Home_Dehydrator_Pro

It really comes down to performance, convenience and cost savings. For $100 you really have your pick of one of the three. In my experience, if you're making a series of dried fruits, veggies and other recipes for your family, then an automatic timer is really important. Most food dehydrators operate at up to 160-65 degrees.

Not having to physically turn the machine off when your recipe is done is an enormous benefit. Some also allow for greater capacity and more consistent cooking, without mixing flavors. Getting a decent quality machine means safer materials (no BPA in the plastic, etc.). Assuming you aren't making large, daily batches of meat jerky, this should be all you need from any model.