Looking for a very inexpensive home roaster

[onunez55]

If anyone can help with this, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm very interested in a home roaster that would give me the ability to come up with a darker roast. If that makes any sense. I've seen the Genie drum model that sounds appealling but, I would love to find something along the $500 range that might have some more important features. Finally, cheaper is always welcome but, not important. Maybe roast up to 1lb.

Thanks,

Oscar:coffee-bean:

 

[wmark]

It is called a cast iron frying pan.

 

[DirtyDave]

Oh Boy, is this a can of worms!
The home roasting machines that are available all present some serious shortcomings.
The air roasters all take too long and in fact end up baking the beans.
The drum style roasters are not conducive to achieving your desired "darker roast".
I'm going to have to agree with wmark, you might as well use a frying pan and use the money you save to buy quality beans.
Good luck.

 

[PeterCoffee]

Wmark is right get your self a cast iron frying pan and a wooded spoon.
Line the bottom with coffee beans and put the heat on high when the beans start turning color lower the heat and begin moveing the beans around.
Move them move them move them until you reach the desired shade. They will keep going even if you remove them from the heat so a spray bottle of water coulod be used for quenching. Don't soak them just mist them to stop the process.
If you want some real fun
when the beans have gotten to a few shades before your goal sprinkle some powdered sugar on them and keep mixing mixing mixing.
They will become coated. Don't use the water quench for this it will make a mess.
This makes the brew really great.
They do it in central and south american, but there they use inferior grades when adding sugar.
It's a cultural thing as most things coffee are.
peter

 

[PeterCoffee]

Just a quick story...
I had a guy call me and tell me he was roasting coffee at home. he went on and on with exact temps and roasting times. he was a real scientist.
Well Im asked him how much was he roasting at a time. thinking he was roasting substancial amounts.
he said " oh 4 to 6 oz.....
I've modified my oven with insulation and thermal probes it works great."
I was delighted! He was quite the character
Peter

 

[onunez55]

Funny, I've actually had several colleagues say the same thing. At first, I thought there has got to be something better within the range described above but, everyone, including yourselves said " a cast iron frying pan". Now I'll have to get one. Thanks a million for your help.

Oscar

 

[PeterCoffee]

Hey Good luck! It's great fun but you may want to keep a window open. it can get smokey in the higher roasts.
peter

 

[espressoaddict]

There is a home roaster called the Iroast2 but the reviews are mixed. For under $200 I don't know how good it could be.

 

[DirtyDave]

The IRoast is a toy.
It's built to self destruct.
It barely moves the beans, and works on a time based program (not reliable for consistent roasting).
Lots of tipping, no bean temperature indication and chaff collection impedes air flow.
Absolutely, a waste of $200.00, not recommended.

 

[akgille]

Any home roaster that cheap isn't going to do a good job anyway.

 

[krivera1]

Check out cafecoffees dot com...

Their AeroRost II Coffee Bean Roaster runs $500 and will do 2 lbs. of beans. They have a lot of positive remarks on their products - good value.

 

[topher]

A friend of mine asked me what I thought about this roaster...I told him I would post here and get some feed back since I have never used it..anyone using a HotTop Roaster Programmable?
HotTop Roaster Programmable - Drum Roasters - Coffee Roasters

 

[DirtyDave]

Much like the Hottop.
Perforated drum, very little air flow.
Roast takes too long (20 mins), so beans bake, not roast.
Halogen heat source is bound to be a problem (gives the beans a strange frazzled taste).
OK all you cheap *^#@'s, there is no such thing as a good cheap roaster

 

[AngerManagement]

Much like the Hottop.
Perforated drum, very little air flow.
Roast takes too long (20 mins), so beans bake, not roast.
Halogen heat source is bound to be a problem (gives the beans a strange frazzled taste).
OK all you cheap *^#@'s, there is no such thing as a good cheap roaster

Some are better than others...


Have the HT x 2 and with some mods they can do OK... but small batches..


Try homeroasters as they have a number to look at. Homeroasters and then Discussion Forum: Turbo Oven Roasters


Personally I like the KKTO unit for many reasons...


Know the developer and have been using one of the beta types for nearly 3 years now... 600g to 800g is a standard batch for me.


Further more as a kit or DIY or 1/2 and 1/2 it is cost effective... And TO come in diferent power and elements, so easy to choose what heating source you might want ot to try.