The 8 Best Food Dehydrators of 2023

The Good Housekeeping Institute testers called the Tribest Sedona Express Electric Food Dehydrator a “drying powerhouse.” The tall, black dehydrator comes with 11 stainless steel trays (there’s also a model with plastic trays) and was one of the quietest models that was tested.

The main differentiator is the three dehydrating programs: fast, raw, and a combination of both settings. The fast mode cycles above the set temperature to reduce the drying time and the raw mode makes sure your herbs don’t dry out by making sure the temperature never exceeds the set temp. The dehydrator also has some nice features like a light switch and the ability to program the timer for up to 99 hours. It also comes with a stainless steel drip tray, fruit leather tray, and an air filter.

If you’ve never made jerky in your own kitchen, the Chefman Food Dehydrator is the buddy you need to walk you through the process. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s testers noted that “it was very easy to use without reading the manual.”

The sleek black food dehydrator earned high marks for its straightforward menu, a clear door that lets you see what’s happening without stopping the drying process, consistent drying, and a digital timer that beeps when your dried fruit is done. Beef jerky peeled quickly off the six plastic trays; and while the trays are not dishwasher safe, they were easy to clean by hand.

The Tribest Sedona Combo Food Dehydrator will make you think of leaving your 9-to-5 to start selling your jerky at a farmer’s market. The sturdy black, rectangular dehydrator has nine stainless steel shelves and a pair of fans to handle enough turkey jerky for a long road trip.

There’s a bit of a learning curve for navigating the two-stage temperature sequence (the initial hours are at a higher temperature to speed up the drying process); but the fans were quiet and the door has a handle for opening and closing. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s kitchen tech experts found it to be a “heavy weight model that provided very even drying.” At nearly 32 pounds, it was also just heavy, which is something to consider if you’re lifting it on and off your counter. The equally hefty price tag comes with a five-year warranty.

Fans of time-lapse videos and TikToks of factory assembly lines will love to watch the Presto Dehydro Square Food Dehydrator shrink herbs and pear slices. You’ll also appreciate that the shelves collapse for convenient storage when the dehydrator is out of sight.

In tests, the Presto Dehydrator excelled at making jerky, and the square see-through shelves let you see what’s happening. While the included pair of fruit roll pans and mesh screens keep small bits contained, the Good Housekeeping Institute’s testers noted that there’s no drip pan, “so the bottom of the unit will need to be cleaned by hand.”

The Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator is like a genie: lots of power in an itty bitty living space. The six plastic trays, which collapse to make it easier to store, rest atop the circular base that houses the heating element, fan, digital timer, and thermostat.

The Good Housekeeping Institute’s kitchen tech experts noted that the “push button controls are easy to set up for your desired temperature and times.” This is a versatile food dehydrator that comes with fruit roll sheets, mesh screens, and a sample packet of jerky seasoning and cure for your maiden voyage into making your own trail snacks. You can also stack up to 12 drying trays, although you’ll have to purchase a second set of six trays.

The Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydator is the sedan that gets you to work every day. The stripped down, five tray model isn’t full of bells and whistles, but it produced evenly dried parsley and jerky that was easy to lift off the plastic trays.

The Good Housekeeping Institute testers saw that the Hamilton Beach “did well with drying,” and “has a nice small footprint.” It also comes with a drip tray, fruit leather tray, and mesh screen, which can all be cleaned in the dishwasher. While the top shelf is visible through the clear cover, the lower shelves can only be seen if you remove the shelves above them.

If you’re interested in an uncomplicated working relationship with a food dehydrator, have you met my friend the Cuisinart DHR-20P1 Food Dehydrator? The oval food dehydrator is a “basic, easy to use model,” according to the kitchen testers at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

The black plastic base has analog controls with four settings: fan only, low, medium, and high. The five, clear plastic trays, give you a window into what’s happening at the edges. Dried apples had “very little curling” and had a nice crisp texture; but did stick to the trays a bit. The dehydrator also comes with a fruit roll-up sheet and a limited three-year warranty (longer than the standard one-year warranty on similar models).

With the Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, you have to set it and then not forget it. Turn the dial on the lid to your desired temperature, plug in the machine, and then set the timer on your phone or oven to remind you when to check on your drying fruit.

The Nesco food dehydrator has five trays (you can purchase and use up to seven additional trays) that are dishwasher safe, two fruit leather sheets (for pureed fruit), two small mesh screens (great for herbs), and a trio of spice packets for jerky. If you’ve never owned a food dehydrator, you’ll appreciate what the Good Housekeeping Institute experts noted was a “very good booklet with many suggestions like crafts, instructions, including the storage of food,” as well as recipes, tips, and handy charts.