Dehydrator Review: Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Non-Timer Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator

The Excalibur 3900 is a large dehydrator in the upper range of the consumer market. Excalibur is a family-owned business operating for over 30 years and has a well-established reputation for quality and reliability. Many people consider the Excalibur 3900 a standard against which other larger dehydrators should be compared. With 9 large trays (each measuring approximately 15" x 15") the Excalibur 3900 has about 15 sq ft of dehydrating capacity, making it a good fit for families, people with active gardens, sportsmen, or people who dehydrate a lot of food on a regular basis.

The unit has a large 7" rear mounted fan and heating element, which blows air horizontally from the back to the front of the machine. This arrangement helps to provide an even dehydration process and eliminates the need to rotate trays because of the horizontal airflow. Also, because the trays are all removable, you can remove every other tray when needed to dry bulkier foods. Each of the 9 included trays comes with a mesh liner. The design of the 3900 is basic but functional. The external case and trays are made from light-blocking polycarbonate ABS plastic. The controls are mounted at the top-rear of the unit, which could be a bit inconvenient when the unit sits on a counter under cabinets. The Excalibur 3900 does not have a power switch or timer, but it does have an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 85º - 145ºF. The front door of the 3900 does not have a hinge but rather lifts off the unit entirely to provide completely open access to all trays.

Note on comparing the Excalibur 2900 - these units have identical form factors and performance specs. However, the 3900 has several upgraded components and an optional extended warranty:

Higher Cycle Life Thermostat
Higher Duty Rating
Heating Element
Heavy Duty Motor
Higher Grade Plastic Components
10 Year Extended Warranty Available directly from the manufacturer

Consumer feedback:

Customer feedback on the Excalibur 3900 is almost universally positive. Here is a sampling of the many positive comments:

I've used virtually every dehydrator on the market and even a few home-made versions. Trust me when I say that this dehydrator is the best you can get for the money.

Excellent!!! A great product from Excalibur, 100% recommended. It's easy to use, easy to clean, and great to dehydrate.

I now have 8 Excalibur dehydrators for my business and they work great. Simple and easy to use

Negative comments tend to be focused on the plain design, the size, or the fan noise. For example:

The only thing I do not like is the fan noise. It is not overly obtrusive, but it is "there" all the time. We are considering putting it in a less-used room of the house.

I wish it would look sleeker, not just a big, black plastic box.

Just want to warn other first-time purchasers, this appliance is quite loud

Bottom line:

The Excalibur 3900 is a large capacity dehydrator with a proven design. It's not the quietest dehydrator around, but it's a workhorse dehydrator that gets the job done. We recommend the Excalibur 3900 to readers looking for an efficient dehydrator that can manage large batches of food.

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Compare to other dehydrators

Manufacturer link

Pricing

Retail price:

$ 202.00

Current price:

$ 189.45

Savings:

$12.55

Savings %:

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Rating

Rating:

4.6

Review ct:

871

Key Features

Key features:

Large capacity - comes with 9 large trays for about 15 sq ft of dehydrating area
Polycarbonate Trays with Polyscreen inserts
Built In On/Off Switch
Adjustable thermostat, ranging from 85º - 145ºF
Heavy Duty 7" rear-mounted fan, 600 watts
Horizontal back-to-front airflow
Opaque plastic blocks light to preserve nutrients
Made in the U.S.A.
1 Year Manufacturers Warranty, 10 Year Extended Warranty Available directly from the manufacturer for an additional $29.00

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Large capacity (about 15 sq ft with all 9 trays)
Adjustable thermostat (85º - 145ºF)
Drying guide is printed next to temperature controls for easy reference
Large 7" fan with horizontal airflow provides even heating and makes it unnecessary to rotate trays
Available with a 10 year extended warranty
Proven, reliable brand and design

Cons:

Compared to some of the newer premium consumer models, the design is somewhat basic
Controls are at the rear of the unit
Some users feel that the unit is too loud

Product details

Name:

Excalibur 3900 Deluxe Non-Timer Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator

Name short:

Excalibur 3900

Brand:

Excalibur

Country:

USA

Model:

3900

Type:

Shelf

Tray size:

15” x 15”

Tray area:

1.7 sq ft

Trays (base):

Trays (max):

Dry area (base):

15.0 sq ft

Dry area (max):

15.0 sq ft

Timer:

Power button:

Yes

Wattage:

600 Watts

Fan:

Heavy Duty 7" fan

Air flow:

Back to front horizontal-airflow distributed evenly on all the trays

Warranty:

1 Year

Material:

ABS Plastic

Colors:

Black / White - All units come with a Black Door and Black Trays

Dimensions:

17(W) x 19(D) x 12.5(H) inches

Temp range:

85º - 145ºF

Weight:

22 lbs.

Comments

Excalibur Dehydrator

Could you please advise if there is an Excalibur stockist in New Zealand

Shipping to New Zealand

Amazon lists New Zealand as one of the countries items can be shipped. http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201074230&linkCode=xm2&tag=dehydrevie-20 Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks, Lisa

Temperature range

Can you confirm the temperature range? You have written 85-145 degree but the Excalibur website says 105◦F to 165◦F.

Temp range .web says 105 to 165 , mine 85 to 145 ?

3900 series

3900 model

Had model 3900 for 18 months and then the blower motor burned out

3900 model

fan motor blew same situation as above comment.

Excalibur not worth it

Once upon a time, one of the benefits of the Excalibur was the ability to replace broken parts. Years ago, my fan died, and I was able to order a replacement and install it myself. Recently, my thermostat broke. I can order a new one for $30, but the company is charging from $94 to $222 to ship me this $30 part. Yes, it's a great product. But why pay the premium if you can't extend its life by fixing broken parts? Better to go with cheaper option like Nesco, which will last as long and be cheaper to replace.