12 Absolute Best Food Dehydrators Ranked, According To Reviews

When it comes to buying a new food dehydrator, it's a good idea to pay attention to reviews to ensure that you're getting the best machine for you. There's a lot to consider beyond just whether or not this must-have gadget dehydrates food, and reviewers can provide that type of insight.

There are several considerations which food dehydrator is the best option for you. If dehydration speed matters, you'll want to pay attention to the wattage of the machine since a 250-watt machine has less power and takes longer to dehydrate food than a 600-watt machine. You'll also need to decide between digital, analog, or no controls. The amount of internal space the machine has may matter as well as the type of trays. Of course, price may be a factor, too, as the dehydrators on our list range from around $40 at the lowest to $250 at the most. If you're in the market for a new specialty appliance for your kitchen, we encourage you to take a close read at what reviewers have to say about the top food dehydrators.

While the Nesco JerkyXpress Food Dehydrator is the lowest ranked on our list, some like its simplistic design and that it maintains a constant temperature safe for making jerky. This one has 87% of reviewers giving it 4 or 5 stars, and it tends to cost around $60.

This dehydrator is made to keep a constant temperature of 160 degrees for your jerky or other products you want to dehydrate. However, the instructions suggest starting jerky in the oven for safety's sake, which is still better than making all your jerky in your oven. It is 13.5 inches in diameter, has four levels of plastic trays, and you can buy up to three more trays if you need more space. It also comes with a jerky gun, three tips, four seasoning and curing samples, and recipes. Keep in mind that this is a 350-watt machine, so it won't be as fast as the Presto. Being made in the USA and being easy to wash in the dishwasher might win you over as it has many reviewers. They also like that it's simple to use since all you have to do is plug it in without worrying about controls. If you want a timer, it's easy enough to plug it into a light timer. Customers report that it does have a hum, which some find a little noisy but not too bad.

Being only a 250-watt machine, the Nutrichef Food Dehydrator Machine doesn't have as much power as some others. So, it will take longer to dehydrate your food than the higher-wattage ones, but it's can also be the cheapest machine on our list. It also has around 85% of customers rating it 4 or 5 stars. You'll want to keep your eyes out for a good deal since we've seen its price ranging drastically between $45 and $135.  

This machine comes with five stackable, food-safe plastic trays that customers say have plenty of space inside. Customers report that the machine has a soft hum that's not overly loud, which is what helps it rank higher than the JerkyXpress along with having easy-to-use controllers. Its single manual knob has three settings: low, medium, and high. An instruction manual explains which foods work best on which settings. It's supposed to reach up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, but reviewers suggest checking the temp. Users say food comes out perfectly dehydrated every time. Plus, when you're done, the stain-resistant surfaces are easy to clean but not dishwasher safe. A warranty is available upon request.

Because of its simple design, the Presto 06300-05 Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator is one of the easiest ones on our list to use. With around 88% of customers giving it a 4 or 5-star rating, it's an excellent deal at around just $60.

It comes with four trays made from food-safe plastic. Plus, you can buy up to four more to expand it. Other add-ons sold separately include a mesh screen or a jerky gun. It has a top-mounted fan. So, you may want to rotate the trays to dry everything evenly. Interestingly, there are no knobs, dials, or digital displays on this dehydrator, but reviewers like the simplicity of just plugging it in to use it. It's a 600-watt machine and is preset to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The enclosed instruction manual provides a list of average drying times for different items, along with recipes. Granted, this is another one where you might want to get a light timer to time it and turn it off for you. It does make a noise, but most reviewers think it's quiet enough, which helps it rank higher on our list. Unfortunately, it's not dishwasher safe. However, customers like that it's light, and it has a handle on top for transport. The trays nest to collapse and store, with the cord wrapped around the base. It also comes with a limited warranty.

A dehydrator with better analog controls and more power is the Nesco FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator. Over 90% of reviewers gave it a 4 or 5-star review, and it carries a price tag close to $90.

The Nesco Snackmaster is made with BPA-free, food-safe plastic. It comes with five 13.5-inch trays as well as two fruit roll sheets and two clean-a-screens. You'll also get a sample jerky seasoning and a user guide with recipes. You can purchase add-ons separately, like up to seven more trays or a jerky gun. Having 600 watts of power makes it dehydrate faster than some others. The controller is better than the lower-ranked ones on our list, being adjustable between 95 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit with an analog knob. Plus, there's a temperature guide for different ingredients on the lid.

Reviewers like that it's easy to use and has lots of drying space. They also appreciate that it's a product that's made in the USA (although the powerhead is made in China). It gets points for reviewers saying its hum isn't much louder than a refrigerator. Unfortunately, while it's easy to clean, putting trays in the dishwasher will cause them to melt. Something else to note is that the simple controls don't include a timer or an on/off button. However, some users have added a programmable lamp timer like the Tiffcofio Indoor Mechanical Light Timer. The product also comes with a one-year limited warranty.

The most expensive food dehydrator that reviewers highly recommend is the Excalibur Electric Food Dehydrator. It's a metal machine that costs a bit above $240. It also gets 4 and 5-star reviews from 88% of users.

The fully-enclosed 600-watt unit comes with nine trays that provide 15 square feet of space to add ingredients. It's important to note that while the tray frames are metal, the actual tray liners are plastic. However, you can purchase superior stainless-steel trays separately. The controller is an analog one that has an on and off switch as well as a temperature dial that ranges between 105 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which users say is consistent. There's also a temperature and guide on top of the machine for quick reference. While it doesn't have a timer, one user mentioned preferring to turn it off themselves to ensure the food is sufficiently dry and doesn't regain moisture while sitting. Customers like that the fan is in the back, heating products fairly evenly with 600 watts of power. Plus, they like that you can put more food in it than most of the vertically-stacked dehydrators. You may want to rotate the trays halfway through so that the front of the trays get as much heat exposure as the back of the trays. Unfortunately, it has a loud hum. It gets points for being dishwasher safe, and customers like that it's made in the USA.

Reviewers tend to enjoy their Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydrator 32100A, with 89% of them giving it a 4 or 5-star review. It's a mid-priced one that tends to range between around $60 and $80.

This 500-watt dehydrator comes with five stackable BPA-free plastic trays as well as a fruit roll sheet and mesh screen. Reviewers appreciate its large 4.2-square-foot footprint. Plus, they like that the digital display allows you to adjust the time and temperature (between 100 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit), which brings up its rating. It has a one- to 48-hour timer that shuts off automatically at the end of the cycle. Since the heat runs through the middle of all the trays, it dries consistently so that you don't have to do any rotating. Reviewers indicate that the fan can be a little loud. The good news is that the parts are all dishwasher safe if you avoid heated drying and sanitizing cycles. The mesh screen is delicate and needs handwashing, though. Another bonus is that this dehydrator has non-slip silicone on the bottom, and reviewers like the clear top that allows you to view the progress without disturbing the food.

The Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine MF-5000 only costs only about $50, which helps it to rank higher on our list than the Hamilton Beach one. It also has 85% of its ratings in the 4 and 5-star range.

This dehydrator is rectangular, with the body made from BPA-plastic, five stacking stainless-steel trays, and a stainless-steel base. You can raise each tray space up to 1.1 inches in height. Reviewers appreciate the simple controls on this digital dehydrator that are easy to use and allow you to effortlessly decrease or increase time and temperature. You can set the timer for up to 24 hours in half-hour increments, and the machine will turn off with a beep when it's done. The bottom-based fan distributes heat evenly throughout the middle of the trays and has a sound that customers say is like white noise. While it isn't very powerful at only 240 watts, it will eventually get the job done. Keep in mind that the temperature range is only between 95 and 158 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the mistakes you want to avoid with this dehydrator is using it to make jerky because the temperature is not in the safe range. Reviewers say that the trays are easy to clean. They're dishwasher safe, but you may want to place them in the top rack or use a cooler setting to avoid the thin trays from warping.

The Nesco Gardenmaster Pro Food Dehydrator is more powerful and expandable than any other machine on our list. At between $150 and $180, it's more expensive than most, but it can be worth it if you can think of all the best uses for your food dehydrator. It also has 4 and 5-star ratings from 85% of reviewers.

One outstanding feature of this dehydrator is that you can expand its original eight BPA-free plastic trays up to 30 trays, making it a real workhorse if you have a garden full of produce to process. The fan is on the top and pushes the heat through the whole middle column with 1000 watts of power, making it the most powerful dehydrator on our list. It also usually doesn't requiring any tray rotation unless you're making jerky. With such a big motor, customers say it's louder than usual but not too bad. But they also say it's faster than ones with less power and that it dehydrates all kinds of products perfectly. It also comes with more extras than other products: eight fruit roll trays, eight screens, a jerky cure and spice pack, and a recipe book. The simple controls — a power button and simple analog temperature knob between 95 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit — keep it lower on our list. The fact that you can wash all those trays in the dishwasher brings its ranking up. Plus, it comes with a one-year limited warranty.

The Cosori 5-Tray Food Dehydrator Machine has the distinction of being both one of the cheapest and one of the best-rated machines on our list. Around 90% of customers gave it 4 or 5 stars, and it tends to be priced around $50.

It has BPA-free plastic trays. However, at 350 watts, it's also not as powerful as some, bringing its ranking down slightly. It comes with five 12.2-inch trays, but it's possible to purchase two more trays. The trays also expand vertically to give you an extra ½ inch of space. You can adjust the temperature in 1-degree increments between 95 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and customers like that the temperature stays consistent. Customers also like its easy-to-use digital touchpad controls for adjusting the time in 30-minute increments between 30 minutes and 48 hours, along with the auto shut off. At 47 decibels, it's fairly quiet. Customers say that it's easy to clean since the plastic is coated for easy food release. The trays are all dishwasher safe, and it comes with a 50-recipe cookbook and a 2-year warranty.

If you like the idea of the Presto Dehydro but would prefer a more powerful machine with the ability to adjust the time and temperature, you might consider the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator. It's also the second most powerful machine on our list, which might be of interest if you want to do a lot of dehydrating quickly. The price falls around $60, and it also has an impressive 89% of reviews being 4 and 5-star ones.

Like the other Presto, it's round. However, it comes with six plastic trays as well as two fruit roll sheets and two non-stick screens, helping it beat out the Cosori in rank. You can also purchase up to six more trays separately as add-ons. As a 750-watt machine, it's a workhorse. Customers like that it comes with easy digital controls for time and temperature. You can adjust it between 90 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has an auto shutoff feature when it's done. Because the heating and fan are in the base and pushes the heat through the middle, you also won't need to do any tray rotating on this one. It would rank higher if we knew about the safety of the plastic and if it were quieter. Reviewers mention it sounding like a tower-style fan. The trays and cover are all safe to wash in the dishwasher, and everything nests for a smaller storage profile. It also comes with a limited warranty.

The last two on our list are the only ones made from stainless steel instead of plastic. The high-powered Cosori CP267-FD Food Dehydrator has the best percentage of 4 and 5-star reviews of any of the food dehydrators on our list: over 94%. It's also the top-rated food dehydrator on Amazon and tends to cost under $160.

Customers often choose this dehydrator because it has 6 food-grade stainless steel trays rather than plastic trays. It also comes with a mesh screen and fruit roll sheet, with other accessories available separately. Reviewers like that it has lots of internal space (6.5 square feet) without taking up too much countertop space. The rear-mounted fan makes a little noise, but at under 48 decibels, customers compare it to white noise. Digital controls and auto shutoff make it easy to use. The timer ranges from 30 minutes to 48 hours, and it has a temperature range between 95 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit (in 1-degree increments), which customers find to be consistent within about 5 degrees. Because it's dishwasher safe, it's easy to clean. To get you using it more, it comes with a 50-recipe cookbook. Reviewers like that the food comes out perfectly and evenly hydrated. Since it's a 600-watt machine, customers find that it works faster than others. It also comes with a 2-year warranty.

The best-ranked food dehydrator on our list is the Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine is also among the most expensive on our list (between $220 and $250). Around 92% of reviews are 4 and 5-star ones. While this one is more expensive, you get more bang for your buck with more trays since it's not expandable.

It has 10 stainless steel trays and comes with a fine mesh sheet, two non-stick fruit roll trays (BPA-free), a jerky-hanging rack, and two silicone finger mitts. Reviewers report the machine being easy to set up and use. They like that it's easy to change the time and temperature on the machine because everything is digital. There's also a 24-hour keep-warm option. Customers report that items dry evenly and that the unit is extremely quiet with good airflow from the rear-mounted fan. Because it's a 600-watt machine, food processes faster than in some lower-wattage machines. The machine goes up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and there's also overheat protection in case it gets too hot. However, you may want to check the internal temp with a thermometer if you want to make jerky to ensure it's hot enough. The trays are also easy to clean because they're dishwasher safe.

We created our list of dehydrators by checking ratings and reviews from customers. All the ones on our list have over 2,500 ratings, providing a more balanced picture. The ones that ranked highest had a higher percentage of 4 and 5 star reviews, higher wattage, safer material type, more convenient and complex controller type, more parts that were dishwasher safe, and a quieter noise level. To break any ties, we considered which one came with the most trays to get more bang for your buck, especially if the dehydrator wasn't expandable. If they had the same number of trays, the cheaper dehydrator ranked higher.