Anyone who travels a lot should understand the importance of eating healthy. And thanks to the advent of technology we now have a way of preserving the nutrients of foods we would normally like to travel with! If you are wondering what I mean by this statement, then you should know I am making reference to mini food dehydrators. So what are they? And why should you have them with you on your next trip? Let’s find out in this post why healthy eating while on the go is important, and also, 2024 travel-size machines you can use to preserve your foods as long as you want.
Best 5 Travel-size Dehydrators In 2024
In a hurry? Let me just share with you the best 5 mini food dehydrators/dehydrating machines right away:
| Product Name | Unique Feature | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cosori Travel-size Dehydrator Machine | 5 BPA-Free Trays, timer and temperature control | Check Price on amazon |
| Elechomes 6-Tray food dehydrator | lightweight and dehydrates foods quite fast | Check Price on amazon |
| Nesco Gardenmaster Mini Food Dehydrator | 8 trays that can be expanded to 30 | Check Price on amazon |
| NutriChef Electric Portable Dehydrator | automatically switch off once the time elapses | Check Price on amazon |
| Vivohome Electric dehydrator machine | can dry several food items at once | Check Price on amazon |
What is a food dehydrator?
A food dehydrator is a kitchen appliance that helps you dry or dehydrates your food. It is usually very portable, which makes it convenient to carry about. It simply functions by using a built-in fan, and a low amount of heat to remove the amount of water in foods such as fruits and vegetables and other foods with high water content.
When a substantial amount of water leaves your food, it increases the life span for it to remain healthy and nutritious. It also makes it inhabitable for bacteria that would have caused it to go bad fast.
Why you need a mini food dehydrator for your travels
Mini food dehydrators are the way to go when it comes to keeping food preserved for a long trip whilst maintaining all its properties.
Do you have a favourite food, fruit or veggie you would love to have with you on your trip? Are you wondering how you can preserve it for as long as you can? Then mini food dehydrators will help see to it that you have your favourite foods and snacks well preserved to boost your relaxation on your trip.
In case you are not aware, there are many reasons why you would need a food dehydrator for that trip. Here are some reasons why:
- It provides you with a healthy and portable option when it comes to having a type of fruit or food with you on your journey.
- Some foods are very healthy to eat while in the go and you may not be lucky to find them on your way. For instance, having a banana on a trip is way better than consuming snacks or other junk foods. Store purchased snacks such as chips and crackers are likely to contain preservatives that could harm the body in the long run.
- On the good side, having a dehydrator can let you have fruits as a healthy option since you can dry them and have them with you for long.
- Dried/dehydrated foods also make for easy storage. After dehydration, the food item can easily be packed in a bag pack, and it would also leave you with little to worry especially in terms of weight.
- You tend to reduce wastage from food leftovers when they are dehydrated. After food has been dehydrated, it can be rehydrated based on your choice for consumption, and in the process help reduce expenses.
- Your fruits and vegetable can experience a certain level of consistency over a long period of time with a dehydrator around.
In short, dehydrators are essential for every camping and field trip experience in order to maintain a constant influx of healthy foods, fruits and vegetables into the body system.
Can all foods be dehydrated using mini food dehydrators?
It is normal to want to preserve the life of your favourite food, but you should also be aware that not all foods should be preserved in order for it to retain its value. You should keep the following foods as far from a dehydrator as possible:
- avocados
- soda, water, and juices
- products full of fat
- non-lean meat (meat that is full of fat)
- milk
- butter
Below is the list of foods you should not have a problem dehydrating:
- Citrus fruits in slices
- Vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and squash
- Lettuce and cabbage
- Legumes of all kind
- Berries such as strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and cranberry
- Fruits such as pears, plums, grapes, cherries, apples, etc.
In general, any food that has a lot of fat content should be avoided. And those with a lot of water contents can be dried in the dehydrator.
How To Choose The Best, Portable & Travel-size Dehydrator
Choosing portable, mini food dehydrators may sound tricky, however, following the buyer’s guide below will assist you in picking the right choice that should suit your convenience.
- The size:
You should consider the amount of food you intend to preserve or dry before making a choice. Some dehydrators come with a fixed amount of trays, which means you can’t dry a certain amount of food especially if it exceeds the tray limit, while some give you the option to buy extra trays for more food, albeit it costs more. - It should have a timer:
This would really be a convenient feature to have on your dehydrator especially if you consider the fact that you might not always know when your food is properly dried. Some timers even do you a good favour by turning off the appliance as soon as your food is dried. - A see-through door:
Mini food dehydrators with a see-through door is an added bonus. Such a feature will allow you to know when your food is properly dehydrated without you having to open it continually. Have it in mind that opening the door regularly can lead to losing valuable heat meant for the dehydration. - Easy to clean and maintain:
A dehydrator should be easy to clean and maintain. You wouldn’t want a hold-back on using your appliance because you’re having difficulty in getting it cleaned after every usage.
- Good design:
The design of your dehydrator should be personally up to you. Be it round, or square, whichever one would be convenient for you on your travel should be used. But it’s best to choose one that would sit well in whatever bag/box/space you would be placing. - Temperature control:
There are quite a number of mini food dehydrators that comes with a fixed temperature for use. But, it is best if you get a dehydrator that gives you the option to adjust the temperature based on what you feel is suitable or recommended since not all foods have the same drying temperature. - It should be quiet when on use:
Some dehydrators are known to generate a lot of noise when they function, and you probably wouldn’t want an appliance that would disturb your peace and quiet, actually, nobody would. So, it’s important you look out for this one distinctive feature of having no sound when in use. - Easy to use:
Nobody likes to get stuck in a process that would normally take a longer time to complete. For this reason, it is important that a food dehydrating machine is simplistic enough to be operated by anyone that finds it useful. - Materials should be BPA-free:
You should also note that dehydrators should be made with Bisphenol-A (BPA) free materials, so as to avoid chemicals or toxins interfering with the healthy state of your food while dehydrating them.
Best 5 Mini Travel-size Food Dehydrators In 2024
Using the above guide, if you still think you might have a hard time going through the specs of certain dehydrators in the market to find out if they are suitable for you or not; not to worry, I have got you covered.
Let me show you the best five (5) dehydrators in 2024 that tick all the boxes as stated above:
The Cosori food dehydrator machine is a very portable and handy tool that can help you achieve healthy feeding while on the go. It comes with 1 mesh screen, 1 manual, 1 recipe, 5 BPA-free trays, and 1 fruit roll sheet.
The machine has lots of amazing features that make them stand out from the rest.
The Pros:
- It has a digital timer ranging from 30minutes to 48 hours and an adjustable temperature of 95 degrees (F) to 165 degrees (F)
- Extremely versatile
- Quiet to use
- Safety guaranteed
- Easy to carry about
- Recipe book with 50 ideas to get you started
Features of the product:
Digital timer and adjustable temperature
It is designed with a digital timer that can be adjusted incrementally based on your desired preference. The timer ranges from 30 minutes – 48 hours, and the temperature can be set to increase every 30 minutes ranging from 95 degrees (F) to 165 degrees (F).
Versatility
It can be used to dry different varieties of edibles ranging from beef, turkey, fruits, vegetables, dog treats, etc. It can equally be used outdoors as well which is perfect for travelling.
Very quiet
Judging from the fact that it emits below 48dB which is equivalent to the noise level in a standard library, one can boldly say it is extremely quiet and won’t disturb you in any way foreseeable.
Safe to use
Apart from the reality that the trays are BPA-free, it also automatically goes off at a high voltage ranging from 120V and above. You and I can agree that not all dehydrators have this function.
Easy to clean and maintain
It can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth or a sponge. Although while doing this, you are advised to put the fruit roll sheet at the bottom tray to prevent liquid from entering the base.
Fancy design
It also comes in a fancy design you are sure to admire. This makes it all the more fun to carry about when travelling. You definitely won’t regret this one.
The Cons of the Cosori dehydrator:
Everything else is fine with the food dehydrator. The only thing is the fact that only the top view of the dehydrator is visible. This can be a challenge especially when you dehydrate different foods at the same time, you might have to open it to know the progress made which could hinder quick dehydration.
Do you want to enjoy healthy and safe meals while on your journey? Grab one of these mini food dehydrators by clicking this link to be taken to the product page on Amazon where you can read more about it and also place an order.
This product embodies a lovely design, but it doesn’t end there, it also comes with lovely user accessibility that would amaze you. It is lightweight and dehydrates foods quite fast. It comes with 1 mesh screen, 1 fruit roll sheet, 1 user manual to aid user experience.
The Pros:
- Very versatile
- Multiple tray options and easy removal.
- Trays are dishwasher friendly, and BPA-free.
- Zero noise
- Safe to use
- Longer time range option
- Very portable to carry around
Features of the product:
Digital timer and adjustable temperature
It comes with a timer range of 30 minutes to 72 hours which can be set to increase in a temperature range of 95 degrees (F) to 158 degrees (F) every 30 minutes for a 72-hour interval.
Versatility
It can be used to dry various food products ranging from fruits, beef, turkey, vegetables, etc. As long as such a food item can be dried, then you have got no problem whatsoever.
Quietness
It is relatively quiet, and wouldn’t cause you the unwanted hearing disturbance. You can dehydrate your foods without bothering about disturbing those in the same space as you.
Safe to use
It has built-in overheat protection that prevents it from overheating and damaging anything else in the process. It can equally be powered by a 400 watts power source, which is economically reasonable if you ask me.
Easy to clean and maintain
All the trays are removable and dishwasher friendly, so you don’t have to worry about doing the cleaning yourself.
Good design
Apart from being a good, fancy travel companion, it will also look gorgeous in your kitchen table when you get back from your journey.
The Cons of The Elechomes food dehydrator:
There is almost nothing to complain about as regards this product, but if you discover any form of discrepancy after purchase, do well to mention it in the comment section.
Want to make this portable food dehydrator yours for the next trip? By clicking this link, you would find more details about it and also get to make your order to have it delivered to you.
This Nesco Gardenmaster is a force to reckon with in terms of durability and service. This dehydrator can serve you for as long possible and so you are guaranteed a steady dose of healthy meals. The product comes with a whopping 8 Fruit roll-up sheets, 1 recipe instruction book, 8 clean-a-screens, and 1 original jerky spice pack with a cure.
The Pros:
- 8 tray plates that are expandable to 30
- Acceptable noise output
- Exquisite design
- 8 fruit rolling sheets
- Adjustable thermostat
- Converga-flow drying technology
- Removable tray option
- Extremely portable for travel purposes
Features of the product:
Adjustable temperature
It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95-160 degrees (F). This allows you more room for flexibility in terms of drying your food items. The drying system also uses the converga-flow drying system that forces air to every area of the trays and converging it at the centre for more effective and nutritious drying. With this process, there is no need to rotate trays while using it.
Versatility
It can be used to dry various types of food based on the recipe you desire to use. The 8 trays can also be expanded to 30 trays on days you would want to dry more foods at once.
Safe to use
It uses 1000 watts per hour that can dry food in hours and not days. This is an extremely safe appliance to use at home.
Easy to clean and maintain
Little effort is required to keep it clean. All you need is a damp cloth or a sponge. You can remove the trays to clean them one at a time when you want to as well.
Maintain food nutrients
While you might wonder why it isn’t transparent, you should note that the opaque vita-save exterior enables it to block out external light which helps it to retain the food nutrients. This is a dehydrator for you and your family to enjoy no doubt.
The Cons of the Nesco Gardenmaster dehydrator:
- You can’t monitor the food items without opening up the door due to its opaque design.
- There is no built-in timer, although that doesn’t stop it from doing a proper job.
- Some users have complained of it being a bit louder than it should.
If this sounds/looks like something you would love for travels, sleepover, camping or any outdoor movement, head over to this link to learn more about it and make a purchase.
Now it gets more interesting with the NutriChef dehydrator, it has a kitchen appeal that makes it almost irresistible. It dehydrated. foods like no other and ensure that your foods stay safe and healthy all the time. It comes with 1 mesh screen, 1 fruit roll sheet, and 6 trays.
The Pros:
- A clear view of food items without having to open the door of the dehydrator
- Digital timer and adjustable temp
- The trays can be used for other purposes related to drying outside the confines of the dehydrator.
- It is very safe
- Easy to clean and maintain.
Features of the product:
Digital and an adjustable timer
It has a built-in adjustable timer of 30 minutes – 24 hours, and a temperature range that increases every 30 minutes from 95 degrees (F) to 167 degrees (F).
Versatility
It doesn’t just do the job of drying, but also preserves food such as bread, snacks, vegetables, flowers, etc. The trays can also be used to dry items under the sun since they can be removed manually and replaced later.
Very quiet
The 360-degree hot air circulation is made possible with a built-in rear-mounted motor, and an internal fan. These set-ups make it quiet while it functions. And that is more work and less noise.
Safe and easy to use
It is extremely safe and easy to use. It will automatically switch off once the timing that is set elapses. The door also shuts itself as soon as you power it on. This is an important feature especially when you are in a hurry.
Easy to clean and maintain
The trays can be easily cleaned and maintained since they can be easily removed.
The Cons of the NutriChef dehydrator:
- It is a little bulky and would be best if you are travelling in your own car with it. You may not be comfortable with this in a commercial car. And best of all, it can fit well on a kitchen counter for when you get back.
- The glass door makes it delicate if you would be travelling with kids. Unless you can take extra care when they are around it.
Take this handy tool along with you on your next journey and enjoy healthy meals all day! Click this link to get to the Amazon page where you would find more about this product, other users’ reviews and price. And if you are satisfied, you can go ahead and make an order.
The last but definitely not the least on this list is the Vivohome electric dehydrator. This is an appliance that can easily appeal the eye. It is also known for its efficiency as the Vivohome dehydrator has lived up to expectations and there are many reasons to believe this. It comes with 5 large drying racks, and 1 dehydrator.
The Pros:
- Transparent view.
- No need to constantly open and see what’s going on inside.
- Lovely design
- Very versatile
- Large detachable trays
- Safe to use
- Very easy to clean and maintain.
Features of the product:
Digital timer and adjustable temperature
It is equipped with an adjustable timer that can be set from 0-24 hours, while the temperature can be set from 95 degrees (F) to 158 degrees (F).
Versatility
It can be used to dry several food items at once, and can also be used to make snacks and chews for your pet.
Very quiet
This machine can very much be used in a home setting without altering the peace and serenity of the immediate surrounding.
Safe to use
It has a hot air fan that has been programmed to switch on and off in order to balance the temperature. This is also designed in such a way that the vitamin and nutrients of any foods are retained while drying.
Easy to use and maintain
The trays are dishwasher friendly, and the dehydrator is equally detachable. This makes it extremely convenient for you to clean appropriately.
Perfect wattage
Drying at a power of 400W, the Vivohome dehydrator will remove moisture from your food whilst retaining the original flavour in the process.
Cons of the Vivohome dehydrator:
- The timer of stops at 24 hours and this might not be sufficient for some food items. It means you have to come back when it elapses to refresh the process.
- If you would be travelling with this, know that it would occupy a little more space in the box/suitcase in order to be carried about easily due to its size.
Is this what you want for your next trip or to place in your kitchen? Click this link to get to the amazon page where you would see all you need to know about it and make your order.
Conclusion
Now you can be economical about your food items especially if you are one of those who doesn’t like throwing food away. Of course, you can go the safer and healthy feeding way too.
Dehydrators help us by providing safer and healthier food alternatives wherever we find ourselves. From sleepovers, camping, field trips, long-distance travels; healthy foods should never be far away from you.
No one has ever regretted owning a dehydrator and trust me, you won’t be the first.
