Food drying - Dehydrators (merged)

Ken68

Not tried it Sam, probably economic if you are having the oven on anyway. You would need to make sure that you don't cook the stuff for drying, so a case of taking it out after pre heat, putting in your main dish, cook that, then take it out, put back in your dried stuff, leave door open.etc.
Perhaps better to finish off in the de-hydrator.

katieowl_2

I've dried stuff in an Aga before, but here we have a Rayburn. The cost of oil means we turn it off in the Summer to save money, and that is the time of year when all the surpluses to dry come through. For me I think the benefit would be having that neat tidy unit whirring away in the corner, so I didn't have to keep fishing stuff in and out of the oven. TBH I try not to use the electric oven too much in the summer anyway!

I'm convinced and am going to plump for the 9 tray excalibur, I just need to save a few more jellybeans up!

Kate

Ken68

When I was researching I came across a similar unit to Excalibur from the USA but the shipping was extra,which threw me a bit, but none the less a lot cheaper overall and more trays.
Opted for the known brand but not a lot to go wrong, certainly mendable.
Will try and find.

THIS is the one that I saw on a USA site, available from Ebay UK. 10 trays.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CUISINPRO-600W-10-TRAY-FOOD-DEHYDRATOR-/170817941195?pt=UK_HGKitchen_SmallApp_RL&hash=item27c58aeecb

And notice that 5 tray Excalibur seem to range in price from £149 to £249.

Living_proof

It seems to me that it's the sort of thing which would be ideally owned in common by a group of friends, allotment society, etc. as to get the best deal the 9-tray Excalibur is a good choice but unless you have a lot of home-grown produce and a big family it would only get occasional use, and it's an expensive item for that. I am very tempted already, but not sold yet!

[Deleted User]

yes LP we use absolutely everything and I am finding it particularly good for veg as there aren`t many alternative ways of preserving veg, except freezing or brining as in sauerkraut

Herbs are great when dried at the cooler temperature as it preserves the oils

Dehydrating is more economical for us as we live in an eco home and have a pv system, we also have an allotment and grow just about every veg that we eat

I would not get a 9 tray excalibur if I were on my own and didn`t have an allotment. There are much cheaper dehydrators around which will be perfectly adequate for occasional drying

Living_proof

kittie wrote: »

I would not get a 9 tray excalibur if I were on my own and didn`t have an allotment. There are much cheaper dehydrators around which will be perfectly adequate for occasional drying

I was hoping you would drop in Kittie, and I know in my heart that you are right. It's just that when I see these photos of the American preservers with all their bounty I just can't see that they would be able to turn their produce around very often, even with the largest family.

I have made a pact with myself that as I will be moving later this year I will delay a purchase until then (maybe a treat for myself at Christmas?) UNLESS I happen to come across something at a CS or CBS. It's what I did with my breadmaker and slow cooker as I just wasn't sure if I would use sufficiently, but the same ones are both still in use today. I think the dehydrator will be more of a hobby that a money-saver. Do you ever re-hydrate fruit or just snack on it may I ask?

savvy

Living_proof wrote: »

I am tremendously interested in a dehydrator although now the household is just me I wonder whether I would manage to get good use from it. I've never tried fruit leathers or vegetable crisps so am unsure whether the expenditure would ever pay for itself. I often see Kittie post about what she is drying next and wonder does it all get used? Could I dry chickweed for chickweed tea, etc.?
It would have been ideal when the children were younger and coming back from school or university but I just wonder if I can justify it now.

I've used mine for making a lot of the dehydrated raw foods as well like crackers, cookies etc, but also have dehydrated tons of rose petals for eco friendly confetti for friends weddings or flowers for pot pourri as pressies

I look at it slightly differently, if you have the dehydrator and dehyrate a glut of produce......you can swap with others for a glut of whatever they've grown or have pickled etc, or swap it for jobs to be done for you, a kind of a bartering system IYSWIM, you've put in the time and effort and expense after all I have a huge bay tree that I dehydrate the leaves from, I don't use bay that much as we don't eat meat, so I take it to a pot luck and give it out there.....and another time someone will bring an excess of whatever they have and share that out, so it all evens out over time

Living_proof

kittie wrote: »

yes LP we use absolutely everything and I am finding it particularly good for veg as there aren`t many alternative ways of preserving veg, except freezing or brining as in sauerkraut

I would not get a 9 tray excalibur if I were on my own and didn`t have an allotment. There are much cheaper dehydrators around which will be perfectly adequate for occasional drying

Well I will need to get an allotment now!

I have been in the deepest South visiting DD and as soon as I drew up after the five hour drive, I stretched my legs by wandering round the health food shop nearby. Whilst chatting to the assistants, I casually asked what their experience was of dehydrators, and the reply was that they didn't sell them but there was one 'on the board'. There was a small ad for a brand new, 9-tray Excalibur for £129. A quick call to the vendor and five minutes later she had bought round the machine to DD's house, and it was obviously unused (for rather tragic reasons) and came complete with 9 Parraflex liners and is the top of the range model with timer. Current cost new £379.

It would have been rude not to purchase it, don't you think? OK, not the CBS/CS buy I had hoped for, but I don't think I'll come across a better deal.

It's whirring away now with the surplus to requirements veg. from dd's fridge. Tomorrow is jerky for DD, now marinating overnight and I am now looking out for all bright ideas for my new toy.

lizcake

If anyone is near the QVC clearance shop at Birchwood, Cheshire, I picked up one of the round ones ( think they are the same as the Lakeland ones) this week for under £10, they were priced at £18, but came up at less at the till

Living_proof

Before I left DD's I dehydrated all the ood veg items in her humungous fridge. Since I have been home I've tried a couple - mushrooms, celery and courgettes made tasty additions to chicken and ham soup, and today I have used most of the red pepper and celery in a goulash. I look forward to being able to buy really well priced items and process them for later use, but I think the convenience of being able to bung in ready prepared items to a SC concoction will be very much appreciated. Eventually I will buy a house with a veggie plot and the dehydrator should be able to quote well with the gluts. Harvesting wild food should also be more worthwhile and I'll certainly have a go at making my own herbal teas. I've had a lot of fun looking at all the videos from the US and some of the preppers are just a hoot, bless 'em. I was going to try neep/swede but I think I'll leave it until I manage to find a meat slicer at a good price. I think this might be addictive....