The 9 Best Food Dehydrators for Every Home Cook, According to Thousands of Reviews

If you're looking for a food dehydrator that's speedy, consistent, and easy to use, the Nesco FD-1018A Gardenmaster is an excellent pick. This sleek appliance comes with eight trays and can expand to fit up to 30 trays total if you have a truly massive harvest. It boasts 1,000 watts of drying power and a specially designed 4.5-inch fan along with a 2,400-RPM motor to dry food quickly and quietly without rotating trays. 

The device's light-blocking exterior preserves more nutrients during the drying process, while its adjustable thermostat ranges between 95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which means you can dry foods to a variety of different temperatures (say, low for apple slices and high for beef jerky). It also comes with useful accessories like fine mesh mats and fruit roll sheets. Bonus—the covers and trays are all dishwasher-safe, which means easy-peasy cleanup. 

The Nesco Gardenmaster is so popular that it's earned an impressive 4.5-star rating on Amazon. Shoppers rave about the appliance for its capacity and user-friendliness.

"I dehydrate my own meals for backpacking, make my dogs chicken jerky, beef jerky for humans, and even eggs," one avid user wrote. "That being said, I have burned through two other dehydrators by Nesco. This one packs 1000 watts of power to dehydrate, it dries meat in a shorter time (eight to nine hours) than their other smaller dehydrators (10 to 14 hours), has larger tray size and comes with the mesh and trays for each rack. This model is well with the money!"

To buy: $119 (originally $180) at amazon.com

This streamlined model from Presto may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end dehydrators, but it's an excellent bang for your buck. It's a surprisingly powerful workhorse, reaching temperatures of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to dry everything from fresh produce to herbs. The plug-in device can expand to fit up to eight trays, and it has a transparent cover so you can monitor the drying process of the food on the top tray. Additionally, the drying trays and cover are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

Amazon customers love the compact dehydrator for its durability and affordable price. "I have been curious about dehydrators for a while, and after using my oven to dry a few vegetables, I decided to invest in a dehydrator...but I didn't want to put a lot of money into it in case I didn't use it often," one wrote. "The first thing I tried in it was kale chips. I was amazed at how quickly the dehydrator works. It's also easy to clean. It's easy to use in general, in fact. For the price tag, this product far exceeded my expectations. I can't think of anything about it I don't like!"

To buy: $40 (originally $60) at amazon.com

Whether you're looking to make chewy fruit leather or preserve your bumper crop of zucchini, this commercial-quality machine is ready to deliver. Designed with a rear-mounted fan, the Magic Mill Commercial Food Dehydrator evenly dries foods without the extra step of rotating shelves. It also has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95 to 167 degrees Fahrenheit and automatically shuts off when the batch is complete.

The machine has seven adjustable stainless steel trays that provide more than enough room for large dehydrating projects. It comes with fruit roll sheets for leathers and mesh trays for delicate herbs and flowers, too. Best of all, because they're steel, the trays are dishwasher-safe. 

More than 1,200 Amazon shoppers have given the Magic Mill a perfect rating, with many saying it's easy to use and clean. "The stainless racks are wonderful," one wrote. "I usually just pop them in the dishwasher and bingo, all ready to go again."

A second added, "Never knew what I was missing. We have been dehydrating our surplus of food from our garden and this dehydrator has helped tremendously. From tomatoes to onions to peaches to apples this does it all."

To buy: $150 at amazon.com

Home cooks tight on counter space (apartment dwellers, we see you) should consider Brod and Taylor's Sahara. The square device provides more than 11 square feet of drying area and other niceties like stainless steel shelving, dual 700-watt heaters, and automated temperature controls. It also has a washable, reusable air filter, which prevents smells and tastes from contaminating your dried foods.

But the coolest part about the Brod and Taylor Sahara is that it folds to one-third of its size. Yep! A foldable food dehydrator. That means you can tuck it away when you're done making your latest batch of jerky. 

Priced at nearly $400, the Brod and Taylor Sahara isn't a budget buy. However, if space is a premium in your kitchen, it could be worth the investment. This Amazon reviewer certainly thought so: "I recently downsized into an apartment and feared that I would not have the storage space for a dehydrator," they wrote. "However, the unique design allows the entire unit to fold up and fit easily within a kitchen drawer. I am ten uses in, and the quality of the appliance is evident. Thick, high-temperature plastics, sturdy glass doors, and stainless-steel components make the product feel like no corners were cut. I have pulled jerky, veggie crisps, and fruit roll-ups out of this thing (for a fraction of the store-bought cost), and I have had zero complaints whatsoever." 

To buy: $395 at amazon.com