Questions on 4-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator 2400

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• From Vicki Satta at 10/13/11 1:05 PM
  • I need a food dehydrator for dehydrating raw pumpkin seeds for the enzymes. I'm supposed to dehydrate at 105 degrees. Will both 4 and 5-tray models work?
    
    Other than 5 trays, what is the difference between the 2 versions other than the extreme price difference? I don't want to spend $150 for something I'm not even sure to use on a frequent basis.
    
    Sell me please... why should I buy the 5-tray version?
  • Hi Vicki,
    
    Thank you for inquiring about our Excalibur Dehydrators. Both the 4- and 5-tray models will meet your needs, temperature-wise. The main difference in the two models is dehydrating space. The 4-Tray has 4 square feet of drying area. The 5-Tray has double that amount, 8 square feet. So if you would like to dehydrate large batches at once, the 5-Tray model is the way to go. Another difference is that there is the option of ordering stainless steel trays for the 5-Tray, if you prefer SS to the paraflexx non-stick sheets. Stainless steel trays are not an option for the 4-tray model.
    
    Both models offer the same 5-year manufacturer's warranty and, according to the manufacturer, use the same amount of electricity per hour.
    
    I hope this information helps you make a decision. Please let us know if you have any more questions. Thank you.
    
    Suzanne
    
    
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• From Lisa at 11/15/11 8:09 PM
  • How much yogurt can the 4 tray and the 5 tray dehydrators make? Is it possible to monitor the temp during the process? What type of container do you use for the yogurt? (I want to use glass.) Also I need to ferment it for 24 hours; is that a problem? Thank you very much.
  • The amount of yogurt you could make would depend on what size container you can fit into the space. You can use any appropriate container. Glass is recommended, or food-grade plastic that can be heated to 110 degrees. You should be able to culture most yogurts for 24 hours, although you may get some separation, and you also run the risk of having the cultures run out of food and weaken or die. If you use a direct-set starter, or use a fresh culture each time, you don't have to worry about that.
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• From Donna at 12/14/11 9:00 PM
  • Can you tell me the temperature range on the 4 and 6 tray models? Are they low enough for kombucha?
  • The settings on the dial range from 95 - 155 but you can get a lower temperature by barely turning the dial on and/or leaving the door open. At that point they run around 80 degrees depending on ambient temp.​ Kombucha should culture at about 70 to 78. Usually it cultures for at least a week, so a dehydrator might not be the best option for kombucha.
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• From J B at 2/7/12 8:31 AM
  • What are the trays made of, the parts that are actually touching the food? Metal? Plastic? Silicon?
    
    
  • The trays are made from BPA free plastic. The Paraflexx sheets are made from silicone. There are also stainless steel trays, available for purchase separately, on our website.
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• From MRS at 3/2/12 10:09 PM
  • I'm interested in using a dehydrator to make natto. Can the heat in the dehydrator be controlled so that the natto stays at 100F? Thanks.
  • Yes, the dehydrator is perfect for making natto. You will also find other uses for your dehydrator here: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/10-ways-to-use-a-food-dehydrator
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