IRoast 2 May Be Dead Considering Investing In Gene Cafe

[roastingnerd]

My IRoast2 started overheating beans and shutting down early a day ago.  When I reported this on the coffee forum another member opined that it was "toast"  If it is, I don't think I'd get a third even if they were available somewhere.  So, the next step up seems to be the latest Gene Cafe.  It looks attractive to me and is the current favroite over at Sweet Marias.  I saw it at Burmans for the same price and they were throwing in 6 pounds of beans and a half pound of Jamaica Blue Mountain Mavis Banks GR1.  Also it now comes with a snout on the exhaust to attach a metal dryer vent hose to carry off smoke.  Only probem I have seen reported about GC is the cooling being inadaquate and the need to stop the machine and lift out the roasting chamber and dump the beans in a cold pan.  I don't really want to face that so I am wondering if any members have the recent version of GC and how that works for them
Thenks

[Ascholten]

You could go for a Behmore too.   Sorry to hear about your I roast.  One of our members was looking for an IR roasting chamber a few weeks ago, you might be able to get a few bucks towards your next roaster.

Aaron

[roastingnerd]

I don't believe there is any smoke vent other than the internal catalytic converter in a Behmore.  I need to do all roasting in my kitchen.  I'm going to be real sure the IRoast is gone before I spend $500 for the Gene.  My wife suggested I let our kids know my plans so they could offer to help for fathers day.  I said what a great idea.  Why dou't you call them and let them know instead of me fishing.  If that happens I sure hope a Gene owner with experience on the newest model comes forth..Most of the info I have found is at least 2 years old.

[mp]

You could go for a Behmore too.   Sorry to hear about your I roast.  One of our members was looking for an IR roasting chamber a few weeks ago, you might be able to get a few bucks towards your next roaster.

Aaron

+1

You can do a full pound in that one and it is $200 cheaper.

 

[BoldJava]

RE:  Behmor and 1 lb.  In my experience, the machine was incapable of roasting 1 lb.  Others can chime in but I used 12-13 oz max. Though the smoke catalytic converter worked very well, I had issues with a residual roasting aroma that lingered within the kitchen.

RE:  Gene.  My Gene is six years old though I have the current larger chaff filter, new heater, and new fan (I replaced them when they quit at varying stages).  I can recommend the machine.

RE:  Cooling with the Gene. I have never cooled the beans within the machine.  The machine remains too hot to quickly cool the beans within it in my opinion.  As such, I have no experience cupping beans that have been cooled within the Gene. I always E-stop it, cool in a colander attached to a shop vac, and return the hopper to the machine to cool the machine on its normal cycle.

[roastingnerd]

Boldjava:  is the hopper the glass roaxting chamber?  If so, isn't it awfully hot to handls?

[BoldJava]

The hopper is the glass rotating chamber, yes.  I use a pair of heavy, cotton, oven gloves.  Piece of cake.

[smico]

Now, there is higher price tag attached to it, but I am very happy with Hottop B-2.
I can not compare it with anything because this is my first and only roaster.

[smico]

it's not healthy to roast in an unventilated area.

I agree with ventilation.
I added vented range hood in my garage and card box chimney from ventilator of my HT up to the hood (my son's idea).  Now I have to lean over the roaster to smell.
http://greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=3393.225

[ecc]

I've roasted enough beans with Gene and  Iroar2's to have an opinion, but have never roasted on a Behmor. I am a basement roaster, so decent roaster venting is a priority and really limits my roaster selections.

The Gene is a good roaster, pulling the glass chamber for external cooling isn't completely necessary but the slow cooling does have a noticeable impact in the cup.  Not a big deal, but it is a pain to handle the hot fragile glass chamber, and it is important to get the chamber back on the machine fairly quickly to continue equip cooling and minimize the stress on the roaster internals.  External bean cooling setup is fairly simple, I used to use a colander in a bucket with a shop vac attached. 

The real issue with the Gene is the telemetry.  With the design, the only temp measurement you can get is the exhaust air temp.  No MET, no BT.  The Gene definitely encourages using visual, olfactory, and audible clues in your roasting, you can get some consistency issues with the "push the button and pull the roast at a certain temperature" philosophy.

I really liked the Gene, it is capable of some great coffee, and I would certainly recommend it.

[roastingnerd]

   I have a themocouple that I tried to use with the IR2 but the results made no sense to me.  I found the temp gage built iin was more useful, but ultimately I just kept going with variouts temp. ramps until the color looked right.  So there were many frustrating bad flavor batches.  Back in 2009 I had a good ramp and tried to use it this week and that is when the trouble started.  I suspect the darned thing has been a little sick for a long time.  It has peculiarties about judging when to change fan speeds instead of just adjusting heat that quit working for me.
I can see that the Gene has its foibles too.  Wonder why these companies don't listen to users and do upgrade mods.  Most other tech stuff does.

[BoldJava]

 
...I can see that the Gene has its foibles too.  Wonder why these companies don't listen to users and do upgrade mods.  Most other tech stuff does.

Having used the Gene for 6 years, with its tumbling functional design, getting an acurrate bean mass temp would be impossible.

[expy98]

Used the Gene for about a year then switched to the Hottop B the last 2 yrs.  The so-called
latest model on SM looks to be the same that's been available the last few years. 

Other than the E-Stop to remove/cool the beans, the Gene is somewhat easier to use imo.
Only thing you can change during the roast is turning on/off the heating element.
No fan adjustment and not really a true temp adjustment.  Roasting profiles seem pretty
consistent from batch to batch.  Easy to clean out the chaff tray, no filters to speak of,
the only gotcha is the heating element is prone to fail for some (replaced mine once). 
It's easy to get consistent roasts, I don't think I've ever pooched a batch with it.

With the Hottop B in stock config, can fine tune heating element and fan speed but the rear
filter changes the roast profile after a few batches.  Past roast logs help but usually
have to adjust on the fly.  A thorough cleaning after 50-100 or so batches requires near complete
disassembly and will render previous logs nearly useless ime.  Easier to charge beans and no hands
cooling.  Need to soak/clean rear filter every dozen or so batches.  I've pooched plenty of
batches but that's yet more opportunities to give them away to non-espresso drinkers and they
still think it's better than anything they currently buy.

That said, if my HTB broke today I'd get another or more likely a Huky 500.

[BoldJava]

... I don't think I've ever pooched a batch with it.

Same here <grins>.

[atalanta]

If you're looking to repair, I think there are 3 IRoasts on ebay (2 good, one for parts), worth looking at.

Other than that, I can't help. I'm using a fluid bed roaster and looking to upgrade.