
- 48-hour timer with auto shutoff
- Has a transparent lid
- Adjustable digital thermostat (range of 100 – 160ºF)
- Continuous airflow provides even drying (unit draws 500W)
- 5 x Stackable drying trays
- Includes one fine-mesh sheet, one solid sheet
- Dimensions: 10.5″ x 13″ x 11″
- Weight: 8lbs
Pros
- Comes with a fine-mesh sheet for drying herbs or the like. Also comes with a solid sheet for things like fruit rolls
- Continuous airflow ensures the even drying of each level
Cons
- Some consumers claim failure after only a few uses
4. COSORI Food Dehydrator Machine for Beef Jerky Fruit
The COSORI Food Dehydrator Machine is a good jerky dehydrator and comes in sixth on the list. The COSORI dehydrator sports five BPA-free trays and operates at less than 48dB. The unit also comes with a mesh screen, fruit roll sheet, manual, and a recipe set.
Consumers love this dehydrator for all sorts of things. Notably, consumers are thrilled with the fruit rolls that this dehydrator makes. Some do note that it takes up a decent amount of space.
Features
- 5 x BPA-free trays
- Digital timer and adjustable temperature control; set the timer in 30-minute increments for up to 48 hours
- Temperature range between 95 – 165ºF
- Noise is less than 48dB (unit draws 450 W, 120V)
- Comes with a mesh screen, fruit roll sheet, manual, and a recipe set; the unit is ETL-listed and FDA compliant
- Dimensions: 13.8″ x 11.8″ x 13.8″
- Weight: 9.25lbs
Pros
- Dehydration trays are completely BPA-free, ensuring the safety of use with all of your foods
- Noise level remains at or below 48dB, the typical noise level experienced in libraries
Cons
- Some consumers note cleaning the unit is very difficult
5. Gourmia GFD1650 Premium Electric Food Dehydrator Machine
The jerky dehydrator reviews carry on with the fourth model in review, the Gourmia GFD1650 Premium Electric Food Dehydrator Machine.
This model is somewhat similar to the COSORI model in that it appears as a small oven and has six adjustable, removable trays. The unit also sports 360º airflow circulation.
Consumers love this Gourmia unit, and highly recommend it to others. Many consumers use this dehydrator with fruit and say it does a phenomenal job of creating delicious rolls and snacks.
Features
- 6 x Adjustable, micro-mesh trays (comes with a bonus fruit leather sheet and drip tray)
- Digital controls activate 360º airflow circulation for thorough uniform drying (no rotating necessary); set in increments of 30 minutes up to 19.5 hours
- 8 x Preset temperature settings
- Transparent door
- ETL certified
- Dimensions: 17.6″ x 13.5″ x 12″
- Weight: 13.85lbs
Pros
- The unit can be set for up to 19.5 hours, allowing you to set and leave the dehydrator for long-term dehydrating sessions
- The unit is ETL certified and is completely safe for use with any food you wish to dehydrate
Cons
- No indicative temperature guide for dehydration lengths of varying foods
6. NutriChef Food Dehydrator Machine – Professional Electric Multi-Tier Food Preserver
The best home food dehydrator for jerky is the NutriChef Food Dehydrator Machine. The NutriChef Food Dehydrator Machine has five removable, stackable trays and is tested to guarantee increased shelf life with your foods. The temperature control system can reach a ceiling of 180ºF.
Consumers claim they’d recommend this dehydrator to anyone! Aside from being super simple to operate, the unit makes next to no noise at all while it works.
Features
- One operational button – dehydrate with just a click
- Temperature control system with a ceiling of 180ºF
- 5 x Removable, stackable food trays
- Scientifically tested to increase food shelf life with high heat circulation that travels through each tray (retains 97% nutritional content)
- Power: 120V
- Dimensions: 13.19″ x 13.19″ x 7.87″
- Weight: 3.1lbs
Pros
- The trays are removable for using them as drying racks when not in use with the dehydrator
- Easy, the one-button operation is the simplest way to get your jerky or other foods started
Cons
- A few consumers find that the dehydration process takes much longer than they had hoped
7. OSTBA Food Dehydrator Machine Food Dryer Dehydrator for Beef Jerky
The final model in the jerky machine reviews is the EVERUS Food Dehydrator Machine. This model has a temperature range of 96 – 158ºF, which is on par with the industry standard. The unit has five BPA-free trays and also comes with a two-year quality warranty.
Consumers have nothing but positive things to report about this EVERUS model. The trays are noted as being reversible for altering the height between racks for larger and smaller foods.
Features
- Adjustable temperature ranges from 96 – 158ºF (240 W)
- Simple setting – press the power button and rotate the temperature knob
- 5 x BPA-free trays
- 2-year quality warranty
- Comes with a recipe book; ETL approved
Pros
- Trays are completely BPA-free and safe for all foods
- The unit comes with a recipe book for ideas and delicious dehydrated food recipes
Cons
- Many consumers report receiving broken units upon delivery
8. NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
The best dehydrator for jerky and fruit is the NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator. This dehydrator comes with five trays and is expandable up to 12 trays. The unit has a simple turn knob control button and the temperature range is between 95 and 160ºF.
Consumers are pretty satisfied with this NESCO model. Some consumers claim they’ve made the best jerky of their lives with this unit.
Features
- Adjustable thermostat ranging from 95 – 160ºF
- Powerful Top Mounted Fan – 2,100 RPM (600 W, 120V)
- Comes with 5 trays (unit is expandable up to 12 trays); trays are 13.5″ in diameter
- Opaque Vita-Save exterior helps block harmful light which destroys the nutritional content of food being dehydrated
- A patented Converge-Flow drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber (not through the trays)
- Constructed from plastic parts
- Dimensions: 13.75″ x 22.13″ x 13.87″
- Weight: 7.75lbs
Pros
- No flavor mixing and no need to rotate trays thanks to its patented Converge-Flow system
- The unit is expandable beyond five trays, allowing you to dehydrate multiple foods at once
Cons
- Despite being advertised as made in the USA, some consumers note the item states “Made in China”
Factors to Consider
The following is a list of factors to consider when buying a good food dehydrator for beef jerky or other foods:
Power:
The first factor to consider when buying a food dehydrator is the power of the unit.
Some units on the list draw 600 W and dehydrate your food with ease. Others have lower power specs but still dehydrate pretty well.
As a general rule, if you plan to do a lot of meat dehydration, or jerky making, you should stick to the higher wattage models.
They’ll be better at dehydrating your meats in a timely fashion. However, for those interested in dehydrating fruits and chips, lower-wattage models should get the job done.
Layout:
The layout of the dehydrator is the next factor to consider before buying one. Some models are designed similarly to countertop ovens, or large toasters, meaning they are larger, squared, and have hinged doors.
There are also plastic models that fall into a plethora of designs. The type of dehydrator you choose, regarding layout, is entirely your own personal choice and you’ll likely depend on your kitchen space, etc. to make a decision.
The mode of interfacing with the unit also falls into its design, so be sure to keep an eye on the method by which the unit is operated and temperatures set.
Price:
The final factor to consider before buying a dehydrator is the price.
There are models that are nearly twice as much as others on this list, but they, of course, provide more power and likely better dehydration.
However, that doesn’t mean that cheaper-priced units can’t accomplish the job.
If you can afford to buy a little higher, we’d suggest it. If not, don’t sweat it, the other options dehydrate food and make jerky just fine.
We also have reviewed the best toaster ovens for under $100. Those budget-friendly ovens do not need much space in your kitchen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best jerky dehydrator is the NESCO Snackmaster Pro. It’s extremely simple to operate and has an extremely powerful top-mounted fan that runs at 2,100 RPM. There are plenty of models to consider, however, if this unit isn’t your cup of tea. The COSORI Premium unit is another fantastic option to consider, albeit a bit pricier.
Food dehydrators are perfect for creating delicious snacks in a healthy way. There’s no need for preservatives or added junk in your diet with these amazing dehydrators. Not to mention the money you’ll save yourself! So, get your new food dehydrator today!