Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster Drying, Black review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand
Excalibur
Material
Plastic
Color
Black
Wattage
600 watts
Item Dimensions LxWxH
19 x 17 x 12.5 inches
product features
This fits your .
by entering your model number.
DRYING SPACE - 9-trays totaling 15 square feet of drying space offers plenty of room for your favorite snacks
PATENTED - Hyper wave technology and horizontal parallex drying removes water from food with a continuous circulation of thermostatically-controlled Warm air
LOW AND SLOW FOR IMMUNITY BOOST - Cooking foods at a temperature no higher than 115-118 degrees in a dehydrator preserves nutrients and enzymes
DIAL IN - Adjustable thermostat 105 degrees Fahrenheit to 165 degrees Fahrenheit featuring accurate temperature control and built in on/off switch
EASY TO CLEAN - Poly-Screen trays do not need to be moved or rotated during operation and prevent foods from sticking
HEALTHY SNACKS - Dehydrate delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat for jerky, fruit puree for fruit roll-ups, raise bread or make homemade yogurt. Great for preppers, large families, gardeners, and sportsman
Includes 7" Fan for excellent air circulation
From the manufacturer
9 BPA-free trays totaling 15 square feet of drying space allows for enough room to dry a wide variety of foods.
Hyperwave patented technology keeps the interior temperature high enough to remove moisture while ensuring food temperature is low enough to maintain enzymes and nutrients.
Parallexx horizontal airflow distributes air evenly over each tray allowing food to dry faster and taste better.
The adjustable thermostat (105°F - 165°F) allows for greater flexibility to dry herbs, fruit, vegetables, jerky and so much more!
Dehydrating foods at low temperatures preserve nutrients and enzymes for up to 9 months when stored correctly.
Get started immediately with the included “Guide to Dehydrating” book for great tips and recipes.
Size
16.25 x 13 x 6.5 inches
19 x 17 x 12.5 inches
19 x 17 x 12.5 inches
18 x 17 x 10 inches
17 x 20.5 x 17 inches
# Trays
4
9
9
9
10
Drying Space
4 square feet
15 square feet
15 square feet
15 square feet
16 square feet
Thermostat
Adjustable
Adjustable
Adjustable
Adjustable
Digital dual adjustable temp. settings
Timer Hrs.
N/A
N/A
26-hour
26-hour
Digital dual adjustable time settings up to 99 hrs.
Door Style
Solid
Solid
Solid
Clear
Clear
Body
Plastic
Plastic
Plastic
Plastic
Stainless Steel
Tray material
BPA Free Plastic
BPA Free Plastic
BPA Free Plastic
BPA Free Plastic
Stainless Steel
Coverage
5 Year
10 Year
10 Year
10 Year
10 Year
product description
The 3900B Deluxe Dehydrator by Excalibur comes with 9 trays and a total of 15 square feet of drying space. The adjustable thermostat temperature control ranges from 105 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, making it safe to dehydrate meat for jerky. The 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. This patented parallex horizontal airflow is exclusive to Excalibur and helps the food dehydrate faster, retain more nutrients, and look and taste better – all without manual tray rotation. Since 1973, Excalibur has been made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials. Over the years, Excalibur has taken the lead in advancements related to the mechanics of Dehydration including air flow, heating dynamics, and materials. Your Excalibur dehydrator offers you the opportunity to cook at lower drying temperatures which increase the immunity boosting vitamin value in foods and keep it boosted for up to 9 months when stored in an airtight container. So, the next time you are looking for ways to improve your wellness, take on a tortoise mentality and know that low and slow will win the immunity race. Your body will thank you!
product details
important information
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Questions about Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster Drying, Black
Q:
Does this unit have a timer? Is there a unit comparable to this that does?
Answer: This unit does not have a timer. I think there is a unit that is very much like this that does have one Excalibur 3926T 9 Tray Large Food Hehydrator with 26 hour Timer
Answer: No it does not. Excalibur does make one with a timer though, it is Excalibur 3926TB. It has a 26 hour timer.
Answer: I have the model WITH the timer but actually find little use for it. Most of the time you simply turn the unit off when the dehydrating is complete. As others have mentioned, due to variation in humidity, jerky that takes 6 hours one day might only take 4 hours a month later. Set the dehydrator on 6 and you'll have overdried it.
Answer: No timer but the use of a wall timer works just as well for way less money.
Answer: No timer on this model but you can plug it into a timer that plugs into your outlet and save yourself $100.
Answer: No timer. Costs a good bit more for that model. I put mine on a plug-in timer.
Answer: No, it does not have a timer. Since the humidity in your home and the moisture content of the food can vary considerably, you must check the dryness manually.
Answer: No it does not. I use my own timer, work great.
Answer: I use a lamp timer on mine,
Answer: It does not have a timer.
Q:
Do you find that your electricity bill goes up significantly while using this dehydrator?
Answer:
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Answer: I use mine 2-3 times a week, or about 20-30 hours and I have not noticed a spike in my electric bill.
Answer: $ 90.00 on other site....same unit
Answer: No! But I have put my entire kitchen under solar power, so it is not a problem. I did check the meter to see if there was any significant movement and there was not, so I run it quite often. I recommend it to you without reservation!
Answer: Great question. Never even crossed my mind. I have not seen my bill spike so I guess not.
Q:
how many pounds of jerky meat will it hold at one time?
Answer: Depending on how thick you slice the meat, you could reasonably put 4-5 lbs. A friend gave me two elk roasts that weighed in about 5 lbs. I sliced it on the thin side and used 8 trays. I had the butcher slice a 3.5 lb. beef roast and only used 5 trays. I spaced the heat about 1/4 in. between pieces. I hope this answers your query. Happy Dehydrating.
Q:
If price were no object, which Excalibur would be the most desirable? Anyone willing to rank all the choices? I have NO experience with dehydrators.
Answer: I agree with the other responses. We started dehydrating various foods years ago and have experience with a couple of the much cheaper units. The Excalibur 3900B was a huge move up. It really does dry dozens of pieces at a time. We tried apples, pears, and even experimented with summer squash and tomatoes. It is fast and works great. Organic apple chips with no additives at all - hard to beat! I didn't rank ALL of the choices either, but did quite a bit of research, too. It was well worth the purchase price for us.
Answer: I did some online research before buying this model, but I can't say I've ranked ALL the choices. I can tell you this dehydrator works well, is built to last, and performs as advertised. With 9 trays, it can dry several dozen apples or similar fruit at once. Well worth the money if you do much drying.
Answer: Price was not a factor in my choice and after doing my research, this is the one I chose. I chose well. It's quiet, efficient and clean up is a breeze.
Answer: I wanted a dehydrator that had a big open area inside. I use mine with the trays for food. And without the trays to dry sugar work . I love mine !!
Answer: I chose 3900B, cuz when adding a timer removes the human element. This is in respect to humidity and area temperature! Also, all electrical components are old school and easy to repair/replace and not subject to power surges!!! WA4MUC Lake Butler, Fl
Q:
Are you happy with this dehydrator even though there is no timer? I am trying to decide between this one and the one with the timer. Thanks!
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I am happy with it and have done OK without the timer. If I could change anything it would be to make it smaller because I don't think I really need one with this many shelves, but that all depends on how much you will be dehydrating.
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Answer: I am happy without a timer...I like to go and check out what's going on inside and if I have yo leave for work I just turn it down real low...never had over drying
Answer: you do not need timer- you need to open dehidrat. to inspect fruits/vegetabl. anyway- you can use any timer if you wish.
Answer: I haven't needed to use a timer yet but know you can plug your Excalibur into a separate timer of required. (The same type I already have in the cupboard for use with electric blankets or lamps etc.) My best mate bought the model with timer and still hasn't used it yet either.
Answer: Timing varies on personal tastes of your liking. I sometimes will use a electrical timer to shut the unit off. A built in timer would be nice, question is it worth the extra price? IMO
Answer: Yes, it is easy to just go check the texture of the product, which I may prefer to have as crunchy. I do a lot of my own purees and made up recipes anyway, so I just go and check things after putting it in before work and checking it after 8 hours. I've never had anything in there for 24 hours as I've seen recommended on some recipes. I rarely follow the exact time frame that is recommended on recipes anyway.
Answer: I am very happy with mine but I guess the timer could come in handy at times
Answer: I love it, but I wish I would have thout about it not having a timer definitely get the timer
Q:
When making jerky, do you have to rotate the trays to dry them evenly?
Answer: i agree with blenderbender you don't have to but it does help dry evenly. also top two trays and bottom two i rotate to center...
Answer: No you do not have to rotate the shelves for jerky, it will dehydrate fine.
Answer: You don't have to but it does help if you do I've found.
Q:
How much space is there between the trays? Or what's the thickest thing you can put in with all trays loaded? Thanks.
Answer: The spacing between the shelf frames is 1.125 in. I would suggest that you limit the thickness of anything you wish to dry to .5 in. This would allow for any curling of the material and allow you to easily withdraw the shelves. I hope this helps you. Happy dehydrating.
Answer: There's pretty good space between the trays. I purchased the smaller model first, but you really have to keep slices thin with that one. The larger model is definately the way to go. Using a mandoline, you can use the largest setting, which seems to be 1/4 inch thick. You can halve cherry tomatoes and there is enough space for those (not so in the smaller model - the cherry's need to be cut into thirds). There's always the option to take every other tray out to create more room as well. Hope this helps.
Answer: Just remove trays if you need more space between them. You can take as many trays out as you need. Some people put bowls of bread dough in this.
Answer: About 1/4 inch. I need to lay the kale flat. Truth be told...I dont use it that much anymore...list tge novelty value
Q:
Is the front door supposed to fit tight or jost hang on the front with gaps on the sides?
Answer: It just hangs. It is NOT a tight fight. You want air flow, its not like an oven that is enclosed. The plus side is, while it is running, you don't need much additional heat in the room; it does it for you. If the extra heat is a problem, open a window near the back of the machine so the hot air from the back goes outside instead of in.
Answer: It just hangs on the front. Keeps the air flow circulating but it isn't a seal.. The moisture has to escape from somewhere :)
Answer: It just hangs there . It needs to breathe.
Answer: That is how ours fits
Answer: It's designed to just hang, and not be tight.
Q:
What is the lowest temperature setting it can go?
Answer: The temperature range is 95 to 155 degrees f. We have found that with the heating element and fan located on the back wall (cage protected) that our drying time is less than the older round stacked tray American harvester dehydrator that we have. I highly recommend this one. Good luck with your dehydrating.
Answer: This updated model does 115 to 165.
Answer: It adjusts from 95 to 155 Fahrenheit.
Answer: I think 125.
Q:
Who manufactured this appliance?
Answer: Excalibur is the manufacturer of this product and it is a fantastic piece of equipment. I love it. I have gallons of dried fruits and vegetables in just a few months.
where do you find the solid trays to do more liguid stuff?? I dont just want the flat ones. Need ones with a lip.
Answer: I don't know if solid trays are even made. I have purchased the sheets that can be used for a thick liquid like yogurt for yogurt bits
Answer: I don't have solid trays. What I use when drying runnier things is: Saran wrap for the first layer, then I layer parchment paper cut to fit the size of the tray over the saran wrap, or non-stick foil over the saran wrap. Usually I use parchment paper though. I haven't had any problems using this system. Hope this helps!
Answer: I haven't seen solid trays; however, you can use Paraflexx sheets to put over your screen trays, and pour pureed fruits & vegetables onto them to dehydrate into leathers or crackers. I've read that parchment paper works as well, but haven't tried it.
Answer: The trays included with this dehydrator are not built for anything that might drip. You might have to contact the manufacturer, Excalibur, directly to see if they make a dehydrator for your purposes. They have a website.
Answer: I use :
Q:
Is it 110v / 220v ?
Answer: It is a 110V. Very easy to use and just plugs into a normal outlet.
Answer: It is 115/120/130V single phase. In the US just - plug it in.
Answer: mine is 110/120 only
Answer: It's 120v only.
Q:
If purchased through Amazon, does it come with the 10 year warranty?
Answer: I can't swear to that, although I did read on one of the reviews that when one reader pushed the issue with Excalibur, they did honor the longer warranty. If something did go wrong, it should be relatively easy to troubleshoot and fairly inexpensive for parts. I do place alot of weight on warranties, though, so I understand your concern.
Q:
does it have a timer
Answer: The 3900 does not have timer..... model 3926 has timer. I find it unnecessary as there are so many other variables such as ambient temps and humidity. And there is lots of room for error so you don't need to be that precise anyway. In my case I have various batches all started at different times and a timer would be relatively useless. Unless you fill all 9 trays with the very same item it's kind of a non issue.
Answer: the model I purchased does not have a timer. While I was researching I found a few folks that advised not paying additional for a timer because they were not as important. The reason is that dehydrating different things depend on the moisture content of what your dehydrating as well as the humidity of the room your drying in. I have found one batch of bananas one day may take longer than another batch the next. The more you dehydrate you will find a timer is not as good of an option, at least that is what I have found
Answer: Don't have a timer on mine. I really didn't need one since I check it periodically depending on type of food I am drying.
Answer: No, it does not have a timer. When we use a timer, we use an external timer. Most of the time we simply look to see if the fruit, etc. is dry. Times given in the instructions are estimates anyway, and a timer could result in too dry or not dry enough. Looking has proven to provide better results for us.
Q:
Is this dehydrator NSF?
Answer: I do not know if it is NSF certified, you may contact Excalibur to ask them . I do know for the price point you will not find a better dehydrator.................
Answer: I realize that this is a very old question, but...... I don't believe they rate any household appliances NSF. NSF ratings are for materials, equipment, etc., used commercially in the manufacturing of food.
Answer: ditto.... what the heck is NSF?
Answer: I don't know what NSF means!
Q:
Does this come with a preserve it naturally book?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: No, this does not come with the Preserve it naturally book. That book is out of date and no longer even in print.
Answer: My Excalibur came with two books and that's all I ever needed to do the basics with. If you are doing unusual stuff you might need some outside help. The books that came with mine cover fruits, vegetables, meat and fruit rollups. I believe anyone who tries this dehydrator is looking for a way to do things the "natural" way, with no preservatives. I do know if you live where the moisture is high you may need some extra steps.
Answer: Yes, mine came with the PRESERVE IT NATURALLY book as well as the booklet, DEHYDRATION GUIDE both from Excalibur. Both books are a wonderful reference!
Answer: It comes with a book, which includes what you really need: a chart listing drying times and temperatures. Recipes are easy to find on the World Wide Web.
Answer: No, just a small guide. I use several books on canning and preserving which contain dehydration guides. Also I follow a Facebook group on dehydration. You will love this machine.
Answer: It did come with a book but I'm nor sure if it's the one you mentioned. I do warn you that I got the worst customer service from excalibur after my unit caught fire on the second use and never heard anything back from them concerning warranty. I called, emailed and commented on every site I could find the excalibur product. One year has passed and I still have a burned/melted unit.
Answer: Yes, it came with a manual and a preserve it naturally book.
Answer: Yes, it came with a manual and a book. Mine does not have a timer. My older one had a timer, so i assumed my new one has a built in timer,too.My older one was by the same company.
Answer: Yes it did! It came with a manual and a book.
Q:
Is it noisy?
Answer: I wouldn't say noisy. Sounds like an air filter appliance because it has a fan in the posterior side of the unit
Answer: It's more like white noise. I don't find it intrusive. When my husband is home and he sees me turn it on then he says its noisy, but if it's already on when he comes home he doesn't notice it.
Answer: The Excalibur is quieter than my older Le'Equip which it replaced. That being said, it's still a fan and is background white noise. If it's in the same room as a TV or radio you will need to ratchet up the volume.
Answer: I would definitely say it is not a whisper quiet fan but would equate it to a window fan on low to medium. I let it run overnight in the kitchen and can not hear it from the nearby bedroom.
Answer: Somewhat. If you have a small kitchen and are sitting in a room close by, you will hear it humming. However, I find that I block it out after only a few moments
Answer: It hums -- quieter than a normal dishwasher and louder than a normal refrigerator. It's basically the hum of a fan. I hardly notice it unless the house is really quiet.
Answer: I would describe it's noise level as medium. It's loud enough to where you can't have a conversation while standing next to it without raising you voice.
Answer: Yes I run mine during times I am not in the kitchen because it is so loud. I don't care because it works so well and I am really happy with it.
Answer: It's not quiet but we don't find it obnoxious either. It's about the same as running a fan.
Q:
Does all the FREE stuff comes with it: "Preserve it Naturally" book, 10 Year Warranty, 9 Mesh sheets for the trays
Answer: Mine came with "Preserve it Naturally" book, 9 mesh tray inserts, no non-stick liners (had to order separately), and 5 year warranty.
Answer: Yes. But you will want to order the tray liners if you want to make fruit leathers or anything that would fall through the mesh. It's a great dehydrator.
Answer: Excalibur will not recognize the 10 year warranty if purchased on Amazon.
Answer: Only if you pay the additional $30.33 noted at the bottom.
Q:
What is the difference between the 3900 and the 3900B models?
Answer: i can tell you that they are both the same size and watts. but the 3900B model gets up to 155 degrees, while the 3900 model gets up to 145 degrees.
Answer: 3900B is the black - 3900W is the white - difference is color only
Answer: One has an auto shut off and one doesn't. It's best to save your money and go for the one without the auto timer. You could always buy an electric auto shutoff for way cheaper!!
Answer: If you buy these anywhere other than an Excalibur licensed dealer, the 10 year warranty is void.
Q:
How many watts and where is the fan?
Answer: It's 440 watts. The fan is in the back.
Answer: 3900b is 600 watts...
Answer: Don't recall the wattage. Fan is at the back of the unit.
Answer: how tall is it?
Q:
can teflon liners be used
Answer: Yes. I have the teflon liners and they work very well for fruit leathers and such :)
Answer: Yes
Q:
does this unit has a 220v version ? can i order one ?
Answer: Johnny, Excalibur does make 220v versions, but they are not available to us to sell. They are sold through other international distributors. You might check with Excalibur for a list of distributors who are authorized to sell them. I hope this helps. Best Wishes.
Q:
what makes this 'deluxe'?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: The variable temps make this worth its weight in gold. I just did some salmon jerky last night in 5 hours on its highest setting, then smoked it in my smoker. Turned our great.
Answer: you can fit so much food on each tray, the flavors don't mix so you can max out the usage with a full unit each time. Super easy to clean also! I have had mine for about 6 months and am still very happy with this unit.
Answer: it may be the cabinet finish or some other feature that another model doesnt have. All I know is that it is a a very productive easy to use effective appliance for dehydrating produce
Answer: It has a timer. Thats it.
Q:
did you have another model 220v ?
Q:
Will I need to rotate racks regularly to avoid over-drying of foods --- if I get a 5 rack will I not have to?
Answer: Hello, I used 5 racks it to dry fruits (apple and banana) and didn´t have to rotate them. Once the time was done they all were perfect.
Answer: I personally rotate the racks just to get more even drying on the 9 rack. Not sure on the 5 rack.
Answer: I have had success just placeing the racks and setting the temp and letting it go. the heating element and fan are in the back of the unit. The warm air distributes evenly across all trays. you should not need to rotate racks.
Answer: The air circulation seems fairly even. I have not had to rotate the racks at all. Our fruits come out evenly dried from top to bottom rack. Just make sure all your pieces are the same thickness.
Answer: Rotating foods will quicken drying times of certain foods. Ive found that ive never needed to do so with this one
Q:
Are the screens that the food sit on BPA free?
Answer: Yes
Q:
What is the best voltage converting can be used on this machine?
Answer: Don't understand the question. The specifications state "Plug the power cord into standard 120 volt outlet or 220/240 volt outlet depending upon your voltage."
Answer: The machine is made to run 110/120v
Answer: 120
Answer: Not really sure about that question.
Answer: I don't know, you should ask either seller or manufacturer
Q:
Does this come with the 10 year warranty when ordered from Amazon?
Answer: Yes it has a 10 year manufactured warranty and yes it is valid if you buy it on Amazon.
Answer: Only if you buy it from Excalibur themselves.
Answer: Yes
Answer: yes
Q:
Are there stainless steel trays that fit this model?
Answer: The only stainless steel trays that I have found are 15 x 15. I have measured my trays and they are 14 x 14. Check to see if your dehydrator has a room enough for the larger shelves. They are on Amazon and quite pricey but have great reviews.
Answer: Hello, yes there are. In fact, they can be found on Amazons : stainless steel tray replacement for 35$
Answer: If there are I don’t know about them. The trays that come with it are very durable and I have used mine a lot with no problems. I guess you could contact the company who made it to find out.
Q:
I just want to know how much does Excalibur 3900B 9 cost to ship it to Africa Uganda Kampala
Answer: Hi, Stewart. The shipping price will vary depending on which seller you purchase the dehydrator from. We all have different rates in terms of weights and countries. The going rate at the post office to ship this item to Uganda is approximately $150. I recommend shopping around and doing sample check outs from each of the sellers to see which one of us offers the lowest rate. Please feel free to follow up with any additional questions. Thank you and have a great day!
Q:
Where is the fan located on this dehydrator?
Answer: In the back of the dehydrator
Answer: It is located in the back. This dehydrator is awesome!
Answer: Fan is on the back!
Answer: In the interior backside of the unit.
Answer: It's centered in a cage on the back wall.
Answer: Caged on the back wall
Q:
Does the machine blow air out of the machine while running? Hence would it need to be in an open ventilated space? Thanks!
Answer: I put mine on the kitchen counter with the back (fan area) next to the wall and outlet. The fan blows a bit of air thru the machine to the front, but I can only feel a tiny bit of air blowing out the front if I have the cover off. Otherwise, I can't feel any air movement. I would not put the machine in a tightly enclosed area...such as in a cupboard...such as I feel it needs some ventilation. I've had no trouble using it in my kitchen which is fairly small. Incidentally, I love the machine! Hope this helps.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Very little. I keep mine on my kitchen counter. Just mAke sure you don't run it outside it will break it
Answer: A normal room is quite sufficient for the dehydrator.
Q:
Are the trays dishwasher safe?
Answer: According to the manufacturer, the trays are dishwasher safe. The plastic inserts however are not, and should be washed by hand.
Answer: I own a standard sized dishwasher and would have to remove the top rack in order to fit the trays in there. You'd have to have a really big dishwasher in order to put them in there. So with that said, I'm not sure, since they won't fit in mine. Residue from dried vegetables doesn't "become one" with the tray and washes off by hand very easily.
Answer: Yes and no. Hope that helps. Just kidding. The manual says the trays themselves are ok to put in dishwasher, but I don't heat dry them. They say to not put the mesh inserts in dishwasher, but I do. Again with no heat dry. Will this lessen the life of the mesh? I don't know, but it is much easier to clean them this way.
Answer: They are dishwasher safe on the top rack.
Answer: top rack safe, but they don't get "crusted dirty" they really rinse off in the sink very easily.
Answer: I dont own a dishwasher.
Q:
Is it dishwasher safe?
Q:
How long is the electric cord on this model please?
Answer: Great question! It is a little over 3 1/2 ft. long.
Answer: just a little more than 46 inches
Q:
how much is shipping to Brazil ?
Answer: Raphael,
Answer: We're so sorry, Raphael. We do not ship these units to S. America. Please check in with Excalibur at their website for vendors who do.
Q:
Will this one work on 220v ?
Answer: The Xcal 3900B is rated 110/120 Volt AC 60 Hz. To operate 220/240 VAC, as supplied, must use a step-down transformer in US. There is an application for this when a 220 Volt water pump runs off of solar/battery/ inverter, there is a split phase inverter system that will work! The cost of this system requires very deep pockets. If you are on Mains in Europe Contact manufacture for Export unit 220/240 volts @ 50Hz. Hope this helps
Answer: You would have to get something like this -
Answer: NO - 110- 120V
Answer: No, 110-120
Answer: No..it's for 110v
Q:
Viene algúno para 220v?
Q:
Does the 10 year warranty apply if purchased through Amazon
Q:
Which one do I need to get in order to get a timer? I want an Excalibur, want 600 watts, want adjustable temp up to 165 degrees and need a timer. Hel
Answer: Excalibur doesn't have a timer, but does have temp control
Answer: Read the 'Product Description' because I think this one has everything you're looking for and you can find out by reading the info they provide underneath the product. I love my dehydrator and I believe it has everything you're looking for.
Q:
Any voltage issue used in Singapore?
Answer: this unit is 120 volts and with no switchable circuit. Your voltage is 230. Unless you have a way of obtaining 120, I doubt it will work well.
Q:
How long Does it to dehydrate ginger or garlic?
Q:
Are you a certified Excaliber retailer to validate the 10yr warranty?
Answer: NO
Q:
Does this have t he isert to make fruit rollups?Or will i be able to use a liner for that?
Answer: No idea about insert. Seems you could use a liner by removing some of the shelves, if more vertical space needed. We've only used it to dry chopped veggies for dry canning in jars, some still fresh and dry about 4 years later don't recall how long ago we purchased the unit.
Answer: They (solid plastic sheets) did not come with this unit but they are available to buy. Or make your own with parchment.
Answer: Mine did not have them included. I did purchase them separately but you could also use parchment paper.
Q:
What are the detentions of the trays?
Answer: Usable space for each tray is 14x14. Please note that Harvest Essentials includes the Preserve if Naturally Book ($29.95 value) at no additional cost when purchasing from us.
Answer: 9 trays reffers to the amount of layers or levels in which you can dehydrate the most amount of food possible in one session (in 9 different levels one on top of the other to optimaze energy, time, yield, etc)
Answer: They are 15" x 15", but there is a 1/2" lip that you don't put food on, so the usable dehydration surface is 14" x 14".
Q:
Does this product have any ptfe anywhere in or on it? i have tried asking the company, who refuse to answer.
Answer: I don't believe it does, it is mainly plastic and BPA free. There is no non-stick coating as far as I can tell.
Q:
Any voltage issue used in Singapore?
Answer: this unit is 120 volts and with no switchable circuit. Your voltage is 230. Unless you have a way of obtaining 120, I doubt it will work well.
Q:
The door on my excalibur 3900b rattles really badly. to the point where i can't even use it in the house. i have to keep it in the garage. solution?
Answer: Put the small felt furniture pads around door frame where it's making noise. But never heard of a Excalibur making such troubles may need to have motor looked at
Answer: Make sure it's on all the way. Shouldn't be a gap at the sides and bottom.
Q:
Do I have to buy the non stick paper
Answer: You will only need non-stick sheets if you want to make crackers, fruit leather (or anything that starts as a liquid or puree) as the mesh sheets are perforated and will not contain liquids. You can buy the non-stick sheets here: http://www.amazon.com/Paraflexx-Premium-Non-stick-Dehydrator-14/dp/B000H6PBFQ
Answer: No, we have not had any trouble with food sticking to the trays.
Answer: I have purchased excaliber sheets for the best results, there are also non-brand sheets, all of them are pricey, but totally worth it, I would not use any other products (non-stick paper), but I am sure it is possible.
Answer: No. The non stick paper is for things like fruit roll ups.
Answer: I would say yes, buy the liners because the trays have pretty big gaps. I use them all the time and find no degradation in drying.
Answer: I just use regular parchment paper, works great. Huge roll from Costco lasts all fruit season.
Answer: No. I place the meat directly on the sheets and they come right off when its done.
Q:
What's the difference between this model and the 2900-ECB?
Answer: It's not just the color.. The 3900 has a 600 watt motor the 2900 has a 440 watt motor.
Answer: The 3900 is an updated (improved) version of the 2900, also the 3900 motor is stronger than the 2900. The Excalibur 3900 has a 10 yrs warranty while the 2900 has only a 5 year warranty.
Answer: I couldn't find any difference other than color.
Answer: Color
Product reviews of Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster Drying, Black
Mainstream Consumer : WORKS WELL, JUST THROWN TOGETHER FOR PACKACHING
I've always heard this is a top of the line product. When it arrived the trays were crammed into the machine sideways not even on a tract and they are bowed somewhat. The tray liners are not cut evenly. Some have the liner cut half way across evenly and then they get larger or smaller and some have the liner cut with pieces hanging off that if cut would make it to small for the tray. There was a bent screw in the bottom of the box. I was so looking forward to my dehydrator and saved so long for it and I was so very disappointed when I opened the box. This was not bad packaging on behalf of the seller this was done by the company who put them in the original box! Now I have bowed trays and liners that poke the fingers when picked up the wrong way! I will never, ever, recommend a company or product that is so haphazard with their products. Top of line product? Not for me it wasn't. This must be put together in China!
Amazon Customer : dehydrator
This holds much more than a round dehydrator. It is easier to place in my rather small kitchen because it is square. The dehydration process is faster and better that my old dehydrator. This will pay for itself in a very short time
Samdread : Cheaply made, too many faults. Not worth the money and very disappointed
I bought this machine to dry surplus fruits and vegetables. Today I decided to use the dehydrator and to my horror the noise coming from it is so loud. The smell is disturbing. I'm afraid to use this machine incase it starts an electrical fire and burn my house down. I am very disappointed with this purchase. I have to dispose of this machine. Waste of money
Amazon Customer : Not even 1 year old - Broken
I bought this product less than a year ago and I loved it for making beef jerky and dried pineapple. I am changing to a 1 star as the bottom and feet broke off within the first 3 months of use. At the price I paid, I would expect Excalibur to make it more durable and last longer. SUPER disappointed. Would not recommend.
zonlyone : The only way to go for serious dehydrating.
I had a NESCO before I got this one. I made the mistake of purchasing something much cheaper, and of course the cheap dehydrator stopped working in 3 weeks.
If you dehydrate often, take my advice, don't order anything else but the Excalibur, even if you have to wait a little to save up. This machine is well worth it, and it puts the others to shame. I dunno what the other models of Excalibur are like, but this one rocks!
I'm glad I was able to get a refund on the NESCO, but I certainly learned my lesson.
The trays are great because the holes are small enough to where food doesn't fall through. The only complaint I have is that the trays don't have lips to where food won't roll or fall off when moving them. Like peas for instance. Be careful when you put your peas on the tray, they will roll right off since there's nothing to catch them from going over the edge.
The motor is loud, but powerful. It gets the job done, and you can pack it full. I'd say this is good enough for professional use. I'd go with the 9 tray for sure, because after you start using it, you'll find yourself putting more and more food in at a time. It's fun to use because it makes it easy.
PROS: Powerful, well-positioned motor for even drying Easy to use Built for every day use Heavy-duty construction Very large food capacity Small holes in screens for easy drying and removal Cleans easily
CONS: Loud Very bulky Flat screens that allow food to easily fall off
So glad I was able to get this machine. I should have done it the first time around.
BTW: There are no timers because each load will vary. I haven't found a large dehydrator that has that feature, because food cannot over dry. It can get case hardening, which happens in the first 3 hours if temp is set too high. But, if you leave your machine on for a long period of time accidentally, you are not at risk of ruining your food. It may however take longer to rehydrate.
Good luck everyone!
Glen E Thomas : Great product
Update: after using the 3900b since 2015 I decided it was time to buy another 3900b to increase my capacity. I have had no issues with the 2015 purchase and expect many more years of use.
Things I have found that I didn’t like;
Hate cleaning the mesh liners, I bought the premium silicone liners that clean up faster and allow food to be easily removed.
Replaced the trays with the stainless steel trays, no issues with the plastic trays but like the stainless steel.
Things I do like;
Overall noise is better than other brands, I can talk on phone in same room as dehydrators.
Large capacity and ability to remove trays for larger items. I have used the dehydrator to dry delicate items quickly.
Simple operation of controls and the ability to dial in the correct heat. I own a lesser brand that’s either all in at 1000 watts or off. Simple tray loading allows for checking the progress with out moving a bunch of trays around and finding a place to set trays while checking the lower levels.
I have been using this dehydrator for a few months and have dehydrated meats, fruit and veggies. Also tried eggs with very a messy result due to the tray design. Not having a timer has not been an issue for me. This is a great product and I am going to buy another.
Gina Doolittle : Love this machine!
This food dehydrator is everything I expected and more. It comes with easy directions, as well as temperature settings on the machine itself. I'm glad that I got the 9 tray, which held much of the abundance of fruit I had this year. I estimate that each tray holds about 3-4 medium apples, sliced and arranged in a single layer. The thinner the slices of fruit, the faster they dry. Mine were pretty thin and dried in about 6 hours. I did not have to rotate trays. Then I vacuum packed some of the fruit for later use. What I ate was delicious. The machine itself is light weight, the trays easy to move, remove and clean. I knew about the "loud" fan from others' reviews, but setting it in another room worked just fine. So far I've dried apples, pears and plums. Haven't tried to make jerky yet.
Val : Love it!!
We love dehydrating our tomatoes and herbs. We've been using 2 round dehydrators with a fan for many wonderful years. One finally wore down so we "shopped around" and decided to get The Excalibur. The 9-tray model has been on our "wish list" for a long time and now was the time to get it. The manual/recipe books that come with it are easy to read and informative. Granted it's been a long time since we read a dehydrating manual but I think the dried puree/fruit roll-up type recipes listed in these guides may work for us. So much herbs and tomatoes got us to buy a second round dehydrator. No regrets but glad we were able to get The Excalibur this time. It's a bit pricey but we knew from everything we read that this was going to be THE dehydrator to have and we are not disappointed. I actually had dry tomatoes in a few short hours! Ours were sliced a little thinner than recommended since it was the first time. We also used only 3 trays spaced apart. The trays held more tomatoes than we thought. I used parchment paper carefully wrapped around the bottom mesh shelf to catch any dribbles. --Parchment IS recommended in the user guide. Very happy the company gives recommendations so you can fully use the dehydrator without buying more accessories. The special shelves would probably be easier and cost/time efficient over using parchment if you intended to use them often for roll-ups or craft work. I dried twice as much sage in one machine without any hassle other than checking for dryness. Most was dry at the same time. From 9 full sheets down to one to finish drying. When we dried the dill I noticed that the dill had been blown away a little from the fan on the center trays. Made sense since it's so light. It didn't seem to really affect the drying in any way. It was very quick. Clean up is always a chore dehydrating anything wet; it would be expected. With our round dehydrators I would spray a little oil on the racks. They were bulky and had to be scrubbed with a brush thoroughly anyway so why make it even harder? The racks from Excalibur are soooo much easier to clean. The black, hard plastic supports are light and durable. Easy to clean off. The mesh had quite a mess from the tomatoes that I would've been really down about had they been the thicker round shelves. I just put the mesh in the dishpan to soak while I washed other dishes and viola! Clean with no scrubbing :D Yeah, I'm reallllllly happy with this purchase
S. Christenson : I LOOOOOOOOOOVVVE this machine
I was in need of a new dehydrator as mine was from the turn of the century. I've been trying to change my diet over to at least 80% raw and a dehydrator is a must. This is a splurge. I know it was hard to make that initial leap. I weighed my choices and figured that with how much I was going to use it, I might as well go for the big mamma. It was bigger than my mind thought it was. The nine pull out trays are heaven and they dry perfectly. The dial for the temperature setting is on the back right which wouldn't be the biggest hassle, unless you think that the space I made for it is on the far right side of my counter. So not the easiest reach over. The front cover hangs on the front. Literally. There are no hindges, just a shelf to sit it on. Sometimes after checking my items, I do not close it properly so you have to make sure. This unit is also super duper easy to clean. EVERYTHING pulls out and can get swabbed down. I do wish that it came with the solid sheets as well as you will have to buy them. The excalibut sheets are waaaaayy expensive, so I might go for that multi pack I keep seeing. Overall.... I wouldn't have gone another way. I love this machine and may go home and use it again now that I'm thinking about it.
Jeanne : Horrible customer service!
First of all- we love this dehydrator. It’s large, not too loud, and gets the job done. However, after about 2 years of use, and pretty infrequent use at that, the fan motor appears to have died. No biggie- right? Should be covered under warranty. I have been trying to contact the manufacturer for over 2 months and have had zero luck. I emailed the tech department and got a “can not deliver” email. I emailed customer service multiple times with no response. I used the “contact us” form on the website. I’ve called customer service many times and each time it hangs up on me. For a well rated product, customer service is horrendous! Will not be buying from this manufacturer again...
Mamabear91599 : Used to be great,.
This thing is sooo frustrating. I purchased this unit because my mom has had one for 10 years that she had been making yogurt in and it worked beautifully. First problem, it’s always about 20°F too hot for what the dial says, which wouldn’t be an issue… All but for the fact that yogurt is never supposed to get above 115° F… The lowest temperature setting on this unit is 105°. Which means that my yogurt has been ruined several times now because the temperature is so much higher than it is supposed to be. I would turn it down, but there is no further down for it to go. Overall, not very impressed… Kind of wondering if I may have gotten a reject, one of the feet was broke off of it when I received it, but I knew that I had small children so I was not concerned as I figured they would probably have broken it anyway eventually. The racks were all bent and bowed and in the unit completely sideways some of them stuffed into the same slide space, making them extremely difficult to remove and they are all slightly burnt because of this. Really really disappointed…
Keith A. Frazier : Nothing comes easy in life.
Really like the ability for healthier snacks and longer term food storage FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. I used it the first week straight, getting a bunch of things dehydrated(potatoes, onions, peppers, scrambled/powder eggs for camping, and a lot of deer/beef jerky). I've used it mostly for longer term storage of perishable items that I would have had to throw out if I hadn't preserved them(mostly produce). I used to buy dehydrated onions for soups and such, now I make my own at a fraction of the cost especially when onions are on sale. Get a bag/canister sealer to go along with it to store for longer periods. The only thing intense is the labor and it's not as bad as you would think. The quality and pride of a job well done (better and cheaper than store bought without all the extra additives). Truly a higher quality of living. I think I've already gotten my monies worth and only had for a little over six months. Love it!
James S. Bedingfield : Good unit
Trays are easy to use and reasonably well-supported; good mesh covering for the trays; good temperature control and even distribution of heat with the fan. I especially like that the machine cycles on and off to allow the food to dry evenly throughout.Easy access to the trays. Just purchased a second unit. I am using mine to dry coffee which tests the unit on two points: 1) I use it on the lowest temp setting, which has been a little tricky to keep it running and cycle; and 2) the trays do sag a little when loaded with wet parchment coffee, but they seem to come back to flat as the coffee dries.
Goff : I LOVE IT!
So far I haven't found anything I don't like. I've used this straight almost every day for the month I've had it. If it was going to have a problem I figure I've got enough hours on it to tell. In this photo what looks like raisins is a 2 LB frozen bag of blueberries. I put a sheet in the very bottom to catch any frozen juice. Now that they are dry I will vac seal them to store for later use. Right now I have another 2 LB bag of blueberries dehydrating...gifted out of a friends freezer who is moving. In the little vac bag I dehydrated 20 pounds of restaurant quality foot long hot dogs. Also gifted to us. After dry I cut them in half to vac seal. The blue on top of the hot dogs is a zip loc bag I folded and put in my vac. When I open the hot dogs I will already have handy a zip loc bag to put them in. These are all beef kosher...they are treats and food for my two fur babies while we are on the road...or for us when we are out in the desert wandering around. I LOVE this dehydrator! I knew I would be putting a lot of hours in on it so I did buy the warranty which I never bother with. It does appear to need to cool off before it will reset and turn on after a couple days continuous use. I also dehydrated chicken breast which turns into hard pieces I crumble for my dogs...or us if needed. I am experimenting also dehydrating spoonfuls of jelly when I emptied out my apricot and cherry jelly jar. It appears that I am making hard candy lozengers. Right now they are still sticky little patties but concentrated flavor. I may drop them inside my butter batter I use for cup cakes.
Lyra Bree : Best Dehydrator on the Market
This is such an easy to use dehydrator! It’s noise level is low amd is easy to clean. I wish there was a bottom removable “crumb catcher” but urs still easy to clean. The temperature controls on top are easy to use and understand. It’s so much quicker than my previous top rated top down fan one. The fan on the back really makes it dry more evenly and quicker. If your on the fence just buy and you won’t look back.
Noone : Gardeners and cooks delight! Has been running all summer. (Updated rating down a notch because of cleaning)
See my glowing review below. But I have one major complaint. The dryer is not easy to clean. Please, Excalibur, make a unit where the fan and electronics can be removed, so that the dehydrator itself can be thoroughly cleaned. I absolutely hate to do any kind of cleaning, and sure wish I could just take the whole non-electric part of the unit to the tub and wash it. Gets really sticky!! Plus, herbs and other light items get into the fan area, and are hard to get out. Otherwise, my review that follows is still true. I had to go buy more jars, the garden produced so much. And now the winter squash is in..... I could cry.
---------Original Review-----
I've never been happier!! I have so much produce that I had been canning myself into a stupor. Canning is hot work, and when you go at it like I do, takes up lots of space on shelves, etc. Last year, I bought this dryer at the end of the year. I dried loads of veggies, and powdered most of them in the blender. I then put them in wide mouth quart jars. I got a vacuum attachment for the jars, which works awesomely. As a result, I had much more food in much less space, and it lasted almost all winter. I still canned and froze, but not to such a degree. This year, I'm able to dehydrate foods all summer. I already have jars of summer squash, raspberries and strawberries ready to go. I use the powders in everything. Baking, cooking, smoothies, anything you can think of. I also mix everything (except tomatoes and broccoli) together, add almond meal and chia seeds and a little oatmeal, and eat it hot for breakfast ( with milk). It tastes unbelievably sweet, like you dumped a ton of sugar into it. Eggplant is my favorite, since it makes a really dense powder, tastes sweet, but has no eggplant flavor. Even kale goes in my cereal, and if you don't add too much, it also tastes great. Summer squash chips are good on their own, but if you mix with a little oil garlic salt and parmesan before dehydrating, they are simply awesome. Everyone who tries them just can't believe it.
The dryer is going constantly. Not everything reconstitutes well, but when powdered, it doesn't matter. The dryer is out on the porch, with a window fan sucking the heat out a window. All the jars and lids are reusable. I started with vacuum bags, but nearly went bankrupt!
I also bake all my own bread, and always substitute one of my powders for some of the flour. Tomato works really well for this, but all the powders have their uses, depending of the kind of bread you are making. When there are no fresh tomatoes, and you can't bear the store-bought ones, tomato powder on salad really zips it up.
Oh, and one more thing. I dry all the eggshells from my chickies, and powder them too. I add the powder to the transplant holes as I'm planting tomatoes and other big veggies. Just put them in the freezer till you have a bunch, then dry and powder. I could go on about this dehydrator all day.
Lucky Writer 777 : Best item I purchased in 2020 by far
Where has dehydrating been all my life?!! I’ve been missing out. I bought this product because it was rated number 1 by a YouTube vegan channel. I purchased the 9 drawer Excalibur Dehydrator. So far so good! The family loves the fruits! We come from the islands so the bananas and mango are our favorites. Next best are the apples (dipped in 6oz of pineapple juice, 6 oz of water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to prevent browning). And, surprisingly, red bell peppers are delicious to snack on. Oranges are good to snack on and for tea (as well as lemons and limes). I plan on crushing the citrus fruit to make toppings for ice cream. The machine is a little louder than expected, but not intolerable.
Best item I purchased in 2020 by far.
colleen : So easy to use
I bought this about 6 weeks ago and loving it so far. I have dried herbs and the color stays nice and not a brown color. Have made several fruit leathers which is nice since I have 9 trays so it makes a lot but I cannot keep up with the demand! lol. If anything changes I will update the review.
bryan : and they are packed with useful tidbits, especially the tips about preserving the live ...
First day and I already dehydrated 6 apples, 6 tomatoes, 4 onions and 2 whole garlic... all at the same time, with two trays empty. Two books come with the Excalibur, and they are packed with useful tidbits, especially the tips about preserving the live enzymes. Those tips also seemed to cut my dehydrating time to almost half of what it used to take me with other brands. Construction of this is a very high quality plastic, fully removable trays, and removable plastic mesh inserts. Those mesh inserts make cleaning SO EASY! They are extremely flexible, and seem like they will last a long time. I'm very happy with this machine.
I will keep you posted if any negatives reveal themselves.
Thanks from Chicago
Mini J : Perfect Dehydrator
Well worth the money. Has 9 shelves does great job. I've dehydrated herbs, vegetables, meat, tomato sauce, peppers of all kinds. Almost anything can be dehydrated. Be sure to buy the silicone non stick sheets for dehydrating liquids, pastes, making fruit roll ups, etc. I also purchased stainless shelves. They only thing better than this dehydrator is a freeze dryer but the cost is prohibitive.
Timothy McDougal : Arrived in bad shape
The item arrived in really bad shape. The outer box was fine, but when the inner box was opened it was very obvious that it had been dropped before being packaged up for shipping. Not sure how they did it but the manuals were so beaten up that they are unusable. The unit looks like it survived the process. But, I will have to plug it in to be sure.
Amazon Customer : dehydrator
This holds much more than a round dehydrator. It is easier to place in my rather small kitchen because it is square. The dehydration process is faster and better that my old dehydrator. This will pay for itself in a very short time
nick g : Best investment Ever!
Best damn investment ever. Fantastic quality and well thought out design. I have a herb garden and it drys my herbs perfectly! The other settings work as advertised. If your serious about dehydrating then this is the machine for you. It's not loud and it doesn't expell its heat heating up the room. Super easy to clean. Just wipe out the bottom. Shelves are stupid easy to manage. I mean it's the grand Mac daddy of all dehydrator. Might have to purchase another. Highly recommend!
James : I'll begin by saying that I absolutely do recommend the dehydrator
I'll begin by saying that I absolutely do recommend the dehydrator. It is sturdy and works well.
The Good: Durable; dries a lot of food at a time; makes *SAFE* jerky (most dehydrators do not heat the meat sufficiently on their own to ensure safety); the trays clean a bit more easily than most dehydrators; ten year manufacturer warranty.
The bad: it takes up a lot of counter space and is heavy enough that you wont' want to move it often; it also vibrates rather loudly where the cover attaches; it is pretty expensive.
Master Horne : Works Very Well, Even Drying on all Trays
I have one of these and have used it for years for fruit leather, drying fruit, and even scrambled eggs to take camping. Bought this for the daughter. Get the additional 14 x 14 non-stick Teflon sheets for leather and liquid items.
Janice S. : Dehydrates evenly, no need to shift around trays
It is said to be much more efficient than other dehydrators, because the airflow is kept even and that means there’s no need to shift or turn trays during the dehydrating process. I just made some sweet potato chips, and they did dry evenly. This is the machine that was most recommended on a raw vegan group, and also by the Hippocrates Institute. It is easy to clean and runs quietly.
Master Horne : Works Very Well, Even Drying on all Trays
I have one of these and have used it for years for fruit leather, drying fruit, and even scrambled eggs to take camping. Bought this for the daughter. Get the additional 14 x 14 non-stick Teflon sheets for leather and liquid items.
Nope : Damage and ripoff.
Received the new dehydrator and there was evidence of damage. The trays were misaligned and stuck. The Dehydrator body was warped. Received the replacement dehydrator. You could tell the inner box was open by someone before I received the box because the tape sealing the box was gone. Upon inspection, it was missing one of the books (preserve it naturally) and a polyscreen.
Brian Ouellette : does what it says
its huge, so if you're looking for something small to fit on the shelf look elsewhere, otherwise, it makes jerky and dried fruit really well. easy to clean and even easier to use. get a powered timer so you don;'t have to set an alarm and turn it off yourself.
Jeanne : Horrible customer service!
First of all- we love this dehydrator. It’s large, not too loud, and gets the job done. However, after about 2 years of use, and pretty infrequent use at that, the fan motor appears to have died. No biggie- right? Should be covered under warranty. I have been trying to contact the manufacturer for over 2 months and have had zero luck. I emailed the tech department and got a “can not deliver” email. I emailed customer service multiple times with no response. I used the “contact us” form on the website. I’ve called customer service many times and each time it hangs up on me. For a well rated product, customer service is horrendous! Will not be buying from this manufacturer again...
Alicia. : BUYER BEWARE OF THIS SELLER NO CONTACT NUMBER FOR WARRANTY
I brought this 9 tray hoping to have. WARRANTY and contact info from the seller whom I brought from But this Seller scares me because if and when I have a issue I can't contact ANYBODY ALL WORKING NUMBERS THAT COME WITH THIS PRODUCT DONT WORK I "REPEAT IT DON'T WORK IT WON'T CONNECT. SO THIS IS NOT A PRODUCT I CAN TRUST THROUGH THIS SELLER SO I MUST RETURN IT. ANYTIME AMAZON CAN'T CONTACT THEM THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING PLUS OTHER BUYERS ARE SAYING THE SAME READ THE REVIEWS YOU SHALL SEE. SO BUYER BEWARE OF THIS SELLER
Travel Girl : Great first time dehydrator
I've used this product several times now, enough to put in my 2 cents in this review. I've done the fruits and jerky stuff. No fruit roll ups yet.
Pros: -easy to clean -easy to set up -quiet hum when machine is running, sounds like a fan (I can still watch TV nearby while it's on)
Cons: -this version DOES NOT have a timer. Having a timer would be very helpful. I remedied this problem by using an independent timer that I got at the hardware store. -It's a very large machine!! Make sure you have sufficient counter space or somewhere to store this monster!
Although it's large, I'm glad I got one this big. A bowl of fresh strawberries, bananas, apples...sliced and layed in a single layer fills up these trays quickly. I can't imagine having a smaller one.
Lone Wolf : For a dehydrator that kicks butt ... and likely dries it too
After doing a great deal of research, I settled on the Excalibur 3900B 9-tray family-sized dehydrator. Here are some of the reasons and factors on why I liked this product and found it to be the best choice overall:
-PRO: Many of the upright dehydrators which have fans in the bottom tend to drip and leak into the fans. This causes the fans to die on you prematurely. The Excalibur model has a large fan in the back of the unit which forces warm air evenly across all nine trays.
-Possible CON: Price. Price, and price. Ok, this isn't your typical $20 WalMart appliance. But if you're serious about dehydrating and would like to actually dehydrate more than one food at a time, then size counts and you will certainly need a larger surface area. In the long run, you'll find that the price meets up well with the value and quality of the appliance and you won't be disappointed.
-PRO: It comes complete. Some lesser models come with fewer trays than their capacity. Many do not come with drying sheets. The Excalibur has everything you need without purchasing anything additional.
-PRO: Timer. Many foods you will dehydrate will take upwards of 16-18, possibly more than a day to dry. This particular model has a shut-off timer. This is a life saver when you consider the need for someone to be there when the food is finished dehydrating.
All-in-all, if I had to do it all over again, I would still buy this brand and this particular model. I gave it five stars for exceptional quality, value and design.
Dave Karl : Excellent piece of equipment
I had a cheaper round one from Bed Bath and Beyond actually the same manufacturer but didn't dehydrate fast or even plus was the stackable kind. While I admit the 3900-B is far superior it did cost twice as much but worth every penny. You don't want a stackable type and don't want circler. This 9 tray rectangle one is great plus the shelves/racks are lined with a fine easy to clean mesh. The holes are small so even tiny things will dry and not fall through to the bottom. Pay up and buy this one is gets the job done the most efficiently and everything comes out like it should.
Lucky Writer 777 : Best item I purchased in 2020 by far
Where has dehydrating been all my life?!! I’ve been missing out. I bought this product because it was rated number 1 by a YouTube vegan channel. I purchased the 9 drawer Excalibur Dehydrator. So far so good! The family loves the fruits! We come from the islands so the bananas and mango are our favorites. Next best are the apples (dipped in 6oz of pineapple juice, 6 oz of water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to prevent browning). And, surprisingly, red bell peppers are delicious to snack on. Oranges are good to snack on and for tea (as well as lemons and limes). I plan on crushing the citrus fruit to make toppings for ice cream. The machine is a little louder than expected, but not intolerable.
Best item I purchased in 2020 by far.
C. Fillmore : Fan doesn't work
Didn't try it out until it was past the return date (it was a Christmas gift), only to find that the fan has problems. Keeps turning off after a minute or two. My food is going moldy! Not happy about the waste of food. Wish I could still return it.
Amazon Customer : dehydrator
This holds much more than a round dehydrator. It is easier to place in my rather small kitchen because it is square. The dehydration process is faster and better that my old dehydrator. This will pay for itself in a very short time
Andrews electric : Broken front cover
Right out of the box, broken front cover... I gave 3 stars because of the brand but I mean really, they couldn't box it up a lil better ? Now do I bother sending it back or just deal with it ...
S. Fine : This Thing is a Beast! (And a fix for the rattle)
I have been wanting one of these for years, having heard so many good things about them. I have an old Aroma Dehydrator that I have had for at least 15 years, and it was passable--but slow. And I know I could not dry certain foods in it at all without problems. So, after drying some surplus zuchinni (who doesn't have that?!) that took 18 hours, I decided to pull the trigger. These dryers are not cheap. I passed on the economy version, as well as the one with the built in timer. I figured I could just use a plug-in timer. When the box arrived, I was initially dismayed at the sheer size of this thing! Now, I know it would be big, but somehow I hadn't imagined a machine just as big as my big ol' microwave! I have a tiny kitchen, and this dryer was certainly not going to fit on any counter. I put it on my little table, and it took of half of the real estate. Now, I have lots of kitchen equipment stored in the basement. Canner, meat grinder, the old dehydrator, etc. But the Excalibur was so big and bulky, I was reluctant to have to carry it up and down the stairs--hey, I ain't getting any younger. So what I did was set it up in the basement on top the dryer, laid some paper on the adjoining washing machine, and plugged it in. I sliced my zucchini upstairs (better light) and put the slices in a bowl to take downstairs. I like to sprinkle a light coating of salt on the zucchini chips, so took that with me. I used 6 medium zukes, and it only fit on 5 of the trays. I set the timer for the maximum time (14 hrs), and went upstairs to bed, figuring I could take off the chips that were dry, and figure how much more time it needed while I was away at work. Seven hours later I awoke, and decided to check on the progress, and was amazed to find EVERYTHING was dried perfectly an evenly! 7 hours (and they might have even been finished at 6 hours) as compared with 18 hours with my old dehydrator! So I am initially VERY impressed. I like the built in thermostat, and I like the way the trays are nice and square, and the massive amount of space that can be utilized. Last year I dehydrated tomatoes, and had to do 2 or 3 loads, 24 hours at a time. I cannot WAIT until I get those 'maters on this workhorse! I have a lot of peaches coming in. I am going to try my hand a leather, and even use up some of that apple butter I put up last fall that nobody eats much of. I ordered some silicone sheets from Amazon; I would have gotten the Excalibur ones, but the cost was just too prohibitive. I know they are an American company, and cannot charge the cheap prices that China can, but I am on a budget, so have to make do. All in all I am really happy with this machine. It will live in the basement, but that is okay for my needs. The only thing I will miss is the wonderful smell the permeates the house when I dry the basil. Maybe if I leave the cellar door open... UPDATE--- If yours makes that annoying vibration that starts after it has warmed up (not the fan guard), I found a fix for mine. Once the vibration starts, turn it around and gently loosen one or both of the nuts in the back that attach to the fan. Not much, just a tiny bit--less than a quarter of a turn will quiet it down, but the nuts will still be tight enough to be secure. What a relief!
Senior Citizen : Best purchase I've made in a long while
Bought this to replace the small inexpensive dehydrator we'd been using.
Best purchase I've made in a long while. It's efficient and fast. Love having temperature settings and the food dehydration book that came with it. It does put out quite a bit of heat and takes up considerable space. We have it on a small table in our garage and run it at night mostly.
The only thing I would change is the "door" or cover. The trays slide in like an oven rack, then the cover hangs over the front to close it. It can be bumped and knocked off. (Hasn't happened, but there is the potential)
starlitone : Great product -just make sure you check that it works before filling it with food the first time so you dont waste $$
LOVE this dehydrator! my only wish was that it had the timer on it since i work weird hours and cant always be home to turn it off. easy to use and clean and makes great food! this is actually my second one since the first one i got was broken and the fan never turned on. of course i didnt discover this until a few hours after filling the trays with over 40$ worth of fruits! my whole house stunk like burning electrical wires, enough that i had to leave because i was about the vomit from the smell, as well as throw out all the fruit i just bought. the heating mechanism worked fine, however the fan wouldnt turn on at all. guess that goes to show you should always check your item before trying it out the first time. :( i still give it 5 stars though because amazons return policy is freaking AMAZING! they shipped a new one out as soon as i put in a damage claim and picked up the old one at no charge! seriously cant love amazon enough! :D
My Garden Haven : Why Didn't We Get This Before Now?
This dehydrator is just as great as all of the other reviews of it!
Don't go with anything less than 9 trays or you will be sorry...
The only thing I do not like is the fan noise. It is not overly obtrusive, but it is "there" all the time. We are considering putting it in a less-used room of the house.
The model we bought is Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Non-Timer Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator - Black.
We have made: jerky, dried mushrooms, apples, bananas, apricots, peaches, strawberries, grapes, tomatoes.
What we learned first time out with:
Jerky: We sliced it to thin to begin with, so it came out too dry.
Grapes: When the book says to blanch something to hasten drying time, do it. The first time it took 3 days to make raisins. The second time, I blanched them, and it took about 22 hours. If that sounds like a long time, really it's not. You put them in, walk away and forget it. There is nothing to do in the meantime unless you want to check on them.
Apples: Nothing to them! I thought that they might come out crispier, but leathery is the word of the day on most fruit. We put cinnamon on some of them and that is a great addition.
Bananas: Same as apples - I thought I would be making "banana chips" like you'd get at the bulk food store, but heads up that is not what you get...They are good.
Tomatoes: What a great way to preserve them! Add them to soups, etc. whenever you need an extra kick. No more wasted tomatoes!
Mushrooms: We are still working on this one. The first batch seemed great to start with, however, after a week in the cupboard in a glass jar, they began to ferment. Apparently not dry enough!
Apricots: Turned out sooooo yummy! They were the same consistency as you would get at the store, but NO sulphur! And super tasty!
I almost forgot about the cherries! Oh my - super yummy! And can't forget my husband's bread making. You can use this machine for rising dough. It worked great.
Cleaning: The dehydrator sheets are dishwasher safe, so that has been a breeze, and the trays are fairly easy to rinse off in the sink. Who likes to cleanup? No one. So it still might seem like a hassle at times.
You can read my full review with pictures at [...]
Mainstream Consumer : WORKS WELL, JUST THROWN TOGETHER FOR PACKACHING
I've always heard this is a top of the line product. When it arrived the trays were crammed into the machine sideways not even on a tract and they are bowed somewhat. The tray liners are not cut evenly. Some have the liner cut half way across evenly and then they get larger or smaller and some have the liner cut with pieces hanging off that if cut would make it to small for the tray. There was a bent screw in the bottom of the box. I was so looking forward to my dehydrator and saved so long for it and I was so very disappointed when I opened the box. This was not bad packaging on behalf of the seller this was done by the company who put them in the original box! Now I have bowed trays and liners that poke the fingers when picked up the wrong way! I will never, ever, recommend a company or product that is so haphazard with their products. Top of line product? Not for me it wasn't. This must be put together in China!
Lyra Bree : Best Dehydrator on the Market
This is such an easy to use dehydrator! It’s noise level is low amd is easy to clean. I wish there was a bottom removable “crumb catcher” but urs still easy to clean. The temperature controls on top are easy to use and understand. It’s so much quicker than my previous top rated top down fan one. The fan on the back really makes it dry more evenly and quicker. If your on the fence just buy and you won’t look back.
Master Horne : Works Very Well, Even Drying on all Trays
I have one of these and have used it for years for fruit leather, drying fruit, and even scrambled eggs to take camping. Bought this for the daughter. Get the additional 14 x 14 non-stick Teflon sheets for leather and liquid items.
Lisa Robles : Very helpful company!
I needed help so text Excalibur. They quickly got back to me. They were very helpful. Even though the answer was in the directions they were very kind. Love this dehydrator and wanted one for a couple years. Made the best jerky in just a few hours. Thanks!
Christine Conners : Missed the Mother Ship
My husband and I write outdoor cookbooks as a side hobby. We actually tested all of our recipes for Lipsmackin' Backpackin' and Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' on a used Harvest Maid we found at a yard sale. It was a box thing that you could have dropped from a 5 story building and it would have survived. I loved it, but it had uneven heating. Eventually it started to scare us, and we just thought it might catch fire or something, so we got rid of it. So because we weren't working on any books at the time, we switched to the cheap round ones you can buy anywhere. Absolutely hated those. I can't stand the way you have to pull trays apart to see what is going on while food flies all over the place. I had two different brands of those and hated them both. You also have to use their own circular plastic liners for leathers or messy things, and it's a pain to cut parchment paper in a circle when you need more liners.
So when we got a couple of new book contracts we needed something decent. We were checking out the new Sedona and comparing it to the Excalibur. Well, we ended up going with the Excalibur. We did this for a couple of reasons: It's American, and Lord knows America needs our business. The price was definitely a factor. Even though the Sedona looked like it might be a nicer piece of equipment (and Sedona, AZ is certainly a nice place to wait for the Mother ship:-)) the company didn't have any reputation to stand on like Excalibur. But as ridiculous as this may sound, one of the biggest issues I had was the fact that they didn't have any liners that went with their product. I know we can cut parchment paper or Excalibur sheets, but I found it kind of odd that a company in the business of drying food wouldn't have a "liner plan" in place. It was kind of like they didn't know what they were doing ya know? So we went with the Excalibur and we love it! There are no fancy bells or whistles, no mother ship, but it dries evenly and quietly and it's a huge improvement over everything we've ever dried with in the past. It's about to be put to the test again with another book, but I am confident that it's going to handle the job just fine!
Kevin K : It's a work horse!
Arrived in stellar packaging, no dings or issues. Thrilled to see the Preserve it Naturally book was included. Love the simplicity of operation. Read the manual for specific instructions and was ready to load and do the first product run. Does just what it is supposed to do and looking forward to many years of service. No complaints.
LSS : Easy to use and a great investment that will very ...
Can't say enough about this dehydrator. I'm on a quest to stop wasting food and this dehydrator has been very helpful. Especially now with gardens in full growth. Vegetables that I once would throw away because of spoilage no longer see the trash can. I never thought about how the dried herbs, spices, vegetable flavorings etc. were made. Now I know! I not only avoid throwing food away but I'm saving money by making my own powdered flavorings. Some vegetables I've dehydrated as chunks to reconstitute in soups, casseroles and even give to the dogs.
I had quite a bit of meat that I didn't want to refreeze and was going to expire so I decided to take a chance. First I used a pressure cooker to kill any bacteria and then dehydrated some chicken, ground hamburger and pork. I rehydrated some of the meat and was pleasantly surprised! I could not tell that the meat had previously been cooked which I thought was a real thumbs up.
When I researched dehydrators I discovered that Excalibur brand is the only product to buy for an individual who is serious about dehydrating food. Easy to use and a great investment that will very soon pay for itself.
Jennifer Kleffner : Needs a removable drip tray
I bought this after lots of recommendations. Yes, its a good dehydrator. The square shape is efficient, and the removable trays means you can dry larger items by just taking out the tray above. My one quibble with this machine, and its kind of a big one, is that the bottom of the machine is VERY hard to clean if something you are drying drips - which most things do. The bottom isn't removable, and because of the wire mesh backing between the trays and the fan, you can't reach behind this wire to reach spills. I had a batch of apricots drip, and finally soaked the bottom over a sink, over and over, in order to get the dried on fruit out. Would be an easy thing to design this with a pull out bottom. So, from now on, I'm using the bottom tray with a liner as a drip catcher. Otherwise, very pleased with the product.
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