Every year, it seems there is a new kitchen appliance that’s touted to be among the top must-have kitchen appliances. One of these appliances is the dehydrator.
Fitness enthusiasts, health practitioners, and nutritionists swear by this appliance and say it’s an excellent investment for anyone who wants to eat healthily. But is it really worth the investment?
Is a dehydrator worth it?
A dehydrator is a worthy investment for someone who buys dehydrated foods often. Because the store-bought options are much more expensive, it makes sense to dry your food at home. Purchase ingredients in bulk during season and dehydrate them at home for a small operational cost. The average dehydrator doesn’t cost much to run.
Before you begin shopping for the best dehydrator, it’s essential to know the advantages and disadvantages of the appliance.
Is it expensive to run? Does it require regular maintenance? Does it create healthy food? Read on to learn everything you need to know about dehydrators.
Is a Dehydrator Worth It?
Dehydrators are used to remove moisture from food. Dried food has a unique flavor and texture. In addition to this, dehydrating food increases its shelf life.
Think about it: Sun-dried tomatoes and beef jerky have a unique flavor and texture that adds a tasty element to the food that you wouldn’t be able to achieve without dehydrating them.
There are many foods that you can dry in a dehydrator, from countless fruits and vegetables to bread and cheese. Therefore, a food dehydrator is a great investment if you enjoy eating dehydrated foods.
Having this appliance in your home not only saves you the hassle of going to the shop every time your cravings kick in, but it also saves money.
Dried fruits cost about $2 for a tiny pack, which is often barely enough for a snack. With a dehydrator, you call the shots without losing a single buck!
Below are some of the benefits you get when you invest in a dehydrator.
It Saves Space.
While a dehydrator is quite large and takes up a good bit of room in your kitchen, the appliance saves you space by allowing you to shrink food to significantly smaller sizes. As a result, you’re able to store more preserves in a small area.
These food stores may come in handy in an emergency or for camping. The preserves are also excellent for large families or anyone who needs the extra food but has limited storage space.
It Prolongs Shelf-Life.
Dehydration is a great way to preserve your food. This method of food preparation relies on the principle of drawing moisture from the food. Without moisture, microorganisms are unable to grow on the food, resulting in a longer shelf-life.
Dehydrated foods can last up to a year or longer, depending on the type of food. Therefore, if you’re planning to go camping for an extended period or you plan to be away from home for a while, and you want to keep the food fresh, dehydrating the food is a great preservation method.
It Gives Versatile Results.
Another reason why investing in a dehydrator is worth it is that it gives you versatile results. This appliance not only allows you to dehydrate fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more but also allows you to rehydrate them if you prefer to eat them that way.
It’s Easy to Know When Food Has Gone Bad.
Dehydration is an excellent food preservation method because it makes identifying rotten food easier.
Unlike canned foods that can harbor microbes without you knowing, it’s easy to spot mold on dehydrated food. Therefore, you can be sure that you’re eating fresh food when you don’t see visible signs of mold.
It’s Cost-Effective.
A dehydrator is not outrageously expensive. It also saves you the extra cost of purchasing processed dried foods. Besides, most dehydrators on the market are expandable. You can dry more fruit and vegetables by investing in additional trays for the dehydrator.
It Offers Flexible Usage.
Dehydrators also offer flexible use. You don’t have to dry lots of fruits at one time. You have the option of drying one fruit or trays of fruit. Also, the appliance can run for hours or days on end – it’s up to you and what you prefer!
Dehydrators Have a Fool-Proof Technique.
It’s almost impossible to mess up when you’re using a dehydrator. The appliance uses very low temperatures, so it’s difficult to over-dehydrate your foods.
And if the foods rehydrate due to high humidity, you can pop them back in and dehydrate them further. It’s really simple to use; anyone can do it!
It Provides Healthy Food.
Other food preservation methods like salting or canning require you to add preservatives to kill the microorganisms and prevent them from growing. Not to mention, if you’re using heat in the process, there’s a great chance you’ll lose some nutrients.
This isn’t the case with dehydration. You don’t need to add preservatives because the lack of moisture is enough to keep harmful microorganisms at bay.
Furthermore, you retain all the nutrients in the food. So, if you’re looking for a healthy food preservation technique, you cannot go wrong with dehydration.
Disadvantages of Dehydrators
After reading all these incredible benefits, you’re probably already sold on the idea of getting a dehydrator. However, before you purchase this equipment, there are several things you should keep in mind.
They Don’t Contain Odor.
The smell of dehydrating apples is one that most people would not mind having in their kitchens. But it’s an entirely different story for onions and garlic.
Unfortunately, when you’re using a dehydrator, you don’t have a choice but to smell everything that comes out of the machine because it doesn’t contain the odor.
For this reason, it’s best to place the dehydrator somewhere far from your living space, such as the garage. Also, make sure the area is well-ventilated to ensure the smell leaves the room.
They Don’t Work with High-Fat Foods.
Dehydrators do one job – they remove the moisture from food to make it more shelf-stable. However, you should not expect the same results with high-fat foods like avocado. While dehydration may improve the texture and taste, it won’t make the high-fat foods last longer.
This also applies to foods like beef-jerky. If you want to dry your jerky in a dehydrator, it helps to extract the fat first and then dehydrate it. Furthermore, if you’re not going to eat the jerky within a week, you should refrigerate it to prevent spoilage.
They Won’t Make Garlic or Onion Powder.
Home dehydrators are not suitable for drying onions and garlic to create powders. Unlike commercial driers, they won’t remove as much moisture. They are only good for dehydrating and hydrating purposes when it comes to these two food items.
In Conclusion
So, is a dehydrator worth it? The benefits of the appliance clearly outweigh the cons. A dehydrator not only gives you the convenience of preparing delicious, healthy food in the comfort of your own home but also provides you with a safe food preservation method that allows you to store your preserves up to a year.
Not to mention, investing in a dehydrator saves both money and space. A home dehydrator may not provide the same results as a commercial dryer, but one thing is for sure, it is a worthy investment.
Just make sure you explore the available options and compare their features before making a final decision.