So you want to consider the NESCO Food Dehydrator but are unsure about all of the hype? Well, here we’ve provided a NESCO food dehydrator review that will give you all the details. Dehydrating food in general is a simple way to turn almost any fruit, vegetable, or small piece of meat into a convenient snack that stays good for longer. This ancient practice has roots that go as far back as 12,000 BCE. Even today, the best trail mixes, snacks for the sidelines, and even dog treats can be made from drying out foods that normally need to be carefully stored. So what’s the secret to making things like raisins and tasty fruit leather? Well, today, that secret is finding a quality food dehydrator that can handle high capacity. But which one do you choose? Here we’ve composed a detailed NESCO Food Dehydrator Review, with you, the avid snack enthusiast, in mind. This is so that you have a better sense of what you’re getting. We consider the NESCO to be one of the best products on the market for its segment.
What Is the NESCO Food Dehydrator?
The NESCO food dehydrator is a closed system that uses its own patented technology to circulate air through its chambers. It dries out whatever you put in it with surprising power. But it gets even more specific about how it dries based on the specifications you desire. It is ideal for creating jerky from meats, drying out fruits and vegetables, and even drying out herbs and spices to make cordials and tinctures.
Product Specs
In our NESCO Food Dehydrator Review, we’re making sure you have all the details of this amazing product firsthand. This includes the fact that it has an adjustable thermostat that keeps the temperature anywhere between 95 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This element of temperature control makes it much more than a simple ‘plug and switch on’ model. It also comes with the capacity to store between 5 and 12 trays, making for larger batches.
Its closed design also keeps out the light that might destroy valuable nutrients. Also, its patented Converga-Flow Drying System dries foods horizontally across the trays before being circulated out. This means there’s no mixing of the flavors and no need to rotate the trays either. And with a fan that operates at 600 watts, this is a powerful machine that will dry out your food quickly.
Pricing
Because this is a high efficacy device, the price range is in the mid-level range for dehydrators of similar size and scope. Also, in our NESCO Food Dehydrator Review, we made sure to give you a look at some other products that may be cheaper or more expensive than this one. But as you look through the details of the NESCO model, you can expect to pay between 50 and 100 dollars depending on which site you purchase it from. Finding a used one may also offer savings.
Comparisons: Essentials of the Nesco Food Dehydrator Review
We picked a few similar food dehydrators available on the market to see how they compare. We chose two other companies that have a similar reputation for excellence when it comes to home and kitchen appliances: Excalibur and Presto.
- Excalibur 3900W Deluxe
- Presto 06300 Dehydro
- Excalibur Food Dehydrator
NESCO Food Dehydrator
[amazon box=”B0090WOCN0″]
- Ease of Use
- Assembly Time
- DESIGN QUALITY
- Warranty
The simple display on the top of the unit and easily digestible instruction manual makes learning to use this tool a breeze.
Even though it has a number of components enclosed, it doesn’t take much effort to put it all together.
The design principles at play here speak to expert engineering and sound functionality. And it looks good on your countertop.
The warranty provided by NESCO offers a one-year term that protects against factory defects or other problems related to workmanship. It does not cover damage from transportation, misuse, accident, or similar incident.
Excalibur 3900W Deluxe
[amazon box=”B00A826ZEA”]
The Excalibur 3900W Deluxe is another example of a well functioning, top of the line product. What is asks for in price is well worth the investment if you’re an avid food dehydrator or have need to dry foods on a larger scale. This larger scale involves about 15 square feet of drying space. Yes, you read that right. This means you can create batches for large events and gatherings as well as for a well-stocked personal supply.
You also get an adjustable thermostat and a clear display across the top of the system. In addition, the trays themselves are easy to clean. The textured poly screen trays make dehydrating the food a breeze. And the power level of this device clocks in at 110V, 600 watts. So you know you’re getting a product that packs a punch.
- Ease of Use
- Assembly Time
- DESIGN QUALITY
- Warranty
The top panel gives you full control over small adjustments that will perfect your food dehydrating experience. The trays themselves easily slide in and out of the unit. And you’ll never have to worry about the system itself hiccuping from your learning it. It has a consumer-tested user experience and a manual that’s simple to understand.
Because the unit itself comes in one piece, it’s got no additional assembly time other than taking the trays out of the packaging and matching them with their poly fiber components.
This product is made to be flexible to your needs and still looks great in the process. It functions seamlessly under ardent demands and will give you instant credibility from all who spot this product in your domain.
The warranty term here is excellent: a ten-year limited policy. This policy covers similar ground as the NESCO, accounting for manufacture error and shoddy workmanship. It does not cover user error, transportation mishaps, or other accidents.
PROS
- Can produce in bulk
- Exceptional power
- Easy to use
CONS
- High price tag
- Not ideal for small batches
- Could include a better warranty for the price
Presto 06300 Dehydro
[amazon box=”B008H2OELY”]
The Presto 06300 is your economical best friend. It’s great for small batches and giving you the basics of food dehydration for the casual user. It offers you four trays that are removable and flexible based on the size and scope of what it is you’re dehydrating. You’re also granted the ability to stay on track when it comes to the ability to monitor the progress of what you’re dehydrating. The product features a clear lid that puts you in full control.
The product also stores exceptionally well. The chord easily tucks under the device and the components are all dishwasher safe for easy cleaning between uses. Also, as far as temperature is concerned, it operates at a preset level of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ve got a little more bulk, that’s alright. The four trays can expand up to eight at full capacity. The trays are also made of a non-stick mesh, perfect for drying a variety of culinary delights.
- Ease of Use
- Assembly Time
- DESIGN QUALITY
- Warranty
We give the four-star rating here only because it takes a little bit of time to get the hang of how the product stacks. Once this is mastered, it becomes easy to use.
Again related to the above comments. The stacking mechanism is necessary to complete for optimal functionality. Other than this the product is simple to assemble.
This product is well made for what it is designed to do. In this case, you have a strong heat-resistant material that easily holds up to sustained use.
Evenly matched in this NESCO Food Dehydrator review, the Presto’s warranty is comparable, offering a similar 1-year warranty package that covers factory and mechanical defects.
PROS
- Great value
- Clear top to track progress
- Easily stores
CONS
- Not as customizable
- Stacking and un-stacking can be time consuming
- Could include a better warranty for the price
Excalibur Food Dehydrator 2900ECB
[amazon box=”B001NZPP6U”]
This model is a cousin to the Excalibur 3900W Deluxe. It offers many similar features, like the adjustable thermostat and the 15 square feet of food drying space. It also has a design that keeps light out of the product body, keeping the integrity of the nutrients intact. This product is ideal if you have a little more demand than what the NESCO can provide, but don’t want to invest in the next tier up. We looked for other manufacturers at this price point, but as far as the intersection of quality, value, and capacity, the Excalibur Food Dehydrator 2900ECB wins out in a big way.
It’s specifically made for gardeners, sportsmen, and large families. And in addition to making jerky, dried fruits and vegetables, as well as raising bread, you can also insert non-food items. This makes it ideal for arts and crafts that might need extra drying before they’re ready to be put on display. In this way, the Excalibur Food Dehydrator 2900ECB is one of the most versatile alternate products in our NESCO Food Dehydrator review.
- Ease of Use
- Assembly Time
- DESIGN QUALITY
- Warranty
This product is exceptionally user-friendly and like with the other Excalibur product we reviewed, comes with an easy-to-understand product manual. As well as a handy ‘drying guide’ for your convenience.
This product essentially comes pre-assembled. Other than items like the trays that need to be put together, and fitted to the device, it’s essentially ready to go upon delivery.
This product’s sleek design, because it’s similar to the other Excalibur we reviewed, comes from the same tradition of design excellence. This particular model comes in black, which may absorb a certain amount of heat. But the all-important light blocking component still remains the same.
This particular machine comes with a factory certified five-year guarantee. This, like the other products in our NESCO Food Dehydrator review, covers all the basic elements of workmanship; though it doesn’t account for user error.
PROS
- Less expensive than the pricier model
- Great functionality for the price point
- Comes with easy-to-read display and guide
CONS
- Comes with easy-to-read display and guide
- Can sometimes operate too noisily
- Some of but not all the plastic is BPA free
?Conclusion
So why is it, after seeing all of these other worthy competitors, do we still believe that our original model still wins out in this NESCO Food Dehydrator review? Well, for one thing, we see it as the best value of all the other products combined. It makes use of the most efficient food dehydration technology that you simply can’t achieve on the larger scale of the other Excalibur models.
Sure, the Excalibur series are great when it comes to drying out a large quantity quickly. But no matter how well you’ve designed your food dehydrator, the bulk principle remains. The more product you try to dehydrate at once, the longer it’s ultimately going to take to achieve your desired results. We’ve found that in the course of making this NESCO Food Dehydrator review, all of its key components give this model (the NESCO) that sweet spot of every attribute we look for.
A lot of it ultimately has to do with its patented technology. They designed it specifically to optimize just the right amount of space contained within so that the highest efficiency standards could be met. Its multi-dimensional tray system accomplishes all the objectives of food dehydration in less time. Perhaps if the other models found a way to more adequately and evenly apply some of these horizontal drying principles, they could maximize their own efficiency.
But, for now, we’ll conclude our NESCO Food Dehydrator Review with an overall score of 5 out of 5 stars for this product. We encourage you to read user reviews yourself as well to get a sense of whether your needs and what the other products provide will align. But for our purposes and for the majority of food dehydrator users out there, the NESCO Food Dehydrator tics all the right boxes, giving its users the best overall experience.
