Learn to Roast on Our Favorite Home Air Roaster!
Fresh Roast offers a variety of roasters. Let's review the manual features of the SR700. I need to make you aware that the SR700 is a discontinued product, but the manual roasting process is the same for the SR700 and the SR540. The SR540 is still available. The SR800 is a newer model with the capability of roasting bigger batches. Hopefully, we will be able to demonstrate the SR800 soon.
Components of the SR700
The SR700 contains a chaff tray, canister, and control panel. As I was preparing for the demonstration, I accidentally dropped the canister and broke it. It's great to know that you can purchase replacement parts if a similar event happens to you.
The control panel provides fan speeds between one and nine, a timer, different heat levels indicated by the Mode, and a Run/Cool button. As you can probably see, it makes the roasting process very simple. With few buttons, you have a lot of options. The ability to adjust heat and fan speed makes it possible for you to roast a wide range of coffee profiles.
My Coffee Profile
I enjoy a bit of a darker roast, which is why I choose to roast at home. I can roast the coffee to the profile I prefer. I like a more robust and bold flavor but not as bold as a traditional Italian or French roast. As I troubleshot through the different options, I found that I got to my ideal roast with a fan speed at five, high heat, for 6 minutes. I discovered that what made the most significant difference was the fan speed. I tried a lower heat level with a faster fan, and I wouldn't say I liked the results, but when I lowered the fan speed, I got closer and closer to my preferred roast. I even burned a batch with low heat and fast fan speed.
How Does it Compare with a Behmor?
I have used a Behmor for years and haven't ventured out to find new roasters. The SR700 was a new experience for me because I have always used a drum roaster. The SR700 is an air roaster.
So how do they compare?
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Fresh Roast SR700 |
Behmor |
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Easy to use |
It is very easy to use. |
The learning curve is higher, but once you get the hang of it's easy to use. |
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Roasting time |
Since batches are smaller, the roast time may be shorter. The shorter roasting time is ideal when I am in a hurry. |
Depending on the size of the batch, roasting time may vary. Bigger batches take longer. I like being able to roast larger batches at a time. |
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Smoke level |
No visible smoke. I relied on the crack, smell, and color of the roast. |
It produces considerable smoke even though it is equipped with smoke suppression technology. I use the smoke as an indicator of the stage of the roast. I find the smoke helpful when roasting. |
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Batch size |
No more than ¼ pound of roasted coffee. |
Up to about one pound at a time of roasted coffee. I have never tried more than a pound. |
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Flavor of coffee |
The flavor was just what I like. |
The flavor was just what I like. |
My final assessment of comparing both roasters is that I like them both for different reasons. I may have to buy an SR540 or maybe an SR800, but I will most likely continue using the Behmor. How will I choose what roaster to use? I’ll choose based on how much time I have that day and how much coffee I need.
Tips
- Refer to the user guide for more details.
- Stay close to your roaster during the entire roasting cycle.
- Clean out the chaff compartment after each time you roast.
- Allow cooling cycles to finish.
- Wait for the recommended time in between batches. See user guide for details.
- Do not fill with unroasted coffee past the line on the canister.
