mariog7 Senior Member Joined: 7 Mar 2011 Posts: 183 Location: NJ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quickmill Vetrano Grinder: Vario
Posted Fri Mar 8, 2013, 6:46pm Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
I was in the same boat and so glad I gave it a try. Bought a Behmor for $299 and tried various coffees from Sweet Maria's. I roast espresso for myself and drip for the wife. It a fun hobby and very satisfying. Really not difficult at all. My worst roasts are 100x better than supermarket. The reason I tried was because I hated spending $10 on shipping for a tiny 12oz bag of fresh espresso that would only last about a week. Now, I roast half pound at a time and always have fresh coffee on hand. No more worrying about having too much or too little fresh coffee.
macdad Senior Member Joined: 14 Feb 2013 Posts: 12 Location: OH, USA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Mar 24, 2013, 4:37am Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
I'm very new to roasting, but I have looked at the same thing. It is safe to assume that your beans will loose at least 15% weight when you roast them. After shipping, you are probably looking at $6.50-$7.00 per lb for green beans. That works out to approximately $7.65 - $8.23 per roasted lb.
For me, I found a local roaster that sells fresh roasted coffee for $9-10 per lb. If I drink a lb a week, then I would save close to $1 per week. That is $50 per year. I bought a Behmor for $300, so that is a 6 year payback. Not a good investment if you were in the business world.
But... I really enjoy learning something new. I didn't do this to save money, but to learn and experiment, and I get to enjoy the end product. I haven't roasted a batch yet that was bad. All were better than supermarket beans. In addition, the local roaster will sell me his green beans, so I can save a little there and won't need to buy in such large batches. Also, I am still supporting the local business.
Go for it. The only regret I have is not making the purchase sooner!
Posted Sun Mar 24, 2013, 9:01pm Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
I wish I'd known what an incredible difference my entire coffee experience would be had I known the grinder and roaster made all the difference. Those two things alone took my coffee to new levels that no other change had. I have a roaster literally down the street but it's far more convenient to roast at my own pace and preference. I also find it cheaper than my alternatives (especially considering my student hour-to-hour value at right about minimum wage) to roast at home. I roast for friends and family too so I have cheap gifts and I sell to some. I have a fraction of my Behmor paid off thanks to people employing me and it to roast them beans!
If you seek good cafe quality drinks and your local alternatives and needs aren't suited to those roasters, it is definitely worth it in my opinion. Unless your time is very very expensive.
earthena Junior Member Joined: 27 Mar 2013 Posts: 14 Location: Spokane Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Silvia Grinder: Rocky
Posted Wed Mar 27, 2013, 12:41pm Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
Thank you for the thorough math on this. I was curious and needed to see an algorithm to understand the savings to get to the quality. I'm interested in commercial down and bet there are some fun learnings along the way doing it from home.
I was in southern california and an organic grocer was selling freshly roasted bags just exhausting into the store. I got some great coffee and their little 3K machine did a credible roast job.
Posted Sun Apr 14, 2013, 9:06am Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
Home roasting for me serves to remind just how good the pros are and further my appreciation for truly exceptional coffee. I love home roasting, have for years, but I'll humbly submit that I can't hold a candle to the pros with the right equipment.
Roast for fun, but keep centered in what your doing too.
Posted Mon Apr 15, 2013, 9:01am Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
Coffee roasting is at the center of my coffee experience. On one side is green bean selection, the other side is brewing.
Finding the origins and varietals you prefer and learning how to roast them is an adventure that may take several years to sort out, and always more to learn.
Always having fresh coffee, selected and roasted the way I prefer. That makes it 'worth it' for me.
CoffeeLoversMag Senior Member Joined: 10 Jan 2013 Posts: 50 Location: Seattle Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Apr 22, 2013, 8:13am Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
Home roasting takes a lot of time. You need to practice it until you'll get the perfect roast or what's suitable to you. You don't need to do it in one day, do it in your free time, maybe you'll like it as a hobby. It doesn't really mean you can save a lot of $. It depends on the price of the beans you got and the quantity you consume.
Every sweat, dollar, time spent on home roasting is worth the hassle. You won't regret the experience the thrill and joy of getting your own cup of Joe. But then again, it depends on each person. You need to have a lot of patience and dedication in the craft of home roasting.
Posted Sun May 5, 2013, 8:24am Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
macdad Said:
I'm very new to roasting, but I have looked at the same thing. It is safe to assume that your beans will loose at least 15% weight when you roast them. After shipping, you are probably looking at $6.50-$7.00 per lb for green beans. That works out to approximately $7.65 - $8.23 per roasted lb.
For me, I found a local roaster that sells fresh roasted coffee for $9-10 per lb. If I drink a lb a week, then I would save close to $1 per week. That is $50 per year. I bought a Behmor for $300, so that is a 6 year payback. Not a good investment if you were in the business world.
Not sure, but I would think that coffee you buy roasted for $9-10 per lb is usually of lower quality than greens selling for $7 / lb, so I think the break even point is probably sooner.
macdad Senior Member Joined: 14 Feb 2013 Posts: 12 Location: OH, USA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Wed May 8, 2013, 5:17pm Subject: Re: is home roasting worth it?
BarryR Said:
Not sure, but I would think that coffee you buy roasted for $9-10 per lb is usually of lower quality than greens selling for $7 / lb, so I think the break even point is probably sooner.
Well, the green beans come from the same place that I was buying the roasted coffee from. However, after roasting some of the coffee myself, I think mine tastes better (I could be a little biased :) ). I think the main reason being that I really like roasts around City to City+. The shop that I was buying roasted beans from almost always roasts at full city.
This is another plus for me, much like the others are saying. I roast the coffee the way I like it and in smaller batches. It is always super fresh and tastes great, even in a drip machine.
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