Medical experts keep telling that consuming five or more portions of garden produce a day is extremely beneficial to health. When it is not an option to eat fresh food all the time, the Nesco American Harvest FD-80 Square-Shaped Dehydrator comes in handy. The device will dry your fruit and vegetables, preserving vitamins and nutrients they contain. Even if you have never operated an appliance like this before, you will have no problems while using this machine. With it, you will be able to dry your favorite sweets in no time. Moreover, the appliance will help you save some time and money on purchasing dried snacks at stores.
Its affordable price and fundamental features make the model the perfect starter device for everybody. This machine is the number one choice for those who do not like the idea of consuming convenience food because of the chemicals it contains. To make children eat healthy, all you need is to dry nutrient-enriched food and serve it in the form of delicious chips. The Nesco FD-80 features a simple square design and is small enough to be installed on your benchtop.
The model has it disadvantages as well. Some users complain about the lack of a timer, meaning that they have to keep watch over the dehydrating process all the time. However, not having a timer is not a big concern until you can use an oven or kitchen one. Other customers frown at the fact that the drying trays are dotted withlarge holes so that they have to buy clean screens for drying smaller fruit and veggies.
Nesco FD-80 Review
Distribution of Heat: 4.5/5
The appliance comes with a top-mounted fan. Equipped with a horizontal air-circulation system it ensures fast and even cooking. Thanks to the air moving down and distributing on all trays, there is no need to mix the food put on them. The model retains enough heat to decrease the time required for the dehydration process substantially. The top-mounted fan reduces the chance of liquid dripping onto the heating mechanism.
Capacity: 4.5/5
The model comes with four drying trays and can be quickly expanded to eight ones, allowing for drying twice as many veggies and fruit. It offers a bigger area for dehydration than the Quick Dry by Good Cooking that is available at the similar price. Still, it is less capacious in comparison with the Nesco Gardenmaster, which can stack up 20 trays. Thanks to its simple square design, the appliance can dry more food than round models. Therefore, because of its extensible capacity, you can cook a lot at a time to provide your party guests with delicious snacks.
Other Features: 4.5/5
Unlike other dehydrators, the Nesco FD-80 is equipped with the Converga-Flow Airflow system, thanks to which it dries out your veggies and fruit in few hours. Moreover, the flavors of the put food don’t mix; thus, you can cook various types of produce at one go.
Although there is no timer available, the model comes with a fully adjustable thermostat ranging from 95 to 160 °F. Therefore, you can use the device for drying edible items like meat and non-edible ones like potpourri, flower petals, and others.
Very few users are unhappy about the noise factor. Since the appliance doesn’t produce much noise, you can switch it on before bedtime to have your favorite snacks for breakfast. The packaging includes many accessories designed to make the user feel more comfortable and convenient while operating the device. As long as drying trays are dishwasher-safe, you won’t have any troubles while cleaning them.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Overall, no wonder that this model belongs to the most popular kitchen appliances on the market today. A user-friendly, affordably priced device does come with all the accessories you may need to dry your favorite snacks quickly and efficiently. Equipped with the 700-watt motor it generates maximum speed for dehydrating different food. To adjust the drying temperature, you should use a single knob. A plastic device weighs up to 9.4 pounds. For your convenience, the manufacturer covers the Nesco FD-80 with a 1-year warranty.
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Nesco FD-80 Dehydrator Review
Pros
- Smaller footprint allows unit to fit comfortably on your counter.
- Adjustable thermostat - allows proper temperature for each food category.
- Square trays have more capacity and are easier to load that round trays.
- Fast drying times due to to more powerful heater.
Cons
- Not as expandable as some other (more expensive) dehydrators.
- No on/off switch, means it can me inconvenient to turn off/on, depending on location of outlet.
- No timer means you need to monitor unit more carefully.