Excalibur Food Dehydrator

The following information is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness.

The Sunbeam Excalibur Food Dehydrator series is one of the best on the market. Raw foodists who frequently use dehydration techniques to prepare complex raw food recipes as well as dried fruit and vegetable snacks often use an Excalibur food dehydrator because it is larger and more versatile than standard dehydrators.

Besides coming in both 5-tray and 9-tray models, the Excalibur is distinguishable because it is built in a box shape, unlike standard circular food dehydrators. The shape is due to a rear mounted heating system as opposed to a bottom positioned heater like standard dehydrators. They are also equipped with an adjustable thermostat for further control over the dehydrating process. The advanced features of the Sunbeam Excalibur make it more costly than other dehydrators, but many people believe the price difference is well worth it.


The Excalibur is currently available in a 2000 series and a 3000 series. Both five tray (2500, 3500) and nine tray (2900, 3900) models are available in both series and they appear to be exactly the same; however, the 3000 series contains some advanced features like a heavy duty motor and higher grade thermostat and heating element. There is a slight price difference, but if you plan to use the dehydrator more than 2 times a week, getting a 3000 series model would be ideal.

Non-commercial food dehydrators do not normally compare to their commercial counterparts, but the Sunbeam Excalibur 3900 electric food dehydrator is a delightful exception. With nine trays and front loading similar to an oven, the Excalibur 3900 provides enough space to dehydrate food in bulk and even remove trays to accommodate thicker foods like raw breads recipes without compromising quantity or quality.

The square trays allow you to prepare elegant dishes and portion servings neatly and easily, unlike circular dehydrators. Although it uses a heavy duty motor to deliver consistent, even heat flow with its proprietary Turbo Charge Parallexx^® Drying System, the motor is very quiet, so you can truly set it and forget it. The Excalibur food dehydrator is the cornerstone of the gourmet raw kitchen.