REASONS TO BUY
Consistent morsels
Compact storage dimensions
REASONS TO AVOID
Counterintuitive controls
Trays could be easier to clean
Presto 06301 Dehydro Review
This reliable dehydrator offers adjustability and compact storage for those with limited space
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
RELATED: Best Food Dehydrators of 2024
Our Verdict
The Presto 06301 Dehydro did well across the board in our analysis with a few minor exceptions in our ease of use evaluation. Despite these issues, this model offers a lot of benefits to those new to drying foods — such as reduced storage size and adjustable capacity — that will appeal to the old hand as well.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product Presto 06301 Dehydro | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | |||||
| Price | $110 List $94.99 at Amazon | $70 List $69.99 at Amazon | $90 List $88.00 at Amazon | $60 List $59.99 at Amazon | $48 List $39.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A quality dehydrator for the space conscious consumer | This unique dehydrator has ample tray space in a rectangular, stackable format; it also has simple controls and is easy to clean | An adjustable capacity stacked dehydrator that renders evenly dried, tasty morsels | A simple machine that has two settings, is easy to clean, and is very inexpensive | A solid entry-level dehydrator for those looking to try it out |
| Rating Categories | Presto 06301 Dehydro | Hamilton Beach 32100A | NESCO Snackmaster Pro | Nutrichef PKFD12 | Commercial Chef CCD... |
| Dehydrating (25%) | |||||
| Temperature Accuracy (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Specs | Presto 06301 Dehydro | Hamilton Beach 32100A | NESCO Snackmaster Pro | Nutrichef PKFD12 | Commercial Chef CCD... |
| Tray Dimensions | 15" diameter | 10.5" x 13" | 13.5" diameter | 12" diameter | 9.4" diameter |
| Number of Trays | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Temperature Range | 90-165 F | 100-160 F | 95 - 160 F | Max 180 F | 104-158 F |
| Tray Material | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic |
| Power Consumption | 750W | 500W | 600W | 250W | 100W |
| Capacity | 3.25 sq ft | 3.75 sq ft | 5 sq ft | 3.25 sq ft | 5.3 sq ft |
| Outside Dimensions | 14.5" x 15" x 7.25" | 10.5" x 13" x 11" | 13.5" x 13.5" x13.5" | 12" x 7.5" x 13" | 9.92" x 9.43" x 7.01" |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The fully expanded machine ready for work.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Consistent and accurate
The Dehydro has accurate temperature controls, displaying minor variance at the lowest temperature setting. The food produced by this machine is uniform and scrumptious, though the beef jerky was a little too dry by some tasters' standards.
Circular trays require circular arrangements of foods.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Cleaning
If you've read through more than one of our dehydrator reviews, then you may have noticed a theme: cleaning these machines can be a bit of a nuisance. The Dehydro is no different. In this case, the trays are the issue. These trays have bigger gaps between the slats and thus risk smaller pieces of food falling through them. The other problem is that the trays have some tight corners and spaces that make sticky substances hard to wipe out. The good news is that the trays are the body of the machine, and as such, they can easily be wiped into the trash or soaked in the sink. Once cleaned, the trays nest inside one another for compact storage.
Ease of Use
The Presto is not as straightforward to operate as other machines. However, after a careful read of the instructions is made, the controls are simple enough to operate. Our chief complaint — admittedly a minor one — is that when the timer runs out, one must clear the temperature setting to add more time.
Nested trays make storage as easy as can be.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
While the Presto 06301 Dehydro isn't the most economical machine based on its capacity, it certainly produced good results with minimal fuss. Moreover, it is a machine that one can grow with, literally. If you like to dry foods and want to do more of it, you can buy more trays. For these reasons, we think that this machine is worth the money spent.
Digital controls eliminate the guesswork that is inherent to knows and dials.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
This low-capacity dehydrator delivers high-quality dried food at a reasonable price. While the trays are a bit of a pain to clean, they nest inside one another to reduce the storage size. Extra trays are available from the manufacturer, so if your appetite for dried food grows, so can your dehydrator. While the Presto isn't the archetype dehydrator, its unique features, such as nesting trays, are pretty cool and utilitarian. The machine has accurate temperature controls and is relatively easy to clean up. Finally, it breaks down to dimensions smaller than other models. If you're new to dehydrating or simply don't have much space to store one of these machines, then check out the Presto.
—Nick Miley and Michelle Powell
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