Brød & Taylor Sahara dehydrator

A folding household dehydrator

The Sahara is an electric countertop dehydrator built as a long, shallow cabinet that folds down for storage. Its working chamber has two front glass doors and a stack of removable mesh shelves. The manufacturer lists seven shelves and about one square metre of drying area; it says the full-size cabinet folds to roughly one-third of its operating size. This is a manufactured appliance rather than a drying room or a traditional sun-drying rack.

The shelves can be stainless steel or food-safe polypropylene, depending on the version. The housing is BPA-free ABS plastic, and the doors are glass. These materials and dimensions describe the Sahara model line, but not every included shelf option or regional electrical version. Its published EU listing gives 56 × 36.5 × 28 cm when open and 56 × 31 × 9.5 cm when closed; the US support page lists a similar footprint. The maker does not specify an internal volume, so shelf area and model dimensions are more useful than a guessed capacity.

Airflow, heat and two-stage control

A radial fan moves filtered air through the cabinet while the heater warms the load. The maker describes two heating circuits: they supply stronger heat while food is wet, then switch to lower power as it dries. This arrangement supports the appliance's ordinary task—moving moisture away from sliced food—and its dual timer lets the user program two successive time-and-temperature stages. Each timer can run from 15 minutes to 99 hours. The control also offers fan-only operation.

The published heating range is 30–74 °C (85–165 °F). The US version is listed at 120 V and 750 W; the EU version uses 220–240 V and is listed at 690–820 W. Check the type plate rather than assuming one region's supply figures apply to another version. Drying time also depends on the food, slice thickness, load, room conditions and temperature choice. The maker notes that evaporation can keep wet food cooler than the surrounding air; an appliance setting is not a direct reading of the food's core temperature.

A documented jar-yogurt use

Brød & Taylor also publishes a classic-style yogurt method that uses the Sahara as an alternative warm chamber. The recipe names heat-proof containers no larger than one litre and instructs the user to arrange the shelves to fit the jars. Its Sahara setting sequence is 120 °F (49 °C) for one hour, followed by 100 °F (38 °C) for three hours. The yogurt is checked for setting and chilled when ready; the recipe gives about three to four hours as a usual window, with variation by milk and culture.

This is a manufacturer-documented secondary use for the dehydrator, not a claim that the machine is a purpose-built yogurt maker. The recipe specifies controller settings and jar placement; it does not say that a jar's milk is measured at exactly the displayed temperature. Sealed jars keep the milk from being exposed as an open drying load. The equipment-for link points to the site's set-yogurt preparation page.

Regional versions, recall scope and care

The Sahara is a contemporary branded product sold through Brød & Taylor's US and European channels. The US listing gives the DR-710 as a 120 V, 750 W version; the EU listing specifies 220–240 V and a 690–820 W range. The manufacturer also offers different shelf materials. These are documented options rather than a single universal build. A 2023 US Consumer Product Safety Commission notice states that Sahara units covered by its recall were made in China. The notice does not establish the origin of every later run.

That recall is limited to model DR-710 units bearing production code CCAE and serial numbers 12139055 through 12140194. The reported hazard was heater-fan failure that could overheat components. For a matching unit, the CPSC instructs owners to stop using it, remove the polyester air filter and contact Berkshire Innovations for repair. The notice identifies the specific affected range; it should not be generalized to every Sahara.

The manual says to unplug the appliance before cleaning, let hot shelves, doors and housing cool, and keep both air paths open. It also requires clearance around and above the unit and warns against placing objects on its hot top. Follow the instructions and electrical rating for the exact regional model. The earliest sale date established here is the CPSC's record of recalled units sold from July 2022; that is not a verified launch date.