Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with Adjustable Thermostat Accurate Temperature Control Faster Drying, Black review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
| Brand | Excalibur |
| Material | Plastic |
| Color | Black |
| Wattage | 600 watts |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 19 x 17 x 12.5 inches |
product features
- 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
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
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| 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. |
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| 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 |
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| # 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?
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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!
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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.
Answer: Excalibur Dehydrators http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/
Answer: Where is the Excalibur made?
Q:
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?
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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.
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what makes this 'deluxe'?
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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.
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did you have another model 220v ?
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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.
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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
pet lover : It would be pretty simple to include a removable drip tray
This dehydrator works very well. Dehydrates foods very evenly front to back and top to bottom as described. No rotation or turning of trays necessary. However, there are a few fatal design flaws!!
First, the trays are flat and smooth on the top, BUT instead of also being flat on the bottom, they are ridged making them an absolute NIGHTMARE to hand wash. Also, there is no removable drip tray in the bottom. I didn't really think about this until I made a batch of jerky. Then ooohhhh my! Fat had dripped off the jerky and run across the bottom of the unit. The fat ran into grooves under where the last tray goes and was a giant pain to clean out. Of course it also ran behind the metal mesh screen in the back of unit. The screws for said screen are inserted from the back, so I had to remove the back of the unit with the motor in order to clean it out! It would be pretty simple to include a removable drip tray!! Quite an oversight.
Took almost as long to clean as it did to dehydrate the foods.
Not sure I would buy it again, but now that I have it I just put tin foil into the bottom before each use.
Conclusion: Easy to use and works exactly as advertised. If you have a dishwasher, go for it; just remember to put something in the bottom to catch any drips. If you handwash; may want to look elsewhere.
First, the trays are flat and smooth on the top, BUT instead of also being flat on the bottom, they are ridged making them an absolute NIGHTMARE to hand wash. Also, there is no removable drip tray in the bottom. I didn't really think about this until I made a batch of jerky. Then ooohhhh my! Fat had dripped off the jerky and run across the bottom of the unit. The fat ran into grooves under where the last tray goes and was a giant pain to clean out. Of course it also ran behind the metal mesh screen in the back of unit. The screws for said screen are inserted from the back, so I had to remove the back of the unit with the motor in order to clean it out! It would be pretty simple to include a removable drip tray!! Quite an oversight.
Took almost as long to clean as it did to dehydrate the foods.
Not sure I would buy it again, but now that I have it I just put tin foil into the bottom before each use.
Conclusion: Easy to use and works exactly as advertised. If you have a dishwasher, go for it; just remember to put something in the bottom to catch any drips. If you handwash; may want to look elsewhere.
B92 : Broke after one use :( !!!
Motor kept seizing and the fan would slow then stop. I really want to love this dehydrator. I couldn't get a replacement due to them being out of stock, so I am returning it. Thank god for easy returns through amazon. Purchasing the model with the timer to try one more time to love the "king of dehydrators" if that one breaks as well I will need to look for a different brand :(
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.
Jeff L. Edes : Very happy with this product.
Although it arrived very poorly packaged luckily it was not damaged. After using it almost constantly for the last 2 weeks we are very happy with it. Great, consistent drying and easy to use. We have the 9-tray and I couldn't imagine bothering with a smaller model. When it arrived I realized I had mistakenly bought the model without a timer and at first thought I would exchange it. After reading some comments about usefulness of the timer I decided maybe it wasn't as important as I thought and, after some use, I can totally see why. There are just too many variables for a timer to be that useful. We just load it up and start checking at the low end of the recommended time range. Works great so far! Love it.
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.
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.
TapQ : Great for dehydrating eggs!
I have a flock of egg laying chickens and I get way more eggs than I can use. I use my Excalibur Dehydrator to dehydrate the excess eggs and make egg powder. I had to figure out a way to do it without making a mess because there is no lip on the trays and the scrambled egg mixture was leaking off of the trays. I tried several different things but ultimately what worked was 12 inch pizza trays that I purchased from my local dollar store. Now, by using the pizza trays in my Excalibur, I can dehydrate 4 dozen eggs at a time with no mess! I love it!
I have also dehydrated bananas, apples, and pineapples with great success. This is a great machine!
I have also dehydrated bananas, apples, and pineapples with great success. This is a great machine!
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.
Best item I purchased in 2020 by far.
Rissa : WORTH EVERY PENNY!
This is an incredible machine. If you garden and want to preserve dried fruits/veggies; it you are a raw foodist or just a foodie in general - this machine is WORTH its price. It was an upgrade for us and the first time we used it, we wished we had splurged on it WAY before! The controls are precise and fabulous. It's a workhorse, putting out tray after tray of dehydrated yumminess. We've preserved from the garden and farmer's market - way more than ever before. And tried fun new raw recipes, like crackers, fruit rolls and even raw pizza. If you're on the fence like we were, I'd say, just do it. This is the best dehydrator EVER!
XKue : No timer and poorly designed front cover/door
For the price point the door/front cover is very poorly designed and the unit lacks a timer which is crucial in properly dying products. I would not recommend buying this item based on the door and lack of timer.
Ross Bagne : First Inpressions.
I am brand new to the dehydrating food preserving method and I have only been using this product for a couple of days so these are just initial impressions, but I can see right now that you have to buy a high quality product like this if you want good results. These things run for HOURS. I didn't realize that ahead of time. This means that you have to have a durable high quality machine to do this. I wouldn't go with a cheaper product. This is just right for me at the right price.
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.
Amazon Customer : The shell breaks easily and it quickly becomes useless.
The temperature control knob works well and I haven't have any problems with the circuitry. I've used it for about a year now and the shell has become brittle and has started to crack and fall apart. The feet are plastic and attached to the frame and it just falls apart after a while, an entire section of the broke off that was connected to the foot.
Cleaning is incredibly difficult if anything gets behind the metal screen which separates the blower from the tray area, I wouldn't recommend fatty meats. It worked for a bit over a year for me so I can't really complain because I probably got 15 uses out of it. Jerky is an expensive habit.
Cleaning is incredibly difficult if anything gets behind the metal screen which separates the blower from the tray area, I wouldn't recommend fatty meats. It worked for a bit over a year for me so I can't really complain because I probably got 15 uses out of it. Jerky is an expensive habit.
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.
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.
Best item I purchased in 2020 by far.
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.
R.Brodnan : Broken
I did alot of research and thought I landed on the best dehydrator out there. It came broken. Its all made out of cheap plastic and the top corner came completely broken. Which also made the entire right side not quite line up correctly, almost seemed like it was warped. This for sure is NOT worth the price! Needless to say I returned it and ended up going to a local sports store and bought a different dehydrator that didn't feel as cheap but was $100 cheaper!
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
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
C. Little : DOA on delivery, but fixable - does a good job dehydrating
I'm yet one more person that gives a review saying the unit was DOA with a fan that didn't work. There was no visible shipping damage and no visible damage to the dehydrator. At first since I could spin the fan manually I thought it was probably a dead fan. However, after filling out the form on Amazon to return this, I decided to grab the screen in front of the fan with pliers and pull it away from the fan to test just in case. The fan then moved, so I tried to bend the screen from the front of the unit. That led to a fan worked but was very loud. Next, I pulled the back off and tried to bend the screen away from the fan from the back. That solved my issue (or more correctly stated, the problem with a new product that should have worked when it arrived). Ironically there is a note in the dehydrator package that says it was tested 3 times before shipping. Not sure what caliber of testers are doing it, but it sure seems like bad luck that a product with no damage in a manufacturer provided box with no visible damage would all of a sudden have a screen plate that is bowed slightly inward just enough to interfere with the fan that made it stop working after being tested and verified (even once, let alone three times).
Edit 8/14 - I have had a chance now to use the dehydrator a fair amount. In terms of control and how it works to dry things it seems awesome. Some of the advantages I see with this are the large capacity, ability to control the temp used for dehydrating, and good documentation that came with the unit (a manual and a book) that go over dehydration of all the things I would want to dehydrate. It has also worked without issues in the times I've used it since first receiving and fixing it. Some of the disadvantages with this unit are the noise level when it is running (it is equivalent to having our over the oven microwave running in terms of noise level) and while the amount you can dehydrate is nice it comes at the disadvantage of footprint size (approximately 19 1/4" long x 16 1/2" wide x 12 1/2" high). The one other awkward thing with this (at least for me) is in cleaning it. The trays can be washed in the dishwasher (though at least in my dishwasher the only way to do it is to stack them horizontally on top of each other). The tray liners have to be hand washed (and they are larger than the biggest sink in our kitchen) which makes them more difficult to get clean. Some of the disadvantages could easily be overcome however such as moving it to a room not being used to curb the noise level and using liners on top of the provided tray liners to help with cleaning.
Overall I'm satisfied with the performance and would have given this four or five stars had it not been for the fact that I had to fix it when it first arrived combined with the amount of noise it makes while running.
Edit 8/14 - I have had a chance now to use the dehydrator a fair amount. In terms of control and how it works to dry things it seems awesome. Some of the advantages I see with this are the large capacity, ability to control the temp used for dehydrating, and good documentation that came with the unit (a manual and a book) that go over dehydration of all the things I would want to dehydrate. It has also worked without issues in the times I've used it since first receiving and fixing it. Some of the disadvantages with this unit are the noise level when it is running (it is equivalent to having our over the oven microwave running in terms of noise level) and while the amount you can dehydrate is nice it comes at the disadvantage of footprint size (approximately 19 1/4" long x 16 1/2" wide x 12 1/2" high). The one other awkward thing with this (at least for me) is in cleaning it. The trays can be washed in the dishwasher (though at least in my dishwasher the only way to do it is to stack them horizontally on top of each other). The tray liners have to be hand washed (and they are larger than the biggest sink in our kitchen) which makes them more difficult to get clean. Some of the disadvantages could easily be overcome however such as moving it to a room not being used to curb the noise level and using liners on top of the provided tray liners to help with cleaning.
Overall I'm satisfied with the performance and would have given this four or five stars had it not been for the fact that I had to fix it when it first arrived combined with the amount of noise it makes while running.
Jeff L. Edes : Very happy with this product.
Although it arrived very poorly packaged luckily it was not damaged. After using it almost constantly for the last 2 weeks we are very happy with it. Great, consistent drying and easy to use. We have the 9-tray and I couldn't imagine bothering with a smaller model. When it arrived I realized I had mistakenly bought the model without a timer and at first thought I would exchange it. After reading some comments about usefulness of the timer I decided maybe it wasn't as important as I thought and, after some use, I can totally see why. There are just too many variables for a timer to be that useful. We just load it up and start checking at the low end of the recommended time range. Works great so far! Love it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Angela E : This Dehydrator is Fantastic!
I have been using this dehydrator every few days to make large batches of dried fruit (apples, bananas, plums, peaches, grapes, strawberries...) and it has worked perfectly. The fruit dries evenly throughout even when I dry thick slices. The fan noise is not terrible - you can definitely hear it, but the sound is similar to a "white noise machine" and it does not bother me. It is easy to clean and we have had NO problems with it at all.
Red Rocket : Efficient.
No real dislikes of this product. Have been drying late summer harvest, running the dryer 24 hours a day. Slots inside allow for different tray configurations. Screens are not that difficult to clean with a brush and soapy water. Low temperature effectively dries your herbs if you don't have time to slow dry. Works well for last bit of moisture removal before putting up herbs. Will dry large clusters of elderberries. Screens fine enough to hold dried elderberries without them falling through. Variable heat control. Work horse of a small dryer. Tried it in a room where I do quiet devotional reading in the early morning - the noise was not overpowering, but it was distracting. Some of the drying smells can be overwhelming. Great machine.
K. Krupke : The only one worth buying!
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.
toddzilla : TOP NOTCH DEHYDRATORS
I have done a lot of research on dehydrators! Again and again I kept coming back to the Excalibur! Torn between the 2900 economy and the 3900. The 3900 does have better overall components. I happened upon different purchase options on amazon and looked into the "used" found mine for 160 bucks. It came to me with a slight cracked section upper left. 10 minutes and half a tube of epoxy fixed that right away! I can honestly tell you that these dehydrators are badass! I'm smelling my jerky right now! Can't wait to dry my veggies etc etc. I easily placed 10 pounds of marinated London broil on the 9 trays.i also ordered non stick liners for fruit leather. I am difficult to impress! Even my "used" (broken) Excalibur is keeping me up late! Do yourself a favor, get one. Did I mention made in usa?
Maureen Fialkov : Useful machine but too bulky 0
This works well but has an enormous footprint . It is difficult to view the keypad for setting the dehydrator 0
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.
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.
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.
-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.
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
I will keep you posted if any negatives reveal themselves.
Thanks from Chicago
Samdread : Cheaply made, too many faults. Not worth the money and very disappointed
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....
-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....
TapQ : Great for dehydrating eggs!
I have a flock of egg laying chickens and I get way more eggs than I can use. I use my Excalibur Dehydrator to dehydrate the excess eggs and make egg powder. I had to figure out a way to do it without making a mess because there is no lip on the trays and the scrambled egg mixture was leaking off of the trays. I tried several different things but ultimately what worked was 12 inch pizza trays that I purchased from my local dollar store. Now, by using the pizza trays in my Excalibur, I can dehydrate 4 dozen eggs at a time with no mess! I love it!
I have also dehydrated bananas, apples, and pineapples with great success. This is a great machine!
I have also dehydrated bananas, apples, and pineapples with great success. This is a great machine!
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.
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.
Paul P : Wish I would have bought this on first.
After doing my research I settled on this one. Glad I did. The first three days I had it we ran it constantly. Experimenting, trying new things, and plain having fun with it. It's large trays allows you to put 12 pounds of apples in there at one time. Done 10 pounds of beef jerky in about 5 hours. This thing is not only large but fast and efficient. My older round model would take forever to dry out anything. It's nice to be able to run two batches a day. Clean up is easy. My biggest concern was the dehydrator smelling like beef jerky after we made our first batch, but after wiping it out and letting it air out it retain no order what so ever. Definitely not disappointed in my purchase of this unit.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
XKue : No timer and poorly designed front cover/door
For the price point the door/front cover is very poorly designed and the unit lacks a timer which is crucial in properly dying products. I would not recommend buying this item based on the door and lack of timer.
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.
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.
Jeff L. Edes : Very happy with this product.
Although it arrived very poorly packaged luckily it was not damaged. After using it almost constantly for the last 2 weeks we are very happy with it. Great, consistent drying and easy to use. We have the 9-tray and I couldn't imagine bothering with a smaller model. When it arrived I realized I had mistakenly bought the model without a timer and at first thought I would exchange it. After reading some comments about usefulness of the timer I decided maybe it wasn't as important as I thought and, after some use, I can totally see why. There are just too many variables for a timer to be that useful. We just load it up and start checking at the low end of the recommended time range. Works great so far! Love it.
Paul P : Wish I would have bought this on first.
After doing my research I settled on this one. Glad I did. The first three days I had it we ran it constantly. Experimenting, trying new things, and plain having fun with it. It's large trays allows you to put 12 pounds of apples in there at one time. Done 10 pounds of beef jerky in about 5 hours. This thing is not only large but fast and efficient. My older round model would take forever to dry out anything. It's nice to be able to run two batches a day. Clean up is easy. My biggest concern was the dehydrator smelling like beef jerky after we made our first batch, but after wiping it out and letting it air out it retain no order what so ever. Definitely not disappointed in my purchase of this unit.
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 ...
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.
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.
Cheryl : Best ever...
I used to use a little round dehydrator, and couldn't fit much into it.
(I use the little round one now for dehydrating onion and garlic - OUTSIDE!)
In the excalibur I can fit at least 5 pounds of thinly sliced meat when making jerky.
Not having a timer is a slight issue, however I'm always opening and closing to check on what-ever is drying, and I don't use it overnight. And I did know that this one didn't have a timer before I purchased it.
A small outlet plug timer could work in a pinch!
The dehydrator is rather large, and yet I keep it on my kitchen counter, I've made some realy yummy fruit leathers, and of course I dehydrate any extra's from my garden (broccoli, tomato, onion, potato, banana, apple, kiwi and celery so far)
I almost bought the smaller Excalibur, but waited a few months to buy the large 9 tray, and I'm very happy I did. Even if I don't use all the trays, at least I have them!
There is a learning curve to know exactly when to take out your veggie/meat or fruit... some I have stored in the fridge afterwards just in case I didn't get them fully dehydrated (cinnamon apple chips)
I would recommend this dehydrator over the other little round ones! Much easier to load, I can fit all the racks in my dishwasher at the same time (stacking on top of each other) the inside just needs a quick wipe in case anything dripped.
(I use the little round one now for dehydrating onion and garlic - OUTSIDE!)
In the excalibur I can fit at least 5 pounds of thinly sliced meat when making jerky.
Not having a timer is a slight issue, however I'm always opening and closing to check on what-ever is drying, and I don't use it overnight. And I did know that this one didn't have a timer before I purchased it.
A small outlet plug timer could work in a pinch!
The dehydrator is rather large, and yet I keep it on my kitchen counter, I've made some realy yummy fruit leathers, and of course I dehydrate any extra's from my garden (broccoli, tomato, onion, potato, banana, apple, kiwi and celery so far)
I almost bought the smaller Excalibur, but waited a few months to buy the large 9 tray, and I'm very happy I did. Even if I don't use all the trays, at least I have them!
There is a learning curve to know exactly when to take out your veggie/meat or fruit... some I have stored in the fridge afterwards just in case I didn't get them fully dehydrated (cinnamon apple chips)
I would recommend this dehydrator over the other little round ones! Much easier to load, I can fit all the racks in my dishwasher at the same time (stacking on top of each other) the inside just needs a quick wipe in case anything dripped.
K. Krupke : The only one worth buying!
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.
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.
Amazon_Customer : So far does the job
Like many we've experienced food supply issues due to COVID-19 and we also lived through a 7.0 earthquake within the last 12 months. It doesn't help we live in a rural area with limited places to shop either so I decided to buy the Excalibur food dehydrator to help stock up for a rainy day.
Before I received the food dehydrator I sent an email to Excalibur requesting some help about how to store the dried food. I have not received a response and I've waited five (5) days to hear from the Excalibur company. This is the biggest reason I have given the Excalibur oven a 4 star rating as it seems customer service is not a high priority.
I do like how easy the food dehydrator is to operate. The enclosed book (not booklet) clearly details how to prepare the food and how long to dehydrate it. The book is outstanding and I am very happy that was included as part of the standard order. I also liked the booklet they included with my order too. Both provide plenty of information on how to prepare and dehydrate food.
The food dehydrator has a rear fan and uses 600 watts to dehydrate foodstuffs. It does not come with a timer. The lack of a timer was not an issue for me as I have a timer than can track the hours for me.
I have dehydrated sliced apples and sliced potatoes both took a bit longer to dehydrate than the books recommended. Both are being conditioned, which I don't recall being mentioned in the book or booklet, but is recommended by the USDA. For more information you can search for USDA food preserving guidance online. I'd list the link but that's not allowed due to Amazon's terms of service.
Cleaning is a snap. The trays can be washed in the dishwasher while the screens need to be washed by hand. The interior of the dehydrator can be wiped down with a dishcloth using a bit of soap followed by a clean rinse with water. I use a well rinsed dishcloth to finish the clean-up.
My only wishes for the Excalibur would be placing the controls on the front of the machine and making a window inside the door. The dehydrator control is located near the rear of the machine. The door is solid black and hooks on the dehydrator.
The Excalibur 3900B 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator is a very nice machine and seems to be a good investment.
Recommend.
Before I received the food dehydrator I sent an email to Excalibur requesting some help about how to store the dried food. I have not received a response and I've waited five (5) days to hear from the Excalibur company. This is the biggest reason I have given the Excalibur oven a 4 star rating as it seems customer service is not a high priority.
I do like how easy the food dehydrator is to operate. The enclosed book (not booklet) clearly details how to prepare the food and how long to dehydrate it. The book is outstanding and I am very happy that was included as part of the standard order. I also liked the booklet they included with my order too. Both provide plenty of information on how to prepare and dehydrate food.
The food dehydrator has a rear fan and uses 600 watts to dehydrate foodstuffs. It does not come with a timer. The lack of a timer was not an issue for me as I have a timer than can track the hours for me.
I have dehydrated sliced apples and sliced potatoes both took a bit longer to dehydrate than the books recommended. Both are being conditioned, which I don't recall being mentioned in the book or booklet, but is recommended by the USDA. For more information you can search for USDA food preserving guidance online. I'd list the link but that's not allowed due to Amazon's terms of service.
Cleaning is a snap. The trays can be washed in the dishwasher while the screens need to be washed by hand. The interior of the dehydrator can be wiped down with a dishcloth using a bit of soap followed by a clean rinse with water. I use a well rinsed dishcloth to finish the clean-up.
My only wishes for the Excalibur would be placing the controls on the front of the machine and making a window inside the door. The dehydrator control is located near the rear of the machine. The door is solid black and hooks on the dehydrator.
The Excalibur 3900B 9-Tray Electric Food Dehydrator is a very nice machine and seems to be a good investment.
Recommend.
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.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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