NutriChef PKFD12 Review

Food dehydration is an age-old technique, and much like other ancient trends, it’s come back with a bang. However, unlike the old golden days, we aren’t sticking with sun-drying our foods anymore. The evolution in technology also applies to kitchen gadgets and now there are state-of-the-art food dehydrators available in the market, from horizontal flow to vertical flow dehydrators—accommodating the needs of all different users. So, how you do know which food dehydrator to select or if the one you’re choosing is the right match for your needs? Well, fortunately we’re here to guide you through. Today, we are going to look at the NutriChef PKFD12.

Key Features

• 5 stackable trays
• Single on and off button for easy operation
• Maximum temperature of 180° F
• Retains 97% of nutrients

The description for the NutriChef PKFD12 claims that all the user has to do is put their food into the trays, flick a switch, and like magic the food will be dehydrated. Now, if you’re a novice or someone who doesn’t like complexity in their machines, you’ll find this dehydrator to be particularly alluring. However, the easy-to-use functionality with one button for operation also means that you can’t adjust temperatures with digital display. It works at a maximum temperature of 180° F, so you know you can make jerky in it safely as the USDA recommends making beef jerky at temperatures ranging from 160-165° F, but of course the flexibility that comes with digital timer and temperature controller are missing. As a novice, this isn’t something that is likely to bother you, but if you’re a pro who has been dehydrating for a while, you may want something with a little more control.

The 5 stackable trays in this dehydrator are removable, making it easy to clean, while the capacity allows for preserving a good enough amount of food in one go. Surely, not as much as some of the other competitor models on the market but still good for a small family. It claims to retain 97% of nutritional value in the food, a critical factor if you’re getting a dehydrator to eat healthy. It also claims to work on a variety of foods like chips, fish, jerky, and more. We’re thinking apple chips, potato chips, and kale crisps. It weighs 6.8 pounds and has a sleek design, in either black or white, and should easily fit on any kitchen countertop.

First Impressions

When I first opened the box, I was immediately unimpressed. The dehydrator just sat in the box, no packing peanuts or bubble wrap around it—a recipe for disaster. To be honest, I figured it would have broken during the journey. Luckily, I took it out and everything seemed to be fine, though that is probably more due to luck than the company’s shipping practices.

In regards to the design, I will say that the clear trays are a nice touch. They make it easy to see how your food is coming along, which makes the entire process a lot more pleasant. The operation is as easy as they claim; just a power on and off switch. If you need it, there is also a manual that comes with it, but most people should be able to figure it out on their own.

I’ll admit, aside from the packaging, everything looked good and I was eager to try it!

How Well Does it Work?

I figured I would start with something simple, so the first thing that I did was dehydrate some apples. It took about five hours to dehydrate five apples, which is a fair amount of time when it comes to food dehydration. Not spectacular, not disappointing. The apples were as dehydrated as any I’d ever seen, so it worked really well as far as I was concerned!

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that cleaning it was a breeze. I was a little nervous to see the trays and thought that food might have a tendency to get stuck, but luckily I was very wrong. No issue with cleaning it, and I was ready to get on to my next item.

The next thing I dehydrated was jerky, since the ability to make great jerky has been a selling point with this model. At this point I was starting to really believe in the product, and I definitely did not regret it. The dehydrator took about 7 hours for 1/4″ cup of jerky, but it was worth the wait. Completely dehydrated and the cleanup was just as easy as with the apples! A lot of people buy this dehydrator specifically for jerky, and for good reason!

Final Verdict

Overall, my only issue with this product (other than the packaging) was that it made noise when it ran. It wasn’t loud by any stretch, but it also put off a decent amount of heat from the power it was using. It didn’t bother me, but I could imagine it warming up a small apartment, so that is something to be mindful of. Overall, though, I was very much impressed with this dehydrator and would recommend it to anyone in need of a good dehydrator, especially if they like jerky.