Fresh Roast SR800 Coffee Roaster Bundle – Home Coffee Roasting Machine with Glass Extension Tube, Bean Cooler & Green Coffee Samples

I've roasted about 50 200 gram batches of beans on this roaster. Here are the pros: --For the price, it has a great value --Very easy to operate --Predictable level of roast quality --Enough functionality to meet the needs of most small batch roasters --Small footprint and easy to get set up and roasting --The included cooling fan is super useful to quickly cool down your batch --Chaff collection and clean-up is good There are a few small issues to be aware of: --Roasting chamber is tall and narrow so not super stable (you just have to show caution when using) --Chaff filter gets hot, so, like the roasting chamber, be careful --Temperature gauge is not visible at the same time as fan and heat gauges --Needs a cool-down period in between batches, at least 30 minutes, or you risk failure. Important! The product is meeting my needs and I'm getting great coffee from it.

I’ve been roasting coffee heavily with the SR800 for a few weeks now, and it has been absolutely amazing. Before buying it, I watched several videos from other users and found it pretty easy to understand how it works. Once you do your first roast, it all clicks. This is not something to be intimidated by. I spent a lot of time deciding which bundle to order. My kit came with two 1-lb bags of green coffee, two coffee trays, a bean cooler, a small brush for chaff, the roaster itself, and the extension tube. At first, I thought I might regret choosing the bundle with the bean cooler instead of one with pour-over gear, thinking I could just cool beans in a colander. That turned out to be completely wrong. The bean cooler was absolutely the right choice for me. When it’s time to stop a roast, the beans need to cool fast so they don’t keep cooking internally. I won’t roast without the bean cooler now. My roasts finish cleanly and consistently, and I love the results. The machine itself is straightforward. There’s an on and off button and a dial that controls fan speed, heat, and display functions. You generally start with a higher fan setting and lower heat during the drying phase. As the beans dry and get lighter, they move more in the glass chamber, and you adjust the fan to keep good circulation. From there, you fine-tune fan and heat to control the roast as the temperature rises. Eventually you’ll hear first crack, which is a popping or clicking sound as moisture escapes from inside the bean. After that, you develop the roast until you decide to drop the beans. One thing that wasn’t obvious at first is how to check chamber temperature. If you turn the dial clockwise, it switches to show the temperature inside the chamber. Pushing it returns you to the main display where you can adjust fan, heat, and see how much time remains before the automatic cooling cycle starts. Once you understand that, the controls are very intuitive. A couple of tips from my experience. Start by aiming for a medium roast and get comfortable with that before experimenting further. Also, take safety seriously. Make sure the metal piece at the bottom of the chamber is secure before roasting. It threads onto glass, so don’t overtighten, but do check it. I skipped that once and it came loose while I was dropping a batch. Thankfully my dog was inside at the time, because hot beans everywhere would have been dangerous. The chaff collector and extension tube get very hot, so heat-resistant gloves are a must. Overall, this roaster has been a joy to use. It’s easy to learn, produces excellent results quickly, and the bundle I chose turned out to be exactly right for how I roast. I’m extremely happy with it and it's a great value for all the enjoyment I get out of trying specialty coffee from around the world.

This is my second coffee roaster. The first one being a Zach and Dani's some years ago. This unit is far superior to that one. That being said, a word of caution to those thinking you are going to get this roaster and be making great coffee by late morning. Roasting coffee is an art and science. You will be lucky to get drinkable coffee by your third or fourth try. There are an amazing amount of variables, from ambient temperature, bean type, quality, quantity in roaster, and moisture level to roast times, heating technique and cooling time. Then there is the smell, the chaff and just where the heck you are going to roast. Believe me, your kitchen fan does not pull enough air to stop from smoking up your kitchen. Oh yes, if you roast outside or in garage for instance, you have to take into account those external ambient temperatures. My advice is to take notes, stick with one type of coffee (once you figure out what is to your taste). That being said; this unit, while expensive for a glorified air popcorn popping machine, is probable the best bang for the buck, especially while learning. It is made of glass and melamine (stuff they make ashtrays out of). The extension tube in my opinion is a MUST as it makes the device several factors more efficient. The roaster and its components are FRAGILE and will break if you drop them. The unit gets very HOT when operating so silicon gloves or potholders are a must when using. Temperatures of coffee on the second crack approach 500 degrees F so take precautions. There are many great videos on YouTube about roasting with this machine, Captains Coffee are some very well made ones, check them out BEFORE you even think about getting this unit. You will NOT save money, but eventually be able to roast great coffee and make a huge mess where ever you do it! More expensive units are not necessarily better but usually more complex and require a longer learning curve. This unit fires on all cylinders and is probably the most practical for the coffee hobbyist.

A very nice and good quality green coffee roaster. I have done some research online and finally decided to purchase this one with my budget under $500. I have also purchased the extended tube which in my mind is a must have. For now I have roasted almost 10-15 batches and I am so happy to finally have home roasted fresh coffee. It is not very big and doesn’t take too many spaces for you. I like the ease of use. I usually roast in my deck and yesterday I roasted 3 batches under my range hood which has a vent connects to outside. It works great and doesn’t have too many smells at home. I have just purchased the probe and thermometer and hopefully I can successfully using the artisan app to make it into a deeper level of roasting. If you are first dive into home roasting and consider to purchase a home roaster I highly recommend this one.