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What to buy as a first roaster?
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ciel-007 |
Posted on 02/07/2015 5:05 PM
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1 1/2 Pounder Posts: 651 Joined: April 03, 2012 |
Quote MichaelRpdx wrote: ... Ken's dislike and a bit of good timing allowed me to get a HT at a great price. Ginny, could you attract a few more users like him that want to sell their HTs? It would be a great public service... Michael, I agree with you Since Hottops are reliable workhorses, considerable savings may be enjoyed by looking for a used roaster rather than a brand new one. Given that used Hottops are few and far between, one must patiently await for an offering. If one is impatient, and wishes to shorten waiting times, it is always possible to look beyond the walls of HRO. A few minutes ago I took a quick peek at both eBay and Craigslist. I see there are two used Hottops for sale on eBay as I post these words. Ciel Ciel... seeking Heaven in my cup with ................................................................................................................. EXPOBAR Brewtus II - MAZZER Mini E - MAHLK?NIG Vario - GeneCafe - RAF-1 Extreme (Modified B-2 HOTTOP) - BellaTaiwan XJ-101
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ginny |
Posted on 02/07/2015 7:39 PM
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Founder Posts: 3476 Joined: October 24, 2005 |
Members here can look any place for a used roaster... we do have members that sell their roasters here, but there are always roasters on eBay and Craigslist. ginny |
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snwcmpr |
Posted on 02/07/2015 9:09 PM
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1 1/2 Pounder Posts: 925 Joined: March 03, 2011 |
This is what I said. Quote A lot of members here love the HotTop. I did not, I could not get a great cup of coffee from it. And I was not willing to modify it. I have to clarify the words that have been used with my name attached. I never said I disliked the HT. I never bashed it. If you read what I wrote, I said I did not love it as others here. I said I could not get it to work for me. That is a completely different thing. Please refrain from this Ken Bashing. I have tried, in my limited way, to contribute back for all that has been given to me. I am grateful for what I have learned here, and I roast quite well with what I have. There are many ways to roast a great cup of joe, the HT is only one way. Thank God we aren't all the same. Ken in NC --------------
Backwoods Roaster "I wish I could taste as well as I wish I could roast." As Abraham Lincoln said "Do not trust everything you read on the internet". |
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ginny |
Posted on 02/08/2015 7:15 AM
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Founder Posts: 3476 Joined: October 24, 2005 |
Ken: I do not believe that the Hot Top is the only roaster, period. There are many choices for people to use to roast a lot of beans or simply 3 or 4 ounces. The Hot Top has been modified by many members here and hence has developed a lot of noise and conversation. So have many, many other roasters. Clearly there are zealots for almost anything roasters are not exempt. Free speech lives here at HRO and you have a right to your opinion. ginny... Clearly if someone asks me if they should get a Hot Top over a Gene Cafe I will tell them to get a Hot Top simply because I believe that there is more control over your roast with the Hot Top. Many would say the same about the Gene Cafe. What it all boils down to is PERSONAL CHOICE. |
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MichaelRpdx |
Posted on 02/08/2015 5:54 PM
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Newbie Posts: 42 Joined: December 25, 2013 |
Quote I have to clarify the words that have been used with my name attached. I never said I disliked the HT. I never bashed it. If you read what I wrote, I said I did not love it as others here. I said I could not get it to work for me. Portland, Oregon roasting with Popper to start; Behmor 2007 - 2013; Hottop 2014 - now,
What to do with TC4 parts now that I have Hottop 2k+ ?? |
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boar_d_laze |
Posted on 02/08/2015 6:37 PM
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1/4 Pounder Posts: 181 Joined: May 28, 2013 |
As long as you have a window which opens, and neighbors who aren't too critical, you can effectively vent any roaster by running flexible vent tubing through a (removable) board cut to fit the window opening Remember too, small charges, 250g and less, don't produce more smoke than a decent stove hood can take in stride. I used an HT for a few years; close to half a ton worth; with manual "B" and automatic "P" boards; with and without thermocouples. It's a good roaster, but not without weaknesses. If I were in the market for a 250g - 500g, "advanced amateur" roaster, for under $1500, I would not buy another. My background (starting forty years ago) was in sensory (sights, sounds, smells) roasting. However, I've changed with the times, my profiling has become very specific, and as far as I'm concerned, reliable BT readings and real time plotting are essential for the kind of roasting I do now. That's certainly not true for everyone. There are plenty of good sensorial roast masters around, and that may be your aspiration. However, real time BT plotting is necessary for anyone who accurately anticipates roast milestones to within a few seconds in order to profile in modern styles. Back to the HT: There's the dearth of good places for a BT probe; the sheer number of eensy weensy fasteners; their propensity to strip the threads of their screw holes; and the amount of time for cool down necessary between Dropping one roast and Charging the next to do batch roasting. But with all those challenges you can still pull excellent, professional quality roasts out of an HT; and it's still the least expensive (by a couple of hundred bucks), factory made roaster that will let you do it. One of the most important questions when making buying decisions is always "compared to what?" Takei a good look at the Huky 500 and the Quest M3. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and we might as well get to a weakness they both share right away, because it's so high on your list. If you want serious cooling -- like Drop to room temperature in 90 seconds (overkill in my opinion) -- you'll have to put together an outboard cooling tray (easy). In my opinion, either is a better choice than a new HT. Rich Edited by boar_d_laze on 02/08/2015 6:51 PM USRC 1lb Roaster, Chemex+Kone, Espro, Various FPs, Royal Siphon Vacuum, Yama Ice Drip Tower, Bunnzilla, La Cimbali M21 Casa, Ceado E92.
CookFoodGood |
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boar_d_laze |
Posted on 02/08/2015 7:03 PM
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1/4 Pounder Posts: 181 Joined: May 28, 2013 |
Pardon the extra post, but I just noticed the Gene had reared its head in this thread. A while ago, Gene vs HT was a reasonable comparison because they weren't that far apart in price; roughly $500+ for the Gene and $700+ for the HT. However, since then HT raised its prices considerably and the HT, at $1100, now competes in the same price class as the Quest and Huky, each about $1300. Just in terms of precise profiling, the Gene is a blunt instrument and the HT is a scalpel. But compared to the Quest or Huky, they're freshly stropped straight razors, while the HT is a butter knife. I liked the heck out of my HT; but that's the way I see it now. Sic transit gloria mundi Rich USRC 1lb Roaster, Chemex+Kone, Espro, Various FPs, Royal Siphon Vacuum, Yama Ice Drip Tower, Bunnzilla, La Cimbali M21 Casa, Ceado E92.
CookFoodGood |
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coffeeroastersclub |
Posted on 02/08/2015 7:38 PM
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Pounder Posts: 535 Joined: May 26, 2009 |
Quote Davidsidcus wrote: - Not concerned too much about price. Would spend up to $1,500 for the perfect machine, but would prefer to stay at $750 or lower. - I prefer body to brightness( insert joke here) - I live in an apartment; smoke is a big deal! I do have a decent stove top vent - I don't need to roast more than 8oz at a clip - I am freaked about coasting! I would prefer a separate cooling area as part of the machine Any suggestions? My Best, David Getting back to Dave's question at hand, it appears to me that either the Behmor1600 or Nesco coffee roaster would be the best fit for his needs and budget. The Behmor is a drum roaster which will address his "body to brightness" issue, the Nesco is a quasi drum/air roaster more towards te side of a drum roaster ..., both have smoke suppression, both will do 8 oz. fine, both cool down AFAIK. None of the others being mentioned on this thread address the smoke issue which is a significant issue according to the OP. And David, with the extra chunk of change you save getting either of the above roasters (behmor at less than $300, Nesco around $150) you can purchase lots of good greens for quite some time. If you ever find yourself moving to a more viable roasting environment that will open up alot of other opportunities for you. Len "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee." ~Abraham Lincoln
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ciel-007 |
Posted on 02/08/2015 10:54 PM
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1 1/2 Pounder Posts: 651 Joined: April 03, 2012 |
I would like to support the excellent advice that Rich (boar_d_laze) has offered above. David, it is easy for a novice to pick the wrong roaster. As a novice, I made that very mistake. Many roasters are noisy, and most do not monitor bean mass temperature. Hence: - Make sure that you pick a roaster that is quiet, so that you may easily hear first crack. - Further, make sure that you pick a roaster that will allow you to install a K thermocouple that will allow you monitor the temperature of the greens as they gradually turn to brown. Ciel Ciel... seeking Heaven in my cup with ................................................................................................................. EXPOBAR Brewtus II - MAZZER Mini E - MAHLK?NIG Vario - GeneCafe - RAF-1 Extreme (Modified B-2 HOTTOP) - BellaTaiwan XJ-101
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Davidsidcus |
Posted on 02/09/2015 2:53 PM
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Newbie Posts: 7 Joined: January 27, 2015 |
I love the passion I see here; thank you all so much for the great advice! For the record, I did not consider any post here to be overly critical of any product, just personal opinions from passionate roasters! A few things have changed on my end; as a result, I decided to buy the Gene cafe. My girlfriend recently convinced me to buy skiing gear, which set me back quite a bit. I also decided to turn a work trip to Vegas at the end of this month into a golf vacation, which means another hit to the David fun budget. So, the $600 price tag appealed to me at this time. The other major factor is the the distributor is only an hour from my house. I called, and they are happy to let me buy and service the machine in person. I think the opportunity to develop a relationship here is a good one. Finally, I think a simpler machine is best to start with; if I am loving the process after 6 months, I can invest in a more sophisticated roaster like the HT. I really hope I did not turn off any roasters in the HT camp; I am sure I will need your advice very soon My Best, David My Best,
David Technivorm Moccamaster KitchenAid pro series burr grinder Roaster? |
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