Buying
Dehydrator trays: do you really need stainless steel?
Stainless trays are easier to clean, take heat better and cost more. For fruit, herbs and light use, good plastic trays are fine.
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Buying
Is a freeze dryer worth it? The break-even arithmetic
It is worth it if you want years of shelf life on real meals. It is a poor buy if you mainly dry fruit, herbs and jerky.
Buying
What size freeze dryer do I need? Capacity by household
Size the machine to what you would realistically process in a week, then check the pump, the tray area and the noise. Those four decide how much you use it.