How to Make a Food Dehydrater

Food dehydrators allow you to dry fruits and vegetables quickly and efficiently. However, store-bought food dehydrators can be expensive. Luckily, a professional-grade food dehydrator isn't necessary for the majority of dehydration projects. It's relatively simple to build your own food dehydrator out of a box fan and air-conditioning filters. This homemade food dehydrator dries most types of food within 48 hours.

Things You'll Need

• Fruit and/or vegetables Cutting board Knife 1 cup lemon juice 1 quart warm water Bowl 4 new 20-inch by 20-inch paper air-conditioning filters Plastic food dehydrator tray liners 1 new 20-inch by 20-inch box fan 2 bungee cords Airtight containers

Instructions

1. Wash, peel and cut the fruit and vegetables into thin slices. Mix the lemon juice and water in a large bowl. Put the fruit in the bowl; the lemon juice mixture will keep the fruit from browning while it dries.

2. Lay an air-conditioning filter on a flat surface and layer a food dehydrator liner on top of the filter. Remove slices of fruit and vegetables from the bowl, shake off the excess liquid and place them in a single layer on the plastic liner. Layer another plastic liner over the food.

3. Stack another filter on top of the first filter. Layer the filter with a plastic liner, fill with food, and top with another liner and filter. Repeat a third time, then top the stack with the fourth filter.

4. Lay the box fan, front side up, on a flat surface. Stack the pile of filters on top of the box fan. Wrap a bungee cord around the top and bottom edges of the stack, hooking the cords on the back of the fan.

5. Place the fan in a cool, dry place, away from children, pets and insects. Plug it in, set it to high and let it run for about 40 hours.

6. Check the fruits and vegetables in the dehydrator. If they feel too moist or sticky, continue drying for up to another eight hours. Store the dried food in airtight containers. Discard the plastic liners.

Tips & Warnings

• It's best not to dry strong-smelling vegetables with any other type of fruit or vegetable. Vegetables such as peppers and onions should be dried on their own to avoid affecting the flavor of other items.

• Always use a new box fan and brand-new filters when building this dehydrator. Used items can get fuzz and dirt on the food.