Behmor 1600 Coffee Roaster
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Behmor 1600 Coffee Roaster
Customer Review: Behmor is Really Beh-More!
Summary: 5 Stars
Several years ago I thought about doing home coffee roasting, after seeing a small roaster that looked like a popcorn maker, and the green beans, at a local kitchen wares store. My wife told me I didn't need the toy, so the thought went on the back burner. Fast forward several years to December 2009. With my retirement and all that new time, I needed yet another passion. So I found the Behmor 1600 online from Roastmasters just before Christmas, and yes, it was a gift to myself. And my wife and I, haven't regretted it since. After about twenty, half-pound roasts with several green bean varieties, also from Roastmasters, the Behmor has functioned flawlessly. The latest model has many notable features, including good visibility so one can observe the coffee bean transformation process. I find this process enjoyable, including the emerging aromas. The Behmnor is a drum roaster using quartz heat lamps. The wire drum design effectively moves the beans so the resulting roast is very uniform in color and consistency. As soon as the roast cycle completes, the Behmor goes into a cooling cycle that typically takes about twelve minutes. The total time for my one-half pound, total roast and cool cycles, averages around twenty five minutes.
The Behmor has virtually foolproof automatic control of the roasting process and safety features; and manual adjustments can be made to customize the roasts, when one becomes a true roast-meister. The roaster is relatively quiet so one can easily hear the first coffee bean cracking sounds, and eventually the second crack, if one ventures in that range. Many of my roasts are taken between the first and second crack, and sometimes just before the second crack as a matter of my taste. There has been very little smoke and odor from this unit which has very good controls and ventilation for this purpose. However, I roast under a kitchen exhaust hood anyway, in case a serious smoke event happens. The Behmor currenlty is the only home roaster I am aware of that can do one pound; though one-quarter, one-half and the pound are automatic standard programs. There are five automatic roast profiles, and corresponding time intervals available that are suitable for different bean types and roast weights; as well as the ability to add or subtract time in the cycle. So there's more than enough variables to play with as one's obsession grows. I didn't know what bean chaff was until I roasted. After each roast one has to clean out all the chaff that accumulates. Using a vacuum cleaner fitted with nozzle works best for me.
The Behmor is of good quality design and construction, yet is about the size of a small toaster oven, but more attractive. So the wife acceptance factor (WAF) has been very favorable in this regard. While moderately priced, the Behmor offers outsnding value for roast quality and capacity, consistency and so many control features.
We now create great, fresh roasted coffee, and really are enjoying each roast journey too.
Customer Review: Great roaster but........
Summary: 4 Stars
I received the roaster as a christmas present in 2008. I am a homebrewer, home cheesemaker, general do-it-yourselfer and roasting my own coffee was inevitable. After using this roaster, I was hooked. Since then my wife and I have bought about 2-3 lbs of pre-roasted coffee (only when i forget to roast or am on a trip and can't), we love home roasting and really have found commercial coffees to be over-roasted or under-roasted and generally lacking in flavor. Especially, OUR FLAVOR, the way WE want it. I love the size and toaster-oven style of the behmor, it really could sit on your counter (I roast on the back patio for smoke considerations). It has great controls with a great variety of roasting programs so that you can vary the temperature of the beans for different times to give the beans a different flavor. then of course, you can start cool down when you need to, to ensure you get the roast you desire. Once you find YOUR FLAVOR, you'll be hooked too.
Price is great, when compared to most of the other roasters... especially automated ones (some are $900 plus). With the price of green beans about 1/2 to 1/3 what you'll pay for "charbucks" or anything else in the store, i figure I paid for the roaster in the first year easily. Ease of use is outstanding. Keeping it clean is a snap (simple green on the inside and the 1/2lb setting and start while it is empty). I don't mind the little smoke that it makes (hello, your roasting coffee!!) but I wouldn't do it indoors.
shortcomings... well, if i buy something that says i can roast 1 lb of coffee... i kind of expect to roast 1 lb of coffee. not 9 oz. and oh by the way, i have to do a 2 minute warm up (not in the directions) to get the 9 oz roasted to my desire. but even after a 2 minute warm up, sometimes, i still don't reach the second crack before the "you must cool down and start over" time is reached. I have followed the cleaning directions from the start (to ensure longevity), but still have trouble getting 9 oz of coffee roasted to the second crack.
To explain, for safety reasons, the engineers have designed a mandatory cooldown (complete cooldown) prior to starting another batch, so if you don't get to the second crack... too bad... you have to start all over. I got it, we need to be safe. there are people (maybe im one of them) that would start fires if given the ability to roast for as long as they want, but there are so many times when my second crack just starts and i have 2 seconds left before cool down. Insert your own inuendo here. Its just disappointing.
regardless... If your looking to REALLY try home roasting, this is a nice entry level machine that will give you time to learn the process and enjoy YOUR flavor!! Just do smaller batches and you won't be disappointed.
Customer Review: Behmor 1600: Great Addition to Any Kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
I've owned a Behmor 1600 since shortly after the first units shipped. It's been trouble free through an average of 1 roast every week for the past almost 18 months and provides a very mellow roast compared to what I'd experienced with a fluid bed roaster. I found (as have most users) that a one pound setting will take the beans into second crack if one limits the roast to 350-175 grams. A full 16 ounce roast is iffy, though since I began doing a 1 min warmup before inserting the loaded drum I find the beans achieve their endothermic reaction somewhat faster. I haven't really tried a 16 ounce roast since the early days of using the machine as 12 ounces provides a nice weekly change in variety for a two person household. Both my significant other and I have discovered how much we enjoy a lighter roast when preparing espresso and the Behmor allows us to always have fresh coffee ready for the grinder.
There is a bit of smoke from the roast (not nearly as much as experienced with a fluid bed) but I usually place the machine on the electric stove (smooth top--always after it's cooled) where the overhead vent can take care of most of the smoke. I also learned that it's a good idea not to roast after either my girlfriend or I have just washed our hair. Eau de Coffee is an intriguing aroma but not what either one of us really want to carry out into the world when we leave the house.
If you love fresh coffee--we do--the control provided by roasting your own beans and the variety available is a real treat.