Stovetop Coffee Roasting....

[Lumpold]

Well, being a pennypinching bastage, I'm looking for a fairly cheap way of home roasting coffee. I don't know why, but the idea of using a hot air popcorn popper doesn't appeal to me, even though I'm sure compared to the method I am about to ask about it's a fair more suitable method.

I've seen alot of material regarding using a wok or similar large pan to roast coffee beans over a stove. I have also found a couple of articles about using a WhirlyPop Stovetop Popcorn Maker. Do any of you Home Roast Guru Gorillas have any experience using this method? Is it an easy method for a Home Roast Noob Gorilla? Does it produce an even roast? Do the paddles move the coffee around enough? Will I burn my beans?
[size=4]FRANK AND BEANS! FRANK AND BEANS! DON'T WANNA BURN MY BEANS![/size]

[Mister Moo]

Hey - have at it! I had one (for popcorn) and tried it. It made a lot of smoke, roasted uneven, needed constant cranking/shaking, beans got caught under the turner-thingie and it went back to the cabinet. I didn't have good luck with it - which is not to say others won't.

I've also tried wok, cast iron skillet, microwave and all that jazz. On the way in, cheap? Popper. I found one more if you want the old $5/popper plus 1/2lb green beans deal.

[Mister Moo]

The last popper.

The hurricane coffee maker.

Roast early - roast often.

Be prepared - it's getting round that time again.

Originally Posted by Mister MaDuroo

Hey - have at it! I had one (for popcorn) and tried it. It made a lot of smoke, roasted uneven, needed constant cranking/shaking, beans got caught under the turner-thingie and it went back to the cabinet. I didn't have good luck with it - which is not to say others won't.

I've also tried wok, cast iron skillet, microwave and all that jazz. On the way in, cheap? Popper. I found one more if you want the old $5/popper plus 1/2lb green beans deal.

Take the man up on his popper/roaster, James. You will not be sorry. Dan is very willing to accept some maduros in trade!!! Bet the custome agents will sure look at that package funny!! "What the heck, a 20 year old popcorn popper thru the mail?" !!!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

Bet the custome agents will sure look at that package funny!!

I didn't know Jerkwater was in Berkshire, UK, until late last night Mr. SvilleKid. My bad - thought it was a county seat in eastern North Carolina. Who knew? A US popper in the UK would run a little hot - maybe perfect for one very short roast?

[Lumpold]

Having read the coffee newsgroup you informed me of, UK poppers seem to run a little hotter than US models anyway.... it's gonna be finding one that'll be fun....