The freshest and, chances are, best tasting cup of joe you will ever guzzle. That’s what you get when you roast coffee at home.

If that’s not incentive enough, how about being able to fine-tune the flavor and some of your coffee. Have fun and get a huge kick out of it. Recipe your own custom coffee blends. Boost your coffee know-how. All the while, saving money in the long run.

Actually, all that’s needed to do-it-yourself home roast are a couple ingredients: your preferred pick of green coffee beans and the equipment to roast ‘em in.

Except there’s rather a lot of home coffee roasters out there. Worse, not all are cut out for those just getting started.

So to spare you a tough call, we have harvested a handful of the highlight home coffee roasters for roasting rookies; followed by answers to the most frequently asked questions about home coffee roasters.

TOP HOME COFFEE ROASTERS FOR NEWBIES

1. Fresh Roast SR800 Coffee Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

The SR800 Coffee Roaster boasts a generous capacity of up to 8 ounces of green coffee beans per batch, making it ideal for larger quantities.

It features a powerful heating element for efficient, consistent roasting and an advanced control panel with adjustable settings for heat, fan speed, and roasting time.

Designed for both novice and experienced users, the SR800's intuitive interface and compact design fit well in most kitchens.

Its versatility allows for tailored roast profiles to enhance the characteristics of different coffee beans.

Made mostly of reinforced phenolic plastics so pretty hard-wearing. But backed anyway by a 1-year warranty.

SPECS

• Country of origin: American made courtesy of Fresh Beans Inc.

• Appliance type: Air roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors

• Power source: Electric

• Heat transfer: Direct heat

• Batch size: Max 8oz of beans at a time

• Roasting time: Typically 5 to 10 minutes per batch

• Price: $$$

• Dimensions: 14.3” high x 9.5” wide x 9.5” deep

• Weight: 10.5 lbs

OPTIONAL ADD-ON

If you want to roast even larger batches of coffee beans, you can get the Fresh Roast SR800 Extension Tube. This add-on increases the capacity of the roasting chamber, allowing you to roast even larger batches of coffee beans.

It's a useful accessory for those who want to maximize their roasting efficiency and handle more significant quantities of coffee beans in a single session.

RELATED MODEL

If the larger capacity of the SR800 isn't quite what you're looking for, then its little brother, the Fresh Roast SR540 Coffee Roaster, one of the best home coffee roaster, offers a more compact, budget-friendly alternative with similar user-friendly features and adjustable settings for small batch roasting.

2. Zenroast Ceramic Coffee Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

If you're looking for a delightful blend of simplicity and sophistication, then the Zenroast Ceramic Coffee Roaster is perfect for anyone who loves a hands-on approach to coffee roasting.

Crafted in Japan, this elegant roaster uses the timeless method of direct heat, ensuring you get an authentic roasting experience. It’s designed for indoor use and relies on a stovetop as its power source, making it a great fit for those who appreciate the tactile feel of manual roasting.

One of the highlights of the Zenroast is its capacity. It can roast up to 70 grams of green coffee beans per batch, which is perfect for personal use. The smaller batch size encourages frequent roasting, allowing you to enjoy freshly roasted coffee whenever you like.

Using the Zenroast is an engaging experience. You have full control over the roasting process, from adjusting the heat to manually stirring the beans.

It brings a meditative, almost ritualistic aspect to coffee roasting, turning it into a relaxing and enjoyable activity. Whether you’re a seasoned coffee aficionado or a curious beginner, the Zenroast offers a unique way to connect with your coffee from bean to cup.

SPECS

• Country of origin: Japan

• Appliance type: Manual ceramic roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors or out

• Heat source: Safe for use on an open flame gas stove, campfire, or electric stove (Not safe for use in the microwave or on an induction stove)

• Batch size: Max 70 grams of beans at a time

• Roasting time: Typically 10 to 15 minutes

• Price: $$

• Dimensions: 6.3” diameter x 3.5” height

• Weight: 1.2 lbs

3. Kaffa Wide POP Coffee Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

Home coffee roasting can be a rewarding experience, and the Kaffa Wide POP Coffee Roaster offers a fantastic entry point for those eager to dive into this aromatic world.

Designed with the home user in mind, this roaster sports a sleek, modern appearance that fits comfortably in any kitchen. Its compact size makes it easy to store and handle, ensuring that even those with limited space can enjoy freshly roasted coffee.

As an electric coffee roaster, the Kaffa Wide POP eliminates the need for additional equipment, such as external gas burners, making it an accessible and convenient option. The electric heat source ensures consistent and reliable roasting, reducing the guesswork often associated with manual roasting methods. This consistency is particularly beneficial for beginners who might find the intricacies of other roasting methods intimidating.

One of the most appealing features of the Kaffa Wide POP is its user-friendly interface. The roaster comes with built-in temperature controls and clear indicators, making it easy to monitor and adjust the roasting process.

SPECS

• Country of origin: South Korea

• Appliance type: Electric roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors

• Power source: Electric

• Heat transfer: Direct heat

• Batch size: Max 150 grams of beans at a time

• Roasting time: Typically 10 to 15 minutes

• Price: $$

• Dimensions: 12.6” high x 7.9” wide x 9.8” deep

• Weight: 4.4 lbs

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

If you're looking to make cleanup easier and helping to maintain a tidy roasting environment, you can opt for a Kaffa Wide POP Chaff Collector. It efficiently collect the chaff that is produced during the roasting process.

This add-on is particularly useful for those who want to minimize mess and ensure their roasting sessions are as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

RELATED MODEL

If the Kaffa Wide POP Coffee Roaster doesn’t quite fit your needs, you might want to check out the Kaffa Wide400 Coffee Roaster.

Although it's pricier, it offers a larger roasting capacity of up to 400 grams and more advanced features for those serious about their coffee roasting.

4. Gene Cafe CBR-101 Coffee Bean Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

Rolling off the factory line since 2003, but really gained traction amongst the home coffee roasting community over the last decade.

It’s purposed, above all, as a user-friendly household roaster. Though since it can output some 8oz of roasted coffee beans in one go, also pops up in cafés and coffee shops.

Needless to say, you can count on nothing less than high marks for roast quality.

For starters, and uniquely, the drum uses a vortex twisting, off-axis rotation to move the beans non-stop. That way, they’re roasted consistently.

At the same time, it offers plenty of control over the roasting process. With roast temperature and roasting duration both totally adjustable, you can experiment like a boss until you nail that perfect roast.

Read-outs for which, neatly, are shown live on the LED display of the control panel.

In combo with the full-view tempered Pyrex glass roasting chamber, you can keep a close watch on the beans whilst they roast away.

Automatic cooling of the beans is built-in and can be kicked off at any stage in the roasting cycle.

Thoughtfully included is a cleaning brush. The giant chaff collector isn’t just brilliantly up to task, but also finished with an exhaust vent. So when hooked up to some ducting then dropped out the nearest window, the bulk of the smoke gets wafted outside.

In terms of sore points are the high price tag. The fact that it’s especially sizeable. And though neither the fastest nor the quietest home roaster on the planet, it may well be the safest.

For one, it has a see-through plastic safety cover. For another, protection from overheating. Even audible alarms should you wander off from the roaster.

All this, plus being forged from stainless steel, aluminium and high-temperature plastics, and warranted by the manufacturer for a year.

SPECS

• Country of origin: South Korea

• Appliance type: Drum roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors

• Power source: Electric

• Heat transfer: indirect heat

• Batch size: 7oz to 8oz (or 2 heaps using the supplied measuring scoop)

• Roasting time: 10 to 20 minutes on average

• Price: $$$

• Casing color: Black, or red

• Dimensions: 19.3” wide x 9.6” high x 9.0” deep

• Weight: 12.13lbs

5. Sandbox Smart R1 Coffee Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

The innovative premium roaster, with its sleek and cube-shaped design, has quickly gained a loyal following. Despite its hefty price, it offers state-of-the-art features and a minimalist footprint.

Controlled via the Sandbox Smart mobile app, it provides an intuitive interface for easy use. Simply download the app, enable Bluetooth, and pair it with the roaster to get started. Auto mode offers pre-programmed roast profiles for beginners, while more confident users can explore shared profiles or subscribe for advanced roast curves.

For the adventurous, manual mode allows full control over temperature, timing, fan speed, and drum revolutions, with the ability to create and share custom profiles.

The app tracks roast progress, and an observation window lets you monitor visually. Post-roast, use the provided heat-resistant gloves to handle the drum and the pull-out chaff drawer for easy cleanup.

While some smoke is typical with darker roasts, the roaster's small capacity allows back-to-back roasting without full cooldown. Despite the cost, the R1 comes with a 1-year global warranty for added peace of mind.

SPECS

• Country of origin: Taiwan

• Appliance type: drum roaster

• Roasting spot: indoors

• Power source: electric

• Heat transfer: infrared radiation using a trio of quartz heating elements

• Batch size: officially, a maximum of 3.5oz (though, at a push, around 5oz)

• Roasting time: 9 to 16 minutes

• Price: $$$$$

• Fascia color: black, red, or blue

• Dimensions: 10.0” long x 10.2” high x 9.1” wide

• Weight: 15.50lbs

• Mobile device compatibility: iOS 12 or later, or Android 7 (Nougat) and upwards

OPTIONAL EXTRA

Saving yourself 75 large ones when bundled with the R1, the matching Coffee Bean Cooler is a must-have accessory for locking in the flavor of roasted beans.

Thanks to its in-built fan, the so-named Sandbox Smart C1 can chill nearly 18oz of beans to room temperature in a mere 60 seconds or less. At the same time, sucking every last flake of silverskin from the beans into the container below.

 RELATED MODEL

Fear not, if Sandbox Smart R1 doesn’t meet your needs, you can also consider its sibling, the Sandbox Smart R2. It's a bit pricier but offers a larger capacity and more advanced features, making it ideal for those who prefer bigger batches and more control over their roasting process.

6. Behmor 2000AB Plus Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

This unique-looking roaster features double-paned glass for superior heat retention and a high-speed drum motor with 16/32 RPM settings for enhanced control. A more powerful MCU significantly reduces data refresh time, and the new control board improves overall performance. Excitingly, it includes an audible beep for the safety cutoff advisory and a 15-second warning.

This drum roaster, capable of handling up to a pound of beans per batch, offers smoke suppression technology for a cleaner roasting experience. It comes with several pre-programmed roast profiles for ease of use, while also allowing for manual operation for those who prefer a hands-on approach.

SPECS

• Country of origin: USA

• Appliance type: Drum roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors

• Power source: Electric

• Heat transfer: Convection

• Batch size: Up to 1 pound

• Roasting time: 12-20 minutes

• Price: $$$

• Casing color: Black, or Red

• Dimensions: 15.2 x 10.8 x 19.6 inches

• Weight: 22 lbs.

7. Kaffa Mini Coffee Roaster

THE LOWDOWN & MAIN FEATURES

This features an intuitive design with straightforward controls, making it easy to operate without a steep learning curve.

The clear display shows important roasting parameters, helping users monitor and adjust the process easily. Its compact size and lightweight construction make it suitable for home use, especially for those with limited kitchen space.

The Kaffa Mini ensures even heat distribution for consistent roasting, which is crucial for beginners to achieve good results. With adjustable temperature and time settings, users can experiment with different roast profiles to find their preferred flavor.

The roaster also includes built-in safety features like automatic shut-off and overheat protection, providing peace of mind for new users. Priced competitively, the Kaffa Mini is an accessible choice for those who want to start roasting their own coffee without a significant investment.

SPECS

• Country of origin: South Korea

• Appliance type: Drum roaster

• Roasting spot: Indoors

• Power source: Electric

• Heat transfer: Convection

• Batch size: 7oz to 8oz (or 2 heaps using the supplied measuring scoop)

• Roasting time: 10-20 minutes

• Price: $$

• Material: Stainless Steel

• Dimensions: 260mm x 240mm x 200mm Drum Size: 120mm x 115mm (2mm Thickness)

• Weight: 2.2kg (Manual), 2.5kg (Motorize) Gas Burner Required

HOME COFFEE ROASTER FAQ

When was the home coffee roaster invented?

In the late 1960s, the Ender brand introduced the first home coffee roaster in West Germany. This robust, albeit loud, machine featured a fluid-bed roaster with a glass bean hopper, a mechanical timer, a paper chaff filter, and integrated cooling, capable of roasting approximately 4oz of beans in just 6 to 8 minutes. Its functionality was quite advanced, even by today's standards for home roasters.

In the 1970s, Siemens acquired the design and marketed it as the Sirocco Coffee Roaster. This model remained popular well into the 1980s and gained significant popularity in the United States.

Where to use a coffee roaster at home?

More than anything, plump for a well ventilated space. Roasting can give off masses of smoke. The smell can be terribly strong. And the silver skins (‘chaff’) flaking off the roasting beans can blanket countertop surfaces and floors.

Preferably, roast outdoors. A porch, patio, shed, even a balcony will do. Though nothing beats an open garage. Indeed, it’s where many small coffee house business owners got their first start.

If roasting indoors, the kitchen being the obvious place, see to it that windows are cracked open and any extractor fans are powered on. Failing that, you can also roast under a range cooker hood.

What are the different types of home coffee roaster?

Compared to using a pan, an oven, or even a popcorn popper, purpose-built coffee roasters are the ultimate solution for at-home roasting. These dedicated machines are far more commonly used and offer unparalleled control over the roasting process, allowing you to achieve the best results.

For both novice and veteran roasters, there are two main types of home coffee roasters:

AIR ROASTERS

The more modern of the two, air roasters place coffee beans inside a roasting chamber and blast them with heated air. This creates a 'fluid bed' of hot air that lifts and tumbles the beans, ensuring an even roast.

Air roasters are compact, energy-efficient, and relatively affordable. They are user-friendly and almost plug-and-play, though they typically handle smaller batches of beans.

DRUM ROASTERS

Drum roasters feature a rotating metal drum with a heat source underneath and motor-driven arms or paddles for stirring. The beans roast by continuously colliding with the hot metal surfaces.

The beans inside a drum roaster do not heat uniformly, so each batch can have a unique roast profile. Drum roasting takes longer, allowing for the development of more complex flavors. These roasters are heavy-duty and can handle larger batches of beans.

How much do home coffee roasters cost?

Home coffee roasters range from just under $100 to nearly $3,000. Generally, air roasters are more affordable than drum roasters. As with any purchase, you typically get what you pay for.

How much coffee can be roasted in a home coffee roaster?

Home roasters are only meant to roast relatively small batches of beans; anywhere between an ounce and twenty times that.

To balance having a smaller bean capacity, several of the better coffee roasters can roast continuously.

As a rough guide, roasting 4oz of raw green beans equates to approximately 18 to 20 cups of coffee.

Just remember not to overdo the quantity of beans in a single sitting. Unlike green beans, roasted beans turn stale after only 7 to 10 days.

How long do home coffee roasters take to roast green beans?

The exact roasting time varies due to several factors: the age and moisture content of the green beans, weather conditions, roasting method, desired roast level, and more. Generally, roasting can take anywhere from a few minutes to 45 minutes, with air roasters typically being faster than drum roasters.

Additionally, after roasting, the beans need to cool and degas before they're ready for grinding.

How noisy are home coffee roasters?

Modern home roasters are intentionally designed to be quiet (in the order of 65 decibels). The reason being so you can listen for the first and second cracks of the beans.

In the main, air roasters tend to be noisier than drum roasters.

Normally, though, no louder than, say, a regular washing machine or dishwasher.

In any case, you can roast early in the morning without fear of waking your nearest and dearest.

How best to maintain a home coffee roaster?

Home roasters are expected to be low maintenance. Even so, all sorts of gunk builds up on and inside roasting equipment.

Smoke deposits, chaff, coffee dust and, particularly if you have your roasts medium-dark or dark, natural oils from the roasted beans.

Keeping a home coffee roaster squeaky clean and looked after should be a no-brainer. In the interests of maximizing its lifespan, minimizing the risk of fire, and optimizing roasts.

After every use, fetch a damp cloth and a bristled brush then give the roaster a good going-over.

Get into the habit of religiously emptying the chaff collector, and unclogging any holes in the cooling tray which have fouled up.

It’s also good practice to get roasters professionally serviced and deep cleaned on a yearly basis.

FINISHING OFF

From the highest rated FreshRoast SR540 to the cutting-edge Sandbox Smart R1, our carefully curated selection of home coffee roasting machines is specifically for beginners - - no matter if you’re after the tastiest cup of coffee possible or a wannabe roast master hoping to devise the roasting curve of champions!

Snap up your dream coffee roaster through CoffeeRoast Co. and benefit from our:

• Price match promise

• Guaranteed safe checkout

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Ready to elevate your coffee game? Leave a comment below and let us know which roaster you're excited to try, or share your home roasting tips with our community!