If you're in the market to purchase a coffee roaster, I wrote this book for you. I've had the fortune to roast on hundreds of machines throughout my career, and I'd like to help new roasters buy the right machine for their needs. My goal in writing this book isn't to tell the reader which brand to buy, but to help the reader to understand the important considerations in the decision and to make an educated choice that suits his or her needs.
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Most machines from the major brands are capable of roasting a delicious batch of coffee, but some machines have features that make top-quality roasting and replication too difficult, even in skilled hands. Common examples of such features include thin, single-walled drums, slow gas valves, valves with poor resolution at low settings, excessive insulation around the drum, slow or poorly positioned probes, and limited control of roasts after first crack.
When seeking advice about what machine to buy, please ask those who have experience with all of the major brands. Roasters who have used only one or two machines tend to favor those machines and lack perspective about other machines. It should go without saying, but please do not rely on the advice of roasting-machine sales associates, as they are always biased, and often misinformed about the virtues of competing brands.
I do not publicly recommend or critique particular brands in this post, as those opinions are best shared with clients in private. Here, I will discuss what to consider when choosing a roaster. It's up to readers to infer my opinions of various brands.
First, consider how much you can afford to spend on a roaster. When calculating your budget, don't forget to include the cost of necessities such as chimney ductwork, pollution-control equipment, initial green-coffee inventory, QC equipment, a laptop for logging roast data, and various supplies. A budget should also include the costs of installation, permits, and architectural drawings for the permit process.
If you're a first-time roaster buying a machine with a capacity of between 6 kg'15 kg per batch, I've offered current () equipment cost estimates below. Costs will vary country to country; I'm most familiar with the costs in the US, so I've referenced those here.
All prices are in USD; I've attempted to offer reasonable low and high estimates for each item. If an item's low estimate is $0, it means the item is optional. I haven't bothered including optional equipment such as color readers and other QC devices, as they are not critical for a roasting startup.
With your budget and the above costs in mind, consider how much you can spend on the roasting machine. If you can afford it, please buy a larger roaster than you think you need. I've never known a roaster to regret buying a machine that was a bit too large, but I've known many roasters who regretted buying machines they quickly outgrew. Once you've estimated the startup costs of your roasting operation, prioritize your wants and needs.
To choose the proper machine size, it's important to estimate how much coffee you expect to roast each week over the next two years. Note the weekly amount of coffee you expect to roast two years from today. I recommend buying a machine large enough to roast that quantity of coffee in no more than 25 hours. When performing these calculations, remember that a machine's real capacity is likely less than its stated capacity, and that beans lose 14%'20% of their weight during roasting. (For reference, third-wave roasts lose approximately 14%, while a Starbucks roast may lose 20% or more.) A machine's burner capacity'not its drum size'determines how much coffee it can roast well. A reasonable guide is to assume that a quality roast of one kg of green coffee requires 11,500 kj/hr (or, one lb of coffee requires 5,000 btu/hr).*
Your roasting-machine salesperson will likely claim that you can roast 15 kg per batch in a 15kg machine. The job of a salesperson is to sell machines, not to help you roast the best-possible coffee, so take any claims lightly. The salesperson may be technically correct, because the drum can surely fit a 15-kg batch, but a full batch may take 15:00'20:00 to roast, which is longer than ideal. If quality roasting is your goal, it's usually safe to assume you will roast 3'3.5 lf batches per hour at 50%'70% of a machine's stated capacity. Then deduct the 14%'20% weight lost per batch to calculate how much roasted coffee per hour a machine can produce.
For example, if one were to roast three and a half batches of 7 kg green coffee per hour in a Diedrich IR-12, with an average weight loss of 15%, the machine would produce just under 21 kg of roasted coffee per hour (3.5 * 7 kg * .85 = 20.8 kg). That's more realistic than assuming the machine will roast 48 kg per hour.
Some machines are more reliable than others. Machines with fewer parts, fewer high-tech features, and heavier builds tend to be more durable and reliable. Older, simpler roasters, such as the fabled UG-series Probats are examples of rugged, low-tech machines built to last. Of course, all design decisions entail tradeoffs. Some modern technology may lack reliability but make quality roasting easier and more repeatable. Again, ask other users about reliability before buying' I'm sure most roasters would be happy to share their experiences, especially if they have complaints! While roasters are not always objective about their own roast quality, they tend to be somewhat objective about the reliability of their machines.
Many brands may not offer service or support in your country. Further, some companies offer poor support once you have paid for your roaster. I won't publicly discuss which companies, in my experience, neglect their customers, but I implore you to ask other users of a brand about service quality before you put a deposit on a machine. Even if you have a pleasant initial sales experience with a company, that does not guarantee future service quality.
This may seem like a trivial consideration, but if you're going to spend 20'40 hours per week using a roaster, a well-designed user interface is important. The interface isn't just about convenience and comfort, it can also affect roast quality and repeatability. For example, machines that require you to repeatedly tap an up- or down-button to change the gas setting can be tedious and slow to respond. In comparison, a machine with an analog gas dial or a smart touchscreen is more responsive, makes it easier to replicate curves, and can be a pleasure to operate. Other ease-of-use considerations involve having large, well-positioned digital manometers, timers, and temperature readouts.
You may want to consider aesthetics if you are installing a machine for use in a retail cafe or other public space. A beautifully refurbished vintage machine may make a nicer impression than a budget, modern machine.
I discussed this topic in detail in The Coffee Roaster's Companion, but will repeat the basics here. Common architectures include classic-drum roasters, indirectly fired roasters, recirculating roasters, and fluid-bed roasters. Each design has pros and cons.
Classic drum roasters: In these machines a drum rotates above a gas flame, and a fan pulls hot air from the burner through the drum and out of the roaster. Most smaller machines are classic drum roasters. Classic drum roasters get the job done, though many models provide too much conductive heat transfer, due to having a thin single-walled drum or an improper distance between the burner and drum. If too much heat is transferred to the beans via direct contact with the drum, coffee will taste harsher and less delicate. If you choose a classic drum roaster, I suggest you seek a machine with a double-walled drum and a burner with sufficient btu/hr (or kj/hr) for your needs. Compared to other designs, classic drum roasters offer good thermal stability but slower responses to gas changes.
Indirectly heated drum roasters: In these machines the burner chamber is separated from the drum and hot air passes from the burner chamber through the drum. The design allows the drum's surface to remain cooler because the flame is not in contact with the drum. Indirectly heated roasters are more difficult to control than classic drum roasters, because they require skillful management of airflow, while classic drum roasters rarely require much, if any, airflow adjustment.
Recirculation roasters: These machines recirculate a portion of the roasting exhaust air back through the burner and roasting chamber. Such machines are energy-efficient but often run the risk of imparting smokey or polluted flavors on coffee. To avoid smoke taint, it's important to heat the recirculated air to a sufficiently high (afterburner-level) temperature before passing it through the drum.
Fluid-bed roasters: These machines rely on a bed of rising hot air to circulate the beans and keep the beans aloft. Fluid-bed roasters eliminate the risk of conductive-heat damage, and are usually capable of developing beans well in short amounts of time. While there is no theoretical downside to fluid-bed roasters, in practice their control systems are usually too simplistic to fulfill the machines' potential. Given the current, rapid evolution in roast-control and data-logging software, I expect the utility and popularity of fluid-bed roasters to grow rapidly in the near future.
None of the features listed below are necessary to roast a good batch of coffee, but each may contribute to improved roast quality or repeatability.
Double drum (applies only to classic drum roasters) and powerful burner: The foundation of a good classic drum roaster is its burner and drum. As noted previously, burner output determines a machine's true capacity. Double drums allow for faster and hotter roasting with less risk of tipping or scorching. Make drum quality and burner output your first two concerns when choosing a classic drum roaster. You can easily replace or upgrade fans, valves, ducts, etc, but you cannot easily replace a drum, and upgrading a burner can be expensive.
Variable-speed-drive (VSD) fan: As long as your roaster's fan provides a reasonable amount of draw, you don't need a variable-speed fan to produce good roasts. But without a VSD fan, it's impossible to maintain consistent airflow levels day to day. The combination of a digital air-pressure manometer and a VSD fan is essential for expert-level roast repeatability.
Air manometer (aka drum-pressure manometer): A manometer in the duct between the roasting drum and exhaust fan is a relatively new, worthwhile addition to a roaster. The manometer reads pressure, not flow, but that pressure reading correlates with airflow. Using the same fan setting every day does not ensure consistent roasting because airflow may vary day to day with the weather and other factors. Having an air-pressure manometer helps one know how to adjust the fan to provide consistent airflow every batch. (Note: directly measuring airflow requires installing probes in the exhaust duct, but the probes get dirty too quickly during roasting to work effectively. Using an air-pressure manometer is the best current option to monitor and maintain consistent airflow batch to batch. However, the relationship between pressure and flow will shift slowly as the ducts get dirty, so frequent chimney cleaning is critical.)
High-resolution gas manometer: Most roasting machines come with small, cheap analog manometers that offer imprecise gas-pressure measurements. I recommend replacing your stock analog manometer with a high-resolution digital manometer. Analog manometers may be aesthetically pleasing, but they make discernment of precise readings too difficult.
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Proper probes and probe locations: To be a great roaster by today's standards, one needs better green, lighter roasts, quality data collection, precise controls, and software to track and analyze the data. To ensure adequate data collection, insist on having a bean probe and an environmental probe, each with diameters of 2.5 mm' 4 mm. An inlet-temperature probe is helpful but not critical.
The optimal bean probe location in most machines is as follows:
The probe's tip should be 3'5 cm from the inside of the machine's faceplate.
The probe's tip should be 3'5 cm from the inner drum edge. (2 cm is ok for machines with capacity of 1 kg or less.)
The probe tip should be in the heart of the bean pile, even when roasting very small batches. If the probe is too high in the drum or too close to the center axle, it may not be immersed in the bean pile of very small batches. Proper probe location should provide quality data for batches as small as 20% capacity.
Paying for a machine: Manufacturers typically require the buyer to deposit 50% of the machine's price upon ordering, with the balance due upon shipment of the machine. The problem with such arrangements is that once a manufacturer has your deposit, he or she may lose motivation to deliver your machine on time. Salespeople routinely promise a machine in three months, secure a deposit, and then ship the machine six to nine months later, claiming unavoidable delays. The buyer is helpless as he or she pays rent on an empty roastery and loses money waiting for the machine to arrive. I have seen such delays happen on fully half of my clients' orders. I strongly suggest insisting on a sales-contract clause guaranteeing delivery by a certain date, with a penalty against the manufacturer for late delivery.
Ensure a brand's machines are reliable.
Seek out features that assist in precision roasting.
Find a company that offers prompt, reliable service, with service representatives based in your country.
Cost (relative to burner output and features)
Other considerations discussed above, such as installing a better probe or manometer can often be arranged with the manufacturer or added after you receive a machine.
When choosing a roaster, I suggest you determine your budget, make a prioritized list of your needs and wants, and ask other roasters about their experiences with various machines. Trust others' opinions about machine reliability and service, but be skeptical of their opinions about roast quality unless they have had extensive experience on numerous models of roasters. Ignore subjective information from salespeople. When possible, arrange with the manufacturer or another roasting company to spend a few hours working on a model of machine before committing to its purchase.
Used roasting equipment can offer coffee service operators many benefits over buying new, but the operator needs experienced guidance. Here is where brokers play an important role.
Image: Adobe Stock.October 9, by Rick Davis ' CEO, Coffee Equipment Pros
If you've been in the commercial vending or industrial food and beverage service industries for any length of time, then you might know that equipment procurement departments' attitudes toward purchasing used equipment can vary depending on several factors. This can include the specific industry, the type of equipment in question, the budget constraints and the organization's overall needs.
As someone who has been in the used and new industrial coffee equipment industry for about 20 years, I've worked with customers spanning from small artisanal coffeehouses to very large industrial operations. I've supplied them with everything from the coffee roaster (new or used) to all the additional ancillary new equipment, including loaders, destoners, grinders, K-cup filling and sealing machines, cold-brew systems and much more. And I'm here to tell you that no matter the budget size or operational focus, the same potential benefits and considerations about purchasing used industrial equipment continuously find their way into our conversations.
Additionally, I've watched with interest how commercial food and beverage institutions are increasingly embracing the trend of in-house coffee roasting and cold-brew systems. I believe this shift is driven by a desire for greater control over the coffee quality, long-term cost savings, the ability to create unique coffee blends, and meeting the growing demand for specialty coffee.
However, moving to in-house coffee roasting requires expertise to know what kind of commercial equipment to invest in. That's where a coffee equipment broker with an emphasis on consultative sales, relationship-building and the ability to build an equipment package (optionally with financing) can support your efforts.
All of which is to say, if you're responsible for procurement or are working with that team to approve your request for used equipment, I'd like to share some thoughts that might impact the decision making. Since I'm coming from the industrial coffee roasting equipment world, I'll speak in those terms, but the considerations below can apply to any type of used industrial equipment you might be thinking of purchasing.
1. Cost savings. Many procurement departments view purchasing a used industrial coffee roaster or roasting equipment as a practical way to save money. Used equipment is often available at a fraction of the cost of new equipment, making it an attractive option for organizations with budget constraints.
2. Value for money. Buying used coffee roasting equipment can provide excellent value for the price paid. It allows organizations to acquire high-quality machinery that may have been unaffordable if purchased new.
3. Immediate availability. Used coffee roasters and roasting equipment are typically readily available versus waiting months for a newly built machine, which can be advantageous when there's an urgent need to replace or expand equipment. It can help minimize downtime in operations.
4. Sustainability. In today's environmentally conscious business environment, some procurement teams appreciate the sustainability aspect of purchasing a used commercial coffee roaster or roasting equipment. It extends the lifespan of products and reduces the demand for new manufacturing, contributing to a greener approach.
1. Quality and reliability. One of the primary concerns with used industrial coffee roasting equipment is its quality and reliability. Procurement departments must assess the equipment's condition to ensure it meets the organization's performance standards and won't lead to frequent breakdowns or maintenance issues. That's why working with an experienced used equipment broker with a thorough vetting system is critical.
2. Warranty and support. Used coffee roasting equipment may not come with the same warranty and support options as new equipment. Procurement departments must consider the potential costs of repairs and maintenance when evaluating the overall cost effectiveness of used equipment. A reputable used equipment broker might offer a post-sale program for equipment servicing, so put this on your list to inquire about.
3. Fit for purpose. Determining if the used coffee roasting equipment suits the organization's specific needs is crucial. Compatibility with existing systems and processes is a key consideration to avoid operational disruptions. An experienced used equipment broker will serve as your consultative partner to determine which equipment will best serve your purposes.
4. Resale value. Some procurement teams think about the resale value of used industrial coffee roasting equipment. They consider how well the equipment will hold its value and whether it will be easy to sell when it's no longer needed.
5. Supplier reputation. The reputation of the seller or supplier of used coffee roasting equipment matters. Procurement teams prefer to work with reputable sellers who provide accurate equipment descriptions and histories. An expert broker will know to ask the right questions to reveal the equipment's status and relocation capabilities, handle all the back-and-forth communications with buyer, seller and logistics vendors, and possess the ability to handle unforeseen issues that arise.
6. Safety and compliance. Ensuring that used commercial coffee roasting equipment complies with safety and industry regulations is essential. Procurement teams need to verify that the equipment meets all necessary standards. Again, a customer service-focused used equipment broker will help ensure that the used coffee roasting equipment you're purchasing meets local and industry standards. A good used equipment broker should be able to connect you with local technicians to help install and commission your used roasting equipment per local requirements.
7. Total cost of ownership. Procurement departments often conduct a total cost of ownership analysis, which considers the purchase price and ongoing operational costs, maintenance and potential downtime associated with a used coffee roaster or roasting equipment.
So, where does this leave us? At the end of the day, procurement teams are right to approach the purchase of used commercial or industrial equipment (including coffee roasting equipment) with a balance of optimism and caution. It's prudent to recognize the cost saving potential and the many benefits of buying used, but also understand the importance of due diligence in assessing quality, reliability and suitability for the organization's needs.
The key is to ensure you're working with an equipment broker who is reputable, organized and has proven systems in place to guarantee that you end up with the perfect "new to you" equipment to support your operations. Just as you vet your used equipment, I also encourage you to vet your equipment broker. The tips below can steer you in the right direction.
1. Strong service guarantee. This ensures a high level of service where you are the number one priority.
2. Quick equipment delivery. This means you receive your equipment immediately after your payment is received.
3. Constant communication. Contact should be ongoing through every step of the sales transaction. You should always know the next step.
4. Solid financing program. A good broker's lending program will be competitive and offer good options.
5. Recent reviews. Look for Google reviews that can't be manipulated ' not just the broker's hand-picked choices on their website or marketing channels.
6. Deep equipment knowledge. A good equipment broker will have the ability to offer wise guidance, bolstered by ample "in the field" experience.
7. Excellent negotiating skills. A good broker has a solid understanding of professional sales best practices and used equipment market prices.
8. Transaction experience. An experienced used equipment broker will know how to handle all paperwork, including agreements, bills of sale and loan releases.
9. Equipment relocation logistics. A good broker will have the ability to handle decommissioning, crate and freight, tracking and confirmation of delivery, installation and equipment commissioning, if needed.
10. Post-sale support and relationship. This is the most important sign, as any reputable equipment broker will know that the relationship starts with the sale ' it doesn't end with it. A good broker will include technical service support, either in-house or with connections to it, plus leads on additional equipment that would round out and benefit your operations.