Comments on: Tools: Dehydrators

By: anajz

anajz — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:27:31 +0000

This evening, I googled “hanging solar dehydrator” and this entry came up 5th or 6th on the google page. I was so surprised that I had missed reading it, since this is one of my most favorite blogs.

Sharon thanks so much for all the information you offer.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:56:15 +0000

The trays themselves are polycarb on the excalibur, but are covered with polypropelyne plastic sheets - the food never touches the polycarb.

Sharon

By: Robj98168

Robj98168 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:28:24 +0000

I use a Ronco Food dehydrator and have always been very happy with it. I have seen it on sale at kohl’s for under $25, but I think it is under $40. I would use the car method if I didn’t have the ronco. Of course I live in Seattle and the car is the only place I can gaurantee is hot and constant. I also understand that you can use your oven at the 150 degree setting. Glad to know what that setting is for! My grandma dehysrated veggies by just using her gas oven that had a pilot light!

By: valereee

valereee — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:23:05 +0000

Whoops, forgot the link. They also have a stripped-down model even cheaper, and they’re offering free shipping on them. It’s tempting.

Excalibur 5-tray dehydrator

I looked at the Excalibur website, and they’re also saying the trays are polycarbonate.

By: valereee

valereee — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:17:30 +0000

Here’s an Excalibur, but less expensive than at Lehman’s. However, the product info does say the trays are polycarbonate — maybe the product info on this site is outdated?

By: Nature Deva

Nature Deva — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:15:13 +0000

I love my Excalibur dehydrator. It’s been an amazing tool to have doing a raw vegan diet - I’ve made raw lasagna that came out almost like the real thing. We also have a large garden and have been buying in bulk when the organic farmer’s have fruit and dehydrating that, too. I have the 9 tray one and fill it up frequently making living crackers, granola, pizza crusts, etc besides drying tomatoes, fruits and other veggies. I usually tie my herbs in bundles and hang them up to dry which is relatively fast here in CO. I’ve also taken the Excalibur trays and put different fruits on them and wrapped it in muslin and dried it outside since it’s summer.

My husband wants to make a hanging air dehydrator which is pretty easy so that will be next.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:21:14 +0000

I love my Excalibur. It’s definitely one of the homesteading tools I wouldn’t want to be without, especially considering the high humidity of our area and number of cloudy days that can happen. When the tomato harvest comes in, it’s absolutely indispensable, and we go through lots of dehydrated tomatoes over the year.

By: Lisa Z

Lisa Z — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:59:35 +0000

I’ve been using the car to dehydrate my herbs. It works fabulously! Takes about two days to get the chamomile flowers totally dry. It hasn’t gotten too hot in MN this summer, but I guess I won’t do this on really hot days. I do keep the plants on the floor in the shade, though, rather than up on the dashboard or seats where the sun shines directly on them.

Anyone else doing this?

Lisa in MN

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:05:01 +0000

Ooops! I just went and checked out your first link, right where you said you have made something similar. That’s what I get for staying up too late making all my “independence plans”:) Thanks for the link to excellent site.

By: Meadowlark

Meadowlark — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:04:40 +0000

Thanks for the information on dehydrators. We have a gas guzzling pickup that sits in the backyard most of the month and it would be great for this. We’re in a very dry and sunny climate so dehydrating may be just the thing.

And as a side note, we can’t sell aforementioned gas guzzler because we still owe on it. So we’re keeping it and using it when we haul wood, mulch, tile etc. Them’s the breaks… if someone wants to pay it off for me and give me an old car though, I’m all for it!