Which is better for making jerky?

The Cosori. Its 165°F top temperature and 48-hour timer give you more control, and the stainless trays are easier to scrub. The Nesco works but tops out at 160°F and has no timer.

Which holds more food?

The Nesco, once you add trays. It ships with 5 and expands to 12. The Cosori is fixed at 6 trays but each tray is larger, for 6.5 sq ft total.

The Cosori. Owners describe it as quiet enough to run overnight. The Nesco's base fan is louder and its round shape carries more sound.

The Cosori has the better build, with a stainless body and trays. The Nesco's plastic housing and trays wear faster, but its simple dial has fewer parts to fail.

Is the Nesco worth stepping up to from a basic model?

Yes, if you dry in volume. The expandable tray stack is the main reason to pick it over a fixed-tray machine.

Do I need to rotate trays on either?

On the Nesco, yes, because the fan sits at the base. On the Cosori, no; its horizontal rear airflow dries evenly across all trays.

Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator vs Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator

Buy the Cosori if you want stainless steel, digital control and a quiet machine that fits under a cabinet. Buy the Nesco Snackmaster Pro if you want to dry large batches and expand to 12 trays. The Cosori has the sturdier build and more precise temperature and timer settings; owners praise its even heating but report some units arriving dented. The Nesco is plastic, uses a dial, and has a strong following for fast drying and cheap expansion.

Choose the Cosori if you want stainless steel trays, a digital display, a 48-hour timer and quiet operation in a compact footprint.
Choose the Nesco Snackmaster Pro if you dry big batches of jerky or fruit and want to add trays up to 12.

Prices

Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator: $135.99 at Iron Home Concepts (last seen Nov 9)
Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator: $71.99 at Blain's Farm & Fleet (last seen Nov 9)
Difference: the Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator is $64.00 cheaper than the Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator at the latest prices (Nov 9)

	Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator	Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
Housing and trays	Stainless steel housing and stainless steel trays	Plastic housing with BPA-free plastic trays
Controls	4 buttons with LED display, digital temperature and timer	Single dial for temperature, no digital timer
Temperature range	95°F to 165°F	95°F to 160°F
Timer	Up to 48 hours with automatic shutoff	No timer; you stop it yourself
Capacity	6 trays, 6.5 sq ft of drying area, fixed	5 trays included, expandable to 12
Airflow	Horizontal rear fan, no tray rotation needed	Round design with fan at the base, trays must be rotated
Footprint	13.4 x 17.8 x 12.4 in, slides under upper cabinets	12 x 14 x 14 in, taller and round
Cleaning	Trays are dishwasher safe; rear fan screen is not removable	Trays are dishwasher safe on the top rack; base is washable

Spec	Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator	Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
Technology Type	Dehydration	Dehydration
Drying Method	Dehydration	Dehydration
Temperature Range	95°F–165°F	950F – 1600F
Tray Capacity	6 trays	Expandable to 12 trays
Tray Material	Stainless Steel	BPA Free
Housing Material	Stainless Steel	Plastic
Easy To Clean	Yes	Base is washable instead of being wiped out
Dishwasher Safe Components	Yes (trays)	Yes (trays are dishwasher safe on the top rack)
Control Features	Temperature Control	Adjustable temperature control
Control Type	4 simple buttons	Dial
Included Trays	6 trays	5 trays
Dimensions	340 x 450 x 311 mm (LxWxH)	12 imes 14 imes 14 in

Spec	Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator	Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator
Depth	13.4 in, 340 mm	14 in
Height	12.4 in, 311 mm	14 in
Width	17.8 in, 450 mm	12 in
Material	Stainless Steel	Plastic
Color	Silver	Gray
Total Volume	6.5 ft²	0.8 sq. ft. of drying area per tray
Weight	6.1 lbs (2.77 kg)	9 lbs
Airflow	Horizontal	—
Timer Duration	Up to 48 hours	—
Removable Tray

Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator vs Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator

Prices

Cosori 6-Tray Food Dehydrator vs Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator

Prices

Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator

What separates them

Price history

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