Dehydrator - does anyone have one?

**Nicki** · 17th December 2010, 11:08 AM

A fellow board member and I are currently looking into purchasing dehydrators, mainly for making sweet potato chews as these are difficult to source - although I have found some now, will post separately!!

We think that we could make lots of doggie - and human

- treats and snacks, which would be much healthier than shop bought.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that prices have dropped dramatically since I last looked a few years ago when they were over £120...

Does anyone have one - what do you think? I found quite a few different models on E-bay

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=f....c0.m270.l1311

Thanks in advance

**Lani** · 17th December 2010, 12:44 PM

I don't have one but have done quite a bit of research on them.

My boss is a big Raw-Foodist (people raw - vegan). He's tried to get all of us on the band-wagon. I'm not fully on board but I do enjoy some of his raw dehydrated treats and a co-worker bought a dehydrator as well.

My research indicates that the Excalibur ones really are the best ones if you are going to use it all the time - faster, dehydrate more evenly etc, some have a time, etc.

My colleague just bought one through Amazon, it's a round one rather than the bigger rectangular Excalibur. Not sure of the brand, but hers does the job although it took her three times as long to dehydrate one of her recipes than she anticipated. For the money savings (I think she spent just $29) she's totally cool with it.

**Kizzys Mum** · 18th December 2010, 04:52 PM

I have this one -http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dehydrator-Dri...item563e7dd196 (but not from that stockist). I haven't used it as much as I would have liked to! I had a go at dried sweet potato treats, but mine turned up crispy/crumbly - so I think I need to change my method somehow... I have also made dried apple and carrot for the dogs. If anyone else has any tips, I'd love to hear them!

**Jasper and Holly** · 19th March 2011, 08:20 PM

I have one. It's an Ezi Dry and I love it. So far I have made liver treats which were great they love them. I sliced it very thin and they turned out great, I do all my dehydrating in the laundry with the door open to let out the small especially liver!
They keep great in the freezer.
My sweet potato turned out rubbery. So if anyone has any tips that would be good.
Chicken strips where great too they go crazy for them. It's so much better than buying them as you know exactly what's in them.
I have tried apples, kiwi fruit, bananas, lemons, oranges.
I bought a vacuum sealer which is fantastic. Great for when we go down the coast I can now buy my meat from my local butcher and vacuum seal it and it will keep fresh while we are away.

**Soushiruiuma** · 19th March 2011, 09:01 PM

I have one. I make chicken and apples. The apples I think need to stay on longer, they were floppy (the dogs still loved them though). The chicken is really easy. I prefer it to the store bought because I cut the pieces a lot smaller.

I paid around $40 for mine. Picked it up on a whim one day. It's an Oster brand.

**Erin2854** · 20th March 2011, 02:37 AM

I have a few customers at my store who dehydrate alot of their own doggie treats. The funny thing is, alot of them still come in and buy the dehydrated sweet potato treats that we sell. They say that sweet potatos are really tricky and they can never get them to turn out right! Are they difficult treats to get if you are not in the US?

**Jasper and Holly** · 20th March 2011, 07:01 AM

I have never seen them here in Brisbane. Although I have never asked for them either. I will next time I am out.

**denali** · 19th May 2011, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Erin2854

I have a few customers at my store who dehydrate alot of their own doggie treats. The funny thing is, alot of them still come in and buy the dehydrated sweet potato treats that we sell. They say that sweet potatos are really tricky and they can never get them to turn out right! Are they difficult treats to get if you are not in the US?

I have looked in the three pet shops that are close to us here in Australia, and i have not found them anywhere.