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Finding healthy dog treats that your dog actually enjoys can be a struggle, not to mention expensive.
That’s why more and more pet parents are making their own treats—and according to some of our favorite trainers, a dehydrator can make the process easier and more efficient. Plus, it can help preserve food for longer and save on food waste. Who doesn’t want to feel good about helping the environment?
Ranked high across the board, the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator is a mid-range model that reviewers say works well with dog treats and jerkies. And it has a few more digital features than a basic dial model at practically the same cost. But how well does it really work when put to the test?
To find out, I try out the Hamilton Beach dehydrator—with a little taste testing help from my pup, Roo.
The Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator—A Breakdown
With a 4.6-star rating and nearly 6,000 reviews on Amazon, the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator is a popular option for dog treats and chews. Some of its key features include:
- Design—Rectangular in shape, the Hamilton Beach dehydrator comes with five stackable dishwasher-safe trays that have cutouts in the middle—making room for the fan, located centrally at the bottom. A clear lid offers a view of the top tray.
- Measurements—Spanning 10.5 x 13 x 11 inches, this model has a fairly compact design that’s comparable to the size of a small microwave, just with a little more height.
- Digital controls—Operating at 500 watts, this dehydrator has an adjustable thermostat that lets you set your drying temperature to a range of 100-160º F. There’s also a 48-hour timer with an auto-shutoff feature.
- Extras—Added perks include a solid sheet for veggie/fruit/meat rolls and a fine-mesh insert that’s intended for herbs but is also great for flaky or smaller pieces of meat. It also provides a handy recipe book that has helpful dehydrating tips.
Reviewing the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator
My dog Roo is a reactive rescue pup who is on a behavior modification plan, so we currently burn through packages of high-value treats in no time. And while she isn’t exactly picky, she is particular and loves to have a wide variety of options—novelty is king in her world.
My hope was that I could save a little money by dehydrating my own treats while keeping things fresh with a rotation of different meats and marinades. Here are a few things I discovered in the process.
Digital Features
The timer and auto-shutoff features are what initially drew me to the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator, and they didn’t disappoint.
Notorious for forgetting about food in the oven, I’ve had my share of burned calamities. As a vegetarian, buying meat and poultry for Roo is an extra expense on my grocery bill, so I didn’t want to ruin these precious commodities because of my lackadaisical style (a kind way of saying I’m forgetful). Being able to leave treats drying in the dehydrator while working during the day or overnight was helpful for my busy, hectic life (and mind).
The timer on the Hamilton Beach dehydrator makes it easy to “set it and forget it.”
Device Size
Originally, I had considered going for something smaller like the NutriChef Electric Countertop Dehydrator to save on counter space. But after reading reviews, I realized I needed something bigger, since Roo relies on a heavy rotation of high-value treats.
The Hamilton Beach model is the perfect fit for our single-dog household. It’s pretty compact and lightweight while still providing plenty of tray space to make a big batch of varied treats—even with the hole in the middle. For reference, I’ve been able to dry a pound of turkey breast, a pound of chicken breast, and a tray of beef shavings all at the same time.
The Hamilton Beach dehydrator is fairly compact, taking up nearly the same counter space as a microwave.
Drying Capabilities
As expected, this model didn’t evenly dry across all trays, since the fan was at the bottom instead of the back, which is typically where you’ll find it in higher-end dehydrators. But in the grand scheme of things, it really didn’t matter. If the bottom trays finished before the top, I could just remove them, since this device doesn’t require that all racks be loaded when drying.
And at 550 watts with a max temp of 160º F (USDA’s recommended temperature for meat and poultry), I felt comfortable making jerkies. I could easily dry thin strips of meat in about six to eight hours.
High-value jerkies are so easy to make on the fairly fast-drying dehydrator.
Ease of Use
On top of its simple-to-use digital features, the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator is also easy to load and stack. The trays fit well together, but the lid can be a little wobbly at times.
Another quirk is that there’s one tray that has to go at the top or the lid won’t fit, making it a little annoying when shuffling trays around to make sure the treats are drying evenly. It’s not a deal breaker, though, and the fact that the trays are so easy to clean—the food slides right off—more than makes up for the slight inconvenience.
Value
While I still have yet to see if dehydrating made a difference in this month’s electric bill (I highly doubt it), the amount of money I’ve been able to save on high-value treats has definitely made the added effort worth it.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but before, I was spending nearly $50 every week on high-value treats when were hitting training hard. Roo’s a fancy lady and tends to like specialty jerkies and freeze-dried organs/meats (before ignoring them after a couple of days).
Being able to purchase my own meat and dehydrate it has easily cut that cost in half—and that’s without getting super savvy and working with local butchers and grocers to figure out when they mark down their meat before expiry.
I also liked that dehydrating my own treats gives me more control over what I feed Roo. And while Roo doesn’t have any food sensitivities, I feel better knowing exactly what I’m giving her, which is often a single-sourced ingredient like lean beef, hamburger, chicken breast, turkey breast, venison, lamb, liver, gizzard, fish skin, and sardines.
Roo gives the dehydrated sardines two paws up.
Final Review: Should You Buy the Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator?
The Hamilton Beach Digital Dehydrator is a fantastic mid-range option for dog guardians who want a little more out of a dehydrator than a plug-and-go model. The timer and auto shut-off features are great for busy pet parents who want to “set it and forget it.” Those looking to make bigger batches or who want more even drying, however, might want to splurge for a high-end dehydrator with more tray space.
We think this dehydrator is likely to be hit for a lot of pups, especially:
- Dogs in a training plan who need a variety of high-value treats
- Fussy eaters or pups with food sensitivities
- Pet parents on the go who want a timer and auto-shutoff feature
- Dog guardians who want to make meat jerkies, specifically
Not barking at dogs at the door for dehydrated jerky? Roo’s down.
The Hamiton Beach dehydrator might not work for the following, however:
- Multi-dog households who need more drying space
- Pet parents who want a model with more even drying
- Dog guardians with limited kitchen and counter space
- Pet parents who want a see-through dehydrator to monitor drying progress
