Complete with 6 drying trays and the ability to expand up to 12 trays, the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator is able to dehydrate meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables and many more food items. It is a deluxe digital dehydrator and it has a bottom mounted fan with a heating element that provides consistent air flow for optimum drying.
When you use this dehydrator, you do not have to rotate the food items, as they will dry right throughout. You also have the option of selecting a wide range of temperatures for drying as the thermostat can be adjusted from 95 – 165°F.
Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator
Features:
- 6 tray system for dehydrating foods
- Digital thermostat and timer
- Adjustable temperature from 90 – 165°F
- Bottom mounted fan
- 2 nonstick mesh screen presto dehydrator trays
- 2 fruit roll sheets
- Starter packs of jerky spice and cure
- See-through top cover
- Weighs 8.5 pounds
- Measures approximately 15 x 15 x 7 inches
- Drying trays and cover are dishwasher safe and can be fully immersed in water
- 120 Volts, 60 Hz
Pros:
- The cover and drying trays can be washed in a dishwasher
- You can see through the top cover
- The mesh screens are nonstick
- Temperature can be adjusted over a wide range
- Timer is very helpful in the drying process
Cons:
- May be a little noisy
What are the Presto dehydrator temperature settings?
The Presto dehydrator is designed to dry food at temperatures ranging from 90 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You should choose a drying temperature between 135 and 140 F for optimal results. Most fruits and vegetables should be dried at 105F, while meats and fish are best dried up to 140F.
Before dehydrating your meat and poultry, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline recommends heating them up to 160 °F (for meats) or 165 °F (for poultry). Doing this will ensure any bacteria present are eliminated by wet heat. Most instructions on how to use a dehydrator do not mention this step, though; however, it’s important because some dehydrators may not reach temperatures high enough for food safety.
It is essential to keep a steady dehydrator temperature of 130-140°F during the dehydration process after heating the meat to 160 or 165°F.
- The process must be fast enough to dry food rapidly to ensure it remains edible.
- To ensure the absolute safety of consumers, it is essential to eliminate enough water so that microbial growth cannot occur.
The Presto dehydrator temp is simple to adjust and can be adjusted to various temperatures with the click of a button. As a result, the Presto dehydrator is an ideal tool for preserving food. It uses low heat and gentle air circulation to remove moisture from foods without destroying their nutritional content. In addition, the food dehydrator Presto can provide years of reliable service with proper use and maintenance. Whether preserving fresh fruits and vegetables for later use or creating mouth-watering jerky and fruit leathers, the Presto dehydrator is an ideal tool for all types of food drying.
How to Use the Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator
The Presto Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator is a fantastic kitchen gadget that easily makes delicious snacks and food. This digital dehydrator takes all the guesswork out of dehydrating and makes it a breeze! Here’s how to get the most out of your Presto Dehydro.
Dehydrating Basics
The first step to using your Presto Dehydro is to understand the basics of dehydrating. You’ll want to start by prepping your food for dehydration. This means washing, peeling, and slicing your ingredients into uniform pieces so they can dry evenly. Once prepared, place your ingredients directly on the trays and ensure plenty of space between them so air can circulate freely. After loading up all the trays, set your desired temperature and timer. Voila! Now you have to wait for it to finish doing its thing and enjoy the finished product!
Temperature Settings
The beauty of this dehydrator is that it has digital temperature settings that range from 90°F all the way up to 165°F (32°C – 73°C). Depending on what type of ingredient you’re drying, different temperatures will yield different results. For example, if you’re making beef jerky, a higher temperature will be needed than if you were making banana chips or apple slices. Make sure to check with a recipe or refer to our guide on temperature settings here for more info!
Timer Settings
The Presto Dehydro also has adjustable timer settings that go up to 48 hours in 30-minute increments. Again, depending on what type of ingredient you are drying, some recipes may require longer than others. We suggest setting a timer between 8-10 hours at 125°F (51°C) to dehydrate fruits and vegetables like apples or carrots quickly. When in doubt, refer to any recipe or guidebook for more specific instructions!
Summary
If you are looking for a really good dehydrator, one with digital temperature control and timer, you have just found the right product. The Presto Dehydrator can be used to dehydrate all food types and is very easy to clean. You don’t have to rotate the food items while they are being dried and there are six trays that you can pack with items for drying.
Two fruit roll sheets are also included in the package. Don’t worry about flavors mixing or substances sticking to the mesh screens because the screens are nonstick. And, to top it all off, the drying trays can be put in your dishwasher, so you won’t need to expend energy cleaning them.
Comparison
As amazing as this product is, there are other products that you may want to consider. After inspecting their features however, I am quite sure that you will revert to the Presto Dehydro electric food dehydrator because of its great value.
One other product that you may want to consider is the Waring Pro DHR30 Professional Dehydrator. It has 5 stackable, interlocking trays. It has a fruit roll-up sheet included and its temperature can be adjusted from low to high. With limited adjustability of the thermostat, you cannot know the exact temperature at which you are drying your food.
It tries to make up for this with a fan system that promotes better air flow and a fairly lightweight product that weighs just about 8 pounds. This dehydrator is slightly more expensive than the Presto 06301.
There is another dehydrator called the Nesco FD 1040 Gardenmaster 1000 Watt Food Dehydrator. Being the most expensive of the three, it has an adjustable temperature control and a programmable digital timer. It weighs just about 9 pounds and includes 4 drying trays.
The fan is mounted at the top of the dehydrator to prevent liquids from dripping into the heating chamber. The air flow is patented as it uses the Converga-Flow system to assist with the drying process and like the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator, it is expandable.
Both products are more expensive than the Presto 06301 and, as you can see, they really do not offer much more for the cost they are being sold for. So, in terms of pricing, the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator is definitely a good buy.
Verdict
Apart from its cost effectiveness, the Presto Food Dehydrator has many desirable features. With six trays, there is plenty of space to place items for drying, and if that’s not enough for you, there is always the option of adding up to 12 trays. Its digital thermometer and timer are also unique and premium features to have in a dehydrator of this price range.
As you heat food items, you do not need to rotate them because the constant air flow allows optimum drying throughout the food item. You can use the Presto 06301 to dry all types of foods at a fraction of the cost of foods that are dried commercially.
Bearing this in mind, as well as the cost, there is no reason for you not to choose the Presto 06301 Dehydro Digital Electric Food Dehydrator as your first, additional or replacement dehydrator.
I hope this presto 06301 review has been helpful. for more amazing dehydrator reviews check them out here!
