Gourmia Digital Cut + Dry Compact Food Dehydrator Review

Almost everything available for purchase at all of our local grocery stores have some preservatives in it. It is just the way our society has developed and grown. We are big believers in instant gratification. When we want something, we want it now and we don’t want to have to wait. Preservatives are a natural progression of that process. But so many of us are now understanding that that might not be the best, or healthy at all for us. Many are now actively looking for ways to get the foods we crave in a healthier manner. One of the many processes we can use for this is dehydrating. Up for review today is the Gourmia Digital Cut + Dry Compact Food Dehydrator.

Features and specs:

HEALTHY & DELICIOUS: A more flavorful, preservative-free, and cost-friendly alternative to commercial products.

6 TRAYS: Simultaneously dry a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or meats.

DIGITAL CONTROLS: LED touch interface allows for easy setting of time and temperature.

TRANSPARENT WINDOW: Designed with a clear door that allows you to monitor the dehydration progress

360° AIRFLOW CIRCULATION: Provides thorough, uniform drying without overheating, no rotation required.

The Dehydrator came in a color printed box, printed with pictures of the product and it’s specs and features. Opening the box revealed the product well protected. It was wrapped in a plastic bag and was held in place by a custom molded Styrofoam casing. Also included was the owner’s manual and a recipe booklet. Materials used in construction was mostly plastic with some metal. Quality of construction was very good, as was fit and finish. This was a very well built product with many years of possible use.

The design of the Dehydrator was wonderful. It is a large box that fits easily on a standard countertop. It came with six removable drying shelves and one plastic protective food sheet for use in more fragile foods, like fruit leather, for easier removal after dehydrating. It also has an easily removable drip pan to catch any spillage to make cleaning easy and effective. 

After we followed the instructions for cleaning the product before first using it, we tried to decide what we wanted to make first. As is our customary habit, we always follow directions to the letter the first time we attempt anything new, and then make changes according to our personal tastes and desires. As we dried bananas and apples, we discovered that, while the dehydrator did an excellent job, we prefer a crisper finish. The bananas and apples turned out chewier and tougher than we wanted, but I don’t think that was an issue, just a person taste preference. So we started to experiment. For my family, we prefer thinner slices and a longer drying time to achieve the level of crispiness we loved. As we experimented further, we found the most wonderful thing known to man, sweet potato chips. Only three ingredients; sweet potatoes, avocado oil and salt and totally satisfied the craving that fried potato chips raise in my soul! We didn’t find a single thing that this dehydrator couldn’t do with some experimentation for taste and texture.

This was an excellent product that we are sure would be an asset to any kitchen. While there’s not much we can do about the instant gratification side of things, a dehydrator takes many hours to finish a treat, but it is infinitely healthier and with just a bit of planning, we can have our chips, and eat them guiltfree.  Based on it’s design, features, quality, and performance, the Gourmia Digital Cut + Dry Compact Food Dehydrator has earned our Highly Recommended Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.gourmia.com.
*Sample product provided did not have an influence on the resulting review.