Many home dehydrators are built to sustain temperatures between 145 degrees Fahrenheit to 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Some can even reach highs of 200 degrees! These high temperatures may leave some homeowners worrying about the possible dangers of using a dehydrator on their kitchen countertops.
Dehydrators are built to safely sustain the temperatures required to properly dehydrate different food items. Generally, a dehydrator’s inner temperature reaches 125-165°F when dehydrating, but the exterior should be a bit cooler than that. Dehydrators should be used carefully by an adult, as is the recommendation for many kitchen appliances.
When using a dehydrator, there are a few tips to keep in mind to avoid any mishaps. Dehydrators have the potential to overheat, so they should be safely used away from water and in an area with good ventilation.
Users will also want to check the temperature of the dehydrator periodically, to make sure it’s heating up properly and not rising to an even higher temperature mid-way through the process.
What Causes a Dehydrator to Overheat?
Under some circumstances, dehydrators have the potential to overheat. This can be due to any number of problems, such as a malfunction, broken component, or user-related issues. Oftentimes, if a dehydrator overheats it won’t necessarily melt or catch on fire.
If the fan blades within the appliance fail to work as they’re supposed to, this can cause the dehydrator to overheat as it’s lacking the proper airflow. If the heating element within the appliance has failed, this can also cause the machine to get overly hot or to shut down completely.
Another common issue is underloading the trays within the dehydrator. If there aren’t enough food items to be dehydrated, the machine may work overly hard and end up overheating.
It’s recommended to read the manufacturer’s suggestion on how much to load into the appliance at once.
Overheating can potentially cause a fuse to blow on your dehydrator, so it’s important to fix the issue as quickly as possible. If you turn on your dehydrator and immediately notice something not working as it should, unplug the appliance and seek a troubleshooting guide or an experienced technician.
When using a dehydrator, it should be placed in a ventilated area, preferably near a cracked window. This can prevent things from getting too hot.
Dehydrators should also never be placed on a wooden surface or on top of a flammable tablecloth, as these can overheat the base of the appliance and potentially ignite.
How Hot is Too Hot For a Dehydrator?
A dehydrator that tends to run too hot can kill off the nutrients within the food that’s being dehydrated. One of the main benefits of using a dehydrator is that it keeps the majority of the healthy enzymes and vitamins within fruits, vegetables, and meats.
If you’re using a dehydrator regularly, it’s recommended to check the temperature a few times a year. To dehydrate meat and fish, the dehydrator will have to average around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Generally, there isn’t a reason for the appliance to run much hotter than this unless a recipe states otherwise.
Depending on what’s being dehydrated, some temperatures can be much too hot and can ruin the finished project. When dehydrating something fragile and delicate such as herbs, the dehydrator shouldn’t be hotter than 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit.
When using a dehydrator for the first time, keeping an eye on the product is recommended. This way, if things look to be drying out too quickly or too much, the temperature can be managed before the item is ruined.
Fruits, vegetables, crackers, meats, and greens all have different temperatures that are ideal for dehydration, so checking a dehydration chart before setting the temp can help ensure success.
Where Should You Keep Your Dehydrator?
If you’re someone who purchased a dehydrator at the height of its popularity and then forgot about it in the back of a kitchen cabinet, it’s time to take it back out and put it to use!
Dehydrators are a wonderful tool in the kitchen, especially when it comes to preserving food while sustaining its optimal levels of vitamins and nutrients.
When a dehydrator is in use, many people choose to leave it on a kitchen counter or other well-ventilated area. In some cases, dehydrators can even be used outside.
All that’s required is an electrical plugin for the machine. Some people choose to use this outdoor method during the hot summer months so that their kitchen isn’t needlessly warmed up.
While in use, dehydrators can run for up to 12 hours. Which is a significant amount of time to have a hot appliance left on in your kitchen.
However, they’re considered safe to leave unattended overnight — though many people prefer to dehydrate food during the day while they can keep an eye on the progress.
During the periods that the dehydrator is not in use, it can be stored anywhere within the home. Once they’re fully cooled back down and unplugged, they can be placed on an open shelf or tucked away in a cabinet.
They shouldn’t be left outside for prolonged periods, as rain and other weather can ruin the finish and cause rust, as well as destroy the electrical components.
Can a Dehydrator Cause a Fire?
Any electrical appliance can pose a fire hazard if the machine becomes faulty or if they’re used incorrectly and irresponsibly. Dehydrators run at much lower temperatures than air fryers and even slow cookers — creating less of a fire risk when compared to other, more common kitchen appliances.
There have been instances of some brands of dehydrators being recalled for faulty wiring, which resulted in an increased fire hazard.
However, the manufacturer made the announcement and the issue was contained. While dehydrators have been designed to be left unattended, the safest way to use a hot appliance is to be in the home with it in case of an emergency.
Dehydrators can get hot to the touch, especially if you’re placing your hand on the side of the appliance. There can also be warm airflow from the vents, which is an indication that the dehydration process is ongoing and functioning as it should be.
These two things alone aren’t indicative of the dehydrator being dangerous or posing an immediate fire hazard.
Food dehydrators aren’t made of flammable material, so they’re often able to contain any fire and shut themselves down.
During the process, however, a few trays of food may be melted and burned. Another method to quell people’s concerns is to set an intermittent timer that reminds them to check the status of the appliance.
How to Safely Use Your Dehydrator
Dehydrators should be placed on a smooth and flat surface, such as a countertop. An uneven surface could put the appliance at risk of falling over and thus, causing the plug to come loose.
There should always be at a minimum, an inch of clearance around the dehydrator so that it’s not coming into direct contact with anything else.
If you haven’t used your dehydrator in a while, you may want to ensure that it’s heating up to the correct temperature. To do this, you can plug your dehydrator in as normal and set it to your desired temperature.
Do this without placing any food items into the appliance. Once the dehydrator has had 10-15 minutes to heat up, use a thermometer to ensure the temperature has reached the inputted level.
When using a dehydrator for meat products, proper precautions should be taken when cleaning out the appliance. Failing to clean after meat can cause the potential spread of salmonella and other dangerous bacteria that can spread to other food products that are placed onto the dehydrator tray.
Checking to ensure the smoke alarms within the home are working properly can provide peace of mind when leaving a dehydrator unattended overnight.
Users should also visually examine the appliance before using it, especially at the beginning of a new season after months of storage.
Always keep the dehydrator away from sources of water, as this can pose dangers when close to electrical wiring and sockets. Users will want to ensure the dehydrator isn’t placed next to a sink, with the potential to be splashed with water when the faucet is turned on.