TSM Products vs Excalibur Dehydrators – Review
If you are on the market for a high-end dehydrator with stainless steel trays but don't know which model to pick, you're in the right place. In this review, we compare TSM Products and Excalibur, two popular dehydrator brands that provide models with stainless steel trays. After reading this article and checking out the side-by-side comparison chart at the bottom of this page, you should have a better idea of whether you should go with Excalibur or get one of TSM Products' stainless steel dehydrators.
Please note that although both TSM Products and Excalibur also manufacture food dehydrators with plastic trays, only models that can be purchased with stainless steel trays are included in this review. Also models specifically designed for commercial use have been excluded.
Similarities and Differences Between Excalibur and TSM Dehydrators
All Excalibur and TSM dehydrators included in this review have rear-mounted fans. Many experienced raw food cooks consider dehydrators with rear-mounted fans better because they promote more even air flow than units with bottom-mounted fans, and you won't have to rotate the trays to get good results. What's more, if you get a model with a rear-mounted fan, you won't have to worry about drippings from foods soiling the fan.
Another thing that all of the Excalibur and TSM dehydrators included in the comparison chart below have in common is that they all come with an adjustable thermostat. The option to adjust the temperature is important because different foods have different optimum drying temperatures. For example, meat requires a relatively high temperature, while vegetables and fruits are usually dried in the 125°F to 135°F range.
As far as differences between the two brands go, TSM Products have more "all stainless steel" models. In fact, all of the TSM Products dehydrators included in the comparison chart below are made of stainless steel, both inside and out. Excalibur's non-commercial dehydrators, by contrast, have a plastic interior, with the exception of the Excalibur EXC10EL 10-Tray Dehydrator which has an all stainless steel case. And, as for the trays, TSM Products' D5, D10, D14 and D20 models come with trays that are made of stainless steel or chrome-plated stainless steel, while Excalibur sells both dehydrators with stainless steel trays and dehydrators with plastic trays.
Another difference is that none of TSM Products' stainless steel dehydrators has a window or transparent door, which means you won't be able to monitor your foods without opening the door. Excalibur's product line, by contrast, includes both models with a see-through door and models without a transparent door (check out the comparison chart at the end of this article if you want to know which models come with a see-through door).
Comparison of TSM Dehydrators and Excalibur's Stainless Steel Models
Still on the fence over whether you should go for one of TSM Products' dehydrators or one of Excalibur's stainless steel models? With the following chart, you can easily compare Excalibur's stainless steel dehydrators and TSM Products' dehydrators side by side (excluding their commercial-grade models).
Note: Dehydrator manufacturers can change product specifications without notice, and there is no guarantee that the information and the links in the comparison chart below are still accurate. Therefore, before purchasing any dehydrator, please contact the manufacturer/seller to get the latest information.
| EXC-D500 (2) | TSM D5 | EXC-D900 (3) | EXC-10EL | TSM D10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drying space | 8 sq. ft. | 8 sq. ft. | 14 sq. ft. | 16 sq. ft. | 16 sq. ft. |
| Trays | 5 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Fans | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tray material (1) | SS | SS or chrome-plated SS | SS | SS | SS or chrome-plated SS |
| Case interior (1) | P | SS | P | P | SS |
| Case exterior (1) | SS | SS | SS | SS | SS |
| Door (1) | SS or P (2) | SS | SS or P (3) | Glass | SS |
| Temp. control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wattage | 440 | 800 | 600 | 600 | 800 |
| 2-stage timer | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Current Amazon price |  Price  Price  | Price Price | Price Price | Price Price | Price Price |
(1) P=Plastic; SS=Stainless steel
(2) There are two versions of this model: D500SHD, which comes with a stainless steel door, and D500CDSHD which has a see-through door made of clear plastic. The links in the comparison chart above take you to the Amazon product page for the model with the stainless steel door; if you are interested in the model with the clear door instead, click here.
(3) There are two versions of this model: D900SHD, which has a stainless steel door, and D900CDSHD which comes with a see-through plastic door. The links in the comparison chart above take you to the Amazon product page for the model with the stainless steel door; if you are interested in the see-through door model instead, click here.
