New Hottop Coffee Roaster announced today

A new hottop model will be available in June (mods for older models available in May)

see the Hottop web site for all the details.

Looks to be a real winner to me.

https://www.hottopusa.com/news.html

Time to start pinching my pennies.

There really are not that many players. I am enjoying the roll out of updates.

I'd maybe tease them about knobs that don't turn counter clockwise. . . . and the USB is for what? Data output or Programming input?

Our testing shows that this model is easily capable of dark roasts that so many enjoy

Click to expand...

Obtaining a dark roast has been a problem?

I can do that just by being distracted by looking at the bees flying in and out of my outdoor electrical receptacle.

I would love to be able to get bean mass temp. That is awesome.

-jim

gearchow said:

Obtaining a dark roast has been a problem?

I can do that just by being distracted by looking at the bees flying in and out of my outdoor electrical receptacle.

I would love to be able to get bean mass temp. That is awesome.

-jim

Click to expand...

Oh my gosh! You too? I have the devil's own time dealing with hornets every year. Makes for horrid attention deficit disorder!
On the other hand, some of the chocolate overtones I've gotten have been hard to repeat!

I guess the 1 kilo machine never got off the ground? I haven't checked up Randy's blogs in months. And, software with bi directional data? Yumm. Might have to think about another unit - just for those rare times I over consume.

Alacrity59 said:

. . . . and the USB is for what? Data output or Programming input?

Click to expand...

This would interface with a laptop running artisan or roast logger software.

Until it comes out not sure if artisan or roast logger would be able to control the roaster like the mods I've done to mine allow.

So the big question is, I have a small window fan for my apartment kitchen window... Any chance of using this?

SiBurning said:

So the big question is, I have a small window fan for my apartment kitchen window... Any chance of using this?

Click to expand...

the filters in the machine block some smoke and what gets out is easily handled by a stove/range hood or a fan in a window if the roaster is placed near the window fan.

From their description:

"Other notable features are the relocation of the "EJECT button away from all other features to help avoid those frustrating mistakes that result in premature ejection"

A notable problem in coffee roasting causing deeply disappointed consumers and threatening the confidence of roasters everywhere.

oakeshott said:

From their description:

"Other notable features are the relocation of the "EJECT button away from all other features to help avoid those frustrating mistakes that result in premature ejection"

A notable problem in coffee roasting causing deeply disappointed consumers and threatening the confidence of roasters everywhere.

Click to expand...

They've also upped the output of the electric burner/element which was one of my issues (not enough power to make quick changes in roast profile). They need to keep it "home appliance" so there is only so far they can go before requiring a 20 circuit. It is still a 15 amp appliance.

I colored my eject button RED to avoid accidentally hitting it during a roast. Their safety features require you to press a button during the roast to make sure that there is a live person at the roaster so that it does not get away and over heat. Moving the button out from all the rest was one thing I suggested years ago and I am sure I was not the only one to say this. they changed the button color to RED and now moved it too. Good to know that they listen to their customers

oakeshott said:

From their description:

"Other notable features are the relocation of the "EJECT button away from all other features to help avoid those frustrating mistakes that result in premature ejection"

A notable problem in coffee roasting causing deeply disappointed consumers and threatening the confidence of roasters everywhere.

Click to expand...

The Behmor 1600 has similar control panel layout issue, though it is much less severe due to how the roaster is used. The interior "light" button is beside the "Cool" button and I have pressed it once by accident. Even though the overall button layout makes sense, ideally the "light" button would be further away.

They've posted an upgrade (how to) page this morning

http://www.hottopusa.com/kitB+.html

there is still no pricing on the UK-105 or UK-106 upgrade kits But if they have the "how to" page up it should not be long.

Luckily I updated my 8828-B model to a dash 2 model (added the manual bean eject option already) so I can use the lesser of the 2 upgrade kits which consists of the chamber back plate, burner, 2 k type thermocouples and the control panel which should be a simple upgrade (if you consider taking the entire roaster apart and replacing the roasting chamber back plate simple)



Basically this upgrade will replace the TC4C+HTC+LCD system I now have in place. The upgrade puts all of this within the roaster chassis instead of multiple boards and external project boxes). I will still be able to hook up the laptop and "hopefully" run the roaster with Artisan roasting software. As of now they do not have the USB interface programed to control the roaster from external software but it is the works... Now it is just a "logger" (one way USB from roaster to software) using the control panel manually to run the burner and fan.

I really don't spend all that much on shaving. The Everything else area I'm not doing so well on but I'm loving it.

They have one of the kits up on their store as if a few minutes ago but the store is not working

http://hottopusa.com/Merchant2/merc..._Code=HU&Product_Code=UK-105&Category_Code=UK

Gees... I WANT TO SPEND MONEY NOW!!!!!!!!

SiBurning said:

Time to start pinching my pennies.

Click to expand...

Same here.

Accurate bean temperature readings is something I've wanted for a long time.

I know some people here were experimenting with those laser thermometers. Results weren't good. It seemed to need something inside. I bet a few B&Bers will be getting this.

This is looking like a horrible development