Nesco FD-79 Snackmaster Pro Digital Food Dehydrator for Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Meat, Vegetables & Herbs, Gray, 4 Trays, 1 Count (Pack of 1),Grey

My old Nesco dehydrator finally died after 20 years. It was the model with the manual dial and no timer, and what I hated about that model was it could only be turned off by unplugging it, and I had to remember to unplug it at the right time.This was a great price for me to get this digital model to replace it.The digital controls make a big difference. You can leave it plugged in and turn it on and off with a button, and you can set the digital timer to turn it off for you. The digital temp lets you set exact degrees instead of guessing with a manual dial.Other than that, it works great just as my old Nesco dehydrator did for dehydrating herbs, fruits, veggies and jerky.

Heats and blows air from the top so it’s easy to clean. Small crumbs fall to the bottom and easily wipe clean. Motor seems to work well and dries quickly. Came with extra tray inserts.I really like the design and simplicity of it.

dehydrates jerky in about 12 hours depending how thick you like it, I cut mine about 1/4" thick and it turns out excellent, just garlic salt, Pepper, liquid smoke and oregano, the best jerky ever..... I found the Nesco dehydrator to be the best for making home made jerky, I've had several others that didn't cut it, I love the timer feature, now I don't have to be around to stop it when it's done, just set it and leave it, easier to clean too, spray it with some non-stick and go, recommended to anyone.

So far, I've used it about 20 times to make jerky. The trays are slightly undulating, but not enough to be a problem.One complaint is that the digital readout for its cooking time and temperature has begun to fail one segment at a time. So while I still can do so, I need to count the number of times I push the buttons to position the settings correctly.Another complaint is that I REALLY wish that the trays were dishwasher safe!

The initial shipment came with small crack in the side because it was shipped in thin retail box with no cushioning. I wanted to save the planet from more shipping materials,. . . The replacement shipment was the same, but undamaged. The crack would have been fine, but I didn't want to have a new one with a tiny air leak and potential for eventually becoming a larger crack.But love the timer! Easy to use. The temp control lists a much higher number than my dial temp version. It's more likely the dial version was off or the thermostat wasn't as good.It didn't dry any faster than the older 500W version, but I found that this one seems be more even: not to require exchanging the top and bottom trays even though the system is the same and I'm using my extra trays from the old one. I also like the newer (same diameter) trays

Super easy to use and clean, and it dehydrated well. I normally leave it on overnight, and so far had no problems.

Display turned on but the fan and heating element does not after only a single batch. This is the second nesco product that this has happened to me. Horrible and low quality.

The best features:The FAN is housed in the top position. Long years ago, when I bought my first food dehydrator, the machinery was in the BOTTOM position. While that might have some advantages for balance, it meant that whatever dripped or fell down impacted the piece with moving parts. Consequently, clean-up, PARTICULARLY of grease drippings, was difficult, as you can't immerse the unit in hot water. I really like this design.The time and temperature controls are easy to use. A helpful guide to temps for different snacks is printed on the control unit, so I don't have to remember. It also makes it possible to get a batch going that will be finished in the middle of the night, and not have to set an alarm to wake up and turn it off.Very quiet. I was running a batch in the room next to where I was having a meeting, and it presented no problem at all. I have even had a conversation at the kitchen table while to machine was running, and I didn't have to raise my voice to be heard.A new development, and one I haven't tried yet, are the tiny grid Clean-a-screens. I'm going to try dehydrating nectarines today, and that might be the way to go.My 16-year-old son Kenneth is fascinated by the process of seasoning and applying the beef to make jerky.