STX International Dehydra DEH-1200W-XLS Review
Food dehydration—a simple and efficient process that’s been gaining popularity. Got your attention too, didn’t it? An old technique of food preservation, dehydration removes moisture from foods, helping increase their shelf-life. In times when we didn’t have so many gadgets at our disposal, it was done by putting vegetables, spices, and herbs in the sun for long periods of time. Today, that’s no longer the case. All thanks to food dehydrators. Helping you keep nutrients and vitamins packed in the food you’re drying and taking significantly less time in delivering results, these kitchen appliances are a boon.
Truth of the matter is, today, there are plenty of food dehydrators on the market. So, how do you know if the one you’ve selected is right? Well, we’ve got detailed reviews for some of the most popular food dehydrators for you, and today we’re looking at the STX International Dehydrator. This dehydrator is a family-sized unit for big batches, with 10 trays and 16 square feet of drying space. At this size it could serve commercial kitchens as well as households. In fact, we’re warning you now, you might find yourself putting out bowls of dried fruit at every gathering.
Features
- Adjustable thermostat: This unit provides a robust 1200 watts of power that can be adjusted over a range of 95°-155° F. The higher end allows you to effectively dry meats for jerky, while the lower end will dehydrate fruits and vegetables while preserving healthy vitamins and enzymes. We should tell you that 1200 watts is a lot of power for a dehydrator, and you should keep that in mind when comparing with one of those models which boast of only 600-1000 watts of drying power.
- Horizontal airflow: The design of this dehydrator allows for more even drying as the fan is placed in the rear instead of the top or bottom, i.e, the air flows uniformly to each tray. You’ll find that your foods aren’t over or under dehydrated, instead they are evenly dried.
- Control: A digital panel lets you control temperature and time, with a 15-hour shut off timer (that can be set in increments of 5 minutes) so you can just put it to work and walk away. It has 7 preset heat temperatures that range from 97°-167° F, allowing you to dehydrate a variety of foods with perfection, whether its fruit, veggies, meat, poultry, or seafood. It’s good to keep in mind that this temperature range is in-line with USDA “jerky safe” temperature guidelines, so you don’t have to worry about bacteria gaining foothold in your meat while you try and turn it into jerky.
- Stainless steel: This machine is built entirely out of stainless steel for durability. Even the trays are stainless steel, making this a rugged and easy-to-clean unit. It’s has the look and heft of an industrial appliance, so it should stand up well to the demands of the home kitchen easily.
- Extras: In addition to the 10 trays and 16 square feet of space, this dehydrator has 3 drawer blanks that can be used for proving dough or additional drying. These drawers are removable and dishwasher-safe. The silicon baking mats that come with the dehydrator can withstand temperatures up to 500° F and make it easy to transfer foods to your oven for additional heating.
- Drip Tray: An important feature for any dehydrator, the drip tray catches all the exuded juices to help the interior of your STX International food dehydrator say clean. The drip tray also has an easy-clean surface, making the cleaning process as efficient as the dehydrating process.
- Cookbook: The dehydrator comes with the STX “Dehydrating Made Easy” Cookbook (CD/PDF Format) for guidance. Packed with 126 pages of over 270 dehydrating recipes, this monster book has all the information you may need to start your dehydrating journey with this appliance—from general drying temperatures to a list of what’s in season.
Pros
Capacity: You have to use this dehydrator to actually appreciate just how much it can handle—enough to provide for a small business or diner; so it will serve a large family well.
Design: Stainless steel and easy-clean components make this machine rugged, attractive, and easy to maintain. It looks and feels much more professional than some cheaper models, but is still stylish enough to look good in your kitchen.
Storage: if you don’t use if often, it’s easy to disassemble and reassemble, so you should not have a problem tucking it away in a pantry or closet until you need it.
Cost: The STX International food dehydrator is actually larger and less expensive than most comparable professional-level food dehydrators.
Cons
Edges: Unfortunately the design is square rather than rounded, so that at 20+ pounds of weight, the edges can be sharp enough to cause abrasions or even cuts if they become rough or burred.
Noise: It can be loud, but that’s common with dehydrators running fans and heaters, and this is a larger model so expect more noise.
Reliability: There have been some reports of inaccurate temperatures or uneven heat, but this is rare, and the manufacturer offers excellent support, even if you face such a complain.
Final Verdict
The STX International Dehydra is not an entry-level model for casual or experimental use. It’s a full-sized, powerful unit for dehydrating large batches in one shot. Considering it’s size (20″x17.5″x15″), it can get in the way if you don’t plan on using it regularly. It can also be loud in operation. However, serious jerky hobbyists or those with a need for drying a lot of fruits or veggies—such as those with a garden or fruit trees—will find it of great benefit. It’s large capacity, rugged design, and ease of use make it a welcome addition that can provide healthy snacks for your family and guests all year long.
- Performance - 8.3/108.3/10
- Ease of Use - 7.2/107.2/10
- Design - 7/107/10
- Features - 7.9/107.9/10
I did a lot of research before opting to buy the STX International Dehydrator. The unit is stainless steel inside and out. The heating coil works really well and is sturdily built. There is no comparison with the plastic dehydrators. I checked them out in the stores and was not impressed. Some of the steel models cost more but had less power, fewer trays and were chrome coated. After ordering this unit, it arrived amazingly fast. In an hour I had the dehydrator up and running. Of course, I cleaned it first before using. I could not believe how quiet it was. You could not even tell it was running except for the soft swishing air sound. Stand three feet away, and you can’t hear it at all. My first attempt came out perfect. I am giddy trying to decide what to dry next.
The back of the unit comes off easy enough, but stays firmly in place when latched. The front door didn’t fit quite tight. But I made a small adjustment and its fine now. I’m not very big in stature. However, I can easily use, move and clean the STX fairly easily. At least I know with this model, the racks will not become discolored or warp. I do a great deal of canning and fermenting foods. Now I can also dehydrate.
The dehydrator arrived about a week ago. The door was not positioned right, which kept if from closing properly. I quickly fixed that and it’s fine now. Once the device is assembled, it seems pretty sturdy. I tried dehydrating some meat and filled the racks as directed. After 12 hours, they were not nearly close to being done. I checked the internal temperature and found that the front was 45 degrees cooler than the temperature setting. The manufacturer was surprisingly cooperative. They explained that the back of the unit may have been damaged during shipping. They sent me a new one. When it arrived, I changed the part out and tried drying meat again. I could immediately tell the difference in heat. My meat was done in about 12 hours.
I wanted to get the best deal and the best machine possible. I preferred the professional model, as I wanted the durable steel model over a plastic version. The unit is sturdily constructed and doesn’t make much noise when running. I find that the trays are easy to clean. Smaller machines could no way handle the amount of produce that I get from my garden. Preparing the food to put in the dehydrator takes enough time. I wanted a machine that could handle larger quantities. I use my STX at least once a week. During harvest, it gets used every day for almost two months.
At one point, the switch malfunctioned. Customer service was great and shipped the replacement part out the same day. I also really appreciated the fact that I could talk to a real person and not some automated system. That is one of the advantages to buying American made. The company also welcomes suggestions from consumers to make improvements where needed.
I’m usually not the type of person who writes reviews. But, I felt it might help someone else make a more informed choice. I’ve had my dehydrator for only a few weeks. However, during that time it has run continuously. It was easy to assemble and nothing was damaged. Everything fits together tightly, and considering other comments, I thought the machine runs rather quietly. Everything that I’ve dried so far has turned out perfect. I love the large capacity, as I do massive batches of jerky each time. The only problem that I have with the STX is the 15-hour timer. I continually have to reset the time to make sure that the machine does not stop during longer processing. I am also not that happy with the large openings on the grates, as smaller foods then to fall through. Other than that, it’s a great machine.
I really love my STX. I used to have one of those round stacking models over the years. I decided that I needed something better to safely process meats quickly. The STX is awesome. It is sturdy, has plenty of power and is a cinch to clean. I especially like that all of the components easily come out of the dehydrator for cleaning. Since everything is made from stainless steel, I know it will last. The coil and fan combination ensure that the unit heats fast. This machine more than capably handled the temperature required to make jerky. Thanks to its large capacity, I was able to process six pounds of meat at one time in six hours. I think the STX International Dehydrator is perfectly designed overall.