To can or dehydrate?

I dehydrate, but only basics like fruit. I'm going to try frozen veggies too - I hear they work good.
Probably look at both methods and see what is better for you.

I've only ever done fruit, so I can only speak from this, and I had ago at jerky once too.

Ok, Apples - I just slice them as thinly as I can. It usually takes about 8-10 hrs on my 5 tier dehydrator, rotating the trays every hour.
Pineapple - same as apples, though if cut finely, don't take as long, about 6-8 hrs.
Strawberries - thinly sliced and put on baking paper on the trays. 4-6 hrs. (WARNING: Once you start to eat them, you won't stop).
Pears - same as strawberries.

I store them in zip lock bags - I have some apples over 9 mths old that are still good to eat.

My one attempt at jerky - slice rump steak as thinly as possible. Marinade with either wet or dry marinades - keep in the fridge 3-4 days, mixing every 12 hrs. Place on baking paper in the dehydrator, and rotate trays every 2 hrs. Drying time depends on the thickness of the meat.
If storing in a zip lock bag, they will last 5-6 days before going mouldy. I'd suggest a vacuum sealer to make small batches, with an oxygen absorber thrown in too.

Frozen veggies - any type ( Buy Aussie brands over any others - ie Chinese, NZ ), place on baking paper, rotate trays every hour/90 min. I haven't tried this yet, but you can store vacuum sealed, or, as I have seen, in a jar, like a coffee jar. Keep in a dry, dark place. To use, add to hot water.

Hope this helps.

Sorry to throw in my two cents Jay, but an O2 absorber are useless in a vacuum bag as they will leak over time! You are better off using Mylar bags with a O2 absorber for long term storage!

You Don't have to worry! If you follow the book and online receipts on YouTube you will be fine with no waste!

You replace the lid after every use, but Replacement lids are not expensive, and you can buy reusable lids as well!

The whole process of canning is simple, just follow the directions and make sure to clean your jars, heat your lids in hot water before use and fill the jars to with in half an inch from the top and clean the lip with a clean cloth/paper towel!

And ask me for help anytime...

@gaz54au something like this fits with our budget better, it's much cheaper than the one you posted. Are they all "same same" or is this one likely to be not as good?

ozfarmer.com/food-preserving-kits/pressure-canners?product_id=3143&sort=p.price&order=ASC

So should I make sure it has a seal before buying?

I have an excalibur dehydrator, I don't follow instructions, I slice the fruit veg thinly and place into dehydrator, leave for 10 hrs then check, no messing about changing position of the trays etc and then I guage how much longer I think it needs...easy

I've made jerky. I got the butcher to thinly slice 2kg of top side (his recommendation), let it marinade in 2 jars of salsa for 24 hrs in fridge, then placed in dehydrator for 12 hrs and it was ready. I store it in canning jars with a moisture pack and 2 oxy absorbers and the one I've hidden (so no one eats it lol) has lasted 5 weeks so far and still looking good.

I've also dehydrated a pkt of frozen veg and same, still looks fine, tested rehydrating it and had no probs. I looked into a pressure canning system and it looked like too much work for me lol

Hi all!
I have been trying to decide which way to go regarding fresh food storage. I started looking at the Excalibur Dehydrator and its capabilities and was impressed by its design and ease of operation. They are very expensive in Australia though. I have found another dehydrator - Ezidri FD1000 - and it is readily available here and appears to do a good job too and it's price is around $300. I have not looked much into canning (bottling) but Fowler Vacola is a name most Aussies are familiar with. In everyday life, I would probably not bother with either as we have access to gas and electricity and day to day cooking is not a chore - but - we are living in uncertain times and storing food is no different than insuring your house or car;  you may never need it, but its there if you do. 

At the end of the day, the food I buy and store needs to have a long storage life. To buy either product to dehydrate or can fresh food with a shelf life of only say 12 months is just not worth it for me. Everything I buy now needs to have a good shelf life or I can further it's life by repackaging it into mylar bags, food grade buckets etc. I would rather sink my money into more canned food. BUT, on the other hand, if the food I further process in either a canner or dehydrator is going to push that 'use by date' out many years, well I'm all ears!!  What life span can I get from processing that box of mangoes I purchased at the markets with a) a dehydrator b) canning?  

One more question In the USA the LDS have 'canneries' in the true sense of the word. You order your 25lb of flour, corn, wheat, sugar, rice, etc (hot chocolate - yum - Mormons don't drink tea or coffee or soft drink and have developed a rich drinking chocolate) and you can either leave with your sacks of produce to head home and store it in mylar bags/food grade buckets, line up to convert that 25lbs of whatever into manageable No. 10 cans - remember the large tins of Golden Circle pineapple juice - that size, using their canning machine or HIRE a portable canning unit where you can take home your bulk supplies, including the #10 tins/lids and spend a day/afternoon canning. Do we have these canning machines in Australia - not necessarily thru the Mormons, but any Aussie company? 

I have searched high and low to see where you could buy them wolfstar - no luck. Love to be able to hire one though.