My project is to build a dehydrator for my kitchen. One of my goals is to make sure the dehydrator blends in with the rest of the kitchen. To make the dehydrator fit in, I must use a brushed stainless steel exterior as all the other appliances I have are that color.

Dehydrator

I must also constrain the size of the dehydrator, so it can fit in the cabinets. The reason for this is that I dislike having items not in use on the kitchen counter because it results in wasting space and gives the kitchen a somewhat disorganized look. Also, I will not be the only one using this dehydrator, so it must be easy and intuitive to use. I plan to do this by having clear labels for any switches and knobs I plan to integrate to the dehydrator. Weight is a major concern as this is supposed to be a home appliance and anything with a weight greater than 15-20 lbs will be uncomfortable to have and move in the kitchen. Finally, I want this dehydrator to give me reliable and similar results every time I use it, so I will be adding a psychrometer in order to monitor the humidity inside the dehydrator. Once the relative humidity goes below the programmed threshold it will stop and turn off the appliance.

Psychrometer circuit board