As a camping enthusiast, one way to optimize a meal is by dehydrating it and eating on the way.
But finding a food dehydrator machine is not as simple as flipping a coin,
That’s part of why I wrote down the things you should deeply consider when searching for the best food dehydrator for backpacking.
Note: This review includes both positive & negative reviews on food dehydrators for beginners. We decided to show legitimate customer complaints so that everything is on the table without anything holding back. It helps you in making an unbiased decision before buying a product.
Why is dehydrated food important for camping?
Campers mainly use dehydrated foods to lessen the weight in their backpacks.
Image 1.1 Why is dehydrated food important for camping?
You can only carry so much in one body, and heaving it across mountains requires endurance and skill.
Some good snacks for camping enthusiasts are beef jerky, dried fruits & vegetables.
It may vary from state to state, but one thing they have in common is that you can eat them immediately, without having to prepare a fire, cook food or slice up any ingredients.
They stand out during any emergency medical situation when you immediately need nourishment but find that the edible ingredients in your camping vicinity are allergic.
Overall, they are a great way to snack quickly and hurry up; setting the tent before the sun goes down and the night makes it harder to see.
Related Article: How to dry brass with food dehydrator (Step-by-Step)
Camping Hack: How to add flavor to bland foods
One challenge of ready-to-eat meals is the quality of nutrition.
Usually, they are full of carbohydrates and a few more ingredients to give you an immediate boost of energy later on. But with this comes an unbalanced ratio of nutrients.
Image 1.2 How to add flavor to bland foods
Another problem that most Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) have is that they are bland, tasteless, and unappealing to eat.
It is where food dehydration shines out. If you plan to eat the natural sweetness of fruits but at the same time have that unique crunchy taste to them, you can prepare them at home through dehydration.
You don’t have to worry about losing any nutrients. Many first-time users may think that dehydrating foods lose the meal’s nutritional value — it does not.
Why did my camping food shrink?
Don’t worry. It’s part of the process.
Dehydrating foods works by reducing most of the food’s moisture content. It also means that your food gets crunchy and enjoyable to eat.
A good rule of thumb is to cut your food evenly, whether it be fruit, vegetable, or beef.
Doing this allows the food dehydrator to spread the hot air evenly and speed up the cooking process since no food is left behind.
How do dehydrate vegetables for camping?
Before doing anything, you need first to check if it can be dehydrated or not.
If a vegetable can be eaten without being cooked, then you should not attempt to place it in the machine.
Image 1.3 How do dehydrate vegetables for camping?
For camping, you might want to look for vegetables that do not need defrosting.
It is recommended if you want to save time cooking food before dehydrating it.
The ideal temperature range for vegetables is between 125°F – 130°F.
How do dehydrate fruits for camping?
There are no clear rules to this but slice the pieces evenly.
There are a lot of fruits that can be dehydrated, from apples, banana slices, strawberries, etc.
Image 1.4 How do dehydrate fruits for camping?
Wash the fruit first before beginning the process. Then slice it into a quarter of its original slice. (Peel the fruit if needed.)
Check first how much space is available between the tray of the dehydrator. You want a few inches of allowance above to prevent the fruit from touching the upper tray.
Next, scatter the fruit slices evenly across the tray. Place some fruits in other tray levels once the current one is full. The edge of the fruits may touch each other if you plan to maximize the spacing. But they should not overlap as this may affect the dehydration process.
Lastly, you want to inspect when your fruit will appear and taste to be crispy.
Once it is ready, please remove it from the food dehydrator and let it cool down before taking a bite.
How to dehydrate meat for camping?
The temperature should not be less than 145°F to eliminate all the microorganisms and bacteria in the meat.
Image 1.5 How do dehydrate fruits for camping?
If you want to avoid fatty meats, slice up the excess since this can change the taste of your food to be sour and unpleasant.
Examples of the heart are canned items (canned shrimp, tuna, or chicken) and ground beef.
Why & How Food Dehydrators Save You Money
A clear benefit of food dehydration is that your electric bill would decrease compared to the ongoing cost of a refrigerator to preserve your food.
It will require effort and time to first set up food for dehydration, unlike in a fridge where you place stuff to begin preservation.
But once you are going on an outdoor adventure, the last thing you want to bring is another ice chest box to the weight load.
Food dehydration is best for campaign enthusiasts who don’t view food as just a primary source of energy but want to enjoy it.
Best Food Dehydrators for Backpacking:
1. Elite Gourmet Food Dehydrator EFD313B
| Advantages (Pros) | Disadvantages (Cons) |
| *Specialized in dehydrating beef jerky
*Largest tray capacity |
*Most expensive model |
Unlike other Elite Gourmet models, only this one appears to have a digital panel system.
The exterior of the food dehydrator isn’t overly hot to the touch. You won’t risk being burned.
One customer shared that the bottom part is where it is the warmest.
Use gloves when manning the panel to avoid any risk of 1st-degree burn.
However, this machine is the most expensive of the three models, near the $100 price range.
One reason is their extensive technological features that are absent in other models.
If you are looking for a minimalistic model without a digital panel display, fewer trays, and not the highest temperature setting, then you can check some of our recommendations below.
It might not be the top choice if you have a limited amount of spending capacity,
Nonetheless, suppose you are more of a tech-savvy person who prefers to have the temperature displayed in precise numbers, with the hottest setting included (important for beef jerky).
In that case, you might check if this product fits your needs.
What Makes This Model Different: Their 160ºF highest temperature setting makes it perfect for beef jerky.
2. Chefman Food Dehydrator
If you are on a strict low budget and want to dip your toes into what this food-dehydrator trend is all about, then you could consider this machine.
According to their user manual, Chefman’s trays are not dishwasher safe.
It is advised to hand-wash them through warm water.
Many customers raised that beef jerky won’t work well with this product.
It also smells like the first hour, so you might be forced to run a trial operation first without anything inside. It is a prerequisite to get rid of the smell before you begin dehydrating your food.
While it may not be the best product in terms of quality, this works best if you are still unsure whether a food dehydrator is suitable for you or not.
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on something you might not feel passionate about, Chefman’ showcases a quick glimpse of what it is like in the world of food dehydration.
What Makes Them Stand Out: Most Affordable Option
3. Magic Mill Food Dehydrator
Magic Mill is much more affordable compared to Cosori’s food dehydrator, but the only color present on this model is black.
Still, this color matches the overall atmosphere when you are planning to dehydrate beef jerky and other dishes.
The product also comes with 6 racks allowing you to maximize your cooking capacity in one dehydration session, unlike smaller models that only accommodate fruits.
Nonetheless, it comes with a minor design flaw.
The square holes in the stainless steel tray might be too large when planning to place smaller foods for dehydration. One solution would be using a plastic mesh sheet for smaller items to prevent them from falling through.
“We’d want to have something that will measure moisture content!”
If there is one crucial feature most customers requested to have in Magic Mill, it would be the moisture content measurement. It is vital to maintain a good quality of your food throughout the process.
Shelf life is another added benefit that can be seen once moisture is monitored correctly. But one possible reason that they didn’t decide to include this is that costs might be raised and result in a more expensive price tag.
What Makes Them Stand Out: Affordability (when it comes to cooking beef jerky.)
Bottom Line: Our Top Pick
If you asked us what single food dehydrator we would pick, Elite Gourmet’s EFD313B is what we would recommend. Since it has the largest capacity on our list, you can prepare foods in bulk and avoid wasting time doing it one by one.
While this may not be the cheapest option, it will undoubtedly pay for the cost over time.
