Preferences apart, coffee and tea are very similar. Both can be as instant or as crafted as you wish. While the art of tea draws more from traditional or even spiritual solace, coffee rituals take the edge off a stressful day. Whether your thing is a hand pour over, tamping your portafilter, or whipping up some foam, it all begins with the bean. For the true coffee connoisseur or hobbyist in Japan, a good home coffee bean roaster is a must. Choosing correctly can be a difficult choice, especially on a budget, but we spare you the grind.
Table of Contents
The Best Type of Coffee Bean Roaster
- Electric roaster & cooler
- Electric roaster only
- Professional home roaster
- Manual drum roaster
- Hand held net roaster
A coffee roaster can either be electric or manual. An electric coffee bean roaster is largely automatic. With a basic roaster you usually just push one button and manage the roasting time yourself. As you move up the price scale, you may have select roasting levels, a cooling function, or smoking control.
At the very least, a good electric coffee bean roaster will set you back at least 10 000 yen or more. A professional home roaster can cost anything from 50 000 yen to over 100 000 yen.
On the other hand, a manual coffee bean roaster generally uses a gas stove or a portable gas cassette as the heat source. Some may use solid fuel. They are often drum-shaped with a turning handle. These can be less than 10 000 yen. The cheapest option by far is a small hand held or net roaster, which you can even use over an open fire.
Best Home Coffee Bean Roaster Ranking in Japan
家庭用コーヒー焙煎機のおすすめ人気ランキング
1
Kakacoo Coffee Roaster & Cooler
400g capacity. AC adapter, semi-automatic with manual stirring. One heat level and chuff net below. Functional and affordable. READ MORE
2
Auvel Hand Coffee Roaster
250g capacity. Original Japanese classic. DIY kit and 3 bags of bean samples. Fuel source gas stove top or cassette burner. READ MORE
3
Lithon Coffee Roaster
60g capacity. An Osaka home brand with a medium and dark roasting level. Semi-automatic with a micro-processor. READ MORE
4
Kakacoo Barrel Coffee Roaster
400g capacity. Semi-automatic roaster for a gas burner. A DC 12V 3A universal power adapter runs the rotating barrel. READ MORE
5
Ottimo 150CR Professional Home Roaster
150g capacity. Multiple roasting levels and up to 90% reduction in smoke. No cooling function. READ MORE
6
Lucky Coffee Hand Roaster
200g capacity. Made in Japan stainless steel and a wood handle. Use over a gas stove or open fire. Ginko nut roaster too. READ MORE
7
Roast Hut Rapid Roasted Bean Cooler
A made in Japan product. Upper bean net and chuff tray at the bottom. Simply plug in and run the fan. READ MORE
Kakacoo Coffee Roaster & Cooler
The Kakacoo is well-priced for a dual mechanism roaster and cooler. The cooling fan is quite strong and effective within 1 min per 100g. There are similar generic knock-offs, but this Kakacoo, from Taiwan is by far a higher quality. You have to manage the roasting time yourself, there is 1 heat setting, and hand mixing is necessary. It measures 20 x 15 cm and weighs 1.8 Kg.
Auvel Hand Coffee Roaster
The Auvel hand roaster is a really fun product because it comes as a DIY project. Details and video instructions are also available on the Auvelcraft homepage, and a Google translation will see you good as well. The basket is 10 cm cubed and holds around 100g. This home developed product has evolved a perfectly ideal 3.5 mm mesh gap and the square shape actually enhances agitation and mixing of the beans. Their website has many other innovative hobby products.
Lithon Coffee Roaster
Lithon is an Osaka startup now making a range of small household gadgets. A microprocessor mangers the temperature and airflow rate. You can choose a medium or dark roast, or press the two buttons together to initiate cooling. It only roasts up to 60g at a time and takes around 13 min and then 4 minutes to cool. You can stop operations midway too. It measures W20.8 × D17.5 × H24.6 cm and weighs 1.4 Kg. If you’re happy ordering in Japanese, Lithon homepage offers installment and product trial purchases.
Kakacoo Barrel Coffee Roaster
The Kakacoo barrel roaster is a popular favorite among more serious bean roasters, including small enterprises. The heat is provided by gas, but the barrel actually operates on a 12V motor with an electric 110V adapter. The barrel is quartz glass and there’s a thermometer included measuring in both degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit. On the downside, it’s rather pricey and a little noisy. It measures L43 x W21 x H 21.5 cm and weighs 4.4 Kg.
Ottimo 150CR Professional Home Roaster
If you can afford the price, the Ottimo, from Korea, offers complete ease of use and also has a smoke extractor. It can roast up to 150g at a time. For that volume it’s a little bulky at W24 x D33 x H30.5 cm and weighs 5.6 Kg. Instructions don’t come in English, but the Japanese Youtube video is easy enough to follow by selecting English subtitles.
Lucky Coffee Hand Roaster
There are quite a number of hand held coffee roasters on the go. This product is made in Japan and it can roast a decent quantity or up to 200g. The price is very reasonable and it’s are also great for roasting ginkos and other nuts. You can even use it as a strainer or various other kitchen chores. The net diameter is 22 cm, the length with the handle 43.5 cm and the height is 5 cm.
Roast Hut Rapid Roasted Bean Cooler
One skill to the art of coffee bean roasting is to cool your roasted beans as fast as possible, or to calculate for residual roasting. This tray with a fast cooling mechanism gets the job done easier. The bean net measures 30 cm in diameter and is 5 cm deep. It holds around 200 g of roasted bean and cools within 2 minutes.
