EXExcalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur 9-Tray Food Dehydrator
Excalibur's 9-tray dehydrator uses horizontal airflow for even drying.
Excalibur 9-Tray vs NESCO Snackmaster Pro
Excalibur 9-Tray vs NESCO Snackmaster Pro: we break down the real differences, strengths, tradeoffs, and which one fits your situation.
- BuyOnceRight Research Desk
- Updated
- 3 min read
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Quick verdict
Both are credible options, the right choice depends on which strengths matter more to you. If still torn, the buying guide linked below walks through the decision step by step.
The details
Head-to-head
The differences that actually change the buying decision.
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Short Answer | Buy the NESCO if you're trying dehydrating for the first time, want to keep upfront cost low, and don't mind rotating trays partway through longer cycles. | See full breakdown below. |
| Where They Match | Core temperature coverage: Both reach the 160°F-plus needed for the meat safe-start step and drop low enough for fruit and vegetables. | Reliability: Both are long-established names with large numbers of positive owner reviews behind them. |
| Where Excalibur Wins | Airflow evenness: Horizontal airflow across all 9 trays means no rotation, a meaningful convenience for long overnight cycles. | Capacity per run: 15 square feet handles large jerky, fruit, or vegetable batches in a single session where the NESCO would need multiple runs. |
| Where NESCO Wins | Price: At roughly a third of the Excalibur's cost, the NESCO is the lower-risk way to find out whether you'll actually use a dehydrator regularly. | Footprint: The compact stackable design fits smaller kitchens and storage spaces more easily than the bulkier Excalibur. |
| Who Should Buy Each | NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro: first dehydrator, tighter budget, comfortable rotating trays for even results. | Excalibur D900CDSHD on Amazon |
| See Also | Excalibur 9-Tray Dehydrator Review, full Excalibur review NESCO Snackmaster Pro Review, full NESCO review Best Food Dehydrators for Jerky, full category | See full breakdown below. |
| Frequently Asked Questions | Best Food Dehydrators for Homemade Dog Treats: Top PicksFood Dehydrators · List Best Food Dehydrators for Fruit Leather: Top Picks for Smooth, Even SheetsFood Dehydrators · List Best Food Dehydrators | See full breakdown below. |
Decide
Which should you buy?
Choose the Excalibur 9-Tray Food Dehydrator if…
- Price: At roughly a third of the Excalibur's cost, the NESCO is the lower-risk way to find out whether you'll actually use a dehydrator regularly.
- Footprint: The compact stackable design fits smaller kitchens and storage spaces more easily than the bulkier Excalibur.
Choose the NESCO Snackmaster Pro if…
- Buy the NESCO if you're trying dehydrating for the first time, want to keep upfront cost low, and don't mind rotating trays partway through longer cycles.
- Capacity per run: 15 square feet handles large jerky, fruit, or vegetable batches in a single session where the NESCO would need multiple runs.
- Price: At roughly a third of the Excalibur's cost, the NESCO is the lower-risk way to find out whether you'll actually use a dehydrator regularly.
The Short Answer
Buy the NESCO if you're trying dehydrating for the first time, want to keep upfront cost low, and don't mind rotating trays partway through longer cycles.
Where They Match
Core temperature coverage: Both reach the 160°F-plus needed for the meat safe-start step and drop low enough for fruit and vegetables.
Reliability: Both are long-established names with large numbers of positive owner reviews behind them.
Build quality within their price tier: Neither feels flimsy or undersized for its stated purpose.
Where Excalibur Wins
Airflow evenness: Horizontal airflow across all 9 trays means no rotation, a meaningful convenience for long overnight cycles.
Capacity per run: 15 square feet handles large jerky, fruit, or vegetable batches in a single session where the NESCO would need multiple runs.
Cleanup and durability: Stainless steel trays resist staining and odor absorption from meat and tomato-based foods better than the NESCO's plastic trays.
Where NESCO Wins
Price: At roughly a third of the Excalibur's cost, the NESCO is the lower-risk way to find out whether you'll actually use a dehydrator regularly.
Footprint: The compact stackable design fits smaller kitchens and storage spaces more easily than the bulkier Excalibur.
Lower temperature floor: 95°F versus the Excalibur's 105°F gives slightly more margin for the most delicate herbs.
Who Should Buy Each
NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro: first dehydrator, tighter budget, comfortable rotating trays for even results.
Excalibur D900CDSHD on Amazon
See Also
Excalibur 9-Tray Dehydrator Review, full Excalibur review NESCO Snackmaster Pro Review, full NESCO review Best Food Dehydrators for Jerky, full category
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Food Dehydrators for Homemade Dog Treats: Top PicksFood Dehydrators · List Best Food Dehydrators for Fruit Leather: Top Picks for Smooth, Even SheetsFood Dehydrators · List Best Food Dehydrators for Herbs: Top Picks for Preserving FlavorFood Dehydrators · List Best Food Dehydrators for Jerky: Top Picks for Even, Safe DryingFood Dehydrators · List
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Is the Excalibur worth three times the price of the NESCO?
For anyone drying regularly or in large batches, generally yes. The horizontal airflow eliminates tray rotation and the 15 square feet of space handles significantly larger batches in one run. For someone drying occasionally or testing whether they'll use a dehydrator at all, the NESCO covers the same temperature range at a much lower entry cost.
Which is better for beginners, Excalibur or NESCO?
The NESCO is the more common starting point. Its lower price reduces the risk of an expensive appliance sitting unused, and its expandable tray system lets a new owner scale up only if they end up using it regularly. The Excalibur suits someone who already knows they'll dehydrate often.
Does the NESCO's smaller capacity matter for jerky specifically?
It depends on batch size. For a pound or two of jerky at a time, 5 trays (or a few expansion trays) is workable. For processing 5-plus pounds of meat in a single session, the Excalibur's 15 square feet across 9 trays handles it in one run where the NESCO would need multiple batches.
Can I add trays to the NESCO to match the Excalibur's capacity?
The NESCO expands up to 12 trays, which can exceed the Excalibur's 9 trays in count, but the NESCO's round trays are smaller in individual surface area and it still relies on a single top fan rather than horizontal airflow, so even at 12 trays it won't dry as evenly as the Excalibur's design.
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