Can you "dehydrate" in a normal oven?

Branwyn32

Sorry if this seems a dumb question, but I’m a raw noobie who can’t afford a dehydrator!

Is it at all feasible to have a normal home (electric powered) oven to function in any way like a dehydrator? I will have to check on how low the temperature can go…but if I can keep it low enough, would it work?

Thanks!

clr-1976

I’d be interested in this too… I have used my oven but I dont know if I’ve been doing it right..

I had it under 50, on the lowest it’ll go, put stuff on bottom shelf and left the door open a teeny bit.

Thing is I’ve had to put it on all day for about 2 days for anything to happen… So I need to be at home. My BF doesnt like it being on overnight & is concerned about the electricity bill!!

Would a dehydrator end up being cheaper? I dont know!

Looking forward to responses from knowledgable rawies!

Zoe

my husband made a huge dehydrator for us out of meal shelving, cardboard, a desk fan and some lightbulbs. It cost next to nothing and works like a dream.

I would think that being in the USA where dehydrators are more commonly used, it would be easy and cheap to find a second hand one somewhere like ebay?

You can use an oven, but to make it work properly you’d probably need to use a fan blowing into the open oven. A dehydrator uses air flow not just heat to dry food. You also need a cooking thermometer to check the temp.

clr-1976

Thanks Zoe, I guess I might go for the dehydrator at some point in the future, I’m in the UK so find them pretty expensive & constantly checking ebay, there’s occasionally one on there, but I think I’ll need one with a timer to satisfy BF’s fire worries.. (No ‘leccy equip on overnight or when we’re out..).

Your homemade one sounds fab!

With regards to the oven.. Should most things take 2 days+?? I seem to end up with things rubbery not crispy :-|