A study was carried out to develop and evaluate a small scale portable grape dryer using butane•gas as heat energy source. The experimental work was conducted at the Dept. of Agric. Eng., Fac. of Agric., Mansoura Univ. Three different levels of drying air temperature (50, 60 and 70 °C) and two different levels of air velocity (1 and 2 m/s) were used for the experimental work. Two different thin layer drying models (simple, and Page) were examined for simulating the drying behavior and predicting the change in grape moisture content during the drying process. Total drying time, thermal efficiency, final quality of the produced raisins and cost estimation of the drying process were also considered. The obtained results showed that, both the examined models could describe and predict the change in grape moisture content during the drying process satisfactory. While the Page model could describe the drying process more than the other model. Meanwhile, the recorded drying time of grape from an initial level of 386 % (d.b.) to an average final moisture content of 19.89 % (d.b.) were 52, 20 and 14 hours for the drying temperature of 50, 60 and 70 °C and air velocity of 1 m/s. The corresponding drying times at 2 m/s air velocity were 52, 20 and 14 hours, respectively. Also, the higher drying air temperature of 70 °C and air velocity of 2 m/s showed the best organoliptic characteristics of the dried grape and the highest thermal efficiency of 68.20 %. On the other hands, the estimated drying cost at this level of drying air temperature and air velocity was 1.76 LE/kg of fresh grape.