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The more I roast with this Sono Fresco, the more I learn that I need to know more.
Discussions with various members about which fluid bed method nets the best result is probably application specific.

Jon Koll's Bubble Bed Roaster can roast about 2.5lbs at max load and utilizes a heat transfer technology coupled with air flow that he calls Bubble Bed is certainly a method I want to know more about.

The Sono Fresco that I have is using something close to fluid bed roasting and he action of the beans in the roast chamber are cyclonic and it roasts nicely and now with the proper air/heat mixture, no threat of scorching bean exists.

The Sivetz Roaster apparently utilized the Spouted Air method and we see in those designs larger roasters capable of moving between 50-200 lbs of green bean to roast.

My only concern with the Sivetz Method is that he claims it can roast an entire batch in 8 mins and I would then ask if heating the bean that quickly could damage the beans development of complex flavors suitable for drinking.

I ask that question because he argues the drum method imparts off flavors from the chaff contact on the bean getting charred during roast.

Also, the age old question: can you attain a good bodied coffee without a drum and as Jon Koll pointed out, a good bodied coffee for many may simple be overroasted bean and the so called body may just be oil smoke.

In another conversation of a person who wants to try my air roasted coffee..they have been drinking either Folgers or Flavored Gevalia offerings. My response to that is DEAR LORD..what an educational process I have to do to educate people that a good bean is neither Folgers nor is it flavored..in fact, we all know the flavor is added to mask defects and lower quality bean.

Anyone want to jump in here and talk about their air roasting experiences?

In the end, if the coffee is good, then the profile used for that bean whether produced in drum or fluid bed is most likely moot. At least the air method is fun to watch. lol

-Ken