Coffee roasting at home is a fun hobby, and at the same time you will be able to experience what a truly fresh bean tastes like. Here are some of my coffee roasters.
It’s one of those annoying coffee cliches, but it’s true: Freshly roasted coffee is one of the most delicious things in the world.
In spite of what the super markets claim, coffee has a rather short shelf life.
It starts incredible, and within two-three weeks much of that magic is gone.
It’s similar to baking bread: The difference between fresh and old is dramatic.
If you never want to drink stale coffee again, there’s only one way to be entirely sure that you’re getting the fresh stuff: Roast coffee at home.
Roasting coffee is not rocket science, but I wouldn’t say that it’s child’s play either.
Treat it like a hobby with a bit of a learning curve, and before long you’ll be rewarded with some pretty magnificent home-roasted beans.
Please note: If you decide to purchase a product through a link on the site, I may earn a commission without additional cost to you. These commissions help to support the site. Learn more here
| Product Name | Capacity | Heat Source | Connectivity | Price Range | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaldi Wide Drum Coffee Roaster | Up to 330g | Gas (separate burner) | No | $$ |  |
| Aillio Bullet R1 V2 | Up to 1kg | Induction/Electric | Yes (USB) | $$$$ |  |
| BocaBoca Infrared Coffee Roaster | 250g or 500g | Infrared/Electric | No | $$ |  |
| Fresh Roast Air Roaster | Up to 120g | Air/Electric | No | $ |  |
| Ceramic Home Coffee Bean Roaster | Up to 70g | Stovetop | No | $ |  |
| Behmor 1600 Plus | Up to 1 pound | Infrared/Electric | No | $$ |  |
The Kaldi Wide is a quality home drum roaster produced by the tiny Korean company, Kaldi. I have owned this model for 6 years (I got it in 2017), and it has been able to do many back-to-back batches in that period.
You could say that, you get a professional machine in a more compact form. There’s a thermometer and a trier, so you can monitor the bean temperature and check the color as you go along.
The capacity is quite good for a home roaster (you can get away with up to 330 grams), and the machine is put together exceptionally well. I dropped mine on the floor on one occasion, and it survived with just minor scratches.
The Kaldi Wide has started to become a cult favorite among home roasters since it offers the ideal combination of value, sturdiness, and hands-on roasting experience.
Keep in mind that you need a separate gas burner for this roaster – the heat source is not included.
See more reviews
The Aillio Bullet R1 is an expensive but highly advanced home coffee roaster that justifies its price tag with a plethora of features and capabilities.
The Bullet R1 can connect to your computer via a USB cable, giving you access to specialized software that allows you to control and log every aspect of the roasting process. This level of control and precision is unparalleled in the home roasting market.
With a capacity to roast up to 1 kg at a time, the Aillio Bullet R1 is perfect for those who want to roast large batches of coffee beans. It’s a self-contained unit, complete with a cooling tray and chaff collector, making it a convenient all-in-one solution for home roasters.
I have been roasting on this model since 2022, and it has truly taken my coffee roasting to a new level; check out my review here.
The Aillio Bullet R1 is an excellent investment for those serious about home coffee roasting and looking for a device that offers advanced control, large capacity, and consistent results.
In spite of the latin-sounding name, the BocaBoca Roaster, is also from Korea.
It’s a relatively new model that’s only recently gotten a name among American coffee geeks.
The Bocaboca is quite unique since it relies on infrared radiation as the heatsource. This means that a glass drum can be used instead of steel.
Why is this so cool?
There are two different sizes of the Bocaboca — a 250 and a 500 grams version.
The design is user-friendly and cute, the price is right, and the coffee is tasty (according to the reviewers on various coffee forums). I think this roaster has a lot of things going for it.
If I didn’t already own the Kaldi Wide, I’d probably get this device for myself.
See more reviews
The Fresh Roast is a brilliant first roaster for someone who wants to try roasting some beans without getting too committed. It’s budget-friendly and beginner-friendly since you can see the beans in the glass container while they are changing color.
In a way, it’s almost like a popcorn-roaster (which many people start their roasting journey on) just way better, since you have much more control over the heat.
The roaster also has a chaff collector which is fantastic if you’re roasting indoors at home (trust me on this one). There’s also a cooling cycle built in.
The main problem with this roaster is that the capacity is low at around 120 grams, even for just a single coffee addict which is a bit on the small side.
See more reviews
This is an incredibly simple small batch coffee roaster for somebody who wants to try roasting at home without any real illusions of producing something outstanding. It’s easy to pour the beans in and out. Aside from that, the main point of this thing is that it’s cheap.
Some skilled people with powerful hands might be able to get an even roast of out of this, but the chances are that your beans are going to get burnt. If you have an oven, I will use that over this apparatus.
See more reviews
The Behmor is one of the grand old men of home coffee roasting. There are some GREAT things to say about it but also some more negative ones.
It has an enormous capacity for a home roasting device with up to 1 pound per batch, which is the most appealing thing about it. With this model, you’ll be self-reliant when it comes to freshly roasted beans!
However, many customers complain about the design — notably, the safety feature where the roaster shuts off in the middle of the action. In the event that you don’t cautiously watch out for this, your entire set may be messed up.
Also, some reviewers complain that it’s hard to get consistent results.
The last con for some people will be that this device isn’t suitable for darker roasts.
See more reviewsRoasting, in its purest form, is all about transferring heat to the green coffee bean. Within minutes, the green coffee turns from dense and undrinkable into the brown beans you’re familiar with.
However, considering coffee roasting only in this manner is too simplistic. Coffee roasting is a craft, and achieving a good result is all about applying just the right amount of heat. That is why many home coffee roasters quickly graduate from typical beginner methods, such as oven and popcorn roasters, to dedicated tools that offer a certain level of precision.
Coffee roasters can be found at various price points. You can purchase ultra-cheap models that are essentially glorified nut or popcorn roasters, or opt for fancy devices with built-in motors and roasting profiles. Prices can range from $30 to thousands of dollars for models like the Aillio Bullet, which is often hailed as the ultimate home coffee roaster machine.
The price level will largely be determined by the type of coffee roaster you choose. There are three common types of home coffee bean roasters available:
Coffee roasting is not only a fun hobby; it also makes financial sense. Typically, two pounds of high-quality green coffee will cost you about the same as 9 oz of roasted beans from your local specialty coffee dealer. In other words, you save a lot of money by roasting at home.
Of course, you also have to factor in the time spent roasting, but generally speaking, you can roast coffee at home and save money.
One of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a small coffee roaster is the capacity.
If you consume a significant amount of coffee on a daily basis, you don’t want a machine with a low capacity.
I used to roast coffee in a popcorn machine, but with a capacity of around 100 grams/4 oz, it quickly became cumbersome.
100 grams of coffee will turn into 85 grams of roasted coffee, which you’ll probably be able to drink in a day or two.
Coffee roasting typically takes between 8 – 12 minutes. If you go faster, you risk either scorching the bean or underdeveloping it; both are roast defects that will give you unpleasant flavors. If you roast the coffee too slowly, you’ll end up baking it. This will make the coffee taste dull and less vibrant than it should be.
The devil really is in the details when it comes to coffee roasting. One or two extra minutes can make a significant difference. This is because the beans have what is called an ‘exothermic’ reaction when the first crack occurs. At this point, the beans will develop rapidly. A skilled roastmaster is able to navigate during these crucial minutes.
If you want more information on how to roast coffee, then check out my guide right here.
Even though a roasting session might only take 10 minutes from load to drop, all the small details in your workflow will add extra time:
Although effective roast time is short, preparation and cleaning add time to the process.
For those reasons, I wouldn’t recommend a roaster with less than a 300-gram capacity. While it’s fun to roast, you also want to see (and drink) the fruit of your labor.
The more control you have over temperature and airflow, the more you’ll be able to tweak your roast profiles. For those reasons, I’d highly recommend getting a device that has a digital thermometer and a dedicated temperature control.
If you don’t have any of these tools at your disposal, your roasts will likely be less consistent. Even though it is possible to roast purely from sensorial cues, it’s not recommended. To learn and adapt your roasting style, you need a bit of data.
Hello, and welcome! I'm the editor & founder of this site.
I have been a coffee geek since I started home roasting more than a decade ago. Since then, coffee has taken me on countless adventures: From ancient coffee ceremonies in Ethiopia to the volcanos of Sumatra.
My background is in journalism, and today I'm also a licensed Q Grader under the Coffee Quality Institute.
Fueled by caffeine, driven by coffee
The Coffee Chronicler 2024 ©
