Excalibur 3500B 5-Tray Electric Food Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black review and price compare 2025

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Product overview

Brand	Excalibur
Material	Plastic
Color	Black
Wattage	400 watts
Item Dimensions LxWxH	19 x 17 x 8.5 inches

product features

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SIZE: 5 poly-screen trays equaling 8 square feet of drying space are perfect space for preserving extras from the garden
TEMPERATURE: The Excalibur 3500B Deluxe Dehydrator features built in on/off switch and adjustable thermostat temperature control ranging from 105 degrees Fahrenheit to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, making it safe to dehydrate meat for jerky
EVEN DRYING: The 5-inch fan, heating element and thermostat are in the back of the unit, so cool air is drawn in, heated and then distributed evenly over each tray
PATENTED: Hyperwave Technology and Horizontal Parallexx Airflow is exclusive to Excalibur and helps the food dehydrate faster, retain more nutrients, and look and taste better. No tray rotation required
Includes Guide to Dehydration
110/120 Volts, 440 Watts
Made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials

From the manufacturer

Fit for Every Lifestyle

Dehydrate Fruits and Vegetables or Meat and Fish for Jerky.
Re-crisp breads, crackers, etc.
Make soup mixes and reconstitute later.
Dry fresh herbs at low temperatures. Make your own herbal remedies, teas, and spice mixes.
Make healthy, preservative-free, fruit roll-ups, homemade yogurt and other snacks that kids of all ages will enjoy.
Make all-natural, healthy pet treats.
Dry fresh flowers for potpourri. Use for arts & crafts such as cake decorations, dough art, drying photographs.
Great for preppers, large families, gardeners, and sportsmen.

Any Dehydrator Will Dry Food, An Excalibur Dries Food Safer, Better, and Faster.

Ordinary dehydrators produce constant, unchanging heat, which can cause 'case hardening.' Ordinary dehydrators create a dry surface with moisture trapped inside – the perfect environment for yeast, mold and bacteria growth. With the Excalibur Hyperwave Fluctuation technology, the temperature fluctuates up and down to prevent this from happening. When the air temperature fluctuates up, the food's surface moisture evaporates; then, when the air temperature fluctuates down, the the inner moisture moves to the drier surface. This keeps the food temperature low enough to keep the enzymes active, but the air temperature gets high enough to dry food and overcome yeast, mold, and spoilage.

Dial In Temperature Control

The Excalibur 3500B Deluxe Dehydrator features built in on/off switch and adjustable thermostat temperature control ranging from 105 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, making it safe to dehydrate meat for jerky. The 5-inch fan, heating element and thermostat are in the back of the unit, so cool air is drawn in, heated and then distributed evenly over each tray.

Preserve with Technology

Hyperwave Technology and Horizontal Parallexx Airflow is exclusive to Excalibur and helps the food dehydrate faster, retain more nutrients, and look and taste better – no tray rotation required.

Drying Capacity

The Excalibur 3500B Deluxe Dehydrator has 5 poly-screen trays equaling 8 square feet of drying space, perfect space for preserving extras from the garden.

Proudly Made in the USA

Since 1973, Excalibur has been made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials.



Drying Space	8 Square Feet	15 Square Feet	8 Square Feet	4 Square Feet
Tray Size	15" x 15"	15" x 15"	15" x 15"	12" x 12"
Watts	440 Watts	600 Watts	440 Watts	220 Watts
Fan Size	5-Inch	7-Inch	5-Inch	4-Inch
Timer		26-Hour	26-Hour
Thermostat	105°F – 165°F	105°F – 165°F	105°F – 165°F	95°F – 165°F

product description

Color:Black

Dehydration is the healthiest easiest and most economical way to preserve foods Load the trays and set the temperature the Excalibur Dries the contents of all trays evenly so everything's done at once Dehydration concentrates the natural flavour sweetness and aromas of your food Leaving you with a flavour that's far healthier than high-fat snacks and high-sugar candies that are filled with chemical preservatives The Excalibur 5-Tray Small garden Dehydrator provides 8 square feet of drying space and is perfect for families with small gardens Includes flexible polyscreen tray Inserts to prevent foods from sticking to trays 5 inch Fan built in on/off switch and adjustable thermostat

product details

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Questions about Excalibur 3500B 5-Tray Electric Food Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black

Is the Excalibur 3500 sold here on Amazon made of ABS plastic and BPA free?

Answer: Hi, Unfortunately the housing of the excalibur IS lined with BPA! It acts as an insulator. This is true for both the the plastic AND the stainless steel models. The company seems unwilling to change, and so I am stalling on purchasing this product until it makes one without BPA.

Answer: Had to go online and all I could find was the trays are BPA free. You might want to call company. Couldn't find any thing in literature I have. Sorry, hope this helps.

Answer: Really not sure. The description said it was, but I have read elsewhere on the net that they are not. Cannot answer with any degree of certainty. Please contact the company directly.

Does this come with a 5 yr warranty? Or include any paraflexx sheets?

Answer: As I read the manual, the 10 year warranty is only available if the dehydrator is purchased directly from Excalibur, not if purchased from Amazon. The Amazon purchase would be warranted for 5 years.

Answer: It has a limited 10 year warranty. It does not come with the paraflexx sheets, but I do recommend them.

Answer: Yes to both.

Does it come with Guide to dehydration? and the picture looks like 4 trays, not 5

Answer: This model, the 3500-B does have 5 trays. They are shown in the picture, but two of them are a little closer together. There is a different model, the 2400, that has 4 trays.

Answer: Hello,

Answer: Yes, it does come with a small booklet, but I also bought a couple of dehydrating books, and find more info in them. It has 5 trays. You maybe aren't seeing the top tray.

Answer: There is an optional book that Excalibur publishes. Well worth the money to get it with the dehydrator. I have the larger one and it is awesome! If you can the larger one is just better--same footprint but has more shelves so you can dehydrate more at once.

how many watts?

Answer: The manufacturer lists it at 440 watts. http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/dehydrators/5-tray/5-tray-small-excalibur-3500-black

Answer: 440 Watts

Can we order a device with a working voltage of 220?

Will Excalibur dehydrators work in both the U.S and Europe?

Answer: yes when used with a adaptor its 110 AND YOUR 220

Answer: It should with a voltage converter.

whats the back look like?

Answer: its sheet metal with a fan and holes for ventilation

Can you dry fish? as in salmon that has been brined & seasoned? How long to safely dry?

Answer: Dry for 8-12 hours at 145-155 F.

Answer: I actually never dried fish, however from what I understand you can dehydrate anything with moister. I believe some of my friends dehydrated beef. I hope this helps.

Answer: I don't know my dehydrator broke within 5 months and they wouldn't provide a warranty

I plan to buy this as a gift, other then the machine it self what else do you have to buy to go with it ?

Answer: You don't HAVE TO buy anything else, but, the person using it will want to use (non stick) parchment paper sheets.

Answer: I can bundle a food processor with it, however I would like to send you pictures to make sure you would like i however I would like to send you pictures to make sure you wI'll like it.

Answer: You don't need anything else. Each tray has it's own 'mesh' sheet. You place the food right on that, then remove it for cleanup afterwards.

Answer: Hi Chelsea. This has never been opened and used, but as far as I know it comes with everything you need to use it.

Answer: You don't need anything.

Does this model (3500B) come with the Guide to Dehydration (Preserve it Naturally) book?

Answer: When I received my dehydrator (Fall, 2014), it came with the "Excalibur Dehydration Guide." On Amazon there is a guide, Preserve it Naturally: A complete guide to food by Excalibur (1984), paperback, $2.75.

Answer: Mine came with "Preserve It Naturally The Complete Guide to Food Dehydration" and a smaller booklet that a friend has borrowed. Love this machine.

Answer: I got a Dehydration Guide and Preserve It Naturally The Complete Guide To Guide Dehydration.

Answer: Yes it does.

Does ohh t reach and internal temperature of 160?

I just received this dehydrator and have a question regarding the door. It doesn't seem to attach very securely or create a seal. Is this by design?

Answer: It does not need to seal - so appears to be by design.

Answer: Yes

funciona a 110V?

I can't quite tell from the photo, and the description doesn't mention it. Is there a temperature control? What's the minimum temp listed? Thanks!

Answer: Yes there is temperature control, minimum temp is 85 degrees. I use 95 to 115 for most all drying. There is no timer or auto shut-off.

Answer: The settings are according to what foods you dehydrating. It does have a temp. knob 85 to 155 degrees F. We like ours. Tomatoes or jerky all turn out great.

Answer: Yes, *Adjustable Thermostat 95◦F to 155◦F

Is the drying fan in the back or the bottom of the Excalibur dehydrators?

Answer: In the side. I would not purchase an Excalibur mine quit and they did not stand behind the warrantee.

Answer: It's in the back, and blows over each tray. Works great. I love mine.

Answer: Back, highly recommend -- I use mine everyday

Answer: In the back

Answer: in the back

Do you think I can use it overseas with a transformer? I live APO due to military.

Answer: Yes as long as it transforms to the correct voltage. 110v---120v.

Answer: I don't see why not. Transformers are used with all sorts of products overseas. If I were you, I would go one step further and actually ask the company the question. But I see no reason why not. :)

Answer: I don't know, but this is a big, bulky item, and depending on where you are overseas, it may take up half of your apartment!

anyone try making powders out of kale/ other greens?? Is it effective??

Answer: A full load of spinach, dried and ground will reduce to couple ounces of powder. Great for everything...smoothies, soups, pancakes, etc.

Answer: No, I have never tried that, but once dried how about using a coffee grinder to powder it? I think that would work.

Need machine for one-person use?

Answer: Hi there, the model 2400 is the best sized unit for 1-2 people. It can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0047WOWHE/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Answer: This might be a good choice for you Excalibur Economy Series ED-2400 Four-Tray Food Dehydrator

I purchased this last year and every time I use it, dehydration takes MUCH longer than what the book says. What am I doing wrong?

Answer: Think about how this dehydrator works. You have heated air blown across the dehydrator to dehydrate items.

Answer: My did not work well either. It ended up breaking in the first 5 months. They would not fix or replace it. I would never purchase another of their products.

Answer: same here

Do u have model for 220v current ?

Answer: no, mine is 110 V

Excalibur dehydrator ships to Mexico?

Answer: You could call the company and ask them.

Is this product made in China? Is it free of poisons?

Answer: The label on the box says made in USA , Sacramento California. Their web site is https://excaliburdehydrator.com/

What the difference between this model and the 3526TB?

Answer: Hi Stephanie, I don't know much about the different models of dehydrators they sell, but it looks like your model with the "T" in the name includes a timer, while the 3500 doesn't.

Unsure about getting the 5 or 9 tray Excalibur. Did you ever wish you got the 9 tray instead?

Answer: Yes... But it would take up alot of room.

Answer:

Answer: actually I don't..I just do jerky 3lbs at a time and it fits perfectly on the 5 tray..also the 5 tray is still pretty big and the 9 would be too big atleast for me.

Answer: No. Dehydrating takes time and 5 tray was adequate for the volume of fruits and meats we were doing. The more trays the longer time to dehydrate. Since I wanted my fruits dehydrated within 24 hours, running the machine during the day and overnight. it allowed me to process my produce at a manageable rate.

Answer: I would be lying if I said no. But I am very happy with the 5 tray. There truly have not been too many times I need more than 5 trays

Answer: Yes, if you've got the space you will use it.

what size mason jar could this fit? wanted for yogurt

Answer: Standing upright, the jar would have to be less than 6 inches high.

Answer: Pints

Do you have 220 volt ?

Answer: YES! You may find the 220 Volt version here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YCW2CHQ

Answer: It's a 120 volt

Answer: No, we have 110, but if you need 220, you can buy an adapter. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=220+110+adapter

Answer: it's 120V. i just took pictures and will be posting them.

Answer: Voltage is 110v. You may need a converter to use it.

Answer: No

Hi! I'm Laura from Argentina. Does it run at 220 volts? thanks

Answer: Laura, I'm almost positive that all of the Excalibur dehydrators require 110 volts. If you do a search on 220 volt dehydrators, you should come up with something that will work.

Answer: Laura, I'm in the US and we run our Excalibur on our home 110 volts. You do not necessarily need 220 volts.

Answer: the Excalibur runs on 120. I apoligize for not being able to answer sooner. Do not use with 220

Answer: Hi Laura,

Answer: on ebay they sell a 220v international model. Perhaps you can find it on amazon too.

Answer: 110v model

Excalibur, in the owner's manual, seems to warn against using a plug-in timer. Is there potential for damage to the machine?

Answer: The time for dehydrating is long enough that a regular kitchen timer is not useful. I usually put stuff in it and set it at 115-125 degrees and let it run through the night. Food is usually dried just right by morning. You can get a built in timer on some models but not worth the extra cost IMO.

Answer: I don't know. But I would follow the instructions. Better safe than sorry. I sure wouldn't want to damage my Excalibur, mine has a built in timer and temperature control.

Is it possible to set the timer and have the fan running without setting the temperature (e.g. leaving at room temperature)?

Answer: The first temperature setting that is written after the "Off" position is 95 F/35 C. In order to get the fan to turn on, you have to turn it approximately 1/2 way between the "Off" position and 95 F/35 C; could be about 45 - 50 F. It might be of great value to you to read a detailed statement quoted from Excalibur concerning food temps. vs. air temps as it pertains to their dehydrator here: http://www.discountjuicers.com/excaliburstatement.html

Answer: No. Temperature range is abt 85 to 115 degrees. Lowest temp of 85 degrees is above room temp.

Answer: Adjustable Thermostat 105◦F to 165◦F. Temperature range is low enough to preserve active enzymes in fruits and vegetables. Temperature range is also high enough to meet safety standards for dehydrating meat for jerky. Unit turns on automatically when thermostat is in use.

Answer: My model doesn't have a timer, but, if I set the temperature to less than the minimum temperature of 105, it turns off.

Answer: NO - it does not appear to be possible

i need to know the exact actual weight for this one please ( on scale weight ) not the shipping weight

What are the dimentions of the 5 tray excalibur dehydrator - Length and width ?

Does dehydrator have warranty?

Answer: I think it was 1 year, but these things normally last for years and years. I have the 5 drawer and love it. It's just the right size for me. I did potato slices a couple weeks ago, and it took the whole 5 lb. bag. I think it's the best dehydrator you could purchase.

Answer: Limited 10 year

Answer: It has a limited 10 year warranty.

Answer: I would assume it might, but you would need to contact the Excalibur Co. to be sure. Mine has worked great for years without a problem...

Can fish be done with this machine

Answer: I have not personally dried any fish but the instructions indicate fish can be dried but you should use the highest temperature setting.

Answer: I have never done fish, but I don't see why not. I have made venison jerky many times.

Answer: Hi Rishriam, I am not sure to tell you the truth. I know people smoke fish but due to the length of time the fish would be drying and not refrigerated, I would not want to guess on the safety of dehydrating fish. A search on the internet may answer your question. Wished I could have helped.

Answer: Hello God bless you!

Is the plug for this dehydrator a 2 or 3 prong?

Answer: It has a 3-prong plug.

Answer: 3 prong

Answer: The thing is a piece of junk. My quit working after 3 months. Used it maybe 9 times. do not buy this brand!

Are the trays made of stainless steel?

Answer: No, the trays are plastic. Very durable but I hand wash after use. Owners manual states dishwasher safe.

Answer: No, plastic. Light weight and easy to clean. I have had mine since 2000 and still like new and I use it a lot!

Answer: No, they are plastic with a soft plastic mesh insert that your food sits on to dry.

Answer: Plastic. Very durable.

I thought I read that the trays were 14x14 inches. If so, 5 trays are not 8 sq. ft, are they?

Answer: The trays are 15X15 which comes out to 7.8125 sq. in. The mesh section is 14X14. you can still fit 5 lbs of meat on the trays for drying. The marketing department plays with numbers. It's what they do.

I'm looking to buy the Excalibur 5 tray. Do they have a glass door to purchase separately?

Answer: Don't think so, but why would you want a glass door? Just removing the door to check on the food doesn't hurt anything. Not sure why you would want glass?

Answer: You could look it up on the amazon search field or maybe look at the Excalibur website or call the company.

Answer: Hi, I'm not aware of any glass door option, but you could contact the seller.

Ship to Mexico?

I would like to know the size of the exalibur with 5 trays?

Answer: Beatriz, the outer sides are 16 1/2" wide. 19" deep. 8" tall. The trays are 15" square. I see that 5 other people have answered your question. The answer to your question is also in the description on Amazon.

Answer: The trays are about 15" (I just roughly measured) each.

Answer: Outside dimensions: 16 1/2 " wide, 19" long, 8" deep.....

Answer: 8.5 inches high by 17 inches wide by 19 inches deep

Answer: Did you read the description? It is clearly stated on Amazon.

Answer: 15" square

does it have a self-timer?

Answer: No. If it has a timer, it will tell you that. I don't actually think a timer is all that important, as different things, different humidity and other variables will make things dry slower or faster. You really just need to check things. If it is on for a couple of extra hours after things are dry, it won't hurt them any. I like to start things in the evening, when I am off from work the next day. Many things will be dry the next morning, but if it takes a little longer, then I am there to check things and turn it off when they are done. I wouldn't use a timer if it had one.

Answer: This model does not have a self timer. With the variability in drying time I think it would be an unused feature.

Answer: No unfortunately. Nor does it have an on off switch. You have to unplug it to turn it off. That's the only drawback though, the temperature seems to be precise (I previously had a different model that wasn't true to temperature). I usually plug it into one of those outlet timers so it will shut off the dehydrator at the time I want.

Answer: My deluxe model does not. There's only one dial connected to the temperature.

Answer: No this model does not. It is the only thing I have found it is missing.

Answer: No

The dimensions are 19x17x8.5 inches but does not list what they dimensions correspond to. Which is the height? Which is the width? Which is the depth?

Answer: 17.5 long, 8.5 inches H, 16.5 inches wide...according to my tape.

Answer: Hi, I believe those dimensions correspond to length, width, height. So the height would be 8.5",....

Answer: 19 front to back

Will a quart size jar fit in here for making yogurt?

Answer: No

Answer: Yes

Se enchufa a 110 w solamente?

Answer: Si, solo es para 110. Yo que vivo en una zona de 220, le compre aparte en mi pais un transformador.

Does it ferment natto

Answer: I wouldn't use a dehydrator to ferment anything. The blower would dry it out!

Product reviews of Excalibur 3500B 5-Tray Electric Food Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black

JayP : Love my Excalibur 5 drawer Dehydrator

Had a harvest maid years ago, and wanted to start dehydrating again. So purchased the 5 drawer Excalibur. I love it! Works great and just about the size I need for the most part. Not too big so doesn't take up a lot of room. Have been using it a lot this summer and storing veggies for use during the snowy winter. Can buy fresh produce when in season and save. It's well made and a good price for the quality. They shipped quickly too. I would definitely reccomend this to others.

Modern Paleo : Rock star food dehydrator

While this is a perfect fit for me, it may not be right for everyone due to its size and the noise level at which it operates. It is, however, a top of the line dehydrator. Here's a breakdown of the pro's and cons:

PROS:
- Lots of tray space for food
- Powerful internal fan spreads heat evenly and dehydrates more quickly - no turning!
- Very easy temperature control
- Trays are very easy to clean
- Metallic construction, not plastic, for the outer shell

CONS:
- Much larger than other dehydrators on the market
- While in my opinion it's not "too loud," the fan runs a bit louder than one would expect. About the same noise level as a desktop fan or small heater.
- Expensive: this is far more expensive than other dehydrators on the market.
- No timer on this model

OVERALL:

My primary use for this machine is to get things dehydrated and stored as evenly and efficiently as possible, and the Excalibur does just that. The noise is a drawback, but one I can certainly live with. A timer would be nice, but honestly, I don't need it. I just make sure to time my batches carefully and set an alarm on my phone. Since the fan takes care of drying evenly, I don't have to come back one or more times to flip anything, so I set it and wait for the alarm. It's that easy.

** For best results, buy yourself a mandoline and/or a food processor so you can get the most even slices of whatever you are drying.

Lois Beer : Mostly great!

I bought the Excalibur after a lot of research and reading everyone's reviews. As well, my co-worker owns ones and she told me it is great - which it is mostly! The little annoyances have nothing to do with the brand I'm sure, and more to do with me.
I bought the 5 tray as I'm on my own and didn't see that I would need 9 trays. However, now I'm seeing the benefits of having more trays - especially in the summer when there will be an abundance of produce. So, that being said, I'd recommend that you go with the most trays that you can.
The unit is quite big and I have limited counter space in my kitchen. So this makes it awkward to use and store - but again - that's my problem - not the appliance's. It's noisy and it rattles from time to time. This tends to get on my nerves when it has to be on for 12+ hours. My co-worker agreed and told me they moved theirs to a spare room in their house - and some of her friends even use the garage. So that will be what I do in the future. I have been leaving it on overnight now that I've used it a couple of times and am confident that its not defective, but I really don't like leaving appliances on like that. So, I'll move it and all my little annoyances will be addressed and then I'll be 100% in love with it!
I did not get the model that has a timer - I can definitely see the appeal in that. It would be nice to be able to program it to turn off as it can get tricky to time the dehydration process within the hours I am home/awake.
I am mostly using it to dehydrate soaked and sprouted nuts. This is awesome! The nuts come out nice and crunchy just like they've been roasted. I've been keeping the dial at 105 degrees to maintain maximum enzymes. I also make my own almond milk, and so then I dehydrate the pulp left over and now have a nice supply of almond meal/flour.
I've made terrific crackers and wraps as well.
Have not dehydrated any fruit yet - will do that as local fruit comes into season.
All in all, it's been a great addition to my raw food kitchen and once I figure out a home for it, I'm sure we'll co-exist for many years to come :)

Please wake up : Very Cheap

This is honestly a piece of junk. The larger or more expensive excalibur products are really nice. I didn't expect this system to be so cheaply made. If you want a system that is well made without tons of plastic parts then I would consider getting a nicer unit.

VFL : Three Stars

This thing is huge, and it seems to take longer for foods to dry than the instructions say.

Jennifer B : Great function with one MAJOR design flaw.

I rated this a three star for the sole reason that the door rattles nonstop! It is the most annoying and obnoxious noise to listen to for 8 - 12 hours while dehydrating. This is my second excalibur and I am pleased with the way they dehydrate, etc. but this incessant rattling can only be stopped by placing something on the door. The door "hangs" in a little top groove with two "teeth" - doesn't slide down a groove like my old unit did. So while the size of the unit (14"), number of trays (5), thermostat knob are all fully functional and easy to use, I absolutely would not recommend this to a friend unless the friend liked noise. Negative 5 stars for the rattle, 5 stars for the rest of the unit. Sorry Excalibur - major design flaw in my book.

p.s. you can put a canning jar filled with water in front of the unit to hold the door in place, but that is a pain too.

Amazon Customer : item is not new

The item was obviously opened before, the manual is torn. It has a smell of burning tape when I tested it.

Christie L. Owens : A little noisy but works great

A little noisy, like an air cleaner on medium, but works great! Good starter model for beginners on GAPS diet. Can dehydrate 5 qt jars of yogurt easily, 3 lbs of pecans nuts, 5 large apples.

jdbridges : Made of sturdy plastic, with a basic heating element and a ...

Simple and practical design. Made of sturdy plastic, with a basic heating element and a large diameter fan in the rear. The trays are sturdy as well, and it comes with plastic liners for making jerky, drying fruit etc. The system works as advertised, evenly drying meat on all shelves. It is a bit noisy; the fan rattles a little in the case making it sound a bit like an old window unit ac. But I just placed it in my garage and the problem of both the noise and the smell of the food drying (which is great, until it fills your whole house) were easily taken care of.

Ajisai : Pretty Good

I've been using the 5 Tray Excalibur for grass-fed beef jerky. The books and manual said that it should take about 4-6 hours to get the meat "green twig" dry but it's more like 9-10 hours and even then, it does not break when I bend it. I've tried thicker 1/4" cuts and then 1/4" cuts pounded thinner. My butcher doesn't have a slicer so I haven't tried it 1/8" thick, and maybe that's what is needed to get the jerky to snap when bent. With the 1/4" cut pounded thinner, 4 lbs covers a little more than 4 trays. 1/4" was about 3 trays. I'm pretty happy with the smaller 5 tray size since I can fit it on the counter beneath my cabinet and I can store it away more easily than if I had bought the 9 tray. I use the excalibur sheets which greatly facilitates cleanup but may also be causing the slow dry times.

Abolton : Works great, but...

I have never written and "it's only okay" review. It dehydrated very well, but was just too noisy for us. If you have a room away from where you could hear it, no problem. Works great, but...

Lucille : Great Dehydrator

I like the size of this dehydrator, it's quietness and easy clean features. Great product.

lauriet : great additional item to any household

Best purchase I have made in a long time. I use it to dehydrate all of the extra produce from my garden. No wasted food from the grocery store. No more purchased dog treats. Too many uses to list.

ambeezee : Dries perfectly

A little noisy but this thing is a beast. Dries in half the time of my old one.

mbeazy : Great Machine

This is a great machine for the money. I made my first two rounds of jerky and it was extremely easy. I wish I would ha e spent the extra money and bought the model with the timer. Overall, this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make their own jerky and dried foods.

Hikerman : Five Stars

Does the job, I have used it quite a bit and it's very efficient and capable.

Linda : Worth It

Worked as advertised.

Marcela Bustos : Five Stars

Good product!!

Amazon Customer : Five Stars

Great purchase!

Jennifer B : Great function with one MAJOR design flaw.

Ajisai : Pretty Good

Women Nomads : I love this Product!

Great product for those who are interested in dehydrating food. Great for those doomsday preppers especially! We would recommend this unit to anyone. It is a nice unit that is easy to use.

R. White : Works great so far

Worked really well last harvest drying various herbs. Have yet to try it with fruits (apples) or veggies (tomatoes - I know, they're really fruits but...).

Wish there was an option to keep the fan going even when the heater is off.

S ACKER : It's a little early to shout about my results however....

THE BEST of all small size dehydrator. For one or two who want to do excellent dry food it works like a charm, looks good on any counter and has a small foot print. It is also easy to clean.

Christina J Gutierrez : Dehydrator is defective and SpaceBound will not respond!!!

I purchased this dehydrator to prepare veggies, fruit and meat for long term storage. I have an abundance of zucchini right now and planned to use the dehydrator first for the purpose of making zucchini chips. The dehydrator doesn't produce any heat. My zucchini chips were in for 5 hours at the veggie temp of 125 and were still cold and wet after 5 hours. I sent a message to the SpaceBound and got no response. I sent another message to the SpaceBound and again no response. I asked to return and they said i would have a 20% restocking fee, which is ridiculous that I should have to pay anything at all for a product that doesn't work. What I really want is a working dehydrator. Since the company did not respond to to make things right regarding the defective item. I am giving the seller/SpaceBound a zero star for customer service!!!!!

MKK : Works like a charm for jerky

5 tray dehydrator worked well to make jerky from 5 pounds of meat. White noise not an issue. Easy to clean. Will try apples next.

The Handthreader : Wish I had gone with 9 tray

Wish I had noticed it did not have a timer. My fault. Love it! Easy to clean! I have dried things the book said would change color but happily it didn't!

Karen : Not what I expected

I thought this would be a great choice according to the reviews it had. BUT, I have used the Ronco dehydrater for many years and definitely prefer that to this new one. I see no difference to the quality of food that the Excalibur dehydrates. Quite a waste of money for me.

jdbridges : Made of sturdy plastic, with a basic heating element and a ...

Tara : I LOVE MY EXCALIBUR DEHYDRATOR!

I debated between this and the 9 tray and went with the 5 tray deluxe for the convenience of saving space in my small apartment, the recipe book and the 10 year warranty. I have had it for almost a month and used it for making breadcrumbs, orange zest, 'sun dried'-style tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, blueberries, strawberry chips, apple chunks, yogurt leather and raisins. It CAN fit a QUART MASON jar standing up to make yogurt, next on my to do list. I have yet to also try rising bread, beef jerky, hardy herbs and so much more. I thought I would be missing the built in timer, but truly it is not a necessity. Every batch will vary in drying time according to quality and ripeness of fruit/vegetable, how thick you slice the food, the humidity and temperature of your kitchen and more. It will be fine if you leave it for hours while away from home, unless you are drying something delicate/quick like cilantro. I do rotate the tray half way through to help more even drying but it isn't that inconvenient and the drying seems to be more consistent. The fan is strong, we have a small apartment and our bedroom is maybe 20 feet from the kitchen. If our bedroom door is open then we can hear it. I would compare the noise to that of the AC turning on. It's not distracting enough to disturb our sleep, but I actually prefer light background noise as I sleep anyway. It did not arrive with any damage. I did order an 11pack of paraflexx sheets to go with it. I highly recommend that, they are amazing for making fruit leather or preventing anything like sweet, juicy fruits from sticking. The recipe book is helpful, but I recommend also looking online for tips when dehydrating something new. For example, the recipe book recommends blueberries dry for 7-15 hours. Mine is going on it's 3rd day dehydrating and someone had recommended to pierce the berries, a seemingly simple or unnecessary tip, but it helped move along the ones that are lagging behind the others. I look forward to dehydrating many more recipes! A dehydrator is a kitchen staple for any size family that you will not regret purchasing!

LaBerta Wagner : Not only does she love it for dehydrating but she also uses it to ...

This was a gift for my daughter. She has raved about it!! Not only does she love it for dehydrating but she also uses it to make her yogurt. Her one-quart yogurt jars fit right inside and that makes a whole gallon of milk into yogurt at the same time. She can dehydrate an entire bag of almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds at the same time. It is noisier than she thought it would be but it's not bad considering the work it does! It is so easy to use 'even a caveman could do it' she says. :) It takes up a lot of space but she doesn't mind because she really needed this product. Four thumbs up!!!!! Thank you!

ambeezee : Dries perfectly

A little noisy but this thing is a beast. Dries in half the time of my old one.

ambeezee : Dries perfectly

A little noisy but this thing is a beast. Dries in half the time of my old one.

Sarah J Bender : Loud and not worth the money (my opinion)

I am not an expert in food dehydrators and this is the first one I have ever had, so forgive me if this review is overly critical. When I first turned it on it sounded like the fan was chopping away at something inside, and I found that somehow it passed inspection that the electrical cord on the inside was in the way of the fan. I had to use chopsticks to get through the metal screen and work the cord out of the way then secure it out of the way with a stripped wire bread tie. After that it worked fine but I am still kind of surprised with how loud the dehydrator is when it's running. I weighed the top down in three different places to help minimize the rattling noise, which helps. It is made with a lot of plastic, which I know shouldn't be a surprise these days, but for upwards of 200 bucks... maybe it's more about the technology built into the dehydrating process. And it does dehydrate food, so it serves its purpose. I think I was expecting more for the price, though.

Bo Peep : Cannot wait to use.

Bought as a gift. I cannot wait to use!

RVali : Works perfect.

Very good machine, not too noisy either. 5 trays has lots of room, about 12 big bananas at a time. A very good dehydrator -- highly recommend this product.

Dave McNutt : This is a piece of JUNK. It worked for ...

This is a piece of JUNK. It worked for about 2 months. When I called them they said that I was out of luck. It wasn't covered. NEVER, NEVER EVER spend money on this thing.

M. S. : Addictive and easy to use

Made veggie chips right away. They turned out absolutely spectacular. Zucchini chips sliced thin were crispy. I added my own plant based seasoning and they were super addictive. Made kale chips they had a nice crunch. But the tomatoes were my favorite. The tomato flavor was so intense my whole family loved them. This machine was so easy to use and to clean. Whole family loves the machine!!! Great addition to healthy eating????

John C. Balcom : Really great product.

have now owned or given as gifts about 5 of these. Really great product.

Liz Bonilla : Wao!!

Me encanto!! La verdad es una muy buena inversión, mucha gente se queja del ruido pero es lo de menos. Su nivel de ruido del 1 al 5 es de 1; la relación calidad precio es la mejor. Full recomendado! Excelente producto!

MoxieGirl : Everything the reviews say it is!

Already I'm wishing I got the 9 tray dehydrator. It is very light weight, looks like a black square box not like a kitchen appliance and takes up much counter space. The unit is LOUD
and sounds like an air conditioner. I am very pleased with the performance however. My fruit dries beautifully. I would highly recommend this dehydrator for home use.

R. Larson : Name said it all... Performance!

Better results than expected jut remember the fan will be in the back so light items can drift forward. Jut be a thoughtful person and load it with consideration. Cleaning is possibly easier than my old broken one but it may be because of the different design.

Danilo Jr : Great product.

A very nice product! It does what it promise. I just wanted a better quality knob. But.. ok.

VFL : Three Stars

This thing is huge, and it seems to take longer for foods to dry than the instructions say.

Dennis A. Rainwater : Christmas gift for husbad

Husband loves this has used enclosed cookbook to try different recipes

Robin Waters : Stop looking. Buy this model.

Works VERY well. Not nearly as loud as I thought it'd be, based on some other reviews I'd read before my purchase. As some others have said, the noise level is comparable to the exhaust fan in your bathroom. I sometimes run it for 36 - 48 hours nonstop on the lowest heat setting and haven't had any problems. The picture is a bit misleading though. This is a fairly big unit. I have more than enough space for drying with the 5-model. In fact, I've never had to use more than 1 tray at a time to dry my goods (mushrooms).

Ken Seymour : love it: )

works as advertised, love it :)

Bev Davies : Birthday gift for the hunter

Gave this product to my son for his birthday. First dehydrator did not heat up, had to return it. Amazon immediately sent a replacement out, which worked fine. Dehydrator seems to get really hot, but results were great.

Ray Abrahamson : Compact yet mighty works great

Easy to use quiet and works great

R. Larson : Name said it all... Performance!

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