Dryers for vegetables and fruits: reviews. Video
The Fruit and Vegetable Dryer is the fastest and most efficient way to prepare vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and herbs for future use. In the process of processing, products practically do not lose nutrients and vitamins and are then stored for a very long time. Home appliance stores offer a wide range of devices. When choosing a dryer for vegetables or fruits, you need to pay attention to such parameters as the principle of operation, power, capacity, body material, the presence of a thermostat and heat protection.
How does a fruit and vegetable dryer work?
According to the principle of operation, dryers for vegetables and fruits are divided into two main groups: – infrared; – convection.
The principle of operation of infrared dryers is based on the fact that infrared radiation penetrates deeply into the raw material and is absorbed by the moisture contained in it, but not absorbed by the tissues. As a result, water intensively evaporates at a relatively low temperature (40-60 degrees). The product retains most of the vitamins and biologically active substances, as well as the natural color and taste. After soaking in warm water for 10–20 minutes, it is almost indistinguishable from fresh, just sliced. Thus, infrared devices dry well. However, they are not cheap.
Convection dryers are structurally simpler than infrared ones and are much more widespread. Thanks to the operation of the fan, the air heated by the heating element blows the raw material and evaporates moisture from its surface. There are also simpler models without a fan, which use natural convection (warm air always rises).
The disadvantage of convection dryers is that when hot air is blown over fruits, vegetables and mushrooms, a surface film forms on them, which complicates the drying process. The appearance and taste of the product change and are not restored after soaking. But convection devices are cheaper than infrared ones.
Dryer fans can provide both vertical and horizontal air supply. Horizontal blowing is preferable, since with vertical products at different levels are dried unevenly
The power of household dryers on the market varies from 200 to 600 watts. The speed of drying plant raw materials directly depends on the power of the device: the higher it is, the less time it will take. However, electricity consumption can also increase significantly. Therefore, it is recommended to choose dryers of medium power (350-400 W).
It is not only the power of the heating element that matters, but also its position. If it is at the bottom, then there is a high probability of moisture getting on it. Therefore, dryers with a top heating element are preferable.
Dryer capacity for fruits and vegetables
The capacity of a household dryer depends on how many pallets are included. Usually there are from three to eight. Pallet capacity – up to 1 kg. The more pallets in the dryer, the more food you can process in one cycle. Additional pallets can be purchased for some devices.
Dryer trays can be either mesh or solid. Mesh mesh facilitates the circulation of hot air. Solid ones are suitable not only for drying plant materials, but also for performing other operations – for example, making marshmallows from fruit puree.
Dryer bodies are made of metal or plastic. Metal devices are stronger but heavier and therefore difficult to move from place to place. In addition, they have another drawback compared to plastic ones: the metal heats up during operation, changes the temperature inside the pallets and disturbs the uniformity of drying.
Plastic dryers are lighter and more mobile. And if the pallets are made of transparent plastic, you can visually control the drying process.
When choosing a dryer, give preference to models that are equipped with a thermostat. Thanks to him, you will not overdry the raw materials, since you will be able to set the drying temperature depending on the type of product: – herbs and medicinal herbs – 30–40 degrees (drying time – 3–7 hours); – mushrooms – 45–55 degrees (drying time – 2–6 hours); – apples – 55–70 degrees (drying time – 6–8 hours); – cherries, apricots, plums – 55–70 degrees (drying time – 10–18 hours), etc.
In addition, the device must be equipped with thermal protection, which will ensure its shutdown in case of overheating. This feature extends the life of the heating element and protects your home from fire.