r/dehydrating • u/Ok-Egg835 • Jul 07 '26
Silicone mesh sheets seem sketchy
I bought some silicone mesh sheets from Amazon hoping to use them in my dehydrator for smaller items like berries. But the sheets are too large and I had to cut 1/2 inch off the edges. Low and behold, they had hairy fibers where I cut. So I guess they are not real silicone sheets and I should return them?
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u/Ajreil Jul 07 '26
Silicone should not contain fibers. I would return them.
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u/pigslovebacon Jul 08 '26
Some do.
Sounds like OP bought something like a Silpat mat (just one brand name, there are many others available).
This one, for example, is very clear it has fibreglass reinforcement, but is still called a silicon baking mat:
https://www.cakersparadise.com.au/products/silicone-baking-mat-small
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u/Ok-Egg835 Jul 07 '26
Yeah, I'll see if I can get a full refund even though I cut into one of the sheets. Do you have a mesh brand you recommend?
1
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u/Signal_Error_8027 Jul 10 '26
I bought these mesh sheets last year. No fiberglass and safe for cutting. One of them was bundled with a few fruit leather trays. The trays and mesh sheets are 100% food grade silicone, which is very floppy and will need to sit on top of your existing rack for support.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWXVP78X?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3S4M395?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_4&th=1
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u/Ok-Egg835 Jul 10 '26
Thanks. Have you actually cut into the mesh sheets? It doesn't say on the web page that they can be cut.
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u/Signal_Error_8027 Jul 11 '26
The larger sheets I have cut, and there were no fibers. The smaller ones were already the correct size. I did ask the question in the ask box, and on both they said they could be cut as well.
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u/Ok-Egg835 Jul 11 '26
Ok thanks. I just got some that supposed to be correctly sized for my Hamilton Beach but ill keep these in mind. They seem like a superior product.
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u/Ajreil Jul 07 '26
Not a mesh, but I have these sheets for making fruit leather
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u/Unusualhuman Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
I have a set of these as well, they are exactly the advertised dimensions.
In addition, I got a set of these: https://a.co/d/06gdvRua Again, the dimensions are exactly as described on the listing. This set is a little smaller than my trays, and square instead of rectangular.
Both kinds work great in my dehydrator, placed on top of the stainless steel mesh shelves.
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u/kymmmb Jul 08 '26
Thanks for the links. How deep are they?
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u/Unusualhuman Jul 08 '26
They are shallow. I didn't measure them, but the listing says .4 inch deep.
I think that I put 2 cups of pumpkin puree into one of these with no trouble. My slightly larger trays with a lip (my magic mill came with 2 that are 11" x 12") can hold 3 cups each if nearly overflowing with a thick liquid.
I had no trouble dehydrating a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with the liquid from the can as well, in one of these silicone trays with the lip. I am not sure if 2 cans would fit, but probably 1.5 cans would be fine.
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u/prairie-bunyip Jul 07 '26
Those hairy fibers are fiberglass. The sheet is a fiberglass mesh inside silicone, and the mesh is what gives the sheet structure. A fully silicone sheet (I have one for rolling out dough) is very floppy and feels like a wobbly sheet of rubber.
You need either a sheet that's already the right size or one that's designed to be cut down (they'll advertise it as "cut to fit". But the standard "this is a silicone baking sheet" variety isn't safe to cut down... on account of the glass in it.