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Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll def look into a variety of recipies.
Thanks Suasoria for the nice compliments.
A good dehydrator review and website...
http://www.raw-living-food-success.com/dehydrated-raw-food.html
Raw newbie here. Been looking at recipes and every time I find one I get excited about, I see "dehydrate...." Phooey. My oven gives me an ERR every time I try to set it at any temperature below 175.
So there I was, ready to invest in a dehydrator at Target, when I remembered the temperature issue. So I stood in the aisle and called the 800 number on the side of the Ronco "As Seen On TV" box. 135 degrees. That one's out.
Next, I stood in Walmart looking at the basic, $36 Nesco. Looked on their web site. 145 degrees. Out.
Now I'm frustrated, dying for a dehydrator that's affordable and truly low-temp for raw foods, and I don't know where to turn. My search continues. Phooey. I wanted to make some crackers, like, NOW. LOL
And btw, what's the difference between the "VegiKiln," the "STX Dehydra" and the "Good 4 u?" They all look exactly alike!
Nicole, that's a totally awesome idea! I may do that if....well, my husband just said he'll make me this one: http://www.k-clements.fsnet.co.uk/dehydrator.html but I don't know for sure if the temperature will be right, etc. Anyone have thoughts on this? If it doesn't work out, we can go with Nicole's idea, right? :)
Thanks!
Please just remember to find out if the plastic contains BPA. It's very bad for you!
I'm curious to see who else has a homemade dehydrator? When my girlfriend and I broke up, she got the dehydrator (stainless steel sausage maker, great dehydrate, but expensive) and I got the juicer (breakups are tragic):-) I am currently on revision three of a homemade dehydrator. The first one, very similar to the one bizinbluejeans posted, but temperature control between the top and bottom was tough, had to cycle shelves, and I'm too lazy for that. Rev. two utilized birch plywood (to cut down on weight) and some stainless steel sheet metal screwed onto the inside surface of the plywood. I then setup a light bulb on top and on bottom with 12volt computer fans to circulate the air. Every 30min the fans cycle between in bottom/out top to out top/in bottom, works better but it's still hard to keep a constant temp, especially with people peaking to see what's new in the dehydrator (maybe I need to incorporate a window). Rev three will all be 12volt power run off of a solar cell, and I will install a thermocouple (electronic thermometer) connected to a rheostate (dimmer switch) to control the amount of light out put by the bulbs and therefore heat out put. I am hopping this will stablize my temperature. oh, I am using stainless steel shelving bootied from a comercial oven. I would like to hear about other people's setups before I progress with mine to see if I can incorporate some other ideas.
My husband made a wonderful dehydrator for us. It doesn't have a fan. It has one bulb at the bottom, with vents at the bottom and top. The heat rises. It usually stays at a perfect 108 degrees on all 6 trays! Plus, it is so beautiful like a piece of furniture! We are preparing to sell them. They will be very affordable. If anyone is interested please feel free to contact me.
Eeeee! My hubby just finished my dehydrator, a week before my birthday! I'm experimenting with some mushrooms overnight. He even installed some super-cool upgrades and t's been stable at 103 for the past two hours, which keeps me well under the 105 I was hoping for. I am SO excited and I can't wait till tomorrow when I can start making the much-awaited burgers, pizza crusts, taco shells.....life is going to be SO much more interesting now. Eeeee! :)