I was curious and am waiting for a phone call, so started looking around. I think several of the ones on this list might be plastic free, at least in the working part of the unit (where the food is). One says it doesn't have all the bumps inside that gather residues which house pathogens. I've read elsewhere that those can be a real problem. I don't know how marginal these points are. https://thebestorganiclifestyle.com/best-stainless-steel-food-dehydrators/

I hope you'll let us know when you get yours, and post a review. Good luck!

I plan to make a very large solar dehydrator using food grade stainless steel mesh. It can be bought it pre-cut pieces or in rolls. Plans for dehydrators are on the internet and in books, especially books from the 1970s & 80s. Make your own; know what's in it. In the meantime, we do use our Nesco dehydrators, the kitchen oven, and for some things just wicker trays or stackable cooling racks for baked goods. The wicker and cooling trays are for things that will dry without adding heat.

There is very little heat used in the plastic dehydrators - I set mine to 135° (cooler than my patio when it is 120° outside), and so I do not see a danger, especially since the plastics used are BPA free.

Dehydrating is quite different from baking, which is why most ovens are not appropriate for it. However, my Samsung oven does have a 135° setting, and so I could use it for dehydrating, but it would not accommodate as much food as my dehydrator.

You can use your oven if it has a low enough temperature setting and then use pans of your choice. The oven should be convection, in order to circulate air for dehydrating.

You can get silicone mats to fit pretty much any dehydrator. They work great. Parchment paper can be used in dehydrators too to line your trays with. Plastic dehydrators are made with non-toxic food safe plastic. You can use tray liners rather than resort to an all stainless interior. Even with an all stainless interior, your blower fan is likely going to be made of plastic and blowing warm plastic air into your stainless interior.

What kinds of dehydrated goods to you already eat? What are you growing that you are planning on dehydrating?

Hi,

Thanks, everyone, for their responses!

So, not all plastics used are BPA free.. in the Excalibur, for instance... and even if the racks are BPA free, many of the interior housings have BPA. Moreover, from what I understand, even plastics that are BPA-free can potentially be toxic... they have tested BPA, and studies have found it harmful... but they haven't tested other components of plastic, which also might be harmful.

True, typically the heat is set very low (BPA begins to leach at 158F), but I'd like the option to also make meat jerky, and the truth is I just don't want plastic at all. We don't know enough, I think, and I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Great point about the fan being plastic. Something to explore with the manufacturers, but that might be unavoidable. As with all my purchases, I try to do my best to avoid the toxins, but there's only so much I can either control or afford.

Yes, I am aware re the silicon mats, or the parchment paper (we use If You Care, which is unbleached.)

The article Pillog sent was interesting, thank you. The items reviewed are not all plastic free, and some have stainless steel finishes, but are not fully stainless steel (magnet sticks to it), and the racks can't be put in the dishwasher. But the STX and the TSM show promise, I need to do a bit more research, though.

Sorry if I sound neurotic... everyone has to find what they're comfortable with, exposure-wise, because none of us are getting through this world without absorbing a whole lot of toxins... I'm less concerned about myself, and more concerned about my kids. But, again, you could drive yourself crazy being to hyper-indexed on this stuff... I don't always find the right balance.

Thanks!!

I totally get it. I know only a couple of the units in the article were truly stainless, and even that isn't fully stated, but I thought the commercial ones showed promise. I am somewhat careful about plastics, but come from a cohort that was drenched in plastic everything. If I had little ones I'd likely share your vigilence. If you don't find what you're looking for, it might be possible to make your own, at least the housing where the food is.

Most of the better air fryers these days have a dehydrating option.

Yes they do! Unfortunately, it's more difficult to purchase a non toxic air fryer than a dehydrator... although I hope that will change. I'm closing in on a dehydrator, and will post once I confirm!

Buy a Harvest Right freeze dryer for much better dried foods if you want a better dried product, and all stainless inside and out including the trays. Product can be stored in glass mason jars when a vacuum is pulled using a food saver vacuum sealer and mason jar lid accessory.

Product will last 20 year or more without the loose of nutrients, and when re-hydrated it's nearly as good as fresh unlike dehydrated. The winner by far are cooked meats and it's hard to tell the difference between fresh and freeze dried. I do freeze dry everything but some like asparagus aren't the tastiest. Just an Idea if you have the $4K to invest, but you may become addicted to freeze drying.

i have a dehydrator function on the oven that works just fine. Also have a regular dehydrrator. I line dehydrator with parchment paper

@HU-315791592, the best I could find was by The Sausage Maker... but too rich for my budget, sadly. (The 10 rack one is $600ish... I could spring for the 5 rack one, but I feel that I'd grow out of it fast). So, I am dehydrator-less currently. Let me know if you find anything that meets the criteria and isn't so expensive.