Open Country Dehydrator FD1010-SK Review

OUR RATING

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TEMP. RANGE (°F)

95-160

WATTAGE

1000

TRAYS

TIMER

Yes

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PROS

– It dries quickly
– The shut-off timer
– Trays are sizeable and dishwasher-safe
– The benefit of the accessories

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CONS

– You need to buy the additional trays
– Temperature setting
– Heating of the dehydrator’s body

Dehydrating large quantities of food can be a bothersome task, as the constant shifting of the trays would make anyone wish to stop the whole process and do something else with all those slices of jerky or fruit. This is where the Open Country FD1022-SK Gardenmaster comes in – it allows you to dry thirty large trays of food at the same time in a fast and efficient way. It comes with the stunning 1000 watts of power and adds various accessories to the package, like the 52-page recipe book or some additional sheets and jerky spices.

QUICK LINKS

The Specification

Features of Open Country FD1022-SK Gardenmaster

Detailed Specifications

Things We Liked

Things We Didn’t Like

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Specifications

TEMPERATURE RANGE: 95 – 160°F

AIR FLOW: Horizontal

THERMOSTAT: Yes, adjustable

TIMER: Yes

NUMBER OF TRAYS: 4

MAX NUMBER OF TRAYS: 30

POWER: 1000W

WARRANTY: 1 year (limited)

DRYING SPACE: 30 square feet

Features of Open Country Dehydrator FD1022-SK

Spacious dehydration area

The Open Country food dehydrator comes with four trays, but the user can easily increase their number to 30, creating a vast area of 30 square feet of drying space. This, of course, means that you’ll be able to dry large quantities of food at the same time, which is perfect if you’re frequently having outdoor gatherings or have a business that requires lots of dried food.

Huge drying power

Since it comes with 1000 watts of drying power, the Garden Master dehydrator can be considered to be among the most powerful dehydrators on the market. Yes, you’ll be able to dry several types of different kinds of food in a quick and easy way, but don’t forget that this device might make some serious changes to your electricity bill.

The Converga-Flow system

Unlike some other Open Country food dehydrators, this one features the Converga-Flow system – the 4.5” fan makes the hot air circulate all around the dehydrator, bringing the same amount of it to all the trays. This feature shortens the drying process from days to hours – for example, it will only take 3 to 6 hours to dry the fruit rolls.

Adjustable thermostat controls

The built-in thermostat feature (ranging from 95 to 160°F) allows the users to quickly set the desirable temperature since different kinds of food need different temperatures to be dried in a proper way. It gives you the flexibility to get the best possible results and is certainly something without which the whole process would be a lot harder.

Precise digital controls

The Open Country dehydrator features a set of straightforward and accurate controls. They are very easy to use, and let’s not forget about the fact that the dehydrator will automatically turn off once the drying process is completed. This will surely save you some money and is something we’d like to see on all other dehydrators.

Opaque exterior panel

The external panel of this device comprises of the so-called Vita-Save feature, blocking the incoming light, which is not the case when it comes to dehydrators with transparent doors. In this way, the nutritious minerals and vitamins in the food will be retained and only make the whole meal healthier and tastier.

No noise while working

As it has a combination of the noiseless 2400 RPM motor and the 4.5” fan, the Gardenmaster dehydrator is silent while it’s turned on and in the process of drying. The motor and the fan also make this device at least four times faster than the dehydrators that feature different drying techniques.

The additional products

One of the best things about this unit is that it comes with some additional products – besides the dehydrator itself, you will also get a lovely 52-page recipe book, the book with the instructions, two additional sheets (a solid and a mesh one), as well as the packet of jerky spice. You can also buy some additional accessories, like the No-Spill Fruit Roll Sheet.

Open Country FD1022-SK

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Detailed specifications

The weight

Even though it’s pretty big, this dehydrator will easily fit into any kitchen. Its weight is 11,8 pounds.

The dimensions

The precise dimensions of the Gardenmaster are 16 x 16 x 11 inches, putting it into the category of compact dehydrators.

BPA safety

All the elements of this device that come into contact with food are BPA-free, and it is entirely safe to eat any food that was dried in it.

The number of trays

You will get four trays in the box, but this figure can be increased by buying additional trays. With 30 of them, you will be able to dry vast quantities of different meals.

The warranty period

The manufacturer of this dehydrator, Open Country, provides a 1-year limited warranty to purchasers.

Powerful fan

The patented fan (that rotates at 2400 RPM) is very powerful and easily dries any food, like jerky or fish.

Things We Liked

The Open Country Gardenmaster 1000 Watt Dehydrator is a great device, and there a lot of things we like about it. These are the most notable ones:

It dries quickly

As we already said, this dehydrator dries food four times quicker than most of the other models, thanks to its powerful motor and the fan with a high RPM. In just a few hours, your jerky or banana chips will be ready for consumption.

The shut-off timer

This is one of the most important features when it comes to dehydrators – you do not have to keep an eye on it, as it will automatically turn off once the food is dry and ready for usage. No more over-dried strawberry slices!

Trays are sizeable and dishwasher-safe

Not only can one dry large quantities of food with this 1000 watt dehydrator, but he can also easily wash its trays in the regular dishwasher.

The benefit of the accessories

The book with the recipes and the instructions book will certainly help a novice to use the Gardenmaster dehydrator in a proper and comfortable way. The additional sheets and the jerky spice only make the whole package even better.

Things We Didn’t Like

Unfortunately, there are also some bad things about this model, even though there’s not many of them. But still, let us have a look at them:

You need to buy the additional trays

The whole “drying lots of food” statement about this model is valid only if you buy some additional trays, as you will get only four of them in the box. You can easily buy more online, but still – there could have been more in the package itself.

Temperature setting

One can increase or decrease the temperature only by 5 degrees, and it is not possible to set it at, say, 113°F, as it is not an even number. This is not a big problem, but it might be to some users.

Heating of the dehydrator’s body

Once it’s turned on, the Gardenmaster’s plastic body heats up pretty quickly, which means that leaving it unattended for longer periods of time should be avoided.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need to rotate the trays during the drying process?

No, the Horizontal Airflow feature makes sure that the food is dried well on all sides.

2. Is there a timer on this model?

Yes, the Open Country food dehydrator comes with a timer. It automatically shuts off the unit.

3. Will I get an instruction booklet with this dehydrator?

Yes, the instruction booklet is included in the package, as well as the book of recipes.

4. What is the maximum temperature setting?

This dehydrator’s temperature setting ranges from 95°F to 160°F.

5. What is the warranty period for this product?

It comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

Conclusion

Even though it has some minor disadvantages, we consider the Open Country Gardenmaster 1000 Watt Dehydrator to be an excellent choice. It is especially ideal for the commercial use, as it can easily dry big batches of food with its 30 trays and a powerful fan.

It comes at a relatively reasonable price (around $125 on Amazon), and it can even be easily used by a complete beginner, thanks to its instructions booklet and the recipe book. It is quiet, powerful, and dries the food in hours – what more could one want from a dehydrator?

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Open Country Dehydrator FD1022-SK Review for 2020

PROS

CONS

Specifications