I don't keep it at one temp setting the whole time... just before first crack hits I back off on the heat so the heating element light is out... for a bit less than a minute or so and coast into first. Since the beans are going exothermic (making their own heat) at that point, you don't want to be pouring on the heat up to and through first crack or it race through first right into second, just like you noticed. Another thing to know is that turbo ovens have elements that are either all on or all off. If the element light is on then that heating element is all on regardless of where you have the thermostat set. Also, you can't go by what the thermostat settings are on those things. I think most are not very accurate. Mine runs hotter than what the dial says it should be.