Toper Cafemino Gas Vs. electric?

[Ossy]

Hello!

First, I'm really happy to have found this forum, i think I'll be an addict to it, so much rich info!

OK, my search for an upgrade from my current Nesto Coffee Roaster was to invest in a larger roaster so I can slowly commercialize my hobby of ~10 years. I'm torn between two options with my chosen vendor: Toper Cafemino.

Can anyone please tell me whether opting for the Electric Powered as opposed to the Gas powered would substantially affect the taste or would somehow compromise quality given the fact that difference in price won't be that big?

Look forward to hearing your thought!

Ossy

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Electric would be more easy to install and operate. If you use the gas, you will need to pipe out the gas line or use the propane. You will be required to have permit or some sort of inspection when you start messing with gas line. That is the reason some of the people offer electric version.

I do not think there is much differences in taste of the beans when you roast in electric version. I actually think it will be safer to have electric heating element. The gas version always need to be cleaned out very carefully or can catch fire...

Good Luck

 

[Ossy]

Thank you, CoffeeJunky, for your prompt response.

I live in a part of the world where plugging a machine to a small gas cylinder is the only option and so inspections or permits aren't an issue, but safety, as always, is since I'll be operating in a small shed with an aircon. I think you said what I wanted to hear and will go ahead with electric, will smoke be a problem or since it's electric a small ventilation fan + air con should suffice do you reckon?

Thanks!

Ossy

 

[CoffeeJunky]

There will be pretty bad smoke all around. But if you are roasting in open area, it would not be that big of deal. It would be good if you can install stack to vent above your roof line but again if it is being roasted open area, it would not be problem.

 

[Ossy]

Brilliant, many thanks. Will post updates and hopefully share my experience so others can too benefit!

You've been great thanks

Ossy

 

[CoffeeJunky]

remember many of the electric heating elements are radian heat and they do get hot very fast and easy to scorch your beans. Once you get used to at, i heard you can't really go back to the gas roaster but that is few people i talk to in the past....

Good luck

 

[Ossy]

That is excellent info, I read that the drum needs to be seasoned before it can start performing at its best by roasting ~15kg worth of coffee, so if i burn any beans, not a total waste I'm only seasoning lol!

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

I've looked at the specifications. For the electric, you will need a 200 - 230 VAC source that can provide 5.5 kW or at least 30 Amps using a power factor of 0.8 -meaning you really need a 50 Amp circuit with single phase 230 VAC. It is unclear what you will need for the fan and drum motors - my guess 120 VAC

Generally, you will find gas fired roasters easier to control. Electric heating elements are sensitive to voltage and voltage drops in the source will cause less efficiency in the heating elements. This has to do with the fact that the heating elements are resistive loads and sensitive to the "power factor" - or, how much energy is temporarily stored in magnetic fields as opposed to what is immediately converted from electricity to heat.

As you increase the heating to the roaster, the voltage will go down in the circuit unless you have a 50 Amp circuit supplied through 10 gage or larger wire. What will happen is the response will not be linear as you apply more heat. Another problem with electrically heated roasters is lag in the system because the elements themselves have to heat up before they can generate heat for roasting.

Control of the roaster works within a certain time window that will be specific to the roaster. As an example in a 3-minute time window, what you did 1.5 minutes ago will affect you now, and what you do now will take effect in 1.5 minutes. With an electric roaster, the time windows will be variable depending upon how hot the elements are, electrical source voltage drop, etc.

Gas roasters cure a lot of the above problems. The heat is instantaneously generated - when you increase the gas to the burner the heat output rises simultaneously. The response time windows are predictable throughout the entire heating range as, unlike an electric heating element, there is no reactivity (power factor, voltage drop, etc.) from the heating element.

If you can use a gas roaster, that would be my suggestion. You will, however, need to tell the manufacturer whether you will be using propane or natural gas as the pressures are different and require that the inlet orfice be matched to the gas type/source.

As for smoke - either an electric roaster or gas roaster will need to be vented to the outdoors.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

great detail information....

 

[Ossy]

Wow, That really is great detail info, I think there's a lot to be thought of here. Thank you very much Buckhorn_Cortez for your rich insight.