How to choose an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables

Drying the summer harvest of gardens and orchards is one of the oldest methods of harvesting vitamins for the winter without the use of preservatives and hot processing. Nowadays, modern technologies make it possible to move away from the natural method of drying in warm fresh air using electric appliances. This raises the question of whether electric drying is good and how to choose a dryer for vegetables and fruits with the optimal set of technical capabilities?

Why electric drying is needed

Unlike traditional methods of drying food products, the use of an electrical device for these purposes gives a number of advantages that leave no doubtits value for the household:

• The speed of the process, incomparable with the natural,
• Independence from the presence of sunlight and heat,
• The minimum space for the placement of dried products,
• The ability to use in any weather and season( for mushrooms, even in the fall, when it rains),
• Elimination of the problem of partial decay of plant elements,
• Absolute hygiene without penetration of dust and insects.

And yet - you can adjust the flow of the whole process by adjusting the temperature and ventilation, the number of fruits and the total expenditure of time.

Drying "in a fast way" is possible in the oven, but unlike an electric appliance it leaves on the pieces of fruit the products of burning and even fat, while in the inexperienced mistress the fruits can be dried and even partially cooked.

You can use similar devices not only for apples - they are just as likely to be filled with various vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, prepare a fruit pasty, dry fish and meat.

How a vegetable and fruit dryer is designed

Electrical appliances for drying food products differ in size and power, the design of the parts and the set of options. To understand which dryer for vegetables and fruits is best for you, try to understand their structure and species diversity.

General device and principle of operation

The scheme of the general arrangement of the electric dryer is the same for all types and models, regardless of their characteristics. Standardly this device with a heater installed in it, which in some cases can be supplemented by a fan. The simplest type of dryer is a tray( tray) with built-in heating elements.

The most popular closed devices - hygienic and convenient for maintenance. Such dryers for vegetables and fruits are multi-tiered, round or square, containing several sections( 3-7 or more) to accommodate the fruit.

The principle of operation of such a device is very simple:

• The products cut into slices are laid out on pallets,
• Trays with vegetable or fruit cut are installed in the drying chamber,
• The air heated to the desired temperature( often together with the fan) dries them to the desired state, and the body protectsfrom adverse external influences.

Types of electric dryers - what they are

convection and infrared electric dryers

The most common type of dryer is the kind of element in their device used to heat the fruit mass to the desired temperature. Depending on it, the following types of dryers for vegetables and fruits are distinguished:

Convection( or convection)

Equipped with a fan that emits a stream of hot air. Such devices are considered to be the most economical, since they are cheaper and the required result at their work is achieved more quickly. Their disadvantage is the hot treatment, which still destroys some of the vitamins in the foods.

Infrared

Maintain the necessary temperature with the help of an infrared heater, due to which their price is slightly higher, the sizes are larger, and the process takes a little longer. But they give a higher quality of the results - they preserve the color of the product, like most of the vitamins in it.

On what parameters it is necessary to choose a household electric dryer

So how to choose an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables to combine convenience and reliability of work, quality and versatility of application? Let's study in more detail the technical parameters of different models.

According to the design features of

The external shape of the unit can be round or rectangular. The quality of the results is not affected, therefore, they are guided by their own aesthetic needs. But the dimensions, materials and location of the nodes play a significant role:

1. The body itself is made of different materials:

• From food plastic - more light and cheap, can be disassembled and easy to wash.
• Stainless steel - sturdy, stylish, often with a glass door to monitor the availability of products and with backlight. Increases the weight of the structure and its cost.

2. External dimensions indicate the capacity of the device. If you expect to use it from time to time - for herbs and fruit trifles, then it will be enough to buy a compact copy. Inveterate gardeners, truck farmers and professional mushroom pickers can purchase a larger machine, in which up to 15 tiers of pallets with garden and forest gifts are located.

3. The main elements of the internal device - the fan and even the tan - are located in the bottom or in the side wall of the drying chamber. For small-sized models, this is not so important, but in a voluminous unit, many tiers are much more evenly "blown out" when sideways.

With a horizontal air supply system - products at all levels are dried equally

4. If versatility is important to you, pay attention to the types of enclosed trays. They differ for different products - standard 10 mm pallets for apples, etc., high up to 15 - 20 or more mm for large vegetables, a fine mesh for berries and greens, a solid sheet for pastille.

In some modifications it is possible to adjust the height of the installation of sections. If you need to choose a mushroom dryer, this is just a handy little convenience - even large fruits can not be cut, but fit them on a pallet entirely.

According to the technical specifications of

The main technical data that are absolutely necessary for the operation of the electric dryer are:

1. Power. This parameter varies in the range from approximately 165 to 1000 W and increases depending on the volume and type of products for which the device is purchased:

• drying up to 3 - 5 "floors" will cost up to 300 W,
• 6and more demanding already 500-600 W,
• for large vegetables, cooking fish and meat will require maximum power - up to 1000 watts.

2. Temperature modes are not selectable by the user on all models - some machines only operate on "on-off" at 50 - 55ºC.If you can choose, there are several options, mainly 3:

• Low - gentle, up to 35ºC,
• Medium - the most used option, 50-55ºC,
• High - increased, 60-75ºC, for meat and fish.

3. Additional functions constitute an optional but desirable set of options:

• surge protection and overheating protection will guarantee long life of the device, the
• timer counting the machine's operating time will free up your time from constant product readiness control, the
• thermostat will keep the settemperature level, the
• backlight will provide the ability to monitor the availability without opening the lid of the device.

Rating of the best electric dryers( top 6) - which one to buy

Many foreign and domestic companies are engaged in the production of electric dryers. The relatively simple arrangement of these household appliances is the reason for the rapid assembly of electric dryers by a wide list of companies, including the use of substandard components and components. So what kind of firm is the dryer better to buy for home harvesting of fruits and vegetables, so that it lasts a long time and is pleased with the unchanged quality of work?

To avoid the purchase of low-quality products, one should pay attention to the model lines of the most popular and consumer-tested brands - Spanish Vinis and VES with assembly points in Taiwan and China, Polish Zelmer, Chinese Tefal, Russian Veterok and Sukhovei( Kursk), Russian-Chinese Scarlett, registered as a company in England.

Rating of the best dryers for vegetables and fruits, the most popular among domestic consumers, currently looks like this:

1. Tefal DF 1008 - power 525 W, 5 removable levels, 3 modes - 40, 60 and 750.

2. Zelmer 36Z011 - compact for urban use, 300 W, holds 4 trays, has electronic control, 2 modes, weighs only 3 kg, the body material is plastic.

3. VES VMD-1 - 5 sections, power 300 W, total weight - 2 kg.

4. Scarlett SC-421 is a 5-tiered, 250 Watt, with a transparent casing, equipped with a fan.

5. Veterok-5 - power 500 W, 5 trays, total weight 3.9 kg, temperature adjustment from 30 to 70 0C is possible.

6. Dry M - power 500 W, loading up to 8 trays, total weight - 4 kg.

The cheapest dryers for fruits and vegetables cost between 3,000 and 4,000 rubles, and the choice of higher ranges implies the presence of large volumes, steel parts, as well as other amenities of use and beauty of design.

Video: how to choose an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables

In any case, which one to choose a dryer for vegetables and fruits - it's up to you, based on the needs of use. If this thing is necessary to you often, and you plan to use it for quite a long time, it is better not to spare money for the purchase of a really high-quality and beautiful device.