Help:Best roaster for roasting 1/2 or 1lb coffee?

[strangler]

I love my FR8. It's great, EZ to use. But I'd like to get something bigger so I do not have to kill myself roasting coffee for my family.
And the holidays are coming.

Help me buy my next roaster:

If you could pick a roaster that is consistent, durable, reasonable cost, can roast between a half pound to 1 pound of coffee at a time, which one would it be?

Any light you shed would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[topher]

how much you want to spend?

 

[strangler]

I paid $80 bux delivered for the FR8.
I can get to just under a half pound for another $80.
No clue on what this stuff goes for.

 

[JavaQueen]

I think the alpenroast does about 1/2 a pound. Pretty smoky, though from what I have heard.
You might want to look into cobbling together a heat gun roaster. You can read up on that here
http://www.homeroaster.com/heatgun.html

 

[topher]

I think the alpen is the one that you need to replace the filters after every-other roast(or so) and they run about $20 each...but I could be wrong.

 

[strangler]

Thank you for answering my posts.

Alpenroast filters @ $20? Change after every pound i roast? Hope your kidding. Please tell me you are.

For the short term, I'm leaning on a second FR8.

JQ and Topher: What kinda roasters do you use?

 

[topher]

I use a Ambex 60 kilo and a 2 kilo ambex....I am not sure about the filters...it might be another brand...will look into it.

 

[strangler]

topher,

2 and 60 KILOs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shit you drink a lot of coffee!!!!!!!!

 

[topher]

ummmm....no this is what I do for a living :wink: we have a second 60 coming this week

 

[strangler]

you rock.
check yer pm partner.

 

[vkess]

Have you looked into getting a HotTop? It's a small drum roaster that'll do 9oz batches, costs $595 (cheapest I've seen is $585), uses filters that cost $10 each that last 50 or so roasts. There is information available that details how to convert the filter frame into a permanent filter using a metal screen filter from a computer CPU. My opinion is that the filter is pretty effective on reducing a lot of the smoke, but not all of it. Would not recommend running it without the filter because you wind up with too much airflow, which affects roasting temps.

Alpenroasts are not particurly suited for roasting small beans, as they tend to get stuck between the drum and housing. Also, I'm not sure how reliable they are overall. 'have heard less than stellar things about them. I own a HotTop and have used it extensively for about 1.5 years with no problem (except for shelling out 600 bones for it! ). I find it very useful for trying out different blends without having to experiment with a whole bunch of coffee. Trickiest part is that there's no bean temp probe. It's all visual, smelling, and listening to the cracks that help determine roast level.

 

[getusnet]

1 pound roaster

Hi! I just read a post to another question from JavaQueen suggestion a company called Delaware City Coffee Company, who has a 1 pound drum roaster for sale. I have an Ambex, but not that good at getting a dark roast. I think most of the commercial companies don't care much about their small roasters.

 

[topher]

why can't you get a dark roast? My french roast rocked on the 2 kilo...are you sure you have the gas set right? how long is your dark roast taking you and what is your start temp? Trust me you can get a bad ass and oily dark roast out of the Ambex. :wink:

 

[NW JAVA]

MONSTER COFFEE roaster..It's fluid air bend tech, but roasts great....

 

[BeanGrinder]

MONSTER COFFEE roaster..It's fluid air bend tech, but roasts great....

Yeah, but you have to roast an exact amount with the Monster / Sonofresco roaster. You can't decide to do a 1/4 lb of this, 3/4 of that and a pound of that...every batch has to be measured exactly. Monster Coffee even throws in the tin can to measure with! The Monster (built by Sonofresco) is designed to exact specifications for airflow. If you alter the amount of coffee in the batch it alters the airflow and the predetermined roast profiles become useless.

Back to Topher's question...it depends on budget. For around the same price as a Monster fluid-bed roaster, you can get a countertop commercial drum that can handle a 1/4 lb batch.