- Top-mounted fan; adjustable thermostat from 95-to-160 degrees F. It's a 600 watts unit
- Flavors don't mix; no need to rotate trays; opaque exterior blocks harmful lights
- Includes recipe book, 2 solid sheets, 2 mesh sheets, and 3 jerky spice packets
- Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging. FD-75A is Frustration free packaging and FD-75PR is retail packaging
- Measures approximately 13 by 13 by 10-inch
Dry fruit, vegetables, and jerky in hours instead of days. The unit's patented Converga-Flow drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber, then horizontally across each individual tray, converging in the center, for fast, even, and nutritious drying. Flavors don't mix, and there's no need to rotate the trays. It's top-mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the heater chamber, and an opaque Vita-Save exterior helps block harmful lights in order to retain more of the food's nutrients and vitamins during the drying process. The unit's adjustable thermostat ranged from 95 degrees to 160 degrees F, providing the flexibility needed to ensure excellent results. It's a 600 watts unit. Five trays come included, but the unit can be expanded to 12 trays (additional trays sold separately) for drying larger quantities at one time. Accessories include two fruit roll sheets, perfect for drying semi-liquids like soups, sauces, and fruit rolls; two Clean-A-Screen flexible screens, which allow for easy drying of small items such as herbs, spices and potpourri; and three original jerky spice packets for making jerky. A 52-page recipe and instruction book also comes included. With a speckled gray design, the food dehydrator measures approximately 13-inch by 13-inch by 10-inch. FD-75A is Frustration free packaging and FD-75PR is retail packaging.
By Christal
I received this in 2 days. No damage to the box or product. It came with two "jelly role" disks, 2 mesh looking disks. I also bought 2 additional "jelly role" disks since I knew I would be dehydrating, a lot of soups, stews, and pasta dishes. It's been used for dehydrating chicken stew, jerky, and bananas thus far. We tested the dehydrated chicken stew for an upcoming backpacking trip. Turned out delicious. The one thing I like most about this product is how quiet it is. It would be nice if there was an on/off switch vs. the plug. Extremely happy with my purchase and see that this will be a big staple in my kitchen.
By D. Bachemin
Absolutely LOVE this machine. I am actually a professional raw-food chef. I know that every chef should have an Excalibur but when i started out, I couldn't afford it so I opted for this Nesco 600 and kept my fingers crossed. I actually read many of the reviews before purchasing it. But now that I have it. I use it almost everyday. I've made pizza crusts, falafel wraps, falafel balls, pie crusts and more on it. It's just AMAZING. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I read on other websites that the round dehydrator does not dehydrate evenly, this is false. I use it at full capacity and I have no complaints. This is an awesome find and a real bargain for the price!!!
By LSUTIGER92
I purchased this item a year ago and I could not be happier with it, the product in question, has exceeded my highest expectations. This is the best food dehydrator I have ever owned. I feel this way for several reasons.
The 1st being the fact that it can dehydrate everything from beef to apples, you will be absolutely astounded at how fast the product can complete the dehydration process. I've owned dehydrators that can take days to complete the drying process, this product can do what those do in hours.
The 2nd reason I'm so fond of this product has to due with the amount of food it can dehydrate, in a timely manner, this dehydrator is accompanied with 5 trays and can actually be expanded to 12, I also like the fact that you don't have to rotate the trays due to the patented converga-flow system.
The 3rd reason I love this dehydrator is simple, it produces the best tasting dehydrated foods I've ever had, I'm and avid outdoorsman and have dehydrated everything from deer to turkey, family friends insist I start selling the jerky made with this product. I won't even look at a pack of jack link's anymore, in fact I'm disappointed that I ever purchased that stuff.
The 4th reason I'm so happy is because what's included with the product itself. It comes with a complementary recipe book, which can be very helpful if your new to this art, it also comes with two solid sheets, two mesh sheets, and three jerky spice packets, so all you really need upon receiving your item is some meat.
With all that being said, if you have a dehydrator that is getting old/malfunctioning or just want to start making your own dehydrated foods, this product is for you, don't pass this one up, you will not be dissatisfied with your purchase.
The 1st being the fact that it can dehydrate everything from beef to apples, you will be absolutely astounded at how fast the product can complete the dehydration process. I've owned dehydrators that can take days to complete the drying process, this product can do what those do in hours.
The 2nd reason I'm so fond of this product has to due with the amount of food it can dehydrate, in a timely manner, this dehydrator is accompanied with 5 trays and can actually be expanded to 12, I also like the fact that you don't have to rotate the trays due to the patented converga-flow system.
The 3rd reason I love this dehydrator is simple, it produces the best tasting dehydrated foods I've ever had, I'm and avid outdoorsman and have dehydrated everything from deer to turkey, family friends insist I start selling the jerky made with this product. I won't even look at a pack of jack link's anymore, in fact I'm disappointed that I ever purchased that stuff.
The 4th reason I'm so happy is because what's included with the product itself. It comes with a complementary recipe book, which can be very helpful if your new to this art, it also comes with two solid sheets, two mesh sheets, and three jerky spice packets, so all you really need upon receiving your item is some meat.
With all that being said, if you have a dehydrator that is getting old/malfunctioning or just want to start making your own dehydrated foods, this product is for you, don't pass this one up, you will not be dissatisfied with your purchase.
By Momto2
Great product! I have used it to make dehydrated fruit, veggies, and jerky with ground beef. The I love the fact that the fan is on top and the bottom can be easily cleaned. My only "wish" for improvement is a shut off timer so you can let it go overnight. I also suggest in investing at least one more set of mesh screens and roll up screens.
By Jo Taylor
Very easy to use and comfortably small footprint for my tiny apartment. More quiet than I expected. Fan at the top makes for easy cleanup. It also comes with 2 easy clean mesh trays and 2 liquid/fruit rollup trays so you can get started right away.
So far I've made fruit leather, dehydrated casserole for backpacking, and Jerky and they have all turned out great. There is room for 3 pounds jerky at a time (you can buy extra trays if you want more.) My dry times are 1-2 hours longer than recipes but I have moved to Houston and it's 98% humidity currently so I understand why and adjust.
So far I've made fruit leather, dehydrated casserole for backpacking, and Jerky and they have all turned out great. There is room for 3 pounds jerky at a time (you can buy extra trays if you want more.) My dry times are 1-2 hours longer than recipes but I have moved to Houston and it's 98% humidity currently so I understand why and adjust.
By B. Morris
This food dehydrator ticks all the boxes of what you want in a food dehydrator. To prove it here are the boxes that I think are the important ones when it comes to a dehydrator.
Box 1: It's quiet. We use this dehydrator on our kitchen counter. It sits there for 4 or 5 hours doing it's thing quietly. It's so quiet you can stand next to it and have a normal conversation. It's just this little fan going is all.
Box 2: Dependable. There isn't a lot to go wrong with this dehydrator. You have the fan and that's about it. Some folks complain that the dehydrator doesn't have an on/off switch but the truth is you don't really need one. It's not like you're turning it on and off a lot while it's going. Just unplug it. No on off switch means one less thing to break which adds to the reliability of the machine.
Box 3. It makes a lot of jerky. You can make a lot of jerky in this thing in every run. I mean a lot. It comes with 5 trays which is enough for a pretty good load. You can buy additional trays as well and the machine will work with up to 11 trays. I can't imagine most households needing something bigger than that. 7 trays is more than enough for my wife and I.
Box 4. Cleans easy. This thing cleans surprisingly easy. For me I fill the sink with soapy water. Let the tray sit for maybe 2 minutes in the water and then wipe with a sponge. Done and clean. They come clean so easy you can almost just use your kitchen sink sprayer to clean then after they've soaked for a few minutes. Takes me about 10 minutes to clean all the trays. This is with the trays having been 4 or 5 hours dehydrating jerky. I've yet to find anything that we have made in the dehydrator that sticks to these trays much.
My wife and I sat on the fence over this dehydrator for a few months before finally pulling the trigger and in the end we wish we had done so sooner. We love experimenting with different flavors and types of jerky. When you think jerky you most often think of using beef but we've make jerky out of spiral sliced ham and even deli meats (care for some pastrami jerky?). Because the dehydrator can hold so much (especially with the additional trays) you can make different kinds in the same batch. Make teriyaki for yourself while your significant other makes Korean BBQ. If it's meat you can jerky it and if you can put it on meat you can jerky it.
Box 1: It's quiet. We use this dehydrator on our kitchen counter. It sits there for 4 or 5 hours doing it's thing quietly. It's so quiet you can stand next to it and have a normal conversation. It's just this little fan going is all.
Box 2: Dependable. There isn't a lot to go wrong with this dehydrator. You have the fan and that's about it. Some folks complain that the dehydrator doesn't have an on/off switch but the truth is you don't really need one. It's not like you're turning it on and off a lot while it's going. Just unplug it. No on off switch means one less thing to break which adds to the reliability of the machine.
Box 3. It makes a lot of jerky. You can make a lot of jerky in this thing in every run. I mean a lot. It comes with 5 trays which is enough for a pretty good load. You can buy additional trays as well and the machine will work with up to 11 trays. I can't imagine most households needing something bigger than that. 7 trays is more than enough for my wife and I.
Box 4. Cleans easy. This thing cleans surprisingly easy. For me I fill the sink with soapy water. Let the tray sit for maybe 2 minutes in the water and then wipe with a sponge. Done and clean. They come clean so easy you can almost just use your kitchen sink sprayer to clean then after they've soaked for a few minutes. Takes me about 10 minutes to clean all the trays. This is with the trays having been 4 or 5 hours dehydrating jerky. I've yet to find anything that we have made in the dehydrator that sticks to these trays much.
My wife and I sat on the fence over this dehydrator for a few months before finally pulling the trigger and in the end we wish we had done so sooner. We love experimenting with different flavors and types of jerky. When you think jerky you most often think of using beef but we've make jerky out of spiral sliced ham and even deli meats (care for some pastrami jerky?). Because the dehydrator can hold so much (especially with the additional trays) you can make different kinds in the same batch. Make teriyaki for yourself while your significant other makes Korean BBQ. If it's meat you can jerky it and if you can put it on meat you can jerky it.
By wrm
We've had our dehydrator for almost a year now and so far, it has been great! We have dehydrated just about every fruit imaginable, as well as, beef, venison, and fish. At one time, we ran this dehydrator for a solid 10 days straight because we purchased a case of apples at the local market and wanted to make apple chips. Not once did it quit working or dwindle in performance. Here's the scoop:
Pros:
- It dehydrates the same from the top rack all the way to the bottom rack. We were skeptical at first given the fan and heating element are at the top of the unit and there's nothing at the bottom, but the unit circulates the heat and air adequately enough to dehydrate the bottom rack the same as the rest.
- It has a quick reference guide on the unit itself. Not only do you get a booklet that tells you the "how to" of dehydrating various items, but there's a quick guide at the top of the dehydrator that tells you what temperature to set for various items. If you're like me and threw away the book, this comes in handy.
- It's big enough to dehydrate a hefty portion of [whatever]. At full capacity, we have dehydrated 12 fuji apples in one shot or 3 lbs of jerky in one shot. I use a jerky gun with hamburger meat to make my beef jerky and at full capacity, I have enough jerky to last me as solid three weeks.
- It's durable. We have ran this at least twice a week for the last year. If I had to guess, I would say we have at least 1500 hours of operation on this machine and it still runs like a champ.
Cons:
- There's no timer to turn it off automatically. My jerky usually takes 10-12 hours to make. The problem is, if I start it at 5pm, I better be up at the butt-crack of dawn to stop the dehydrator or I'm going to have some ultra dry jerky. Having no timer forces you to anticipate your schedule before dehydrating anything.
Overall, we're extremely pleased with this dehydrator. We feel like we have gotten more than our money's worth with it. If you're looking for a good, reliable dehydrator, then look no further!
Pros:
- It dehydrates the same from the top rack all the way to the bottom rack. We were skeptical at first given the fan and heating element are at the top of the unit and there's nothing at the bottom, but the unit circulates the heat and air adequately enough to dehydrate the bottom rack the same as the rest.
- It has a quick reference guide on the unit itself. Not only do you get a booklet that tells you the "how to" of dehydrating various items, but there's a quick guide at the top of the dehydrator that tells you what temperature to set for various items. If you're like me and threw away the book, this comes in handy.
- It's big enough to dehydrate a hefty portion of [whatever]. At full capacity, we have dehydrated 12 fuji apples in one shot or 3 lbs of jerky in one shot. I use a jerky gun with hamburger meat to make my beef jerky and at full capacity, I have enough jerky to last me as solid three weeks.
- It's durable. We have ran this at least twice a week for the last year. If I had to guess, I would say we have at least 1500 hours of operation on this machine and it still runs like a champ.
Cons:
- There's no timer to turn it off automatically. My jerky usually takes 10-12 hours to make. The problem is, if I start it at 5pm, I better be up at the butt-crack of dawn to stop the dehydrator or I'm going to have some ultra dry jerky. Having no timer forces you to anticipate your schedule before dehydrating anything.
Overall, we're extremely pleased with this dehydrator. We feel like we have gotten more than our money's worth with it. If you're looking for a good, reliable dehydrator, then look no further!
By Betty Widerski
As described (though the box says "Model FD-75PR" not "75A") - included all parts. I've run it twice for about 6 hours each time so far, dehydrating carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and pears. The carrots in particular shrink a lot, so the second time I used the mesh tray inserts to keep them from falling to the bottom of the unit. It doesn't make any more noise than my fairly new dishwasher - I've attached a video so you can hear it.
I did buy the 3-year protection plan after reading some of the reviews about it dying in less time that that. I'll update this review if that happens, but hopefully using it once a week or so it will last a while.
I did buy the 3-year protection plan after reading some of the reviews about it dying in less time that that. I'll update this review if that happens, but hopefully using it once a week or so it will last a while.
By Bob
This unit is awesome. My brothers and friends think I am a jerky guru. Easily cleaned after use and has plenty of power to handle twice as many trays as it comes with. Top mounted fan is the way to go. I am amazed at how perfectly this unit works considering how much less it costs than those of competitors.
This is definitely an exception to the rule that " you get what you pay for ". Save the money for the extra trays offered in the add a tray kits ( 2 per kit ).
Although I read some comments about not having a timed turn off feature, it doesn't matter. This Nesco unit dries the jerky in just a few hours so you don't need to run it all night. So far I am routinely making 3-4 pounds of hand sliced bottom round beef on Seven trays in between 4 to 5 hours total dry time. I marinate the slices for 5 hours or more, ( up to 12 hours ), and then rotate the bottom Three trays to the top about 2 to 3 hours into the dry cycle.
Get a 4 lb. Roast. Trim all fat and connective tissue, slice about 3/16 to 1/4" pieces...( I have not needed a slicer at all. Even with some variation in thickness, by hand slicing, there has been no problem at all )... I marinate the whole 4 pounds in One Packet of spice + One packet of jerky cure mixed into 1/4 cup water + a tablespoon of liquid smoke and 1/4 cup of a marinade that goes well with the spice you choose.
( ie. Teriake sauce with pineapple juice to go with the teriake season Inc packet ). This makes the packets go a lot further and the one pack of jerky cure is doing the job just fine.
Note: this is just my recipe. Not what the Nesco Cookbook recommends. They suggest 1 pack spice + 1 pack of cure + 1/4 cup water for each pound of meat.
The feedback I get so far is that the jerky is excellent ! I can't tell you how long the shelf life is because it doesn't last more than a few days.
Well...hope that helps. Enjoy !!!
This is definitely an exception to the rule that " you get what you pay for ". Save the money for the extra trays offered in the add a tray kits ( 2 per kit ).
Although I read some comments about not having a timed turn off feature, it doesn't matter. This Nesco unit dries the jerky in just a few hours so you don't need to run it all night. So far I am routinely making 3-4 pounds of hand sliced bottom round beef on Seven trays in between 4 to 5 hours total dry time. I marinate the slices for 5 hours or more, ( up to 12 hours ), and then rotate the bottom Three trays to the top about 2 to 3 hours into the dry cycle.
Get a 4 lb. Roast. Trim all fat and connective tissue, slice about 3/16 to 1/4" pieces...( I have not needed a slicer at all. Even with some variation in thickness, by hand slicing, there has been no problem at all )... I marinate the whole 4 pounds in One Packet of spice + One packet of jerky cure mixed into 1/4 cup water + a tablespoon of liquid smoke and 1/4 cup of a marinade that goes well with the spice you choose.
( ie. Teriake sauce with pineapple juice to go with the teriake season Inc packet ). This makes the packets go a lot further and the one pack of jerky cure is doing the job just fine.
Note: this is just my recipe. Not what the Nesco Cookbook recommends. They suggest 1 pack spice + 1 pack of cure + 1/4 cup water for each pound of meat.
The feedback I get so far is that the jerky is excellent ! I can't tell you how long the shelf life is because it doesn't last more than a few days.
Well...hope that helps. Enjoy !!!
By Marta Solitaire
Edit: well, I decided to try it and made a batch of jerky. It worked fine and I noticed that it fit together better after it had been heated for a few hours. I let it cool, still stacked, hoping that it would retain its improved fit and the racks have, although the top feels slightly loose. I contacted Nesco and was told that they had redesigned their racks to make them lighter which probably explains the flexibility I feel. So, in the end it functioned exactly as the older models and was slightly quieter, too. Five stars after all. The first two pictures were taken before use, the following three after running for a day.
Not up to Nesco's previous standard. I have purchased several dehydrators from Nesco over the past 13 years and this one is different. The fan part does not fit snugly on the drying racks which in turn do not fit snugly on the bottom which is weak and warped. It is as though the parts don't go together. The plastic is bendy, too, unlike previous versions. When I plugged it in I could feel warm air escaping around the top edge instead of passing down and over the food. I am giving it a test run now, but I am probably wasting my food and will regret it. It gets two stars for turning on. I am hoping the weight of the lid and the food holds it together enough so my food dries without spoiling.
Not up to Nesco's previous standard. I have purchased several dehydrators from Nesco over the past 13 years and this one is different. The fan part does not fit snugly on the drying racks which in turn do not fit snugly on the bottom which is weak and warped. It is as though the parts don't go together. The plastic is bendy, too, unlike previous versions. When I plugged it in I could feel warm air escaping around the top edge instead of passing down and over the food. I am giving it a test run now, but I am probably wasting my food and will regret it. It gets two stars for turning on. I am hoping the weight of the lid and the food holds it together enough so my food dries without spoiling.
No comments:
Post a Comment