This is an excellent product supported by an excellent distributor who will stand behind the machine they are selling, the perfect starting machine to get anyone hooked on roasting.
Positive Product Points
Very easy to use. Very nice roasts with minimum experience
Negative Product Points
No real negative points at this time
Detailed Commentary
I have had this machine for about 2 weeks and have not had the opportunity to go through a large selection of beans, but the ones I have tried have worked out very well. I generally roast 150 to 160 grams depending on the bean. I tried 170 but depending on the bean I was loosing too many into the chaff container when into the final roast. I generally check my voltage before I roast as I fluctuate between 118.5 and 120.0, so I avoid peak periods of the day and pick a low power useage time, in my area around early afternoon, though the middle of the night might be handy I do not wish to stay up that late to watch beans. My timer was off by 30 seconds in 10 minutes, but the machine does say plus or minus a minute and basically the timer is just a guide, I like most people go by sight, sound and smell. I can hear first crack pretty well even though the machine is a bit loud, second crack is too subdued for my hearing and I go by appearance. I have mostly roasted my beans from 8 minutes to to 11 minutes. My wife loves Columbian Supremo and that is about all she will drink, I have roasted several batches from 8 minutes to 11 minutes for her. She has told me she enjoys the 10 to11 minute batch the best so it is very simple to make it for her, 160 grams for 10/11 minutes, take the lid off remove the chaff collector and dump the beans into a giant stainless bowl, wave my air hose on low gently over the rim to dispense with any additional chaff and do a final cooling, that is it...happy wife. That alone makes the machine worth every penny. I also use the air hose to blow out the chaff in the machine and it works very well, though I have also used the vacuum as well. I might mention to check the screws attached to the lid as I was going to clean mine and I noticed a screw missing that goes into the chaff cover, realizing that it might have fallen into the chaff collector I checked th trash and sure enough that was where it was, I then checked the other screw and it was loose as well, not a big deal and maybe just a one off thing.
I have not detected any real amount of smoke and am surprised at how smoke free it is, I am not sure about the others and their smoke comments, I might have a newer model or maybe the type of beans I use, but I have very little smoke with mine.
Buying Experience
I bought mine online from Green Beanery and they were awesome. They took all the time necessary to answer all my questions, especially about comparing a 220 volt machine to the 120 as to any advantages. They processed my late night order immediatley and by morning I already had the shippers email notification the machine was route, and it arrived 3 days ahead of the stated arrival time. A very good buying experience and I have become a dedicated Green Beanery customer buying several pounds of beans from them as well.
