Any one for recommendations on a new roster?

[dbeyes]

My Alpenroast has bit the dust after many years of good service now what to replace it with. I have been looking at the Behmor or the Hot Top. Anyone have a recommendation?

[thejavaman]

If you have the money, go for the Hottop.  I have a Behmor and while I do like it, I'd much rather have a Hottop.  I believe cfsheridan (an esteemed member/distributor here) sells them through HIS WEBSITE too.

[peter]

It sounds like you want a roaster that will work out of the box, yes?

If you can tinker, and you want great control over the roast profile, you'll do well to consider the SC|TO, in my humble opinion.

[dbeyes]

Thanks for your reply, I was thinking of the Hot Top also, the B seems like you can do more on the fly and the P version you can store more profiles. I have no idea what a SC|TO is maybe you can introduce me to something new.

[thejavaman]

...I have no idea what a SC|TO is maybe you can introduce me to something new...

Stir Crazy/Turbo Oven.

Everything you ever wanted to know and more about them HERE.  In a nutshell, it's the base of a popcorn popper (Stir Crazy) with a convection oven (Turbo Oven) on top to supply the heat.  It's a great way to roast a relatively large amount of coffee with good cup results.

EDIT:  More HERE.  You can even see our very own Peter's cool double SC/TO set-up HERE too.

[Tex]

More info.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

If you are thinking Hottop look into which one works better with the milowwidget  the SC/TO should be easily adapted to the milowwidget if you go that wrought

[Warrior372]

The Quest M3 is also a pretty nice looking roaster. It rings in at about $1000 which includes shipping from Taiwan. It gets little mention in here, but it is pretty fancy looking. I have not heard anything negative about it from the people in HomeBarista and Coffeegeek that have purchased them. The only downside when compared to the HotTop is you would have to manually profile, as there is not a computer.

[J.Jirehs Roaster]

The Quest M3 is also a pretty nice looking roaster. It rings in at about $1000 which includes shipping from Taiwan. It gets little mention in here, but it is pretty fancy looking. I have not heard anything negative about it from the people in HomeBarista and Coffeegeek that have purchased them. The only downside when compared to the HotTop is you would have to manually profile, as there is not a computer.

1K to roast 8 oz?!!?!?  its pertty lookin though

[Warrior372]

A new HotTop costs what $720-$920 depending on what model you get.

A few people in Home-Bartisa who have Quest M3s installed thermocouplers to more closely monitor bean temp and air temp in the chamber. The machine also collects chaff as it roasts. The manufacturer said if you do a group buy of 10 machines they would sell them for $650 plus shipping versus the $880 a piece plus shipping. I am not sure if the $120 per machine shipping would be effected by a larger quantity. . . . I assume it would not be though. Who wants to do a group buy ?

Either that or do a few people for the Chicago area want to get together and try to make a 1lb gas drum roaster? I would like to think a few resourceful people could collectively build something functional. . . . . I do not really care what it looks like, as long as it works   ! There are a number of scrap metal yards around the city, there is a science supply store in Jefferson Park with used motors / blowers and there are a ton of machine shops. Would anyone be interested? We can use Ringo's example as a lead.

[MGLloyd]

^^^ FYI, the Quest M3 manufacturer representative recently appeared on Coffeegeek.  No group buy discount is available.

PS: edited to add Quest M3 to ensure that everyone knows I was referring to the Quest. 

[Tex]

^^^ FYI, the manufacturer representative recently appeared on Coffeegeek.  No group buy discount is available.

Last I heard, these guys are still offering us the HotTop for $699.99, S&H included.

How much of a savings is that when you subtract the cost of shipping?

[cfsheridan]

The Hottop "B" is $720.  You will not see it advertised for less, unless someone is being unscrupulous.  Some people that I know quite well will sell at that price with no shipping.

I've had my eye on the Quest for a while now, but I'm having trouble justifying dropping $1k on another electric roaster, which will end up with another $100 or $200 for data logging and the like.

Michael from Hottop USA is a class act, and provides outstanding support, IMO.  If Quest were to duplicate that in the USA, then things would be real interesting.

[Tex]

I understand your need to protect your turf Chad, but it's not being advertised at $699.99, because that would violate the MAP agreement. The actual selling price can be anything the seller wishes to ask, as long as he doesn't advertise it.

Even $720, with free S&H, would be a great price. I notice Sweet Maria's is sweetening their price with free beans - that's not being unscrupulous by your standards is it?

[cfsheridan]

I understand your need to protect your turf Chad, but it's not being advertised at $699.99, because that would violate the MAP agreement. The actual selling price can be anything the seller wishes to ask, as long as he doesn't advertise it.

Even $720, with free S&H, would be a great price. I notice Sweet Maria's is sweetening their price with free beans - that's not being unscrupulous by your standards is it?

I'm not protecting turf.   Just stating that it is not advertised for less.  I know that non-advertised discounts happen, but my understanding from Hottop is that bulk arrangements are not encouraged or endorsed in a public or semi-public arena.