PCDR 1218 - Food Dehydrator PROFICOOK - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Food Dehydrator
Brand	ProfiCook
Model	PCDR 1218
Approximate dimensions (W x D x H)	35 x 35 x 40 cm
Net weight	Approx. 6.7 kg
Power supply	220-240 V~, 50-60 Hz
Power consumption	550-650 W
Protection class	I
Number of trays	6 drying trays + 1 fine tray + 1 crumb tray
Temperature range	35 °C to 75 °C
Timer	0.5 to 24 hours
Maximum capacity per tray	0.6 kg
Display	Digital display
Control type	Touch buttons (⊕, ⊖, TEMP/TIME, Ⓧ)
Functions	Adjustable temperature, timer, automatic shut-off, standby mode
Tray material	Food-grade plastic
Cleaning	Trays washable with soapy water, housing wiped with a damp cloth
Safety	Automatic shut-off after timer, burn protection, do not use unattended
Spare parts	Replacement trays available via manufacturer
Repairability	Contact an authorized technician; power cord replaceable by a professional
General information	Household use only, CE compliant, eco-friendly
Included accessories	6 racks, 1 fine tray, 1 crumb tray

Frequently Asked Questions - PCDR 1218 PROFICOOK

What types of food can I dehydrate with the ProfiCook PCDR 1218?

You can dehydrate fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, aromatic herbs and even pet food. Preferably use fresh, not frozen foods.

How to set the temperature and time?

Use the ⊕ and ⊖ buttons to adjust the temperature (35-75 °C) and time (0.5-24 h). Press the TEMP/TIME button to switch between settings. A beep confirms each press.

How many trays can I use at the same time?

Up to 6 trays can be used simultaneously. For thick foods, reduce the number of trays. Do not exceed 0.6 kg per tray.

Should I pretreat foods before dehydrating?

Yes, for fruits with shiny skin, dip them quickly in boiling water. For vegetables, blanch them for 1-2 minutes then cool in ice water. Herbs should not be washed if possible.

How to clean the appliance?

Unplug and let cool. Wash the trays, fine tray and crumb tray with soapy water. Wipe the inside of the housing with a damp cloth. Never immerse the appliance in water.

Can I leave the appliance running unattended?

No, never leave the appliance unattended for hours. Do not leave the house while it is running. The maximum continuous time is 24 hours, after which the appliance must cool for 2 hours.

What to do if the appliance displays 'E'?

The 'E' code indicates a temperature sensor failure. Contact customer service or an authorized service center. Do not attempt to repair yourself.

How to store dehydrated foods?

Let the foods cool completely before storing in airtight containers (jars, zip bags, vacuum bags). Store in a cool, dark place. Well dehydrated, they keep for up to one year.

Can I dehydrate frozen foods?

No, do not use frozen foods as they contain too much water. Use only fresh foods.

What to do if foods do not dry evenly?

Make sure the pieces are equal in size and thickness. Do not overload the trays and ensure the air vents are not blocked. You can also swap the trays during the cycle.

USER MANUAL PCDR 1218 PROFICOOK

Modern kitchen appliance with digital display showing 1:30 o'clock, featuring green fruit slices in a glass tray (no visible text or symbols on the device itself)

Edelstahl-Dörrautomat PC-DR 1218

Roestvrijstalen voedseldehydrator • Déshydrateur d'aliments en acier inoxydable

Deshidratador de alimentos de acero inoxidable • Essiccatore per alimenti in acciaio inossidabile

Bedienungsanleitung

Thank you for choosing our product. We hope you will enjoy using the appliance.

Symbols in this Instruction Manual

Important information for your safety is specially marked. It is essential to comply with these instructions in order to avoid accidents and prevent damage to the appliance:

WARNING:

This warns you of dangers to your health and indicates possible injury risks.

CAUTION:

This refers to possible hazards to the appliance or other objects.

NOTE:

This highlights tips and information.

Contents

Overview of the Components ....3

General Notes......40

Special Safety Precautions for this Appliance 40

Unpacking the Appliance 41

Overview of the Components / Scope of Delivery .....42

Worth Knowing in Advance....42

What Else Should You Consider?......42

Storage of Dried Foods....43

Notes for Use 44

Function Buttons 44

Operation of the Appliance 44

Cleaning 45

Storage....45

Troubleshooting 45

Technical Data....45

Disposal....45

General Notes

Read the operating instructions carefully before putting the appliance into operation and keep the instructions including the warranty, the receipt and, if possible, the box with the internal packing. If you give this appliance to other people, please also pass on the operating instructions.

- The appliance is designed exclusively for private use and for the envisaged purpose. This appliance is not fit for commercial use.

- Do not use it outdoors. Keep it away from sources of heat, direct sunlight, humidity (never dip it into any liquid) and sharp edges. Do not use the appliance with wet hands. If the appliance is humid or wet, unplug it immediately.

- When cleaning or putting it away, switch off the appliance and always pull out the plug from the socket (pull the plug itself, not the lead) if the appliance is not being used and remove the attached accessories.

- The appliance and the mains lead have to be checked regularly for signs of damage. If damage is found the appliance must not be used.

- Use only original spare parts.

- In order to ensure your children's safety, please keep all packaging (plastic bags, boxes, polystyrene etc.) out of their reach.

WARNING:

Do not allow small children to play with the plastic foil.

There is a danger of suffocation!

Special Safety Precautions for this Appliance

• Please do not operate the appliance with an external timer or a separate remote control system.
• Due to the rising heat and vapours the appliance should not be operated under wall cupboards.
• Keep the appliance at a safe distance from easily inflammable objects such as furniture, curtains, etc. (30 cm). Under no circumstances should the appliance be installed in cupboards.

• Ventilation: Always keep the ventilation slots free from any obstructions and dirt.

• Do not leave the appliance unattended for hours at a time. Do not leave your home whilst the appliance is in operation.

• Do not operate the appliance for a period exceeding 24 hours. Allow the appliance to cool for a period of 2 hours before operating it again.
• Do not repair the appliance by yourself. Always contact an authorized technician. If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, its service agent or similarly qualified persons in order to avoid a hazard.
• This appliance can be used by children, from the age of 8 years and persons with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities or lack of experience and / or knowledge if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.
  • Children shall not play with the appliance.
• Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children unless they are older 8 years and supervised.
• Keep the appliance and its cord out of reach of children less than 8 years.

CAUTION:

Do not immerse the appliance into water for cleaning. Please follow the instructions as stipulated in the chapter "Cleaning".

Unpacking the Appliance

1. Remove the appliance from the package.
2. Remove all packaging material such as films, filler, cable holders and cardboard.

3. Check the delivery contents for completeness.

4. Should the package contents be incomplete or damages be found, do not take the appliance into operation. Take it immediately back to the dealer.

NOTE:

Dust or production residues can be located on the appliance. We recommend to clean the appliance as described under "Cleaning".

Overview of the Components / Scope of Delivery

1 Display
2 Housing
3 Handle
4 Air vents
5 Control panel:
button (increases time and temperature)
button (decreases time and temperature)
TEMP / TIME button (switches from temperature to time and vice versa)
button (switching the appliance on / off)
6 Sieve trays (6 pieces)
7 Crumb tray
8 Fine tray
9 Door

Worth Knowing in Advance

Dehydrating is a method of long-term food preservation.

Vegetable and animal food contains a lot of water – this is the reason why many foods only have a short shelf life. Water is the basis of survival for bacteria and other pathogens, such as fungi. By removing the water, pathogens lose their livelihoods, which in turn prolongs the shelf life of foods. The advantage over other preservation methods is: The vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers of the food are preserved.

In your food dehydrator, a fan circulates the heated air throughout the sieve trays. Thus, it becomes possible to speed up the dehydrating process compared to drying in the open air.

You can set at the appliance the desired temperature and the duration of the dehydrating process. Temperature range: 35^ C - 75^ C, timer: 0.5 - 24 hours.

You can dry using a single sieve tray or up to six sieve trays at the same time. If you want to dry thicker food, do not use all sieve trays.

Please note that food which you have produced at home in your food dehydrator may have a different appearance to convenience foods that you buy in the supermarket or organic food shop. The reason for this is that no artificial colourings or preservatives are used in your food dehydrator.

You can also (partially) reverse the drying process by simply soaking the dried fruit or vegetables in cold water or cooking them with other foods (e.g. soup vegetables or mushrooms).

What Else Should You Consider?

• Do not use frozen foods. They contain too much water.
  • Always use fresh foods.
  • Overripe foods or food with rotten areas are not suitable.
• Do you want the dehydrating process of one type of foods to be completed at the same time? In that case,

the pieces should be equally thick, so that they can dry at the same speed.

• Place the prepared pieces on the sieve tray in a way that they do not overlap each other.
• The drying time depends on several factors: size, condition of the pieces, quantities used, set temperature at the appliance and ambient temperature. You will find the standard values in a table at the end of this chapter.
• It is only partially visible to the eye whether the food dehydration has already been completed. Instead of the visual inspection, it is advisable to touch the food.
• Fruits must not produce moisture when exposed to pressure.
• Dried vegetables should feel almost like leather.
• Herbs are done when they crumble when grated.
• The meat must not have any spots that feel soft. However, it must not break even when you bend it.

Fruits

• We recommend using ripe fruits because they contain a high level of natural sugar. Unripe fruits often taste bitter after drying.
• Wash and dry the fruits thoroughly.
• If necessary, remove kernels, stones and all bruises.
• Fruits with a naturally waxed skin, such as grapes or plums, can be pre-blanched in boiling water. This shortens the dehydrating time.
• Cut larger fruits in equally thick slices (3 - 6 mm). Halve medium sized fruits.
• It is normal that brightly colored fruits, such as apples or bananas, become darker when dehydrating. You can prevent this by previously soaking the fruit slices for 2 minutes into lemon or pineapple juice. Dry the fruits then thoroughly with paper towels.

Vegetables

• Wash the vegetables thoroughly.
• Cut them in about 6 mm thick slices or pieces.
• Blanch the vegetables for 1 - 2 minutes in boiling water. Afterwards, we recommend to shock them by tossing them in ice water. Thus, they retain the color, flavor and structure.
• Then dry the vegetables thoroughly with a paper towel.

Fish

• After having been prepared for eating, fish are divided lengthwise.
- Fillet large fish and cut them into strips. Do not remove the skin, so that the strips are held together.
• Dab the fish dry with paper towels.

Herbs

• Harvest the herbs preferably on a rain-free morning. Before harvesting, they should have been exposed to at least 1 or 2 days of sunlight. Early in the morning, in the

evening hours and on rainy days herbs have the least aroma.

• If possible, do not wash the herbs. Shake off the dust only. Should you wish to wash the herbs, dab them dry with paper towels.
• Mince the herbs as little as possible. Place whole stems on the sieve trays of the dehydrator.
• Some herbs are not suitable for drying, as they quickly lose their flavor after harvesting (z. B. lovage, borage, sorrel, watercress). It's best to freeze these herbs.
• The following herbs are moderately well up to well suited: parsley, basil, dill, chives, lemon balm.
• Herbs which are very suitable are: mugwort, savory, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, chamomile, peppermint, lavender, sweet woodruff.

Beef Jerky

Meat types with low fat content are generally suitable for the production of dried meat.

Theoretically, meat types with higher fat content, such as mutton, duck, goose, or marbled beef also can be used.

Dried meat or jerky prepared in this fashion will only keep for a few days, however.

Low-fat High-fat
Type of meat	Fat per 100 g	Type of meat	Fat per 100 g
Beef fillet 4 g Mutton	12 g
Lean pork 6 g Duck	14 g
Saddle of venison	3 g Goose 20 g
Chicken breast 1 g	Marbled beef 18 g
Turkey 3 g Lamb 13 g

• 1 kg of meat will produce approximately 350 g of beef jerky.
• The meat should have a thickness of 3-5mm and a width of 3-4cm.
• Mix the meat with a marinade and allow it to sit overnight.
  • Dab the meat dry using a paper towel.

Meat

• Lean, well-hung meat is best suited for dehydrating.
• Wash and dry the meat thoroughly.
• Remove the skin, tendons and fat from the meat.
• Cut 2-4 mm thin slices. TIP: It is easier to cut partially frozen meat into thin slices. Or use meat rolls.
• Cut the slices in 2-3 cm thin strips.
• Marinade the meat with a seasoning mix of your choice. Let the meat for at least 6-8 hours marinade in the refrigerator.
• Before you place the meat in the dehydrator, squeeze the marinade with pressure out of the meat. Dab it dry with paper towels.

Animal Nutrition

The dehydrator is also suitable for the production of pet food and animal feed. The following types of meat are suitable for this purpose:

• Turkey
• Lean beef
• Chicken
  • Giblets, such as hearts and livers
• Belly
  • Goulash

Temperatures and Dehydrating Times

Food	Temperature in °C	Dehydrating time in hours
Fruits	55-65	5-21
Pineapple		10-21
Apples		5-12
Apricots		10-18
Bananas		8-12
Pears		8-12
Dates		5-7
Figs		5-7
Mango		10-20
Oranges		8-20
Plums		10-18
Grapes		12-21
Vegetables	55-70	2-12
Turnip cabbage		6-10
Leek		6-10
Carrots		6-8
Peppers		8-12
Celery		6-10
Mushrooms	40	5-6
Meat	60 6-12
Beef Jerky	45-70	6-12
Fish	60 8-11
Herbs	40	2-3

Storage of Dried Foods

After dehydrating, let the foods cool down completely before storing them in closed vessels.

To ensure an optimal durability, the proper storage plays an important role. Protect the dried foods from humidity. Airtight lockable boxes or jars are best suitable. You can also use resealable plastic bags with Zipper® or bags sealed with a vacuum sealer.

If moisture becomes visible in the vessel, the foods must definitely be dried again.

The vessels should be stored in a cool room and be protected from light.

Properly dried and stored foods can be kept for up to one year.

Notes for Use

Location

• Place the appliance on the dry, non-slip surface.
  • Take care that the appliance and the mains cable never are placed onto hot surfaces or near heat sources (e.g. range, hob).

Electric Connection

1. Before inserting the power plug into the outlet, check that the mains voltage to be used matches that of the appliance. You can find the required information on the nameplate.
2. Connect the appliance to a properly installed earthed socket. You will hear a beep sound and all symbols light up briefly. Next, the ⏻ button will light up and "☐☐☐☐" will appear in the display.

Before Initial Use

- There is a protective layer on the heating element. To remove this, operate the appliance for about 30 minutes without any contents.

•

WARNING:

Allow the appliance to cool down before you clean it!

• Disconnect the mains plug from the wall socket.
• Wipe the inside of the appliance and clean the accessories before using the appliance.

Function Buttons

NOTE:

• The buttons on the appliance are touch keys. Gently touch the buttons with a finger to execute the function. Whenever a button is pressed, it will be confirmed by a beep sound.
• If you keep the ☑ buttons pressed, fast mode will start.

Switching the Appliance On/Off

Turn the appliance on and off by using the ⏻ button.

NOTE:

When you switch the appliance on, all of the buttons will light up. Only then can the other buttons be pressed.

Adjustment of Time and Temperature

Use the ⏻ and buttons to adjust temperature and time. Press the TEMP/TIME button to toggle between temperature and time.

Operation of the Appliance

1. Distribute the food on the sieve trays.

CAUTION:

Do not overload the sieve trays! (Max. 0,6 kg)

NOTE:

Use the fine tray for smaller food (e. g. herbs and berries) and sticky food (e. g. bananas and tomatoes). Just place the fine tray on one of the 6 other sieve trays.

1. Open the door.
2. Place the crumb tray on the floor inside the appliance.
3. Insert the sieve trays containing the food.
4. Close the door.
5. Press the @button. The appliance will commence operation using default settings (10 hours at 70 °C) and all buttons will light up.
6. If necessary, use the TEMP/TIME, ⊕ and ⊖ buttons to adjust the temperature from 35 - 75 °C and the time from 0.5-24 hours.

NOTE:

You can change the temperature or the dehydrating time at any time during operation by using the TEMP/TIME button. But keep in mind: As soon as you increase or decrease the time setting, the countdown will commence by half-hourly periods from the beginning. The minutes during which the appliance has already been in operating mode will not be considered.

End of Operation

• When the time set using the timer has expired, the appliance will beep 5 times. The heating process will stop immediately and the fan will shut off following several beeps. The display will show "EndThe button will light up and the other illuminated buttons will go out. Pressing the button will cause the appliance to operate in standby mode and "00001 appear in the display.
• You can also previously cancel the operation at any time. To do this, press the @button.

•

WARNING: Risk of burning!

Only remove the sieve trays using potholders or oven mitts!

- Disconnect the mains plug from the socket.

Cleaning

WARNING:

• Always remove the mains lead before cleaning.
- Wait until the appliance has cooled down completely!
- Do not immerse the appliance in water! Doing so may result in an electric shock or fire.

CAUTION:

• Do not use a wire brush or any abrasive items.
• Do not use any acidic or abrasive detergents.
• Clean the sieve trays, the fine tray, and the crumb tray in rinsing water with a little detergent following each use. Remove stubborn dirt with a soft nylon brush.
• Wipe out the inside of the appliance using a damp cloth. For tougher dirt and stains, use a soft brush.
• Clean the housing after use using a slightly moist cloth.

Storage

• Clean the appliance as described. Let everything dry completely.
  • We recommend that you store the appliance in its original packaging when it is not to be used for a longer period.
  • Always store the appliance at a well ventilated and dry place outside the reach of children.

Troubleshooting

Problem Possible Cause Remedy
The appliance is not working.	The appliance has no power supply.	Check the socket with another appliance.
		Plug in the mains plug correctly.
		Check the main circuit breaker.
	The appliance is defective.	Contact our service or a repair centre.
“E”appears in the display.	The temperature sensor is broken.

Technical Data

Model: PC-DR 1218

Power supply: 220 - 240 V\~, 50 - 60 Hz

Power consumption: 550 - 650 W

Protection class:....I

Net weight: .... approx. 6.7 kg

The right to make technical and design modifications in the course of continuous product development remains reserved.

This appliance has been tested according to all relevant current CE guidelines, such as electromagnetic compatibility and low voltage directives, and is manufactured according to the latest safety regulations.

Disposal

Meaning of the "Dustbin" Symbol

Protect our environment: do not dispose of electrical equipment in the domestic waste. Please return any electrical equipment that you will no longer use to the collection points provided for their disposal.

This helps avoid the potential effects of incorrect disposal on the environment and human health.

This will contribute to the recycling and other forms of re-utilisation of electrical and electronic equipment.

Information concerning where the equipment can be disposed of can be obtained from your local authority.

Instrukcja obsługi

CTC Clatronic Sp. z o.o

Ul. Brzeska 1

45-960 Opole

Usuwanie