Nesco FD-80 American Harvest Square-Shaped Dehydrator | 
| Brand: Nesco
Category: Kitchen
Department: Cookware
List Price: $79.99
Buy New: $58.54
You Save: $21.45 (27%)
New (12) Used (1) from $55.00
Rating:  63 reviews
Sales Rank: 1751
Color: White
Shipping Weight (lbs): 9.3
Dimensions (in): 15.3 x 15.3 x 10
MPN: FD-80
Model: FD-80
UPC: 029517005391
EAN: 0029517005391
ASIN: B00179DCCQ
Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item.
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| Features:
| • | Easy-to-use dehydrator for drying fruit, vegetables, herbs, and jerky | | • | Air-circulation system ensures fast, even drying; no need to rotate trays | | • | Adjustable thermostat; printed guidelines on motor housing | | • | Bale handle; dishwasher-safe parts; instruction manual | | • | Measures 14-1/2 by 14-1/2 by 9-5/8 inches; 1-year limited warranty |
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Product Description
Easy-to-use dehydrator for drying fruit, vegetables, herbs and jerky. Lay out jerky strips with ease. Includes spices and cure packets. Shape: Square, Watts: 700, Top Mount Fan: Yes, Tray included: 4, Adjustable Thermostat: Yes, Handle Type: Bale, Exterior Color: White, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 14 1/2 x 14 1/2 x 10
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 63
 Great Unit July 12, 2009
Robert Symington (Hillsboro, OR USA)
151 out of 151 found this review helpful
This dehydrator is great. I've had the unit for almost a month now. So far I've dehydrated 20 pounds of "eye of round" for jerky. The recipe I used is at Recipezaar (can't post URL), recipe number 161262 (modified a bit to suite my taste, like I added about 1 tsp of onion powder and cut the liquid smoke about 25%). In fact I just did 10 of the 20 pounds yesterday. I've also dehydrated cantaloupe, kiwi slices, strawberries, grapes (come out as plump and juicy raisins), limes, oranges (those were more of an experiment), banana slices and watermelon (now that was interesting... sweet as candy), but back to the review.
I also got two sets of the Add-a-tray (two trays per package). It dries with all 8 trays just fine. I do rotate the trays about half way through, but I'm not sure I would really have to. The instructions say that the trays are top shelf dishwasher safe, but that would limit my dishwasher to only two trays per load, so I take my top rack out of the dishwasher and stand the trays vertically in the lower rack. I can get all eight trays and the base into the dishwasher at once. I figured that my water heater is only set to 125 degrees and I dry jerky at 165, so the trays shouldn't have any problem. Just make sure that you turn off any internal water heating the dishwasher my have and make sure that you turn off heated drying (use air dry). I just wait for the washer to stop, take out the trays and shake them off. Stack them, put on the power head and run it at 125 for 30 minutes. All nice, clean and dry.
Now for the hint that Nesco doesn't want me to share :) for fruit, you really need to use the Clean Screens, but at 8 bucks for a pair, you'll spend $32.00 (plus any shipping) to get enough for all 8 trays. I went to my local craft store (you know the one owned by Michael) and bought 16 sheets of plastic embroidery mesh (7 square mesh) that were 14" X 10" (the ones you would use to make those awful square Kleenex box covers). Take two sheets per tray and cut them out yourself with kitchen shears. Put them together butted up on the long side and then cut the perimeter to fit the tray and cut out the hole (1/2 of the hole in each sheet where they are butted up) for the center and then lay the two pieces into the tray. The sheets were $0.33 each, so 16 sheets only cost $5.28 and a bit of time to cut them out. Didn't really need them for the cantaloupe, but I'd still be cleaning kiwi and bananas off the trays if I hadn't used them. I throw them into the dishwasher with the trays and just run the whole load at once. All in all, this was a great buy and I'm glad I got it.
---- UPDATE 11 January 2010 ----
So, I've spent a few more months with my dry friend... that's a pun... :-)
This unit is now $49. I bought it and am happy with it at $70. Now, there is no reason not to give it a try!
About 3 months ago, I bought the jerky squeeze gun. I got it at BiMart in Oregon for $2 more than you can get it here at Amazon (the instant gratification thing). Available here. Search for Nesco BJX-5 American Harvest Jumbo Jerky Works Kit. My daughter and I make the round "slim-jim" type jerky every couple of months (about 4 lbs of 96% lean ground beef each time). The squeeze gun is as easy as using a caulking gun. Actually even better since you really don't need to be concerned about the aesthetic appearance of the final product... I mean we're taking jerky here and you can't eat caulk. I use the Nesco spicy mix with additional black pepper, powered garlic and cayenne pepper (lot's of cayenne pepper).
We've also, since buying it, done some fruit leather. Just used a jar of store bought apple sauce with a bit of added cinnamon. Next time, I think we'll put a bit of Splenda(r) in it just to "sweeten" the final product a bit. Tip... even using processed apple sauce, we put it through the blender to completely break it down into a slurry.
My "home made" clean screens are still preforming perfectly. Hope this update helps others.
---- UPDATE 20 January 2010 ----
Whoops... I see that the price is back up to $65. Well, still a fine product regardless.
excellent dehydrator January 25, 2009
Katalina (Port Townsend, WA USA)
42 out of 42 found this review helpful
I have put this dehydrator 'through the paces', making jerky and drying fruit. It's done a great job with both. I've had the more common round type of dehydrator in the past, so I was interested in this square-shaped one. Much better! Food fits on the square sheets much better. The drying is very uniform, without need for moving the trays during the drying process. Great price too, with several accessories available. Very pleased with this compact, efficient dehydrator--and it's American-made too!
Good Product April 18, 2009
blogagog (Louisiana)
27 out of 27 found this review helpful
Overall, I'm quite satisfied with this dehydrator
pros:
- It's as quiet as a box fan set to 'low'
- It dries evenly, so the whole tray is done at the same time
- The thermostat is accurate (I tested it at 95 degrees and 135 degrees)
- It does indeed hold a good bit more than a round dehydrator
cons:
- There is no on/off switch, so you have to unplug it when not in use.
Love it! March 30, 2009
Cynthia Hoffmaster (T.X)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
This thing is awesome! Did jerky first, came out great and fast. Just got some fruits and can't wait to try them out. Love the fact I don't have to turn the tables so i can get things done outside the house without worring about coming home to turn them. The unit does get very warm so I would watch out for little ones when you have it on ( I have 2 small ones). Also it's not loud at all, so it doesn't get in the way of naps. One thing I would have to say I don't like is the fact i have to unplug the unit in order to turn it off when i want to add or take things out.A little inconvient. I still love it.
Highly reccomend November 2, 2009
Beth and Jack (Richmond, VA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I have to admit that I have never owned another dehydrator before this one, but I did extensive research on which ones to buy for various reasons. I purchased my dehydrator mainly because I was planning on making garland with dried fruit, and christmas ornaments with dried fruits and wanted something that would do what I needed.(obviously) I read other reviews on dehydrators and some were really noisy, got the counters really hot, didn't dry the food in the time shown in the instruction booklet and so on. What I found was this
1)the thicker the fruit was cut, the longer it would obviously take to dry. They say to cut the fruit in slices 1/4in thick, which is kinda hard to do sometimes. Plus unless you use a ruler every day, you forget how small a 1/4in and 1/2 in is. So most of my fruit came out 1/2 in thick slices,a nd turned out fine.
2) the "juicier" the fruit the longer it took. Examples include oranges, grape fruit, star fruit, lemons and limes opposed to apples, and pears. Apples and pears dry much quicker and easier than the other jucier fruits. What I would do is place the juicy fruits on the top rack and the apples and pears on the bottom to give them a closer exposure and it seemed to balance out the drying times.
3) This dehydrator is VERY quiet, my dishwasher is louder. It is a low humm and that is on the highest setting. I would dehydrate all of my fruit on the highest setting so it would get done faster, and I didn't plan eating it, but I did sometimes and it was delishious!
I love the square design, it makes it easier to hold more fruit, and I also bought 2 extra trays and with all 6 trays I can slice my fruit relatively thin and get about 5 apples, 3 pears, 3 or 4 oranges and some smaller fruits on the trays to dry, and I have a lot of dried fruit when it's done. It also has a dial for temperature settings for people who are worried about that. We haven't done the Jerky yet, but we will, and when we do that, I'll add to this one. Although it can get warm, I would trust it on my counter tops, and I don't have stone counters, just the regular kind. I placed it on a wood cutting board just incase from reading other reviews, but it doesn't get bad at all.
I would highly reccomend this product to anyone who is looking for a good, quiet, roomy dehydrator. I think it would fit most anyones needs.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 63
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