I was poking around my blog and noticed a post I did last year on the Crofton Food Dehydrator got 308 hits this week. This week?! Why the heck would anyone care about this particular post? Because Aldi must have it on sale this week!
I checked Aldi and sure enough, it is on sale this week for $19.99. Here is my original blog post.
Crofton Food Dehydrator Makes Great Snacks for Cheap!
This dehydrator is a "good" cheap dehydrator. I will say it never occurred to me so many people would be interested a year later...I should have updated my post. This dehydrator is good for short time spans. I did melt the trays by leaving it on too long(overnight); it got too hot and the plastic is not as strong or heat resistant like other dehydrators.
I still think it is a good dehydrator, just be aware it is 20 bucks so you are getting what you pay for.
What I liked the MOST about it was the clear trays so you could see the food dehydrate. Also, because the trays and top are clear, you can dehydrate outside without electricity. In Texas we are entering into the 100 plus days on a consistent basis...perfect for dehydrating!
After I melted the trays I almost gave up, not wanting to waste more money on a project I wasn't sure I was going to keep up. I looked up several different dehydrators and finally settled on an inexpensive model I found at Bed Bath and Beyond. I got the Nesco basic model and ordered extra trays and screens through Amazon. You can get the Nesco at Bed Bath and Beyond or at Amazon. (Probably other places too, I didn't do a very lengthy search.)
Nesco Dehydrator
This dehydrator is a little more expensive but it also is more durable, has varying heat settings and the way the air flows through the trays, rotating the trays isn't necessary. This means you can turn it on and leave it!
I have dehydrated all kinds of things; kale, apples, okra, chard, spinach, squash, zucchini, carrots, basil, cilantro, parsley, jalepenos and bananas. I even made flax chips and fruit leathers (roll ups). I love it! I dehydrate all the time now!
I still think the Crofton dehydrator is a great starter model to see if you are even interested in the process, just keep an eye on it so you don't melt the trays. Happy dehydrating!
have you ever made fruit roll ups in the dehydrator
ReplyDeleteYes, I have solid trays that came with the Nesco that I use to make fruit leathers, which is the generic name for fruit roll ups. They are delicious! Easy to make too, you just puree fruit and pour it in the trays.
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake of buying the Crofton Food Dyhydrator when it was on sale at ALDI and the heating element broke after 1 use. I kept the box and warranty card and was upset to discover that although it boasted a 2 year warranty, it required that the purchaser keep the product box, warranty card and original cash register receipt to be able to take advantage of it...okay, how many people keep the original cash register receipt for 2 years? Calls to customer service were also unhelpful, the supervisor told me I had just gotten, "Unlucky" and she had "bought and lost money of products that were much more expensive than a $20 food dehydrator". After checking the many negative online reviews of the product, I see that I am not a random "Unlucky" person, but one of many whose Crofton food dehydrator quickly broke.
ReplyDeleteI would like to buy replacement trays for my Crofton dehydrator. The heating part works but my trays melted. So, if yours broke so the heating part won't work, I would be glad to buy your trays.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, I sure wish I had known you when I had the Aldi dehydrator. That was years ago, I already gave it away. Most of my trays melted too. I recommend the Nesco, that is the one I have now, use it all the time. it never melts the trays.
ReplyDeleteIf it isn't too late, I have the trays and the lid to go with your melted ones, Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you'd like them. Depending on where we're located, we might be able to do this easily....
I bought this a few years ago. I have no manual but had one like this many years ago, which worked very well. I'm thinking the trays melting is due to not rotating often enough. Just a thought. I'm getting ready to use it for the first time. Making beef jerky for my grandchildren. Does anyone have the user manual for this dehydrator? It's not available online. Thank you.
ReplyDelete