The 7 Best Food Dehydrators of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

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Make jerky, fruit leather, chips, and so much more with the best options we tried

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The Spruce Eats / Victor Protazio

Whether you want to preserve an overabundance of home-grown produce, eat more raw produce, create homemade fruit rollups or crispy kale chips, make handmade dog treats, or even your own beef jerky, food dehydrating is a fun alternative to store-bought snacks. Dehydrating food creates concentrated flavors and crispy textures, which are great for taking on hikes or for snacking anytime.

To help you find which food dehydrator is best for your kitchen, we tested 22 models side-by-side and evaluated their ease of use, performance, ease of cleaning, design, and noise. They were used to dry herbs and citrus zest and make fruit leather, jerky, fruit and veggie chips, and more.

Customizable time and temperature settings

Very even dehydrating from level to level

Quiet operation

Automatic shut-off

Large countertop footprint

One of the sleekest dehydrators you'll find, this Cosori model is black and stainless steel with a glass door that lets you keep an eye on the drying process. It's got a digital control panel that is easy and intuitive to use and arrives fully assembled. Simply set the time and temperature, which can be set to operate up to 48 hours and between 95 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit. In our tests, the device came to temperature and stayed there, resulting in consistent cooking.

We love the automatic shut-off feature, whisper-quiet operation, and stellar performance; everything we made came out very evenly dehydrated with no cracking and peeled off the trays nicely. It was even easy to dehydrate foods to different textures.

This machine comes with six stainless steel drying trays, one mesh screen that can be used to dehydrate small fruit, a cookbook, and one fruit roll sheet. We don't love how big the machine is, but cleanup is easy since all the food trays are dishwasher-safe.

Super quiet operation

Consistently great results

Automatic shut-off and keep-warm features

Slightly bulky

We gave this machine perfect scores across the board for ease of use, ease of cleaning, performance, design, and noise. The timer goes from 30 minutes up to 24 hours and has an automatic shut-off as well as a keep-warm feature.

This dehydrator arrives fully assembled and includes seven stainless steel trays, two mesh trays for small or sticky items, two nonstick solid trays for fruit rolls, a cookbook, and a silicone oven mitt. All trays are dishwasher-safe and very easy to clean. The food dried very evenly from level to level, did not crack, and peeled off easily. The machine also came up to temperature after 40 minutes and stayed at the same temperature almost the whole time. It operated very quietly, too.

The front door is see-through and easy to open, and it stays open when you need to access the contents of the trays. The trays slide in and out easily, and the digital controls are easy to use. The only thing we don't like about this one is its size—food dehydrators are not known for being space-saving, but this one is pretty large compared to some other models.

Affordable

Design is compact and collapsible

Dishwasher-safe

Some unevenness between levels

No automatic shut-off or precise temp control

This is a small, basic machine with a small countertop footprint, but the capacity feels larger than some of the other small models. The controls are very basic: There's just one knob with various temperature ranges, which makes it tricky to adjust to a specific temperature. Still, it was very easy to use and arrived fully assembled. The trays can collapse for storage and are dishwasher-safe.

We noticed the bottom drying more quickly than the top and middle levels; it took five hours to make fruit leather to the point that the middle and bottom racks were fully dry. Drying herbs took six hours, and the middle and bottom racks were not as dry. The machine had more issues with coming up to temperature than the others but typically did so in about 20 minutes. It dehydrated more evenly and quietly than the other compact, lower-budget models we tried.

Digital controls easy to use

Comes to temperature quickly

Customizable temperature settings

Outer surface stays cool to the touch

No way to check progress

Less consistent results between trays

This dehydrator comes with only four trays, but you can buy extra trays and use up to 20 at a time, giving you plenty of drying space. The drying pressure adjusts for the number of trays being used for more even drying, no matter how much food you have. The temperature control is digital and adjusts from 90 to 160 degrees. Even at its top temperature, however, we noticed the outside remained cool to the touch.

This unit has a top-mounted fan, and the timer can be set for up to 48 hours of drying time. During testing, the bottom rack seemed to dry more quickly than the middle and top racks, but the fruit leather was dried in only three hours and peeled off its sheet easily. We like that the machine arrives fully assembled and comes to temperature in 10 minutes, but we don't love that the opaque plastic means there is no way to look in and check on progress.

This model comes with one screen, one fruit roll sheet, a sample of jerky seasoning and cure, and a recipe and instruction book. The trays and base can be washed in the dishwasher but must be removed before the drying cycle.

Temperature adjustable

Whisper-quiet operation

10-year warranty

Drying herbs took a lot of time during testing

If you want a dehydrator that offers a huge capacity without being too bulky, this is the one you need. The temperature adjusts from 77 to 167 degrees, and that high temperature means you can make jerky without needing to pre-cook it for safety. The dehydrator can automatically switch from an initial high temperature to a lower one for quicker drying without overcooking.

This unit has 11 dishwasher-safe stainless steel trays, a glass door, and an interior LED light, so it’s easy to check the drying process. There are several cooking modes (fast, raw, combination, and continuous), and the timer can be set for up to 99 hours per mode or up to 120 hours total—more than you’ll ever need. It operates very quietly and arrives fully assembled. In our tests, the machine came to temperature quickly and didn't take long to make fruit leather (but it did take much longer to dry herbs).

This top-of-the-line dehydrator can do it all, and its price tag reflects that. If you want to save a bit of money, you can opt for plastic trays instead of stainless steel, but the stainless steel ones will last longer. You’ll need to dry a lot of kale chips to recoup the cost, but since it comes with a 10-year warranty, chances are you’ll get a lot of use out of it. We think it's also one of the most aesthetically pleasing machines we tested.

The Spruce Eats / Victor Protazio

Multiple cooking features

Large capacity

Simple controls

Pricey

Having an appliance dedicated to one type of cooking is great and all, but if you're in the kitchen regularly then having multiple single-function devices is going to take up a lot of space and cost a lot of money. A multifunctional appliance can cut down on both of those headaches. The Instant Pot Omni Plus 18L Air Fryer Toaster Oven does more than the two functions in its name. In fact, it's a 10-in-1 powerhouse. It can air fry, broil, bake, roast, reheat, cook rotisserie style, toast, warm, convection heat, and, of course, dehydrate.

We found that the controls were delightfully simple and didn't even need to look at the user manual for directions. It impressed us in all the tests we put it through, including baking cookies, toast, fries, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The temperature ranges from 170 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, with a handy automatic shut-off feature to avoid overheating. We did notice a minor hotspot in the front center, but it wasn't a deal breaker by any means.

The Omni Plus has indicators on the glass door to show which of the three-tiered levels works best for a certain type of cooking. The dehydration function uses the bottom rung, for example. Connect to the app and you can follow step-by-step directions for popular recipes-including crispy mango chips. This machine is pricey, but for what you get, we think it's definitely worth it.

Affordable price

Clear cover allows for easy monitoring

No extra settings to figure out

Only one temperature option

No automatic shut-off or alarm

The perfect starter unit and ideal for small batches, this dehydrator comes with four trays, but you can add an additional four trays to double your drying space. The trays nest for more compact storage and the cord stores out of the way in the base. Fruit roll sheets and mesh sheets are available to fit this dehydrator and it has a white exterior with a clear top cover so you can watch the drying process. Unfortunately, there is no timer, so you’ll have to be nearby to turn it off when the food is done.

The temperature isn’t adjustable, and it operates consistently at about 165 degrees. We found the pre-set temperature ideal for anyone just getting started with dehydrating since there's no way to set the wrong temperature. The fan is at the bottom of the unit, which means it’s possible for food juices to drip down onto it—keep that in mind when you’re dehydrating fresh produce.

The Cosori Original Food Dehydrator got top scores across the board in our tests for dehydrating everything quickly, quietly, and evenly. The Elite Gourmet Food Dehydrator is our winner for best budget pick thanks to its small size, dishwasher-safe parts, and affordable price.

The Spruce Eats / Victor Protazio

We tested 22 food dehydrators side-by-side to see how well they would dry herbs and make fruit leather. We noted how long each item took to dehydrate in each machine, whether or not the items dehydrated fully, how evenly the foods dehydrated from the top to the bottom of each machine, how easy it was to peel each item off the tray, and how easy each dehydrator was to use and clean. We even did a noise test, where we played a specific song on a phone, set it in a specific spot next to the dehydrator, played it at a set volume level, and rated how well we could hear it over the machine.

In a separate test, we used certain machines to dry jerky, fruit and veggie chips, herbs, and citrus zest.

Dehydrators either have horizontal or vertical airflow. In horizontal airflow models, the heating element and fan are positioned on the side or back of the dehydrators. Vertical airflow models have the heating element and fan positioned at the bottom or top of the dehydrator. According to Elizabeth L. Andress, PhD, professor emerita and extension food safety specialist at the University of Georgia, the advantages of a horizontal flow model are "reduced flavor mixture so several different foods can be dried at one time, all trays receive equal heat exposure, and juices or liquids do not drip down into the heating element."

Vertical airflow models tend to be tougher to clean since bottom-oriented heating elements are more exposed to drips and bits of food. Mesh tray liners can help prevent pieces of food from falling to the bottom of your dehydrators.

Dehydrating isn’t a fast process, so a larger-capacity machine can save you time if you have a lot of food to dry, though they also take up more space. Smaller units work well for small batches and kitchens, but it's helpful to know that crowding your trays will result in your food taking much longer to dehydrate.

When dehydrating a batch of food, you want to make sure your machine dries it all evenly. To ensure consistency, look for a model with more trays so you can space out your food as much as possible. Overlapping pieces of food or crowding the trays with too much food will result in inconsistent results. Some dehydrators can fit only a handful of drying trays, while others allow you to stack up to 20 or more.

Both tray material and shape also play a role in how many a dehydrator can fit. Typically, BPA-free plastic is more commonly used in vertical food dehydrators. Since plastic is easily molded and versatile, it offers more variation in both shape and layout. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is often found in horizontal airflow cabinet-style due to the rigidity of the material. Stainless steel models also tend to be more expensive than their plastic counterparts, but many prefer the aesthetic and durability of the stainless steel models.

Typical dehydrator trays have big holes in them to allow for maximum airflow and efficacy, but some dehydrators come with different screens and sheets that allow you to dehydrate smaller and more liquid food items. Fruit roll sheets let you dehydrate pureed fruits and veggies into delicious fruit leather, and they also allow you to dehydrate sauces for just-add-water meals that are great for camping, backpacking, and power outages.

Mesh screens allow you to dehydrate small items like berries that would otherwise fall through typical dehydrator trays. These types of accessories can be a game-changer but are not compatible with all dehydrators, so be sure to look into these options ahead of time if these are foods you'd like to dehydrate.

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Some dehydrators operate at a single temperature, while others have an adjustable temperature dial. Adjustable temperatures typically range from 80 up to 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Being able to control the temperature may be desirable if you plan to dehydrate several different types of food and want more precision over the process. However, if you're just getting started dehydrating your own snacks or only plan to dehydrate one or two types of food, a set temperature model makes the process even easier.

"Often the completed drying time may occur during the night and a timer could turn the dehydrator off and prevent scorching," says Andress. Depending on what you're making and how often, you may want to pick a dehydrator with an automatic shut-off function.

Given that food dehydrators use airflow and heat to work, an air filter is an important factor to consider. These filters trap particulates, such as dust or pet dander, and prevent them from getting into your food. Many dehydrators come equipped with a washable and reusable air filter, though some models may need replacements from time to time. Be sure to check what kind of filter system a food dehydrator has before purchase.

Because meat is more prone to spoiling than vegetables, not all food dehydrators are capable of drying it safely. If jerky-making is high on your list of priorities, it’s wise to make sure the machine you buy has a temperature range appropriate for drying meat (going up to at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Spruce Eats / Victor Protazio

Food dehydrators contain a heating element that produces low levels of heat and a fan that keeps the warm air circulating. Pieces of food are placed on drying racks, which are perforated to allow the warm air to circulate 360 degrees around each piece of food.

The heat in a dehydrator typically doesn't exceed 145 degrees, which is just warm enough to evaporate moisture from foods without cooking or burning. The exact temperature to use and the length of drying time depend on which type of food you're drying. Consult a recipe book and/or the instruction manual included with your dehydrator as a starting guide.

Prior to refrigeration, dehydrating was one of the earliest forms of food preservation since all it required was a safe place to keep the food while all the moisture dried out.

Dehydrating fruits including apples, bananas, grapes, mangos, pineapples, tomatoes, peaches, apricots, and cherries concentrates their sweetness and makes them easy to enjoy on the go. Dehydrating vegetables such as kale, carrots, beets, squash, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, and eggplant, especially if you season them first, turns them into crispy snacks that have turned the hearts of many veggie haters. Dehydrating fresh herbs concentrates their flavors and helps to preserve big garden hauls (and save money on spices, which can be surprisingly expensive at the store).

Beyond produce, you can use a dehydrator to make homemade crackers, meat jerky, and fruit leather. You can also dehydrate sauces (from tomato sauce to fruit jellies) and full meals so that they're lightweight, shelf-stable, and ready to rehydrate with some hot water. This option is incredible for hikers, campers, and hunters who need nutritious meals that won't spoil or be too heavy to lug around.

Foods that are not dehydrator-friendly include avocados, olives, fatty meats, eggs, nuts, cheese, or other foods with a high fat content. If you're making a batch of veggie chips with a creamy cashew-cheese-based sauce, that's fine (and sounds delicious!), but these other foods just don't dehydrate well. High-fat contents cause foods to go rancid faster and are often resistant to dehydrating in the first place.

A number of factors, such as uneven slicing, variations in fruit or vegetable size, or different amounts of moisture, can affect drying time even in the controlled environment of an electric dehydrator. To ensure the best results, take the time to prep foods so that they're similar in size and thickness. Thinner, smaller pieces will dehydrate more quickly due to a larger amount of surface area being exposed. A mandoline slicer can help create thinly and evenly cut fruits and vegetables. (Here are our favorite mandolines after testing many.)

Dehydrators with vertical airflow models often run into the issue of some trays dehydrating more quickly and thoroughly than others, based on their proximity to the heating element. To remedy this, you can shuffle the trays around during the dehydration process, or remove trays that are completely done while some trays still have longer to go. It can be a bit of a pain, so if you'd prefer to avoid the hassle, it may be smart to choose a slightly more high-end dehydrator that works more evenly.

"Dehydrators are efficiently designed to dry foods fast at 140 degrees, the most commonly recommended temperature," Andress says. "You don’t want too high of a temperature for dehydrating because the outside of food pieces cannot dry too much before moisture is pulled out of the interior of pieces." Some say that meat jerky should be dehydrated at 150 degrees to keep potential pathogens at bay.

If you're looking for a dehydrator that takes up minimal space in your kitchen, the smallest models are usually around 9 x 9 x 7 inches and accommodate three to five trays.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends that dried foods be stored on average for four months to one year. The exact storage period depends on a few factors, including how much moisture remains in the finished product and the method of storage.

Dried fruits and fruit leathers are chewy because they still retain some moisture. They should be stored on the shorter end of the scale because this moisture can be breeding grounds for bacterial growth.

In general, dried foods stored at lower temperatures will last longer than those stored at room temperature or in warmer climates. You can store dried jerky and snacks in the refrigerator or freezer to extend their shelf life. Vacuum sealing will also help dried foods last longer. (Here's where you can find our roundup of tested and reviewed vacuum sealers).

Dehydrated foods that you'll be eating right away should be stored in airtight containers. To store dried foods for longer periods of time, plastic freezer bags, vacuum-sealed bags, or glass jars are the best options.

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When packing dried foods for long-term storage, it's recommended to put only as much food as you will use at once or is needed for a given recipe in each package. Storing more than you can use at once in one package will decrease the shelf-life since opening and closing a package several times increases exposure to oxygen which promotes spoilage.

Yes, a standard oven or toaster oven can be used to dehydrate foods if it can go down to the proper temperature range for dehydration. However, if you're not comfortable leaving an oven on to run over the course of several hours or overnight, this method may not be the best option.

Some ovens and toaster ovens may have a dehydrating preset. If yours doesn't have this, you can still dry foods by setting the oven to the lowest possible temperature. Place foods on parchment-lined baking sheets in the oven, prop the oven door open slightly to help moisture escape and evaporate, and be sure to check your food periodically.

Cookbook author Donna Currie covers kitchen tools and appliances for The Spruce Eats. In addition to food dehydrators, she's written roundups on the best air fryers, food steamers, and Instant Pots (among many more) for the site.

This roundup was updated by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef, including in raw food restaurants where food dehydration was king, and Katrina Munichiello, a writer and editor who specializes in the tea and food industries.

Allison Wignall is a staff writer for The Spruce Eats who focuses on product reviews. She has also contributed to publications such as Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and Southern Living.

United States Department of Agriculture. Jerky and Food Safety.

National Center for Home Preservation. Packaging and storing dried foods.

United States Department of Agriculture. Shelf-Stable Food Safety.

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