The beef jerky dehydrator is one of the best tools you could have when making homemade beef jerky. I have tested and reviewed 4 of the top dehydrators on the market to find out which one is THE BEST DEHYDRATOR FOR MAKING BEEF JERKY.
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Video - Making Beef Jerky
What is a Dehydrator
Jerky dehydrators work by passing heated air over the beef to remove moisture in order to dry it making what everyone knows as Beef Jerky. The air evaporates moisture in the meat drying it out.
This is great for preserving meat that does not require refrigeration.
Types of dehydrators
There are two main different types of dehydrators you will find when looking for a unit.
The first is a unit that has a fan mounted on top or bottom of the trays and blows air vertically through the trays to dry the beef. These units tend to be round and less expensive than the second type of dehydrator, the "professional" style dehydrator.
The professional style unit has a fan at the rear of the unit and blows the air horizontally over the beef from the back of the unit to the front. These units tend to be square in construction.
Important Features
Not all dehydrators are made equal and finding the best one for beef jerky is a must. Some dehydrators are great for drying fruit, but not meat. Let's cover some features these dehydrators have and what to look for when purchasing one for making beef jerky.
Temperature Control
Most dehydrators will have a dial or digital temperature setting for choosing how hot you want the heating unit to be when dehydrating. This is important when making meat jerky due to the need to heat the meat to an internal temperature of 160°F.
If a dehydrators highest temperature setting is less than 160°F, it's NOT the best for making beef jerky.
Capacity
How much jerky are you going to be making? Some units have extra stackable trays you can purchase which will increase the capacity of their units. This is a desirable feature if you are making 5lbs or more of jerky at a time.
Fan Location
Dehydrators will have fans to push air around the meat in order to dry it. There are 3 fan mounting options; top, bottom, or back of the dehydrator. I prefer back or top due to bottom fan mounted units being harder to clean.
Cleaning
Check to see if the trays of the dehydrator are dishwasher safe. This makes cleaning the dehydrator after using MUCH easier. The easier the unit is to use, the more you will use it.
Noise
I have included decibel highs (how loud the dehydrator was) in my reviews below. This is an often overlooked feature when choosing a dehydrator. Count on the dehydrator running a minimum or 4-5 hours when making jerky. If the unit is loud, it can become extremely annoying.
Timer
This is another overlooked feature when choosing a dehydrator. Due to the long running time, I believe a timer is EXTREMELY important when choosing a dehydrator.
A timer will allow you to set a desired run time and the unit will shut off when that time is reached. This way you can make beef jerky without having to be home during the whole process.
How I tested these dehydrators
Below I reviewed two of the top selling dehydrators from each style and have ranked them from what I thought was the best dehydrator for the casual beef jerky maker.
Some of the things I took into account when ranking these units included:
- Even heat distribution
- Unit capacity
- Running noise level
- Ease of use
- Quality
- Manufacturer Warranty
- Accessories
Beef Jerky Dehydrator Reviews:
These reviews are strictly reviewing how well these dehydrators are for MAKING BEEF JERKY. They all have capabilities to dry other products such as fruit, but these reviews will focus ONLY on how well they are for making jerky.
#1 - Excalibur
The Excalibur is the #1 dehydrator I would recommend for someone looking to buy a dehydrator for making beef jerky. The first thing you notice is the over all size & capacity of the unit, allowing for a total of 6lbs of meat to be dried at once.
This dehydrator is made in California and is of very high quality. The unit comes with a 10 year warranty, the best and longest warranty of all the units tested.
The 600 watt fan is mounted in the back of the dehydrator blowing air horizontally over the 9 trays. More trays can NOT be added to this unit to increase the capacity.
The Excalibur has a temperature control that ranges from 105° to 165°F and a timer that will let you set the unit to dry for a certain amount of time and automatically shut off.
It took 75 minutes for the test food to reach an internal temperature of 150°F and 180 minutes to reach 160°F. The temperature did differ 15°F from the back of the unit (closest to the fan) to the front of the unit. Because of this, I would recommend rotating the trays half way through dehydrating.
The Excalibur was the third noisiest dehydrator reaching a high of 63 decibels while running.
Pros:
- Temperature control 105° to 165°F
- Built in timer
- Dishwasher safe trays
- Built in the USA
- 10 year warranty
- BPA Free Trays
Cons:
- High cost
- Have to rotate trays during drying
- Fixed number of trays, cannot increase capacity
#2 - Nesco
Coming in at #2 is the Nesco Snackmaster Pro! This unit is made in Wisconsin and produces great beef jerky! The Nesco comes with 5 trays which will handle about 3lbs of meat, however, 7 extra trays can be purchased (a little over ten dollars for a pair of 2) making a total of 12 trays for 7.5lbs of capacity. That's a lot of jerky!
The design of this unit allows a 600 watt top mounted fan to evenly distribute the heat throughout the unit for even and fast drying.
A temperature control allows you to select a temp from 95° to 160°F. Out of the 4 dehydrators tested, this was the only unit that maintained the same temperature throughout the entire unit making it great for drying jerky evenly.
It took 92 minutes for the test food to reach and internal temperature of 150°F and 195 minutes to reach 160°F. The temperature between the top and bottom trays never differed more than 2°F.
The Nesco was also the second quietest unit, reaching a high of 58 decibels allowing it to be run in the kitchen without bothering you while watching tv or having dinner.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Temperature control 95° to 160°F
- Expandable tray capacity
- BPA Free Trays
- Quiet when running
- Built in the USA
Cons:
- No timer
- Trays are NOT dishwasher safe
- Only 1 year warranty
#3 - Ivation
The Ivation Dehydrator came in at #3, powered by a back mounted 480 watt fan. This dehydrator is quiet! You almost don't even know that it is running. It came in at a max 55 decibels, the quietest of the four dehydrators tested.
The Ivation comes with 6 trays which can hold about 4lbs of meat. There is a 9 tray unit as well. The clear front window of this unit allows you to keep an eye on your jerky without opening the unit.
The dehydrator is well made and has a temperature control that ranges from 95° to 155°F. However, during the test drying, after 4 hours and 30 minutes the test food only reached a max internal temperature of 140°F at the back of the unit (closest to the fan) and 131°F at the front of the unit. This dehydrator failed in reaching the all important 160°F internal temperature for making beef jerky.
If purchasing this dehydrator for making beef jerky, I recommend heating the beef strips in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 160° before removing them and finishing the dehydration process in this dehydrator.
Pros:
- BPA Free Trays
- 5 Year Warranty
- Quiet while running
- Clear front window
Cons:
- Did not reach internal temperature of 160°F
- No timer
- Trays are NOT dishwasher safe
- Made in China
- Low capacity
- High Cost
#4 - Presto
Coming in at #4 is the Presto 06300, 600 watt bottom mounted fan dehydrator. This was the lowest cost dehydrator out of the ones reviewed, but had some good features. It is made in China but appears to be well made.
It comes with 4 trays with the option to purchase up to another 4 trays for a total of 8. With the 4 trays, this unit can hold about 3lbs of jerky, or a total of 6lbs after purchasing an extra 4 trays.
I did like how the Presto allows you to stack each tray inside another for a very compact storage. Out of the four dehydrators tested, this is the unit that was the lightest and easiest to store away being about ½ the size of the other units. It also has a clear top that allows you to see the jerky while it dries.
During the drying of the test food, this unit only differed by 8°, the bottom tray (closest to fan) being hotter than the top tray. However, what was NOT good was the overall internal temperature of the test food.
The test food reached a 150°F in 91 minutes, but never reached the all important 160°F internal temperature for making beef jerky. The test food on the top tray only reached a high of 144°.
Because this unit did NOT heat the test food to a safe internal temperature of 160°F, further steps would have to be taken when making beef jerky with the Presto.
As I mentioned above with the Ivation; If purchasing this dehydrator for making beef jerky, I recommend heating the beef strips in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 160° before removing them and finishing the dehydration process in this dehydrator.
The Presto was also the loudest dehydrator I tested with a max of 69 decibels when running. This still is not very loud, but louder than the others.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Requires small storage space, very compact
- Dishwasher safe trays
- BPA Free
- Clear top (see jerky while dehydrating)
- Expandable Trays
Cons:
- No temperature control (Does not heat to 160°F)
- No timer
- Low capacity with the 4 supplied trays
- Only 1 year warranty
- Noisy when running
- Built in China
Alan says
I have an Ivation 10 tray that can dehydrate at 167 degrees. I was making the best Jerky, 4 hours at 167 that I was thinking about marketing. However, due to FDA regulations I read that I have to bring it to 160 before dehydrating. I have not been able to achieve the perfect taste no matter what I try after first heating it in the oven. I tested the Ivation and on the front I reach 160 about 2.5 hours in. Do you know if that will meet FDA regulations or can bacteria resist heat after 2.5 hours in?
Will says
Pre-heating will definitely change the taste and texture of the jerky. I do not sell jerky commercially, but check out a page I have on starting a jerky business. This will have a lot of good information for you if this is something you want to do. There is more to it than just temperature. There are also certain moisture readings you must achieve as well. Keith would be able to help you more than I would on FDA regulations.
Christopher says
We have the Nesco and love it. I did check and the trays CAN be cleaned in the dishwasher per the manual....they do say to avoid the Heated Dry cycle! This was after i had already run them thru that cycle (and they are fine) - but wouldnt recommend it to all....just avoid Heated Dry cycle...at least you dont have to wash them all by hand
Joe says
Hi I love your site!!
I tried your sweet and hot recipe as well as the sriracha recipe and they were delicious!!
I bought a presto dehydrator and I saw here that you write that it unsafe because it doesn’t reach 165 degrees, what can I do about that?
Will says
Thanks Joe! I would either pre=heat the meat or do a post heat treatment in the oven to make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Check out my jerky safety page for more information.
Ken Cissel says
We actually bought a Corsi Food Dehydrator with six stainless steel racks and we can easily do about 4 pounds of beef in a go if we want. I haven't checked the back to front temperature but when set at 165 degrees it actually gets up to 171 at a peak and 163 at a minimum. It is whisper-quiet, they advertise 48dB, has a rear fan with a 600-watt heater, and does a great job. It's worth looking at.
https://amzn.to/3hviKqp
Will says
I'll have to check it out! Thanks!
LARRY D BURLING says
We have one also love it
Sheri C says
I got the Cosori for Christmas love it. Thanks for testing internal temps and letting us know it’s a good machine. On my third batch of jerky love it love my Cosori Dehydrater. Love the recipes included. Best present for me.
Richard Beatty says
At 160 bacteria is killed more or less instantly. At 140 it takes a little longer, like 14 minutes. Check out Sous Vide cooking guidelines.
Will says
There is a difference in lethality of bacteria between cooking meat quickly and dehydrating meat over a long time while removing humidity. Bacteria can survive at higher temperatures in a dry environment. That is why the USDA recommends always heating the meat to 160°F for beef and 165° for poultry when making jerky.
Melinda says
I was wondering about the the part on heating the jerky to 160 at first. If it took that long for the unit to reach that temp, would bacteria be growing by the time it reached temp ? Or does it matter since that temp will kill the bacteria once temp is reached? I have 2 units, one is a bottom heating and the other a top,, would that matter? Thank you for the great info.
Will says
As long as it reaches 160f within the first couple hours, the jerky should be safe. If you are going to dry at a lower temperature, then preheat the jerky in the oven do it reaches 160f first. I am not sure what units you have, but the bottom or top fan shouldn’t make a difference in the drying. Most units are designed so the air circulates throughout the dehydrator.
Lew Newby says
Great reviews. Based on your recommendations I bought your top 2. The Excaliber was a wedding gift for a Neice who lives in Alaska and they dry a lot of wild game. They love the Excaliber. For me I chose the Nesco dehydrator. I found one on Craigslist for $25 and a short drive. It's quiet and everything else good you said about it. I have had it for 9 months and my primary purpose was to make Jerky. I dried some fruit and then did fruit rollups for the Great Grandkids. Those were a big hit. I start my Jerky on the pellet grill and after 2 or 3 hours I move the meat to my Nesco. I like the smoke flavor after three hours but some in the family prefer less smoke so I do some for 2 hours. Since I manually slice the meat it's not uniform and the Nesco makes it easy to check for done as the meat gets over 3 hours in the Nesco. My wife is sensitive to noise and she has no problem with the Nesco humming along 15 ft. from her as she watches TV. I love your Franks Red Hot recipe with a tsp. of Cayenne Powder.
Mike Palmer says
I have a older version of the Nesco and love it. today I bought a Game Winner brand because it was larger and had a digital readout and timer. Well, made a 5 pound batch (I use ground meat), and it's currently around 6 hours in at the max temp of 158, and it's still not done. Unit is going back tomorrow. Going to order another Nesco, do you think the Gardenmaster is worth the extra $50 over the Snackmaster? With my old Nesco, I could do about 2-2.5 lbs at a time (I had the basic 4 trays), so I always had to do it in 2 batches. Now I can't decide if getting the SNackmaster and getting extra trays is better than getting the Gardenmaster, does the Snackmaster still work as well if you use 12 trays?
Will says
I have never used 12 trays on the snackmaster so am not sure how it would hold up with that much meat in it. The gardenmaster has a more powerful fan and can handle more jerky for sure. Extra trays can be bought online as well. If you want to do 5lbs of meat at a time, I would go with the Gardenmaster.
Derek Wilson says
Testing 2 different dehydrators at a time both holding the same amounts of deer sliced meat around 1/4 inch thick with directions followed with the applied amounts of cure/seasonings and as of now at 7hrs in maximum time and proper time shall be 8hrs at 160 degrees Nesco pro dehydrator is holding very positive heat much better than the other which is open country sportsman kitchen which Is very loud
Will says
Thanks for the test results Derek. I love the Nesco Pro, such a good dehydrator.
csgo says
Hi. Do you allow guest posts on jerkyholic.com ?
Will says
I have not had any to this point, but it would depend on what the topic is and your website.
South West Cleaning says
Keep up the great work! Thank you so much for sharing a great posts.
Will says
Thanks!
Betty says
I didn't look through all of the comments, but I was wondering if you tested the Nesco with all 12 trays and if they were all consistent in temperature/drying without having to rotate? I am trying to figure out which one to purchase for my jerky making between your top two picks... I like the option to set and forget but the 15 degree difference of the Excalibur has me a little worried. However if the Nesco is the most consistent with the max amount of trays I may just go that route. I currently use a Cosori and am playing with the different ways I am dehydrating my jerky, but wanted to invest into something that is proven consistent. Thank you in advance!
Will says
If you want to make A LOT of jerky, check out the Nesco Gardenmaster. It's their dehydrator that is made to handle a lot of trays and meat. A little more powerful than the Snackmaster. I have one and really like using it. I have used it with about 7 trays, but not 12.
Patrick F says
I'm happy to report that the Cabela's 10-tray Deluxe also makes it to 160 degrees on the front of the racks (furthest from the heating element) both at the top and the bottom.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Tray-Deluxe-Dehydrator/2288563.uts
I do not work for this manufacturer and am only posting as I was heating my meat in an oven before using this dehydrator.
The bottom, front rack does bounce between 155 and 160 (assuming when the heater kicks on/off). Do you think this is sufficient to skip the oven process? I've got some jerkey all prepared today and will still use oven out of pre-caution.
Thanks!
Will says
I think as long as it hits 160 it should be good to go. It does not need to maintain that temperature, just reach it at some point. I have heard good things about that dehydrator, I'll probably get one soon. Thanks for the comment Patrick!
Donna Overstreet says
I have been using Nesco for some time making dog treats.... I usually make two batches at the time. Somehow one of the batches was turned off shortly after I started it and I didn’t realize it for maybe four hours. If I restart it somehow one of the batches was turned off shortly after I started it and I didn’t realize it for maybe four hours. If I restart it Will the jerky still be good or should I throw it away since it’s been sitting out for four hours.
Will says
I wouldn't risk it. If it was me, I would throw it out and start over.
Fred says
Do any of these dehydrators have a means of catching liquid that runs of the meat? Some of my favorite recipes produce A LOT of fluid run off in the first couple of hours. It's the main reason why I want to switch from my convection oven to a dehydrator. I'm tired of cleaning up all the mess from the collected (or worse, spilled and burned) moisture.
Will says
the Nesco has the motor/fan on top and has a catch pan on the bottom of the trays. The Excalibur also can catch liquid in the bottom, but does not have a removable tray which would make for easy cleanup. You would have to use a sponge and soak it up when cleaning, unable to put in the sink or dishwasher.
dave mat says
With the Nesco FD-75a, you say it takes 195 minutes to reach the proper temperature. How much longer do you need to leave it in there after it hits that temp before taking it out?
Thank you
Will says
As long as it takes to finish drying. While drying, starting at around the 3.5-4 hour mark take a piece of jerky out of the dehydrator and let it cool to room temperature (about 5 minutes). Bend the strip, it should bend and crack but not break in half. You should also see white strands of fibers when bending. If this doesn't happen, keep drying for another hour or so and test again.
Faith Romeo says
NESCO FD-75A, Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator How long does this take to dry beef Jerky? Is the machine energy efficcient?
Will says
It's a very good dehydrator. Check out my page on dehydrators for more information. The drying time really depends on how thick you slice the meat. If it is sliced about 1/4" thick, it should take about 4 hours. I am not sure on how much energy the dehydrator uses, I can't imagine it is too much.