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Excalibur food dehydrator: match the series to your routine

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

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Quick answer

Read the complete model code before choosing an Excalibur food dehydrator. Select DH06SCSS13 has six chrome trays and straightforward time and temperature controls. Performance DH10SSSS13 has ten stainless steel trays and two programmable drying phases. Their cabinet descriptions, accessories and timer claims need careful matching; both manuals contain run-limit and cleaning conflicts to resolve before purchase.

Read the tray description separately from the cabinet name

A stainless steel cabinet title does not establish stainless steel food trays. Excalibur's Select DH06SCSS13 page specifies chrome trays; its Performance DH10SSSS13 page specifies stainless steel trays. Decide which supplied parts and care routine you want, then match the full model on the offer and manual.

Current maker example	Included trays and listed area	Controls and access
Select DH06SCSS13	6 chrome trays, 9.6 sq ft	Single time/temperature program; French doors
Performance DH10SSSS13	10 stainless steel trays, 16 sq ft	Two drying phases; viewing window and door that stores beneath the unit

Both listed areas work out to 1.6 square feet per supplied tray. The larger model adds 6.4 square feet of nominal tray area. That is extra loading surface, not a guarantee of more finished food per hour. Preparation, spacing and the food's drying endpoint still determine the batch.

The Performance page currently shows sold out. Check current maker and Amazon offer status before relying on delivery for a harvest; a visible product page does not guarantee immediate availability.

Choose the controls you will use, then check the limits

The Select example offers temperatures from 85 to 165 F and a timer up to 60 hours. The Performance example has the same listed temperature range with programming up to 80 hours and two separate time-and-temperature phases. Its progress bar follows the programmed cycle; it does not measure moisture inside the food.

Choose the simpler controls if your routine uses a single programmed interval with checks along the way. Consider Performance if you have a suitable preservation method that benefits from changing programmed settings. A second phase is a scheduling feature, not a separate food-safety approval.

Resolve an important conflict before relying on a long program. Both current series manuals also prohibit running longer than 48 hours at a time and require unplugging and cooling for two hours afterward. That safety instruction conflicts with the longer selectable timers. Ask Excalibur how those instructions apply to the exact model; do not assume the largest timer setting permits an uninterrupted run of that length.

The maker rates the selected Select at 600 W and Performance at 800 W. These published ratings do not establish measured electricity used by a batch. Heater operation and drying duration affect actual consumption.

Understand documented fan variation without overlooking faults

Excalibur links a fan-speed advisory from the current product pages. It describes an automatic brief reduction in fan speed as part of temperature control. The manuals also describe periodic variation. Someone replacing an older continuously running machine should read that explanation before assuming every audible change means the same fault.

The advisory does not establish that any stopped fan, unusual noise or failure to heat is normal. If the behavior differs from the instructions, stop using a malfunctioning appliance and contact support with its model and serial details. The manuals direct users to the maker for sensor and control faults. Do not open the electrical housing or put anything through the fan guard to investigate.

Before buying, compare access as well as electronics. Select's French doors and Performance's viewing window and under-unit door arrangement involve different movements at the counter. Leave the prescribed ventilation and enough usable room to remove trays. Neither a door window nor airflow marketing replaces checking the actual food.

Match screens, liners and cleaning to this generation

The current manuals list a poly screen and a crumb tray with the machines. Do not read that as a full set of specialty liners for every shelf. A screen for shrinking pieces and a sheet for puree perform different jobs; check the intended food and exact accessory fit before ordering extras.

Older Excalibur offers may use different tray shapes, controls or accessory lists. A sheet advertised for a different series is not automatically compatible because the brand matches. Use the current manual and maker confirmation for the actual model, particularly when replacing an older machine.

Cleaning guidance also needs clarification. The product pages call the trays dishwasher-safe, and a manual diagram says trays may go in the dishwasher. Yet the cleaning sections recommend hand-washing trays and screens and say dishwashing is not recommended. Confirm the instructions for the supplied tray material. The poly screen is specifically hand-wash only.

Unplug and let the appliance cool before cleaning. Wipe the interior as directed; never immerse the electrical housing. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaning materials. Include the space and time to wash and dry the parts when deciding how large a machine to buy.

Keep meat-temperature checks separate from drying settings

The manuals' jerky section says meat will reach 160 F at a 155 F dial setting, and its example recipe places marinated meat directly into drying. NDSU Extension instead explains USDA's recommendation to heat raw meat to 160 F and raw poultry to 165 F before dehydration. These are different instructions.

Follow the appropriate Extension preservation method and verify the required food temperature rather than relying on the maker's dial claim. NDSU recommends an instant-read digital thermometer for thin meat strips and warns that dial settings can be inaccurate. A thermometer is separate preparation equipment; it does not upgrade the dehydrator or replace the complete method.

Use food-specific guidance for preparation, safe handling and final dryness. Do not apply the cabinet's high setting or a generic timer to every meat, fruit or vegetable. If you want to compare appliance formats across brands, the dehydrator selection guide covers those broader choices.

Finish the batch before counting it as pantry food

Buying an Excalibur does not complete an emergency-food reserve. NCHFP advises cooling dried food completely before packaging it in clean, dry containers. Warm food can release moisture inside the package. Store suitable finished products cool, dry and dark, and pack useful portions so opening one package does not repeatedly expose the whole batch.

Dried fruit also needs conditioning under the NCHFP method to equalize remaining moisture. Check for condensation and return affected fruit for more drying as directed before final packaging. Continue checking stored food; discard moldy food. A vacuum bag does not rescue spoiled or inadequately prepared contents.

Choose around that full routine: the tray material you can care for, controls you understand, a batch you can prepare and inspect, and packaging you can finish. Resolve the manual conflicts and confirm compatible parts before placing the order.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

Is every stainless Excalibur supplied with stainless trays?

No. The current Select DH06SCSS13 page lists chrome trays, while Performance DH10SSSS13 lists stainless steel trays. Read the exact model and included parts rather than assuming the cabinet title describes every component.

Which Excalibur nine-tray offer should I buy?

Verify its complete model code and obtain the matching maker manual and accessory guidance. Do not transfer the Select or Performance specifications here to an older nine-tray listing merely because both carry the Excalibur name.

Can I use parchment paper for fruit leather?

The opened series manuals list parchment among fruit-leather surfaces. Follow the specific model and food instructions, maintain the required airflow and confirm the liner fit; that reference does not approve every paper or covering for every purpose.

Is fan-speed variation always a problem?

The maker documents brief automatic variation for these current products. That does not diagnose every stoppage or abnormal sound as normal. Stop using a malfunctioning appliance and ask support to assess the exact behavior and model.

Sources

• Select DH06SCSS13 current trays, area and controls, Excalibur
• Performance DH10SSSS13 current trays, phases and availability, Excalibur
• Select series manual 020426, safety, accessories, care and recipes, Excalibur
• Performance series manual 030226, safety, accessories, care and recipes, Excalibur
• Fan-speed fluctuation advisory linked from current products, Excalibur
• Jerky FN2266, USDA preheating and thermometer guidance, NDSU Extension
• Packaging and storing dried foods, conditioning and spoilage, National Center for Home Food Preservation

Sources checked 2026-10-15.