by Keith Harper
(Houston TX)
I chose my dehydrator based on the features that Glenn recommended. I'm glad I didn't elect to get a cheap unit with one of those useless holes in the middle, but I also didn't want to spend a fortune for a Cadillac model either. I've been running mine non-stop since I got it a week ago and I've been very pleased so far.
It has a rear mounted heating element and fan, a digital timer, and a temperature selection knob that are easy to operate. The trays load easily, though the top tray leaves some to be desired for head room. This is ok as it forces me to keep to 1/4 inch pieces of food or smaller. I also bought some paraflexx sheets for use, though they had to be trimmed down a bit before they would fit flushly inside the trays.
Most everything I've dried thus far has been in the 125°-135 ° range at 8-10 hours. Based on Glenn's guidelines, everything has been turning out the way he recommends. I've even taken small samples and reconstituted them and have had no hiccups. I look forward to many meals from this machine.