Excalibur 5-Tray Dehydrator with Timer, Black

I have been using this almost everyday since it arrived a couple of weeks ago. I am very pleased with the fabulous kale chips I have made and I have found a way to make good, safe beef jerky for my dog. It does take some experimentation though. The dehydrator itself seems to be of more than adequate quality made of a very sturdy type of plastic. It has a heater, fan and timer so as long as those components last I will be happy. The fan is quieter than I thought it would be. It is about as noisy as my very quiet dishwasher. Regarding the size, I have filled all five trays with only 2 bunches of kale so if you are thinking of using a dehydrator to make kale chips or other treats, I think it is worthwhile to make enough to serve more than 1 or 2 people at a time. The kale chips go very fast in my house. I also bought an inexpensive slicer as I think it is important to make thin slices of equal size to dehydrate adequately, especially of certain foods, such as beef jerky or sweet potatoes. I think a dehydrator is a good way to prepare foods in a different, yet healthy way....dehydration preserves the enzymes in contrast to cooking which destroys enzymes....but I have discovered that meat does need to be cooked to 160 degrees F. before dehydration to destroy harmful organisms. Measure the temperature with a meat thermometer. Using this method I have dehydrated beef jerky for my dog which turned out to be delicious. I know it is delicious because I can eat it myself. Three lbs. of round roast turns into 3/4 lb. of tender, melt in your mouth morsels, if you slice it thin enough and marinate it after cooking in a very weak beef boulion (no salt for dogs). My very fussy dog loves it. Thicker slices will make a chewier product. .....UPDATE....It's been a few weeks since my initial review and I am still very pleased. Just want to add a note about the DRYER SHEETS. I bought a pack of 9 dryer sheets that go with the dehydrator. I used 3 of them and ruined them, I think, right off the bat. They absorbed some oil from the kale chips I was making and, after much effort, soap and hot water, I could not wash the oil out in my sink, in which the sheets did not fit...a very awkward process. One might do a better job by using the bathtub but I am not prepared to do that. I have not used these dryer sheets since. I have been using parchment paper (love it) or the mesh liners that came with they dehydrator. The mesh liners are much easier to clean. The choice of which liner to use is dependent upon what you are dehydrating. Sweet potato chips are fine on the mesh liners. Somewhat drippy marinated beef works well with parchment paper. These are my preferences so far. Another note about SAFETY AND BEEF JERKY...I am now NOT precooking the beef but turning the dehydrator temp. to max (165 F.) for 1 hour, then I rotate the trays and dry them at max. for 1 more hour, finishing the process at a lower temp. I rotate the trays because the temperature is uneven since the heater is at the back of the unit. I am trusting this is sufficient to kill harmful organisms that may exist in meat products (see FDA recommendations for more information). All the beef jerky recipes I have seen so far don't address this issue and often tell you to use the temperature guide that came with your dehydrator. The temperature guide on my dehydrator says 145 degrees F. for meat. I only discovered this safety issue by surfing the web for recipes and recommendations about beef jerky. I think I will put a meat thermometer in the trays to see exactly what temperature is being achieved while drying my next batch of beef jerky. The beef jerky is still amazing, using this higher temperature method. Incidentally, I find my new electric slicer is a critical piece of equipment to cut the meat (frozen) and vegies thinly and evenly enough to dehydrator properly. Also, I registered my dehydrator with Excalibur and GOT A 10 YEAR WARRANTY even though I bought the dehydrator from Amazon.com. I spoke with a representative of Excalibur about this before doing my online registration who outlined the warranty coverage for me. Happy dehydrating people!