Easy to use, quick, not messy (self-contained). Allows me to do other things while it roasts.
Negative Product Points
roasts very small amount and glass hard to clean
Detailed Commentary
I bought this roaster a little over a month ago as my first real coffee roaster (I mean aside from a popcorn popper). I was shocked at how easy the unit is to use. Its literally a two step process - fill it with coffee and turn it on.
To combat the smoke problem I put it on my stove top under the fan. This has worked great and I have NO lingering smoke in the kitchen anymore. The roaster came with a note stating that in houses with a higher than average voltage, the time would need to be decreased. Their suggestion of 6 minutes was much too long, even for a dark roast and I now put it to 4 minutes max to get a very dark roast.
The first couple of weeks were pure joy with this machine and now I am beginning to see why people buy larger roasters! If you are making coffee for yourself or a couple of people, this machine is ideal for its cost. If you are having guests over for the weekend and they drink more than one cup of coffee a day, I have found that I have to roast two batches every morning. Also, because the chamber is glass, I'm a little scared to roast a batch immediately after another batch and the glass doesnt get a chance to cool. Because of this, it takes a while for me to roast two batches.
Also, the glass chamber is a little hard to clean because it is so small. If you have small hands, its probably okay, but with larger hands, it is a task! I just wipe it down now, I no longer 'wash' it after every batch.
As for the cooling process, I still throw the beans in the freezer if I'm in a hurry. Otherwise I use a fan to cool them. I have not let the machine complete its cooling process because I'm scared it's not doing the job, I can't comment on the cooling setting of this roaster.
All in all, I feel like I got my money's worth for this product. It is great having the ability to roast inside with no mess (cant wait until winter, I can roast inside!) and for $70, I have already made this money back from buying green coffee!
Buying Experience
I have always had a great experience with U Roast Em. They have awesome customer service and always respond quickly to my emails with more than enough information. Item was received on time and packed well. I enjoy shopping from them for three reasons: 1) Their website is very clean and easy to navigate, 2) I think they have very high quality beans and 3) No matter how much I bug them with emails, I always get a fast and wonderful response back. Of course, I don't go anywhere else so I can't compare!!
