If you are tired of trying too many kinds of dehydrator in the market, perhaps it is about time to consider the Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator. This one may cost a lot compared to the other brands and models, but it is actually the best you can get for the money.
Most round tower-type dehydrators I found normally have flimsy trays and they crack too easily, while the holes on the trays are just too big to use with herbs or diced foods that you must use the mesh inserts. Between each tray, you only have about -inch space which is not enough to dry bulky items like flowers or granola. As for making fruit leather, it is certainly more efficient to have them made of square shape rather than round, especially with the hole in the middle. Not mentioning the shredded mess to begin with the peeling off process of the tray and rolled up, also imagine the sticky mess they have once they have stored for a while. Considering the motor system on the bottom, any food or juices may fall through the cracks and later will shorten the life of the machine. As for the drying process, these units normally have uneven dryness the bottom trays will dry quicker than the top ones, while the center dries quicker than the edges. Some models which come with similar design recently added temperature controls, but this will only does little good as there is more heat on the bottom than the top. Some even have very loud motor that one user told me she had to run the unit on the porch because of the loud noise it made.
Units from L’Equip are actually among the best dehydrator on the market, they are quieter and come with 10-year-warranty, also have temperature controls. However, they also have many faults of the round models and few benefits of the square-shaped dehydrator like Excalibur. They still have a hole in the middle, and still dry unevenly, and while they have deeper trays you cant dry flowers with them. The motor of the LEquip unit is also on the bottom that if you dry berries in it they will leak on the motor and kill the unit. Although the customer service works terrifically on giving replacement units without hassle, considering how the accident could likely happen again, replacing is actually not a great solution.
If you are serious about dehydrating foods, there are features of Excalibur 3900 you may like:
- The heat source and fan are placed in the back, so that the air can be distributed evenly throughout the chamber. You will not find uneven drying spots with the unit other than the way you place the food.
- The timer can be set according to your needs. Once you set it there is no need for you to wait on it, you can leave it doing its job while you do some other activities, or simply leave it overnight before you go to bed. When youre back the unit might have turned off automatically.
- The temperature control lets you choose low heats for herbs and flowers, or higher heat for fruits and jerky.
- The square trays make it easy for fruit leather to be cut into strips and rolled. Simply line the trays with plastic wrap and spread the fruit puree out. When it is dry you can cut the leather into 2-inch wide strips then roll them up and secure with the tail end of the plastic wrap. The plastic shall peel off easily when you are going to eat the fruit leather.
- The big trays allow you to pack a lot of food into the unit. So at the height of the summer harvest when theres a non-stop stream of food to dry, you can use the unit and dry everything you wish to dry.
- There are mesh liner on all trays. It allows you to dry herbs, diced onions and chopped fruits without worrying that the pieces will fall to the tray below and contaminate the food on it.
- The trays are also removable, so if you have bulky items like flowers, herbs, granola, etc, you can remove every other tray and have more room or extra -inch space.
- If you wish to make sourdough or yoghurt, the unit, Excalibur 3900, can make a great proofing box to culture them, especially if you like to make it in larger containers. Just make sure it is well-covered, preventing the moving air from drying them out
The big trays of the unit however will give challenge in cleaning as it wont fit your dishwasher. You may need a large sink or wash it outdoor with old fashion tubs on a stand.
Overall, I do think the unit worth its high price, especially because it comes with a 10-year warranty. A user even claimed that the money she saved ever year on herbs would pay what it originally costs her, as if saying that the unit paid for itself 15 times over within 15 years of use.
Click here to know more what other users said about this wonderful unit, Excalibur 3900.
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