Tool Reviews

An infrared dryer for vegetables and fruits will become an indispensable assistant in the kitchen. In summer, housewives use fresh vegetables and fruits for cooking, in winter they can be bought, but the price is much higher. It is better to make preparations for the winter in the form of conservation, frozen or dried vegetables.

An additional freezer takes up a lot of space, but an electric dryer will do the job, it is easy to put it in a closet if necessary. Dried vegetables and fruits will retain vitamins and beneficial properties. Harvested vegetables are stored in glass containers and plastic bags.

Principle of operation

There are two types:

1. Convective. Dry fruits, meat, fish with hot air blowing.
2. infrared. Provide perfect drying with infrared rays. Consume less electricity. Preserve a large amount of vitamins in dried fruits.

It is based on the principle of propagation of infrared radiation, a certain wave of rays is absorbed only by water, which is contained in the processed substance. The tissue structure of the products does not change, which will retain the original appearance and vitamins.

Mild waves of infrared radiation penetrate deep into dietary fibers, which allows maximum exposure at a depth of several centimeters.

Apply infrared electric dryer for:

• root crops;
• snacks;
• meat;
• cheese;
• vegetables;
• berries;
• fruits.

You can also dry in it: tea, herbs, mushrooms, fish.

Pros and cons of infrared electric dryer

Dried berries and fruits in this type of dryer have several advantages:

1. Attractive appearance and composition.
2. Almost complete sterility of products after processing.
3. Prevention of further reproduction of microorganisms.
4. Preservation of vitamins (drying at low temperature).
5. Minimum electricity costs.
6. Drying products twice as fast as in a converter dryer.

Vegetables and fruits subjected to infrared processing do not contain preservatives and dyes. They do not contain foreign impurities. When harvested in this way, substances are not exposed to electromagnetic fields and radiation. This method contributes to long-term storage, the microflora does not develop.

You will save 80-95 percent of useful trace elements and vitamins, which is significantly higher in terms of performance, unlike other heat treatment methods.

Dried fruits can be consumed both raw and used for cooking. Mushrooms dried in an electric dryer are perfect for frying or cooking.

Using a model with a low power, it will take more time for the drying process. If the dryer has a smaller number of trays, this will affect the capacity of the products.

There are models with a capacity of over 450 watts. But they consume a lot of electricity, although the capacity of such a dryer is much larger. At one time, you can dry several kilograms of fresh vegetables. Such dryers are used in small enterprises, they are ready for heavy loads. Dryers with a power of up to 350 W will suit any hostess in the kitchen.

When choosing a model for the kitchen, keep in mind that the iron trays and body heat up, you can get burned. Plastic models are less susceptible to heat and are safer. In transparent containers it is easy to observe the process, you will not need to stop the process to see how the drying is progressing.

The trays should be deep, as you won’t put large pieces of vegetables and mushrooms in shallow trays. Mushrooms, for example, are best dried in large pieces, they dry out a lot, as they have a lot of moisture. Apples also lose in the process of drying in the amount of five times.

How to choose an infrared electric dryer

The design features of IR dryers include the control method.
There are two types:

• mechanical;
• electronic control.

Old school users are more likely to trust mechanical control. In modern IR dryers, convenient sensors and switches are installed, you can independently select the parameters and set the time. Conservative users are confident in the greater reliability of such devices.

Advanced prefer more modern models with electronic control. Choosing a model with a display, you can be sure that you have set the desired temperature and monitor the end of the drying time.

The choice of control method does not affect the quality, based on personal convenience.

Modern infrared dryers have a number of additional options that will help you comfortably operate the device:

• thermostat – allows you to select the temperature.
• overheat protection – will work and turn off the device when it is very overheated from a continuous load, which will ensure safety from short circuit and damage to the device.
• Automatic shutdown – will work after the end of the drying of the products according to the set time. A convenient function, you can use it at any time and not worry about forgetting or not being able to turn it off in time.
• Power – each model differs in volume, this figure varies from 250 to 1000 kV. The larger the capacity of the electric dryer, the higher the electricity consumption.
• Electronic timer – a convenient scoreboard on which you can always see the time spent on drying and the amount remaining until the end of the work.
• Power indicator – will show that the electric dryer is ready for operation.
• LED display – allows you to monitor the temperature, time on the screen.
• Silent operation – the device produces a minimum of noise.
• Number of trays – models differ in volume, therefore the number of compartments varies. The number of fruits or fish that can be accommodated by volume will correspond to the number of trays.

How to use the infrared electric dryer

Preparation for work

1. When starting the device for the first time, check its operation. Connect to the network, wait for the indicator and turn on the fan. Let the appliance warm up for a few minutes.
2. When you turn it on for the first time, it is recommended to remove the trays at the base and at the top where the fan is located.
3. Do not pour vegetable oil or fat on fruits, fish, meat. This causes them to crack.
4. Lay fruits out to dry so they don’t touch. This will allow you to get a beautiful appearance in dried products, prevent pieces from sticking together.
5. The flexible mesh is suitable for bananas, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwis.
6. Herbal mesh is needed for flowers, medicinal plants. Prevents particles from falling to the bottom of the bowl.
7. Set the temperature according to the recommendations for the category that you are going to dry.
8. Fill trays away from the appliance itself. Carefully insert prepared containers to dry.
9. Choose a place for a kitchen appliance in a ventilated area.
10. Do not prepare products in advance, do not cut, as juice accumulates on the surface of the product, which will increase the drying time. The appearance is ruined.
11. Do not dry on the same pallet products that are very different in smell. The smell of fish or garlic will be strongly absorbed into the nearby product.
12. When drying products, use the same type of moisture content (mushrooms in the fabric contain 20% more moisture than vegetables).
13. Do not keep flammable substances near the switched on electric dryer.
14. You can not close, cover the ventilation openings, put foreign objects on them, cover with a towel.
15. Moisture must not get on the drying emitters.

Storage
Long-term storage will be in well-dried products. Under-dried pieces should not come across among mushrooms, vegetables, berries. A small part of such pieces will lead to rapid deterioration of the entire dried volume.

Pour dried products into a tray, leave for a day or two. During this time, they will cool down, and the moisture between dry products will even out.

Dried vegetables and fruits should be stored in tightly sealed glass or plastic jars or vacuum bags should be used. They will keep dry fruits and berries, the shelf life is two years.

You can use tight-fitting boxes lined with paper underneath. Shelf life is six months. A full box is covered with a layer of paper on top.

Security

1. Do not turn on the kitchen appliance with damp or wet hands.
2. The surface where the IR dryer stands must be dry. Do not place the device on a towel or other things.
3. Carefully open the kitchen appliance, it gets very hot during operation (metal case).
4. Do not allow children to use the kitchen appliance on their own.
5. Do not leave switched on unattended.
6. It is impossible to operate low-power devices using continuous operation (they will quickly fail).
7. Do not expose dryer base or wire to moisture or liquid.
8. When preparing the marshmallow, make sure that the puree does not spill over the edges.
9. The switched on kitchen appliance must not be moved.
10. Do not keep the device constantly on, unplug it when not in use.
11. You can not disassemble a faulty device yourself, take it under warranty or to a workshop.
12. During operation, plastic containers (trays) break. You will not be able to repair a burst tray. You can order a new container from the seller where you bought the model, manufacturers take care of replacement parts on order.

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