Mesh racks are definitely handy, but honestly, I think the speed-up might be a bit overstated. Don't get me wrong, I totally get the relief of not having to babysit uneven batches—been there, done that, and it's no fun at all. But from my experience, the actual drying time difference isn't huge. It's more about consistency and peace of mind than anything else.
I switched to mesh racks last year after a particularly frustrating batch of herbs that dried unevenly on parchment paper (talk about trauma...). At first, I was convinced everything was drying faster because I wasn't constantly checking and rearranging things. But when I actually timed it out, the difference was pretty minimal—maybe an hour or two shaved off at most. The real benefit was that everything dried evenly without me hovering anxiously over it every half hour.
If you're looking for a noticeable speed boost, I've found that placing a small fan nearby helps way more than just switching to mesh alone. It circulates air better and genuinely cuts down drying time significantly. Plus, fans are pretty budget-friendly compared to specialized drying equipment.
So yeah, mesh racks are great for convenience and consistency, but if you're really after speed, pairing them with a simple fan setup is probably your best bet. Either way, less stress and fewer ruined batches is always a win in my book...and yes, more coffee breaks are always welcome.
Interesting take—I hadn't really thought about timing it out precisely. I've been using mesh racks for a while now, mostly because I got tired of flipping everything halfway through. But now that you mention it, maybe the speed difference wasn't as dramatic as I assumed...might've just felt quicker because I wasn't constantly messing with it.
The fan idea sounds pretty smart, though. Do you think any small desk fan would work, or would I need something stronger? I have a spare USB fan lying around somewhere—wondering if that's enough to make a noticeable difference or if I'd need to upgrade a bit.
Either way, less babysitting drying herbs sounds like a win to me. More coffee breaks indeed...
I've messed around a bit with fans when drying herbs and other stuff, and honestly, small USB fans can be hit or miss. It really depends on how much airflow it's actually pushing out. If yours is one of those super tiny ones meant just for a gentle breeze at your desk, it probably won't speed things up noticeably. On the other hand, if it's got decent airflow (think mini desk fan rather than novelty USB gadget), it might be enough to make a difference.
In my experience, you don't need hurricane-level winds—just steady, consistent airflow. I once tried a cheap little USB fan I had sitting in a drawer, and while it did help somewhat, it wasn't exactly night-and-day. Later on, I switched to a slightly bigger clip-on fan (still USB powered, but one of those meant for desks or shelves), and that actually seemed to speed things along quite nicely. The difference wasn't massive, but noticeable enough to keep me using it.
Also worth mentioning: positioning matters more than you'd expect. A fan blowing directly onto the herbs can sometimes dry them unevenly or blow bits around too much. Instead, try angling it so the air circulates gently around your drying rack setup rather than blasting straight at it. That seems to give me the best results without causing any messy herb explosions.
Anyway, I'd say give your current USB fan a test run before buying anything new. If you're seeing even a slight improvement in drying time or consistency, you're probably good to go. But if it's barely noticeable, then yeah...might be worth bumping up to something slightly stronger. Either way, less flipping and babysitting is always nice—more time to sip coffee and scroll through forums is never a bad thing.
Totally agree about positioning—I learned the hard way after blowing dried lavender bits all over my kitchen counter, ha. Another trick I've found useful is placing the herbs on a mesh or wire rack rather than a solid surface. It lets the air circulate underneath too, speeding up drying without needing much extra airflow. Plus, it helps avoid those annoying damp spots that seem to linger forever...
Haha, your lavender story reminds me of the time I tried drying rosemary on my kitchen island. Thought I'd be clever and speed things up with a small fan—ended up chasing rosemary needles around the floor for days. Lesson learned!
"placing the herbs on a mesh or wire rack rather than a solid surface"
Definitely second this tip. I've also found that elevating the rack slightly (like propping it on some wooden blocks) helps even more with airflow. Keeps things from getting musty underneath, especially in humid weather...
