Excalibur 3926tb vs 3900b

In the Excalibur 3926TB vs. 3900b comparison, you have two very similar food dehydrators from the American-made Excalibur brand. Excalibur is known for making high-quality food dehydrators.

The brand stands behind its products by offering long warranties. Although there is very little that separates these two machines, the differences could impact your purchase decision.

Below, I’ve outlined the differences and similarities between these two machines to help you make the best decision.

Excalibur 3926tb – Click here to see the price

Excalibur 3900b – Click here to see the price

EXCALIBUR 3926TB VS 3900B: WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Other Food Dehydrators To Consider:

• Nesco FD-1040 Gardenmaster Food Dehydrator Review
• NutriChef PKFD12 Kitchen Electric Countertop Food Dehydrator, Food Preserver, White Review

Appearance. Size. Space. Capacity.

The dimensions for both machines are 19 x 17 x 12.5 inches and 22 pounds. The capacity is 15 square feet which is perfect for preparing a lot of dried foods at once. Both are available in white or black. Either machine will leave a significant footprint on your countertop.

Depending on your living arrangements and use, you may need to set up your dehydrator in a location other than your kitchen. For example, my kitchen is rather small, so we’d be better off setting up the dehydrator in the basement or garage, perhaps. Also, they aren’t beautiful appliances. So you might not want to have yours displayed in the kitchen anyhow.

Hyperwave Fluctuation Technology

As with anything else in life, you get what you pay for. Food dehydrators are no different. With other dehydrators, the heating element provides a consistent unchanging heat source. This process can cause “case hardening.” The food will be dry on the outside and moist on the inside. This is the perfect environment for bacteria and other pathogen growth. Not good.

Excalibur Food dehydrators work much differently. With the Hyperwave fluctuation technology, the temperature moves up and down. When the temp moves down, the inner moisture moves to the surface. When the temp moves up, the surface moisture evaporates. This is part of what makes Excalibur dehydrators special.

Trays

Both machines have nine trays equal 15 square feet, which means that you can prepare many quality dried foods at once. But is that too much space for you? Personally, I’d rather have too many trays than too few. Also, consider this, Excalibur models with fewer trays will still take up the same amount of horizontal space.

So you don’t actually save any counter space by getting a unit with fewer trays. But, on the other hand, you can remove trays to account for the height of any food item, and the tray inserts are easily cleaned.

Temperature Control

Both machines (Excalibur 3926tb vs 3900b) have back-mounted fans and distribute heat evenly across all 9 trays, which means you don’t have to worry about rotating trays. The temp range is from 105 degrees to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This range means that you can safely dehydrate meats or fruits. Through improvement over generations, Excalibur has mastered temp control in their food dehydrators.

Preserve It Naturally Book

The Excalibur “Preserve It Naturally” book is included with the Excalibur 3900b but not the Excalibur 3926tb. This book shows you exactly how to make fruit roll-ups, dry herbal teas, and even make yogurt and crafts. I’m sure that you could find recipes and how-tos on youtube.

Timer

The 26-hour timer is a feature only available on the Excalibur 3926tb. It shuts off automatically when your dried foods are ready. It’s a very convenient feature, but it might not be necessary for you. You can buy a shut-off timer from a hardware store for a few bucks. You know, those timers people use for their Christmas lights. If you do go this route, make sure the one you pick up can handle the load of your food dehydrator.

Price

The price difference (if there is one at the time that you buy) will most likely result from the timer feature. But, of course, you never know what the price might be when you are ready to purchase. You can see the price of the Excalibur 3926tb here or click here to see the price for the Excalibur 3900.

Comparison Chart

	You can see that the Excalibur 3926tb has two dials.	The Excalibur 3900b has just one dial to control the temperature.
Dimensions:	19 inches x 17 inches x 12.5 inches; 22 pounds	19 inches x 17 inches x 12.5 inches; 22 pounds
Color:	Black, White	Black, White
Accessories:	None	"Preserve It Naturally" book
Capacity:	15 sq. ft.	15 sq. ft.
Number of Trays:	9	9
Manufacturing Country:	United States	United States
Timer:	Yes	No
Materials:	Plastic	Plastic
Warranty:	10 years	10 years

Customer Reviews

There are many satisfied customers for both food dehydrators in the Excalibur 3926tb vs. 3900b (or 3900 vs. 3926t) comparison.  Customers have stated that although the dehydrators are big, they can fit under the cabinet. They are also blown away by the quality. Some customers have had an Excalibur dehydrator for decades. On the flip side, some customers have stated that these dehydrators are loud, but others say the opposite.

Excalibur 3926tb vs. 3900b Summary

There isn’t a “best” in the Excalibur 3926tb vs. 3900b (3926t vs. 3900) product comparison. Both are great choices. So, it comes down to this: Do you need a timer? This decision could be influenced by how often you plan on using the device. Do you plan on using it 4 or 5 times a week? Will you want to have it in use while you’re away from your home? If so, you may want the Excalibur 3926b for the timer.

But the Excalibur 3900 comes with the “Preserve It Naturally” book; the Excalibur 3926tb does not come with it.

If I were in the market to replace my used basic Nesco food dehydrator, I’d probably go with the Excalibur 3900. Keep in mind, traditionally, products that have additional features also cost more. Please note, I’ve done a lot of research, and I haven’t come across another food dehydrator brand that is as respected as Excalibur.