THE PURPOSEFUL PANTRY RECOMMENDS...
These are my recommendations on products that I use or I know are the best on the market for the things we do all the time. I'll share my affiliate links below, but nothing on this list is something I don't use or wouldn't recommend.
DEHYDRATING TOOLS
- Excalibur Dehydrator (usually around $300-350)
- Cosori Dehydrator
- Nesco FD-80 (under $80)
- Cabela's 10-tray Dehydrator (usually around $150, but goes on sale for $99 often)
- Mandoline
- Standing Mandoline
- Mini-mandoline (not necessary - but great for garlic and ginger and other small slices.
- Cutting Gloves (if you use a mandoline - use this, even if you do use the cutting guard) I have a beefy hand and this pair works great for me (I ordered medium).
- Cosori Coffee Grinder I love it, but there are many out there that work just as well.
- Nutri Ninja - grinding on a larger scale than a smaller coffee grinder, but not using a whole blender.
- Vegetable/Onion Chopper - this device lets me dice, chop, and prep veggies for dehydrating or canning easier and faster than doing it with a knife for large quantities. There is a larger bundle with more blades and options, but I prefer this more simplistic unit.
- Stainless steel funnel with a mesh strainer
- Salad Spinner (helps remove excess moisture after washing produce). I also use this collapsible salad spinner.
- Mushroom, Strawberry & Egg bladed slicer
- • Silicone Mats
• Excalibur Silicone Mats - expensive, but heavy-duty and my favorite mats are Excalibur Paraflexx Mats- Off-Brand Mats - these mats are like the Paraflexx mats, and can be cut to fit just about any size dehydrator tray on the market. This is a less expensive brand that I've used, but I do prefer the above-linked mats more.
- Off-brand Mesh Sheets - These can also be used to cut down to seize for many other brands.
- Bright Kitchens silicone lipped trays (comes in a variety of shapes and sizes)
Dehydrating Books
- The Ultimate Dehydrator Cookbook
- Prepper's Dehydrator Handbook (don't let the name fool ya - it's a good book, but be warned, the print is light, so if you have site issues, this isn't the book for you.)
- The Dehydrator Bible
- Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Book
- National Center for Food Preservation Website is a good free tool
- Quick & Easy Dehydrated Meals in a Bag
- Just Add Water Meals in a Bag
- Recipes for Adventure - Backpacking Meals
STORAGE TOOLS
- Vacuum Sealer -
- Mueller | Foodsaver | Compact Foodsaver |
- Vacuum Sealer Jar Attachments
- Hand-Held Vacuum Sealer - requires the jar attachments, but lets you make quick jobs of vacuum sealing jars for everyday use.
- *White older version: But check around for prices on this one. Walmart actually has it for a better price right now.
- *Newer Black version Foodsaver 31161370 Cordless
- Desiccant packs
- Oxygen Absorbers
- Mylar Bags + O² absorbers
CANNING TOOLS
- Presto Pressure Canner - also for use on glass top stoves
- All-American Pressure Canner
- Canning Starter Kit
- Prepworks Canning Scoop
►QUESTION: Can I use a canner on a glass-top stove?
Canning Books
- Complete Guide to Home Canning
- Complete Guide to Home Canning (the free .pdf version)
- Ball Canning Book
- Bernardin Guide to Home Preserving
ORGANIZING TOOLS
FREEZE DRYING TOOL
This company has a layaway program where you can put $250 down on a machine, pay as you can until the machine is paid for, then they'll ship it to you.