Updated on Aug. 26, 2024
Beat grocery store prices by making your own treats with one of these best food dehydrators. Our Test Kitchen tried all the top brands and models to help you choose the right food dehydrator for you.
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Sure, you could rely on expensive, store-bought veggie crisps, beef jerky and dried fruit—or you can invest in a food dehydrator of your own for a much healthier and less expensive DIY treat. Electric food dehydrators speed up the natural drying process, thanks to carefully controlled temperature regulation and advanced air circulation.
They might look more like a NASA project than something that sits on your kitchen island cart, but once you’ve tried homemade dried snacks, you’ll never go back. With so many food dehydrators available, it can be difficult to narrow down the top performers—and ultimately the one best suited for your personal home needs.
That’s why our Test Kitchen team tested the top food dehydrator brands and models side by side to evaluate key factors such as performance, thoroughness, drying duration and ease of use—to help you make the right choice for your needs. We also took into consideration various buyer needs when ranking each model. So whether you’re looking for a more compact unit or larger capacity, or needing something more straightforward or with all the bells and whistles, we’ve identified a food dehydrator just for you.
Here are the best food dehydrator options tested and approved by our Test Kitchen to help you make everything from delicious healthy sweet snacks to homemade dog treats and garnishes.
Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
Topping the list, the Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator is my favorite model in the mid-range price set. It’s the right size to get a lot done, but not so large it’s a burden to your shelves. Plus, its sleek design will blend in with most modern kitchens.
You can see the food as it’s dehydrating, and thanks to a convenient timer—which you can set to work in 30-minute increments for up to 48 hours—you can easily walk away and not have to worry about it (check out these other kitchen appliances that practically cook for you). It offers precision drying from 95 to 165 degrees and features six stainless steel trays, a mesh screen, a fruit roll sheet and a recipe cookbook. The test food all came out nice, crispy and with good flavor, and the accessories and features make it worth the extra money.
Temp control: 95-165°F | Timer: Up to 48 hrs | Capacity: 6.5 sq. ft.
Tray material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 22 lbs. | Dimensions: 17 x 13 x 12 in.Â
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Test Food Cook Times/Temperature
Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
At such an affordable price, I was pleasantly wowed by the Ronco 5-Tray Food Dehydrator. Not only did it get the job done, but its low-and-slow drying method worked out better than I thought it would–particularly with the dried apples and jerky I tested.
The Ronco dehydrator’s convenient, stackable design means you can dehydrate as much or as little as you’d like. And although it’s compact, I was pleased to find that it still fits several portions of sliced-up food on each tray.
Great for beginners, the Ronco dehydrator features no confusing dials or knobs–simply plug it in and reference the manual for proper drying times. The only downside is that the manual says to rotate the trays every 2-4 hours, which can be a little difficult considering the drying process takes so long. But with over 900 five-star ratings on Amazon, this added step is by no means a deal breaker.
Temp control: None | Timer: None | Capacity: 4.75 sq. ft.
Tray material: Plastic | Weight: 5 lbs. | Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 11 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
The Nesco 7-Tray Food Dehydrator comes in at a very close second to our best overall-ranked Cosori model. Although it offers the same 6.5 sq. ft. of drying space as the Cosori, it boasts a lighter and more compact footprint, making it a great addition to any high-tech chef’s countertop. It would also make a worthy investment for anyone looking to trade in their basic dehydrator for more bells and whistles.
The Nesco dehydrator features a sleek stainless steel frame with a rear-mounted fan and a front window with interior light for easy viewing. Setting the unit up was very simple–I just set the temperature and time, and it dings and turns off when finished. No tray rotation is required. The tested food was well-dried and had a nice crunch and good flavor.
Temp control: 90-160°F | Timer: Up to 24 hrs | Capacity: 6.5 sq. ft.
Tray material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 16 lbs. | Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 12 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
With so many appliances taking up space in the kitchen, the storage-friendly Weston 6-Tray Food Dehydrator is an underrated must-have. And although it is small, it is mighty–getting the job done in one day.
Weighing in at just 8 pounds and about half the price of most other models on this list, the Weston still comes equipped with all the bells and whistles, making it the perfect gift for any foodie. It features adjustable temperature settings, an adjustable timer (up to 48 hours) and an automatic shutoff. It also comes with a mesh tray for drying herbs and a sheet for fruit leather.
This quiet machine is easy to use and easy to clean, equipped with six dishwasher-safe trays. My only recommendation? Rotate the trays throughout the drying process for a more uniform drying process.
Temp control: 100-160°F | Timer: Up to 48 hrs | Capacity: 5 sq. ft.
Tray material: Plastic | Weight: 8 lbs. | Dimensions: 12 x 10 x 15 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
Whether you’re feeding big crowds or just have a large, busy family, the professional-grade Excalibur Performance Series 10-Tray Food Dehydrator offers more than enough space to dry dozens of items at a time. This design-forward, 10-tray unit offers 16 sq. ft. of drying space for all your favorite foods.
The machine has a timer that can be set up to 80 hours and an adjustable temperature range (85-165 degrees) that reviewers love. The low-temperature range is safe enough to use on the most delicate fruits. Pro tip: Keep fruit fresh inside these genius produce keepers until it’s time to dehydrate.
At 27 pounds, this unit is the biggest and heaviest of the models I tested. But its sleek design, innovative LED touchscreen panel and advanced heat distribution technology make the Excalibur food dehydrator the perfect addition to any enterprising homesteader’s kitchen. I especially liked the front and top viewing windows, and the progress bar that lets you track your cooking progress.
Temp control: 85-165°F | Timer: Up to 80 hrs | Capacity: 16 sq. ft.
Tray material: Stainless Steel | Weight: 27 lbs. | Dimensions: 20 x 16 x 17 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
If you’re interested in larger batch cooking but at a smaller scale (and more affordable price point) than the Excalibur Performance Series, the Lem MightyBite 5-Tray Dehydrator is probably more your speed.
Its five trays boast 7.5 sq. ft. of drying space–the second highest on our list–and feature a 30-hour timer and adjustable temperature control that goes up to 155 degrees to dry even the most delicate berries to perfection. And if you’re feeling adventurous, use it for dehydrated cherries, apples and pears to throw in this scrumptious dried fruit energy bar recipe.
The Lem food dehydrator features a rear-mounted fan to prevent messy drippings and a clear, heat-trapping door to prevent heat loss when removing trays. The unique, square trays provide four rotation options and are removable and easy to clean.
Temp control: 95-155°F | Timer: Up to 30 hrs | Capacity: 7.5 sq. ft.
Tray material: Plastic | Weight: 14 lbs. | Dimensions: 13 x 24 x 19 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
The Presto Dehydro Food Dehydrator was the fastest at cooking all three foods, which is nothing to scoff at considering all other units took at least half a day. I’d highly recommend this machine for busy families, or anyone who wants to use a dehydrator for crafts (think dried fruit for holiday wreaths and garlands), fruits or veggies—because it’ll be done in a flash.
The Presto food dehydrator is both collapsible and affordable, so you also won’t have to worry about storage or going over budget. And although it might not look as fancy as the other dehydrators on our list, more than 8,300 five-star ratings say this popular Amazon kitchen gadget is worthy of the best kitchens.
Temp control: None | Timer: None | Capacity: 4.5 sq. ft.
Tray material: Plastic | Weight: 5 lbs. | Dimensions: 14 x 15 x 7 in.
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Maggie Knoebel/Taste of Home
Cabela’s is known for producing quality products for the great outdoorsman, hunter or fisherman, so it’s only fitting they also have a brand of food dehydrator. The Cabela’s Heavy Duty 6-Tray Dehydrator is a durable and reliable unit—and I can say this with confidence as I own and have used this machine for almost four years. While it can dry an array of foods, from dried fruit and vegetable snacks to delicate garnishes, its ability to cook beef jerky is where it shines.
Its high-capacity design offers 7 sq. ft. of cooking space over six trays, and its powerful, rear-mounted heater and fan provide even, consistent drying across trays (no rotation necessary), making it a perfect gift for the family huntsman.
Cabela’s dehydrator features an adjustable thermostat for more precise drying temperatures, and its six durable polypropylene trays will stand the test of time. The only downside is there’s no timer, so you need to keep your eye on your food as it’s drying (but with delicious beef jerky cooking in the kitchen, something tells me that won’t be a problem).
Temp control: 80-160°F | Timer: None | Capacity: 7 sq. ft.
Tray material: Polypropylene | Weight: 14 lbs. | Dimensions: 20 x 14 x 12 in.
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This is actually less about the shape and more about the orientation of the heating elements and fans. Round dehydrators usually have elements and airflow that are vertically oriented, whereas square ones are typically horizontally oriented. Horizontal options are usually more efficient, but they’re also more expensive and often larger. Vertical ones tend to run cheaper and are smaller, but they’re far better for anyone on a budget. As such, “better” is highly subjective and depends largely on your needs and how much you want to spend.
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