You're not really a coffeegeek unless you roast your own!
Positive Product Points
This is a very easy to use product, virtually idiot proof. It has a very effective chaff collection system and cleaning is a snap. The coffee comes out great and you can interrupt the process at any time.
Negative Product Points
The top is rather fiddly, and you have to be careful not to throw the metal chaff screen thingy (technical term) in the trash when ditching the chaff. Design looks like a 70's vintage appliance - but hey, it's retro!
Detailed Commentary
This really is a top rate product. Why didn't I give it all 10's then? Well, I just can't give a 10 quality rating for anything made of plastic, it's just a personal bias. If it's still working well after three months of constant use, I might give it an upgrade. Aesthetics, well, I just don't like the way the design looks. They should have hired an Italian or something. The cost versus value thing - because of how it looks, I just can't get over the fact that I spent 120 bucks on a glorified popcorn popper. I give it an eight for usability because of the capacity, which is too small.
All these petty niggles aside, every roast I have done so far has turned out great. Be sure to not use the beans fresh out of the roaster. I know that it seems it would make the best coffee, but follow the instructions, as I found out letting them sit overnight improved matters considerably. I'm also glad they made the clear jar out of glass and not plastic. Be careful with the top and open the chaff collector over the garbage unless you like sweeping up chaff off the floor.
Buying Experience
1st line sent me a sampler pack of four different green coffees, one pound each. Very nice.
Three Month Followup
I've owned the unit for over three months now and it has performed flawlessly. This roaster has completely changed the way I buy and brew coffee. I've had great fun ordering and trying green coffees from all over the world, ones I never would have bought roasted because they would have been stale by the time they got to me. This device along with a good (i.e. Solis) grinder and a good coffee maker will get you the best coffee possible, period. I have changed the numerical ratings in my review to reflect my long term experience with the unit.
