What is the difference between
the Excalibur 2400, 2500 and 2900? They look like they do the same thing? Basically the dehydrators are all the same design. The only aspects that
are different are their size, heating element, fan size, and the amount of space in each
unit available for drying. The larger the unit, the larger the fan, and heating element.
Why is there a drastic jump in price
between the 4 tray and the 5 tray Excalibur model?
That is just how the manufacturer sets the pricing.
Pricing on the dehydrators, are "mandated" by the manufacturer to us. If
you look at the TOTAL drying space, it is actually double the space even though its only 1
more tray, this is due to the larger tray size.. Look at the 9 tray model, its almost 4
times the space of the 4 tray, not just double, as you might think (this is because the
size of the trays are larger on the 5 and 9 tray models. To help with comparison of
the dehydrators, we added a "cost per square foot" so you can see the real cost
of the dehydrator.
What's the difference between the
Lequip dehydrator and the Excalibur Dehydrators?
The main difference is the air flow, the Excalibur units have
horizontal air flow (from the back), while the lequip has a vertical air flow (heat source
at the bottom). The size and shape of the trays are also different. Lequip
claims you do not have to rotate the trays if using just 6 trays, since the unit will
maintain the same temperature throughout the trays (We have found differently). You
can ADD up to 20 additional trays (available from the manufacturer- about 2 for $30) to
the lequip for more space.
Why do you feature the Excalibur
dehydrators?
After testing many dehydrators, we found the Excalibur units to
provide the most even drying due to the parallel air flow technology used.
In addition, the Excalibur units are one of few brands that have an adjustable
thermostat. This is a very important feature in our opinion. In
a dehydrator we purchased at a discount store, the temperature was non-adjustable, and we
measured it at 170 degrees F. We believe this is just too hot. To preserve
enzymes in food, we believe a temperature of about 115 degrees should be used when
dehydrating fruits/vegetables/herbs and nuts/seeds to maintain enzymes and nutrients.
If you want to make jerky, these machines will also do that.
Specific information is included in the instruction booklet that is included with the
Excalibur dehydrator.
What are teflex™ sheets? Do I
need them?
Teflex™ sheets are non-stick, solid sheets that were sold
by Excalibur.. They are washable and re-useable. They are used for dehydrating
liquids (such as blended fruits- to make fruit roll-ups) or really sticky/gooey
items that would normally drip through the mesh sheets that are included with the
dehydrator. They are also useful for making sprouted essene breads and
crackers. They were discontinued by Excalibur, but we offer our Premiflexx non-stick
dehydrator sheets which are of the same high quality. Click
here to learn more about our non stick dehydrator sheets.
Will the 600 watt unit (9 tray) dry
faster than the 220 watt unit (4 tray?)?
Not necessarily. Efficiency of design is most important.
Too much heat can cause the outside of the fruit to caseharden, like searing in
juices in steak. This greatly lengthens the drying time. All EXCALIBUR models
have their heating elements properly sized for highest efficiency, lowest energy
consumption and fastest drying time.
How long does it take to
dehydrate foods in the Excalibur dehydrator?
Dehydration times varies, and depends on several factors. Please see the dehydration times page for guidelines.
What is the space between the
trays on the Excalibur?
About 3/4" between trays. The trays above the tray you are using the dehydrate
may be removed for extra space (if you want to put a dish or dehydrate a thick bread
dough).
Do all the trays need to be filled in
order to use the Excalibur Dehydrator or can you use just a few of the trays?
You can run the machine mostly empty, half empty or full. You can fill the
trays partially full, or all the way full. It does not need to be filled in order to
run. I recommend purchasing the largest size dehydrator you would ever need,
since you can run it partially full, but you can not add space if you get one too small.
How much does it cost to run
the dehydrator?
Your actual cost will depend on your local utility company, and how much they
charge per kW/hour. The dehydrators use 600, 440 and 220 watts for the 9,5, and 4
tray models. With our current utility prices here, the 9 tray works out to be about
4 cents and hour to operate.
Why don't the units you offer include
a built in timer?
Excalibur does not let any retailer sell the dehydrators with
built in timer. What we recommend is that people go to a local store (Radio
Shack, Home Depot, Wal-mart, Sears or Kmart) and obtain a "appliance timer",
these generally cost about $5-$10, depending on the features. These external timers
can be used for other uses (ie: turning on and off lights when you are on
vacation). (The units with built in timer are about $60 more than
the units than we offer). I personally feel the built-in 26 hour timer can be a
limitation for people in to living and raw foods. This is because the lower the
temperature you are dehydrating at, the LONGER it takes to dehydrate, in some instances,
with the timer model, the unit will shut off before your item being dehydrated is ready.
Do you offer the Excalibur in White?
Yes, we do offer the Excalibur
3500 - 5 Tray and the Excalibur 3900 - 9 Tray in
White. All the White models we offer come with black trays and a black door.
The Excalibur 2400 - 4 Tray is not available in White.
Do you sell the Excalibur 3000 series
dehydrators?
Yes, we are now offering the Excalibur 3000 series dehydrators.
They are the deluxe, upgraded model over the economy 2900 series, and include
upgraded thermostat, upgraded motor, upgraded heating element, upgraded plastics and a 10
year warranty. Click here for the 3900 model and here for
the 3500 model.
What are the specific difference
between the Excalibur economy 2000 series and the Excalibur Deluxe 3000 series
dehydrators? The Excalibur Economy 2000 series and the
Excalibur Deluxe 3000 series dehydrators are the same size and shape, but the components
that make up the dehydrator are upgraded. A good analogy would be a
"stock" car, that has the "normal" engine. You can most often
times order the car with the "upgraded" or more powerful engine. On the
outside, the car looks and even functions the same, but under the hood are different
components. Lets look specifically at the differences one at a time:
Thermostat - the 3000 series has a thermostat that has 5 times
the cycling contact rating as Economy Series in layman's terms, it will last through 5
times normal cycles without it wearing out.
Motor - The 3000 series has an upgraded, higher quality/cost
internal components designed to last longer. The Deluxe Heavy Duty Motor has
different internal components and is rated for heavy, longer use- about 20+ years- it has
different windings, different coatings on the windings, uses different materials and has
different thrust components. The Economy series has a excellent motor but is rated to last
about 10 years. It does not have the upgraded components as the 3000 series motor has.
Heating Elements are made of different metal formulation -
higher rating on the 3000 series and lower on the Economy.
Plastics on the Economy - Food Grade Polycarbonate cases and
tray/screens are Food Grade Polypropylene #5. The plastic on the Deluxe Series are Noryl
and Food Grade Polypropylene #5. Noryl has an increased insulating quality and is better
at lower and higher temperatures and costs more for this reason.
The warranty is twice as long.. on the Deluxe model is
10 years vs the 5 Years on the Economy model.
The 3000 series, currently includes the "Preserve It
Naturally" Book, a 192 page book, which basically covers EVERYTHING you have ever
wanted to know about dehydrating. It's a $24.95 Value.
Do you feel the Excalibur 3000 series
is worth the extra money?
Yes, our opinion is that the Deluxe 3000 series is worth the
extra money. We believe a kitchen appliance should "last" and not be
disposable, like so many are these days.. Currently the difference is about $30.00.
For that $30 you get twice the warranty (Extra 5 Years.. There is no
need to purchase "an extended" warranty). You also get a fabulous book,
that will answer ALL your dehydrator questions, and includes dehydration recipes.
Not to mention all the upgraded components that are designed to last longer. Bottom line
is the 3000 Deluxe series is built to run 24 hours a day for 20+ years - the 2000 Economy
series is built to run 24 hours a day for 5-10 years.
I have heard
that if you set the Excalibur temperature knob at 105 degrees it may not be 105 degrees
inside the dehydrator? Is this correct? Yes, we have had reports of the
same problem. I have spoken with the owner of Excalibur about this subject.
According to Roger Orton, the owner of Excalibur, "Excalibur was never really
designed for Living Foods... Its designed to work on the upper end..."
What happens is that the temperature knob setting on the
dehydrator is the "average" temperature that will be maintained during the
dehydration process. We have heard incidents that the temperature can fluctuate as
much as 15 degrees. In another case, we have heard that the machine is not
calibrated correctly from the factory, so setting the machine at a certain temperature
(say 100 degrees) will result in a constantly hotter or colder temperature(110 degrees or
90 degrees). You would think that if you set the dehydrator at a certain
temperature, it would maintain that exact temperature... This is simply not the case
with the Excalibur. For this reason, we recommend that everyone who is concerned
about the temperature at which their food is dehydrated take matters into their own hands
and monitor the temperature of their dehydrator regardless of where the thermostat on the
dehydrator is set. For this reason, we offer the Taylor
Digital Thermometer and Timer. The digital thermometer will constantly show the
temperature inside the dehydrator (and food temperature) as well as alert you if the
temperature gets hotter than you would like. In addition, the timer option will help
to assist in letting you know when your dehydration job is done. The Taylor
thermometer/timer has a lifetime warranty. In addition, you might want to read the statement Excalibur came out with at the International
Living and Raw Foods Festival regarding the thermostat and temperature.
Im into raw foods, and am considering
the 4 or 5 tray, which one is better?
According to Roger Orton, the founder of Excalibur, says he doesn't recommend
the 2400 (4 tray) for raw food, low temp drying because it's so small. It works
better at higher temperatures and is designed for "treats and jerky." He said
the 5 tray and 9 tray work much better. In our opinion, its better to have
more space, and run the dehydrator half full, than to run out of space. We feel the
11" x 11" usable tray size on the 4 tray model is just too small.
Do you have any hints and tips for
Living and Raw Foodists and dehydration?
Yes, you can read our special web page that
have special dehydrator tips and techniques for raw foodists.
Do you offer any of the dehydrators
in 220 volt models for overseas use?
No, we do not offer 220 volt dehydrators for overseas use. Our dehydrators
are designed for use in the USA. We do not sell Excalibur
Dehydrators for export either directly or indirectly.
How much is shipping?
We pay for UPS GROUND Shipping is to the continental US 48
states for the Excalibur dehydrators.
Can you show me the difference
between the Excalibur 2000 series and 3000 series? Sure. See the video below for the difference
between the 2900 and 3900 dehydator.
Can you show me the difference
between Standard Round Dehydrators and the Excalibur? Sure. See the video below for the difference
between Excalibur and other rear flow dehydrators and a Standard round (or bottom fan)
dehydrator.
What size dehydrator do you
recommend?
We recommend the Excalibur 9 tray model, for an average size family. Since
the cost per square foot of drying space is the least expensive. With the Excalibur
units, you can't add more space, but when your dehydrating, you can quickly run out of
space. You can always run the dehydrator when it is not full. Of course, if your not
going to dry much, the smaller 4 or 5 tray model would probably be best. Please see
the video below for further information:
Excalibur®, Parallex™ and
Teflex™ are registered trademarks of Excalibur/Killer Baits Inc.
