The 10 best food dehydrators to buy in the UK
Struggling to find the best food dehydrator for the home? Knowing what to look for in less common appliances like a dehydrator can be difficult, especially when there are so many options to choose from. So it’s little surprise so many are unsure what to look for.
To help you find the best food dehydrators for your kitchen, check out the below buying guide! It covers all the information you need to know about buying the right food dehydrator, including what it is, its benefits, and what to look for when buying.
What are food dehydrators?
As the name suggests, a food dehydrator is a device that removes moisture from various foods, most commonly fruits, vegetables, and some meats. By removing moisture from the food, the machine helps to maintain them for longer by significantly reducing the rate of spoilage, meaning less food goes to waste.
Why should you buy a good food dehydrator?
The best food dehydrators are a worthwhile addition to any kitchen. By dehydrating foods, you get much more value for money by throwing out less food due to spoilage. Dehydrated foods, especially fruit and vegetables, are fantastic for making healthy snacks at home, and because they last so long you can have a good supply of long-lasting foods for an affordable price.
Moreover, because it is used mostly on fruit and vegetables, you encourage more healthy eating habits, replacing junk food and snacks with healthier alternatives.
How to choose the right food dehydrator in 2024?
Choosing a the best food dehydrator can be challenging if you are unsure what to look for, so here are a few things to consider:
- Temperature Control: The more variable temperature settings a food dehydrator offers the more foods it works with. For instance, fruits and vegetables require varying temperatures to dehydrate, and these differ a lot from temperatures being used on meats and fish. So, you want to choose a device with lots of temperature settings that are far more effective at dehydrating a range of foods compared to one with a single setting. Also, variable temperature control allows the device to adjust the temperature throughout the drying process, adjusting from high to low settings for more efficient dehydration.
- Size and Capacity: Consider how much food you plan on dehydrating at any time and choose a model with enough capacity to meet your needs. However, also think about the space free in your kitchen, as more capacity means a bigger device that takes up more space. If you are tight on space but want a high capacity, consider a stackable design that adds extra trays for more food.
- Airflow: The best food dehydrators produce even airflow to ensure food dries evenly over long periods. Cheaper devices often lack even airflow, with some fan devices pushing the warm air to the top of the device, leaving the lower area cooler that can impact the food stored here. So, always check for even airflow in the device, making sure fans are a suitable size and evenly distribute the warm air.
What is the best kind of food dehydrator in the UK?
There are two main types of food dehydrator available to buy:
- Vertical Flow Dehydrators: These models are the cheapest type to buy and offer a decent capacity for a smaller footprint thanks to the stackable design. The heating element is usually at the base, pushing air upwards via a fan, making it best suited for fruits and vegetables. Not all of these have the most even airflow, so dehydrating meats can be challenging, while you need to swap the trays around to ensure even coverage.
- Horizontal Flow Dehydrators: The much bulkier type of food dehydrator, it looks and functions similarly to a convection oven, with the heating source and large fan located at the back of the unit. There are multiple trays inside for stacking food and the better airflow makes them suitable for meats along with fruits and vegetables. Despite costing more, a horizontal flow food dehydrator is easier to use as you can adjust the settings and leave it till its finished.
Top 10 list of food dehydrators in the UK (2024)
The bestseller list compares brands and their food dehydrators. Which food dehydrator is the best?
- Adjustable thermostat allows you to control the drying process (35-70°C) - Transparent…
- Ideal for fruits, meats, fish, vegetables, greens, herbs, yoghurt and bread. We recommend…
- Dehydrating food is practiced around the world as a natural method of preservation,…
- Not suitable for freeze drying
- ATTRACTIVE AND DURABLE - Built for use in a commercial kitchen or shop environment,…
- STATE OF THE ART DESIGN - The SousVideTools Food Dehydrator is sophisticated yet…
- Durable and Easy to Use.
- Benefits - Drying food both reduces the size (allowing for easier storage in jars/lunchboxes)…
- Healthy Cooking - Simply put fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. on the trays and set…
- PERFECT HEALTHY SNACK MAKER: suitable for home dehydrating beef jerky, biltong, fruit…
- TOUCH PANEL DISPLAY: Adjustable digital thermostat range of 35-70 °C and timer…
- TRANSPARENT WINDOW: Use the transparent window, to easily see how far along the drying…
- 2-YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY -- Shop with confidence. Your Andrew James 3.5L Slow…
- LOW ENERGY USAGE & EASY TO CLEAN -- Using a dehydrator machine is a low energy…
- ADJUSTABLE DIGITAL THERMOSTAT & TIMER -- An adjustable digital thermostat range…
- OUR BRAND PROMISE: Established in 2009, VonShef is the ultimate one-stop shop for…
- EASY TO USE: Create delicious snacks with ease; simply remove the trays to load your…
- SWEET OR SAVOURY: Your multiuse dehydrator isn’t limited to just fruit; level…
- Dimensions: 26H x 32L x 25Wcm. Single tray: 3.5H x 31L x 23Wcm. Maximum load: 5kg.…
- Easy to Use: Simply press the operation button on this freeze dryer, set temperature…
- Five Stackable Trays: Separate different ingredients for ease. Helps to prevent cross…
- Dimensions: 27H x 32L x 32Wcm. MAXIMUM LOAD 5KG. NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
- Easy to Use: Simply turn the switch 'on' on this dehydrator, set the required…
- Five Stackable Trays: Easy way to dehydrate different ingredients, without them touching…
- Versatile Use: The dryer can be used to make healthy refreshments such as flower…
- Easy To Clean: The dehydrator dries the moisture in your food while locking in the…
- Healthy Cooking: The food dryer is powered by a 250W motor, which ensures even distribution…
- Temperature Control & Time Control The time setting range is 1~24hours, and the…
- 360 ° Circulating Heating & Rapid Heat Dissipation 360 ° hot air circulation…
- Use Safety & Simple Operation With automatic shutdown and overheating protection…
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