The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzdOASecdNY
I'd like to do a little home roasting video series on the side for a little fun.

Nice - rub it in, why don't you!

You know you're getting one...
of these in the video next!
I'll be playing with the Gene the next couple of nights and I'll report back.

I just watched the video again, and it struck me how HUGE the other roasters look next to the iRoast.
And then my second thought was "with all that coffee equipment, how does Niko find any room to prepare food in his kitchen?".

That's not my kitchen...
it's my wife's kitchen!

Here's 3 of the roasters in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3od5kT6lmA
Did this mainly for the sound so crank it up to get a feeling for each one...

:)
roastgasm
especially with the HotTop input and ejection :D

Thanks, Niko. That's a nice service to prospective buyers. The first video was the equivalent of an encounter in a showroom (and where is the showroom that would have all three?).

The second one goes beyond anything that a showroom would provide.

coffeeowl wrote::)
roastgasm
especially with the HotTop input and ejection :D

Weska wrote:Thanks, Niko. That's a nice service to prospective buyers. The first video was the equivalent of an encounter in a showroom (and where is the showroom that would have all three?).

The second one goes beyond anything that a showroom would provide.

I left the iRoast2 out of the lineup for sound. Incase anyone really wants to know what that sounds like...just stick your head in a vise and run a hairdryer at full speed.
Yes, it is that painful (not the vise, the roaster hurts more).

Nice roaster collection, Niko.

I have a Gene Cafe, a Behmor with both basket sizes ( I roast a lot of Yirg ) and an iRoast2. I used the iRoast2 for about 2 weeks before getting sick of it and buying the Gene. I've seen your posts where you call it an iRoar, too true. I never knew what C2 sounded like until I stopped using it about 2 years ago.

I mostly use the Behmor nowdays, it does a good job and it's convenient to roast a pound at a time, and I like the smoke-suppression. I usually roast 14 oz. at a time actually, so I can have time on either side of C2

I use the Gene when I need to really massage the temperature between C1 & C2, it's really flexible at doing that, while the Behmor is more of a programmable machine.

the iRoast has been gathering dust, literally. Lint, actually.

How do you like the large collector on the Gene? I had thought of getting that, but wondered how it would affect overall temp.

jmcphail wrote: How do you like the large collector on the Gene? I had thought of getting that, but wondered how it would affect overall temp.

The large chaff collector is awesome on the Gene, it's the only one I use now.

I am resurrecting this old post hoping to find some recommendations on home roasters. My girlfriend has kindly offered to buy me one for my upcoming birthday and I was wondering:

- what qualities do you look for in a roaster/what's important to you
- what is your favorite roaster and why

Any input would be appreciated!!!
From the videos posted, Niko looks like our resident expert since he seems to own them all !

Jason

Delete me

Oops, corrected above. I meant roaster. Need more coffee...

First let me say that I have zero experience roasting coffee as I haven't even plugged in my new Hottop P yet. That said has she put a $$ limit on the purchase? I've seldom gone wrong buying the best that I can afford when it comes to equipment of any kind. Is there a better home roaster then the Hottops? If she is willing why would you chose anything else?

She asked me for a price point and I threw out $500, but that was guesswork on my part.

How about a Behmor and 50lbs of beans aka a one month supply for Niko?

So is the Behmor your personal favorite? If so, why?

boldstep wrote: So is the Behmor your personal favorite? If so, why?

I think its because when you are done roasting the beans you can heat your home with the resulting fire! The bad news is it only works once.

Oh, now I get the joke.

I'd somehow try and get a Hottop, it's certainly my favorite for control.
The Gene ain't bad either but at that price you can get a Behmor with a three month supply of beans (300lbs)

Here's my list in order of favorite (and why):
1. Hottop -- control, quality of roast, cooling, sound
2. Behmor -- quantity of roast, ease of use, sound
3. Gene ---- This is actually a tie with the Behmor but I dropped it since it's an air roaster and it's a bit louder
4. iRoar2 --- This is a distant 4th, so distant that if I had any more roasters I'd still place this one last

So in conclusion, the Hottop is the bomb, the Behmor is a nice 3/4 lb roaster (not a full pound) in my opinion. The only way you're going to get a dark roast without the fire department showing up is don't roast large amounts of chaffy coffee. The Behmor has become my 375-400 gram drip and press coffee roaster, it RULES for this. When lighter to medium roasts are needed, the Behmor can be loaded to the full 454g's for the press, the lighter loads are for the S1.
The Gene is still a nice roaster with the manual controls, it's one of the most fun roasters to use, if only the cooling was better. They all lack in the cooling department, the Hottop simply throttles them all at this. Bean cooling is one of the most important elements of roasting to me, if it's not done right it affects the flavor.
You can roast any level easily with the Hottop, if you want a bag of charcoal - no problem, you can even do this without the fire department showing up. You want to stall the roast for a slooooooow finish, no problem with the Hottop.

Thank you so much Niko!!!! I knew you had something to say about roasters!
Looks like I need to convince her to get me the Hottop. It seems like the clear winner. Where did you get yours from?
Also, do you order your beans from sweet marias?
Has there been a bunch of threads on this forum already on roasting techniques using the Hottop and green bean selection? I've got a lot of learning to do!!!!

Thanks again
Jason

If you want to increase your chances of the wife springing for an HT, you can always start with the B model. Later if you want more you can buy the upgrade kit to convert it to a P model.

I am on my 3rd up-conversion of my original Hottop!

Thanks Chas! What do you lose with starting with the B model?

You don't really lose anything, Jason.
The B model is more manual control but it has it's built-in auto roast profile as well, some purists swear by the B model but I prefer having all the program options of the P. You can create and store more profiles with the P but I'd certainly look into the B model and upgrade later to the P if you want.
I've gotten some beans from Sweet Maria's, also from the coffee bean corral but lately I've been getting them direct from Zephyr and other places through a club.

Great, thanks Niko!
If I get the Hottop I would love to know your favorite setting with one of your favorite beans. Wouldn't it be amazing to have a collection of favorite beans with favorite hottop settings??
Ok, now I need to find out how much the B and P cost and how much my girlfriend loves me!

Great, thanks Niko!
If I get the Hottop I would love to know your favorite setting with one of your favorite beans. Wouldn't it be amazing to have a collection of favorite beans with favorite hottop settings??
Ok, now I need to find out how much the B and P cost and how much my girlfriend loves me!

Since she's your girlfriend you may have a chance, especially if she's still trying to "land" you.

If you were already married you might have to settle for an air popper!

Let's hope she is! After all, it is my 40th... given that is a nice round number it should count for something!

chas wrote:Since she's your girlfriend you may have a chance, especially if she's still trying to "land" you.

If you were already married you might have to settle for an air popper!

It depends on your wife I guess. Mine bought me a motorcycle I'd been looking at when I turned 50 a "couple" years ago. When I first told her how much I planned on spending for an espresso machine & grinder she was shocked but since I had the $$ put aside she said to go for it. By the time the CC bill came in she was so happy with the drinks I was making her she insisted on paying & told me to use the money for something else! And lets not forget that she turns on the S1 every morning before she goes to work so it is ready when I wake up.

JohnB wrote:And lets not forget that she turns on the S1 every morning before she goes to work so it is ready when I wake up.

Yeah, I noticed from the photo you posted the other day that you haven't invested in the optional timer. Now I know why!

John's VII Timer = Sugar Mama + Alarm Clock

chas wrote: John's VII Timer = Sugar Mama + Alarm Clock

chas wrote: Yeah, I noticed from the photo you posted the other day that you haven't invested in the optional timer. Now I know why!
John's VII Timer = Sugar Mama + Alarm Clock

My wife's alarm clock is our dog that will nudge her to let her know its time to get up & take her outside. I get the daytime & evening dog shift. Since my wife is younger then me the Sugar Mama thing doesn't really fit. She just loves to make me happy. Don't all wives

JohnB wrote:She just loves to make me happy. Don't all wives

mmm...not really
I was banned from roasting in the house, she's now looking into banning me from roasting in the garage as well.
This is cruel and unusual punishment.

Niko wrote:

JohnB wrote:She just loves to make me happy. Don't all wives

mmm...not really
I was banned from roasting in the house, she's now looking into banning me from roasting in the garage as well.
This is cruel and unusual punishment.

Your garage should be considered Man Town & the wife should have nothing to say about it. You need to set her straight before things get out of hand. Imagine roasting outside during rainy season!! Not a pretty thought.

Yeah!
...except my wife is almost 6ft tall and packs a mean left.

Actually she's a graceful 5'11" with a ramp model-like strut so I'll stay out of the kitchen for now.
But you're right, John - the garage is Man Town and I still have the height and weight advantage



..and roasting in the rain outdoors kind of sucks (been there after a fight once )