Much better than my old round unit. This one does a batch of jerky in just a few hours compared to the 6 + for my old one. I got two batches done in one day and did not even have to watch the machine because of the timer and great controls.

This little dehydrator works very well. It has been used everyday since I've gotten it. Next season I'll have it from the beginning of the grow season so the food will get process as it is ready. I sometimes wish I had bought the larger dehydrator because I've a very large garden but know I'll be cutting back each year and and not having as many to feed. I do enjoy working with it so I might be at it longer then I'd expected.

I live this product making my kale, plantian, and banna chips are so easy plus save me money giving my budget . Plus making crackers .

I've used this primarily for drying herbs for teas, dried fruit, veggies, and some flowers for decorative uses. Each time I've used it, I have had great results. It doesn't take up much space, about the size of an 1100 watt microwave. It isn't loud either, sounding more like an convection oven humming. There are 11 trays with this unit and a drip tray on the bottom, though you can remove the drip tray and replace it with a twelfth drying tray if you'd like.

One of the biggest selling points for me about this unit was the airflow and temperature control. The open tray design allows air to flow evenly through the unit, drying food as evenly on the top shelf as it is on the bottom, eliminating the need to rotate trays. I've used this about ten times so far for drying some herbs from the garden as well fruits from the grocery store, and have never had an issue with some dried more or less than others.

The temperature control was also a huge bonus for me. I always dehydrate at the lowest setting to keep my food raw. The reason for this is that it removes the moisture, but keeps the nutrients and minerals intact, letting your body absorb them all. Cooking food breaks down the nutrients, and you lose their benefits. It does take longer to dry, but it's worth it in my opinion.

I don't use the light inside all that much. My kitchen is lit well enough so that you can see inside, but the light does help for seeing further in the back.

I really do like this unit, and the features are great. It is expensive, but comes with a ten year warranty. And dehydrating foods yourself saves so much money. I work at a grocery store in produce, and comparing the prices of fresh to dried products, it can double if not triple in price, even more for jerky and reduced sauces, stews, and soups. It honestly will pay for itself in time. Plus, it gives you full control of what products you use, whether they're organic or not, homegrown, GMO free, whatever the case may be. So at the end of the day, I would recommend this dehydrator in a heartbeat.

Quick specs:
Heater rating: 167F highest temperature setting (averaged temp), 470W, 120V 60Hz
Multiple modes (Fast, Raw, and Combination, and Continuous)
Dimensions: 12.25"Wx14.5"Hx20"D
Tray dimensions: 10"x12-7/8"
Headroom (distance between trays): 1"
Total capacity (surface area): 1416.25 cubic inches (9.83 sqft)
Maximum programmable time: 99 hours per mode, 120 hours max for continuous

IMPRESSIONS:
I love this unit. First of all, it's probably the nicest looking dehydrator I've seen and looks great as a permanent kitchen appliance. But more importantly it performs great.

On my test, I dehydrated 4.6lbs of beef round, cut into quarter-inch pieces, and still had two empty trays left over. I think it would have easily handled 6lbs of meat. The interface was intuitive and easy to use. I had no issues programming it. The machine dried my jerky very quickly, in just under 4 hours. The trays were surprisingly well constructed with clean welds and smoothly grinded edges, so the lack of sharp edges spared my sponges and steel wool pads when I cleaned them. The bottom tray is a drip tray however I can swap it out with the extra drying tray provided.

My jerky turned out perfect and was just awesome. If I knew how easy it was to make beef jerky, I would have done this a long long time ago and not spend so much money on it! If you eat lots of jerky, this thing will pay for itself in no time.

Anyway, I hope this review has been helpful!