Best Dehydrator for Jerky | High-End vs. Budget Machines. 2022 Buyer’s Guide
What is the best dehydrator for jerky? The main differentiating feature is the type of airflow system. Horizontal airflow dehydrators like the COSORI offer uniform air distribution and are more efficient than vertical airflow options. The latter ones have the advantage of being more affordable and space-saving.
Some products with a vertical airflow system, such as NESCO FD-75A are made with advanced technology allowing the machine to distribute the hot air more evenly. Another factor to consider is capacity or how many food items you can dry at a time.
There are commercial high-capacity dehydrators like the Magic Mill that comes with 11 trays, each 15*15 inches in size. Such models are typically packed with features and include various useful accessories.
Thirdly, consider the noise level. And it is a fan — one of the main components of any dehydrator — that produces noise. Since drying is a pretty lengthy process, you may want to have a machine that will not disturb you while operating. One of the best options is the Magic Mill, which is quieter than a high-end coffee machine. And finally, we recommend products with extra features, because they make the whole process more convenient and faster. This includes an adjustable thermostat, a timer, an automatic shut-off function, and more. Note that even budget-oriented dehydrators can have such features. For example, the Hamilton Beach 32100A for $60 has a 48-hour timer and a digital thermostat allowing for adjusting drying temperature from 100°F-160°F.
Dehydrators for Jerky Compared
1. COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine | |
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2. NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator | |
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3. Magic Mill Commercial Food Dehydrator Machine | |
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4. Hamilton Beach 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator | |
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What Factors Affect the Price of a Jerky Dehydrator?
You may be wondering what is the difference between a low-cost and expensive dehydrator. Yes, high-end models use stainless steel trays, are more powerful, and can make more jerky faster. Plastic trays tend to break and are not reliable. But what if you do not need so much jerky?
In terms of useful features, budget-oriented models from well-established brands do not fall far short of pricier dehydrators. For example, the Hamilton Beach 32100A has a timer, an auto shut-off feature, and a thermostat that can be adjusted from 100°F to 160°F. So why buy a more expensive jerky dehydrator?
The main factor that influences the price of a dehydrator is the type of its airflow system. Models like the Hamilton Beach 32100A that use a vertical airflow system are more affordable, whereas dehydrators made with a horizontal airflow system are pricier. Why?
The thing is that such machines distribute the heat evenly across every tray, which allows it to easily dry any meat and fruit, even the toughest ones. There is no need to rotate the trays, something that adds a lot to convenience. This advantage is due to the heating element and fan mounted in the rear of the dehydrator. An illustrative example of a vertical airflow dehydrator is the COSORI Premium, which is made with a stainless steel housing and a rear-mounted fan for even heat distribution.
These models typically have a rectangular or square shape and are perfect for drying large quantities of food. They boast high performance and are a common choice of professionals and large families. Apart from the higher price, dehydrators with horizontal airflow have the disadvantage of being bulky. If you are looking for a space-saving solution and do not need to dehydrate a lot of jerky at a time, budget models with vertical airflow may be your option.
With a fan mounted at the top or at the bottom of the device, vertical airflow dehydrators are more compact and portable. However, they distribute the air unevenly because the fan pushes it through the trays vertically. As a result, some items dehydrate more than others. More importantly, such a machine won't cope with any type of meat. For instance, chicken, jerky, and some fruits like bananas are likely not to be dry enough. Additionally, vertical airflow dehydrators are inferior to horizontal ones in terms of capacity. While there are expendable models, they still do not compare with even a basic horizontal airflow model.
That said, some manufacturers have managed to mitigate the shortcomings of a vertical airflow system. A good example is the NESCO FD-75A Dehydrator that comes with a fan mounted on the top and the patented Converga-Flow system. The trick is that the device forces the air not through the trays but through the exterior pressurized chamber. The hot air then moves horizontally across each tray, providing uniform heat distribution. With 5 trays included, the NESCO FD-75A can be expanded up to 12 trays.
Best-Selling Dehydrators for Jerky | Comparison Table
Customers' Choice
Nesco FD-28JX Jerky Xpress Dehydrator Kit with Jerky Gun, White
- Dehydrator and jerky maker with 4 13-1/2-Inch-wide drying trays
- 350-Watt element; fixed-temperature, top-down, fan-driven power head
- Dries food quickly and evenly--in hours instead of days with no tray rotation necessary
- Includes jerky gun with 3 attachments and spice/cure-Packets for up to 4 pounds of ground meat
- Measures 14 by 14 by 9-Inch; 1-year limited warranty
Best Value
Salton VitaPro Food Dehydrator, Electric Preserver for Fruit, Jerky, Potpourri, Vegetables with Expandable Trays,...
- Adjustable temperature control to dry a variety of foods at the optimum temperature
- Includes 5 stacking trays, expand 30-percent for thicker items and vented lid
- High performance faster drying time (4-8 hours) over units without temperature control
- BPA free product. Easy and economical way for drying fruits for snacks, vegetables and herbs for soups, meat for jerky, bread for croutons and flowers for arrangements or potpourri
- Bonus: includes 1 fruit rollup tray and 1 herb tray
Most Popular
Ivation 6 Tray Premium Stainless Steel Electric Food Dehydrator Machine 600w for Drying Beef Jerky, Fruits,...
- REAR-MOUNTED AUTOMATIC FAN: The Fan Inside This Dehydrator Circulates Warm Air with 600W of Heating Power to Ensure Your Food Product Is EVENLY DRIED from All Angles.
- SIX SPACIOUS TRAYS: Room For Six Trays (13” X 12”) Means You Have Room to Preserve All Your Favorite Beef Jerky, Fruit, Snacks, Vegetables, Bread, Herbs, Dog Treats and Even More for Long Lasting Superior Health Benefits! You Can Remove One or More Trays at a Time to Make Room for Especially Thick Slices, If Needed.
- STAINLESS STEEL BODY & TRAYS: All Parts Are BPA-Free, Making Them Safe For Your HOUSEHOLD and COMMERCIAL Use and Keeping Your Food Free From Harmful Toxins.
- DIGITAL TEMPERATURE & TIMER: Has a Temperature Range of 95ºF to 167ºF. Set Timer to Automatically Shut Off Your Dehydrator at the Designated Time, In 30-Minute Increments, For Up To 24 Hours at a Time.
- EASY TO CLEAN: The Stainless Steel Trays and The Drip Tray At The Bottom Of The Unit Are All Removable, DISHWASHER-SAFE and Easy to Clean For Your Convenience.
Best Budget
Most Discussed & Reviewed
COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator Machine(50 Free Recipes), 6 Stainless Steel Trays w/Digital Timer and Temperature...
- Designed in California. Comes with 6 Stainless Steel Trays, 1 Mesh Screen, 1 Fruit Roll Sheet, 1 Manual, 1 Recipe, 1 Warranty Card. Check out our VIDEO on the left side & take a quick tour of this COSORI Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator Machine!(search for C267-2ST, C267-2MS or C267-FR to get more accessories)
- BULIT-IN TIMER - Use the digital touch control panel to set the timer in 30-minute increments for up to 48 hours. With memory function,no need to set the time everytime
- ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT - Effectively dehydrate food with accurate temperatures between 95°-165°F
- SAFETY FEATURES - Auto shutoff kicks in right when the timer ends. Overheat protection will activate if the dehydrator overheats. Built with food-grade stainless steel & FDA-approved
- EASY TO CLEAN - The 6 stainless steel trays and included accessories are dishwasher-safe. Easily clean food from the dehydrator’s base with a damp cloth or a brush/sponge
- FREE RECIPE BOOK - Comes with an original recipe book from Cosori’s chefs with 50 easy-to-make recipes. Follow the simple instructions, and you’ll be well on your way to delicious snacking!
- 2-YEAR WARRANTY - Enjoy 1-year buyer’s assurance (with a free option to extend it by 1 more year) and lifetime support from our friendly customer support team
Best Trusted
6 Trays Food Dehydrator Machine,Stainless Steel Electric Fruit Jerky Dehydrator,400W Preserve Food Nutrition...
- 【Large Capacity with 6 Trays】--- Comes with 6 stainless steel trays and 1 drip pan,our food dehydrator machine provides plenty of room to dry anything from vegetables to sweet fruit slices,beef,meat,herbs and other materials quickly and easily.It can lock the minerals and vitamins in food, keep more nutritious and original tasty of food
- 【Effective Cooling System】--- 360W heating power, back-mounted horizontal 360º CIRCULATION air-flow dehydration fan provides thorough drying without shelf rotation or overheating. Low energy consumption to dry foods evenly and efficientl
- 【Digital LED Operation Panel】--- You can set the drying timer from 0 to 24 hours in 30-minute increments. Make average sized batches of dried foods with accurate temperatures between 30℃/ 86℉ to 90℃/ 194℉ in 5 ℃ increments.Smart panel shows ℃ and ℉ unit,easy to operate and convenient
- 【All Stainless Steel Material】--- Material of our meat dryer and trays is premium food grade stainless steel! All parts are BPA-Free, making your food free from harmful toxins. Heat-resistant, rust-proof and easy to clean. Overheat protection will activate if the dehydrator overheats.Multiple vents on the door of dryer helps to expel water vapor faster,makes food drying more efficient
- 【Easy to Clean & Multifunctional Use】--- Racks and trays are dishwasher safe,and the housing can be cleaned by a wet cloth easily. The dryer is perfect to preserve all kinds of vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat, fish, beef jerky, snacks, nuts, shrimp, bread,flowers, mushrooms, dog treats and others conveniently. You can remove one or more trays at a time to make room for especially thick slices if needed, perfect choice for DIY
Best Cheap
MasterChef Food Dehydrator w 5 Trays and Digital Temperature Controls- Dehydrating Machine includes FREE Recipe...
- Food dehydrator contains 5 large drying trays/racks for making big batches and/or a variety of food all at once
- Dehydrating machine includes adjustable time and temperature settings to allow you to choose the perfect dry time for the kind of food you select
- FREE Recipe Guide Included
- LCD display for easy use with different foods. Makes a great gift for birthdays and holidays!
- Make beef jerky, healthy fruits and vegetable snacks, dehydrate flowers and more
Other Popular dehydrators for jerky
London Sunshine® Premium Food Dehydrator - Double Wall Stainless Steel 6 Trays with Digital Touch Panel Control...
- ✓DOUBLE WALLED STAINLESS STEEL BODY & TRAYS - High-quality material used on this appliance. This item has an inner steel layer to help cheap the heat and save more on electric cost and also lower noise than other single layer products. The whole unit uses BPA-Free material which makes perfect healthy and safe treats for your customers and families. UPGRADED BONUS: This NEW LOT we requested to upgraded the Fine Mesh to 6PCS instead of the only 1pc in the standard package.
- ✓OPEN-VIEW DOOR and SMART DRY - The door includes a transparent tempered glass that allows easy monitoring of food dehydrates progress. With a large internal automatic fan that evenly distributes warm air throughout the unit. This dehydrator works quietly and quickly to dry food of interest.
- ✓EASY TO USE - Recipes Booklet will show you detail on how to prepare food and how long and what temperature to dehydrate your food. It comes with 6 removable trays (13” X 12”) and each tray has 1.5-inch space above to different size of food. Use the touch panel to set up the timer and temperature, timer in 30min increments for up to 24 hours, and temperature 9 increments from 95°F~167°F. It comes with BPA free a fine mesh screen and a drip tray.
- ✓DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL -The Digital LED display provides allow precision setting on timer and temperature when dehydrate food. Simple Touch Panel Control to make easy to process the food. There is also 9 range of temperatures and up to 24 hours timer setting allows more options on dehydrating different food.
- ✓SAFETY - It has a built-in thermostat sensor that prevents overheating. The unit will shut down automatically when dehydrating time is finished. Electrical Safety Certified by cETLus which is safe to use in Canada and the US.
6 Trays Food Dehydrator, All Stainless Steel Dehydrator Raw Food & Jerky Fruit,400W Preserve Food Nutrition...
- Low Energy Consumption: 6 Trays and 1 Drip Tray, our food dehydrator provide enough space to dry all kinds of vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat, fish and shrimp, bread, mushrooms and others quickly and easily. It can lock the minerals and vitamins in food, Keep more nutritious.
- Drying System: 400 watts of heating power, 5-inch rear-mounted horizontal air-flow Dehydration fan system makes our food dehydrator more efficient.
- LED Smart Panel Operation: You can set the drying timer from 0 to 24 hours and adjusted 30 minutes/Times. The Temperature setting from 30℃/ 86℉ to 90℃/ 194℉, adjust the temperature difference every 5 ℃, better drying temperature.
- Stainless Steel Materials & Glass Window: Our stainless steel dehydrator is more durable than other materials, Glass Window is convinient for you to track the progress of drying ingredients. (Can be used with silicone dehydrator sheets, it is more clean and convenient: B07J5HXTGR)
- EasyTo Clean & Free Recipes: The racks and tray are totally dishwasher safe. You can use a wet cloth to clean the housing easily. Our food dehydrator gives away free recipes to provide you with 67 kinds of ingredients, so that you can enjoy the fun of handmade.
VIVOHOME Electric 400W 8 Trays Food Dehydrator Machine with Digital Timer and Temperature Control for Fruit...
- POWERFUL DRYING CAPACITY - Equipped with 400W of drying power, this food dehydrator removes moisture and locks in the original flavors of your favorite foods; Excellent craftsmanship means excellent operation with a 97% vitamin and mineral retention rate; This is definitely the best way to preserve food
- TIMER & TEMPERATURE ADJUSTABLE - Features adjustable timer and temperature functions; Drying temperature can be set from 95℉-158℉(35℃-70℃), while the time can be set from 0-24 hours; Choose the optimal time and temperature depending on the ingredients; A hot air fan will automatically switch on and off to balance the temperature; Never worry about making a mess again
- 8 LAYERS OF TRAYS - This food dehydrator is designed with 8 large capacity drying racks, which is enough to hold most food items and create uniform drying; 8 trays provide the ultimate convenience to classify different food and increase productivity
- PREMIUM MATERIAL - Made of a stainless-steel base and premium plastic trays, all the materials are free of BPA, and are absolutely safe for your health; The digital LED display screen allows you to accurately time and control temperature settings; Enjoy an easy, healthy homemade snack without any additives
- EASY TO STORE & CLEAN - The dehydrator is detachable and the trays are dishwasher safe, making it easy and convenient for you to clean and store; Suitable for drying fruit, vegetables, meat, herbs, mushrooms, or to make beef jerky, turkey jerky, fish jerky, and any other homemade food; Also can be used to make chews and snacks for your pets