|
Frequently Asked Questions about our Ezidri Home Food Dehydrators |
Q: What can I dry?
A: Almost anything! The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. You can dry fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, fish - even flowers! (Oily food such as avocados are not recommended for drying). |  |
Q: How long does dehydrating take?
A: Drying time really depends on what you are dehydrating as well as how dry you want your produce to be. But as a general rule, most produce takes between 8-12 hours, so you can leave your dehydrator on overnight and wake up in themorning to a dehydrator full of dried goodness ready to be enjoyed!
Drying time is determined by several factors, including:
- Natural sugar content (the higher the content, the longer the drying time)
- Thickness of produce (approx 5mm slices is the perfect drying thickness)
- Humidity (higher the humidity, the longer it takes as there is more moisture to remove)
|
Q: What do I get when I buy an Ezidri dehydrator & how much does it cost?
A: The Ultra FD1000 is $369 RRP. It comes complete with:
The Snackmaker is $199 RRP. It comes complete with:
The Classic Everyday is $149 RRP. It comes complete with:
| 
|
Q: What do I have to do to dehydrate something?
A: Dehydrating with an Ezidri is as simple as slice, set & forget. You simply slice your produce (ideal thickness being 5mm), set it on your trays, and then forget about it for the next 8-12 hours! Remember, that the thinner the slice & lighter the produce, the quicker it dries!
|
Q: Do I need to add any additives or preservatives when I dehydrate produce?
A: No! There is absolutely no need to add any preservatives or additives when you dehydrate. Because you remove all but 5% of the water, this low moisture content means there is no need to add anything to it in order for the food to keep. Some people do like to pretreat apples, bananas & other foods prone to going brown by dipping them in lemon juice or unsweetened pinapple juice. This is purely for cosmetic reasons and does not need to be done, but is still not adding anything unnatural to the fruit! Only dehydrated food can truly claim to be pure & preservative-free. Of course if you want to add something to enhance the flavour even more (eg coconut or honey to rollups) you can. |  |
Q: For how long can I store my dehydrated food?
A: Dried food should always be stored in a COOL, DRY & DARK location. For every 10 deg Celsius drop in storage temperature, the shelf life of dried food increases up to four times. So by placing your dehydrated food in an airtight container, in a cool, dark space (a cupboard's a great spot) you can keep it for between 1-2 years. Of course, that is if you don't eat your dried delicacies before then!
If you want to store it for longer periods, you can prolong the life of your dehydrated food by putting it in the freezer. Because it's cool, dry & dark, it's the perfect conditions for storing the dried produce - and can keep it for over 5 years. You are also able to take the produce out, then refreeze it.
|
Q: How do I make rollups?
A: Rollups are incredibly easy to make and a great way to use up excess or blemished fruit & vegetables. Simply cut your produce up and mash it with a potato masher until a smooth puree. Then place a Solid Sheet on your dehydrator's tray and pour the puree over the sheet, about 3-5mm thick. Dehydrate at 55 deg Celsius for between 12-14 hours, depending on how dry you want the rollup to be. When ready simply peel off the sheet, cut into desired size and enjoy! |  |
Q: I've got a Harvest Maid dehydrator, am I still able to get accessories for this?
A: Yes! Ezidri units are compatible with Harvest Maid units, so while the design is slightly different, the size is the same. So the trays, solid sheets, mesh sheet & spacer rings do fit the Harvest Maid models - prices are as follows (all in $AU & inc. GST)
- Single Tray & Spacer Ring $19.00/Ultra FD1000 (H/Maid 1000) $17.00/Snackmaker & Classsic (H/maid 500)
- Single Solid Sheet $9.50/All Models
- Single Mesh Sheet $7.50/All Models
|
Q: How long is the warranty on the Ezidri dehydrators and where can I get it fixed if something goes wrong?
A: The Ultra FD1000 & Snackmaker have a 2-year warranties & the Classic Everyday has a 12-month warranty. If something does happen to go wrong within this time or after, we have Authorised Ezidri Service Agents in each state who would be more than happy to fix the problem so that you can continue to create your own dehydrated delicacies! Click here to find out who your closest Authorised Ezidri Service Agent is! |  |
Q: Do I lose any of the nutritional value of my food when I dehydrate it?
A: According to US Dept of Agriculture Research Service, when food is dehydrated it retains over 95% of it's original nutrients. When you compare this to frozen & canned food which loses 40-80% of it's nutritional value - dehydrated food is the clear health winner! |
Q: Can I reconstitute my food once it's dehydrated?
A: Yes! It's really easy to reconstitute dehydrated food, because all you have taken out in the dehydrating process is water, this is all you need to add back! Dehydrated food has a very concentrated taste, so it's a great ingredient to use in soups, pastas & other dishes to enhance the flavour & aroma! |  |
Q: Can I wash my trays, mesh sheets & solid sheets in the dishwasher?
A: All accessories are not suitable for cleaning in a dishwasher.
Solid sheets should be cleaned using only warm water & a paper towel, with NO detergent. Mesh sheets & trays should be cleaned with warm water & a mild detergent, using a soft bristled brush to loosen dried-on particles. |
Q: If I only have a small amount of produce to dry, can I just use 2 or 3 trays?
A: No, you should always use the minimum amount of trays on your dehydrator - Ultra & Snackmaker 5 & Classic 4. Then if you only have small amount to dry, simply use the top most trays and leave the bottom ones empty. |  |
Q: Can I dry whole pieces of fruit or vegetable?
A: No! You need to expose the inner flesh to be dehydrated, as if it isn't, the outside will dry first and create a condition called 'Case Hardening'. This simply means that the outer skin has dried too quickly, leaving moisture trapped in the the inside of the produce. Because of this, the produce will deteriorate quickly after a short storage time and have to be discarded. |
| BACK TO TOP |
|
