Excalibur 5-Tray Digital Dehydrator 4548CDB

The Excalibur 4548CDB 5 Tray Digital Food Dehydrator is the American brand’s only digital 5 tray model available in Australia. Perfect for those who love a little bit of tech in the kitchen yet are also conscious of space this machine is the mid price range 5 tray model on offer from this iconic dehydrator company. Still perfect for those with lots of produce to dehydrator it comes with a clear door to allow you to see your food at any time, a 48 hour timer and a digital controller that allows you to set 2 different temperatures over 2 different times automatically adjusting as per your command. This machine offers 8 square feet of drying space and weighs just 7.5kg.

When Size Matters

Before you buy a food dehydrator you need to consider 2 things, firstly where will it sit in your home and secondly how much produce will I be dehydrating?

This dehydrator is 43cm wide by 24cm deep by 48cm” high. The 4548CDB offers a superb 8 square foot of dehydrating space. It is perfect for those with fruit trees nearby or for those that find they are throwing out raw food each week. This dehydrator allows for lots of Mangos, Apples, beef jerky or whatever other dehydrated foods you enjoy.

How does this machine work?

Excalibur patented their Parallex Horizontal Air Flow. It’s something that sets Excalibur apart from the other brands. The air is drawn in via the fan that is situated at the back of the machine. It flows through a heating element and is evenly distributed across all the trays inside the unit. The combination of heat and airflow causes the foods to dry.

Excalibur’s awesome digital technology allows you to set 2 different temperatures for example you can choose a high setting for a period of time followed by a lower setting for a period of time. The machine does it all, you don’t have to worry about coming back and making changes. It will auto shut off when it’s done.

Once you have laid out all of your food on the drying trays, you slide them into the machine and simply hang the door back on the front.

How does the Timer work?

Simply press the plus or minus button to choose your the number of hours you wish for the unit to work for and when the time is up the machine automatically switches off.

You have up to 48 hours.

What is the Temperature range?

The Excalibur 4548CDB has a temperature range of 35°C-74°C. This is a decent range and will allow you to dehydrate a large amount of foods and is also perfect for Yoghurt.

One thing to consider is destruction of enzymes in your food which can happen when they are exposed to too high temperatures. The lowest settings on the 4548CDB will ensure that the enzymes are preserved whilst your are drying.

Also however you need the temperatures to be high enough to kill bacteria when you are drying meats. So thankfully this machine’s temperature range is high enough to do so.

You can learn more about Meat safety when making Jerky here (page 34) 

How do the Temperature settings work?

One of the great bits of science around these machines is that that the temperature setting is actually designed to manage the temperature that you wish the food itself to be maintained at, rather than the air inside. This is because the moisture inside the food is being evaporated, its the moisture that keeps food cooler.

This allows you to control either the prevention of destroying enzymes or inhibiting the growth of bacteria and mould.

Are the machines made in the USA?

Yes in Sacramento California.

Are these machines easy to clean?

Yes, the trays are dishwasher safe but the mesh screens are done by hand with soapy water.

What does BPA Free mean?

The machine is BPA free throughout, the trays are made from food grade plastic. This means that there will be no harmful fumes let out during the drying process. Not all brands are made from these food safe materials so be sure to ask for a certificate.

Is it a loud Machine?

Not too loud, perhaps on a par with a Microwave or small portable fan. Some people choose to put these in their garage due to the size. If you don’t like the noise it makes then this is also an option.

What comes in the Box?

The Dehydrator, 5 drying trays, 9 x Mesh Sheets and a guide to dehydration book which has some recipe ideas and explanations.

What are the Non Stick Sheets ?

Excalibur offers 3 types of Non stick sheet, all of which are available here at Love Your Health Australia.

Paraflexx Ultra Silicone Non Stick Drying Sheets – These are non-stick and BPA free. They are made of silicon so can be used for Baking also.

Paraflexx Premium Non Stock Drying Sheets – Only for dehydrating and again BPA free.

Paraflexx Disposable Non Stick Drying Sheets – Made of parchment, use once only. Come in a pack of 100 sheets.

Can I do more than dry Food?

Yes you can. Many crafters use dehydrators for drying flowers, dough sculptures and making potpourri.

You can also use it to raise bread dough.

What is my Warranty?

The Excalibur 4548CDB 5-Tray without Timer is covered by an Australian warranty of 2 years domestic use. Problems with Excalibur are infrequent but should you encounter one, replacement parts can be shipped to you without having to send the machine overseas.

Video Review

Please note that this video comes from outside of Australia

Dehydrator Recipe Book pdf

Free 60 Page Dehydrator Recipe Book Download

5 Great Reasons to buy your Food Dehydrator from Love Your Health Australia