Roasters Revisited

[SJM]

Some of you may remember me.  Several years ago you helped me to build a UFO/TO and then watched as I did "my" thing and got bored and walked away from roasting altogether.  A year ago I shipped the roaster to my best friend in Hawaii for his birthday.  Last week I shipped myself to Hilo to show him how to use it.  And....guess what?  Yup....now I just might want to roast again.  Sigh....

But, I do not have what it takes to go through modding another set-up.  I really would have to buy a roaster.  I've had an IR2 in the past.  Behmor didn't exist when I built my UFO/TO.  Tex recommends a Hot Top., but perusing a bit here it looks like even the HT would need some modding??? adding temperature probes???)

Anyway, before I jump in with both feet without doing my due diligence, what would you recommend to a fickle woman who wants to roast for her morning lattes???  (be nice, now.....)

Susan

[peter]

Did you enjoy roasting with your SC/TO once you had it working?

[SJM]

Hi Peter.
Yes and no.
I liked it a lot better than the IR2.  I minded not being able to see the color of the beans as well as I wanted to as the UFO top began to get stained with the coffee oils.  I found setting it all up with plugs to this and that and the other thing a bit of a PITA.  On the other hand, I think if I had it again without having to re-build it that I'd be very satisifed with it.  If you remember I did the stainless steel riser part three times before someone had to bail me out of my bind and ship me one;  my manual skills have not improved, and sourcing all the parts now feels like more than I am interested in.  Age has mellowed but not necessarily improved me.

[RobertL]

What is your budget? How much coffee do you consume every week? What are you looking for in a roaster?

[SJM]

Budget?  Hmmmm.....well, when I thought about getting back into roasting, my first take was that the Behmor would be just fine at $300;  that's an amount that I'm okay spending.  If I am going to be miserable with anything that costs less than the HT ($800), then maybe I'm still gonna need to revisit building again (or paying someone else to build for me.....). 

I pull one or two double shots a day in my Gaggia Classic -- for lattes.  I use about 12 oz coffee per week.  I have two decent local roasters from whom I can buy freshly roasted, dated, espresso blends (Flying Goat and Ecco), so roasting isn't a matter of survival.

Why would I want to roast again?  Hmmmm....maybe just so that I could have more options than the two good locally available espresso blends and for the satisfaction of doing it myself.

[ecc]

Nothing wrong with a Behmor, lot of members do well with it.

Also check the Gene Cafe as an upgrade, easy to maintain, lots of bean vision.  Not much modding possible, although external cooling really helps.  Sweet Marias has a lot of info on it. 

Welcome back!

[SJM]

Nothing wrong with a Behmor,
....
Welcome back!

Glad to hear that about the Behmor.  Honestly, it is about how much I feel comfortable spending to see how I like it again, and....

I'm glad to be back too...

Susan

[Tex]

What I said to Susan was, "The Hottop is to the Behmor as a Gaggia Classic is to a Saeco." I stand by that statement.

I used a Behmor for two weeks, hardly long enough to qualify as an expert; but it was obvious to me that the Hottop is better built and is a slightly superior roaster.

Sometimes in life, one does get what one pays for.

[Tex]

Budget?  Hmmmm.....well, when I thought about getting back into roasting, my first take was that the Behmor would be just fine at $300;  that's an amount that I'm okay spending.  If I am going to be miserable with anything that costs less than the HT ($800), then maybe I'm still gonna need to revisit building again (or paying someone else to build for me.....). 

I pull one or two double shots a day in my Gaggia Classic -- for lattes.  I use about 12 oz coffee per week.  I have two decent local roasters from whom I can buy freshly roasted, dated, espresso blends (Flying Goat and Ecco), so roasting isn't a matter of survival.

Why would I want to roast again?  Hmmmm....maybe just so that I could have more options than the two good locally available espresso blends and for the satisfaction of doing it myself.

I'll bet that if you called Hottop USA that they'd just happen to find a demo for you at a discounted price. The last one I had ($600ish) came from them with just two roasts on it, and IIRC Jake's HT is a demo that had only one or two roasts on it.

[SJM]

Yup, that is exactly what Tex told me;  and since I love my Gaggia Classic, I thought that was a pretty high recommendation.

And/so, what does anyone think about buying a USED HT?  I'm a bit gunshy about buying used stuff that I don't fully understand (like cars), but I will go over to CG and look at that listing.

Thanks Robert.

S

[peter]

Budget?  Hmmmm.....well, when I thought about getting back into roasting, my first take was that the Behmor would be just fine at $300;  that's an amount that I'm okay spending.  If I am going to be miserable with anything that costs less than the HT ($800), then maybe I'm still gonna need to revisit building again (or paying someone else to build for me.....).

That was sorta my reason for asking how you liked your setup, apart from having to build it; the top unit doesn't need modding, and can be had for $55+shipping.  So all you'd need is some nice person to build the bottom... brand new, plus parts, and an hour of labor, and it'd still be in the $55+shipping range for the bottom.

[Tex]

Budget?  Hmmmm.....well, when I thought about getting back into roasting, my first take was that the Behmor would be just fine at $300;  that's an amount that I'm okay spending.  If I am going to be miserable with anything that costs less than the HT ($800), then maybe I'm still gonna need to revisit building again (or paying someone else to build for me.....).

That was sorta my reason for asking how you liked your setup, apart from having to build it; the top unit doesn't need modding, and can be had for $55+shipping.  So all you'd need is some nice person to build the bottom... brand new, plus parts, and an hour of labor, and it'd still be in the $55+shipping range for the bottom.

+1
 
 IIRC, Susan's problems with bending the riser was she'd used 1/8" aluminum bar. When I built SC/CO roasters I used 1/16" x 1.5" stock and it was a snap to bend.
 
 If I wasn't getting old and lazy I'd probably still be using the SC/CO instead of the Sonofresco. You just can't beat them as far as roast profiles go.

[SJM]

+2  :-))))))))

Peter, are you that nice guy?
If so, email me (and/or we can continue our conversation here....your choice)

Susan

[peter]

Susan,

If you wanted my help w/ the SC part, I'm glad to help.  I have a NIB SC.  I'd propose to snip the wire going to the heating element (you don't need that anyway) and install an aluminum spacer like you see on mine. https://sites.google.com/site/peter4jc/thespacer,openedandclosed2

A couple of obstacles...  different TO's have either a clockwise or counter-clockwise air circulation and you need to know that before mounting the spacer with my type of chaff ejection.  I could mount the copper cap used to protect the shaft, but would send the unit w/ the stock stirring arm (I had a ridiculously hard time fashioning the ones in the photos).

[SJM]

Thanks, Peter, and I appreciate the offer, but now that I have had a chance to think about it a bit, I probably will need to do it myself if I am going to do it at all.

And, since I have already had an IR2 and a UFO/TO, I think I probably really am going to try a Behmor next.  I suspect that my needs would be adequately served. 

More as I have a chance to think more about it all.

Susan