Are you considering using a dehydrator to preserve food and save money? Dehydrators are great for making food last longer. Do the savings from shelf life exceed or break even with the cost of running this machine?
An electric dehydrator is a great piece of kitchen equipment, but there’s often a concern of how much electricity they use. To learn more about dehydrating foods and how much electricity it requires, read on.
Understanding Electricity
To find out how efficient dehydrators are, it helps to know a little bit about measuring electricity.
Electricity is measured in small units called watts. Because appliances use so many watts, their energy usage is usually measured in kilowatts. A kilowatt is one thousand watts.
Power companies measure energy use in kilowatt hours. A kilowatt-hour is the amount of electricity (in kilowatts) used during one hour.
To calculate kilowatt-hours (kWh), we use a simple formula:
kilowatt hours (kWh) = wattage of appliance X the time in hours / 1,000
For a 1,000 watt appliance that is run for 8 hours, the formula looks like this:
1,000 watts X 8 hours / 1,000 = 8 kilowatt hours (kWh)
Calculating Cost
After you calculate the kilowatt hours, you must find out the cost per kWh. Your electricity bill should show the kilowatt hours used and the cost per kWh.
To calculate the electricity cost of running your appliance, simply multiply the appliance’s kWh by the cost per kWh, like this:
Cost to run appliance = kWh X cost per kWh
This formula lets you easily calculate how much it costs to run your dehydrator.
Does a dehydrator use a lot of electricity? Lets find out more below!
How Much Does Using a Dehydrator Cost?
Most people use an electric dehydrator to save money and waste less food. How does a food dehydrator work? These appliances slowly remove moisture from food while preserving its nutrient content and taste.
Dehydrating is a great way to make food last a lot longer, which is especially helpful with fruits and vegetables. But do the savings exceed the cost of running a dehydrator?
Most food dehydrators will cost between $0.29 and $1.20 to run for a ten hour period. How much electricity each one uses depends on the size and included features of the model.
Special Features
Some dehydrators have features that conserve electricity. These features can include:
- Internal regulators that turn the fan and heater off periodically while holding heat
- Temperature control settings
- Removable trays so you only have to use enough space for the amount you’re drying
Other dehydrators may use more electricity due to size or running times. It’s best to consider your drying needs and then pick the model with the appropriate features. If you’ll be drying large amounts frequently, it might be a good idea to invest in a bigger, more advanced dehydrator.
Save More, Waste Less
Using a dehydrator is a cost-effective way to make great snacks and preserve foods that tend to spoil quickly.
If you’d like to learn more about electric dehydrators and dehydrating food, our website is full of great information and tips. Feel free to explore our posts to find the best dehydrators for all of your kitchen needs.
