What to look for in buying a food dehydrator

Everyone knows that a beautiful garden, as fresh produce can taste wonderful when you have an adult. And 'natural that you save some' of that wonderful food for other times of the year, even desired. As a general rule, the options are for preserving food for year round enjoyment canning, freezing and drying. On drying, most of the water is removed from the diet, so they last longer and much of the same nutritional value. This is usually achieved usingA dehydrator.

The choice of a good dehydrator, but not necessarily easy. There are hundreds of brands to choose from dozens of different configurations. While this article makes no attempt to compare and recommend brands, will help you learn what you look at the selection of dehydrators.

Humidity Chamber

Air food dehydrators the workflow of moving air, usually heated, passing food, dry. The moving air pulls moisture from the food. This is usually achieved byone of two ways. The first is with a fan. A fan, usually in combination with a heating element is used to push or pull air through the dryer body and the food is dried.

The second is convection. Here are just a heater used to heat the air in the dryer. Hot air rises and cooler air falls. This creates a natural airflow as the air around the heating element increases, while the air continues to cool off and begins to fall, returned to the heater workingwhere it is heated again. Assuming that the heating element is located in the center of the drying chamber, the air in the middle of the room increases as the air moves along the edges.

So, what's better? Convection air flow requires less power and is quieter, but it takes longer for the food, which can result in less flavor and a shorter duration to be dry. Some advocates point out, however, that do not require external air convection systems, which reduces the likelihood of contamination by dust or dirt,unit transferred from an external page. Fan-dryers are faster, and are quite clean, if managed in a clean environment, but will need to use more electricity and create at least one sound.

Positioning the circulation fan for fans dehydrators, is another important consideration, in which the ventilator. Most dehydrators position of the fan is at the bottom of the appliance or in the back or side. In a bottom-position the fan pushes air through the drying rack.Bottom-mounted fans to provide drying trays are stacked on top of the fan, creating a more flexible environment drying, and often work on a smaller footprint kitchen. However, because some people are closer or further away from the fan is drying are irregular and regular job rotation is required to achieve consistent results.

If the fan is mounted in the rear of the unit is allowed to air flow more uniform drying on all trays. However, this also means that the number ofTray drying is fixed. They may be less than the maximum, but never more.

Capacity As mentioned previously, some food dehydrator units flexible capacity with the ability to add, subtract or trays. This can be very useful for drying large amounts more or less, but it is important to remember that the higher the number of floors, the lower the efficiency of the system - and the need to rotate more experienced. Systems also often require stacking holes at the center of the tray so that the aircirculate better. While this is not necessarily a problem, may be less efficient drying larger items that do not fit the shells.

Fixed size dehydrators sacrifice flexibility for larger empty shells without air cumbersome. This may be particularly important for the skin of fruit or dried flowers or other long items that simply do not fit well in a round, donut-shaped shells. Rectangular trays without holes using space more efficiently and allow a greater amount of food fordried at once. And since the maximum capacity has already been set, these devices with the fans of optimal size and the flow of air to be better designed.

Options tray drying trays are designed to meet different needs. Trays usually have a grid or mesh design, so as to pass air through the compartments and on. The largest gaps in the network more efficient the air is moving, but also the limited size of the food can be dried. Many grasses, for example, can easily fall through itlarge gaps, but it is good fruit slices.

It can have many models of food dehydrators include different types of dishes with the main unit, to handle at least one subject, for what it is is drying possible. However, this does not mean it can not be able to dry more than one item at a time without buying decoders. Other models have a dimension of exchange, usually a larger mesh, and then sell the paper or solid network to use when drying smallLeather goods or fruit.

Most food dehydrators Extra is a recipe book so you know, come on how long certain items dry, though always as a function of humidity in your area, the density of the food, the dry, the consistency in slices, a lot of water in the element, and so on.

Some models have adjustable thermostat that can be important to come to the drying of various foods. Others may contain instructions and / or kit for the preparation of meatshots.

How to decide? Most choose to buy the right food dehydrator, up to you and your situation. If you are a new drying or in a confined space then mounted on the bottom shelf can be better. They take up less space, are more flexible and often begin with a variety of different soil types occur. These units can be very good appetizer, while your feet wet. If you decide to dehydration is not for you, these devices are often cheaper and hasnot so much money.

If you have experience with the dry, adjust quantities, and large dry all at once a large capacity side-fan may be more appropriate. Until then, you should have a better idea of ​​what options are most important to you as well and can afford to take additional courses or displays network to meet your needs.

Drying of food can be enjoyable and economical. Purchase of draining or losing and store foods in season can save you money and provide asmall cushion against the financial uncertainties of life. Choosing the right equipment is important, but should not be a daunting task. Knowing what to look for to make a difference.

What to look for in buying a food dehydrator