REASONS TO BUY
Easy to clean
Economic
Simplistic controls
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor temperature regulation
Flimsy trays
Hamilton Beach 32100A Review
This affordable stackable dehydrator offers copious square footage that is easy to clean
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
RELATED: Best Food Dehydrators
Our Verdict
We allotted an award to the Hamilton Beach as it is an inexpensive product with a decent amount of tray space that renders reasonably consistent, quality results. While this dehydrator suffered in our temperature regulation and ease of use evaluations, the marks against it are not disqualifying. Counterbalancing these shortcomings is a design that is one of the easiest to clean.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Hamilton Beach 32100A | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | |||||
| Price | $80 List $69.99 at Amazon | $110 List $86.99 at Amazon | $90 List $86.48 at Amazon | $60 List $51.99 at Amazon | $48 List $31.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This unique dehydrator has ample tray space in a rectangular, stackable format; it also has simple controls and is easy to clean | A quality dehydrator for the space conscious consumer | An adjustable capacity stacked dehydrator that renders evenly dried, tasty morsels | A simple machine that has two settings, is easy to clean, and is very inexpensive | A solid entry-level dehydrator for those looking to try it out |
| Rating Categories | Hamilton Beach 32100A | Presto 06301 Dehydro | NESCO Snackmaster Pro | Nutrichef PKFD12 | Commercial Chef CCD... |
| Dehydrating (25%) | |||||
| Temperature Accuracy (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Specs | Hamilton Beach 32100A | Presto 06301 Dehydro | NESCO Snackmaster Pro | Nutrichef PKFD12 | Commercial Chef CCD... |
| Outside Dimensions | 10.5" x 13" x 11" | 14.5" x 15" x 7.25" | 13.5" x 13.5" x13.5" | 12" x 7.5" x 13" | 9.92" x 9.43" x 7.01" |
| Capacity | 3.75 sq ft | 3.25 sq ft | 5 sq ft | 3.25 sq ft | 5.3 sq ft |
| Tray Dimensions | 10.5" x 13" | 15" diameter | 13.5" diameter | 12" diameter | 9.4" diameter |
| Number of Trays | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Tray Material | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic |
| Power Consumption | 500W | 750W | 600W | 250W | 100W |
| Temperature Range | 100-160 F | 90-165 F | 95 - 160 F | Max 180 F | 104-158 F |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The unique shape of the Hamilton Beach makes wiping down the machine a piece of cake.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Quality and Consistency
The 32100A ranked among the bottom in our food flavor, texture, and evenness assessment. However, the spread amongst the models in this evaluation isn't that wide, and it did better than most in the beef jerky taste tests. Additionally, this machine had relatively inaccurate temperature regulation, particularly at lower temperatures. So, it might not be the best if you intend to dry out herbs on the regular.
Plenty of room for big foods.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Easy of Use
We found the Hamilton Beach to be quite easy to use. The temperature and timer controls are intuitive, and simplistic — which is what you want. We will say that it is a little weird that the timer's readout rounds up to the nearest hour during the countdown. The timer is accurate, but it's unclear how much time is left within each hour. On the other hand, the trays are flexible, making sticky food removal much more manageable. All and all, we believe that this machine is pretty darn easy to use.
Rounded corners make clean-up a breeze. Flexible trays make food removal easy, too.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Easy Clean-Up? You Betcha!
When it comes to dehydrator clean-up, stackable trays are way better. They break apart into panels that can be easily held over a trash can to be wiped out. They can be soaked in a sink and washed individually. Finally, there is no box that the trays drip down into that has to be wiped out. Despite these advantages, some stackable dehydrators are still a pain to clean. Not so with the Hamilton Beach 32100A. The clean-up of this machine is amongst the easiest in our review.
Trays large enough to hold lots of food, but still able to fit into the sink for easy washing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
We think that the 32100A is a value product. One simply gets more for the dollar with this model than any other here reviewed. While it is true that this machine has some shortcomings — albeit minor ones — they are certainly outweighed by its price point and other positive attributes.
Conclusion
The Hamilton Beach 32100A is a unique dehydrator in that it is the only rectangular stacked tray model in this review. While this model isn't a top performer, it delivers reasonably good dried food and has some features — like flexible, easy to clean trays, and an intuitive interface — that counteract its deficiencies. Moreover, it has a very competitive price point.
—
Nick Miley and Michelle Powell
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