Hamilton Beach 32100A Review

A food dehydrator is an exceptional addition for your kitchen. It can help you eat healthier, kick your habit of eating preservative-laden snacks, save time, and save money all at the same time. If you’re entering the realm of food dehydration for the first time or looking to switch things up with a new model, the Hamilton Beach 32100A is a great choice for drying snacks and herbs at home. This compact and efficient unit is intended for family use. The food you dry in this machine can be put to use in many ways:

• pack it as lightweight snacks for hiking and camping
• the herbs can be preserved to add summer flavor during the dreary winter months
• no-sugar, no-preservative homemade fruit leather can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike
• custom beef jerky to accommodate your taste

Key Features

• 5 stackable drying trays
• powerful 500 watts motor
• up to 48 hours timer
• automatic shut-off feature for safety
• 1 mesh sheet for drying small foods
• 1 solid sheet for drying purees (fruit or veggie!)
• continuous airflow for consistent and even drying
• adjustable digital thermostat (100°-165° F)

The Hamilton Beach 32100A has many features that can appease even picky shoppers. The square design and efficient nesting trays make it easier to store, whether you want to place it in a cabinet along with your other kitchen gadgets or give it premium location on your shelf. The design of this dryer includes the motor on the bottom, so the unit is very stable on the counter top should you choose to leave it out. It also features a mesh sheet for making homemade fruit rolls. That’s not all, you can use this mesh sheet to even dry garden herbs for later use. Additionally, the unit has its own timer that goes up to 48 hours and an automatic shut off. If you’ve previously dabbled in food dehydrating, you know the immense advantage of these two features. The timer helps ensure that you’re able to dry a variety of different foods, from kale to beef strips, to perfection, while the auto shut off is a critical safety feature. For, it will not only avert a disaster but also prevent over-dehydration. If you’re someone who is prone to missing alarms, you well understand the importance of this.

In use, the unit is about as loud as a box fan. It has a clear lid for viewing, so you don’t have to shut off the machine or pull out the trays while monitoring the progress of your food as it dehydrates. The air flow in this dehydrator is continuous, so there is no need to rotate trays no matter what you’re dehydrating. Further, the adjustable digital thermostat allows you the chance to customize the settings to the product you’re drying—whether its pear, apple, cucumber, fruit puree, or whatever else you want.

The instructions are extremely easy to follow and offer detailed information on food safety. However, the design of this dehydrator is such that its best to dry similar types of food at one time. Beef jerky should be done in one batch and okra chips in one, as meat drying times are different than produce. For flavor consistency, vegetables should be dried in their own batch, and fruit in another. After all, you don’t want to the hassle of taking out trays at different times or hovering over the machine to ensure that your fruit leathers aren’t under dried while your apple crisps over dry. While you’re thinking of stacking, it’s also important to keep in mind that you should stack all the trays for proper airflow before turning the unit on, even if some are empty. That’s not all, the mesh liners for fruit leathers and garden herbs should only be used in the top two trays.

The unit is extremely easy to clean as the trays are of a heavy plastic design and lined for easy washing. It’s important to note that this unit is intended for home use and may not provide the volume necessary if you need to dry large batches of product for commercial purposes or if you’re preparing dried foods for a large group of people. Take care in your food preparation to follow USDA guidelines on cooking times for meat while you’re at it, because you don’t want to end up eating or serving spoiled jerky. If you’re cutting fruits and vegetables for drying, keep your slices even in shape, size, and thickness and work to lay things out in as flat a plane as possible to ensure even drying.

Before you start slicing product, be aware that the drying trays have holes to facilitate air movement. Don’t cut your products too small, or they may fall through the holes and impact your layout. It’s also key to remember that stacking or layering product will reduce drying efficiency. Poorly dried product is a breeding ground for bacteria. Take special care to follow the provided dehydrating instructions and review USDA guidelines on product storage for your safety and the safety of family and guests.

Dry foods with ease and enjoy them for months to come, for this food dehydrator will more that you aren’t just saving time and money but also increasing the shelf life of foods to prevent food wastage. We’re thinking banana chips, dried sweet potato sticks, crunchy green beans, and dried apples with cinnamon to boot.