Healthy Meals, Author at HealthyMealsHub.com

Magic Mill Food Dehydrator: An Honest Review

Food dehydrators are easily one of the most trendy kitchen appliances out there today. Since they’ve been featured on prominent online cooking networks like Bon Apétit & countless others, droves of amateur & professional chefs alike have started the search for their very own.

So how do they work, exactly? Well, to keep it short, dehydrators are made up of a heating element fan, vent & trays.

They come in two arrangements: one involving stacking trays, and other utilizing shelves. Stacking trays are nice, in that they have a larger capacity than their shelve-having peers, but you have to remove the top trays to check on the state of food in the lower ones.

With the shelves, even though you have to stick to smaller batches, you’re in a far better position to keep an eye on everything you’re dehydrating. For that reason, while there are fine options in both categories, we recommend sticking with the shelves.

When using a dehydrator, you’ll cut the food to be dehydrated (jerky, fruits, vegetables, etc.) into even pieces, distribute it onto the trays, shut the door of the appliance & get it started. From there, the heating element turns on & the fan helps circulate air through the vents, thus beginning the dehydration process.

After it’s done, you’re left with smaller & dry versions of the foods you put in, and you’re ready to start snacking away on some tasty dehydrated foods.

But why do this to food, to begin with? Well, for starters, it makes foods like fruits & vegetables last much longer than they usually would, all while maintaining the standard nutritional content of the food.

Along with that, it makes these foods more portable as well. If you’re going on a long hike, for example, and want some food on the trail without worrying about it getting squished in your bag, taking out the moisture makes that a non-issue.

As it goes with trendy items, legions of competitors have stepped up to the plate to cash in on the trend, and some have taken more care to deliver a quality product than others. They come in all sorts of designs as well, and while some can turn out quality results, others have inherent flaws that greatly affect the quality of the food coming out of them.

Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Review

Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine - Easy Setup

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For those reasons & more, not just any food dehydrator will do. No, you need to find one that’ll take on whatever you throw into it (within reason), and stand the test of time through it all. You need a dehydrator that’ll do it right the first time, not the second or third.

In other words, you need a Magic Mill Food Dehydrator.

There are two main reasons why we consider this one of the best choices you could make for your kitchen: simplicity & functionality. The Magic Mill Dehydrator is built in a way that would allow even the most novice chefs to operate it with ease while offering professionals everything they need to get their food dried quickly & correctly.

There are only five buttons on the face of it: the timer, two for setting time & temperature respectively, an up & down arrow, and the power button. No fancy settings, no buttons you’ll end up ignoring, just the bare necessities.

How to Use

To show you just how easy it is, let's walk through what happens when you dry your food in the Magic Mill Food Dehydrator. Say you've just sliced up some apples that you want to turn into tasty bite-sized bits for your big backpacking trip tomorrow.

Once you cut your apple into even pieces, you can pull out one (or more) of the included stainless steel trays, distribute the apple slices evenly across, slide the tray(s) right back in & shut the door. Press the temperature button, set it with the up & down arrows, and do the same with the time.

"Then what?" Well, wait! The dehydrator will begin heating up, and the circulation system will start getting to work. As the rear-mounted fan spins, the heat begins distributing at a flat rate across every part of your future snack, and the vent on top starts doing its part to keep the dehydrator from overheating.

Even if this does occur, which is extremely unlikely, the Magic Mill has a built-in overheating protection system that automatically turns on when things get a bit too toasty.

“I’ve heard that I have to flip the trays with these types of appliances, is that true with this one?” Fortunately, no! Their special heat distribution system, while drying everything evenly, eliminates any need for you to open the door until it’s done, especially considering it’s see-through.

If you want to take a really close look, you can do brief checks on foods that take more time to dehydrate, but opening the door for longer than 2-3 seconds is ill-advised.

Insider Thoughts

You aren't just limited to fruits & veggies, by the way. In fact, people who buy the Magic Mill Dehydrator will also get two dishwasher-safe fine mesh sheets for drying smaller things like herbs & nuts. They'll also get two dishwasher-safe trays, specially designed for making fruit leather, and a hanging rack for jerky to top it all off!

To make the deal even sweeter, no matter what you’re making in there, you can take it out with the complementary set of oven mitts that comes with the dehydrator as well.

The Magic Mill Food Dehydrator comes in three sizes, each fitting six, nine & ten trays respectively. You can get the six tray option for less than $130, the next largest goes for just under $160, and the biggest of the three will cost you right below $200.

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Final Thoughts

We know it’ll probably be one of the more expensive things in your kitchen, but we’re confident it’ll be the least disappointing. Don’t listen to us, though, listen to the 77% of Amazon customers that gave it a perfect 5-star rating, averaging in at 4.5/5 stars overall.

So what are you waiting for, exactly? Order it here, and let us know what you think! Happy dehydrating!

Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator Review

Switching up your diet can be the easiest transition with the right tools. An in-home kitchen appliance that's a requirement when you're trying to eat healthily is a food dehydrator. You can transform the way you consume fruits, vegetables, and meat with one simple machine.

You'll know what the right food dehydrator looks like when it ensures all the features mentioned below. Gourmia is a brand that adheres to high end design elements that results in one of the best food dehydrators in the market- the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator.

Continue reading for an in-depth look at how this Gourmia product can help you.

Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator Review

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Features

Nine Removable Mesh Trays
One Year Limited Warranty
Fulfills Top Health Requirements

What’s so special about it?

You can mix savory and sweet food with the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator. Imagine all the professional quality meals you can prepare with the help of this food dehydrator.

This is one of the few food dehydrators you'll see built with a nine tray system. In-home food dehydrators normally come with fewer trays, so if you expect to cook for a large family, this is the kitchen appliance for you. Most buyers love bringing it out for a large cookout, and they want to impress the guests.

Anything from meat to fruit can be set on a tray to dry. Each tray is non-stick, and Gourmia made sure to include a fruit leather sheet as well as a drip tray with this product. The trays feature a micro-mesh material that readily adjustable as temperature changes.

Easy to Use

The drying temperature range for this food dehydrator varies from 95 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks to the back-mounted fan, the airflow stays consistently moving so the food thoroughly dries without one side overheating. You don't even need to rotate the shelves because the fan takes care of that for you.

Since you digitally control the temperature, you can set a timer for when you believe the food should be adequately dry. Once that timer goes off, the Gourmia Food Dehydrator will ring and automatically turn off.

Take advantage of the eight computer-operated temperature settings that make it effortless to achieve that chef quality food. In the front of this appliance is a control center that features a countdown timer that gives you a clear look at how much time is left until the food is thoroughly dry.

You can easily set up and select up to 20 hours of drying that's divided into 30-minute intervals. The preset time increments ensure perfection in regards to your food.

You don’t have to disrupt the airflow while the food is drying since this appliance comes with a transparent door. Observing the status of your food is as simple as looking through the see-through door.

If you've never used a food dehydrator before, Gourmia helps out by including a bonus recipe book that contains over ten recipes with photos attached. Recipes from granola bars, chip, fruit leather, and beef jerky are all included in the recipe book.

Insider Thoughts

Customers rave about how significantly their diets had changed for the better when they introduced the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator into their lives. Say goodbye to the processed food in the supermarket when you can create food dense in nutrients as well as high in flavor with this food dehydrator.

Imagine all the money you’ll save switching from commercial products to homemade dehydrated ones. All the additives and preservatives that later increase your chance of cancer have finally been omitted from your diet, and this appliance made it possible.

Gourmia is the type of brand that highly values the quality of the products they manufacture. This means that the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator is ETL certified and BPA free. Both of these certifications translates to a safe and efficient product that won’t disappoint.

Pros

Affordable
All Year Around Use
Healthy

Cons

Difficult to Make Beef Jerky With

Buyer Advice

Food dehydrators serve a single purpose which involves extracting all the water from your food in such a way that it doesn't negatively affect the foods nutritional value. An excellent dehydrator ensures an even distribution of air circulation, so the same temperature is consistently maintained throughout all the trays that contain food.

Both the alkaline levels and nutritional value of your food won’t go to waste thanks to this food dehydrator. The hot temperature also prevents the growth of certain bacteria as well as other microorganisms that can cause health problems during the digestive process.

You don't have to settle for a subpar food dehydrator when the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator delivers all the minerals and vitamins present in the fruit and vegetables. Minerals such as magnesium and potassium are preserved.

Most people have underlying health issues because they lack the right amount of potassium in their diet. Before running to the doctor and taking the vitamin form of potassium, you can try to incorporate it to your diet with the help of the food processor.

If you’re not sold on the idea of equipping your kitchen with a food processor, you should inquire to your local nutritionist for a diet plan. We can assure you that your nutritionist will most likely recommend a diet plan that relies on a food dehydrator.

Popular Foods to Dehydrate:

Sprouts
Vegetables
Fruits
Beef Jerky
Herbs
Pet Treats
Chips

Where can you buy?

On Amazon, the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator has earned an “Amazon’s Choice” label for being a go-to item for customers searching for a food dehydrator. It is one of the best selling kitchen appliances on Amazon because the vendor is currently offering a promotion on the item that’s about 15 percent off the original price.

This means that for less than $105, you could be making alternative snacks for your household that will save you money as well as support your health with the Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator.

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Final Thoughts

The ability to customize the Gourmia Food Dehydrator to function for your cooking needs isn’t difficult since it’s designed to have adjustable features for that purpose. You can dry countless types of food with this dehydrator. For some customers, it may be too much of an expense just to try drying food a handful of times.

Keep in mind that once you start using the machine, it’ll gradually become more of a habit for you to incorporate into your daily diet plan. This investment will be well worth your money, so don’t hesitate to purchase this Gourmia Food Dehydrator.

NESCO FD-37A Food Dehydrator Review

Stocking up on fruits and vegetables can be hard when they last only a week at a time, and going to the grocery store nearly every day doesn’t fit very well into a busy lifestyle. Or, if you are someone who grows their produce or is getting ready for the winter months, you will need an effective way to preserve them without taking away their nutrients.

Luckily, there is a way to dry out the foods you want to preserve without the extra time and effort it takes to freeze them. With dehydrators, you can do more than preserve fruits and vegetables, like making jerky or treats for your kids and pets.

Dehydrators are a very useful household item that can be used by anyone, and the NESCO FD-371A Dehydrator is a product that you need to consider if you want the best one on the market. In this article, we will review this product’s features, price, and everything else you need to know to decide if it’s right for you. But first, let’s take a look at what makes a dehydrator better than the rest.

Airflow Direction

Dehydrators come in two basic categories depending on which direction the air flows to dry your food. You have vertical airflow, which means that there is a fan that works at the bottom to create heat that travels up for all the trays, and you have horizontal. Horizontal airflow is when air is used from the surrounding area through vents that travel across.

While they both get the job done when it comes to dehydrating, they have pros and cons that depend greatly on your preference. The only thing to keep in mind is that vertical airflow usually means that the dehydration process will be faster, while the horizontal might have more consistent drying throughout.

Controls

Controls can be useful and beneficial on a dehydrator, but they are not a necessary feature to have. Ones that do have controls may give you the option to have a timer to help you keep track of when the process is complete or give you the ability to adjust the temperature when needed.

Temperature controls are only useful for those that want to use the dehydrator for many different purposes. For example, if you are looking to dehydrate herbs or delicate plants, being able to lower the temperature can help to prevent any damage. Or, if you want to use it for raw foods, higher temperatures are needed. If you are simply looking to preserve things like fruits, vegetables, and cooked meat, this feature will only result in higher costs.

The Product

Specifications:

Has a clear top to monitor the drying process
Parts are dishwasher safe
Made with four trays
Can be expanded to seven trays
Uses 400 watts of power

Overview

NESCO has created dehydrators that help to give you the jerky, dried fruits, vegetables, and more without stripping away their nutrients or buying them in stores. Their main goal of sustainability is achieved with every product, as they reduce the amount of wasted time and energy by allowing you to dry your food the way you like it.

Results

If you are looking for a practical, everyday machine to dry your favorite fruits and vegetables, this product is the way to go. The NESCO FD-37A food dehydrator is a great affordable option for anyone new to dehydrating foods on their own with how simple it is to use.

Despite its small size, it can dry a large amount of food with its four-tray system. We found that this is the perfect capacity for regular amounts of foods, so if you are someone who needs a lot of goods preserved frequently or in short amounts of time, you can get additional trays for added room, with the maximum being seven altogether.

The machine has 400 watts of power, making the drying time a lot faster than other brands. However, we noticed that because of this, we had to check up on the food quite often to make sure that we weren’t drying anything out. The clear, see-through lid made it easy to monitor.

The power is great, but it is a little on the noisy side. The sound isn’t deafening, but it is a little louder than a microwave oven. We didn’t mind the hum, but a few of the other customers did.

After using, the dehydrator was very easy to clean inside and outside of the dishwasher. We saw no issues with any unevenness in the dried foods, but keep in mind that this may become an issue with the more trays that are added.

What Others Say

The majority of customers enjoyed using this product, with many that never used a dehydrator before being able to try it out without any issues. It exceeded many expectations with its fast drying times, and most that have used it a long time were impressed by how long it lasts for the price.

A couple of issues that some had was that it didn’t have temperature control and that it was a little too noisy for their liking, as we mentioned above. It was also reported that after using, the machine gets pretty hot, so handling it right after with bare hands can be risky.

Buying Advice

You can get this dehydrator for around $40, which is incredibly low for how much this machine can handle. Besides dehydrating food, you will also be investing in a machine that you can use to dry out plants like herbs and flowers for decoration or to add to food and drinks.

Conclusion

The NESCO FD-37A food dehydrator is the perfect option for every household who loves dried foods and doesn’t mind making them on their own. Hopefully, we have given you all the details and information you need to get to know this product and helped you decide if it’s right for you. Thank you for reading.