The 5 Best Food Dehydrators of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
Dehydrators let you whip up dried fruit and jerky at home — because store-bought snacks are so last season.
Tested by Nancy Kochan
We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
If your favorite hiking snack is jerky or you have an excess of herbs and chilies from your garden, a food dehydrator — which dries food at a low temperature over a long period of time — may be a kitchen appliance you didn't know you needed. While you can dehydrate foods the old-fashioned way by hanging them out in the sun, a dehydrator offers a more controlled environment with plenty of surface area to maximize your yield. Plus, you won't need to bat away the birds and squirrels. You'll also extend your food's shelf life and save money.
Our Top Pick: Tribest Sedona Express. Our testers loved its small footprint yet high capacity, multiple dehydration settings and quiet operation.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, we have tested various small appliances, including air fryers and toaster ovens — some of which can also dehydrate food. To find the best dehydrators, we tested nine different models of different sizes, shapes and styles. When all was said and done, we found that while most dehydrators perform similarly, the biggest difference lies in their ease of use.
Pros
- Small footprint yet high capacity
- Multiple dehydration settings
- Quiet operation
- Light feature lets you see inside
Cons
- Some food stuck to the metal trays
- Expensive
Dimensions: 17.5" x 12" x 14" | Weight: 21 lbs | Number of trays: 11 | Temperature range: 77°F–167°F | Temperature settings: Adjustable in 1° increments | Watts: 470 | Timer: Programmable from 1 to 99 hours
The Tribest Sedona Express is a standout digital food dehydrator with 11 stainless steel trays that pack a surprising amount of dehydrating space into a compact design. It's an excellent option for those looking to avoid plastic, thanks to its stainless steel construction and glass door — features that also make it feel more premium than other models on the market.
While it’s not as large as some wider dehydrators, it still offers plenty of room for drying fruits, jerky and more. In our tests, it dried apples and jerky efficiently and evenly, though we did experience some sticking to the metal trays. (If that’s a concern, a version with plastic trays is also available, which helps minimize sticking.)
What truly sets the Sedona Express apart is its glass door, which makes it easy to keep an eye on your snacks without opening the unit, and its range of customizable features. It offers multiple dehydrating modes, including fast, raw and a combination of both.
The fast mode speeds up drying by cycling temperatures above the set point, while the raw mode ensures temperatures stay consistent, perfect for preserving nutrients. The easy-to-use control panel and locking door further enhance its user-friendly design, and it’s the only dehydrator we tested with a built-in light for better visibility.
One thing to note: This is the priciest dehydrator on our list, but it’s worth the investment if you’re serious about dehydrating. Its quiet operation, customizable settings and compact-yet-roomy design make it a premium pick that delivers excellent results for frequent use.
Cosori Premium Dehydrator
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Intuitive, easy-to-use design and controls
- Durable stainless-steel constructions
Cons
- Some customers complained that it's not completely made of stainless steel and has some plastic components
Dimensions: 17.8" x 13.5" x 12.2" | Weight: 23 lbs | Number of trays: 6 | Temperature range: 95°F–165°F | Temperature settings: Adjustable in 1° increments | Watts: 600 | Timer: Programmable from 1 hour to 48 hours
This more affordable food dehydrator stands out for having stainless steel trays, a large see-through window and a straightforward digital control panel — all at a competitive price point. Plus, it has an average 4.7-star rating on Amazon and over 21,000 reviews.
Users love how easy it is to program, how quietly it runs and how much it holds (nearly 6 square feet) despite its compact footprint.
It can be programmed in 30-minute increments for up to 48 hours and offers a temperature range of 95ºF to 165ºF, making it versatile enough for drying herbs, fruits, veggies and even jerky. For even more versatility, it comes with six stainless steel trays, one mesh screen and one fruit roll sheet.
The stainless steel trays are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup straightforward, especially compared to models with nonstick or plastic trays that can be harder to maintain.
Many users appreciate the rear-mounted fan and horizontal airflow system, which ensure even drying without needing to rotate trays, eliminating one of the hassles of dehydrating. It’s also equipped with built-in handles for easy portability.
One thing to note: While most of the unit is stainless steel, some internal parts contain plastic, which might be a drawback for those looking to avoid it entirely. However, this doesn’t seem to affect its overall performance or durability.
Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator
Pros
- Under $100
- Collapsible for easy storage
- Comes with two fruit roll sheets and two nonstick mesh screens
Cons
- No alarm
Dimensions: 14.5" x 15" x 7.25" | Weight: 8.5 lbs | Number of trays: 6 | Temperature range: 90°F–165°F | Temperature settings: Adjustable in 1° increments | Watts: 750 | Timer: Digital, adjustable up to 48 hours
If you’re short on counter or cabinet space, the Presto Electric Food Dehydrator is a smart solution: Its six transparent trays collapse neatly for compact storage, making it perfect for apartment living or kitchens with limited room.
We also love that the see-through design lets you keep an eye on the drying process across all trays, and you can easily customize the setup by using fewer trays if needed. It comes with two fruit roll sheets and nonstick mesh screens for added versatility, while the bottom-mounted fan ensures consistent airflow for reliable results.
One thing to note: While this dehydrator doesn’t have an alarm function, it makes up for it with user-friendly controls for temperature and time, and easy cleanup.
Hamilton Beach Digital Food Dehydrator
Pros
- Includes a fine-mesh sheet for herbs
- Small footprint
- Easy-to-use controls
Cons
- Loudest machine in testing
Dimensions: 10.5" x 13" x 11" | Weight: 8 lbs | Number of trays: 5 | Temperature range: 100°F–160° F | Temperature settings: Adjustable in 5° increments | Watts: 500 | Timer: Digital, adjustable up to 48 hours
The Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator offers a small footprint, five dehydrating trays that stack neatly and a fine-mesh sheet that is great for herbs. It's a great value for someone looking to achieve the basics, and it easily stows away when not in use.
In our tests, it was very easy to use and made excellent and evenly dried parsley and jerky that didn’t stick to the trays.
The top of the dehydrator is clear, so you can see inside the unit to monitor the progress. The buttons are also easy to press and program. We appreciate the auto shut-off and continuous airflow that provides even drying.
One thing to note: The only way to check up on the drying process is the clear top, and it was the loudest machine in our sound test.
Excalibur 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator
Pros
- 15 square feet of dehydrating space
- Straightforward dial controls
- Handles large batches easily
Cons
- Requires enough counter space or storage
Dimensions: 19.02" x 17.01" x 12.28" | Weight: 22 lbs | Number of trays: 9 | Temperature range: 105°F–165°F | Temperature settings: Adjustable dial | Watts: 440 | Timer: Programmable from 2 to 26 hours
Excalibur is a classic food dehydration brand known for its reliability and long-standing reputation. This model's average 4.3-star rating on Amazon and over 2,900 five-star reviews makes it a popular choice for many.
With 15 square feet of dehydrating space, this model is one of the largest models in our round-up, making it ideal for big batches of fruits, vegetables, herbs or jerky. Its spacious design requires significant counter or storage space but is perfect for gardeners, large families or serious dehydrating enthusiasts.
It features manual controls with two dials — one for the temperature and one for the timer. While these dials offer decent customization, they’re limited compared to modern digital options.
The temperature ranges from 105°F to 165°F, accommodating everything from delicate herbs to protein-rich jerky. The timer can be set between two and 26 hours, providing enough flexibility for most dehydrating projects.
Setting recommendations are conveniently printed directly on the unit, taking the guesswork out of the process. Its booklet is also filled with charts, tips and recipes, making it especially helpful for beginners.
The nine trays are easy to insert and remove, allowing you to customize the layout depending on the size of the items you’re drying.
One thing to note: The door slides on and doesn’t fully seal, but we didn’t find this to negatively impact performance — airflow remains consistent thanks to the rear-mounted fan. The open design can even make checking on your food easier or swapping out trays mid-session.
Other dehydrators we tested
- Tribest Sedona Combo Electric Food: While this model includes many impressive features, including zones, multiple dehydrating modes and precise temperature control, the higher price tag and large size make this model less approachable for most people than others on our list.
- Excalibur Electric Food Dehydrator: Our kitchen pros were impressed with the unique glass French doors that let you easily check on food. They also liked that you can adjust the temperature by 1-degree increments for versatility in what you can dehydrate. However, it’s loud and emits a lot of heat.
- Nesco Snackmaster Pro: This food dehydrator is lightweight, has a small footprint and is easy to use with its basic manual controls. However, it doesn’t have a timer, and our testers generally don't love round dehydrators. (The Presto Electric Food Dehydrator in our picks at least collapses for storage.)
- Chefman 6-Tray Dehydrator: This one was the quietest of all the dehydrators we tested, but the plastic trays and accessories are not dishwasher-safe.
How we test food dehydrators
In our most recent test of dehydrators in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we tested nine food dehydrators from leading brands of all different sizes, shapes and styles to see which produced very dried foods and were easy and intuitive to use. We rated performance on evenness and how quickly they dried jerky, apples and more.
When testing for ease of use, we looked at the owner's manual, ease of opening the door, readability of the control panel and the available temperature range. We also considered timer accuracy, the sound of the timer and any additional features.
What to look for when shopping for a food dehydrator
If you're thinking of adding a food dehydrator to your cooking routine, here are a few factors to keep in mind:
✔️ Temperature range: A larger temperature range allows for more controlled dehydration. Most of our picks go below 100℉, ideal for delicate items like herbs, and up to 160℉ or higher for safely making jerky. We typically like when the intervals are small and very specific, but keep in mind that intervals of 1° can be hard to program. Regardless of what you are dehydrating, make sure you are using the correct temperature ranges.
✔️ Programmable timer: The most basic dehydrators turn on when plugged in and off when unplugged, but the more common ones (and our favorites) have timers that turn the dehydrator off when done. A timer is handy for dehydrating overnight or when you're not home, so you don't risk over-drying. Most can be programmed in one-hour intervals.
✔️ Size: Dehydrators with a small footprint and a rectangular shape create a more usable dehydrating area. Some round models have a hole in the center of each tray, which decreases the dehydrating area. Stackable trays increase the usable dehydrating area without adding to the footprint, and because food shrinks as it dries, more vertical space is essential to yield enough.
✔️ Tray material: Trays are made of stainless steel or plastic, most of which are BPA-free. Plastic ones tend to be more nonstick and easier to clean, while stainless steel trays are more durable and a better option for people trying to avoid cooking on plastic.
✔️ Accessories: Most dehydrators come with a drip tray that doubles as a tray to make fruit leather, or with mesh screens for small items like blueberries or herbs. The more accessories, the more versatility.
✔️ Price: Food dehydrators can run between $80 and upwards of $500. More square footage, more dehydrating trays and additional features mean a higher price tag. Dehydrators with stackable trays versus pull-out trays tend to be less expensive. Upgrading may make sense if you own a dehydrator and want more capability. But if you are a beginner or have minimal storage space in your kitchen, a budget-friendly, stackable option will do the trick just as well.
What are the best foods to dehydrate?
While mango, apple, pineapple and orange slices may be the first ideas that come to your mind when deciding which foods to put in your food dehydrator, the options go beyond fruit. You can also dehydrate lean proteins like chicken breast or venison, homemade pasta, vegetables and herbs like basil or mint.
The possibilities don't end there, though; you can ferment yogurt, make potpourri and re-crisp stale foods. Suffice it to say that you and your family can utilize your food dehydrator whether you are making fruit leather and granola bars for healthy weekday snacks or beef jerky for a day hike.
Is a food dehydrator worth it?
If you buy foods in bulk, eat a lot of raw foods or are an avid gardener, purchasing a food dehydrator is worth it. While some dehydrators on this list can set you back a few hundred dollars, the appliance can quickly pay for itself because you can lengthen the shelf life of in-season or on-sale produce. Plus, dehydration concentrates the flavor of food, so dried herbs will taste stronger and fruits will taste sweeter.
With a dehydrator, you can lower your food waste and make additive-free and allergy-friendly snacks since you can customize how much (if any) salt or sugar you add. Dehydrating foods can also retain nutrients better than other methods. However, the entire process can take a long time, and if your dehydrator doesn't have a programmable timer, the process won't be as hands-off.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Perry Santanachote is a freelance writer and recipe developer with over 15 years of experience testing and writing about consumer products, including blenders, air fryers and other kitchen gadgets. Her dehydrator is often churning out dried chilies from her garden's bounty.
Nicole Papantoniou is the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She developed the testing methodology for food dehydrators based on her years of experience developing and using them. She loves making dried fruit with them, especially pineapple.
Nancy Kochan is a trained cook and freelancer who has tested and written on a vast range of kitchen appliances and gear for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She conducted the most recent side-by-side food dehydrator test.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
Perry Santanachote (she/her) has more than 15 years of experience in service journalism, specializing in food and consumer goods. She tests and reports on kitchen appliances and cooking tools. She also evaluates food products and cleaning supplies. She’s an experienced writer, product tester and recipe developer who has worked in labs, test kitchens and media organizations, including Thrillist and Consumer Reports.
The Best Ice Cream Makers
The Best Automatic Espresso Machines
The Best Smart Refrigerators
The Best Countertop Dishwashers
