SUCISENI 6 Pack Silicone Dehydrator Sheets (14 x 21 Inch) Premium Non-Stick Silicone Mesh Mat for Fruit Food Dehydrator Reusable Dehydrated Tray Liners for Fruits Meat Vegetables Herbs

I have been making beef jerky since August 2011 when I purchased my first dehydrator, the Nesco FD-80 (it still works). During that entire time, I have dehydrated:- Fruit (bananas, persimmons, pineapples, etc)- Herbs (including leaves and flowers for tea)- Jerky (beef mostly. Other meats require too much preparation to make them safe for dehydration)With the Nesco's plastic trays starting to fall apart, I eyed the premium Excalibur dehydrator, but its high price made me balk every time I was about to purchase. Alternatives were less than desirable because their maximum heating temperature is usually up to only about 158F -- that generally is not a problem for beef although an internal meat temperature of 165F is considered safe (especially for poultry). Furthermore, unlike the Nesco's round trays, the Excalibur has square ones that pack a bit more capacity but also do not dry as evenly.This awkwardly-named Suciseni appliance caught my eye with its maximum temperature of 194F and 8 trays, but like the Excalibur, its square trays are not immune to the uneven drying effect. What I did find, however, is that the drying is better than with the dehydrator I used to have that was mostly plastic. I am not sure if an all-metal housing is making a positive difference, but it appears to be.PROS- Square trays provide more room for items to be dehydrated- Clear glass allows you to check on the items' status without opening the door- Multiple temperature settings going as high as 194F- Temperature display in Fahrenheit (some only display in Celsius)- Built-in timer that goes up to about 24 hours (minimum 30 mins)- Dishwasher-safe, BPA-free trays- Generous 8-tray capacity- All-metal housing- Greater value than the 8-tray Excalibur- Takes up less space than the NescoCONS- Square trays dehydrate items more unevenly than rounded ones, partially because the rounded one generally throw heat downward in a more distributed way- All-metal housing makes the entire unit very hot to touch- Bottom of appliance has no tray to catch dripping juices, making cleanup a bit more painful than the Nesco (whose base could be removed for washing). I used a heavy-duty aluminum foil as a liner as a workaroundAs I had stated, the price-to-value ratio for this product is very good. It dehydrated my fruit and herb very well, and beef jerky came out pretty well (the pieces facing the glass door were not as dry as the ones at the back. You can alleviate that by rotating the trays half way through the drying.) Oddly, the manual states to pre-cook or boil the meat to 165F internal temperature and THEN dehydrate it (to ensure any germs are fully neutralized), but thankfully, we haven't experienced food poisoning yet. I do keep my jerky in the fridge for up to a month.Keep in mind that although the dehydrator can go up to 194F, a higher temperature may not necessarily be good for food. The high heat will first crisp up the exterior but leave the inside not as dry and potentially invite germs to grow. I stick to 165F for my jerky (Nesco's recommendation).RECIPES and TIPSWatch Alton Brown's Good Eats episode of how to make beef jerky. You'll learn quite a lot. After that, simply experiment with various recipes you may find on the internet. You may also consider a meat slicer to help cut some cooking time and to keep the meat at a consistent depth. Some butchers will gladly cut to size for you.For beef jerky, remember that fats spoil faster than meats. As such, for jerky to last as long as possible, trim out as much fat as you can and/or get as lean of a meat you can find. I like having some fat in my jerky, and so I keep it in the refrigerator as an extra precaution, although I have consumed it during a 4-day wilderness backpacking trip before without any issues.FINAL THOUGHTSI am glad to have finally found a square-tray dehydrator that works well without having to spend as much money as for an Excalibur. Should it continue to operate reliably, I will be more than happy to retire my 9-year-old Nesco FD-80 by gifting it to a friend (partially also so she won't ask me to make her jerky as often.)

On first glance it's smaller than I expected. That said, the number of trays makes it actually the perfect kind of unit. Small enough physically that it doesn't take up too much space, but enough capacity to make a respectable batch of jerky.First unit arrived with some shipping damage, seller was prompt and went out of their way to make things right. Would buy this unit again.

With this food dehydrator, I've been able to make so many healthy snacks for not just my family but for our dogs as well. We started working to a friend of ours who has a small cattle and chicken farm and we started dehydrating some of the left over parts that they don't use. Not only do our dogs love it but we noticed that they have had a lot more energy since giving them homemade treats. We no longer buy store bought treats. This food dehydrator is way bigger than our counter one but the metal trays seem to last a longer and are better to use compared to the plastic ones. We have been able to use some of our silicone mats we used with out old one to make fruit and vegetable strips for our children. Not to mention, we've been able to do all sorts of fruits for toppings for our cereals, desserts and for snacking.

I love these! Purchased few months ago, used quite a few times since. I dehydrate in my oven, and these sheets fit perfectly on our oven rack. I use clips to hold firm, and never had an issue.

Crap! We just opened it to use and it won’t stay on. The heating element is out. Waste of money.

So used it a few times and it works awesome. Well worth the investment just wish tge trays was a little bigger but can't complain to much I can still put 3 times the amount of Jerry in it compared to the small ones you get at Walmart or Atwood

Really like this dehydrator! It’s big enough to dry a lot at once, and it’s been great for jerky and fruits. The touch controls are easy to use, and the timer makes it simple to set and forget. Feels solid and runs quietly. Happy with how well it works!

IT good I like it