Food drying equipments are small home appliances for drying fresh foods yourself. They come in a wide variety of sizes and capabilities, and can dry fruit, vegetables and meats. They work by very gently heating the air and blowing it throughout the food drying area. It can take a number of hours, or even days, to adequately dry and preserve juicier items.
If you are an avid gardener and always grow more produce than you can consume during the summertime, a food dehydrator might be a good investment. You can stock up on dried vegetables and ensure yourself home-grown vegetable soup throughout the winter months. If you like camping and hiking, making your own trail mix is surely appealing. But beware - buying produce to dry will probably wind up costing you more than purchasing a similar quantity of dried fruit and vegetables.
Large food processors can buy and dry produce much more cost effectively than an individual consumer can.
Vacuum freeze dryer  blow air either up from the bottom heating element, or horizontally from a heater placed in one side. The horizontal flow has the advantage that you can dry a mixed batch of things without worrying about flavor mixing; your dried apples taking on the flavor of the beef jerky drying below them, for instance. If this isn't an issue, then the bottom-heating dehydrators should serve you adequately.