95 – 158
480
TRAYS
6
PROS
– Cool-to-touch housing
– Meets the ETL regulations
– Adjustable digital thermostat
– Auto shut-off feature
– Transparent window for easy monitoring
– Six spacious drying shelves
– Dishwasher-safe trays
– Timer feature included
– Manufactured from BPA-free materials
– Easy-to-use controls
CONS
– Heat can be increased only in 9-degree intervals
Based in Edison, New Jersey, Ivation is well-known for manufacturing various household appliances and kitchenware. Among these are dehydrators, which often come at a reasonable price but still sport the features found on pricier models.
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
Design
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.
Performance
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.
Capacity
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.
Ivation 6 Tray Premium
Controls
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.
Downsides
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!
Conclusion
Those looking for an affordable, easy-to-use dehydrator will probably find this model to their liking. Not only is the unit very easy to use, but also comes with adjustable settings that make it easy to get perfectly dried food every time you use the machine. With this model, you’ll be able to preserve your favorite meals in a healthily and economically.
Unfortunately, this dehydrator is not flawless. Besides the fact that you can increase the heat in 9-degree intervals only, it also lacks any add-ons and its plastic housing might look cheap to some potential buyers. However, the performance is excellent and the unit stays cool to touch even after hours of drying food.
All of this turns Ivation 6 Tray Premium into a pretty good choice for anyone who needs a model that’s affordable, but also reliable, efficient, and easy to operate.
Hello , I just purchased this product! 6 tray ivation dehydrator! Just dried apples in half the time that my previous ( different brand) models , super quiet! Easily cleaned ! Easy to carry and store. I totally love it! My only negative is the the manual did not provide optimum temps for drying various products!
I would definitely recommend!