My only gripe about this is how it was shipped. In the end it didn't matter because the product works and no damage was done but I was surprised to see the manufacturer's box sitting on my doorstep. Usually when I order things through the mail it comes shipped in a brown box so people don't see whats on your doorstep - you know, so people are less likely to 'shop' on your doorstep.
It was in the box it comes in (all the product pictures etc all over it) And when I opened it I was so surprised that there wasn't ANY packing material. It was the plastic dehydrator in the box with some plastic around the lid. I was terrified but as I said it works and looks fine. So whether or not this matters to you is completely unrelated to the quality of the product.

I just ate some of the apple chips we made last night (it came yesterday) and they're fab. I love it and am excited to make healthy snacks for my child's lunch with it.

I would have given this a 5 star rating except there's no timer. It is very quiet though. I asked for this dehydrator as a Christmas gift from my husband so I could make homemade jerky for my dog. I'm so glad I did because now I can feel at ease knowing where my dog's jerky is coming from. It is so hard to find a healthy, all natural jerky for dogs that isn't from China (which has been the source of alot of ingredients which has caused so many dogs to become ill or die). And if you do find a jerky made in the USA, there's usually all kinds of other uneccesary ingredients and preservatives in it! I just want to feed my dog plain chicken, turkey, beef or fish jerky. I also made dehydrated apples, bananas, carrots and sweet potato chips for her and now don't have to pay the high prices for them from the specialty pet stores (which again, some were made in China). The dehydrator also came with a recipe book which included a couple of dog treat recipes. Now I know I can use/substitute different ingredients and make my own doggie treats and biscuits with this also. It is fun and will save me money reducing the need for me to spend so much in the pet stores. I will also use it as a part of my cooking regime for my family as well. I would recommend this product if you are like me and are concerned about the pet food/treat industry. Our dogs are an important part of our lives and families and deserve quality food as we do.

I read the reviews on all sorts of dehydrators before purchasing one - and everyone agreed: BUY THE NESCO. I like my nesco a lot, we use it all the time for beef jerky. We tried doing pineapple in it, but it seemed to be a waste - as the pineapple tasted better fresh than dried.

The jerky maker gun works ok, the spices are a little 'ick' that came with it. We used the jerky gun once, and then we stuck with london broils or flank steaks as our meat of choice for jerky.

Most people say my beef jerky is the best they've ever tasted. I slice london broils (bought on sale) against the grain("on the bias")very thinly. Use a very sharp filet or chefs knife. I marinate the strips in a bowl in the frig for 12-24 hours in 1cup soy sauce, 1cup teriyaki, 2 tbs brown sugar 1tbs black pepper.

My machine holds about 3 lbs of marinated jerky, and it takes around 4-5 hours to dry. I let the jerky rest/cool on a plate, then i store in a ziplock baggie.

GREAT VALUE - makes INCREDIBLE jerky. Only wish this product had a timer or an on off switch.

Was shipped very quickly. I love the thing can't use it enough. Was in great condition when it arrived. I am very happy with the product.

We have been extremely happy with the dehydrator. So far we have used it for drying basil, tomatoes and other herbs. It has worked well even though the weather was warm and humid.