I'm seriously considering getting a Gene Cafe

[RumblePen]

http://www.genecafe.com/

http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/cof...meroast/210588

http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1128873789/0
http://coffeesnobs.com.au/reviews/GeneCafeCBR101.pdf

This looks like the ideal home roaster for me. Great batch size (12 ounce max), excellent chaff collection, easy to clean, on the fly temp adjustments. Only 2 drawbacks. Cooling takes 10 minutes, and the thing is expensive. $495 from Burmans. If I can justify the cost to myself, I may just get this.

A BBQ roaster is out, since I'd have to buy a BBQ (the gene will be cheaper than going this route)

I'm not too keen on the convecto stir crazy contraption. Even if I did manage to build the thing correctly, I couldn't use it inside during those cold New England Winters (and fall and springs for that matter, damn this weather). Plus, I gather the chaff must go all over the place, and I don't want to chance my dogs eating that stuff. Caffein no good for dogs.

Btw, I think the Korean company who made this thing meant to call it the Genie Cafe, and not the Gene Cafe, unless I can clone sheep with it too.

[ResIpsa]

Dude, if you are really serious about this, listen up, you have to MOVE. Go join the green bean coffee buyers club (i posted the address in another earlier thread, if you can't find it pm me. They worked out a group buy for the nunit, from Burman Coffee, you can contact pyment at gbcbc and he will give you the price. will save you about 75 bucks. Discounted price is only good until 4/6 though, so move.

Originally Posted by RumblePen

http://www.genecafe.com/

http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/cof...meroast/210588

http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1128873789/0
http://coffeesnobs.com.au/reviews/GeneCafeCBR101.pdf

This looks like the ideal home roaster for me. Great batch size (12 ounce max), excellent chaff collection, easy to clean, on the fly temp adjustments. Only 2 drawbacks. Cooling takes 10 minutes, and the thing is expensive. $495 from Burmans. If I can justify the cost to myself, I may just get this.

A BBQ roaster is out, since I'd have to buy a BBQ (the gene will be cheaper than going this route)

I'm not too keen on the convecto stir crazy contraption. Even if I did manage to build the thing correctly, I couldn't use it inside during those cold New England Winters (and fall and springs for that matter, damn this weather). Plus, I gather the chaff must go all over the place, and I don't want to chance my dogs eating that stuff. Caffein no good for dogs.

Btw, I think the Korean company who made this thing meant to call it the Genie Cafe, and not the Gene Cafe, unless I can clone sheep with it too.

[Mister Moo]

I don't want to chance my dogs eating that stuff. Caffein no good for dogs

Excellent roughage. I've been forcefeeding my three cats nothing but chaff for several years; except for loss of hair, weight, hearing, teeth and claws they seem to be thriving. Also much cheaper than Meow Mix. (You prepare them for the change by putting Folgers Crystals in the water dish.)

Would love to get a genie in the pen. Keep posting.

[Mister Moo]

How cool is that? Clever opposed bi-orbital action.



I want one just like it that handles 10-lbs!

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by RumblePen

If I can justify the cost to myself, I may just get this.

I say go for it. It looks like an great machine and should last you a long time.

[whodat1]

I'd look real hard at this roaster before I'd buy it. It looks like a roaster that was being marketed last year as something like 'Cafe Roasto'. Every review of the one I saw last year said it was a good concept but was plagued with problems. The one I saw last year was being manufactured in Korea I believe.

[Mister Moo]

Not encouraging...

respected C-Geek'r sez: ...I can do well over a lb in my SC/CO combo, and with a Variac greaty control the profile of my roasts....while the agitation features look ingenious, I find my roasts to be, generally very even, even my pre-blended espreso green...I'm not meaning to put a damper on the enthusiasm here, but my rig costs less than 1/4 the cost of the Gene Cafe.
I think we owe it to our noobie CG home-roasters to encourage them to look at less expensive alternative roasting methods as well...and often the less expensive way is also better for developing skills.

and another: With patience and thrift store shopping my SC/TO was 1/10th the price and it works so good I’m far from convinced any method can produce better tasting coffee and I’m fairly certain my taste buds are not acute enough to justify the cost difference even if they can.

[ResIpsa]

I agree, less expensive/complicated can be better for a new member to learn on, and we all know how it feels to sink several hundred dollars into a new hobby only to watch our enthusiasm fall apart....or maybe that's me i'm thinking of.....but it does look like a cool machine

To address whodat1's post this is NOT the vaporware machine you are referring to. For those familiar with the Cafe Rosto (which includes me), you may recall that it was a very tempermental machine beset with problems for some, worked perfectly for others. The situation was made all the worse by the fact that the manufacturer apparantly was a dishonst individual who built up a lot of bad will. There were early rumors that he was behind the Gene Cafe, which led to a lot of bad buzz on the net. That rumor has long been disspelled as far as I know. Tom over at Sweetmarias has done a cursory review and from what he has said he is pleased with the machine and is currently working on durability testing with a variac.

[NapCat]

[QUOTE=Mister MaDuroo]Excellent roughage. I've been forcefeeding my three cats nothing but chaff for several years; except for loss of hair, weight, hearing, teeth and claws they seem to be thriving. Also much cheaper than Meow Mix. (You prepare them for the change by putting Folgers Crystals in the water dish.)

[SIZE="4"]All pretty scary words to 'da ol NapCat !![/SIZE]

[Mister Moo]

All pretty scary words to 'da ol NapCat !!

Be coal, honey bunny; anything but respect for the Napcat would be disigneous of me. I'm sure your coffee rocks; ore maybe not. Mine does.

Welcome, oh fearful one. Please tell about your interests/experience in coffee - what plateaus you've reached, so to speak - if you're not already too stoned to make sense. Do your interests also extend to cigars?

[whodat1]

Originally Posted by ResIpsa

To address whodat1's post this is NOT the vaporware machine you are referring to. For those familiar with the Cafe Rosto (which includes me), you may recall that it was a very tempermental machine beset with problems for some, worked perfectly for others. The situation was made all the worse by the fact that the manufacturer apparantly was a dishonst individual who built up a lot of bad will. There were early rumors that he was behind the Gene Cafe, which led to a lot of bad buzz on the net. That rumor has long been disspelled as far as I know. Tom over at Sweetmarias has done a cursory review and from what he has said he is pleased with the machine and is currently working on durability testing with a variac.

I will bow to your knowledge on this. I just noticed its resemblence to the machine you mentioned and wanted people to look into it before purchasing. The fact that Tom at SM is considering selling it speaks well for it.

Like MM, I read the review over at coffeegeeks and the projected price tag of $400-$450 is enough to scare me off, since my SCTO has cost me $106 with all enhancements. But if the price doesn't bother you, I'd say go for it.

[ResIpsa]

Would have done the same in your shoes. Just to add a little, the geeks at CG actually did a First look at the Cafe and in general had good things to say about it. Yeah, it's pricey, and yeah a SCTO setup does a great job. But if someone is looking for push and go, set and forget, with easy repeatability of roasts, the ability to change profiles on the fly, etc. this could be the machine for them.

My concern at this point is in being a first adopted. In general first run machines have a lot of bugs, and I don't think I want to be the one to find out about them first hand.

Originally Posted by whodat1

I will bow to your knowledge on this. I just noticed its resemblence to the machine you mentioned and wanted people to look into it before purchasing. The fact that Tom at SM is considering selling it speaks well for it.

Like MM, I read the review over at coffeegeeks and the projected price tag of $400-$450 is enough to scare me off, since my SCTO has cost me $106 with all enhancements. But if the price doesn't bother you, I'd say go for it.