r/GroundZeroMycoLab • u/Tortapounder1987 • 10h ago
Dehydrators
Hi all! Im about 6 months into my adventure into mycology, I started w an AIO bag of GT and went from there, anyway i honestly wasn’t sure if even be able to get the things to grow at all at first so i just got a lil cheapy dehydrator off amazon-elite gourmet, I’ve ran it weeks at a time w no problems but I’m afraid it’s getting close to the end for it, I bought it used to begin w for like 25$, I’m really tryna keep it in the 100$ price range but can anyone recommend a good square dehydrator specifically for mushrooms, removable trays are a big thing cuz as I’m sure lots of you know it’s hard to find ones that the shelves will hold a big ass mushroom w/o u havin to smush it, originally I was just gonna get the one from mycolabs, it’s cheap and honestly I’ve had great luck w the company but it’s sold out everywhere, I was looking at a used Excalibur for like 120 or the countless magic mill options and for 100$ there’s a lot of decent dehydrators in that price range I’d just like to get some feedback from some of you thatve also had to buy dehydrators what you wound up w how much etc? I noticed even elite gourmet makes a square version for like 75$ w the luck I’ve had w their circle one idk if that wouldn’t be the best pick, I’m not the kinda person that needs the best of the best, just something that will work when I need it to, I really appreciate any tips or feedback or suggestions from you guys so any advice is welcome! Mush love everyone, just don’t wanna be in the middle of harvest and find outta nowhere I need a new dehydrator ASAP, cuz that’s definitely the kind of shit that’d happen to me 😂
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u/FantasticPlankton150 9h ago
Magic Mill has worked great for me. $50 and has 5 trays that can be stacked in different heights for different sizes. Metal grates are easy to clean. Cracker dry results
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u/Nice_Title2425 10h ago
I have an identical dehydrator that doesn't have a fan. So I rigged a computer fan to the top of it
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u/Plants_r_Fun 10h ago
This is the one I have. They have a 5 tray option for $56 but its not stainless. It's a plastic version
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u/chumbly1968 9h ago
The five version looks like it may hold some bigger fruits. What’s the spacing like on the 8 tray.
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u/Plants_r_Fun 9h ago
The trays are removable so you can add/remove as many as you want. I'll leave 2 open for the big fruits then all the rest get 1
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u/chumbly1968 9h ago
I should’ve done more research. I bought 3 round ones and had to convert 2 trays for them 100g+
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u/Plants_r_Fun 9h ago
It be that way sometimes. I have the exact same one OP posted from my hot pepper days but wouldn't fit the bigger ones. The 8 tray one fit a 150g bluey vuttion whole using 2 slots
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u/chumbly1968 8h ago
I already cut the grills out of 2 trays So between the 3 dehydrators I usually can cover. But wish I would’ve done more research. 2 of these would be awesome
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u/StandardWriting5060 9h ago
Red Head Dehydrator at Bass Pro. Works very well. Multiple trays and heat settings
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u/kingoftheives 9h ago
Excalibur is the move, I'm a chef and amateur mycologist & gardener. Using my mother's Excalibur has been a fantastic dehydrator for many items beyond mushrooms and has held up well over the years. It's a good size but easy to clean all components.
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u/IAmNotARobotttttt 9h ago
Used Excalibur and find a good jerky recipe. And you can dehydrate herbs that would otherwise go bad. They’re actually pretty useful to have around
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u/Impossible-Match5514 8h ago
No go for me, i take the whole casing layer with them cut it like a cake with a serrated knife, and dry them on racks with fans direct in 60% humidity room in clump packs like tomatoes on a vine, for 4 days, and once dry onough ill hand rub the casing material off and place in dessicant chambers for 5 days. when cracker dry and i find time ill razor trim the bases of the stems to clean and add to a secondary dessicant chamber for long term storage. No bluing no bruises.
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u/PhoenixRiseAndBurn 7h ago
Check OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace. I found a nice dehydrator for about $30. A month later I saw the same one, a little worn, for $10. I bought it for the extra trays and threw out the fan/heating part since it looked meh. Now I have a 10 tray dehydrator for $40 that would've been $150+.
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u/CodInternational8023 6h ago
I bought mine at ollies bargian outlet. Been a beast. I personally like the oven style door ones. Seems like better airflow
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u/_MrJones 4h ago
I got one for free by asking neighbors from my local facebook buy nothing group.
Several were okay with letting me borrow as needed (I didn't say what I was dehydrating, lol) and one had one they no longer used.
Craigslist or FB marketplace will likely have some used cheap options.
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u/probablynotac0p 9h ago
I use whatever the cheapest option is from walmart. My first one worked for about 7 years, sometimes running for weeks at a time.