Choosing a good Coffee Roaster
Coffee roasters vary in almost every way from extremely technical to very simple. The cost varies as greatly as the styles you can choose from. Certain manufactures are trusted to make a quality product and these are not always the most expensive. But in addition to quality and cost there are other factors to be considered.
How much involvement do you want?
Some people just have a bit of the chemist in them. They like to mix and stir, whir and measure. Roasters vary along this dimension. Some simple stove top models are basically just a sauce pan with a tight lid and a special handle.
The simple models seal tightly to keep the heat and steam inside. They have a handle specifically made to allow you to swirl the beans and the steam keeping everything in motion so that the beans do not cook to the bottom and the heat is evenly distributed.
There are certain features you cannot do without. A temperature gage, for example, is necessary to maintain the proper temperature at all times.
Other roaster models need almost no help from you. The instructions give you the amounts. Then you simply attach the cover and wait.
This sophisticated type of roaster has everything built in and removes all guess work. It has a temperature gage which constantly monitors the heat and adjusts itself accordingly. There is no need for stirring because there are built in mechanics that keep the hot air circulating and the beans in perfect motion. These models even shut themselves off when the beans are ready.
Even the fanciest high tech roasters do nothing for the inevitable cloud of smoke in the room that goes along with roasting coffee.
Efficient air circulation and heat
Air roasters work by rotating hot air in through the beans while also keeping the beans in motion. This will roast your coffee beans evenly and in some models even clean away the unwanted residue left over when the shell of the bean expands and bursts.
Many models are made of glass so that you can see what is happening and roast to the extent that you want. On many roasters you can make that determination before you begin to roast because they have settings where you can indicate whether you want a dark roast or a light roast.
Shopping for an Espresso Machine? Here's a selection at affordable prices:
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De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker List Price: $140.00 Sale Price: $79.99 Used From: $59.00  |
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Enjoy delicious espresso made your way with De'Longhi's pump espresso and cappuccino maker. You can choose to brew ground espresso or E.S.E pods with the unique patented dual filter holder. The choice is yours, making your espresso truly made to order... |
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Mr. Coffee ECM160 4-Cup Steam Espresso Machine List Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $39.99 Used From: $30.00 |
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Makes delicious espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes. Powerful milk frother. 4-Cup capacity: 20-ounce. Per shot. Removable drip tray. Easy to pour decanter. Removable frothing aid. On/off indicator light. |
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Capresso 303.01 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Machine List Price: $59.99 Sale Price: Too low to display Used From: $38.91 |
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Experience the full taste of espressos, cappuccinos and lattes. The Capresso 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Machine features an exclusive Coffee/Steam Selector that makes it easy to control both brewing and steaming, allowing the user to adjust coffee strength to their personal taste... |
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DeLonghi EC702 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Maker, Stainless List Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $149.95 Used From: $139.99 |
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Enjoy delicious espresso made your way with De'Longhi's pump espresso and cappuccino maker. You can choose to brew ground espresso or E.S.E pods with the unique patented dual filter holder. The Sempre Crema Filter, used with two measures of ground coffee, enhances the brewing process to produce a perfect crema... |
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Urnex Dezcal Home Activated Descaler, For Home Coffee & Espresso Equipt., 4 - 1 oz Packets List Price: $11.36 Sale Price: $2.87 |
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Dezcal home activated descaler, 4 portion packets per retail carton |
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Tags: coffee, coffee beans, coffee maker, coffee roaster, dark roast, light roast
November 13 2008 10:16 am | coffee