Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've only roasted 2 batches with this unit, but it's already a substantial improvement over its predecessor, the FreshRoast +8.
The biggest negative point about this unit is that it doesn't move the beans well at the beginning. The beans have been circulating well enough for me, but this is likely because the voltage runs at the high end of what is acceptable for household electricity (126v measured). If your home runs at the low end (110v), you may find the beans near the edge of the chamber do not circulate well and need stirred until they begin to roast, making them lighter and allowing them to move more fluidly.
The roasts I've done so far have been, by far and away, more even than anything I got out of the old FreshRoast +8 model.
After the first crack, I've been turning the fan speed down to the 1/2 way point and have found it easy to hear the 2nd crack. This never happened with the +8.
The cooling cycle starts when the timer runs out and lasts 3 minutes. I've been turning the fan speed back up to 100% for this part of the roasting cycle. Something important to remember is that during the cooling cycle, it takes the base, the heating coils and the glass chamber a few extra moments to cool, so it's a good idea to start cooling just a bit before you consider the roast 'done'.
Chafe collection works well enough to carry the bulk of the chafe to the garbage/compost. I suggest carrying the chafe collector upside down to help prevent escapees. A few bits of chafe will fall back down into the roasting chamber when the unit shuts down, but lightly blowing down into the chamber will clear these out.
If you carry this unit assembled, you'll want one hand under the unit and one hand pressing down on the top to hold the unit together.
I'd say this unit could do the job for a household of four coffee drinkers, but is probably best suited for three.
This unit is essentially identical to the SR300, but with added control. Set this model to 100% fan and 'High' roasting temp for the duration of your roast and you'll produce SR300 results. Because of this, I'd say that the SR500 is defiantly worth the extra money. You can use this like the SR300 until you get comfortable with the logistics of roasting at home and then fine-tune your results.
Remember to let your roasted beans rest for 12-24hrs after roasting to vent CO2.
UPDATE: I'm finding that there's an ideal batch size with this unit. I did a 2-scoop roast and ended up with FreshRoast +8 results (read: fairly uneven) with poor circulation of the beans ... The best roasts I've done so far has a roast size of four *scant* scoops (call it ~3.667 scoops) and found the beans in the corner moving well-enough (but by no means great) with a fairly even roast.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Fresh Roast Coffee Roaster SR 500
The Fresh Roast SR 500 coffee roaster is a larger version of the Plus 8. It will roast twice the capacity of the Plus 8 (4 scoops, 120 gm) with a digital time display. The maximum time to set the control is 9.9 minutes however with the great added features at any point during the roast sequence you can add 6 seconds every time you tap the button. Time can also be subtracted using the same method. The timer can be overridden by tapping the Cool button, the roaster will go into the Cool mode for 3 minutes. The Fresh Roast SR 500 coffee roaster has the same capacity (4 scoops, 120 gm) and features of the SR 300 - plus three temperature settings that can be adjusted any time during the roasting process: High temp. = 490 degrees Medium temp. = 455 degrees Low temp. = 390 degrees A Fan Speed Control has been added to the SR 500 that allows the finest tuning of the roast. The Fan Speed Control allows adjustments of + or - 10%. Starting the roast, the beans are at their heaviest, the fan speed can be turned up to keep the beans fluid and give an even roast. As the beans become lighter, the fan speed can be turned down and keep the beans from chipping. Instructions are clear and simple with these models and allows complete control to the user without trying to figure out the programming. New to these models are the control panels which face up instead of having to squat down to view the settings and roasting process. As with the Plus 8 model, the chaff collector sits on top making access to remove chaff trouble-free. And true to tradition, viewing of the coffee as it is roasting is part of the fun with complete view ability. Clean up with this model is easy. Both models are great values for the price. Their simple design & operation makes them a great choice for both beginners and those looking for simplicity. Size wise the units are similar to the Plus 8 model measuring approximately 12" tall by 7" wide. Never leave a roaster unattended when roasting coffee.
Click here for more information about Fresh Roast Coffee Roaster SR 500
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