After comparing dozens of roaster brands and going through customer feedback, we have settled on the following three Home Coffee Roasters.
If you’re looking for a “set and forget” machine that produces a very even roast in an efficient amount of time, your best bet would be the Vogvigo Coffee Roaster.
If you’re on a budget and you don’t mind taking a slightly more “hands-on” approach, you would do well to go with the Nuvo Eco Ceramic Handy Coffee Bean Roaster.
If you’re looking for a machine that can offer hassle-free automated roasting with high-quality flavour retention, the Imex CR-100 is the ideal option for you.
Key things to consider when buying a Home Coffee Roaster
For the hardcore coffee enthusiast, your journey into ever-increasing levels of java enjoyment tends to happen in phases. You start out by brewing pre-ground store-bought brands, and while these are enjoyable enough, after a while you develop an appetite for a more fulfilling coffee experience.
As you progress further in your quest for the perfect cup of coffee, you eventually discover that one of the best ways to ensure a fresh, delicious brew is to grind the coffee beans yourself.
After you’ve mastered this practice, you eventually get to the place where your involvement in the coffee making process means just as much to you as enjoying the finished product. It is usually at this point that you discover the power of roasting your own beans.
While you could roast the beans yourself in a “makeshift” manner by using a cast iron skillet over an open flame, it’s much better to use equipment that has been specifically engineered for this purpose; otherwise, you’ll be plagued with inconsistent results.
Your best bet would be to purchase a home coffee roaster that can heat the beans at the appropriate temperature while also stirring them to ensure a thorough, evenly distributed roast.
Here are 5 key things to consider when choosing the best home coffee roaster for you.
Size
How much coffee do you plan to roast every day or week? You don’t want to undercut yourself by choosing a roaster that’s too small to accommodate your java habits. This will create a lot more work for you, because you will have to crank up the roaster more often than you would like, possibly turning an enjoyable activity into an eventual drudgery.
Ease of use
You don’t want a home coffee roaster with convoluted controls that are hard to figure out. While the roasting process can be quite fun, it’s not the main event; you’re after the finished product! You need a roaster that features an intuitive design and straightforward operation.
Also, how important is automatic roasting to you? Do you mind using a manual roaster, or do you need to be able to walk away and do some other things while your coffee beans are roasting?
Indoor, outdoor or both
Perhaps one of the most important things to consider is the location where you’ll actually be roasting the beans. As you know, roasting can produce quite a bit of smoke and a strong smell.
There are some coffee roasters that can work well for indoor use, but the majority of roasters should be kept in some type of outdoor space such as a garage, porch or patio.
If you plan to roast a high volume of coffee or if you prefer to dark roast your beans, you would be much better off sticking to an outdoor area, with the only possible exception being a kitchen with very good ventilation.
Noise
Roasting is a noisy affair. The general rule is that air roasters are going to be a bit louder than drum roasters. The noise that roasters make can pose a challenge to beginning home roasters, because you have to learn how to train your ears to catch that first or second crack that lets you know when the beans have reached edibility. A quieter roaster will make it easier to hear those cracks.
Price
This will obviously be a personal decision, because the price range for roasters goes from super-affordable to quite extravagant.
Go with a brand that has a good reputation, because the roasting process puts a lot of wear-and-tear on your equipment, and you wouldn’t want to have to go out and buy a new roaster after only a few months. A well-respected brand will offer more durability, which is especially important in light of the hardscrabble roasting process.
The best Home Coffee Roasters reviews
1. Vogvigo Coffee Roasting Machine
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Pros
- Non-stick chassis allows for hassle-free roasting
- Good temperature range (100 to 240 degrees Celsius)
- 1500g capacity
- Even, well-balanced roast quality
- Heat-resistant transparent cover
- Surprisingly quiet operation
Cons
- Not that great with smoke suppression
- Temperature settings require a bit of a learning curve
Overview
With a 1500g capacity and an adjustable temperature control that allows between 100 – 240 degrees Celsius, the Vogvigo Coffee Roasting Machine offers plenty of flexibility to coffee lovers who want to take the DIY approach to roasting their beans.
It features a non-stick chassis that not only makes the roasting process much less arduous, but it’s refreshingly easy to clean as well.
One of the biggest benefits of the Vogvigo is its heat-resistant transparent cover, which allows you to keep visual tabs on how your beans are progressing through the roasting process.
This machine also provides automatic drum-like rotation for evenly-distributed roasting, enabling you to take care of other tasks while your beans are getting done.
What it does best
I would say that the Vogvigo’s strong suit is its roast quality. With the automatic rotation feature, it spreads the roast quite evenly throughout your batch of beans. It also offers remarkably quiet operation, which is a real plus if you’re not a fan of the “shaking a tin can full of steel pellets” sound of other roasters.
Flaws but not deal breakers
I have found that the temperature setting does come with its own learning curve. While it’s not extreme by any means, you do have to have some patience if the first few batches don’t roast up like you thought they would at a given temperature setting.
Roasting with this machine takes a bit of finesse, and you will probably have to experiment with different temperature settings before you settle on the one that produces the ideal roast.
What other customers think
Online reviews for the Vogvigo coffee roaster are not super-plentiful, but from what I’ve found, they have been mostly favorable. The main selling points of the machine for most customers are its quiet operation and high quality roasting capability.
Should you buy it?
Yes. With its user-friendly operation and attractive design, this roaster makes a great addition to any java lover’s kitchen (or wherever your roasting area happens to be).
2. Nuvo Eco Ceramic Handy Coffee Bean Roaster
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Pros
- 100% ceramic body provides excellent thermal conductivity
- Genuine cowhide grip protects hands from high temperatures
- Waffle-shaped interior roasts beans evenly
- Easy-to-clean wipe-down surface
- Very budget-friendly
Cons
- Manual operation
- Cannot accommodate large batches of beans
- Must use over an open flame or stove
Overview
With its attractive minimalist design and ceramic build, the Nuvo Eco coffee bean roaster is an ideal fit for the no-frills DIY-er who wants to roast their own coffee beans at home (or possibly while camping, etc.).
It has a smaller capacity (70g) than other roasters, but this only makes sense, because you wouldn’t want your roaster to be too heavy since you’re the one responsible for manually rotating the beans during the handheld roasting process.
Speaking of handheld, it’s worth it to mention that you will need an open flame or stove in order to roast with the Nuvo Eco; it’s not a push-button or automatic roaster. The good news is that the handle features a nice cowhide grip that provides extra comfort and protection from the heat.
The fact that the Nuvo Eco has a ceramic body is a definite plus, as it offers excellent heat conductivity. There’s also a rear hole that allows you to listen out for those all-important popping and cracking sounds that indicate where you are in the roasting process.
What it does best
I don’t mean to sound like a broken record at this point, but the Nuvo Eco’s outstanding thermal conductivity is really the highlight of this roaster. As long as you stay actively engaged in the roasting process by manually shaking and rotating the beans over the open flame (or stovetop), you can rest assured that your roast will be evenly distributed.
Flaws but not deal breakers
Since it is a manual, handheld roaster, you will have to employ quite a bit of patience if you plan to do dark roasting in particular.
What other customers think
Among the many online outposts where the Nuvo Eco received customer feedback, I didn’t find any outright negative reviews. I think that the simplicity of this roaster is one of the reasons why – in other words, you know what you’re getting into when you buy a manual roaster, and there’s really not a whole lot you can do to mess things up when you use it the right way.
The heat conductivity and even roasting quality of the Nuvo Eco were two points that were often highlighted by online reviewers.
Should you buy it?
Yes, as long as you don’t mind the somewhat “old-school” manual roasting method. For what it is, the Nuvo Eco is an excellent, budget-friendly roaster that will deliver the goods.
3. Imex Home Coffee Roasting Machine
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Pros
- 130g – 170g capacity
- Lower electricity consumption
- Smokeless roasting
- Automatic husk separation
- Evenly distributed roasting via heat circulation mode
- Clear top allows visual inspection of beans
- Green coffee beans retain flavour through roasting process
Cons
- Overloading roaster can produce heavy smoke
- Not suitable for large batch roasting
- It’s a little noisy
Overview
The Imex CR-100 Home Coffee Roasting Machine is a convenient way to roast your green coffee beans without having to fuss with excessive smoke and pesky husks. This machine features a heat circulation function that allows for virtually smokeless roasting while maintaining excellent roast quality.
You can set the machine for light or dark roasts, as it can accomplish both with equal facility. The Imex CR-100 is perfect for people who thrill to the idea of home roasting but would rather take a more “hands-off” approach to the process.
With the Imex CR-100, you can simply pour in the beans, set the timer and let the machine do its magic. One of the most useful features of this roaster is the husk trap, which automatically separates the chaff from the beans during the roasting process.
With its clever heat circulation feature, your beans will experience an evenly distributed roast without requiring manual shaking or agitation.
What it does best
Simplicity is the main strength of this machine. It provides hands-off automatic roasting with minimal fuss and excellent flavour retention throughout the roasting process.
Flaws but not deal breakers
Some might find its capacity (up to 180g max) to be a little on the small side. If you’re inclined to larger roasting batches, you might not want to tempt the fates with this machine.
Excessive bean loads can cause heavy smoke, and as anyone who has ever done this will tell you, it’s one of the hardest odours to get out of an area.
In addition, the machine does get a little noisy while in operation, but it’s nothing that I would consider outside of the norm for a coffee bean roaster.
What other customers think
Online reviews for this machine were positive overall. Although the Imex CR-100 is an automatic roaster, for the most part it’s a no-frills machine that simply does exactly what it says.
One thing that earned the machine high marks across the board was its excellent energy efficiency, which is a real plus for those of us who are looking to do our part for the environment.
Should you buy it?
Yes. If you’re looking for a roaster that offers convenient operation without sacrificing depth of flavour, the Imex CR-100 roasting machine should definitely be a top choice on your list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you make your own home coffee roaster?
A: Like all coffee lovers, your journey into enhanced levels of coffee enjoyment probably happens in stages. You start by buying cups of coffee, pretty soon that isn’t enough so your brew your own. You then progress to grinding your own store bought beans. With time, you want more.
So why not roast your own beans as well? To build a homemade stovetop coffee roaster, you’ll need the following. A French press, a steel pot with an air hole cover and a coffee grinder handle. Dismantle the handle and take out the press bar and screws form the French press. Connect the handle bar and press bar to make a functional spin handle. Join the handle to your pot and voila. You’ve got a stovetop coffee bean roaster with a built in stir handle.
Q: How long do you roast green coffee beans in a home roaster?
A: Roasting coffee beans can be as simple or as technical as you want. The roasting times may vary depending on the heat used, method, and amount of beans you’re roasting. However, the entire process lasts for about 10 to 15 minutes.
For the first few minutes, the beans remain green. After a while, you’ll notice some fragrant steam along with audible cracks. By minute 6, caramelisation starts as the oils migrate and the beans harden. You can take them out now, or wait a bit to get a dark roast. Once the smell is pungent and the smoke is visible, it’s time to take your beans off heat and let them rest for a few hours.