Ivation 6 Tray Premium allows its user to create healthy, homemade snacks without preservatives or additives. Perfect for drying beef jerky and fruit slices, it comes with 6 large drying racks, a digital thermostat, and a cool-to-touch housing. Let’s check out these and other features in more detail:

Specifications

POWER: 480W

TEMPERATURE RANGE: 95 – 158°F

THERMOSTAT: Adjustable

DRYING SPACE: 10 square feet

Features

First of all, this dehydrator is available in two different versions. Besides this one, there is also a 9-tray variant, which is taller and around $30 pricier. The 6-tray model weighs 13.6 pounds and has the dimensions of 13.6″ x 12.4″ x 17.7″. It comes in only one color (black) and has a sleek, modern look.

An important thing to mention here is that the unit is BPA-free in construction. In other words, materials that were used for its manufacture contain no harmful chemicals. The window that covers the front opening comes transparent. This allows the user to monitor the entire dehydration process without any disruption and then modify the time or temperature settings to achieve the best output.

Just like most of the other similar products, this model comes with a rear-mounted fan. Its heating unit is located right behind the fan, and these two components combined produce an even drying throughout the whole interior. In other words, the user is not required to rotate the trays.

In addition to this, the model’s adjustable thermostat (coupled with the auto shut-off feature) prevents the food from burning. The timer can be programmed in half-an-hour increments all the way up to 20 hours. When it comes to the temperature settings, 8 distinct levels cover the space between 95°F and 158°F. All of this allows the user to get the ideal crispy meals every time he decides to use the machine.

The control panel of this dehydrator has received a lot of praise from its users. It is very straightforward and can be easily used even by those who never used a food-drying machine before.

One of the control panel’s most remarkable features is that it allows choosing three preferred settings. These are selected with the quick-set buttons. An owner can use this convenient feature to pre-select the timing and temperature for three of his most commonly used settings.

As you can already guess, this removes the need to worry about accidentally selecting the wrong setting. One can simply choose one of his favorites presets and go to bed with complete peace of mind. Once the drying process is over, the model’s auto switch-off feature will power everything down.

Using this dehydrator is exceptionally easy. The control area is located on the top of the unit and contains a display and six buttons. The digital display is tiny but still bright and easy to read. The six buttons are plus, minus, timer, temperature, as well as the on/off switch. All of them are easy to press and setting up any parameter is intuitive and can be done in seconds.

As we already mentioned, the unit’s timer is programmed in 30-minute increments. This means that your food can be set to dry for anywhere between half-an-hour and 19.5 hours. It’s something that makes this appliance very versatile and flexible, which is yet another of its advantages.

Due to the fact that this is a budget model, one can’t expect to find any add-ons or replacement parts for it easily. This decreases the model’s versatility and turns it into a less-desirable choice. For the average users, however, its features should easily cover all of their food-drying needs, removing the need for any add-ons.

As it was manufactured in China, each of the model’s temperature settings is 9 degrees offset from the next one. This was done to mirror the Celsius range and is something that takes time getting used to. However, with the heat range of 95-158°F, you won’t have any problems with drying your favorite food just the way you want it.

Recommended reading: More food dehydrator reviews and comparisons can be found here!