looking for new dehydrator, opinions.

dave, the first link came back blank?

Thanks, I hope I have it fixed now. just in case it is not here is the link.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0019202515819a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&%2Fcabelas%2Fcomm erce%2FCabelasCatalogNumberFinder.giftCertificateURL=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Ftemplates%2Fgiftcertificate%2Fgiftcertificate.jsp%3Fid%3D0005586990011a%26podId%3D0005586%26catalogCode%3DIB% 26navAction%3Djump%26indexId%3D&_D%3A%2Fcabelas%2Fcommerce%2FCabelasCatalogNumberFinder.giftCertificateURL=+&QueryText=dehydrator&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch- box.jsp.form9&Go.x=13&Go.y=16&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=dehydrator&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp

shtrdave, we now use an "american harvest" brand dehydrator,best to date for us. it came with 5 trays, orderd 2 extra trays, temp range of 90 to 150. we use it for fruit vegys and mostly jerky can do a load of jerky in about 8 hrs. hope this helps.

Selling at Walmart for #39.95! You can give it a look on ebay!

shtrdave, I used two excaliburs for 10 years and they were great. I bought the 80 liter one at Cabela's today for $199.99. If you can find one tomorrow they are on sale. They sold 50 of them yesterday at the Cabela's in Ft Worth. You want one that blows the air across the product not one that the heat comes up from the bottom. The Excaibur will fill the order and do it very well. It will do different products at the same time and won't transfer the taste from one tray to the other. If you are going to do just one product at a time it doesn't mater except for the heat on some of the vertical ones is greater at the bottom and the product will dry faster at the bottom. My vote it the Excalibur, unless you get the Cabala brand. Right now the cost is the same for three times the product when you buy the Cabela brand.

I have the 80 liter Cabela's and it will do a load of meat, about 15 lbs at a time. It's fan is a little noisy and since it moves so much air, my wife says it smells up the house. (Guess I should move it (not her) to the garage.) I've only used it on jerky and haven't had a problem with the bottom cooking before the top shelves. The Excalibur with the heat in the back, does sound like a good idea, though.

I bought one of the 80L versions today. Got a great deal when it was all said and done ended up costing me $62.00 as they ahd given me a $150.00 gift card on a promotion they ran in October. Just got home and am going to give it a go tomorrow.

Up next is a slicer I guess.

Sounds like you're about 5 months behind me. First the big dehydrator, then the slicer. Are you looking at a large meat slicer or a jerky slicer. I bought both from Cabela's. I got the 12" commercial slicer, but honestly haven't taken it out of the box, other than to check for shipping damage. After slicing all that meat for jerky one time to load that 80L, I put out the $$ for the jerky slicer. It makes quick work of the london broil I usually use. Only thing with it, is that the meat can only be so thick, and so wide. But after a little trimming, it does a nice job. Of course, then you have cleanup.

Used it today, did about 9 pounds of meat, 7 hours to do, some of it was a little thicker than the 1/4".

I am thinking of a slicer to do slice the meat, I used an old slicer someone gave me, it was cumbersome as it had those darn safty features on it, and it was plastic so the consistency of the slices wasn't that great, at least i know that a slicer will work for the project.

They had a 12" in the bargain cave for 329.00 should have bought it, but this way i have a reason to make another trip.

I used london broil this time but sometimes use eye of rounds and boneless pork loin, turkey breast also, so the jerky cutter may not be that practical for me. Plus I don't have a place to set up the grinder, but I guess i will need a place for the slicer, so i am really no farther ahead.

Jerky turned out quite well, a little to much dehydrated onion, but still good.

I've used an Am. Harvest one for years. I dry mostly fruit in season--have even dried peppers. However, for jerkey I prefer my Big Chief.

I also use the Am Harvest and have done jerky for the last 8 years with it.I did upgrade to the mewer model since it does up to 12 trays at a time.I use 10 pounds of ground chuck seasoned with the original seasoning and cure of theirs and add some ground red pepper,garlic salt and greek seasoning.Shoot out the strips with their jerky gun and start stacking trays,about 12 slices to each tray.GREAT stuff,sometimes takes about 9-10 hours.And with the newer model I dont have to wipe the grease off the meat strips every hour or so as with the older model.When meat is done I stack it 5 strips wide on 2 napkins add 2 more napkins and 5 more strips,2 more naps 5 more strips and so on..,let it cool down to room temp and store it in vacuum sealer bags,lasts for about a year or just a couple months above a year.Great to send to family and friends.Enjoy!

Lasts about a year????

I did nine pounds of london broil up less than 2 weeks ago and it is about gone.

Mine is gone fast also,but by doing 30 pounds in 3 or 4 days it stacks up and stays awhile.Enjoy