Review: COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator

Affordable, modern, and reliable, the stainless steel COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator offers a whole lot of useful features for newbies and pros alike. With circa 9 square feet of drying space on its 6 food-grade stainless steel trays, it is suitable for small and big families. The powerful heating element and a wide range of temperatures ensure that this food dehydrator can be used for drying fruits, veggies, meat…anything you fancy dried! 

Even though the budget-friendly price and the high-quality design of the COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator can make it appealing to you, it doesn’t mean that this particular dehydrator is the best fit for your unique needs. After all, what works for you might not work for someone else. To make sure you’ll really get your money’s worth out of this kitchen gadget, take a look at our comprehensive guide before pulling out your credit card. 

Why Do You Need a Food Dehydrator?

Before you go and splurge on a new kitchen appliance, ask yourself: will I really use it? Or will it just collect dust tossed somewhere in the cupboard? If you are eating healthy (or looking to), love nutritious but pricey snacks like organic kale chips, or want to sub additive-laden store-bought jerky for a homemade healthy version, a food dehydrator is must-have. Similarly, people who have their own gardens and want to preserve their harvest, or those with pets who’d love some homemade treats will get a lot of use from a food dehydrator. Want to go camping or backpacking but don’t want to live on ramen and breakfast bars? Dehydrate pre-cooked pasta, ground beef, jerky, or prepare crunchy veggie and fruit snacks for a nutritious meal on the go. 

In all honesty, it would be hard not to find a way to use a food dehydrator frequently. Food dehydrators are one of the few gadgets that have been consistently popular for decades, for they save you money and time.

How to Choose the Right Food Dehydrator for Your Lifestyle

While the many benefits of food dehydrators are undeniable, there is the fact that not all food dehydrators are made alike. And that’s not just about the quality of the make—even though there are some serious differences in quality on the market—but also about the design of the unit. All food dehydrators operate on the same principle—a heating unit transforms cool air into warm, dispersing it throughout the dehydrator with a fan for removing excess moisture from foods—yet, there are crucial differences in their workings—the main being the design.

Food dehydrators come in two designs, vertical flow and horizontal flow. COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator belongs to the group of horizontal flow dehydrators, best known for their shelf design, with trays that pull out and a rear-mounted fan. These dehydrators are usually more powerful, versatile, and have better results with a wide variety of food. However, they can be a bit more expensive and can have cross-contamination of scents in some.

On the other hand, you have vertical flow dehydrators, which are usually round and opaque. Their trays are stackable and separated as a result, and you can buy add-ons for expansion. Usually the cheaper alternative, vertical food dehydrators are a good choice for average use, as they aren’t that powerful. 

Other than that, you should be on the lookout for nifty features, such as automatic shut off or free fruit leather trays. It all depends on your personal preference.

COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator: Who It’s For

With its budget-friendly price tag, medium to large capacity, and 600 watts of power to back its superior performance, COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator truly leaves little to be desired. If you’re new to the world of dehydrating food, you’ll especially love this food dehydrator, as it’s easy to use, delivers consistently good results, and comes with its own free recipe book.

This food dehydrator has 6 stainless steel food trays, which is more than enough for an average family’s needs, but not too much for one person either. Additionally, you’ll get a free mesh screen for finer items, such as herbs, and a fruit leather sheet, so you can dehydrate fruit (or veggie!) purees into mouth-watering snacks. 

COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator: Best Features

• 600 watts of power
• Ultra quiet operation (less than 48dB)
• Adjustable thermometer (95°- 165° F)
• Built-in timer (up to 48 hours)
• Auto shut-off
• Glass front door for monitoring
• 6 dishwasher safe stainless steel trays 
• Free mesh screen and fruit leather tray
• Food dehydrator recipe book with 50 recipes
• FDA-certified

One of the best things about COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator is the ability for customization—for both temperature and time, ensuring you get perfect results for everything from fine herbs to thick meat slices. 

The ultra quiet operation is another bonus, allowing you to set it up for night without worrying about waking up. To boot, the auto shut-off and overheating protection make overnight operations secure, as the machine will turn off once the process is done. 

The stainless steel housing and trays are durable, tough, and easy to clean. The inside of the unit can be wiped down with a damp cloth, or you can just put some aluminum foil on the bottom to catch drippings. The trays are dishwasher safe, so tidying up after drying is really a breeze. 

COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator: The Alternatives

Even though COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator is less expensive than its competitors, especially considering the features, spending $100+ on a food dehydrator might not be within your budget. If you still want to get a food dehydrator that will deliver on its promises but without the hefty price-tag, then the COSORI CO165 is a worthy alternative.

This round, stackable vertical flow dehydrator is cheap but sturdy, and it will be a good fit for undemanding users with a tight budget. It features 5 BPA-free plastic trays, plus one mesh screen and one fruit leather tray, so you can use this compact dehydrator for almost anything you set your mind to. Of course, it’s more compact, has a different design, and less power (450 watts) than the premium option. But, if you need an entry-level device, you can’t go wrong with the COSORI CO165.

COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator: The Verdict

It’s hard to find any type of kitchen appliance that would be a perfect match for the majority of users, but COSORI Premium Food Dehydrator is as close as you can get to it. Versatile, powerful, beautifully designed, and with an affordable price, this horizontal flow food dehydrator boasts impressive qualities. Overall, its an all-around good device that aims to please both beginners and pros alike.