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
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.
Cheryl D : Works well
This is my first dehydrator so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I've made tons of stuff in it already. Fruits, fruit leather, herbs, and jerky.
If you're looking for a machine that's going to give you dried food like you buy in the store, this isn't going to do it. I guess because everything in the store has chemicals to keep them fresh. Fruits have turned out the best so far. My husband loves the jerky but, I'm not a big fan. However, buying an $11 cut of meat and making two pounds of jerky is a HUGE money saver. We were spending $6 per bag for 3.25 ounces in the store. And, mine has no chemicals.
The most difficult part for me is knowing when something is done. The recipe books give you very wide timelines (ie: 2-4 hours). I wish they had included pictures of what everything should look like when it's perfectly done because it's really hard to know.
The machine is pretty loud so, keep that in mind. But, all in all, it works well. And is very roomy. I can fit 3-4 pounds of jerky meat in it. Probably 4-5 pineapples (cut into pieces, of course). Tons of strawberries or blueberries. It really does fit a LOT.
Dennis L. Meredith : The Very Best Dehydrator Out There!
I used to have one of those small round five tray Big Lots specials and I hated it. I worked but it made the food taste funky. Something with the wiring is all I could ever figure out.
This baby is the Cadillac of dehydrators and worth every penny. I've used it quite a bit since I bought it and I'm constantly amazed at how well it works. Fast, no off notes in the flavor profile and easy to clean. I just loaded it with peaches thirty minutes ago and the project before that was some strawberry fruit leather (yumm!). If it were impossible to replace I wouldn't let mine go for three times what I paid for it. It's the best and last dehydrator I'll ever own.
Karen Ash : Absolutely amazing
It’s a little loud, but it preformed beautiful!!! We loved making venison jerky in it, we tried a smoker, but the meat came out too dry, this dehydrated the meat perfectly!!!
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.
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.
K. Krupke : The only one worth buying!
Excalibur is regarded as THE dehydrator to use for good reason. This is made in the USA and has an amazing warranty. This $200 model has a mechanical turn dial (this dial comes off easily fyi) and allows for low temp dehydrating to preserve the enzymes in food. Nine large racks and means you can dry all the things. All. The. Things. Take out the racks and you can proof bread or even make yogurt. You'll need to set your own timer though, this unit has none. I do find the fan noise a bit on the loud side and frankly it's sad that this is almost entirely plastic. Only hand washing is recommended for the racks and mesh mats. For the excellent drying capabilities you should consider one of Excalibur's models.
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 ...
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
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.
Michael J. Tallmadge : Good value, works well.
This dryer is large enough, that one cycle will fill a gallon jar with dried apples. It’s easy to clean, if you buy sheets for messy items like tomatoes. Veggies and apples don’t stick at all. It’s lightweight, and easy to move around. I run it in a workroom where I can’t hear it, so without a timer, I can’t forget about it.
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
David Smith : Good, but noisy
As dehydrators go, it does a good job, and doesn't have too large of a footprint. I prefer the square trays over the round ones of other dehydrators, they are easier to load up. It IS noisy. Better care could be taken to dampen the vibrations. I had to turn it off to watch TV, my kitchen opens into my living room, but was fine when I put it in the utility room. Other than the noise, and a door that just hangs on, it is fine. A timer would have been nice, but I wasn't willing to pony up an extra $100 just for a timer, I'll grab one for ten bucks at Lowes and have it around for other uses too.
N. D. Bradley : Workhorse reliability but loud
I've used several dehydrators over the past 35 years, including a home-built unit, and this Excaliber unit is by far the best I've ever used, although it has one annoying feature (see below). It is a true no-nonsense, workhorse design that gets the job done. You remove the side cover—which hangs from the top edge—slide out the trays, load them up with food, slide them back in, replace the cover, and set the thermostat. The internal fan moves air efficiently through the unit at the same rate, regardless of thermostat setting (i.e., fan speed does not vary).
The sideways air flow design is a MUCH improved approach over vertical flow designs for the simple reason that moist air exits sideways from each separate tray, rather than transferring moist air from one tray vertically to the next, and the next, etc., which takes longer because it is not efficient. Thus, the Excaliber is a workhorse that can dry more food faster while using less energy. Using this unit, you can dry at least two to three times more food than the smaller, vertically stacked, round designs sold in stores. (I've bought and used a number of these cheaper units over the years, and none of them worked particularly well. My last one melted itself!)
The basic unit does not feature a built-in timer, which is not a problem. We usually set our dehydrator up at night, right before we go to bed, and turn it off in the morning when we get up, which is typically about how long it takes to dry a load of food. We have also plugged it into a standard, wall-type timer such as are used for lamps, and that works just as well. In fact, a standard wall timer is actually better since you can set up a schedule of on-off drying periods of varying duration.
It is helpful to rotate trays 180 degrees midway through each drying cycle to get the most even drying. This helps with thicker-sliced food, whereas thin-sliced food will dry fairly evenly without rotation. Thick-sliced food toward the rear of each tray will generally dry faster than food toward the front.
The ONLY annoyance of this unit is that it is loud. The ample fan, which is mounted to the center of a sheet metal rear panel, sets up a resonance with the panel, sort of like the way a National steel guitar uses its metal back as a resonator. While the fan is running—which is continuously whenever the thermostat is turned up from the "Off" position—the Excaliber emits a loud, resonate hum. If you locate the Excaliber in a separate area of your home, in a garage or laundry space, for example, it won't be any bother at all. But if you live in a small apartment and have to sleep next to it, this might be a bother. Hopefully, future designs will employ dampening washers on the rear sheet metal panel and/or a spring tensioner to absorb vibration from the fan motor.
Overall, all things being equal, this is the best dehydrator I've ever owned. And because it works so well, I actually find myself drying more food than ever. I would recommend this Excaliber unit to anyone who wants a reliable, no-nonsense design that gets it done.
Jonathan : Disappointing
Disappointing quality for the price. It doesn't seem to have more than $50 worth in parts so I assume you are just paying for the warranty. -The mesh liners were cut unevenly. Not a big deal, but really? -Fan assembly looks thrown together. Just a fan, and coils with all wires exposed. All protected by this top of the line chicken wire. Holes behind fan are drill sporadically. Not certain but the welds seem to be oxidizing or at least not cleaned. -Didn't come with a manual as listed on amazon -Sticker claims there will be a 15% restocking fee if returning. -Everything is plastic... -No drip tray. If food were to somehow drip down and flow behind their fan guard which has a large gap beneath, how would you ever clean that? -Upgrading to stainless steel trays will set you back $100 yet you could buy a Chinese unit with SS trays included for that. -No timer. Not a big deal before buying but seeing the quality and the markups to include the timer makes this a flaw now. -Massive hole in unit? Top right of the unit under the temperature decal is a large opening secured only by this decal. There is another on near the temp dial. Did they not want to create a new mold this model? I'm fairly certain they could have still used this cheap method but secured it more appropriately. -Temp dial secured for shipment with painters tape....
Catherine : What's that horrible sound?
After years of wishing for a dehydrator and spending countless hours reading reviews on various brands and models, I finally settled on this one. I have used it 4 times so far. First batch: all tomatoes, all 9 trays filled. Worked well
Second batch: Tomatoes, zucchini, turnips. All 9 tars filled. Worked well again.
Third batch is when I started to wonder if this is a brand new machine or not! Third batch was 5 trays tomatoes, other trays were empty, and were left inside the dehydrator (as per instructions) during the length of drying time (about 9 hours). 7 or 8 hours into drying time, I heard an awful noise from the dehydrator, as if the fan was coming apart from the machine! It was loud enough and disturbing enough that I jumped to rescue the machine by turning it off, and opening the lid. I waited a bit and turned it on again, this time the noise was less, but just as it was about the return, I turned it off and left it off overnight. The next day, I noticed that the temperature knob does not look flush.. it is a bit lob-sided. I am not sure if this is how it looked whenI first received the machine, or it happened after the noise I heard.
Fourth Batch: 1 Tray of cherry tomatoes, others were empty. First 10 minutes, the same horrible noise happened! It sounded like a train is going through my house! I waited, and the noise got a little bit better. It is now 25 minutes since I turned on the dehydrator, and it still sounds like the fan is unhappy... it sounds like an old machine that needs to be retired, not like a brand new machine...
I had read that the Excalibur machines are very quiet. I wonder if there's something wrong with this one? I certainly don't feel safe leaving this on overnight to dehydrate any foods. I feel like I need to be close to it all the time, and I can't do that for 8 to 12 hours at a time!
I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks
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.
Brittany Morris : BUY SOMETHING ELSE
I never even got to use my dehydrator, BECAUSE IT ARRIVED IN PIECES. Don't dump your money into this. More often than not this product arrives broken, and for some stupid reason, I thought maybe I'd be an exception. NOPE. It was completely crushed. It was crushed so badly, that even the book was shredded. Find another product guys, it's not worth it.
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 [...]
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.
Dakota : Best dehydrator EVER!
This has been in my cart for over a year, I finally saw it on a daily deal for $70 off and I had to buy it! It’s awesome, best quality dehydrator! The size is awesome for larger projects and the mats are cheap to make roll ups!
B. Lee : Did Not Work out of the Box
First use, fan worked but unit did not heat. Customer service at Excalibur is limited due to virus, not taking calls or messages. Left e-message via their website form, no response. Suspected switch. Went ahead and ordered new switch and fuse from factory without warranty. Parts arrived, replaced switch, unit now works. Fan really rumbles against metal backing plate so it's somewhat disturbingly noisy. Have run a few items through it, dries great. So the unit performs well. Covid-19 probably disrupted customer service but not happy about paying for parts and loss of use for a couple of weeks to get the thing working.
D. Wold : Wow what a huge amount of drying space!!
This is definitely a large dryer both in capacity and counter space. It will not be something I leave on my counter which does not bother me at all.
I received this on Monday and so far have dehydrated strawberries apples and 4 pounds of jerky. The strawberries did not turn out well but this was totally user error. I'm used to using my square smaller dehydrator and did not check them soon enough. They dehydrated 1-2 hours earlier than I am used to. The apples over dehydrated also but they still taste fine.
This unit handled four pounds of ground beef and chicken jerky just fine with actual room to spare. I'm sure I could have put another's pound in there and been fine but wasn't sure what the capacity would be so I didn't. My jerky came out delicious and again didn't take as long as I was used to but this time I new to watch it closer.
It came with a large book on dehydrating how to along with recipes and other ideas on how to use the dehydrator. I've actually learned a few things by reading the book!!!
I put my trays in and turned it on for the first time to hear a horrible rattling noise but on closer inspection found that i had pushed the trays to far back and they were hitting the fan cage.
Of course it makes noise but no more than my other dehydrator and in fact it actually might be a tad bit quieter. You can't expect something like this to be able to do its job and be whisper quiet.
I upgraded to this dehydrator after I realized my other one ( which I will also still use) just didn't have the capacity that I needed and its very nice to have a square tray without a hole in the center like all the others. I also didn't want to buy this one until I could justify the price. This will be a lot easier to clean than the big bulky trays of my other unit and the plastic sheets that go in the trays have small holes so my small food (like diced carrots) won't fall through.
I also like all the different temperature options as my other one had veggies and fruits drying at the same temp.
I did not buy one with a timer as if I feel I need one i will just buy the plug in outlet timer that I will plug this unit into.
The only con I have found so far is that I feel for the price it should have come with at least one para flex sheet.
I know I've not had this long but so far it is exceeding my expectations. I will post an update in about a month.
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
Sqwirly : Dehydrates food AND proofs my dough!
This thing is great! I'm so glad I figured out the other unit was exactly the same except the other one had a timer. I don't want a timer for $100, thanks. I started using it the day it got here. It didn't come with the cookbook so I've since ordered and received it and am already using it and my new dehydrater to start getting our emergency food storage going. I've been canning for years but dried food takes up sooooo much less space.
The final thing that pushed me over the edge into purchasing this dehydrator was when I realized I can proof my dough in it!!!! A proofing oven costs $150 and that's all is does.
So thanks Excalibur! I highly reccomend.
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.
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)
KLS : Best buy ever
Received on time, unpacked, washed it all down, ran for 1 hour on lowest setting, let cool, 1 hour on med, let cool, 1 hour on the highest setting, let cool. I had some previous dried lavender that had re-hydrated in the air - I put that in on a medium heat overnight, just to get rid of any potential plastic or other odors. I loaded it up the next morning and have been running it 24 hours since then. Very happy with the way it works, the quantity it will hold, and the quality of the unit. I used the 105 degree setting on the first batch, to try to preserve as much of the living enzymes as possible, it took about 30 hours to dry a full load at that temperature. The second load made turkey jerky at 150 degrees in about 10 hours. I could not be happier with this unit. If you just want to dry some bananas here and there and some herbs, it may not be worth $200 - but if you have a large garden like I do it is invaluable. I expect it will pay for itself this year by preserving food that otherwise would go bad.
KLS : Best buy ever
Received on time, unpacked, washed it all down, ran for 1 hour on lowest setting, let cool, 1 hour on med, let cool, 1 hour on the highest setting, let cool. I had some previous dried lavender that had re-hydrated in the air - I put that in on a medium heat overnight, just to get rid of any potential plastic or other odors. I loaded it up the next morning and have been running it 24 hours since then. Very happy with the way it works, the quantity it will hold, and the quality of the unit. I used the 105 degree setting on the first batch, to try to preserve as much of the living enzymes as possible, it took about 30 hours to dry a full load at that temperature. The second load made turkey jerky at 150 degrees in about 10 hours. I could not be happier with this unit. If you just want to dry some bananas here and there and some herbs, it may not be worth $200 - but if you have a large garden like I do it is invaluable. I expect it will pay for itself this year by preserving food that otherwise would go bad.
Melinda : A dehydrator that you won't be sorry you purchased.
I have used many dehydrators over the years (all of them being the small round types) and have had many die after a year or less of use. I decided I wanted a dehydrator that could hold more items at a time. I dehydrate pumpkins and squash and don't enjoy having to do one pumpkin in different days. After reading reviews on many different dehydrators I decided to give this Excalibur 9 tray dehydrator a try. I used it for 6 months straight last year and am getting ready to use it again this winter. It held up well to heavy use and it held a lot of food at one time. The dehydrator is fairly quite as it runs and the air circulates nicely. Everything dries evenly (unless cut at different thicknesses) no matter what shelf it is on. I was happy to find that this dehydrator came with a book of recipes and I do plan on trying other items this year. If you are looking for a dehydrator, seriously consider taking a chance on this one.
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
Diane Reed : A workhorse!
This is the first year we've had a big garden (thanks to the WONDERFUL Earthwise rototiller I bought from Amazon last year). A couple of years ago, I bought a L'Equip dehydrator and had been using that for apples and zucchini, but I felt I needed a bigger, more 'farm' sized unit to handle what I hoped would be a big harvest. So far, I've done a LOT of zucchini and summer yellow squash, cabbage, carrots, lemons, tomatoes, plum fruit leather, mushrooms, and even frozen veggies that were on sale at the store. I got inspiration at the dehydrate2store.com website. It gave me ideas for my dehydrator that I wouldn't have considered. The dehydrator keeps drying away, night and day, as I put new fruits and veggies on the trays and take them out several hours later. The fan is quiet enough that I can sleep through it even though it's in the adjoining room. I thought it might be too warm for the summer days, but it doesn't seem to put out much surrounding heat. Sometimes I need to switch out the top and bottom trays as they don't seem to dry quite as well as the middle ones, but that's not always necessary. If the veggies (like broccoli & cauliflower) are too tall, I just skip the next tray on top, giving the veggies plenty of room. I'm really have loads of fun and am looking forward to my apples getting ripe.
Melinda : A dehydrator that you won't be sorry you purchased.
I have used many dehydrators over the years (all of them being the small round types) and have had many die after a year or less of use. I decided I wanted a dehydrator that could hold more items at a time. I dehydrate pumpkins and squash and don't enjoy having to do one pumpkin in different days. After reading reviews on many different dehydrators I decided to give this Excalibur 9 tray dehydrator a try. I used it for 6 months straight last year and am getting ready to use it again this winter. It held up well to heavy use and it held a lot of food at one time. The dehydrator is fairly quite as it runs and the air circulates nicely. Everything dries evenly (unless cut at different thicknesses) no matter what shelf it is on. I was happy to find that this dehydrator came with a book of recipes and I do plan on trying other items this year. If you are looking for a dehydrator, seriously consider taking a chance on this one.
m.vanbrackle : Set it and forget it
I bought this to do large batches of jerky and it doesn't disappoint. Most of the mixes I buy requires 5 pounds of meat and the one I had would take about 8 hours to do and only did half at a time. I would end up with a batch seasoned by my liking and another over seasoned. I can do it all in one batch and only takes 5 hours for the same results. I even set it with a smart plug so Alexa could do a routine. I just saw Jerky after setting up a batch as I leave for work and it's ready to my liking when I get home without being overly dry. I did use it on some fruits but mainly it's for my jerky. Wish I pulled the trigger and bought this thing years ago.
David Smith : Good, but noisy
As dehydrators go, it does a good job, and doesn't have too large of a footprint. I prefer the square trays over the round ones of other dehydrators, they are easier to load up. It IS noisy. Better care could be taken to dampen the vibrations. I had to turn it off to watch TV, my kitchen opens into my living room, but was fine when I put it in the utility room. Other than the noise, and a door that just hangs on, it is fine. A timer would have been nice, but I wasn't willing to pony up an extra $100 just for a timer, I'll grab one for ten bucks at Lowes and have it around for other uses too.
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!
Linda : Louder than my old one
I bought my first Excalibur Dehydrator in about 1985 or so. This year, (2016), the bottom cracked and started leaking. I checked into getting a replacement casing (the outside of the unit, minus the fan, timer, and racks), and they wanted too much for it. So, I decided to buy a new unit from Amazon, without the timer. Since I only run the dehydrator when I am home, I decided not to bother with the timer. This replacement dehydrator is a cheaper model than what I paid for years ago. I paid about $200 way back then, but the quality was much better then. I paid $197 for this new one, but the quality is not there. The racks are much thinner, and the unit itself is so much louder! After running for at least half an hour, it's not quite as loud (the vibration stops), but it's still not as good as my old unit. I've also noticed that the new dehydrator doesn't dry as well. The left side doesn't dry as well, so I am forced to rotate and turn the racks. I never had to do that before. It is still a good dehydrator, but, not a GREAT dehydrator as my old one was. I usually dehydrate a couple hundred pounds of chicken a year for jerky, so it's not like I don't use the thing. It's still much better than the other dehydrators I have used, but just not as good.
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 ...
Susan C. : Excalibur used to be the best dehydrator on the market, but that is no longer the case.
The first unit I received was defective. I lost 7 pounds of organic green beans in it when the fan stopped working and all the beans spoiled. I returned it to Amazon and was sent a replacement (Amazon's service was prompt.). The replacement had a door that was made incorrectly. It hangs improperly because it does not have the same construction as the door on the original unit. I contacted Excalibur and they sent out a replacement door...it was also defective. I called them again and was sent another defective door. The technical service department at Excalibur is nonexistent. All you get is a phone sales person who has no knowledge of the products. They will not/cannot help me. Now it is too late to send the unit back to Amazon. I will be contacting Excalibur until they address my issue, but I don't expect much as so far they have been less than helpful...polite, but not knowledgeable. Excalibur used to be the best dehydrator on the market, but that is no longer the case.
Condie : Fast and efficient
There is no real comparison between this `professional' model with a fan and temperature control and my previous round model that had neither. On my previous round model the food adhered tightly to the tray. After picking off the fruit, the tray was difficult to clean. On the Excalibur the dried food releases easily, and the provided mesh is easily cleaned. I had been accustomed to requiring two or three days to dry a typical tray full of fruit. Subsequently I did not see the need for getting the Excalibur model that included a timer. That was a mistake. The Excalibur takes hours, not days, and getting the one with a timer would have been very helpful. The loaded trays in this model are not stackable, and must be carried one at a time to put them into, or remove them from the dryer. That necessitates a separate trip for each tray It is not a significant problem unless your preparation table is in the kitchen but the dryer is in the basement. I have now used the Excalibur successfully for dehydrating pineapple, bananas, and miscellaneous frozen vegetables. I like it, and will never again go back to the round one.
Jonathan : Disappointing
Disappointing quality for the price. It doesn't seem to have more than $50 worth in parts so I assume you are just paying for the warranty. -The mesh liners were cut unevenly. Not a big deal, but really? -Fan assembly looks thrown together. Just a fan, and coils with all wires exposed. All protected by this top of the line chicken wire. Holes behind fan are drill sporadically. Not certain but the welds seem to be oxidizing or at least not cleaned. -Didn't come with a manual as listed on amazon -Sticker claims there will be a 15% restocking fee if returning. -Everything is plastic... -No drip tray. If food were to somehow drip down and flow behind their fan guard which has a large gap beneath, how would you ever clean that? -Upgrading to stainless steel trays will set you back $100 yet you could buy a Chinese unit with SS trays included for that. -No timer. Not a big deal before buying but seeing the quality and the markups to include the timer makes this a flaw now. -Massive hole in unit? Top right of the unit under the temperature decal is a large opening secured only by this decal. There is another on near the temp dial. Did they not want to create a new mold this model? I'm fairly certain they could have still used this cheap method but secured it more appropriately. -Temp dial secured for shipment with painters tape....
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)
KLS : Best buy ever
Received on time, unpacked, washed it all down, ran for 1 hour on lowest setting, let cool, 1 hour on med, let cool, 1 hour on the highest setting, let cool. I had some previous dried lavender that had re-hydrated in the air - I put that in on a medium heat overnight, just to get rid of any potential plastic or other odors. I loaded it up the next morning and have been running it 24 hours since then. Very happy with the way it works, the quantity it will hold, and the quality of the unit. I used the 105 degree setting on the first batch, to try to preserve as much of the living enzymes as possible, it took about 30 hours to dry a full load at that temperature. The second load made turkey jerky at 150 degrees in about 10 hours. I could not be happier with this unit. If you just want to dry some bananas here and there and some herbs, it may not be worth $200 - but if you have a large garden like I do it is invaluable. I expect it will pay for itself this year by preserving food that otherwise would go bad.
Amazon Customer : Tech Support Numbers disconnected or no longer in service.
i purchases an Excalibur 3900 dehydrator in May 2018. I used it several times each year but it was not in constant use and it did a great job. It quit working in the middle of dehydrating green beans today June 8, 2021. It should still be under the five year warranty. I looked up warranty information attached to the Amazon ad for a similar 3900 model and found a tech support number and fax number. When these numbers are called the recording states that the numbers have either been disconnected or no longer in service. If you are thinking of purchasing an EXCALIBUR SEARCH BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINTS FOR THE COMPANY. Buyer be aware that there have been numerous problems with customer service and support numbers no longer work.
K. Krupke : The only one worth buying!
Excalibur is regarded as THE dehydrator to use for good reason. This is made in the USA and has an amazing warranty. This $200 model has a mechanical turn dial (this dial comes off easily fyi) and allows for low temp dehydrating to preserve the enzymes in food. Nine large racks and means you can dry all the things. All. The. Things. Take out the racks and you can proof bread or even make yogurt. You'll need to set your own timer though, this unit has none. I do find the fan noise a bit on the loud side and frankly it's sad that this is almost entirely plastic. Only hand washing is recommended for the racks and mesh mats. For the excellent drying capabilities you should consider one of Excalibur's models.
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...
maria : No contact info for manufacturer! Non working numbers
There is NO customer support at all! Telephone number is non working. All their brochures and books all have the same contact info. Non working. Even Amazon could not get ahold of this seller. My dehydrator doesn’t work properly. Do not buy
David Smith : Good, but noisy
As dehydrators go, it does a good job, and doesn't have too large of a footprint. I prefer the square trays over the round ones of other dehydrators, they are easier to load up. It IS noisy. Better care could be taken to dampen the vibrations. I had to turn it off to watch TV, my kitchen opens into my living room, but was fine when I put it in the utility room. Other than the noise, and a door that just hangs on, it is fine. A timer would have been nice, but I wasn't willing to pony up an extra $100 just for a timer, I'll grab one for ten bucks at Lowes and have it around for other uses too.
Melissa H. : Has worked perfectly for us, for years
After a lot of research on different brands and types of dehydrators, we decided to go with this one. We've had it for a few years now and have had no issues with it. It does everything it says it's supposed to do, including dehydrating all racks or food evenly. We've made many items from the extensive recipe book they provided with the dehydrator. We definitely recommend this to anyone who will use it regularly for regular food use, or food storage. It's large, so it requires a good amount of space for storage.
Cheryl D : Works well
This is my first dehydrator so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I've made tons of stuff in it already. Fruits, fruit leather, herbs, and jerky.
If you're looking for a machine that's going to give you dried food like you buy in the store, this isn't going to do it. I guess because everything in the store has chemicals to keep them fresh. Fruits have turned out the best so far. My husband loves the jerky but, I'm not a big fan. However, buying an $11 cut of meat and making two pounds of jerky is a HUGE money saver. We were spending $6 per bag for 3.25 ounces in the store. And, mine has no chemicals.
The most difficult part for me is knowing when something is done. The recipe books give you very wide timelines (ie: 2-4 hours). I wish they had included pictures of what everything should look like when it's perfectly done because it's really hard to know.
The machine is pretty loud so, keep that in mind. But, all in all, it works well. And is very roomy. I can fit 3-4 pounds of jerky meat in it. Probably 4-5 pineapples (cut into pieces, of course). Tons of strawberries or blueberries. It really does fit a LOT.
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