Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with 26-hour Timer, Automatic Shut Off and Temperature Settings for Faster and Efficient Drying, Black review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
Brand | Excalibur |
Material | Plastic |
Color | Black |
Wattage | 440 watts |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 19 x 17 x 12.5 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- CAPACITY - The 9-Tray electric food dehydrator has 15 square feet of drying space and offers plenty of space for your favorite snacks
- TIME AND TEMPERATURE - Features a 26-hour timer and adjustable thermostat. The thermostat ranges from 105 degrees F to 165 degrees F. The temperature range is low enough for fruits and vegetables and is also high enough for dehydrating meat for jerky
- LOW AND SLOW FOR IMMUNITY BOOST - Cooking foods at a temperature no higher than 115-118 degrees in a dehydrator preserves nutrients and enzymes
- PATENTED - Parallex Horizontal Airflow is exclusive to Excalibur and helps the food dehydrate faster, retain more nutrients and look and taste better, without tray rotation
- EASY TO USE - Great for large families, gardeners, and sportsmen. Dehydrate fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat for jerky, fruit puree for fruit roll-ups, raise bread, make all natural pet treats, or make homemade yogurt
- 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
- Includes Guide to Dehydration. Made in the USA with USA and globally sourced materials
- 110/120 Volt model designed exclusively for use in North America. 600 Watts
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! | Dehydrate a wide range of foods with a convenient “set it and forget it” timer. | Dehydrating foods at low temperatures preserve nutrients and enzymes for up to 9 months when stored correctly. |
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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 9-Tray Large Dehydrator provides 15 square feet of drying space making this the biggest and best there is! Ideal for large families, large gardens, craftspeople, and sportsmen. This unit includes flexible polyscreen tray inserts to prevent foods from sticking to trays, 7" fan, built in on/off switch, adjustable thermostat, and a convenient 26 hour timer. Troubleshoot-fan makes a rubbing noise may be due to shipping, the trays may have been forced into the fan’s protective screen. Take out the trays, and blow on the fan blade to locate where it is rubbing against the screen. You may need to turn the fan on and press gently against the screen and listen where the noise increases. With a pair of needle nose pliers pull the screen away from the fan blade at point of contact. 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! Plastic Trays measure 15 x 15 Inches
product details
important information
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Questions about Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with 26-hour Timer, Automatic Shut Off and Temperature Settings for Faster and Efficient Drying, Black
Q:
Are the trays BPA free for this model?
Answer: Trays are BPA free but the rest of the plastic used on this is all full of BPA. Just called customer service 2-27-2018 and they confirmed the use BPA plastic on this unit (except for the trays themselves). Take note that there are other vendors out there that refuse to use any BPA around food. Doesn't have to touch it to be dangerous. Just the heating of the BPA plastic that is in this unit can technically contaminate your food with BPA even though the trays themselves are BPA free.
Answer: I saw on the Excalibur website that they sell a model for $299 which is the same as this particular one sold here on Amazon. The description on the Excalibur site says that the mesh screens are BPA-free. The 3900 sold on Amazon is BPA-free in the casing but not the mesh screens, per an Excalibur rep that I spoke to on the phone; I am assuming the casing on the 3926TB is BPA-free.
Answer: To add to my previous answer: We use them and they are BPA free. The unit is an excellent choice.
Answer: They are listed as BPA free.
Answer: I believe they are listed as BPA free on their website but you might want to double check
Answer: Made in China?
Q:
The listing on Amazon for the 3926T says 440 watts. On Excalibur's site and on other sites it says 600 watts. Which is it?
Answer: If the listing used to say 440W, it has been corrected. The 5-tray models and the slightly-cheaper 9-tray 2900 use a smaller heating element than the 3900. (looks like for $20 the 2900 supposedly makes everything cheaper, from the controls to the plastic. The 3900 can be bought with an extended warranty, too.) http://www.dehydratorreview.net/reviews/excalibur-2900-economy-series-9-tray-food-dehydrator
Answer: I have the 3926T 9 Tray and it says 600 watts on the back...it does note also that model 3526T 5 tray is 440 watts so maybe it depends how many trays you are looking at. I really like the 3926T by the way!!
Answer: Factory website stating this model is 600 watts. http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/dehydrators/9-tray/9-tray-large-excalibur-with-26-hour-timer-3926tb-282
Answer: The nine tray Excalibur 3926T is 600 watts.
Answer: The 5-tray is 440 watts. The 9-tray (what I have) is 600 watts.
Answer: 5 Tray is 440, 9 Tray is 600
Answer: I noticed the discrepancies also. I was happy when I received it that it is in fact 600 watts. This is a great item.
Answer: what is the difference between the 3926TB vs 3900-B. which is newer?
Answer: 220v can use?
Q:
How much open space is needed around this dehydrator for proper air flow? Has anyone used it on the floor with carpet and does it work well that way?
Answer: Mine has lasted 8 years. But I keep it on a hard surface (countertop) with plenty of air circulation. Restricting that circulation and the fiber/dust from the carpet will greatly impact the performance of the fan over time. This is a kitchen appliance - why would you put it on the floor?
Answer: I have used it just about anywhere you can imagine--on carpeting, under a table, in the garage, on the patio, on a porch, in a spot made for a microwave etc. They suck air from the back, so as long as you are not plugging that up, it should be fine.
Answer: I have never tired using it on carpet. I bought some ceramic tile pieces because I was afraid to run my machine on the carpet floor.
Q:
Does anyone know if it's BPA free
Answer: Yes it is!! It says so on the paper work and gives you their web page for questions. I love this model !!!
Q:
Did anyone else see the title 3926TB and think that's a lot of storage?
Answer: Haha yes!
Answer: lol Yes. :)
Answer: hahahaha
Q:
what are the outside dimensions?
Answer: assuming you are using American measurements and not metric: 16 1/2 inches wide, 12 1/2 inches tall 19 1/4 inches deep. Definately bigger than a bread box.
Answer: 12-1/2"H x 17"W x 19"D = 15 sq. ft. of drying space.
Answer: 16-1/2" wide X 19-1/4" deep X 12-1/4" high
Q:
Can the trays be put in the dish washer?
Answer: For me, washing the trays is the most tedious part of the preserving process. I've washed mine in the dishwasher, but it doesn't get all the sticky stuff off (and too only use the top wrack of the DW). Even though I use the word "tedious" to describe the cleaning process, the materials really do clean up easily IMO. I just finished cleaning mine after making "tomato chips." I sprinkle 3 to 5 seasonings on mine, so there is caked on stuff after the dehydrating process, but it really does come off pretty easily, but does have to be wiped of vs sprayed of in my experience.
Answer: The trays are dishwasher safe the white sheets should be hand wash only and if you purchased the nonstick sheets they should be wiped with soap and water wiped dry soaking will cause damage to them. I hand wash everything personally it ensures they are completely sanitized, I even rewash after storage as a precaution.
Answer: Honestly, I never have. The trays are two pieces though. One rigid plastic frame and an insert of sorts that is perforated to let the air through. Think plastic lattice covered with a plastic screen. If you put them in the dishwasher, be wary of them folding over because of excessive heat.
Answer: I hand wash them, its easier than trying to use the top shelf for them.
Answer: They sure can. I do it all the time.
Q:
I assumed this would come with some sort of instructions but there were NONE in the box. Is that normal?
Answer: I gave one of these units (new) to my son for Christmas 2013 and it came complete with an instruction book. It works great and he uses it all the time with great results. Would recommend contacting the seller for the book or going online to Excaliber for a copy. You really need it for proper food safety and operation.
Answer: Hello- Mine came with a small dehydrating guide that I found useful being a newbie to dehydrators. It sounds like a mistake that yours did not included this manual. The manual is available online at excaliburs website under support and product manuals. Here is the link: http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/product-manuals/
Q:
If the timer breaks will this still go on and work?
Answer: Timer/fan are the same switch: if either side of that switch fails nothing works. But, if only the thermostat fails, the timer and fan still work and will circulate ambient air temperature. This is so that the thermostat won't operate independently to start a fire in absence of the circulation fan. Also FYI, BEFORE you order a new thermostat or fan/timer switch check the contacts FIRST. My thermostat wasn't working so I ordered a new one ($35). When I went to replace it I found that the old one had a loose contact screw. I now have two good thermostats.
Answer: that is a very good question. Not sure, but I do know that the timer knob has to be turned to a set time for it to run.
Answer: It should you just have to use a different time or a regular clock
Q:
The warranty only covers purchases from the factory or "authorized dealers," which specifically excludes "discount retailers." Which applies?
Answer: In case anyone still wonders about this issue:
Answer: I purchased it through Amazon. The fan was broken in transit to us. As soon as the return shipping label was processed, Amazon had a new one on the way to us, arriving in two days. I can't speak for other kinds of issue, but Amazon responded promptly.
Q:
Can someone tell me about the health aspect of dehyration? What about the nutritional value of the food after, does the heat kill the enzymes? Thanks.
Answer: Food dehydration has been done for thousands of years to preserve meats fish and herbs, it increases their shelf life by weeks or months. There needs to be a high salt content in the foods which can be a problem for people with high blood pressure/ hypertension. The temperature should be above 150 degrees in meats to kill the bacteria you should baked at least 200 degrees for 30 minutes to kill off all bacteria, also use of lean beef is best because the fat does not dehydrate it purifies and can cause illness. Use good techniques and read up more and you will be able to enjoy the process more.
Answer: As long as you don't heat fruits veggies nuts (plant based foods) over 118 degrees Fahrenheit it's still considered raw and the enzymes are preserved.
Answer: You are right to be concerned. The best way for your body to benefit from nutrients within fruit, vegetables and meats is to eat tree ripened/freshly killed, organic, sustainable, produce. Drying and storing food is for efficiency only (i.e. reduces time it takes to hunt and gather) but should be considered as such and therefore inferior to fresh produce.
Q:
does this include fruit leather sheets?
Answer: If you are asking can you do spreads or purees, no it does not have that type of sheet, that would have to be purchases separately...but you can do pieces of fruits easily
Answer: No, you must buy the para flex sheets separately. Sometimes, if you buy from the manufacturers website, they have bundles that include the para flex sheets.
Answer: It's got the poly screen trays. The white one that are in the photo. I haven't made fruit yet. But it def keeps meat from leaking with all the marinade I put on them. Hope this helps
Answer: no, you have to buy them separately. But they do sell them on Amazon
Answer: No. They are sold separately.
Q:
Can I use this to dehydrate sausages?
Answer: If you mean for Dry CURING air dried or fermented sausages , no , temperature for that should be 50-60 degrees at 70-85 % humidity. If you mean just slicing and drying meat , it should be fine for that.
Answer: Yes, if they were sliced or if you use every other tray. The tray separation in the dehydrating compartment is about 3/4". This machine is amazing in many, many ways. Best one we have had out of three tries with other machines. Quality of the resulting product is awesome, from bananas, apples, turkey, chicken... you name it - it does it. It is very easy to clean and maintain. It has a variable heat selector and a timer for more than enough time to complete your project overnight, etc. We have been very pleased pleased with this dehydrator and use it often. Hope this helps.
Answer: I have never tried this but I am a chemist and can tell you that fat or oils do not dehydrate. Good luck.
Answer: Yes. As with any meat product, careful attention to temperature and time. I would recommend investing in a good book about dehydrating foods. This will be a great resource and quick reference for you and will answer many questions that arise with dehydration.
Q:
What kind of trays are these: plastic, stainless steel, or something else?
Answer: The trays are plastic. This is a great product. Drying is easier form of food processing than canning or freezing. There is a white plastic overlay on the black plastic trays. They are easy to clean, but do not fit in a dishwasher
Answer: Trays are sturdy plastic
Answer: The trays are plastic but you always are using mesh screens with them, which are also plastic. I find them very durable but light.
Answer: plastic with screens you use on top of the trays
Answer: plastic frame with plastic screen-like material
Q:
Should I buy dehydrator sheets to use with this? And does it come with some basic dehydrating instructions?
Answer: we use parchment paper verses dehydrator sheets. It depends on what you're dehydrating.I would suggest that you purchased them and experiment for yourself which method you prefer. The Excalibur comes with great dehydrating instructions. Once you use the machine several times you will find yourself experimenting anyway. It is a great product that will not disappoint you.
Answer: Unless you were wanting to make fruit leather, you won't need to buy any sheets, as the grated sheets are already included. It does comes with the Excalibur dehydrating guide, which includes all the detailed basics for each type of food, as well as many delicious recipes. I love this dehydrator and so do my kiddos! You won't regret this purchase.
Answer: I'm new to dehydrating myself, but I'd say it depends on what you're planning on drying. If you're planning on making crackers, fruit leathers, breads/crusts, then yes, you will need sheets. I didn't buy any extra directions at first, just what came with the machine. They were ok, very basic. I found I wanted more and ended up buying "Preserve It Naturally: The Complete Guide to Food Dehydration," by Excalibur. I LOVE it! It is filled with a lot more actual recipes and was exactly what I was looking for. I don't remember if I got it here or at www.drying123.com but it was definitely worth it.
Answer: We did buy some sheets to go with ours for making crackers and other items that might adhere to the mesh. There is a guide that not only offers instructions but also recipes. It's a great machine!
Answer: Buy a couple if you plan to dehydrate luiquidy stuff like making fruit leather. It comes with the trays and mesh for drying non liquid stuff. Instructions are included.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I'm very pleased with the Excalibur, I have the 9 tray with the timer and glad I purchased this one. If I'm dehydrating something and have an extra tray I just cut up some apples, tomatoes or mushrooms and the have these on hand for future recipes or snacks. I have three of the dehydrator sheets and need more.
Answer: Sheets depends on what you're dehydrating, and it comes with a nice little book on dehydrating different things. My dad has been making jerky for years and when I showed him the guide book he was surprised at what he didn't know. Excellent product.
Answer: It comes with mesh sheets for all of the trays. As some of the other respondents have noted, you will need something else if you want to do leather. It does come with good instructions, which seem adequately detailed for our needs.
Answer: I see that when I ordered my unit, I ordered the unit only--without ordering dehydrator sheets in addition to the unit. And I've successfully dehydrated onions with it, at least. It comes with *basic* dehydration instrctions, yes. Hope this helps. :)
Q:
Do the sheets come with it?
Answer: Not sure what you mean by sheets. It comes with trays and plastic screens, which would be ok for drying most of the things. But for something liquidy, like fruit lather or some small sized foods,.you need to buy lining. That's not included.
Answer: It comes with 9 trays, but you need to buy the sheets separately. Both products are absolutely amazing and i use the dehydrator and sheets all the time!
Answer: Yes. They are easily removed from frame for;easy cleaning;g.
Answer: No
Answer: Yes they do - it works perfectly too.
Answer: Yes they do
Answer: Yes.
Q:
Is the fan made of plastic?
Answer: yes the blade and some of the housing. Looks like a polycarb or custom blend for strength and temp.
Q:
?How much jerky can you dry in one go
Answer: As much as will fit on the trays with a little space between pieces
Q:
what is the actual Weight for this one and i mean the on scale Weight not diminsion or shipping Weight ?
Answer: don't have a clue, it's really not too heavy, maybe 8 lbs.
Q:
Can you put the trays in the dishwasher?
Answer: Hello Lauren,
Answer: Not in my dishwasher, the trays are 15”x15” they’re about 2” to tall to fit. Just wash them by hand, they’re easy enough to clean.
Answer: No you cannot.
Q:
I checked on excalibur's website they don't have a model 3926tb as listed here on amazon but they do have a 3926tcdb are they the same unit?
Q:
Fda requires 165 f for beef safety. does unit actually reach 165 degrees fahrenheit?
Answer: Never done beef. Fruits and vegetables only. I have talked to others and they say it worked great. I believe the thinness of the cut was key.
Answer: I have done beef, chicken and many different fruits and veggies. It works great. Just don't make the meat slices too thick.
Q:
How long can it run non stop?
Answer: No idea. Why would you want to? Jerky takes about 6-8 hours. I’ve run a bunch of consecutive batches of jerky, but even still that amounts to only 24 hours or so.
Q:
How many watts is it?
Answer: I concur with Joyce D Conner on 9 tray and 4 tray. The 5 tray model is 440 Watts w/timer.
Answer: 600 watts This 9 tray model (3926TB) is listed at 600 watts in the Excalibur guide.
Answer: This 9 tray model (3926TB) is listed at 600 watts in the Excalibur guide.
Answer: 600 watts, and i love this dehydrator. it is twice as fast as my old circular one!
Answer: 600 watts, I believe.
Answer: 600 Watts
Q:
What is the difference between the 3926tb and the 3926t (no b)?
Answer: the color.
Q:
i want to contact the supplier ?
Answer: Sacramento, CA (916-381-4254) listed on back of the housing
Q:
I thought dehydrators were supposed to be quiet. I bought this one and it is loud enough to be irritating. Did I get a faulty one?
Answer: Not at all, Excalibur dehydrators run loud and dehydrators in general do. If you'd like a more quiet dehydrator with the same capacity as the 9 tray I'd suggest the Sedona dehydrator. It even has a nighttime quiet run option.
Answer: Answer here...mine has a consistent hum but it isn't very loud.
Answer: The Excalibur does make noise, it has the fan going all the time. However, I have this place in a back room so the noise does not bother anyone.
Answer: Mine sounds about like a microwave running. It's because of the big fan.
Q:
What are the volt and watt requirements for this unit? And how much does it weigh?
Answer: Hello- 110 volts, 600 watts.
Answer: READ the description..All that info is there.
Q:
Why is this so expensive compared to other websites selling the same exact product?
Answer: Make sure your looking at the identical product, different models range in price drastically and we found our best price on Amazon. Also, if you can afford to wait, Amazon does drop the price quite a bit from time to time.
Q:
Can I put this on a counter under an adjustable shelf? There would be some air space on each side too.
Answer: Yes, as long as air can circulate around the dehydrator it should be fine.
Answer: Yes, I have mine on my counter top under my top kitchen cabinets. BUT remember the switch is on the top right IN the Back. So you'll have to pull it out to turn on and off.
Answer: As long as it fits because the fan is in back that is the only place you need to have ventilation I have mine a couple inch away from wall
Answer: I don't see why not
Q:
What is the differance between the white and the black 9 tray dehydrator considering the white dehydrator is $10 dollars more?
Answer: I don't think if there's any functional difference. I got one in black and I love it.
Answer: I believe it is just the color difference.
Q:
Hi, the 3926TB model is it 110 or dual 110/220 voltage? Thank you.
Answer: I run it on standard house of 110 here in Oregon. The manual says "standard 120 or 220/240 depending on your voltage". I suggest you contact Excalibur directly and they can clarify it depending on your location. Mine is working perfectly and I really am happy with the purchase.
Answer: 110 volt.
Answer: 110 only.
Q:
What is your return policy? I seen reviews stating that there is a no return policy.
Answer: Excalibur customer service is always finding a way to better the service
Q:
What is the packaging dimensions of this item?
Answer: If ordered from Harvest Essentials, the package is 22x20x16 in size.
Q:
Does it come in 220V for countries other than USA?
Answer: I don't believe so. I have never seen any thing about a converter in any of the paperwork and I've read it all.
Answer: I honestly do not know.
Q:
Eggs powder is making
Q:
Is the timer worth the extra money?
Answer: The timer is absolutely worth the extra cost. For those of us who dehydrate in mass, this unit is worth the price it is an excellent unit.
Answer: It depends on your situation, due to the temp gauge, you can easily cook your food instead of Dehydrating, the timer helps avoid this happening. If you are able to check regularly then fine. I use it primarily for dehydrating plantains to make flour, so the timer is essential as it takes about 12 hours to dehydrate. Take Care
Answer: yes it is to me. I love having the timer. if you know how long it takes for what you're drying, you can set it and not be stuck watching over it. I actually feel asleep when I woke up I though... oh crap my jerky is dust and then I remembered that when the timer is up it shuts off the unit. I wouldn't be afraid to drying 10ock at night and go to bed knowing that when I get up everything has dried to perfection. Love my dehydrator. hope this helps!
Answer: For me & my lifestyle the timer is exactly what I need. If I go out and the item in the dehydrator needs just 4 hrs & I'm out for 6 wala nothing is crispy crittered so to speak. When I'm busy & not concentrating on the jerky I just set up for my grndsn I'm glad the dehydrator goes off. For me it's great!
Answer: Yes it is. Now you dont gotta be tied to it waiting. Set it and walk away. Mechine will automatically cool down. I have had a non timer one and forget that.
Answer: I think so all I have to do is set, leave it, and whatever I am drying is done. I don't have to babysit it. If it is something with a lot of moisture I check it and usually it is done if not I just add a little more time. I love my Excalibur. It is so worry free.
Answer: It's a personal choice, I think. For me, it helps me keep track of how long I've been drying the food and how long it likely will take to complete.
Answer: Yes so easy to
Answer: Most definitely. Unless your going to set your alarm at 4 AM when something is done.
Answer: Yep, alls you have to do is set and forget...
Q:
This items have 220v ????
Answer: No. It runs on standard US house current.
Answer: Mine is 110 only
Answer: no, it is 120
Answer: No
Q:
Our Excalibur Dehydrator Fan is Loud and Makes an Uneven Repeating Kind of Roaring Noise. I like to know if this is Normal or Not. Please Help.
Answer: Mine is not what I would consider loud at all (I can easily have a normal conversation right next to it without raising my voice) and I have never heard any type of roaring noise while using it.
Answer: No , it is not normal - ours operates fairly quietly and at an even , unchanging pace .
Q:
My product came with no manual. Can someone tell me how to use this? Thanks!
Answer: The manual for us was in the bottom of the dehydrator. We almost missed it because you don't see it at first under the trays.
Answer: Most companies provide product manuals online these days. Excalibur provides them at http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/product-manuals/ There is also other useful information on their web site such as recipes and FAQs. Great product and support.
Answer: If you got one with two dial knobs on top, they should be as follows: There should be a temperature dial showing degrees as well as what type of food. IE fruits, meats, etc. The other dial is the on / off as well as the timer dial. The plastic shelves are dishwasher safe. The plastic mesh liners on the shelves is NOT dishwasher safe. Try contacting the manuf. for a manual. Its really only tells you some more info about what temps to use during what food drying.
Answer: Put product to be drying on racks. Use menu by timer dial as a guide to dry product. Check occasionally, when you are satisfied with dehydration you are done. Repeat process for subsequent dehydration of same product next time.
Q:
My temperature knob only goes to the beginning 165 degrees, not all the way through it where it would be back to the beginning. Is this normal?
Q:
What is the shelf life of the food once dehydrated?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: If you put the dried food in mylar bags with oxygen obsorbers, I am told, five to six years.
Q:
Can ants or cockroaches get inside? Is it entirely sealed? I can put buggy on if need be for mouse on front panel but what about tiny ant size insects
Answer: I have't been dehydrating food very long, but I CAN answer part of your question.
Answer: The unit is unsealed and has plenty of ventilation holes for air circulation. If you want this to be completely bug- and mouse-proof, I'd suggest storing it in a lidded plastic tub.
Answer: Yes. Small pests can get inside this unit. It is not completely sealed. This unit relies on free air flow over the food, from the back fan out the front gaps in the door. If you have an infestation of pests, I would not recommend using this product. I would recommend an exterminator.
Answer: It is not 100% sealed. Bugs can get in anything. Keep it clean.
Q:
Has anyone dried goji berries? I’ve had mine in for 36 hours at 145 degrees and they are still damp. This is the first time I’ve used my dehydrator
Answer: No I have not. Did you try cutting them in half?
Q:
Is this a 600 watt or 440 watt? Excalibur website says that it is a 600 watt.
Answer: It is a 600 watt. The nine tray is 600 watt the 5 tray is 440 watts.
Answer: The 9 tray is 600 watt and the 5 tray is 440 watt. This was on a label on the back of my 9 tray dehydrator.
Answer: 600 watts. We use this to dehydrate everything from jerky to our own fruit roll-ups. No matter what you buy make sure to get one with a timer.
Answer: do not buy it
Q:
Does the door rattle while in use?
Answer: I have never heard any rattling while in use. .
Answer: Not a single bit. Very solid.
Answer: Don’t know gave it as a gift sorry
Answer: No, it does not.
Answer: No it stays in place.
Answer: No, mine don't.
Q:
Would dehydration work for beef liver dog snacks.
Answer: I don't see why not....slice it thin and you should be okay. We make chicken jerky.
Answer: I don't see why not. I'd try it.
Answer: Yes
Q:
What is the minimum tempurature setting? It states 105 but shows 95 on the dial. I am looking for one that goes to almost no heat.
Answer: The low temperature setting is 105, and the high is 165.
Q:
Does is come with the book Preserve it Naturally?
Answer: Book was not included. Purchased Dec 2019
Answer: Mine did not,just a small booklet called Dehydration Guide,with guidelines on how to use the Excalibur with various foods and information on the process.It gives the temperature and drying times of various foods,herbs,etc.,and has a question,answer,and troubleshooting guide. Not really a recipe book.
Answer: that would come from zahi hawass
Answer: No there was no book.
Answer: No, but the users guide has a lot of great beginning recipe instructions. I went to YouTube and pinterest for most of the directions for my food. We love it
Q:
I just need some new perforated sheets.14 x 14.Mine have become brittle over time and are starting to break
Answer: I have not had that issue with my perforated sheets. I'd go to the Excalibur website and order a new set of them.
Answer: Go right to the Excalibur website, you can buy them there.
Product reviews of Excalibur Food Dehydrator 9-Tray Electric with 26-hour Timer, Automatic Shut Off and Temperature Settings for Faster and Efficient Drying, Black
T. Guymon : A Dehydrator! Egyptian Pharaohs have the Solution for Preserving Veggies, and the Excalibur is the Great Pyramid
My problem is that, for as much as I like "fresh vegetables," only the second word describes them by the time I finish with the bunch I bought. I have to throw out too much because I can eat it as as fast as their old age sets in. I decided to get a dehydrator so at least I can make them edible before they deteriorate.
I went through the "You Get What You Pay For" spiral. The cheapie "vertical" types, in which the fan is at the bottom, don't work well. The stuff at the bottom is toast while the stuff at the top is only mildly discomforted. I learned the "horizontal" type is best (with the fan at the back, blowing uniformly across all the trays). My experience with all of those was that they don't hold enough. If you buy a big bag of Whatever on sale, you end up spending too much time dehydrating small bunches.
This Excalibur 3926TB is the Cadillac of dehydrators. I could have saved some money by skipping the Pinto through Edsel stages and bought this at the beginning, but hey, we learn line up on line, precept upon precept (unfortunately that's the same way my bank account depletes). Anyway, this one does it all. It has NINE large trays, and the rest is automatic. I just place all my sliced-up X, Y, or Z on the trays, set the timer to whatever it is, and go back to sleep in the hammock. It shuts itself off when done, so I don't even have to worry about being there when it's finished. At my convenience, I wander by, open the lid, pull out the trays, and transfer my now-immortal dried veggies to a mason jar or other container, depending on whether their destination is the refrigerator or the freezer. Some things I eat like snacks (dried bananas, for example), so I don't need to worry about long-term care for them at all.
T. Guymon : A Dehydrator! Egyptian Pharaohs have the Solution for Preserving Veggies, and the Excalibur is the Great Pyramid
My problem is that, for as much as I like "fresh vegetables," only the second word describes them by the time I finish with the bunch I bought. I have to throw out too much because I can eat it as as fast as their old age sets in. I decided to get a dehydrator so at least I can make them edible before they deteriorate.
I went through the "You Get What You Pay For" spiral. The cheapie "vertical" types, in which the fan is at the bottom, don't work well. The stuff at the bottom is toast while the stuff at the top is only mildly discomforted. I learned the "horizontal" type is best (with the fan at the back, blowing uniformly across all the trays). My experience with all of those was that they don't hold enough. If you buy a big bag of Whatever on sale, you end up spending too much time dehydrating small bunches.
This Excalibur 3926TB is the Cadillac of dehydrators. I could have saved some money by skipping the Pinto through Edsel stages and bought this at the beginning, but hey, we learn line up on line, precept upon precept (unfortunately that's the same way my bank account depletes). Anyway, this one does it all. It has NINE large trays, and the rest is automatic. I just place all my sliced-up X, Y, or Z on the trays, set the timer to whatever it is, and go back to sleep in the hammock. It shuts itself off when done, so I don't even have to worry about being there when it's finished. At my convenience, I wander by, open the lid, pull out the trays, and transfer my now-immortal dried veggies to a mason jar or other container, depending on whether their destination is the refrigerator or the freezer. Some things I eat like snacks (dried bananas, for example), so I don't need to worry about long-term care for them at all.
JKW : Buy this. You will dance.
I make my own beef jerky and after years of schlepping through life with inferior dryers, I finally broke down and bought this big daddy. I absolutely can't say enough good things about it. I use it to dry all my garden herbs, make beef jerky, dry fruit, etc. It makes the jerky process about 20 times faster and easier than those whimpy little plastic dryers I've always used. And I can fit a TON of food in this thing. It's much larger than the picture makes it look. I would say it's the size of a microwave, only squarer since most microwaves are rectangular. If I marinade two huge london broils worth of jerky, I can fit it all in here with room to spare. The other dryers wouldn't even fit the meat from one london broil. This thing dries very evenly too. I'm not up all night rotating trays. It sorta makes me angry that I wasted half my life rotating jerky trays. Gah!
Zac's Mom : Love it! I did a ton of research and ...
Love it! I did a ton of research and read more than a ton of reviews, and I am ecstatic with my purchase.
Here's my list of pros and cons, because that's what you want to see:
Pros:
Lots of drying space so I can dry a lot of stuff at once. It will hold about a pound or maybe one and a half pounds of beef sliced deli thin.
High temp. To safely dry beef (and I guess other meat) you need to heat to at least 155 for 10 minutes. 165 is the high temp on this unit.
It's plastic so it's pretty light. Don't let "plastic" fool you, it's very high quality.
Heats up and cools down quickly.
I've used this for at least six hours nearly every day for the last three months, I have had no issues
Cons:
People have said it's loud, but it's no louder than my microwave, in fact I think it's quieter
The black plastic trays are hard for me to clean because I don't have a dishwasher and they are just a hair bigger than my sink. I have to stand them up diagonally and then I get water everywhere. (this is nothing against the unit - it's all me being sloppy)
I have the same issue with the white screens but really it's just because I need a dishwasher (here's to hoping my hubby reads this)
I would buy again - or buy another one so that I can have two
Matt C. : Second try and I'm still not satisfied
I'm very dissapointed in the quality of this American-made product. We've had our first 5 tray dehydrator for several months and we really like it. We wanted to get a second 9 tray dehydrator because we have so much we want to dehydrate. The first 9 tray we order had knobs that were horribly set, and when I tried to turn it on, the heating coil became red hot and the fan didn't work. So we returned that one and ordered a replacement. Coming right out of the box are two screws and two washers that are rolling around in the bottom. It wouldn't be that big a deal but I can't access the two spots where the screws should be secured. I'm very dissapointed in the quality.
Kimberly : 5 Stars only if rack spacing was 1" instead of 3/4"
So far, this has worked perfect! I am new to dehydrating and the "raw diet". I have made several things so far and all have worked out really great in this dehydrator. I love the timer because it automatically shuts off. Therefore, I can leave the house, go to sleep, etc and not have to worry about being present to shut if off. I would not buy a dehydrator without a timer.
5 stars only if distance between racks were 1 inch instead of 3/4 inch. However, I did buy the 9 rack item so its not really that big of a deal. I am only a cooking for a household of 2 and I am glad I bought the 9 rack instead of the 5 rack, just for the purpose of needing to skip a rack for items that are thicker than the 3/4 inch space needed. Honestly though, its not too often you will actually need more than the 3/4 inches. I made a pizza crust and the edges curled up a bit hitting the rack on top. Next time, I will skip a rack.
After watching about a dozen different videos, I see most people are using the same machine. That must tell you something about it. Also, its been around a long time and has a great warranty. That was my deciding factor between this machine and the Sedona.
The timer is on the top rear of the machine, but that doesn't matter to me, I can still see it and it works great!
Hope this is helpful.
Suzanne Russo : A real workhorse
We've had this over 3 years and use it to dry our harvest and shopping deals. It's a little noisy and puts out heat (expected) but does a super job dying the goods The flexibility of the temperature gage gives the ability to do a wide variety of food prep, and being able to pack a lot of stuff on the 9 trays make it indispensable during harvest.
Reviewer : EXCELLENT! DEHYDRATES EVERYTHING!
I really like this step up from my last dehydrator. This unit has nine trays and adjustable temperature and timed hour control so it can dehydrate while you are away. You can also skip using all the trays and stack every other tray if desired. It is a very good unit and worth the price in my opinion.
I bought mine in 2014 and it is now 2020 as of the update of this review. Still working fine!
I have done everything from apples, pears, peaches, bananas, pineapple, squashes, carrots, etc. even crispy kale and okra - and it does a great job! I like to make things extra crunchy not leathery and this does a great job.
The clean up is much easier, especially with the screens because the screens can roll up in the sink and are easily submersible for easy cleaning. The plastic black racks are easy to clean as well and slide easily. The whole thing is a simple box with a heated fan in the back. (So simple, yet why can't others make them like this?) I really like the dual controls of the temperature control as well as the timed timer.
Some of the reviewers have complained it makes a lot of noise. I think that also depends on what surface you have it running on. I have my dehydrator on my laundry dryer which is a metal surface. It would be quieter on my sink counter. but I find the noise is acceptable like the sound of a soft background fan. Since it's off to the side in our kitchen it doesn't interfere with anything in other rooms of the house. at night it is nothing more than sounding like white noise in the background. I think putting a towel underneath it to keep the vibrations down might help people who are very ultra sensitive to the sound but to me it is very tolerable. It has never interfere with our activity or our sleep.
Very worth it in my opinion.
Haiku Wahine : Fan not working after using it twice!
Let me start off by saying that the first time I used this dehydrator, it worked fine. I did a batch of bananas and everything worked as it should. The second time I used it to make a batch of jerky about six months later, the fan doesn't work. When I initially turned it on, the fan and heating element worked fine. I went to check the jerky a few hours later only to find that the fan was off and so was the heating element although the unit was turned on. So.....after almost exactly two years and only twice being used, the fan is broken. Not my idea of a quality product. I did follow the trouble-shooting directions in the manual to no avail. Not happy!
K. Plaster : Best Dehydrator!
I love my Excalibur Dehydrator. It performs as described. This dehydrator evenly dries foods. One thing I have learned is dry time will vary with environmental conditions. Sometimes quite a bit. While you can hear the unit when operating, it is quiet compared to other dehydrators I've had. So far I've used this unit to dry mint and chocolate basil from my garden, cashews, hazelnuts, almonds, and more! Love this machine!!!
Patrick Gannon : It was great while it lasted..
Had great fun with it over the summer drying beef, chicken for the dog and the abundance of tomatoes that I grew.. Didn't use it for 8 months and when I turned it on, well, thats it, it didn't turn on.. Disappointment..
Jacob A. : Holy COW!
If you love a product, you give it 5 stars. This little gem earns every star. I was using two American Harvesters until I finally "broke down" and bought the Excaliber. I dry inordinate amounts of fruit. Mostly apples and Fuyu persimmons. I mean, I pick hundreds of pounds of these fruits, so I need to get a lot done at a time. And talk about jerky! WOW!!! I go to Cash 'n Carry and buy those 13 to 15 lb bags of "special trimmings" for $3.09/lb and run the pieces through my commercial slicer. I set the timer for 8 hours and can leave the house without worrying about over drying. The fruit slices take 10 to 11 hours. Same with the fruit leather. Got questions? Just ask and I will reply. I will even share my jerky recipe. GET THE ONE WITH THE TIMER! Don't be a cheapskate. It is worth the extra bucks, I'm telling' ya.
Holistic lifestyle : You and cooking in a toxic stew!! Bpa inside lining!!
Beware you are cooking in a toxic stew trying to be healthy! Sure, the shelves are bpa free, but the rest of the inside structure I found out isn't. There's studies of rats living in a bpa cage and they found bpa in them. It off gases. So if you are into health stuff like me, yes it works good, but super toxic. People recommend this one because they established themselves BEFORE the bpa awareness come out. Plastic inside?? Why??? This company obviously doesn't care about the health of their customer and they know better....
Aliana Leons : Absolute time saver if you dehydrate on a frequent basis. Must for raw foodies and gardeners.
I purchased this dehydrator three weeks ago and have used it two to three times a weeks since then and will continue to do so. I thought it to be a bit large when it first arrived, but after looking at the size of the trays I was excited about how much time I was going to save compared with my previous smaller 4 tray Excalibur. I live in Southern Florida and we garden all year round so I always have an excess of vegetables from different growing seasons. I also eat a lot of raw food and could never get my raw crackers or bread to work in the smaller model. The first time I used the dehydrator I made 4 trays of raw crackers (they finally turned out) and my dehydrated vegetable soup mix, all in one day. With the smaller model it would have taken me three days for the same amount. The thermostat and timer are accurate and very helpful, I don't worry so much about the timing on vegetables or fruit but the crackers and bread need to be timed for the recipes.
When using my old four tray Excalibur it was a simple model with no timer and the thermostat was rather vague so I had to put a thermometer inside the trays to find out the exact temperature. I think because of the more accurate thermostat I was able to finally have my raw crackers turn out on the first try. I wish I would have had this model when I first started dehydrating and even though it is larger than the 4 tray the fan is so much quieter.
The only negative that I can mention is that I wish the timer had a bell included. I dehydrate overnight and in the morning when I get ready for work I still hear the fan running when it only has a little bit of time left and end up leaving before I can check and rotate the trays.
Holistic lifestyle : You and cooking in a toxic stew!! Bpa inside lining!!
Beware you are cooking in a toxic stew trying to be healthy! Sure, the shelves are bpa free, but the rest of the inside structure I found out isn't. There's studies of rats living in a bpa cage and they found bpa in them. It off gases. So if you are into health stuff like me, yes it works good, but super toxic. People recommend this one because they established themselves BEFORE the bpa awareness come out. Plastic inside?? Why??? This company obviously doesn't care about the health of their customer and they know better....
MaryB : Great Product! Love it!
I love it so far. I really like the auto off feature for setting a certain amount of hours. I've done onions with tomatoes at the same time and taste test of tomatoes didn't seem to be any different. I've processed tomatoes, apples, herbs, apples beans, kale, cucumbers, chard and peppers. The book is good for a person who knows preservation and dehydration but could be limited for a newby.
Amazon Customer : Great but, love the size of the trays, very easy to clean
We love this dehydrator! You can fit so much inside of this machine. It is super easy to clean. All of the trays come out and it is an open box for cleaning the inside and you can clean each try separately. The controls are so easy to use and understand. We have not run into any problems with our dehydrator. It can seem a little loud sometimes especially when watching a movie and there is nothing else going on, but during the day when we're up and about doing things we don't even notice it. It also came with a very helpful book on drying times and methods for prep of different foods.
Stephanie Allison : Easy to rotate trays
Overall a great workhorse of a dehydrator. Fan is a little noisy, but then it IS a fan after all. I found the food in the middle and closer to the back dried a bit faster than the rest, but it was also super easy to rotate and turn the trays in the unit. LOVE the timer function on the unit so food doesn't get over done if you are drying overnight or unsupervised. Highly recommend!
Diana P : lots of room
I only needed this unit because the one I'd had for over 30 years and was still working great had become a home for mice! Not exactly it's intended use. I choose this model again over the many other options because of my knowledge of it. What they did change which caused me to give less than 5 stars was the timer which is now required to be used, many things need more time than this allows which means resetting. Not a horrible thing, just saying. I've dried everything you can think of and if you are looking for a way to store lots of produce in very little space, this is what you need for that. Don't recommend doing watermelon however, unless you are looking for something thinner than the thinnest piece of paper :) Once you dry an item no required freezing, canning, etc. Jerky comes out fabulous as well. Never tried fruit leathers, see now reason that wouldn't be tasty and handy.
LegoDad : Finally something that gets over 165 degrees
I do mostly ground beef jerky due to a lack of anyone who hunts, so no good venison and such readily available. Which historically meant doing all the work, getting things on the trays, dehydrating them, then having to pull out cookie pans, separate flavors into different pans, and cook in the oven for an hour to kill anything that might be in the beef, since of all four previous dehydrators I had, including the last one that said it would go to 165 degrees, it never did.
Imagine my joy when, finally, for the first time, my probe shows 168 degrees... I was amazed... Now I can finally dehydrate my jerky and once it's at the right consistency and dryness level, simply BE DONE. No more extra cooking since that always just made it more of a fine line for when to pull out of the dehydrator, knowing it still had to be cooked.
This thing is huge. But hardly takes up more space than the round one I used to use. That one I had to use six trays to fit three pounds of beef - two trays per pound. This one, a single tray holds an entire pound. So I also just tripled my capacity.
First batches are little ones though, just to get used to it, and learn the quirks.
It's silent - WAY more quiet than any other one I had. My air purifier in the great room makes more noise, and I can't even hear the dehydrator once I'm out of the kitchen.
The downside for me is also one of the upsides - I hate how the mesh grill for the trays is separate. Every time I store these (I store on their side since otherwise I can't fit them down in the bottom of one of my kitchen cabinets) I have to fix them again. But I also love that the mesh is separate - SO much easier to clean.
I can see now why people have bragged about these and wished they had picked one up sooner - since I'm not one of those people. This makes every other dehydrator I've ever tried look like a child's toy in comparison...
Abril : Very poor construction, not worth the money
I purchased this item because of the good reviews and was excited to put it to use right away. I found, like some reviewers, that the drying was uneven and that foods towards the top and back of the dehydrator dry more rapidly, making me rotate trays up/down and forward/back. This wasn't a deal breaker for me, however, after my last use I went to clean the machine and noticed some rattling in the back of the unit. After exploring, I found two loose screws with their corresponding washers which appear to be part of the 4 screws that keep the back screen divider in place! The loose screws have black gunk around them which makes me think some plastic part melted away during use allowing the screws to become loose. Will try to get a refund and get higher quality unit, this one is not worth the money.
BillW : Effective but Questionable Design
So, this is doing the job I asked of it. So thats the positive.
My sense is that its probably designed sometime in the 70s and could use some updates.
Specifically, the front door sits on a ledge in front of the pull out trays.
This probably makes sense in terms of the air flow, and I'm sure my results would change if I left it off; however, it rattles when the fan is going. I doubt that any dehydrator is silent, but the door is really annoying.
To fix this, I've placed a strip of velcro on the dehydrator. Not to the door itself, but one sided in the top ridge and one below the bottom tray. This gives the door some shock absorbtion and stops the chatter. I know, velcro, right! So this is one sided so the door isn't adhering to the frame, just sitting on top of it, but with some cushon.
Hopefully, I will be able to keep this clean since I'm using it with food.
Overall, happy with the results, but the product could use an update.
The design just seems a little lazy. If I find that I use it a lot, I would probably look for a more prosumer grade appliance.
Aliana Leons : Absolute time saver if you dehydrate on a frequent basis. Must for raw foodies and gardeners.
I purchased this dehydrator three weeks ago and have used it two to three times a weeks since then and will continue to do so. I thought it to be a bit large when it first arrived, but after looking at the size of the trays I was excited about how much time I was going to save compared with my previous smaller 4 tray Excalibur. I live in Southern Florida and we garden all year round so I always have an excess of vegetables from different growing seasons. I also eat a lot of raw food and could never get my raw crackers or bread to work in the smaller model. The first time I used the dehydrator I made 4 trays of raw crackers (they finally turned out) and my dehydrated vegetable soup mix, all in one day. With the smaller model it would have taken me three days for the same amount. The thermostat and timer are accurate and very helpful, I don't worry so much about the timing on vegetables or fruit but the crackers and bread need to be timed for the recipes.
When using my old four tray Excalibur it was a simple model with no timer and the thermostat was rather vague so I had to put a thermometer inside the trays to find out the exact temperature. I think because of the more accurate thermostat I was able to finally have my raw crackers turn out on the first try. I wish I would have had this model when I first started dehydrating and even though it is larger than the 4 tray the fan is so much quieter.
The only negative that I can mention is that I wish the timer had a bell included. I dehydrate overnight and in the morning when I get ready for work I still hear the fan running when it only has a little bit of time left and end up leaving before I can check and rotate the trays.
Desert Farming : For the serious dehydrating aficionado
I just got the machine and I know I like it better than my 20 plus year old American Harvester by Nesco. My old one was a 4 tray plug it in and let it dry. I love having a timer built in (no cumbersome wall timer), and the adjustable thermostat is going to be nice with keeping my food alive. Also, the 9 trays allows me to more than double my drying space. I'm doing 4 pounds of organic strawberries and 5 pounds of organic green beans as I write. They are are doing well and should be done soon. The flexible mesh screens will help with sticking. I haven't tried the paraflex sheets yet, so I don't know how they'll work. BTW, read the book on how to use. It is simple, but if you've never owned an Excalibur, it does a few things slightly different. For instance it recommends turning the trains 180 degrees halfway through.
Cons: It is a little noisy, but tolerable. If you've owned a dehydrator you'll find it on par or a hair louder. The door will rattle some but a simple repositioning seems to take care of that. Not really a con for me, but be aware, the machine is going to be large. Make sure you note the dimensions before purchasing. I do wish the opening were on the side in my case verses the skinny front. It would fit nicer on the counter that way but it is a minor. Cleaning of the tray mesh is a little time consuming if you don't have a sprayer. You can't put those in the dishwasher like the tray itself, but I'd recommend not doing that either. Plastic and high heat isn't a good thing. Don't forget the Paraflex sheets can't be soaked, only wiped off, but I haven't used them yet, so I don't know how much of a chore that will be yet.
Would I buy it again? Yes - It is a good machine and on Amazon, the price isn't horrible and if you use your dehydrator like I do, you'll get your money back soon with just the savings on snacks you make yourself verses buying and you'll know what is in your snacks and control things like bad fats and too much sugar and salt. I'm making crunchy green bean snacks right now. I paid 6.39 for 5 pounds of Organic green beans, I used a little coconut oil and a little sea salt and I now have about 5 bags worth. If I bought the same amount I'd not have organic, they'd be made with unhealthy oils and cost 6.99 for a small 8 ounce bag, plus shipping. I figure I saved $25 dollars already. I've done the same for Organic strawberries too and we all know dried fruit is ridiculously expensive, especially for the organic ones.
BuysFromAmazon : Huge
Already used this to make 3 lbs of beef jerky, several trays of apple sauce fruit leather, several trays of bananas and kiwis, and a tray of dehydrated fried potatos and sausage gravy. It works very well and the results so far have been very tasty. (I do not recommend dehydrating sausage gravy, just dehydrate the sausage and make the gravy in camp).
It is loud, but I didn't expect it to be quiet.
My only complaint is that I expected it to have an on/off switch because the product info says "Built in on/off switch and adjustable thermostat with 26 hour timer." However, it does not actually have a switch for power. The two dials are for temperature and time. Both of these dials show OFF at their lowest point. However, only the timer dial actually turns the dehydrator off when it hits that point.
Nice trays is really a TON of space. I can fit 4 bananas, 1lb of jerky, or 6 kiwis to a tray. So if you wanted to fill the entire dehydrator, you would have to prepare 9 pounds of jerky at once, 36 bananas at once, or 54 kiwis at once.
Cindy Lee : TERRIBLE BRAND! Sent wrong door & looked refurbished. Missing manual & cookbook. Rip off. Cheap.
TERRIBLE. Do not buy this brand!!! I knew I should’ve taken the bad reviews seriously for this cheap product. Completely over priced & came with terrible packaging and the WRONG DOOR for this product! Also was missing the manual & cookbook! It looked used and broken when it came & couldn’t believe it came with the wrong front door.
Stephanie Allison : Easy to rotate trays
Overall a great workhorse of a dehydrator. Fan is a little noisy, but then it IS a fan after all. I found the food in the middle and closer to the back dried a bit faster than the rest, but it was also super easy to rotate and turn the trays in the unit. LOVE the timer function on the unit so food doesn't get over done if you are drying overnight or unsupervised. Highly recommend!
Suzanne Russo : A real workhorse
We've had this over 3 years and use it to dry our harvest and shopping deals. It's a little noisy and puts out heat (expected) but does a super job dying the goods The flexibility of the temperature gage gives the ability to do a wide variety of food prep, and being able to pack a lot of stuff on the 9 trays make it indispensable during harvest.
Linda Every : Wonderful product
I wasn't too sure I wanted to spend the amount asked for this dehydrator but I am glad I did! The people on the blog I am on kept recommending this brand but I had my doubts that one dehydrator could be that much better than another. Was I wrong! I have had several cheaper ones and this puts them all in the dust. The trays and inserts are very easy to clean and I found that any residual moisture that remained on the sheets and trays after drying can be removed by placing in the machine and running it for a few minutes. (Be sure to remove as much moisture as possible BEFORE doing this!!!) The first thing I tried was peaches, cantaloupe, and seedless watermelon. I didn't think it would all fit but there is a lot of room in this machine! Then I did beef jerky. I didn't have to rotate trays as the fan blows air across all of the trays and the heat is adjustable. Drying time was way shorter that anything I had tried before and everything dried evenly. My family ate everything so fast I didn't even have time to vacuum seal it! I am very pleased I put the extra money into this purchase. It will be a valuable addition to my food preservation processing.
Diane : I love this dehydrator
I love this dehydrator. It has 9 trays so you can dehydrate lots of stuff at one time. I use it at least once a week. We love to dehydrate fruit. It makes the perfect snack. It's pretty quite although you can hear it running. It took me almost a year to decide on this dehydrator and I am so glad I did. I like that it has a temperature setting, not like the old dehydrators where you dried everything the same. It also has a timer in case you have to leave home and need it to turn off. We have dried pineapple, apples, strawberries, mixed canned fruit, canned peaches, onions, garlic (both outdoors), mixed frozen vegetables, frozen hash browns, frozen tater tots, basil, cilantro, parsley, mushrooms and tomatoes. You might ask why the canned fruits? Well they were about to expire and this is an easy way to get more shelf life out of them. Also they work great in homemade trail mix. As for the frozen stuff I needed to make room in my freezer. There's nothing like homemade onion and garlic powder. I would recommend this dehydrator to everyone if your looking for a quality dehydrator.
David W. : Sturdy, reliable. Get it.
Awesome. Works perfect. Second time buying one of these (lost the other in a house fire) and they work fantastic. Holds temp, it’s a quiet as a dehydrator can be and as easy to clean as a dehydrator can be. Super sturdy and reliable though. HIGHLY recommended.
tasha : Broken or missing parts
The customer service super nice. But I ordered this dehydrater and got it in the mail and it had a crack in it and missing mesh liners so asked for a replacement. Couple days later got the replacement and it had everything went to take the tap of the nobs for the timer and the temperature dials and the were not connected to anything anf once I looked in there there was nothing in the holes to put the dials on! So not to happy and just asked for a refund. Now I have 2 dehydrators to return not a happy camper.
gg : Intolerably loud, and Manufacturer Refuses to Communicate
This dehydrator, right out of the box, made a constant, intolerably loud, growling noise. I went through the troubleshooting process with Amazon's technical support team, and excluded the possibility of the fan making contact with the screen. So I have no idea whether this unit is typical or whether the design of this product is at fault. Over the course of one month, I contacted the manufacturer through its website on four separate occasions. I did not receive a response to any one of those contacts. Despite my advising the company that I was making a warranty claim, the manufacturer continued to ignore me--a blatant breach of warranty and a violation of my state's Consumer Protection Act (which provides for treble damages and attorney fees). PREPARE TO HAVE NO RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, AND TO HAVE TO BRING A COURT ACTION if you require warranty service.
Amazon Customer : Upgraded Dehydrator
I had those old round dehydrators from 20 plus years ago and decided it was time to upgrade because the items kept sticking to the trays and breaking off the plastic support. I initially tried using my smoker and it did work, but it was a pain because I had to constantly rotate the trays around so my jerky would cook evenly. I decided on this unit after reading reviews and so far I am very happy with it. When I make my moose jerky I can fit around 10 pounds of meat on the trays, set the timer and temperature, and let it go. The unit dries the trays evenly without the need for rotating, and so far there hasn't been any real issues with stuff sticking to the trays other than some bananas I tried to dehydrate (they did come loose okay but I did have to work them off the trays). The only downside to this is I wish the timer was digital so I could set exactly how long I wanted it to run. With the dial timer you are getting a close run time, but not exact. If wanted I could get a digital lamp timer and use it along with the dehydrator for a more precise run time. Overall I am very happy with it though, I have made moose jerky, apples and bananas and all came out great.
Amazon Customer : worth the money
this dehydrator works 100% better than the old round ones you can buy in the store. worth the investment. I've made a ton of apple chips in it already and works so nice for making beef jerky as well. also started putting any leftover veggies we have in the fridge - peppers, celery, carrots, even herbs.. in it and have them set aside for soup starter later this fall. My husband loves how mushrooms dry in this - they re-hydrate great or he can put them in a coffee grinder and add them into things as a powder... saving us lots of money not letting veggies, etc, go to waste.
Creeland Burrows : Product received with some cosmetic defects.
I bought this for my mom for her birthday. It came on time and she is excited to use it. Only problem is the top panel where the control dials are, there is a dent in between the temperature and the timer dial. There is also a fracture on the top right corner / edge. I asked my mom if she wanted to return it and get another one, but she does not want to go through the hassle of packaging everything back up and shipping it. So she just started using it instead.
Creeland Burrows : Product received with some cosmetic defects.
I bought this for my mom for her birthday. It came on time and she is excited to use it. Only problem is the top panel where the control dials are, there is a dent in between the temperature and the timer dial. There is also a fracture on the top right corner / edge. I asked my mom if she wanted to return it and get another one, but she does not want to go through the hassle of packaging everything back up and shipping it. So she just started using it instead.
Stephanie Allison : Easy to rotate trays
Overall a great workhorse of a dehydrator. Fan is a little noisy, but then it IS a fan after all. I found the food in the middle and closer to the back dried a bit faster than the rest, but it was also super easy to rotate and turn the trays in the unit. LOVE the timer function on the unit so food doesn't get over done if you are drying overnight or unsupervised. Highly recommend!
DAN : Love this thing.
What a great product. We have owned several dehydrators over the years, Started with a Ronco and the last one was an American Harvest. The other ones were all round and all had one major flaw. The racks set right over the motor and eventually the drippings destroyed the heater. I have made jerky in this several times and appreciate this dehydrator every time I use it. The heater and motor set in the back on this one and there isn't any way for anything to come in contact with them. I only wish I had bought the 5 tray instead of the 9. Who knew that by going with the square design you would gain so much space. We have had up to 10 trays with our round trays. I have yet to fill 4 in this dehydrator. CHECK OUT MY PHOTO FOR THE BEST PART OF ALL!!! Look in the lower left corner.
10/27/2020 Thought I'd update. Still feel the same. Great dehydrator!
Hillary A : Worth every cent. Saves you money with all you can do.
This is one of the healthiest purchases I have ever made. I want to eat as many living foods as possible, and the dehydrator I got has a temperature setting where you can request 105 degrees. I bought this with a couple of the mylar flex sheets and make fruit roll-ups whenever I have the chance. I pretty much make what would be a fruit smoothie in a high speed blender and spread on the sheet using a spatula. I usually allow 6-8 hours. One of my favorite combos is banana and pear. It has a perfectly tart taste to it. I also found recipes on line for pizza roll-ups. I have used this dehydrator to make seasoned raw nuts, green powders, turmeric powder, wheatgrass powder, dried tomatos, onions, strawberries (I use them in place of gummy candies) and watermelon (tastes like cotton candy). You can mix any greeens and veggies into the fruit rolls and they are kid approved. The possibilities are endless. And it makes the house smell delicious!
Haiku Wahine : Fan not working after using it twice!
Let me start off by saying that the first time I used this dehydrator, it worked fine. I did a batch of bananas and everything worked as it should. The second time I used it to make a batch of jerky about six months later, the fan doesn't work. When I initially turned it on, the fan and heating element worked fine. I went to check the jerky a few hours later only to find that the fan was off and so was the heating element although the unit was turned on. So.....after almost exactly two years and only twice being used, the fan is broken. Not my idea of a quality product. I did follow the trouble-shooting directions in the manual to no avail. Not happy!
Holistic lifestyle : You and cooking in a toxic stew!! Bpa inside lining!!
Beware you are cooking in a toxic stew trying to be healthy! Sure, the shelves are bpa free, but the rest of the inside structure I found out isn't. There's studies of rats living in a bpa cage and they found bpa in them. It off gases. So if you are into health stuff like me, yes it works good, but super toxic. People recommend this one because they established themselves BEFORE the bpa awareness come out. Plastic inside?? Why??? This company obviously doesn't care about the health of their customer and they know better....
R Michelle P : With all that you can dry and set aside, it will pay for itself shortly.
Purchased this two years ago and it still functions as if it was brand new. One of the best investments I have made in a long time. This is a nice and efficient dehydrator. So, far I've made yogurt, granola, fruit/yogurt leathers, spaghetti sauce leathers, all kinds of dried fruit and veggies, lots of jerky, and orange and lemon zest from rinds. So, if you are having second thoughts about spending the extra money on this workhorse, be assured that it is well worth the money. All have turned out well. It is big so make sure you have the space for it, and it does make some noise with the fan. I have it on my laundry room counter so it is out of the way and if the noise is too much I can just close the door. Also be aware the area below the front door and along the sides will get wet near the beginning of the cycle so you want it on a waterproof surface or something that will not be damaged by the moisture. With the timer it is nice that I can just go to bed and know it will turn off at the right time. This is an awesome model! With all that you can dry and set aside, it will pay for itself shortly.
Mhitesman : Quiet, looks good, and holds a lot!
Awesome unit! I don't use it every day like I thought I would, but this is like no other dehydrator I have had. I keep it plugged in my pantry to make bread cubes out of stale bread, dehydrated potatoes out of extra potatoes, and with garden season approaching, I expect to dehydrate more this year instead of canning so much. I put down wax paper to make fruit roll ups. I love this!!!!
Desert Farming : For the serious dehydrating aficionado
I just got the machine and I know I like it better than my 20 plus year old American Harvester by Nesco. My old one was a 4 tray plug it in and let it dry. I love having a timer built in (no cumbersome wall timer), and the adjustable thermostat is going to be nice with keeping my food alive. Also, the 9 trays allows me to more than double my drying space. I'm doing 4 pounds of organic strawberries and 5 pounds of organic green beans as I write. They are are doing well and should be done soon. The flexible mesh screens will help with sticking. I haven't tried the paraflex sheets yet, so I don't know how they'll work. BTW, read the book on how to use. It is simple, but if you've never owned an Excalibur, it does a few things slightly different. For instance it recommends turning the trains 180 degrees halfway through.
Cons: It is a little noisy, but tolerable. If you've owned a dehydrator you'll find it on par or a hair louder. The door will rattle some but a simple repositioning seems to take care of that. Not really a con for me, but be aware, the machine is going to be large. Make sure you note the dimensions before purchasing. I do wish the opening were on the side in my case verses the skinny front. It would fit nicer on the counter that way but it is a minor. Cleaning of the tray mesh is a little time consuming if you don't have a sprayer. You can't put those in the dishwasher like the tray itself, but I'd recommend not doing that either. Plastic and high heat isn't a good thing. Don't forget the Paraflex sheets can't be soaked, only wiped off, but I haven't used them yet, so I don't know how much of a chore that will be yet.
Would I buy it again? Yes - It is a good machine and on Amazon, the price isn't horrible and if you use your dehydrator like I do, you'll get your money back soon with just the savings on snacks you make yourself verses buying and you'll know what is in your snacks and control things like bad fats and too much sugar and salt. I'm making crunchy green bean snacks right now. I paid 6.39 for 5 pounds of Organic green beans, I used a little coconut oil and a little sea salt and I now have about 5 bags worth. If I bought the same amount I'd not have organic, they'd be made with unhealthy oils and cost 6.99 for a small 8 ounce bag, plus shipping. I figure I saved $25 dollars already. I've done the same for Organic strawberries too and we all know dried fruit is ridiculously expensive, especially for the organic ones.
R Michelle P : With all that you can dry and set aside, it will pay for itself shortly.
Purchased this two years ago and it still functions as if it was brand new. One of the best investments I have made in a long time. This is a nice and efficient dehydrator. So, far I've made yogurt, granola, fruit/yogurt leathers, spaghetti sauce leathers, all kinds of dried fruit and veggies, lots of jerky, and orange and lemon zest from rinds. So, if you are having second thoughts about spending the extra money on this workhorse, be assured that it is well worth the money. All have turned out well. It is big so make sure you have the space for it, and it does make some noise with the fan. I have it on my laundry room counter so it is out of the way and if the noise is too much I can just close the door. Also be aware the area below the front door and along the sides will get wet near the beginning of the cycle so you want it on a waterproof surface or something that will not be damaged by the moisture. With the timer it is nice that I can just go to bed and know it will turn off at the right time. This is an awesome model! With all that you can dry and set aside, it will pay for itself shortly.
FireFly : Controls in a bad place
I do really like this dehydrator. The only complaint I have, and that’s why only 4 stars, is that the timer & temperature controls are in the BACK of the unit, on top. So, if you’re using it on your counter under cabinets, you’ll have to pull it to change any settings. Other than that, it dehydrates evenly & “quickly”.
Diana P : lots of room
I only needed this unit because the one I'd had for over 30 years and was still working great had become a home for mice! Not exactly it's intended use. I choose this model again over the many other options because of my knowledge of it. What they did change which caused me to give less than 5 stars was the timer which is now required to be used, many things need more time than this allows which means resetting. Not a horrible thing, just saying. I've dried everything you can think of and if you are looking for a way to store lots of produce in very little space, this is what you need for that. Don't recommend doing watermelon however, unless you are looking for something thinner than the thinnest piece of paper :) Once you dry an item no required freezing, canning, etc. Jerky comes out fabulous as well. Never tried fruit leathers, see now reason that wouldn't be tasty and handy.
V. V. : I would recommend this dehydrator to a friend.
Super easy to use! Temperature dial, as well as, timer dial allows complete control. This machine arrived a few days ago. So far, I have dehydrated frozen blueberries (curious about moisture drips.) I've dehydrated apples and used the machine to raise my bread dough. All came out to perfection with easy clean up.
I ordered an AICOOK dehydrator last year. It would not work at all! There was an error code that, as it turns out, is a common problem with that dehydrator but I was unable to get any customer service as to how to fix it. Nothing on my internet search either.
I bought this EXCALIBUR because of good reviews and made in America.
I'm thrilled with this purchase!
Cindy Lee : TERRIBLE BRAND! Sent wrong door & looked refurbished. Missing manual & cookbook. Rip off. Cheap.
TERRIBLE. Do not buy this brand!!! I knew I should’ve taken the bad reviews seriously for this cheap product. Completely over priced & came with terrible packaging and the WRONG DOOR for this product! Also was missing the manual & cookbook! It looked used and broken when it came & couldn’t believe it came with the wrong front door.
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