By reducing moisture levels in fruits, vegetables, and meats, dehydrators prevent bacteria from growing and spoiling food. If you bought a few too many apricots, dry what is left over for later consumption. In many cases, a food dehydrator can extend the shelf life of produce by up to two years.

You’re clear on the health benefits of food dehydrators, but what exactly can you make with one of these appliances? You can dry fruits such as cherries, peaches, and kiwi fruit and take them along as fuel for a long hike. You can make your own sweet potato fries without any oil, or dry tomatoes for use in a pasta dish. Make fruit roll-ups for your kids’ lunchboxes, or make beef jerky for your own afternoon snack. You can even use a dehydrator for non-food items—dry flowers for framing, or dry papier-mâché in craft projects.

The cost of store-bought dried fruit can add up over time if you eat it frequently. Buying your own fresh fruit and dehydrating it at home is a far more cost-effective option. For the ultimate in savvy spending, buy produce in bulk when it’s in season and dehydrate what’s left for use several months later. That is, you can enjoy ripe, juicy strawberries at the beginning of the year and use dehydrated strawberries to make jam in July.

When you dehydrate food, it shrinks to occupy less than one-sixth of its original space. For this reason, it may benefit a large family to own one of these appliances. Avid campers and hikers will also be pleased with this reduction in size, as it makes packing far more convenient. Dehydrated food doesn’t need a running power source to keep, so anything taking up fridge space can be transferred to the pantry.

When you remove moisture from food, its flavours become more concentrated. Not only is each bite more delicious; you consume the food with greater peace of mind knowing there is no added sugar, unlike many varieties of dried produce you would buy at the supermarket.

While dehydrators with stackable racks are championed for their compact footprints, you will often have to periodically rotate the racks for optimum drying. Horizontal trays allow for more uniform drying. No rotation is required, and you won’t be left with any icky moisture spots.

An adjustable thermostat is essential if you’re going to be drying a wide range of foods. Those on a raw foods diet will benefit from drying at low temperatures and, if beef jerky is your favourite snack, you can turn up the heat for optimum results.

Purchasing a dehydrator with a timer opens up a whole world of set-and-forget convenience. You can begin drying food right before you go to bed or leave for work, safe in the knowledge the unit will automatically switch off when the program is complete.

Fruit roll-ups or fruit leathers are popular lunchbox treats, but supermarket varieties are packed with sugar and bear a relation to fruit by flavour rather than content. Dehydrators with stackable trays sometimes come with an accessory that is tailored for making these delicious, healthy snacks.