Are you looking for a food dehydrator that’s going to deliver on performance, without breaking the bank?
Then, pull up a chair and have a look at the Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator FD-75A.
Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator FD-75A
Simple and easy to use, the Snackmaster will easily dry fruit, veggies, herbs, nuts, and berries, and you can create your own jerky or even skim milk as well. What once took days to accomplish can now be done in a matter of hours, perfect for enjoying home-preserved goodness.
And the Nesco Snackmaster Pro is a great model to start with if you’re new to the world of food driers. Let’s have a closer look to see just what we can expect from this popular option.
Operation
Nesco has developed a patented drying system called Converga-Flow, which forces heated air downwards through an exterior chamber and then horizontally across each tray, converging in the middle and then going back up a central corridor.
This results in fast, even, and nutritious drying of your meats, veggies, and herbs.
The top-mounted fan and heater eliminates the mess of liquid dripping into the heating chamber – this is a critical bit to have on any dehydrator.
Generally speaking, you DO NOT want a bottom fan. Liquids fall into the fan blades and may even make their way into the motor housing. Make sure you choose either a top-mounted design like the Snackmaster or a back-mounted fan as found on the Excalibur models.
The 600 watts of power provide all the energy needed, and the adjustable thermostat can be set anywhere from 95 to 160ºF, providing the necessary flexibility to ensure that you receive excellent results with a wide variety of ingredients.
Features and Benefits
The adjustable thermostat provides the flexibility you need to dry different foods at the appropriate temperatures – producing the best results possible.
The powerful top-mounted heating coil and fan have 600 watts of power available to generate the ideal conditions to dehydrate your fruits, vegetables, herbs, and jerky at maximum speed while still retaining the quality and integrity of the ingredients.
Your food dries in hours, not days like it would take for some other models.
The Snackmaster comes with 5 trays, but you can expand this to 12 trays for processing larger quantities. Extras are sold separately.
Nesco LT-2SG Add-A-Trays, Set of 2
It also includes a number of accessories: two fruit roll-up sheets, which are perfect for drying your semi-liquids like soups and sauces as well as making fruit leather and for yogurt; two flexible tray screens, which permit easy drying of your small items such as herbs, spices, and potpourri; and three spice packets of original jerky mix.
Additional roll-up sheets also also available, should you decide to become a fruit leather junkie.
Nesco LSS-2-6 Fruit Roll Sheets, Set of 2
The opaque exterior has been designed so that it blocks harmful light and UV rays, which may destroy the nutritional content of the food that’s being dehydrated. Your snacks will retain the maximum amount of nutrients.
All trays are constructed of sturdy and food safe BPA-free plastic.
It comes with Nesco’s limited 1-year manufacturer’s warranty and is made in the USA in Wisconsin.
And an easy to understand and well-written user manual is also included. It contains recipes, instructions, and tips to ensure your dehydrating success.
Capacity
The Nesco Snackmaster measures approximately 14 by 22 by 14 inches and weighs in at just under 6 pounds, making countertop use and storage easy to accommodate.
Cleaning
The trays can be cleaned in the dishwasher if loaded on the top shelf only, and set to a gentle cycle with no heat for drying. Or, wash in warm soapy water.
Wipe the top housing unit clean with a damp cloth.
Performance
Although it may not be the best performing machine on the market or have top marks in its construction, the Snackmaster’s low price point makes it a heck of a buy.
The following is a compilation of the most common remarks regarding the Snackmaster’s performance, both positive and critical:
- By far the most common comment is about the superb performance of this compact model, as it provides efficient and even drying for different ingredients at the same time.
- The adjustable temperature control makes drying a variety of ingredients possible, and is easy to set.
- Being a compact, stackable model, it fits nicely on the countertop when in use, and is easy to store as well.
- The top-mounted fan and heater get big points with reviewers who appreciate its powerful and even drying performance. And the ease of cleanup that comes without having to wipe up any dripping mess on the electrical components is a big plus.
- It also comes with a good selection of accessories included, so there are no surprise expenses when you want to make fruit leather or dry fine ingredients.
- Its ability to expand is another popular selling point, with many happy customers who have bought add-on trays to increase their drying capacity.
- Nesco also provides a comprehensive manual that includes many recipes and recommended drying times, so the need to research is eliminated.
- The Snackmaster does not have a timer, which may be seen as a downside of this model. You either have to check the progress manually to know when a batch is done, or purchase an outlet timer to regulate drying time.
- It doesn’t include an On/Off switch either. Operation is started and stopped by plugging in or unplugging the cord – a bit of an inconvenience.
Tips:
Select the air dry setting on your dishwasher so the trays don’t warp, or hand wash to ensure that they retain their shape.
Value in a Compact Package
The Nesco Snackmaster has rightly earned its accolades on Amazon – its outstanding results, easy to use design, and hassle-free performance clearly make it the people’s choice.
Foodal's Rating
- Performance
- Included Accessories
- Build Quality
- Warranty
- Value
Summary
This bare bones design keeps the price low and helps you get into dehydrating with a low outlay of your hard-earned cash. So, if not having a timer and an on/off switch isn’t an issue, then this model will easily fulfill your needs and that of your household.
Check pricers and read all customer review and comments on Amazon now!
For an economy model, the Snackmaster really delivers the goods. If you want a machine with a timer instead, be sure to check out all of our dehydrator reviews.
Are you happy with this model, or do you have another to recommend? What do you like to use yours for? Feel free to leave us a message in the comments below!
About Lorna Kring
Recently retired as a costume specialist in the TV and film industry, Lorna now enjoys blogging on contemporary lifestyle themes. A bit daft about the garden, she’s particularly obsessed with organic tomatoes and herbs, and delights in breaking bread with family and friends.
This looks and sounds absolutely amazing. I don’t know what else to say about it besides I need one!
A good dehydrator is a lot of fun harpazo22, but be careful, they’re a bit addictive!
Just checked out the price over at Amazon and it’s not prohibitively expensive. I like the product, the only down side for me is probably that it doesn’t have a timer. I’ll have to check out some of your other reviews too. I just splurged on Amazon yesterday, so I’ll have to wait a couple of months before I can splurge again, but until then, I’ll be on the look out for any great deals on dehydrators.
The Nesco does seem to have a reasonable price for what it offers, and it’s certainly a popular choice. Let us know if you find any good deals… when you’re ready to splurge again!
This looks much easier to use than the drawer-type dehydrator I had years back. Faster too, thus saving energy. The lack of an on/off switch is a bit strange for an modern appliance. However, I do recommend making one’s own snacks in this manner – better fr health and waistline and easier on the pocket. A machine like this would soon pay for itself.
Couldn’t agree more Julie, they’re great for economy and the waist! Thanks for your thoughts.
I have used my FD-75PR Nesco Dehydrator very little in the 4+ years I have had it. Very Little. Did I say, “Very Little?” The fuse is bad in it and I cannot order just this minor part but rather have to purchase the entire powerhead which is half the cost of the unit because, I was told by a customer service representative, of “liability issues.” I told her other appliances show a breakdown of every part in their appliance and each individual part can be purchased INDIVIDUALLY. I also told her the power head is half the cost of the unit. She only repeated herself (very robotic).
S A D. What a waste of resources! Having to purchase unneeded parts………very poor quality for a product that apparently can’t be trusted to function properly.