NutriChef Commercial Dehydrator Machine 2000-Watts Electric Food Dehydrator - Extra Large 20 Stainless Steel Trays, Digital Control 167°F Dryer for Jerky, Meat, Dog Treats, Herbs, and Fruit

I have an old traditional 'home use' dehydrator that I have used for years. It's all plastic, round and has 4 stackable trays. I used to think that it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Boy, was I wrong. This pro model dehydrator by NutriChef is so good, I won't even consider looking any further.First, it came VERY well packaged, the retail box came inside it's own shipping carton, NOT an Amazon box. And, inside the retail box, it was nicely protected with Styrofoam end pieces and plastic wrap, with the racks well packed outside the 'oven'.I unpacked everything very carefully and inspected the whole appliance. The oven itself is very well crafted. The stainless steel body is extremely sturdy, smooth and perfectly finished. The door and handles are very well made. I was particularly pleased with the quality of the glass door. The control panel at the top was also very nice, clean, simple and easy to operate. The digital readout was very bright and easy to read.The six racks are chromed and very well designed, built and finished. They fit into the oven perfectly. It comes with a fine mesh plastic tray and a fruit roll up tray. Both very well done.The inside of the oven is very well done, with a wire screen at the back to prevent the racks from going too far.I turned it on and let it run for a little while. Initially, there was a slight odor from the heating element. This is to be expected. But, you need to do the same. Let it run for a while, before putting in your first project. It's pretty quiet. Not a lot of racket from the fan. I could feel a slight vibration from the fan. So, it's not perfectly balanced. But, it is built well enough that it should last for years.The cabinet does get warm to the touch, mostly at the front and back, and the door. So, it would be a good idea to keep it away from anything that could melt or burn. Definitely, do NOT touch if you're doing anything that requires higher temps. The oven's fan will run for a short while, after turning it off, to cool off the heating element. Don't unplug the oven, before it completes this cool down cycle.It comes with a very well written instruction manual and a great little recipe book, half for jerky and half for fruits and cookies. Yes, COOKIES. You can actually BAKE in this appliance. That's why I'm comfortable with calling it an OVEN. Imagine, SIX racks of cookies all being baked at the same time.One thing that I noticed is that, the way this unit is designed, you could actually stack them and have your own little professional kitchen, doing small batches of your product at a time. I don't know if this was part of the design. But, it would certainly work. Now, imagine nine ovens stacked three high and three across. That's 54 racks of product. Cycling through them one oven at a time, this would keep one cook busy all day and half the night. You're cottage business kitchen would be super busy. If you have thoughts about doing some kind of jerky or cookie business, this is about the most compact kitchen you could imagine.Okay, back to my reality. I really like this pro model dehydrator by NutriChef. Hunting season is coming up. I have deer on my property. I have a SIL that loves to hunt. So, we will have venison jerky this year. And, I will be making apple rings for my wife. She's just like her mom. Loves apple rings. There's a great recipe for spiced apple rings in the enclosed recipe book.Great appliance. Five stars.

I'm so glad I bought this dehydrator! I've used it 3 times since it was delivered! It works very well! The fruit turned out wonderful I suggest using fruit freash on your apple's and bananas so they don't turn brown or spray lemon juice on them and sprinkle some sugar on them. Lightly oil your screens so they don't stick to the screen's. I haven't made any jurky yet but that is next! Can't wait! I do recommend this dehydrator! It does come well packaged and a protective plastic you have to pull off the unit. It was not a big problem if you start at the corners and work down that way. It's a thumbs up with my family!

The customer service on this item is lacking we have been dealing with them for over two weeks and our problem still isn’t resolved. “ someone will email you”. Still no email. The people you talk to will just give you the run around. It worked for 8 months then quit. Do buy this and save yourself.

We’ve had one of these dehydrators for almost two years, but when our demand for production increased we bought a second. This second dehydrator’s front glass shattered when running an overnight batch. The dehydrator that broke wasn’t even 6 months old. The manufacturer is a little slow to respond, but set things right in the end. As of right now the old unit is still working fine, and in all regards is a great machine. There just seems to be some units better than others.

I bought the 20 tray dehydrator in Sept. 2021. I love it. It holds a large volume of food and has been reliable. I like that the 2 sections have their own control panel and can be set for different temperatures and times. The food being dehydrated is aromatic so keep that in mind when you decide where it will be placed. Mine is in a large garage so it is not a problem for me. I specifically wanted stainless steel wire racks which it has. There are no "lip" on the racks, so small round things like blueberries, corn, etc. Can roll off the rack when you are taking it in or out. It is not a deal breaker. I came up with ways to keep things from rolling off the racks. I paid $799 + tax when it first came out, so the current price of $599 is a great deal and I would not hesitate at this price. I thought about it long & hard when it was $799. I am still happy with my purchase and don't regret buying it, even at the higher price. I totally recommend it.

The plastic that is all over the unit is a time consuming pain in the butt to peel off. These sheets of stainless steel are sold with the plastic on it but it's intention is to protect while being bent or shaped and machined. It should be removed by the factory especially with the price of the unit. Should not have to spend over an hour peeling this stuff off.

So far, I’m very happy with this unit. Love the 16 racks. Tip for removing the protective plastic coating that a lot of people are complaining about. As you peel it away dip a chip brush in acetone and wipe directly behind it on the stainless steel and the back side of the plastic coating. While you’re pulling keep brushing the acetone onto the backside of the plastic coating, and the plastic coating will peel off very easily.

I had a little hiccup with my dehydrator but when I contacted the Pyle Company they went out of their way to make sure I was completely satisfied. The Dehydrator is working great now. I would not hesitate to buy anything else from them.