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Are you an at-home dark roast lover looking to really knock your coffee game out of the park?
One way to vastly improve and personalize your coffee from home is to buy your own coffee roaster. If you’re not sure where to begin, we’ve created this guide on the best home coffee roasters for dark roast.
Expect to learn the following:
- Why you should roast coffee at home
- Coffee roast profiles and what they mean
- How to choose the best roaster for your household
- Our picks for the best home coffee roasters for dark roast
Why You Should Roast Coffee At Home
When you purchase your beans from a coffee shop or a grocery store, you’re limited to what types of roasts these locations are selling.
But people have a much broader number of taste preferences than what most businesses offer. If you have an especially niche preference in your roast, purchasing a roaster for your home lets you cater to that preference by making your own special blends.
Roasting at home is a great way for coffee connoisseurs to experiment with their coffee and exercise total control over the process, from fresh green beans to aromatic cups of brew.
Roasting Profiles 101
Although this guide is built to help you find the right roaster to make dark roasts, it’s still worth understanding the different roasting profiles and what each of them means.
There’s a huge range of roasts, but the three most basic levels are:
- Light roasts
- Medium roasts
- Dark roasts
Light Roasts
Fruity and light in flavor as they are in color, light roast beans have been roasted at a cooler temperature than darker roasts.
You can tell them at a glance based on their brighter color, reminiscent of milk chocolate. They’ll have no oily residue on the outside if you touch them.
Because they haven’t been toasted as much as their darker counterparts, light roasts keep most of the natural flavors of coffee beans, leading to a more acidic taste. At a grocery store, you might see beans with the names such as Light, Cinnamon, or New England if they’re light roast.
Medium Roasts
Medium roasts are an American staple, favored by most coffee drinkers in the states.
Blends in this category have been roasted at a slightly higher temperature than light roasts, causing them to expand and crack a little.
When you look at them, you’ll see a deeper brown color. Like a light roast, these beans will not be oily, either, when you touch them.
As far as flavor goes, you can expect a more rounded taste and level of acidity. Regular and American are two blends that fall into this category.
Dark Roasts
If a light roast looks like milk chocolate, then you can compare a dark roast’s appearance to dark chocolate.
These beans will have an oily feel if you were to hold a few in your hand. To get to this state, they’re roasted at an even higher temperature.
The resulting taste is one, as you can imagine, that’s smokier. This is also a pretty popular flavor profile, so there are many blends that fit into this level.
Some common names of dark roast blends you’ve probably heard of are French, Espresso, or Italian roast coffees.
How To Choose The Right Coffee Roaster For Your Home
Beyond the fact that it roasts coffee beans, there are plenty of reasons for choosing a specific roaster instead of another.
The sky’s the limit with coffee roasters, so they come in all shapes and sizes and with a ton of functions. Since your household will have needs and wants specific to your situation, you should outline these factors so you know what to look for in a roaster.
You should think about the following:
- What size should your coffee roaster be?
- How much should your coffee roaster cost?
- Are you a beginner or do you have experience roasting?
- Do you need your roaster to be able to do more than coffee beans?
Size
You probably have, at some point, measured a part of your house or living space to see if a new purchase would fit.
You can do the same thing for coffee roasters. One of their more unique traits, however, is that they come in such diverse sizes that you can’t just assume they’re all similar in dimensions, like you can for some other appliances.
Because of this, it’s wise to examine the size of a coffee roaster you’re interested in and map out potential areas for it in your house.
Cost
The first thing pretty much anyone does before they buy something is check the price.
And, like with other purchases, considered the price of your roaster is completely reasonable. Before you chooses a roaster, it’s a good idea to look at a few whether or not you’re interested in them just to gauge what prices are like.
Then you can form a picture of what your ideal price range will be for your home. Just as they come in numerous sizes, roasters come in all kinds of prices, so no matter what your budget is, you should be able to find one that won't cost you more than you expected.
Ease Of Use
Do you have little or no experience with roasting?
If your answer to that question is in the affirmative, then you’ll want to look for roasters that are easier to use. Some come with pre-programmed levels that you can choose from so it will do the roasting for you.
Many also come with motors that turn the beans for you for an even roast. This is another great feature for beginners who are worried they’ll overcook some beans and undercook others.
But if your situation is the opposite, and you have more experience, then you may prefer a roaster that gives you more control over the process. There are a ton of manual coffee roasters that have you churn the beans and time the duration of the roast yourself, putting power over the development of the beans in your hands.
Multifunctional Purposes
Coffee beans aren’t the only things many roasters can be used for.
If you’re interested in roasting nuts, popcorn, or seeds, there are tons of roasters out there that can work with those goods, as well. These types of roasters are wonderful for home cooks who love preparing as many of their ingredients fresh in their own kitchen as possible.
You’ll also get more value out of any appliance you can use for more than one purpose. Consider whether or not you’re looking for a roaster that can handle more than just coffee beans, and if so, pay attention to each one you look at to see what else it can do.
Best Home Coffee Roasters For Dark Roast
The Gene Café One Half Pound Coffee Roaster is sleek and professional-level roaster suitable for home use and small businesses alike.
Customers have loved this roaster for a ton of reasons. It automates the temperature to ensure your beans are roasted within optimal thermal ranges, and when it’s done, it engages a cool-down phase to keep lingering heat from burning your beans.
On top of that, you’ll never be disturbed by noise coming from this roaster, because it’s whisper-quiet.
- Dimensions: 19 x 10 x 9
- Automatic Cool-Down: A thoughtful touch that engages automatically after use to prevent the beans from over-roasting.
- Overheat Protection: An extra safeguard against burning that monitors the roaster and shuts it down if it’s overheating.
- Clear Roasting Chamber: This transparent container allows you to visually monitor the development of your beans throughout the process.
- Low-Noise Operation: Roast any time of day without worrying about waking the house up – this roaster runs at a remarkably low volume.
The Gina World BeanPlus Coffee Roaster is ideal for beginners.
Its clear lid allows you to keep an eye on the beans as they roast and promotes safety by locking into place during operation. If you remove the lid in the middle of roasting, the machine automatically stops to protect users from harm.
It comes with nine different roast levels to choose from, and an s-shaped wing that steadily churns the beans for you, preventing them from cooking unevenly.
Who is this roaster best for? This is the one you’re looking for if you’re a beginner without the experience to get the correct temperature for roasts.
- Size: 9.4 x 13 x 11.4 inches
- Low Noise: The blade in the machine is built to run quietly, so your household won’t be bothered by loud noise from the roaster.
- Secure Lid: Protecting users from the heat, the lid locks into place during use. If the lid is removed mid-roast, the machine automatically stops.
- Nine-Level Roasting Dial: Don’t know how long or hot to roast your beans for? Just choose one of the nine options from the dial and let the BeanPlus take care of it for you.
- Rotating S-Wing: Continuously churns the beans so they aren’t unevenly roasted, promoting a balanced flavor.
- Smoke Reduction System: Darker roasts can create more annoying smoke. This roaster can handle the heat, reducing smoke by 80-90% with its smoke control system.
Are you searching for a flexible roaster that isn’t limited to coffee? Take a look at the Angellong Coffee Bean Roaster.
This roaster isn’t limited to just your morning cup of joe. You can safely roast nuts, popcorn, or seeds in this appliance, making it one of the most versatile on this list.
It was also designed to make keeping track of the roasting process easier. Its clear glass lid will let you visually gauge the state of your beans, seeds, or nuts, and the holes in the lid will let you listen to them popping.
Why should you choose this model? This Angellong roaster is perfect for home chefs who enjoy freshly preparing a wide range of ingredients in their own kitchen.
- Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 8 inches
- Clear Glass Lid with Holes: Like the roaster itself, this lid has more than one use. You can keep an eye on the color of your coffee beans through the transparent glass and hear them crack through the holes.
- Smoke Reduction System: No need to run a fan while using this roaster, as its smoke reduction design will cut down on the amount of smoke generated by dark roasts.
- Multifunctional: Roast your own nuts and seeds in addition to coffee beans, saving you money on having to buy pre-roasted store products.
- Large Roasting Capacity: Able to hold up to 26.45 ounces of a product at a time, the Angellong can roast large batches of coffee.
- Automatic Agitator: A continuously rotating blade in this roaster turns the beans, preventing them from unpleasant burns and creating a well-rounded taste.
Popular among many consumers, the FreshRoast SR540 has been getting great reviews for a reason.
It comes with nine integrated heat and fan settings for novices to choose from. Users can make easy adjustments with the turn of the knob located at the front of the machine.
This machine is adept at roasting smaller batches of beans, and its modest size means it will fit in even the most crowded kitchens.
What reasons should you should you pick the SR540 for? Its pre-programmed heat and fan settings make this a wise selection for those new to the world of roasting. Additionally, if you just don’t have much room to spare, this is a good choice to squeeze onto crowded countertops.
- Dimensions: 14.7 x 8.3 x 8.3 inches
- Nine Heat and Fan Settings: Choose from nine different heat and fan settings rather than having to struggle to find the perfect temperature yourself.
- Timer: Instead of having to hover around the roaster and time it yourself, the SR540 has a built-in timer.
- Digital Display: The display at the base of the machine is large, intuitive, and easy to read.
- Quiet Operation: No need to worry about waking everyone up when you use this roaster – it runs quietly.
Intriguing to look at, the Dyvee Coffee Roaster is able to sit over your kitchen stove as it roasts.
This machine is especially good for roasting large batches at once. You can roast up to 1 pound of coffee beans at a time.
Because it’s motor-operated, you won’t need to do anything more than watch as it roasts. It will spin and turn the glass drum for you, promoting a balanced roast.
Why pick this machine? If you’re going through a large amount of coffee, this is the roaster for you. There aren’t many home roasters that can hold up to a pound of coffee beans at once, making this one sizable machine.
- Dimensions: 18.4 x 10.9 x 9.9 inches
- 304 Grade Stainless Steel Frame: Sleek and shiny looks aside, the stainless steel frame of the Dyvee roaster is made to last.
- Glass Roasting Chamber: The glass construction of the roasting chamber makes visually monitoring your coffee beans easy.
- Motor Operation: No need to tire your arm out here – the motor in the machine will turn the chamber for you, keeping your beans from being unevenly roasted.
- Burn-Free Wooden Handle: Brushing up against the handle on accident won’t result in a nasty burn. Also allows for simple transport of the machine once it’s done.
- Multifunctional Roasting: Feel free to roast nuts or seeds in this machine, too, like peanuts or tasty sunflower seeds for a healthy snack.
Do you enjoy doing things by hand? If that sounds like you, then the Nuvo Eco Ceramic Coffee Bean Roaster is worth paying attention to.
Unlike the other roasters on this list, this roaster is powered entirely by the user. By holding it over a heat source and gently moving the roaster in a circular motion, the beans within are roasted.
It’s a simple device, but one that you can feel proud of using once you’ve made the perfect roast with it.
Who should buy this roaster? Choose this roaster if you love doing things the old-fashioned away. Because you’re not relying on a motor or a timer, you’ll have complete control over the outcome of your roast.
- Dimensions: 10 x 6.3 x 3 inches
- Cowhide handle: The cowhide-wrapped handle works as a comfortable grip and keeps you safe from burns during use.
- Easy to Clean: No taking apart machinery to clean this roaster – you can simply clean by hand as-is after use.
- Small Design: The Nuvo is incredibly small, and can be stored in just about any drawer or cupboard.