For coffee at its freshest, consider treating yourself to a home coffee roaster. These popular appliances are available in two main styles, ranging in price from $50 – $1000 and up. So, how to decide which type is best for you? Let’s take a look at the most widely used coffee roasters, and explore the benefits and pitfalls of each.
Air Roasters: Air roasters roast coffee beans using hot air, similar to a popcorn maker. Ideal for those who are new to the roasting process, air home roasters have a window for easy monitoring of the roasting process, and many are equipped with pre-set roasting timers to eliminate guesswork. On the downside, air roasters are designed to roast small batches and tend to burn out if they’re used too frequently.
Drum Roasters: These appliances roast by either convection or conduction, and are ideal for larger batch sizes. Unlike air roasters, drum coffee roasters aren’t equipped with windows, so you must use your sense of smell or hearing to monitor the roasting process. Drum roasters tend to be longer lived than their air roasting counterparts, but some models are prone to smoking. In general, drum roasters are better suited to more experienced home roasters.
Before making a final decision regarding which roaster to choose, it’s a great idea to read online reviews and ratings. Purchase a home roaster for your own coffee-drinking pleasure, or as a thoughtful and practical gift for the coffee aficionado in your life.
Coffee Roaster Machine
Commercial Coffee Roaster