Sunny summer generously presents us with ripe berries, tasty vegetables and nourishing mushrooms. But, no matter how hard we try, there will not be enough vitamins for the whole year to eat. Therefore, housewives spend summer days in the hot kitchen, preparing salads and compotes for the winter. But in the canned foods there is not so much use - after the hellish heat treatment of the vitamins, there remains quite a bit in them.
A fruit and vegetable dryer will come to the rescue, which will save all (or almost all) of the nutrients in the products, and at the same time eliminate the need to spend whole days at the stove with soaring saucepans. Choosing a high-quality and multifunctional machine, you will stock up on dried fruits, vegetables and mushrooms for the whole winter, and at the same time you can cook dried fish or meat, tasty pastila and even tea leaves for herbal tea.
Content:
- The best manufacturers of dryers for fruits and vegetables - which company to choose
- The principle of operation and the device dryers for vegetables and fruits
- Varieties of dryers for vegetables and fruits
- Options for the selection of dryers for vegetables and fruits
- What dryer to choose
- How much are dryers for vegetables and fruits
The best manufacturers of dryers for fruits and vegetables - which company to choose
Dryers for fruits and vegetables - a relatively new product on the market of small household appliances. But the demand for them is growing, respectively, the range of foreign and domestic models is expanding.
The best dryers today are the following companies:
1. Zelmer
2. Mystery
3. Shivaki
4. "Rotor"
5. "Spectrum-device"
We already did top dryers rating of these firms, so if there is no time to delve into the nuances, you can opt for one of the considered models.
Well, and for those who are serious about each purchase, we advise you first to familiarize yourself with the principle of operation and the main characteristics of dehydration devices. Then you can find your ideal model in any store that will provide the whole family with useful pieces for the winter.
The principle of operation and the device dryers for vegetables and fruits
A modern vegetable dryer is not much more complicated than a grandmother's pan, which had to be put in the sun in order to get fruit, berries, or even meat. Just it evaporates moisture electric heater (often paired with a fan).
The device is completed with several trays for sliced or whole fruits, which are covered with a common lid - to maintain the required microclimate and temperature.
To make it work, you need to perform a series of simple actions:
1. Place pre-washed and sliced products on trays.
2. Install pallets on the instrument body.
3. Select the desired temperature mode on the control panel and turn on the device.
After that, the built-in heater will begin to heat the air in the chamber, and the fan will drive it through the holes in the trays, speeding up the drying of products.
Varieties of dryers for vegetables and fruits
According to the type of control, electronic and mechanical dryers for products are distinguished. The first allows you to accurately select the temperature and have a wider functionality, which affects their value. The mechanics are more reliable, cheaper, and simpler, but it has far fewer possibilities than the electronic filling.
In addition to the type of control, there is a classification that divides dehydration devices into 2 types depending on the heating element used.
Convection
Models with a built-in fan are most popular among buyers. In the convection apparatus, the air is heated by means of an electric heating element to the required temperature (maximum +80 ° C), and the liquid from the fruit evaporates under the action of hot air currents.
Pros:
- Large selection in stores;
- Capacity - up to 5-6 kg;
- You can dry meat and fish;
- Low price.
Minuses:
- They work noisy and long (up to 10 hours);
- High temperature "kills" some vitamins and nutrients in products;
- High power consumption;
- Fruits after processing can change color and a smell.
There are similar drying and without a fan - they use natural convection. And although they are cheaper, their efficiency and processing speed is even lower.
Infrared
A more modern type of dryer for vegetables and fruits are devices with an infrared emitter. Such a device evaporates water from the fruit using infrared rays that are identical to the heat of the sun (only without the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation). The maximum heating in the chamber does not exceed +40 .. + 60 ° С.
Pros:
- Due to the lower processing temperature, 80-95% of vitamins are retained in fruits;
- The color and smell of products remain virtually unchanged;
- Economical power consumption;
- Drying takes twice less time than processing in a convection apparatus;
- Long shelf life of finished products (up to 2 years).
Minuses:
- Not cheap;
- Dry only chopped products;
- Bad cope with drying nuts;
- Low load.
There are simple and relatively inexpensive versions of IR dryers - the so-called tablecloths. These are quite universal devices: they can be used both for drying products and for heating rooms.
Here, between the layers of thin film, graphite tracks are soldered through which electric current passes. Due to the resulting resistance, graphite heats up and begins to radiate heat in the infrared spectrum. Alas, these models have a small working surface area, and many products on such a tablecloth cannot be laid out.
Options for the selection of dryers for vegetables and fruits
Power
The power of the built-in heater affects the speed of drying and the volume of products that can be processed in one cycle.
Compact infrared tablecloths or heating dryers with power consumption of 150-250 W are not designed for a large amount of vegetables and fruits, and they can hardly be used for winter harvesting. But to cook 1-2 servings of chips or dried fruit they are quite on the shoulder.
Devices that consume between 350 and 600 watts are considered versatile and most convenient. They easily cope with multi-level bookmarks and large volumes of fruits.
The consumption of the device from 1 kW is typical for large semi-industrial models. It makes sense to buy such a unit only if you harvest a rich harvest every year in your own garden and then “feed” the city relatives for the whole winter.
Manufacturing material
The body of the dryer is made of stainless steel or plastic. Metal units look stylish, while they are the most durable and reliable. The disadvantages of such models include considerable weight and high thermal conductivity.
Plastic aggregates are more popular because they are lighter and not particularly demanding to care. Due to the low weight of the device, you can easily install a dozen or so pallets and calmly observe the drying process through the transparent walls. In addition, the plastic case itself practically does not heat up.
Capacity
Sales can be found units, equipped with a different number of trays - from 2 to 20. Depending on the size and shape of the dryer, each tier holds 0.5-2 kg of fruit. In a “multi-storey” device, several types of products can be dried at the same time, but on one pallet one should not lay out vegetables and fruits that are too different in taste and smell (unless, of course, you are not a fan of orange-flavored mushrooms).
When choosing pay attention to the possibility of adjusting the height of the tiers. This option is useful if you plan to dry the whole fruit of medium and large sizes.
Also ask if special trays are included in the package:
- For drying meat and fish;
- For the manufacture of marshmallow;
- For drying herbs and flowers.
Buy a very roomy drying is necessary only if you plan to harvest a large volume of products.Otherwise, you're just wasting your energy by driving a half-empty unit.
The position of the heating element
In different models of dryers, the heating element can be located at the bottom, side or top of the device:
1. Devices with lower heaters dry out fruits faster and more evenly. However, there is a risk of droplets of juice or condensate on the heater, which will damage it or even short-circuit the network.
2. In principle, nothing threatens the upper heater, so that its service life will be higher. The trouble is that the warm air from it does not reach the bottom trays, which means that you will have to rearrange them all the time to evenly dry the fruit.
3. In large multi-tiered units, the heater can be located on the side, which allows more efficiently and uniformly blow all pallets with hot air. The only drawback of this solution is an increase in the dimensions of the entire device.
Modes and Functions
Qualitative models of dryers besides the on / off button can boast the possibility of choosing several temperature regimes.
The most popular ones are:
- Low - gentle mode, heating the workpiece to +35 ° C;
- Medium - performs processing of fruits at +50 .. + 55 ° С;
- High - suitable for drying meat and fish at a temperature of +60 .. + 80 ° C.
Additional features further enhance the versatility of the dryers and make their use truly convenient. For example, the timer allows you to set the time of the device and not stand over it for hours, and quietly do other things.
Internal illumination tiers, too, will not be superfluous, because with its help you will be able to monitor the degree of readiness of products without opening the dryer cover. And the thermostat in instruments with mechanical control will maintain the desired temperature in the chamber, as clever electronics in more advanced models do.
For the safe operation of the device is no less important automatic protection against overheating and power surges. Today, this is installed on almost all models, but to make sure that it is available when buying is still worth it.
What dryer to choose
1. For those who are going to dry a very small amount of fruit, you can do with an inexpensive infrared tablecloth dryer or convection apparatus with a plastic case for 2-3 trays. Such devices will have a minimum power of 150-200 watts.
2. A family of 3–4 people regularly making small workpieces will use a plastic convection dryer for 3–5 trays with a 350–600 W lower heating element. It is desirable to have at least 3 temperature regimes, a timer and protection against overheating.
3. Older parents living outside the city, more familiar and more convenient to use the convection apparatus of average power with a mechanical type of control. They suit the dryer in a plastic case for 5-7 pallets with the ability to install special trays, mandatory protection from power surges and a thermostat.
4. Fans of healthy food can not do without a medium-power infrared unit with the top or side of the heating element. 5-7 main trays and a couple of specials will be enough. But the thermal regimes - the more the better. If you are not constrained in means, get stylish and durable model in the metal case. And for those who are looking for a budget option, a device made of high-quality food-grade plastic will do.
5. Owners of large household plots storing their own products for future use will like the semi-industrial version of dryers, which can hold up to 15-20 trays. Only a high-power convection appliance from 1000 W can cope with such volumes. Pay attention to the presence of several temperature regimes, special lines and the ability to adjust the depth of the pallets.Preference should be given to models with a lateral arrangement of the heating element, timer function and mandatory overheating protection.
How much are dryers for vegetables and fruits
1. Cloth-dryer can be found at prices ranging from 750 to 1200 rubles.
2. Convection model with mechanical control will pull in the amount of 1400-5000 rubles. About the same will be the electronic version, only the price ceiling will rise to 6.5 thousand.
3. Infrared dryers are the most expensive. Their cost varies widely from 2,400 to 35,500 rubles.
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