Hi all coffee roasting enthusiasts and sifus,
Would just like to introduce myself: very new to the specialty coffee scene (about two years), not doing this professionally (work in a bank).
On the coffee drinking aspect, I prefer espresso-based with milk (drowned), though also love to try out different brewing methods and tools. Cupboard now holds:
- various pour over filter holders
- French press
- Aeropress (favourite non-espresso)
- moka pot
- small copper-bottomed pot for Turkish
- various DIY contraptions to attempt cold brew
Espresso on a heavily modified Philips Saeco Poemia (depressurised, PID) . Dreaming of striking the lottery for a Bezzera Strega.
On the coffee roasting aspect, started about a year ago, popcorn popper (modified until short-circuited and almost set the house on fire), heat-gun/dog bowl (though usually just using a steel cooking pot, now using a Kaldi Wide stovetop drum roaster.
mdyyliew
My thots on your three options:
Bullet R1: if you can afford it, go for it! There's someone on the LYN coffee thread who has one.
Hottop: an old favourite. Pricy for what it delivers.
Sonofresco: if you think the other machines are bulky, this is an absolute monster! Also way out of my price range.
Quest/Huky not considered?
Coffee Roaster, All about the art of roasting coffee