One reason why most of us dry food at home is to opt for foods high in nutrients but low in calories. Yes, even dried food items are nutritious despite being dry. Not only dried foods perk up the morning oatmeal, it can also replace most of the junk food available in the market.
With the advent of food dehydrator machine, drying food has taken us into the next level. Dehydrators pave way to an endless possibilities of preparing fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and meats. And in this article, we will feature the Hamilton Beach™ 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator Machine.
Table of Contents
Features
This rectangular unit measures 10.5″ high, 13″ wide, and 11″ deep. It comes in gray and is made of high quality plastic. It has five stackable drying trays plus one fine mesh sheet for drying herbs and one solid sheet for making fruit leathers.
The bottom-mounted fan has 500 watts of power and runs on 120 volts. It provides continuous air flow that provides even drying which eliminates the need for rotating trays. A detachable see-through cover allows you to view the drying process.
It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 100°F to 160°F and comes with a 48-hour timer that automatically shuts off.
Pros
Because of its shape, it does not waste kitchen counter space. The trays are dishwasher safe although the manual recommends not to use the “SANI” temperature setting because it may damage the trays.
The manual doesn’t mention if the unit is BPA-free. Although they are plastic, they are sturdy and of high quality which could last a long time.
The top of the motor is the drip tray that catches drips from the drying food. Washing the base with a damp soapy cloth will help clean it.
The sound is not that bothering. You could compare it to a low volume fan.
Cons
The unit is limited to only 5 trays, it is not expandable like other brands.
Make sure that you clear the center so as not to let drips go down the base and affect the fan. With this kind of design, the air goes to the center up to the trays. So there is a tendency to have more dried food at the center than at the edge which makes an inconsistent drying.
The power cord is too short that you may need an extension cord or have it placed right near an electric outlet.
Although some users complain of the box fan-like noise, there is no way you can adjust the blower or fan speed.
When an error message shows up (It will show “Er” on screen), the manual doesn’t have any troubleshooting tip for it. So you have to unplug and plug it again.
Final Thoughts
Despite its downsides, the Hamilton Beach™ 32100A Digital Food Dehydrator Machine is a good unit to begin with for food dehydration. It’s square, it’s digital, it has a timer and it costs less than a hundred dollars so you won’t worry about spending too much.
And if you’re still thinking about investing on food dehydrators, let us help you with this guide.