Real Consumer Reviews and Ratings
Ronco Food Dehydrator Reviews and Ratings
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Overall Rating 
Manufacturer
Ronco Inventions
Product Description
The Ronco™ Electric Food Dehydrator™ is the World's #1 Best-Selling Food Dehydrator - Because it is the BEST! Featuring a powerful heat coil and convection air flow, this food dehydrator is built to last! There's no noisy fan or motor to break down and all of the trays are FDA approved for food contact and won't deteriorate like others will. With the Ronco™ Electric Food Dehydrator™ you can save hundreds of dollars by making your own beef jerky, turkey jerky and spicy jerky, trail mix, homemade yogurt, raisins, apple snacks, banana chips, soup mixes, prunes, dried tomatoes, dried herbs, dried vegetables, and dried mangos. You can even make dried flower arrangements, baker's dough for holiday ornaments, fruit roll ups, and so much more! This is the PERFECT gift for gardeners, cooks, jerky lovers, hikers, backpackers, fishermen and campers. And parents can have comfort, knowing that they're providing their children with delicious, healthful snacks.
Average Retail Value
$39.99 (prices may vary)
Comparisons
N/A
Consumer Ratings
Works but more effort than its worth...
11/14/2008 - Lynnie of Oregon, USA writes:
I bought this about 8 years ago. It does work good but the trays are very hard to clean especially after making jerky. Useful but after 5+ years of using it and trying to get the racks pristine (I don't have a d/w), I sold it at a yard sale for $10. Let them scrub and pick at the trays.
Doies what it says it will
9/22/2008 - IJK of New York, USA writes:
I have used this product to make jerky and to also dry veggies. It works as claimed. The instructions could be improved and may have been since I have the product for over 10 years.
Great Product - and FUN
7/14/2008 - Cristi of Arizona, USA writes:
I've owned mine for about 6 years now. I only use it about 2 times per year, but when I do, it gets used ALOT. I make beef jerky, ant it comes out great. Drying fruits are the best -- nectarines, blueberries, bananas, and homegrown TOMATOES. Awesome. It's bulky to store, but fun to use. I have no complaints.
I will never buy another---
9/10/2007 - Hawke of South Carolina, USA writes:
I bought one of these when I first got interested in dehydrating some six years or so ago. There are times of the year when I have a very full plate and I quickly discovered that this product didn't fit into my alloted time. You practically have to stand over the machine, rotating trays at least every six to eight hours, otherwise the stuff on the bottom is OVERDONE, the stuff in the middle is almost right and the stuff on the top is way UNDERdone. What a headache and a mess! It ALSO doesn't have an adjustable thermostat, something essential to the PROPER drying of foods. After further consulting my sources as to the best type of dehydrator, I went hunting for a box type with heat that came across the trays rather than up through the bottom and an adjustable thermostat. The old Harvest Maids (same company, I think) have ALL that! So I got one from ebay. Suddenly, I could slice fruit on my slicer, set the thermostat and walk away for as long as I needed to. I only had to open the door to check the dryness of the assorted foods. It makes truely incredible raisins and so much more! I can leave it running a week or a day and the food never gets over done, it's always just perfect. I've had SO MANY PEOPLE rave about my dehydrated fruits, jerky and tomatos, they prefer them to store bought. The secret is that it's all in the TYPE of dehydrator you use. OH, BTW, the Ronco? I gave it away, along with the expansion set. I'll *never* buy a "heat from the bottom" or a "no adjustable thermostat" again.
Great Product
6/13/2007 - Cindy of California, USA writes:
I have been using this product for about 14 years and have never had a problem. The key is following the directions and adjusting the air vents on the bottom of the unit. I have dried everything from fruits and veggies to making jerky. It has really been great for taking the dried fruits and stuff on road trips, camping trips, or to just have dried fruit around the house without all the sugar and preservatives you get in products from the store. I feel better about giving my grandkids snacks that I've dried than the store bought stuff. Well worth investing in.
Makes the best jerky ever
4/14/2007 - Kris of California, USA writes:
I was given a Ronco Food Dehydrator for my Birthday 13 years ago. I love it. I use it 3-6 times a year to make beef jerky. It does a great job. Everytime I make jerky, people who try it cooment that the homemade jerky is better than any store bought version.
OK
3/26/2007 - Hol of California, USA writes:
It works ok, it dried my fruit into such small and unappetizing bits. It would take either 10 machines to make a decent bags worth or 10 weeks. your choice.
prefer the harvest maid product
1/29/2007 - Anonymous of Ontario, Canada writes:
i have had this one for about 2 weeks..to replace my harvest maid which was accidently ruined..the trays have to be rotated constantly and it is an error to remember to do it at regular intervals..24 hour drying is a farce for highly fatted foods and some vegetables..cut items THIN or you will be drying for days..i returned this and searched until i found another "harvest maid" dehydrator..and now i am finally happy.
Worth every penny!
1/19/2007 - Bobby of Minnesota, USA writes:
This product, as well as every other Ronco Product out there is worth every penny! It works just as good as they show on the informercial! The only problem is we eat the foods we prepare faster than the unit can make it. ;) Excellent product, and it's now less expensive than it was when I bought it. If you like beef jerky, you gotta buy this machine!
Over 15 years and still working!
1/6/2007 - Kay of New Mexico, USA writes:
Do not hesitate to buy this product! I have had mine for over 15 years and it still works like new! It has been used mostly for drying jerky, but has also had minimal use for making yogurt and drying fruit for trail mixes. We've used it to make jerky at least once every couple of weeks and never had a problem.
Great product
8/5/2006 - Mariel of New York, USA writes:
This is a great product that actually works as advertised. The trays are a nice height unlike other food dehydrators which have thin trays. I use this for making dried tomatoes, beef jerky and fruit leathers mostly. When it’s hot and/or humid out it does take longer for the food to dry.
LOVE IT!!
1/28/2006 - Shannon of Illinois, USA writes:
This is the best purchase I never made. My grandmother purchased it over 15 years ago (can't remember when, but it was before I got married), and never used it. She gave it to me just after I got married. We've done fruits, veggies, meats, and even flowers! At the time, it came with little bowls to make yogurt, but I don't know if it still does. I never tried them, as we lost the bowls when we moved. This is well worth the money. It's worth 10 times the money if you buy it for jerkey alone!! But with all the other things we've done with it, just for fun...well..wow!
