dehydrator compare, stockli, excalibur, lequip

*The cost per square foot was calculated by first deducting the value of any included non-stick sheets.

Drying methods explained (dehydrator 'type')

There are two different systems found in dehydrators.

The most common - and that found in lower cost dryers - is the vertical drying system, where a heater and fan is placed at the base of the dehydrator, pushing warm air upwards through a stack of drying trays via a central air shaft. This has the advantage of not fixing the vertical dimension of the dehydrator, therefore allowing the addition of further trays. However, the drying time increases for each tray you add as the produce is further and further away from the heat source and fan. If you are making a raw food snack such as a cracker then as the trays are not square you are forced to make a compromise with your cracker shape. The is true both at the tray perimeter and the centre of each tray which is cut out to allow air to move throughout the system. One sad but inherent feature of vertical dryers is that any drips or crumbs will inevitably fall into the fan and electrics sealed in the base. Apart from risking electrical shortage this is doubly unhygienic, as the area cannot be cleaned and will be constantly warmed with vapour spread out into your foods. For this reason you cannot be too careful with a vertical dehydrators. Finally, there are no non-stick sheets available for vertical dryers unless you can find a small supplier who is willing to hand cut them to shape, and it is the non-stick sheets that make many raw food creations possible. Without non-stick sheets you will make a big mess of your trays meshes.

Vertical drying PROS	Vertical drying CONS
expandable can be operated with 1 tray	upper trays dry poorly trays are not square trays have a hole in the centre drips fall into base/electrics area and cannot be cleaned tray pitch is fixed no non-stick drying sheets

The other drying method - and one which is significantly more efficient - is the horizontal drying system, where a heater and fan is placed at the rear of the dehydrator. This system dries the trays far more easily. Although sometimes claimed to be perfect, the rear of each tray will unavoidably dry quicker then the front. However, this aside the horizontal drying system presents a very good solution for drying the widest selection of raw food treats with the least effort, highest efficiency and quickest cleanup.

Horizontal drying PROS	Horizontal drying CONS
non-stick sheets available or included tray pitch can be varied by removing trays most even drying drips fall to flat base square trays with 100% surface area available as drying space

The Stockli Dehydrator

The Stockli is a low cost dehydrator aimed at people looking to experiment with food drying. The limitations of the vertical drying style are present and the circular shape exaggerates the issue of irregular drying space as well as being an inefficient use of worktop space. The system is available with a timer for an additional £10 and a further £10 will fetch you the stainless steel model - by which time you are nearing £40 per square foot. So although this is the lowest cost dehydrator the cost per square foot is the highest even for the standard model which stands at £32.

The L'Equip Dehydrator

The L'Equip is a well engineered system and certainly makes more efficient use of its dimensions then the circular stockli. Lequip include 2 plastic trays for making fruit leathers, although these are not non-stick. Other websites indicate that the lequip has a larger drying area then we have verified to be the case, but none the less the cost per square foot is very low at £19. The base appears particularly susceptible to food becoming trapped so this unit must be used with extra care, not only to avoid drips but crumbs too.

The Excalibur 5 Tray Dehydrator

The Excalibur 5 tray dehydrator is the lowest cost option for a horizontal dryer, although please weigh up the cost of non-stick sheets if you feel you might want these. Excalibur users have for years reported the temperature to fluctuate and not reflect the thermostat setting, and whilst there are reports that this is intended, it doesn't cater for food at different stages of drying.

The Excalibur 9 Tray Dehydrator

This is a straightforward expansion on the 5 tray model with a larger fan at the rear.

Summary - Vertical vs. Horizontal

Quite honestly if you are serious about dehydrating then we recommend you purchase a horizontal dryer. Even if you are not 100% sure about your future in food drying, be aware that the cons of a vertical dryer are more likely to put you off then food drying itself. Although these units are low cost they ultimately represent poor value for money and with gravity being against you the clock is ticking. In our own direct experience we have had machine 'pop' on us and later inspection has revealed mould growing in the fan area.

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