Dehydrator Review: Excalibur 2900 Economy Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator

Excalibur 2900 Economy Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator - Black

The Excalibur 2900 is a large dehydrator that sits just below its (more expensive) cousin, the Excalibur 3900. With 9 large trays (each measuring approximately 15" x 15") the Excalibur 2900 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 2900 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 2900 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 2900 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 to the 3900 - 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

Consumer feedback:

Customer feedback on the Excalibur 2900 is good - currently 4.4 out of 5 with 67 reviews on Amazon. Here is a sampling of the many positive comments:

The Excalibur is easy to clean and easy to use. I give it my highest satisfaction rating, and encourage anyone who wants a quality dehydrator to purchase this one

It's true, this is an awesome machine. Very fast, fairly even drying, large trays, huge capacity. My main complaint is that the fan is rather loud...

I'm lovin' my dehydrator. It's elegant, efficent and nearly perfect. Easy to load, easy to clean and provides a TON of drying space.

And a few more critical comments:

I just bought this and the heating element does not work. The directions tell you to take it apart, and change the fuse.

The product wasn't quite what I expected. Quite frankly, it was a little 'cheap' feeling and looking. I expected it to be sturdier. So... three stars for construction/cheapness, four stars for the quality and speed of the dehydration process.

Bottom line:

The Excalibur 2900 is a large capacity dehydrator with a proven design. Like the Excalibur 3900, it's not the quietest dehydrator around, but it's a basic workhorse dehydrator without frills that gets the job done. Most users are very satisfied. If you feel that the 2900 is a good fit for you, you may also want to evaluate the Excalibur 3900. The 3900 has upgraded components and the option of a 10 year extended warranty (for an additional $30).

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Compare to other dehydrators

Manufacturer link

Pricing

Retail price:

$ 250.00

Current price:

$ 219.95

Savings:

$30.05

Savings %:

12%

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Rating

Rating:

4.6

Review ct:

479

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, 5 Year Extended Warranty Available

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
5 year extended warranty available
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 have complained about the unit being too loud

Product details

Name:

Excalibur 2900 Economy Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator - Black

Name short:

Excalibur 2900

Brand:

Excalibur

Country:

USA

Model:

ED2900ECB

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 - 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 2900

Love mine! Easy to use and clean. Does a great job, is quiet and makes dehydrating easy.

Excalibur is worth every penny

Have done three batches of jerky and this machine is the real,deal. Quiet, easy to load and unload, and dries evenly on all trays. No rotation needed! We love it!