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You might be hearing the brand name Excalibur® among food drying enthusiasts online and offline. Who doesn’t? Excalibur® has been manufacturing food dehydrator machines since 1973 in Sacramento, California. One of the models available is the Excalibur D500CDSHD 5-tray, Stainless Steel, Clear Door food dehydrator which we will feature in this article.
Table of Contents
Features of the Excalibur D500CDSHD
The Excalibur D500CDSHD measures 8½” high, 17″ wide, and 19″ deep. It weighs 14 pounds, a little bit lighter than other 5-tray food dehydrators. Its exterior is made of metal while the interior is made of high-quality plastic material.
Each of the five trays measures 15″ x 15″ and is made of stainless steel, not plastic. It has a detachable clear door that allows you to see the drying progress. It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 105°F to 165°F.
Customers living outside the United States who use 220 volts should purchase the model D502CDSHD with proper plug type from a local distributor. Warranty varies from country to country, though.
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Pros
Excalibur® has a patented Hyperwave technology and horizontal Parrallex drying that removes water and moisture from food. With its 5″ rear-mounted fan and 400 watts of power, it provides a continuous circulation within a thermostatically-controlled warm air. These are the things that make the Excalibur D500CDSHD efficient and user-friendly.
The outer stainless steel and modern appearance lend a touch of class to your kitchen counter. And even though the inner walls are made of high-quality plastic, the food does not touch them while drying on the stainless steel trays.
Cons
The only downside that we could see in this unit is the lack of space-filling in all the five trays, especially when drying bulky vegetables like kale and cauliflower.
Of course, a noise comes in all kitchen appliances but that’s only relative and can be tolerated.
Lastly, a digital thermostat and timer would make literally make this the ultimate dehydrator but it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
Final Thoughts
We have featured different Excalibur® models already and so far, this seems to be better than the rest. Its stainless steel exterior, clear door, and stainless steel trays which allow for a sturdy enclosure. The overall quality of this product is great and we highly recommend it if you’re looking to get serious with food dehydration.
If this model is a little too much for you, consider taking a look at our other recommended dehydrators here!