Excalibur 5-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings and 26-hour Timer Automatic Shut Off for Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand | Excalibur |
Material | Plastic |
Color | Black |
Wattage | 400 watts |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 19 x 17 x 8.5 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- CAPACITY: The 3526TB 5-tray dehydrator equaling 8 square feet of drying space is perfect space for preserving extras from the garden.
- EVEN DRYING - The 5-inch fan heating element and thermostat are in the back of the unit so cool air is drawn in heated and then distributed evenly over each tray
- TIME AND TEMPERATURE - Convenient 26-hour timer and adjustable thermostat The thermostat ranges from 105 degrees Fahrenheit to 165 degrees Fahrenheit The temperature range is low enough to preserve active enzymes in fruits and vegetables and is also high enough to meet safety standards for dehydrating meat for jerky
- PATENTED - Hyperwave Technology and Horizontal Parallexx Airflow is exclusive to Excalibur and helps the food dehydrate faster retain more nutrients and look and taste better No tray rotation required!
- ACCESSORIES - Includes a flexible poly-screen tray inserts to prevent foods from sticking and trays do not need to be moved or rotated during operation
- FEATURES - Built in on/off switch and 5-inch fan for increased air circulation
- 110/120 Volt model designed exclusively for use in North America. 440 Watts. Made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials.
From the manufacturer
Excalibur 3526TB 5-Tray Food Dehydrator
Drying Technology
Dehydrate fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat for jerky, fruit puree for fruit roll-ups, raise bread or make homemade yogurt. The perfect snacks for you and your guests.
Excalibur's patented hyperwave technology and horizontal parallex drying removes water from food with a continuous circulation of thermostatically-controlled warm air efficiently.
For the highest quality, Excalibur dehydrators have been made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials since 1973.
Key Features
- 10 YEAR Limited Coverage
- Hyperwave Technology and Horizontal Parallexx Airflow is exclusive to Excalibur
- Convenient 26-hour timer and adjustable thermostat
- Built in on/off switch and 5-inch fan for increased air circulation
- 120 Volt, 440 Watts.
| | | |
Preserve Your Harvest The oldest preservation method around, dehydration prevents and delays spoilage by removing most of a food’s water content. The result? Incredible shrinking grapes, tomatoes, berries and more, compact and light enough to pack on a hike or a trip. | Prepare For Emergencies You should have two weeks’ worth of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare survival food in your home — no good prep is complete without it. Easily prepare long term storage dehydrated food at home with Excalibur Food Dehydrators. | Make Jerky at Home Add to your food preservation skills and improve the variety in your food storage with home made jerky. Jerky is the ideal food for summer hiking, car trips, and trips to the park. It is nutritious and low in sugar. The additional salt reduces dehydration and exhaustion. | Healthy Snacks Make healthy, preservative-free, fruit roll-ups and other snacks that kids of all ages will enjoy or all-natural dog treats. |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
Size | 16.25 x 13 x 6.5 inches | 19 x 17 x 12.5 inches | 19 x 17 x 12.5 inches | 18 x 17 x 10 inches | 17 x 20.5 x 17 inches |
# Trays | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Drying Space | 4 square feet | 15 square feet | 15 square feet | 15 square feet | 16 square feet |
Thermostat | Adjustable | Adjustable | Adjustable | Adjustable | Digital dual adjustable temp. settings |
Timer Hrs. | N/A | N/A | 26-hour | 26-hour | Digital dual adjustable time settings up to 99 hrs. |
Door Style | Solid | Solid | Solid | Clear | Clear |
Body | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Stainless Steel |
Tray material | BPA Free Plastic | BPA Free Plastic | BPA Free Plastic | BPA Free Plastic | Stainless Steel |
Coverage | 5 Year | 10 Year | 10 Year | 10 Year | 10 Year |
product description
Dehydration is the healthiest, easiest, and most economical way to preserve foods. Load the trays and set the temperature, the Excalibur dries the contents of all trays evenly so everything's done at once. Dehydration concentrates the natural flavor, sweetness, and aromas of your food. Leaving you with a flavor that's far healthier than high-fat snacks and high-sugar candies that are filled with chemical preservatives. The Excalibur 5-Tray Small Garden dehydrator provides 8 square feet of drying space, and is perfect for families with small gardens. This unit includes flexible polyscreen tray inserts to prevent foods from sticking to trays, 5-Inch fan, built in on/off switch, adjustable thermostat, and a convenient 26 hour timer.
product details
important information
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Questions about Excalibur 5-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings and 26-hour Timer Automatic Shut Off for Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black
Q:
Why is the white one so much more cheaper than the black one? Is there an issue?
Answer: I have the black one, so I don't know. Check that they are identical models. This model 3526TB has a timer, which allows automatic shut off. Possibly the white one does not?
Answer:
Answer:
Q:
What type of plastic is used in the trays? Is it Eastman Triton, because there are concerns about that as a replacement for plastic with BPA?
Answer: I think this would be a good question to ask of Excalibur directly.
Answer: No idea, really. Tell me how/where to look and I'll tell you about the type of plastic
Q:
what are the exacttemp settings below 118 degrees ? jp
Answer: The temperature settings range from 105 degrees to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Answer: 105 and 115 are written down but it is a dial. So you could likely choose an intermediary temperature if you wanted to.
Q:
can you please verify the wattage on model number 3526TB because on the excalibur website it comes up as 440 watts, your product says 400 watts.Thanks
Answer: The back panel says it is rated at 440 watts.
Q:
Does the 10 year limited warranty come wtih the purchase of this dehydrator, or is it a separate purchase?
Answer: The 10 Year Manufacturer's limited warranty from Excalibur is included with this dehydrator when purchased from an authorized retailer only. Harvest Essentials has been an authorized retailer for Excalibur for 10+ years.
Answer: Hi,
Answer: comes when you buy it its no separatepurchase.by the way this dehydrator is great
Answer: Yes it does
Q:
Does this dehydrator come with the Excalibur book, Preserve it Naturally? Does it come with any books?
Answer: Mine did not.
Q:
Is the fan made out of metal or plastic?
Answer: The fan is encased in the housing and isn't visible.
Q:
Do you ship to Puerto Rico?
Q:
Can you get this model with a clear glass door?
Answer: Hi there, yes, the clear door model is available for purchase from Harvest Essentials here: http://www.amazon.com/Excalibur-Dehydrator-5-Tray-Clear-Timer/dp/B00HVL0WKY/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A268FO3IPAT5Y
Q:
Has anyone ever used this dry meat? ie biltong or jerky?
Answer: So far just beef jerky, but it turned out pretty darn good. You are going to want to put down parchment paper first to avoid a messy cleanup.
Answer: Yes. I dehydrate all my jerky in this machine. I also dehydrate my dog treats. It works great.
Answer: You are very welcome. I love my Excalibur. I dehydrate all kinds of things in there.
Answer: No, I have not
Answer: No, I'm vegan.
Q:
I have four questions: (1) How loud is it ? (2) can you keep out bugs? (3) does it make the room smell? (4) and does it make your room very humid?
Answer: It's about half as loud as a typical hair dryer. If you have an issue that cuses you to worry about bugs you have a bigger isue than this machine. Yes, you will have some smell, but that's a good thing. It smells like the food your dehydrating. There's not enough material being dehydrated to perceptibly change the room's humidity unless your in a room the size of an average closet say 4' x 4'. It's a great no frills machine that's built to last.
Answer: 1. Pretty loud. 2. It's not an issue for me as it's inside our home and we don't have any bugs inside the house. 3. I don't think so. 4. I don't think so.
Answer: Hi, it's a little loud (strong fan), never had problem with bug, but it is not sealed. The room smells like what your dying and no it does not make the room humid. It works great. I love mine.
Answer: Moderately noisey - we run it in the laundry room and shut the door. No problem with bugs. We open the door to the outside if we are drying something smelly - like liver or meat. It does increase humidity somewhat - but not a problem if you have a way to vent the room.
Q:
What size solid dryer sheets work with this model?
Answer: I got 14x14 and they fit great
Answer: 14" x 14"
Answer: 14" x 14"
Q:
Can you fit a quart sized canning jar in this 5 tray unit? Thanks!
Answer: I don't have a jar that large, so I can't say for sure, but you can take all the trays out giving you: Width - 14.25 inches,
Answer: Unfortunately not. I transfer the yogurt to pint jars. I can fit 8 or more pints in the dehydrator.
Answer: Interesting question, if you remove all the trays and set the jar on the floor of the unit it will fit. Now my question to you, Why??
Answer: Why in the world would you want to put a quart canning jar in a dehydrator? This is designed to put your fresh food directly on the trays.
Answer: I'm not sure how BIG that jar is, but, if you take out all the trays, it may be possible.
Q:
Can anyone explain to me why the same dehydrator has to cost 340 ($430) in Germany? Rip-off! too bad
Q:
Hi can this be used in Australia with our voltage 240 volts and 3 pin plug set up. Thanks Dave
Answer: The Operating Instructions in the manual says "3. Plug the power cord into standard 120 volt outlet or 220/40 volt outlet depending upon your voltage." Not sure about the plug bit. The one I have uses type B (http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/).
Answer: Hi David, I called Excalibur with a similar question (I live in Argentina) and they told that the Dehydrator they sell in the US is for 110 V only. They directed me to their rep in Argentina.
Answer: It is wired for the US, but I am sure you can purchase a converter from Amazon as well...
Q:
Has anyone figured out how to quiet this monster? It rattles horribly! Sounds like a lawnmower running in the kitchen!
Answer: Nope.
Q:
can you open the door and check the fruit while the dehydrator is on?
Answer: Yes. The door lifts up and comes off easily, there is no interlock switch that would shut the machine down upon opening the door to check your progress. I do it frequently with jerky, as sometimes one rack will show better progress than others, and I can rotate them or remove one that is finished and let the rest continue.
Answer: Yes. The door is really just hanging on 2 knobs and does not open as much as just comes off. And yes you can take it off and pull trays out to check or adjust as you desire without turning off the unit.
Answer: Yes.
Q:
Can I use this model (3526TB 5 Tray) in Hong Kong?
Answer: No
Q:
How well does this work without the plastic drying sheets? Are they worth purchasing or could I do without?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: It depends on what you want to dry. I think it would work just fine if you are drying fruits, for example, but if your drying small seeds they will drop through the holes. Also if you want to make something smooth, like a fruit leather. I make crackers and bars and they would stick to the holes in the mesh and you need the drying sheets.
Answer: This is the best dehydrator I have ever used. The trays work well for everything. The only time you would need the sheets is when you are making fruit leathers or other things that need to be spread to dry.
Answer: The sheets would be needed for squishy or drippy things. I have seen folks report using aluminum foil, waxed paper, and parchment instead - which is what I will use when I need to prevent drips or sags. It comes with the mesh drawers for airflow, which has worked fine for the things I have dried so far.
Answer: I would say to purchase them. It depends on what you are drying , but overall I would say you need them.
Q:
What're deferents between Excalibur 3526TB and Excalibur D500CDSHD except Stainless Steel trays, CLEAR door and Stainless Steel exterior?
Answer: One may have a timer, I'm not really sure.
Answer: Sorry I can not answer your question. I can tell you the one I bought works great.
Q:
Electrial cord length ?
Answer: The cord length is 36"
Q:
I used it the first time yesterday. When the dehydrator was on, the surrending has ozone like smell and the nuts too. Anyone had the experience too?
Answer: The only smell I have notice is based on whatever I'm dehydrating. you might want to look inside and see if there is something blocking the air.
Answer: I have just smelled what is in the Dehydrator.
Answer: I have never tried to dry nuts, but have not noticed such an hodor.
Q:
Does this model come with a book?
Answer: It comes with an instruction guide for different types of dehydrating foods. The Excalibur 3526TB has
Answer: YES IT DOES its a great little book....easy to follow recipes
Answer: Yes is does. Has a complete list of all foods to dehydrate with temps/time chart.
Answer: Yes. The booklet is helplful. I really like this dehydrator.
Q:
Are the trays steel or plastic?
Answer: They are plastic. They are easy to remove and clean. I think they are better than Steel because they are not good heat conductors while steel can get pretty hot.
Answer: Metal , not sure what kind with a plastic insert
Answer: They are plastic
Answer: Plastic.
Answer: Plastic ;)
Answer: plastic
Q:
The 9 tray model indicates that the trays do not need to be rotated, is this also true for the 5 shelf model?
Answer: The five tray model seems to dehydrate evenly without having to rotate the trays.
Q:
Does this item come with instructions and an owner's manual?
Answer: Yes, it comes with instructions/manual that contains suggestions and some recipes. It is a good product and company. Buy with confidence
Answer: Yes it does come a manual and it is extremely helpful. it has everything you need for starting out as well as recipies.
Answer: Yes. It has instructions for the machine and tables for temp and approximate times for fruits, vegetables and meats. Goes into detail for making jerky. The booklet is about 50 pages long.
Answer: It does! The instructions include suggested drying times/temps for a fairly broad variety of foods.
Answer: Yes it does...I have used the booklet to make beef jerky , dehydrate several different fruits and veggies
Answer: Yes
Q:
What are the dryer sheets made from?
Answer: If you are referring to the included flexible polyscreen tray inserts that come on each tray in this package (used for everyday dehydrating), they are BPA-Free Polypropylene. If you are referring to ParaFlexx dryer sheets, NONE are included with the dehydrator (and they are only needed when starting with a liquid or puree like crackers or fruit leathers).
Answer: Plastic
Q:
Can I use it in india?
Answer: The Excalibur dehydrator can be used if The power source matches the US power requirements of 120 VAC. Or, maybe excalibur produces models for export to match foreign power requirements---typicaly, 220 VAC. But be sure first.
Answer: If you can provide
Answer: Sorry I can not answer that. I really do not know if the power source is the same.
Q:
Is it BPA free
Answer: Yes, all surfaces that food touches are BPA-free. To order please click on "See this seller's offer" below. Thanks! CoolShinyStuff
Answer: I bought it a couple of years ago. It has worked great, I love it. When I bought it I remember that this is a question I asked, and since I bought it it probably is, but I am not certain. Call or e-mail the producer and they can answer that authoritatively. I can't.
Answer: From what I've read yes the trays are.
Q:
What is the spacing between trays on excalibur 5 tray dehydrator?
Answer: The trays are approx. 7/8 inches apart..
Answer: about an inch or so. Enough room to dehydrate sliced fruit or what ever you want to dehydrate that isn't more than a 1/3 of an inch thick.
Answer: I was so disturbed that Excalibur wouldn't replace my brand new unit with one that has a working timer that I packaged mine back up. It's in the closet. Sorry.
Answer: You can take trays out if you need to dry larger item like flowers and such.
Answer: approx. 2 1/4 cm
Answer: It is about 3/4"
Q:
Does this dehydrator feature BPA?
Answer: You would have to check with Excalibur for the answer
Q:
Can i buy a 220 volt from Amazon
Q:
hola ! sirve para argentina ,donde tenemos 220v de electricidad?
Answer: Los clientes internacionales de 220V necesitarán comprar el modelo 4526TB220 o 4526TW220 con el tipo de enchufe adecuado
Q:
can this model be used for beef jerky
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Q:
What is voltage of this machine ? I am in Australia and need 240 volts
Answer: My Excalibur dehydrator is 120 VAC, the standard voltage in the USA. However, Excalibur makes a 240 VAC international model. Here is their link:
Answer: It is set for 115 volts
Answer: 120v
Q:
Can I use it in France? The standard domestic electricity supply in France is single phase 230 volts, 50Hz.
Q:
Does this unit have a built in timer?
Answer: Yes, this unit has a "convenient 26 hour timer". It is listed at the bottom of the description.
Answer: Top back has a knob for temperature and a knob for time. Each turns easily and can be adjusted during use. You can periodically check on items by simply pulling off the front (which hangs on the unit) and monitor drying time.
Answer: This particular unit does, up to 26 hours.
Answer: Yes, it does. This was the reason I bought this model and this is every convinient, although more expansive in price. Besides, it has 10 years warranty.
Q:
What size are the trays
Answer: They are either 14” x 14” or 15”x15” right around there.
Answer: Can't give exact but at least 10" by 12"
Q:
How much is accurate thermostat? Does someone measure pemperature inside?
Q:
Does the timer turn off the dehydrator?
Answer: Yes. When the timer runs down and the time runs out the timer turns off the dehydrator automatically.
Answer: Yes it does.
Answer: Yes it does.
Answer: Yes.
Answer: Yes it does
Q:
How difficult is the product to clean if you have drips from the food?
Answer: easy to clean. you can wash the trays and liners in the sink. there is plenty of room to wipe out the inside with the racks removed.
Answer: The key is prevention. Blot excess moisture from the food before loading the trays
Q:
Hello? This is my second attempt at asking this question. What model number is this dehydrator? pls respond as I'll buy if correct model
Q:
hi, what's the model number ?
Q:
Does this unit consume a lots of electricity and increase a lot the bill ?
Answer: It will depend on how much you use it. I have not noticed any change in my electric bill when I use it and I do some dehydrating but not a lot. Sometimes I dehydrate a lot of things over several days, and sometimes I can do everything in one batch in 2-1/2 hours. Still I haven't noticed a change in my electric bill that's alarming with this dehydrator.
Answer: I run my dehydrator about 4 days/nights (96 hours) a week for about 6 weeks during late summer tomato/pepper harvests. I don't notice a difference in my electric bill.
Answer: That, probably, depends on how often and for how long you are using it. I use it every other week, for 6 hours (that how long it takes to make 5 trays of jerky) and I did not notice mush increase of the energy using.
Answer: We have not noticed any difference in our electric bill and we use it frequently
Answer: I guess it depends on how much you use it. It has not effected my electric bill negatively at all
Answer: Not at all! I was afraid of that as well, but got surprised with the low consumption.
Q:
I've never used or owned a dehydrator before. Will this one make crispy vegetable chips, like kale chips?
Answer: This particular dehydrator makes excellent kale chips and onion rings with added spices (no breading). A simple google search will give you a wide variety of recipes for veggie chips.
Answer: You should be able to, but they incinerate quickly. I hope your timer works. Mine didn't, and they won't take it back or do anything about it.
Answer: Yes. They're great.
Answer: Yes it will.
Q:
Are the trays stainless steel?
Answer: No the trays are plastic with a removable white plastic mesh liner.
Answer: No, the trays are plastic.
Answer: No they are plastic.
Answer: Not on this model.
Q:
Where is the serial number located?
Answer: don't know. Assuming they serialize each unit, it is probably on the product label underneath somewhere.
Answer: You can find it on the back of the dehydrator.
Q:
Are the plastic trays BPA free?
Answer: They are BPA free and that is why I purchased it. I am an organic vegan and that was something that was very important to me.
Q:
Does this unit have temperature control?
Answer: Yes, temp and timer. The temperature control is shaded within the ranges (ie. 115, 125, 135, 145). As the other answer indicated, it is not exact, but with the slow process of dehydrating that is not an issue. This unit has the very low setting of 115, which allows the minimal processing of "raw" foods. Love this machine.
Answer: Yes.. it is not totally exact, however, after a few uses you learn how the settings work and the unit is awesome...
Answer: Yes, it has temp control
Answer: Yes! And timer as well.
Answer: Yes , very good product
Answer: Yes
Q:
Is it 220V?
Answer: It's a standard 110 volt household plug.
Answer: It is 110v
Product reviews of Excalibur 5-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings and 26-hour Timer Automatic Shut Off for Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black
Michael R. : Quiet, drys great, some assembly alignment issues
Super quiet, really like the timer. Only thing is when the housing was assembled it is leaning over- you can see this easily when you put the front cover pn. Other than that its great and has been dehydrating fantastically for our family.
tiggermommy : like
This dehydrator works very well. I dehydrated apple, blueberries, bananas. I also made beef and turkey jerky all of which turn out great.
I would recommend this produt.
Marta : Five Stars
Absolutely wonderful!!! At home, we use every day!!!
Mountainpony : Five Stars
Love, love, love my Excalibur. Way above my expectations.
Cara Hollichboll : nice
This model is a bit noisy but does the trick. havent tried for fruit yet, but my fingers are crossed.
Erma J. Tillmon : Five Stars
I love my new Excalibur. Arrived in excellent condition. Works great.
Eric S : Not a mega-watt consuming as I thought
I bought this for my wife & my biggest concern was the watt drain of the electrical bill. As you may know, it has to be ON for at least 12 hrs on common usage. This 5-tray consumes 440watts (the 9-tray uses 600watt), so imagine leaving five 80-watt bulbs in your house ON all night, that's it pretty much :)
Chris : Great Product
This is a great product. My only beef is that they say it dries evenly because of the square, layout. You really need to rotate the trays during the drying process in order to get an even dry. I have made apples, bananas, kale, and jerky. Kids love the fruit and my coworkers love the jerky.
Marcru7 : Very useful
I should have bought the 9 tray dehydrator
Ms. Rose : The dehydrator itself is easy to use and to clean up which makes using ...
Read the reviews written on the other Excalibur dehydrators and one thing most mentioned was spending the extra money to get the built-in timer. When adding up the money saved by making my own jerky, etc. the cost was negligible. The dehydrator itself is easy to use and to clean up which makes using it all the more enjoyable.
Mel W. : Worth the money
Very happy with this dehydrator. Originally bought the one without the timer but returned it because the timer makes using it so much easier. We tend to make a lot of beef jerky and having the timer is a "put it in and don't worry about it". Good piece of equipment, we have friends that have this exact one also and use it all of the time.
John S. : Awesome! Great for dehydrating our overflowing tomatoes from the ...
Awesome! Great for dehydrating our overflowing tomatoes from the garden. Also, good for fruit I can't quite get to and is slightly mushy. Makes great dehydrated fruit.
mary : Rather Disppointed.
I am rather disappointed in this product. It emits more noise than I thought it would. I was not very successful in drying my grapes to raisins.
I worry about all the electricity it's going to use and wonder if it is worth it to go through all the trouble. Not many books on the use of it.
You Tube is time consuming. Product did come intact and on time projected though.
Dasha : I like to do a TON of research
I have been wanting a dehydrator for over a year now and before I buy, I like to do a TON of research. This dehydrator caught my eye for two reasons - it had really great reviews to begin with but it also has a heater in the back that circulates the warm air and dehydrates your stuff more uniformly. I can't stress this enough about how important it is for your stuff to dehydrate uniformly. It's hard enough to get an even cut, but then you would end up with things over dehydrate and under dehydrated. This company also makes dehydrators with more and fewer trays, so you can get a size that fits your needs. This product doesn't come with silicone mats, which are needed to make things like fruit leather so keep in mind that you will have to buy them separately. Overall, I've had this for a few months and made some delicious beef jerky, dried fruit and fruit leather. It's not too loud when operating but definitely not silent. It also has a heating capacity up to 165 and you can set a timer.
Lopet : Excalibur great but not so happy with this one...
I have bought an Excalibur before, from the company itself which means it was more expensive than amazon but it came with more books and it was GREAT...no problems. Then moved internationally so I sold my Excalibur. Then decided to buy one for cheaper from amazon thinking it'd be the same. It came with only one small book...sad. But the bigger problem was that when we plugged it in it made a loud noise and smelled like electric smoke. My husband looked inside and saw the wire loose and bumping into the fan! They didn't test this Excalibur before shipping it or they would have seen that the wiring was too loose. Thankfully my husband is willing and able to fix things like this, not a hard fix, so he unscrewed the back and moved the wire in place. Now we are ready to dehydrate. Mostly I'm just annoyed that amazon has offered the Excalibur without checking what they are shipping out first. Thankful that it was easy to fix. But I'd probably pay more for the trusted quality from the company itself...and get the actual Excalibur books as well. (the books were old school with recipes and thorough explanations about dehydrating meat, etc. the amazon book is small and less thorough.). So Excalibur gets five stars. Amazon gets three and that averages 4, thus my rating.
Ian Jarnagin : Hands down fantabulous!
Absolutely fantastic dehydrator. Easy to operate and works great. The only downside at all is that the fan sounds like a fan (duh), not a big deal but most foods require overnight drying, so...
Theresa : Works great but noisy
Like the dehydrator but it is very noisy. Door vibrates constantly and is loud. Only way to stop it is to move door to touch one side and this is not recommended by manufacturer....so guess you listen to the noise.
Mommabear : temperaure not accurate
IT did not perform what I expected it to...temperature control not accurate
A. DeLorenzo : Happy with my purchase
I've made raw crackers in it. They turned out well. Happy with my purchase.
Daniela Aizencang : Five Stars
Excelent!!!!
PAOLA MAYA : Love it!
This is my first dehydrator. So far it has worked fabulous! Love the smell of fruits during the process! The size is great to get the job done in one batch. The trays are great, easy to clean, and the silicone cover too! I put it in my back porch so the noise really doesn't bother me at all
Missleeyy : Five Stars
Good
Edwin Thomas : I love it. However
In terms of a dehydrator, I love it. However, I wish I would have bought a 10 trays instead of the 5. With the 5 trays, you can't really fill up 5 trays of kales. The gap is extremely too tight. So, I end up using 2 or 3 trays to do kale chips. Unless, you are doing something really flat such as crackers, or fruit roll-ups then you can use all 5 trays for it.
Patrick L. Mccabe : Pretty Darn Nice
So, my wife is the one who uses it and I had to wait to see if she thought it was worth the price. Now that she has used it a few times and learned how it works, it seems to accomplish the task for which it was intended and does so with as little fuss as possible. I'll update this as time goes on. One thing I know is great. I bought the model with the timer, and as she usually only finds time to do her stuff late at night, it is great that she can turn on the timer and go to bed. That makes the additional cost for the timer worth every cent of its cost.
Shannon : This thing rocks!
This is by far the nicest dehydrator I’ve owned so far. It makes a lot more than the round ones do, and it seems a lot more evenly cooked.
Nonna Khinich : Five Stars
This machine is doing a great job!
Mountainpony : Five Stars
Love, love, love my Excalibur. Way above my expectations.
Brian Arnold : Good Dehydrator
Was using a cheap round one. This dehydrator is far better than that one. It drys fairly even, but if one expects any dehydrator to dry perfectly even, your expectations are to high - physics won't allow it. Anyhow, I like it.
Matt : Great dehydrator, but noisy fan.
Just used it for the first time over the weekend to make beef jerky, and this does a fantastic job! I set the timer as the instruction manual recommended, and checked every hour or so after the first 4 (total time depends on various factors). Although very noisy, the fan does a great job circulating the air so rotating trays is not necessary. I previously owned a cheaper dehydrator without a fan or timer, and the trays had to be rotated constantly for even drying. Now with this unit, it's just set it and forget it.
Amy S : Disappointed - very noisy & larger than expected
I had really high hopes for this! I had been using a Waring Pro drier from the 70's & thought I'd be making a major upgrade. I am very disappointed with how noisy this is. Our kitchen is near our living room & it's honestly hard to hear the tv in the living room when this is running in the kitchen. It also has a rattle when it's running- I believe from the door vibrating- which doesn't seem to fit quite right. I haven't been overly impressed with the drying ability either. Following the directions exactly it seems to take much longer than anticipated.
Christopher D. Cooper : even after I increased the temperature to the max recommended for drying herbs
I hemmed & hawed about by this model over the lower priced model. The deciding factors for me were 2 fold. First, everyone made a huge deal about getting a timer and second, I wanted the extra (5th in my case) shelf. I am not convinced that the timer was worth the extra $60, but it is handy. I am still getting used to the unit. I have used it 3 times with mixed results. My first attempt was drying basil. It took 3 times as long as the instructions stated, even after I increased the temperature to the max recommended for drying herbs. The second project was beef jerky which came out well, but took the maximum amount of time recommended, again at the max recommended temp. The 3rd project was dehydrating apples, which again took the maximum time (15 hours) to complete. Having no experience with other dehydrators to compare it too, I can't give you any objective advice about this unit compared to others. The only other factors that went into my decision was knowing someone that had the less expensive 4 shelf Excalibur who liked it, coupled with what I had read about the brand's reputation being top notch.
John S. : Awesome! Great for dehydrating our overflowing tomatoes from the ...
Awesome! Great for dehydrating our overflowing tomatoes from the garden. Also, good for fruit I can't quite get to and is slightly mushy. Makes great dehydrated fruit.
Daddy-O : Great dehydrator and warranty!
Great dehydrator. After 2 years the thermostat went. I emailed (no calling available due to COVID). I explained the problem, within a few days I was messaged back. I explained the problem, I was sent a new thermostat within a week. Very easy to install!
Courtney A Soares : Five Stars
Great product
See ya : very good product
a great usa made product
Amazon Customer : Great dehydrator.
We have had the round dehydrators before. I prefer the Excalibur which dries more evenly and requires much less time to monitor the process. Placement of fan and heater really helps. Timer means I don't have to wake up in the middle of the night
igj0045 : We have greatly enjoyed using this
We have greatly enjoyed using this. Have used it several times to make a variety of dried fruits. I would highly recommend the sheets for the trays.
Ed Allstun : Good dehydrator.
Excellent dehydrator. I would have given it 5 stars but the legs are not even and I have to put something under on of the legs to keep it from vibrating off the counter.
B. Christensen : I love that it has a timer that I can set ...
I've kept this thing humming from almost the minute it was out of the box. I love that it has a timer that I can set and then not worry about it. I did buy the tray liners. I think they keep it cleaner and are easier to clean. So far so good! I haven't ventured much beyond fruit, yet, but plan to.
E R Walker : Five Stars
nice dehydrator
AH : I wish I bought it sooner. Can't get enough ...
I wish I bought it sooner. Can't get enough. Only thing is that I thought the timer automatically shuts off.
A. DeLorenzo : Happy with my purchase
I've made raw crackers in it. They turned out well. Happy with my purchase.
Dale B. : Five Stars
Excellent product, works really well and is so simple to use
JUANITA SIPES : Five Stars
LOVE LOVE LOVEIT
Alicia J : Excellent product at a reasonable price
When I received this item, the trays were really jammed into the unit -- it appeared to have suffered from some very rough handling during shipping. I used the unit a couple of times and it did a very good job of dehydrating but unfortunately the built in timer did not work (I could set it, but it would not count down or turn the unit off). I returned the unit as defective and Amazon promptly refunded my account.
Because I believed that Excalibur makes a good product and figured that the issues I experienced were fluke, I decided to reorder but opted to purchase the 9-tray unit instead. I primarily dehydrate sprouted nuts, and since it takes a bit of time to rinse and soak them and then spread them evenly on the trays, I decided I'd rather do larger batches less frequently. The new unit arrived quickly, the trays were in place, and the unit works beautifully (including the timer). I've had it for about 7 months and use it about twice month. It is an excellent product and I highly recommend it, based both on my own experience and the recommendation of a raw food chef as described below. I did not decrement stars based on the issue I experienced with the 5-tray unit as I believe even excellent manufacturer's can occasionally experience a quality issue, and since the issue was solved quickly and the new unit performs perfectly, I would not want to dissuade anyone from purchasing any model of Excalibur dehydrator.
I also purchased some non-stick dehydrator sheets and have found them very useful for dehydrating tofu as well as small items such as sunflower seeds. I purchased the generic brand and have had no issues -- no off-odor, definitely non-stick, easy to clean and still in good shape after several uses.
FYI, I had decided to buy an Excalibur dehydrator based on the recommendation from a raw foods website/blog. The blogger has had a great deal of experience with food dehydration and used many different brands, but she recommends the Excalibur as the hands-down best. She does not sell them on her website or receive any compensation from the company for her "endorsement", she simply owns several and believes they are the best on the market. Excalibur has good information on their website about the design and features of their products which is useful if you are comparison shopping.
NW : I am glad I bought the 5 tray model with timer
I have been using this almost everyday since it arrived a couple of weeks ago. I am very pleased with the fabulous kale chips I have made and I have found a way to make good, safe beef jerky for my dog. It does take some experimentation though. The dehydrator itself seems to be of more than adequate quality made of a very sturdy type of plastic. It has a heater, fan and timer so as long as those components last I will be happy. The fan is quieter than I thought it would be. It is about as noisy as my very quiet dishwasher. Regarding the size, I have filled all five trays with only 2 bunches of kale so if you are thinking of using a dehydrator to make kale chips or other treats, I think it is worthwhile to make enough to serve more than 1 or 2 people at a time. The kale chips go very fast in my house. I also bought an inexpensive slicer as I think it is important to make thin slices of equal size to dehydrate adequately, especially of certain foods, such as beef jerky or sweet potatoes. I think a dehydrator is a good way to prepare foods in a different, yet healthy way....dehydration preserves the enzymes in contrast to cooking which destroys enzymes....but I have discovered that meat does need to be cooked to 160 degrees F. before dehydration to destroy harmful organisms. Measure the temperature with a meat thermometer. Using this method I have dehydrated beef jerky for my dog which turned out to be delicious. I know it is delicious because I can eat it myself. Three lbs. of round roast turns into 3/4 lb. of tender, melt in your mouth morsels, if you slice it thin enough and marinate it after cooking in a very weak beef boulion (no salt for dogs). My very fussy dog loves it. Thicker slices will make a chewier product.
.....UPDATE....It's been a few weeks since my initial review and I am still very pleased. Just want to add a note about the DRYER SHEETS. I bought a pack of 9 dryer sheets that go with the dehydrator. I used 3 of them and ruined them, I think, right off the bat. They absorbed some oil from the kale chips I was making and, after much effort, soap and hot water, I could not wash the oil out in my sink, in which the sheets did not fit...a very awkward process. One might do a better job by using the bathtub but I am not prepared to do that. I have not used these dryer sheets since. I have been using parchment paper (love it) or the mesh liners that came with they dehydrator. The mesh liners are much easier to clean. The choice of which liner to use is dependent upon what you are dehydrating. Sweet potato chips are fine on the mesh liners. Somewhat drippy marinated beef works well with parchment paper. These are my preferences so far.
Another note about SAFETY AND BEEF JERKY...I am now NOT precooking the beef but turning the dehydrator temp. to max (165 F.) for 1 hour, then I rotate the trays and dry them at max. for 1 more hour, finishing the process at a lower temp. I rotate the trays because the temperature is uneven since the heater is at the back of the unit. I am trusting this is sufficient to kill harmful organisms that may exist in meat products (see FDA recommendations for more information). All the beef jerky recipes I have seen so far don't address this issue and often tell you to use the temperature guide that came with your dehydrator. The temperature guide on my dehydrator says 145 degrees F. for meat. I only discovered this safety issue by surfing the web for recipes and recommendations about beef jerky. I think I will put a meat thermometer in the trays to see exactly what temperature is being achieved while drying my next batch of beef jerky. The beef jerky is still amazing, using this higher temperature method. Incidentally, I find my new electric slicer is a critical piece of equipment to cut the meat (frozen) and vegies thinly and evenly enough to dehydrator properly.
Also, I registered my dehydrator with Excalibur and GOT A 10 YEAR WARRANTY even though I bought the dehydrator from Amazon.com. I spoke with a representative of Excalibur about this before doing my online registration who outlined the warranty coverage for me.
Happy dehydrating people!
Marta : Five Stars
Absolutely wonderful!!! At home, we use every day!!!
Ms. Rose : The dehydrator itself is easy to use and to clean up which makes using ...
Read the reviews written on the other Excalibur dehydrators and one thing most mentioned was spending the extra money to get the built-in timer. When adding up the money saved by making my own jerky, etc. the cost was negligible. The dehydrator itself is easy to use and to clean up which makes using it all the more enjoyable.
Ian Jarnagin : Hands down fantabulous!
Absolutely fantastic dehydrator. Easy to operate and works great. The only downside at all is that the fan sounds like a fan (duh), not a big deal but most foods require overnight drying, so...
Courtney A Soares : Five Stars
Great product
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
-
Dexter Outdoors SOFGRIP Fillet Knives with Edge Guard review and price compare
-
Frabill Pro-Formance Halibut Net | Specially Designed Landing Net for Halibut Fishing | Hoop Size: 26" x 30" review and price compare
-
Grenada Lake Fishing Map review and price compare
-
Crazedigi 2PCS Collapsible Cast Net Fishing Net Lobster Shrimp Crab Trap Portable Folding Fishing Accessories review and price compare
-
4 Pieces Round Silicone Dehydrator Sheets Non-Stick Food Dehydrator Mats Reusable Silicone Steamer Mesh Baking Mat for Fruit Dryer review and price compare
-
SafBbcue BBQ Grill Thermal Insulation Blanket for Trager 34 Series and Texas Pellet Grill, Traeger BAC 10206 Blanket for Winter Cooking Keep Consistent Temperatures review and price compare
-
Fdit Smoker Tube, 2Pcs BBQ Grill Smoker Tube Mesh Tube Pellets Smoke Box 6in Stainless Steel Barbecue Accessory for Electric Gas Charcoal(1#) review and price compare
-
YiiMO Smoke Tube for Pellets, 12'' Pellet Smoker, plus Fiberglass BBQ Grill Mat Heat Resistant review and price compare
-
Portable Collapsible Crab Traps Foldable Crabbing Net for Lobster Shrimp Cast Mesh Fishing Accessories review and price compare
-
Excalibur 5-Tray Electric Food Temperature Settings and 26-hour Timer Automatic Shut Off for Faster and Efficient Drying Includes Guide to Dehydration, Black review and price compare
-
Dip Net Connector Dip net Anti-Rotation connecto Landing Net Rod Connector Fishing Rod Bite Rod Holder Connector Net Accessories,Red Wine Practical Design and Durable review and price compare
-
FoodSaver 8" x 20' Heat-Seal Roll, 2-Pack - FSFSBF0526-000 & 11" x 16' Vacuum Seal Roll | Make Custom-Sized BPA-Free Vacuum Sealer Bags | 3-Pack (Frustration-Free Packaging) review and price compare
-
1,000 Pack Clear 10" x 10", 3 mil Vacuum Chamber Bags Great for Food Vac Storage review and price compare
-
WantJoin Cup Sealing Machine Full Automatic Cup Sealer Machine 90/95mm Electric Cup Sealing Machine Digital Control LCD Panel Cup Sealer for Bubble Milk Tea Coffee (Black) review and price compare
-
Huntsman 6 inch Fillet Knife - Stainless Steel Blade for Filleting Fish, Boning Meat, and Deer Skinning Knife - Protective Sheath - Slip Resistant Grip review and price compare
-
FoodSaver 2116382 Preserve & Marinate Vacuum -Containers, 3, 10 Cups, Clear review and price compare
-
Aroma NutriWare Extra Large Digital Food Dehydrator, White review and price compare
-
Oklahoma Joe's 19202089 Barrel Drum Smoker, Black review and price compare
-
Fishing Basket, Crab Basket, Height Gold Tone Folding Spring Design Multi Layers Fish Cage Fishing Keep Net for Fisher review and price compare
-
24/7 Bags | Vacuum Seal Machine For Food Storage, Starter Kit, BPA-Free Roll included review and price compare