Nesco FD-80 Snackmaster – A Solid Dehydrator For Less Than $100

When it comes to food dehydration, it’s never too late to join the bandwagon. An ancient technique of food preservation, dehydration not only increases the lifespan of your foods, helping you reduce food waste, but it is also a great way to save money. However, the first step involved finding the right machine for you kitchen. So, the question becomes, how to go about it? Well, that’s why we’re here. We provide detailed reviews on some of the most popular food dehydrators on the market. Today, we’re looking at one by the industry giant, Nesco.

The Nesco FD-80 Snackmaster is one of the most highly rated dehydrator options available to consumers that boast an affordable price. It is a medium size dehydrator with stacking design, a.k.a it has a vertical flow design. The FD-80 is a newer model from Nesco that has improved and more advanced features that previous models did not have. This Snackmaster is square shaped and quite easy to use because it is designed in such a way to produce quick results in a short period of time. Its efficient features make it best for the beginners who have never used a food dehydrator before. It is compact, near perfect, and an inexpensive appliance. You can dry your favourite at home and in this way you stay away from toxins and chemicals used as preservatives and your budget stays in limit too. According to medical experts, to stay healthy it is necessary to take at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables daily which is not feasible. But by using this dehydrator intake of fruits and vegetables is easy! In fact, you’ll not be able to resist all the scrumptious snacks you prepare in this machine, after all, who can say no to cinnamon apple crisps and paprika green beans? Further, its square shape is compact enough to be displayed right on your kitchen counter. So, no storing in the kitchen cabinet required, even when you aren’t using the machine.

Features

• This appliance is fully expandable! It comes equipped with 4 trays and that may not seem like a lot, so you can increase the accommodation space in the appliance by adding 4 more trays in it, increasing the count to a total of 8. In this way you can dry large batches of fruits and vegetables in one go and further grow your culinary explorations. Due to its expandable capacity, you can provide your guests with healthy snacks during parties and functions.
• The Nesco FD-80 Snackmaster has a top mounted fan with a horizontal air flow. Thanks to Nesco’s patented Converga Flow System, the air is moved down and distributed horizontally on each tray. By this method, your appliance will be able to store as much heat as possible and it will take less time to dry fruits and vegetables. It will also ensure even drying as the heat will reach the foods at the same time, no matter where they are placed. Further, the Converga flow system reduces the mixing of flavours, so it is easy for the users to dry different types of food at a same time. The best thing about the top mounted fan is that it will prevent drippings from going into the heat mechanism and it is super easy to clean.
• The dehydrator has a thermostat that ranges from 95°-160°F, so you can easily adjust the temperature according to your need and you will be able to dry items like jerky and meat safely. The device has no timer, so you have to use the kitchen timer as a reminder to switch it off.
• The device produces no noise so you can easily use it at night or at anytime during the day, even when you have to work from home and in a room next to the kitchen.
• The base and trays are very easy to clean as they are dishwasher-safe. If that’s not your go-to method for cleaning, these trays can be cleaned simply with warm soapy water.
• The Snackmaster is made with opaque vita-save exterior that blocks light from outside. As the light directly impacts the quality of dehydration, this is a great feature to have in your appliance. It helps preserves the nutrients in the food as they are dehydrated.
• The appliance has a motor of about 700 watts and comes with a 1-year limited warranty. Granted the warranty isn’t the best out there, but it’s certainly not bad for a home use dehydrator.

Pros

• It has a smaller footprint, which allows the unit to fit comfortably on your kitchen counter.
• It has an adjustable thermostat which allows the proper temperature for each food according to its requirement.
• The device is equipped with square trays which allows more capacity for placing food and makes it easier to load in comparison to round trays, and store too!
• Drying time of this device is faster due to its powerful heater.

Cons

• The device is not as expandable as some other expensive dehydrators, which go up to 12 trays easily!
• There is no ON/Off switch on it.
• There is no timer in it. So you have to monitor it carefully and use a kitchen timer to note the time. It’s definitely not something that you can set and forget, only to be greeted with mouthwatering smell of jerky.

Summary

The Nesco FD-80 Snackmaster is boasts efficiency, smart design, powerful motor, and a very reasonable price. In fact, it is one of the most recommended dehydrators available in the market—owing to its amazing features. If you’re looking for a machine to take the leap, then you can go ahead and place your bets on this one.