5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal solution for weekly roasting, outdoors, over propane burner

P.n.#. · April 20, 2025

Ok I'm new to roasting coffee, but not new to the concept. The only reason to do this at home is to have unmatched flavor and quality control over the coffee you drink. I do not think home roasting is necessarily a huge money saver, even buying green coffee in bulk. Good coffee is hand picked and in high demand - so it's going to be expensive regardless. The roaster itself works, it's solid, and has a nice capacity - directions suggest 2 cups per roast cycle. I wanted a roaster that I could use on a weekly basis, preferably outside, and preferably using propane. This roaster fits that ticket. I did not want a small electric table-top variety where I would have to roast beans several times a week or daily. I've been using this roaster weekly for past 6 weeks. Process is as follows. I do 2, 2 cup batches once a week (1 quart, roughly 500 gr), usually on the weekend, on the back porch using a propane camp grill. This roaster worked fine in the house but i don't need the extra heat and the chaff does blow all over the place and it's annyoing to clean up--so strongly recommend this as an exterior unit. The two batches, back-to-back take about 45 minutes. I start the flame at medium high and then cut way back once the beans start smoking just over 400. The thermometer provided is very useful, attachment is a bit clumsy but overall simple to operate. I usually sit and loosely attend the roast, doing other things while it's running. After roasting each batch, I winnow the beans between two bowls in the wind to remove chaff. I do not clean the glass after every use as suggested, just too much work. Instead I've cleaned it about once a month using damp paper towel dipped in hardwood ash from my wood stove. The roasting deposits a brown patina / soot on the inside of the glass, which minimally impacts the view. Overall, I'd suggest this product strongly for anyone looking for a weekly roasting solution using propane burner outside or in a garage--and with enough cabinet or shelf space for a moderately bulky item. Again, the objective here being the experience and joy of freshly roasted coffee, not that old stale stuff sold in the grocery stores. This product nails the roast with its consistency, simplicity and capacity.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing for the price

K.C.G. · March 30, 2025

I've made about 30 pounds of coffee so far with this. I typically make five pounds in an hour or so in 400 gram increments.It is a solidly built item. I've already broken the glass once and have since purchased a replacement. I dropped the glass into the sink during washing. I recommend washing in a large plastic bowl with an SOS pad. Keep the glass in the bowl while scrubbing to avoid damage.I tried a basic camp butane burner but upgraded to a propane burner for the BTU power.Roast outdoors, it will produce smoke and stink up both you and your house. I engineered bean cooling after the roast to stop the reaction.There are some unofficial YouTube videos that are somewhat helpful. You cannot use a laser thermometer for this, we tried and it's not useful compared to the included thermometer.You can get a dark roast in under 13 minutes, about 10 for a medium.Can you get better? Yes, but at 10x the cost. This is a good entry-level roaster.

4.0 out of 5 stars 1 year review - It’s good for what it is

J. · December 13, 2024

I been using mine for over a year.My setup (ymmv) outdoor on a 8,000BTU camping burner with Propane adapter hooked up to a 15lb tank. i have a portable battery with AC for ultimate mobility. 1hr roast session and the kaka g400 uses 7%. very low power.Modified the funnel by attaching a PVC tube with a short elbow so beans can load into the drum while preheating so I don’t need to touch the drum until it’s ready to cool beans.Temp is hard to control bc of the elements so it has to be the right time of day and dry with no wind. it is what it is.I roast 450g at a time no problem.Results are very even beans.My only complaint are the 3 poles inside the drum where beans will consistently get stuck during the early stages.Cleaning: get a fine wire mesh sponge from local hardware shop and clean the inside glass after every session (if you do multiple back to backs). I found after every 4 roasts you need to clean otherwise the glass gets dark and you won’t have a clear view of bean development. you never need to run the drum under water at all. use the mesh sponge to scrub until you can see clearly and a wash cloth to remove any fibers left on the glass.Good luck

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Continuous Rotating Coffee Roaster

J. · April 28, 2019

The media could not be loaded. It was easy to put together, stay cool wooden handle, amazing to watch, one little thing that was a little messy as the beans spin some of them can bounce out of the drum because of the small opening to the roasting chamber, do you have any ideas on how we can keep the beans in? Perhaps a small heatproof mesh wire cover that still lets steam out ? We tried tinfoil with holes poked into it, and it only worked a short while. Other than that, I really love this roaster. I have a gas stove and it sits right on top of it, I set the gas on 6 and set the stopwatch and it took approximately 20 minutes to get a nice light brown 1st crack beans, we let them cool and we wanted to test out the taste so we grinded up a few tablespoons. Our house smelled like chocolate, and the flavor reminded me of a dark chocolate flavor. Delicious.