Samson "Silent" 9 Stainless Steel Tray Dehydrator

This dehydrator exceeded my expectations. It is very easy to set up and use and easy to clean. I grow several types of herbs as well as celery and I was able to dehydrate the herbs and celery leaves with minimal fuss and excellent results. It has a large capacity which is helpful to cut down on the time spent processing herbs.While I would not say it is indeed silent, I thought that the sound level was acceptable. Because dehydrators have fans there will always be noise, but it was not loud enough to be annoying or even to bother my husband who works from home in the next room.The variable temperature is good for delicate herbs. After some testing I settled on 122 degrees F for most herbs. They generally dried in 6 to 10 hours depending on the herb but retained their color. It is so nice to have bright looking dried celery leaves and basil instead of washed out brown like they came from drying in the oven. Even my dark opal basil stayed a lovely purple color!I have also used this as a proofing box for bread. It worked amazing! My challah bread came out wonderfully light and fluffy, not an easy feat in December in the midwest when it is below freezing outside, especially with the cost of heating the house so high this winter!The only down side is that it is quite large and takes up quite a bit of space. I had to move my electric roaster to make space for it.I would highly recommend this dehydrator! It is totally worth the price and having to reorganize my cabinets to store it.

This is my second dehydrator I’ve bought for jerky. The other was one of those cheap ones with stackable shelves and the fan/heater on the bottom that you see all over Amazon. They all show fancy diagrams of airflow through the unit. But don't fall for that. I returned that one after I quickly discovered the top shelf couldn’t even get up to 100 deg F after many hours (even when set at 158), with meat on the shelves. It’s heating element was way underpowered. It got lots of good reviews on Amazon, but apparently no one bothered to use a thermometer to test the claimed temps. And that can be really scary when making Jerky. the meat can spoil.Anyway, in contrast, this Samson dehydrator is sensational. It holds its set temp *exactly* spot on, to the exact degree. Even when loaded with meat and when set at the highest temp (158). It measures 158 exactly. And it also tracks perfectly across all other temp settings. So, it must have a very good sensor and feedback loop built in to adjust the heating output, which is a refreshing change. A lot of dehydrators, when you dig deep into the reviews, are consistently pinged for poor temp control. In fact, most of the under $100 ones have very poor temp controls, if anyone bothers to test them. But this one has it nailed, and is way worth spending a bit more for.I really like the stainless shelves, they feel very sturdy. Also worth spending just a bit more for. And with the flexible plastic shelf liners that come with them, the shelves are easy to clean.My only complaint about this dehydrator is the claim that it is silent. Not even close. I can hear it running in my kitchen when I am in my bedroom on the other side of the house (1 door and 100 feet away). Now, I will say, it’s not a bad sound: sort of a low-toned whoosh, like a strong fan. I am okay with that—I didn’t buy it expecting perfect quiet. And it’s much better than the sound of my previous dehydrator. So, just keep in mind that “silent” it is not. But that said, I doubt you will find any dehydrator that is silent. I suspect this is one of the best in that regard.Again though, this is a very high-quality dehydrator, don’t hesitate to get it.

Best Dehydrator I have ever owned and I have owned quite a few including restaurant-grade commercial dehydrators and the all-metal ones here on Amazon that are way more expensive. The grates on these are amazing, nothing ever sticks and the whole dehydrator is easy to take apart if you need to deep clean it. The only downside is the front sliding door. I wish it weren't plastic. I cracked mine (totally my fault). If they took this design and made it in all metal with a glass door (and obviously charge more) I would snag a few of them.

I purchased this dehydrator in March of 2020. Despite heavy use, it is still running smoothly and reliably. The heat is even and the fan provides reliable circulation to maintain the set temperature for the set amount of time. I appreciate that the temperature goes down to 95F which preserves the quality of delicate herbs and flowers. I grow medicinal and culinary herbs so it is on most of early July through the fall when I dry apples and other fruit. I will even remove a couple of shelves from the bottom when I begin infusing base oils with the freshly dried botanicals. The size is perfect for a home gardener....big enough to be useful; not so big it takes over the space.I highly recommend this dehydrator.

Would have given 5 stars if temperature regulation was more precise. Don’t like the preset temps and limits on high-low.

Got this as a gift for my parents who make a lot of dehydrated jerky and dog treats. They love it. Not "silent" but not super loud, sounds about like a refrigerator does. The recommended times/temps are a little off, at least for what we used it for, and left the jerky more crunchy than chewy. The timer is a great function, we turn it on at night and wake up to perfectly made snacks.

I have dehydrated strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and bananas so far. Works very well, the silicone trays are great! One for each shelf.

I love my new dehydrator! I am making my second batch of beef jerky right now and they are all turning out perfect! The only thing I don't like is that it shuts off on its own after 10-15 minutes or so and has to be restarted. I figured out to leave the very bottom rack slightly out and rest the door onto the tray so the air can move around and not get too much hot air in there to shut down. Still great though! I would definitely buy it again :)