Hottop or Behmor

[Nucer]

The old Hottop (16 years old) is finally getting to the point of being retired.  So which one should I buy?  Price is a consideration!


(From Kissimmee, Florida)

Ps yes I moved with the wife

[RobertL]

I say Hottop! Check the BST forum somebody is selling a gently used Hottop for a decent price. For a fellow Texan and nice guy like yourself they might even be willing to negotiate the price. 

[Ascholten]

I havent used the modded / newer behmor so can't speak for how they are now.  The old ones were pretty robust.  Customer service on them, I have contacted customer service a few times in the past with some questions and never heard back from them, your mileage may differ.  The hot top, I honestly can't give any real input on since I have not used one.

The prices now, they both do about the same capacity, I think the Hot Top is probably a bit better equipped for back to back to back roasting over the Behmor.  The hot top has more maintenance though.  Back to price, those things compared, the Behmor is significantly cheaper.

Aaron

[RobertL]

Even if I weren't selling a Hottop right now I would still recommended it over the Behmor. The main reasons are the control, ability to monitor real roast temperatures and better cooling capability.

[Ascholten]

Also, it probably will have a better life expectancy in the long run as well when price is compared to years it lasts.  I honestly have not heard too many unhappy hot top owners, behmor now, that's another story.

Aaron

[Dante]

I have two Hottops that are not working in my basement. I tried trouble shooting both but I'm out of ideas at this point. I've changed the circuit board, and all the replaceable parts of both units, to no avail. They are dead. I have been using one of them for maybe ten years, and the other one for about 8 until they stopped working maybe two years ago. I have a Sonofresco that is as old as the first Hottop but is still running well. My two cents on the Hottop.

No experience with the Behmor.

Thanks.

[Ray Settanta]

What models are the Hottops?

[Flobo]

If it were me and I wasn't in the market to spend on a HT I'd revisit SC/TO.

I saw a new turbo oven for sale in a Home Depot and immediately felt an urge to grab it even as I have no use for one....old habit. 

[hankua]

My vote is for the Behmor; roasts more coffee and 1/3 the price. Hottop and Quest M3 are close in price, Quest gets the nod between the two from what I've read from owners. Used Quests come up for sale ocassionally which can save if you get one that's not ragged out.

[brianmch]

I have used a Behmor for the last 18 months.  It is okay but has three/four critical shortcomings IMO:

1-No bean temp measurements
2-No airflow control
3-Cooling cooling cycle eliminates back to back roasts
4-Small batch size. Some may argue this but MY machine with MY power handles 227g batches the best

Plusses:
1-Can get decent roasts on it.
2-Small footprint makes it easy to store.
3-Reliable so far. 
4-Low cost means that it has more than paid for itself since i purchased it

If I were in a buying position I would go just a little further and buy a Huky or Quest. 

Amazon carries a Kaldi that is a possible mid-priced option but I don't hear much about them. 

Good luck. 

[Dante]

What models are the Hottops?

They are Hottop Basics, Ray. I hope to revive them at some point. I am also considering the Huky, which might require less maintenance than the Hottop.

[foreRB]

I've been roasting for about 10 years, albeit on primitive DIY roasters (2). The first one was similar to the Behmor, but maybe before Behmor was available? Both drum roasters, but smoke, sound and smell was all I could go by. About a month ago I bought a Hottop and the coffee is infinitely more complex. Example: During the ramp to first crack I heard the fan come on for 10 seconds, checked the manual and it is designed to remove humidity from the drum???.Wow!. The batch sizes are smaller and the maintenance is more, but the coffee's worth it. 

[Ray Settanta]

What models are the Hottops?

They are Hottop Basics, Ray. I hope to revive them at some point. I am also considering the Huky, which might require less maintenance than the Hottop.

I am cleaning and repairing an 8828 P. In case you don't know, the hottop website has invaluable information and great videos on troubleshooting and repairing the roaster. Good luck!