Ivation Food Dehydrator Review

If you’ve been in a kitchen appliance store lately, you’ll know that dehydrators are one of the most popular cooking items flying off shelves right now. It’s come as a surprise. These machines have been around for ages, but they’ve never been more popular than they are at the moment. However, anyone who has ever used a food dehydrator will understand why they’ve suddenly exploded in popularity.

For years, these impressive appliances have offered customers a way to make healthy food at home for much less money than what’s spent at grocery stores. It’s not just a cost saving addition to your kitchen either. Nope. Dehydrated foods are also a healthy alternative to most of the crunchy treats that might be stocking your pantry right now. Snacks made in dehydrators are free of harmful additives and much healthier than processed snacks with mystery ingredients. So making these tasty treats in your kitchen has quickly taken the world by storm.

The only challenge that anyone hoping to join the exciting world of food dehydration faces is the struggle to pick out the right machine for your kitchen. There are so many options out there and not  all of them are created equal. That’s why you’ve come to our site and we are here to help. Today we’ll take a look at the Ivation dehydrator, which  strives to offer the best home dehydrator features at a reasonable price. Even amongst food dehydrator snobs and experts, this unit truly stands out among the many choices on the market today.

What Are The Features Of The Ivation?

• 6 Drying Racks: The Ivation is large enough to hold a total of 6 drying racks. This gives consumers an opportunity to prepare large amounts of food at one time, which will save them money on groceries and snacks. Sure, there are machines with more racks out there, but this is still an impressive rack count.
• Digital Thermostat: The digital thermostat is easy to set, so you’ll never get stuck staring at the machine desperately trying to will it to work. The bright numbers are also big enough to be visible from a distance, so you can feel free to leave the machine running without hovering nearby when you want to check in on the time.
• Rear Mounted Fan: The rear mounted fan ensures even drying for all the food within the dehydrator. Unlike top or bottom mounted fans, the air moves freely through this machine, which will guarantee that your dehydrated food will be crisp.
• 2 Extra Specialty Sheets: Besides the 6 standard drying sheets, a sheet for drying herbs and a sheet for preparing fruit rolls are included—adding an extra level of diversity to your dehydration.
• Drip Tray: The drip tray collects anything that falls from the trays during the dehydrating process. It’s easy to clean and will protect the dehydrator from spills and messes.

What Are The Pros & Cons Of The Ivation?

Pros

• The auto-off feature offers peace of mind. Thanks to this nifty feature, you won’t have to check-in constantly to make sure that your food is drying evenly. Plus, the Ivation complies with the US Electrical Safety Regulations, so you can bring it into your home without any fear of health risks.
• The digital controls are easy to use and the deliberate design makes dehydrating intuitive. With settings ranging from 95°-158° F, a wide variety of foods can be safely cooked in this product.
• The measurements for this product are generous, so it offers households the opportunity to dehydrate a large quantity of food at a time.
• The fan is not too loud when the dehydrator is on, so the noise won’t prohibit anyone from being in the kitchen while the dehydrator is running (a surprisingly common issue with most consumer dehydrators).
• The clear door makes it easy to to check food progress without opening the door and releasing the heat. Too many batches of dehydrated foods have been spoiled this way.
• The price of this dehydrator is quite reasonable for its size and the amount of food it can hold. There are similar machines priced substantially higher despite offering no additional features.
• The exterior stays cool while the dehydrator is working, regardless of the internal temperature rising. This creates a sense of safety for those in the kitchen, while the dehydrator is on.

Cons

• There is no instruction manual. While the design does make this dehydrator easy to use, it would be nice to have a manual for trouble shooting or tips. The dehydrator arrives in a box with absolutely no written assistance. So, it might not be an ideal choice for any household that hasn’t used a dehydrator before.
• While the large design allows for more food to be prepared at one time, it also requires a lot of counter space for storage. Thereby, it isn’t ideal for houses with small kitchens and limited counter space.
• No drying time sheet is included with this product. One is available for download on the internet. However, just like the instruction manual, it would have been nice if this item was simply included with the purchase. Especially given how many customers are trying dehydrators for the first time these days.
• The company does not specify whether the trays used in the dehydrator are BPA-free. It’s good to know this product complies with electrical safety standards, but it would also be nice to know for sure that all plastic used is free of toxins.

Final Thoughts

The Ivation food dehydrator allows users to cook everything from jerky to dried herbs. The versatility of this product makes it a stand out, especially since it is also affordable. Sure, there are some causes for concern. The lack of instructions or recipes will be a problem for anyone who is only starting out on their food dehydration journey. Likewise, the sheer scale of the machine can prevent it from fitting into small kitchens. So, it’s worth noting that this dehydrator won’t satisfy everyone and you may want to keep browsing if you have a small kitchen or a complete lack of dehydration experience. However, if your kitchen is large enough to accommodate a dehydrator this size, then the Ivation will make an excellent addition. The machine gets the job done and the price is impressive. Sure, there are no fancy bells and whistles. The designers put all their effort into nailing the dehydration process and not the superfluous features. Yes, the Ivation will still dehydrate your food and do it well. So, it’s hard to complain about that and easy to recommend The Ivation.