The Behmor home coffee roaster with one pound capacity is updated with some new features that make roasting easier.
To introduce the new features we have some information resources below, like an FAQ about the new changes. You can view the Behmor 2000 AB+ in our webcart too. We also have a Behmor Bundle Starter Kit with some good accessories!
Introduction to Behmor Features
Ryan has made a great 9 minute introduction video discussing the main features to know about in the new BehmorA popular electric drum roaster designed for home use, with variable batch sizes (from 1/4 pound to 1 pound) and a smoke-reduction system. It has been modified and... 2000. The title sounds like a sales pitch! Believe us, it’s not … we love telling people pros AND cons of roasters. Our goal is to match you up with right roaster for you!
Thompson’s Behmor 2000 AB Plus Feature Video, Roast Demo Video
In the first part, Thompson runs through the new features, and after that he goes through a full roast to discuss ways to use the Behmor 2000 AB Plus, and pros and cons of the machine. This is a more in depth video of almost 18 minutes, since I run through the whole roast process.
(Note: there’s a small copy/paste error in a caption at 13:26 in the video. P4 = 75% Burner Power and P5= 100% burner power.)
Behmor 2000 AB+ FAQ / Questions and Answers:
What’s the most important new feature of the Behmor 2000 AB Plus?
Beeping. No joke – the audio warning Behmor has added to the roaster is significant. The Behmor has a failsafe feature, the “unattended roaster” shutdown: 75% of the way through the roast the machine will go into cooling if you don’t hit the START button on the control panel. Before the screen simply flashed with a 30 second countdown. Now there is an audible beep!
Why is this new feature important?
I know it sounds minor, but as owners of older models attest, many roasts have been ruined because you didn’t realize the “unattended roaster” alert was in effect. When the Behmor goes into cooling mode, you can’t revert to roast mode. You have to let it cool. So your batch was basically ruined. Now the beeping will help alert you, and get to the roaster in time to continue the roast!
Why even have the “Unattended roaster” feature?
Because people aren’t perfect, and they get distracted. We have heard of fires from roasters left unattended. We think the Behmor is a better roaster for this feature … but yeah, it is frustrating to lose a roast by having the machine go into cooling. Your only option is to re-roast the coffee (not good, and a bit dangerous as it will be on a totally different roast curve since it’s already more than half-roaster). Or just through it in the compost. ? . Other drum roasters have the same feature, like the pricy Aillio Bullet roaster.
Any other important user-oriented features?
Yeah, another beep! The roaster beeps for the final 15 seconds of the roast. This means you are alerted to make any changes, in particular use the + key to add time if the roast needs a bit more development, or the “C” key to engage the “rosetta stone” feature and add up to 3:10 more time (for 1 lb batch).
What else is new in the Behmor 2000 AB+ ?
There are hidden features that increase performance and reliability. The updated Micro Processor Unit (MCU) has a 50% faster data refresh rate, which means it is checking the thermocouple temperatures and making adjustments more frequently. The control panel is more robust and is actually dual voltage 110/220 now. But the roaster itself is sold as either 110 or 220 so don’t go plugging one we sell into 220, as the motor and other parts are voltage specific
I have a Behmor 1600 AB Plus … so what can I do?
Good news, Behmor has an upgrade kit for you! You can enjoy the features of the 2000 AB Plus in your 1600 Plus. And the cost is quite reasonable too.
I have an older Behmor 1600 though! What about me?
Good news, you can update it too. This also goes for the 1600 Plus. Both of these models have a chrome front door, not a black door. It’s a little more involved as it requires replacing the motor drive unit too. But we have the kit for it!
What is AB in the name?
It mean’s ALL BLACK and refers to the color of the front door. Older models with the chrome door are the 1600 or the 1600 Plus
What are the settings P1 to P5 in Behmor manual mode?
See our Tip Sheet below, but they mean this in terms of burner adjustment:
P1 = Baseline 0% (Burner is on at baseline level)
P2 = 25% Burner Power
P3 = 50% Burner Power
P4 = 75% Burner Power
P5 = 100% Burner Power
How do I enter Manual roast mode? There is no Manual Roast Button!
You need to first start a roast in an “automatic” mode, then hit the buttons P1 to P5 to change the burner setting. Now you are in Manual Roast mode, and can change the Burner setting manually at any time, you can change the Drum Motor Speed to High (32 RPM) or Low (16 RPM) by hitting the “D” Key… and you can return to Automatic mode by hitting the “1” Pound roast key
What type of roast is the Behmor best for?
Full City roastA coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack.: A coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack. The internal bean temperature... … in the “specialty coffee
Specialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of... movement” this has been considered the peak roast for balancing the flavor of the green bean with the flavor of fresh roasted coffee. Alfred PeetThe founder of Peet's Coffee in Berkeley California, Alfred was known for reintroducing a dark roast style to the West Coast. For some time, the logic of light... of Peets coffee was the preacher of the Full City roastCity roast is what we define as the earliest palatable stage that the roast process can be stopped and result in good quality coffee. City roast occurs roughly... mantra, and early Starbucks in Seattle were disciples of Alfred Peet. But both seem way darker than that now. Full City is a roast right at the verge of Second CrackAfter First Crack, a roast reaction around 440 to 450 degrees that is distinguished by a snapping sound. Second Crack is the second audible clue the roaster-operator receives..., or a few snaps into it. Truthfully the Behmor is great for all the medium roast ranges from City+City+ roast is an ideal roast level that occurs roughly between 425 and 435 degrees Fahrenheit in many coffee roasters with a responsive bean probe where First Crack... (a lighter medium roast) to Full City + or a Light Vienna RoastVienna roast occurs at the beginning of second crack. The Vienna stage is where you begin to find origin character eclipsed by roast character.: Vienna roast occurs at..., with some active second crackAn audible popping sound heard during roasting. In coffee, one refers to "first crack" and "second crack," which come from two different classes of chemical reactions.: An audible... and a clear roasty taste.
What type of roasts is the Behmor not so good for?
My first response is very light roasts. The Behmor has a very nice gentle roast curve, even at full heat (P5 Setting in Manual Mode), but it’s hard to stop the roast to target a really light City roast level, because the Behmor comes to a “coasting stop” really. So you have to anticipate where you want to end up, and stop the roast early in this case. But hey, we have an entire video to show you how to have success with lighter roasts in the Behmor!
Is the Behmor good for dark roasts?
My first response is yes! But the problem here is that many customers think a dark roast is WAY darker than I do. And for those people they have been unhappy with the previous Behmor models in this way.
You see, a dark roast of fresh-roasted coffee doesn’t look all dark and oily. That’s what happens when a dark roast sits for … oh say a week, or a month or (as Starbucks coffee usually does) 8 months after roasting! If you see oils coming from your coffee DURING the roast, you are risking fire, and you are likely roasting way way darker than Starbucks or anyone too. But I respect those who like dark roast level too, because when it is done with good coffee and it’s truly fresh, it can be a wonderful thing. The trick to get darker roasts on a Behmor is to preheat it before your first roast. The second key factor is to reduce your batch size to 12 ounces but use the 1 pound (16 oz.) setting. We will make a dark roast video soon and link to it here!
How come the chamber temperature readings are lower than my 1600?
The readings may appear lower on the LED, but the actual temperature measured from the 2000AB Plus heating coils is much hotter than the old 1600 series. Check out our test of this theory HERE.
Need Tips on the using the Behmor? Download and Print This…
Out Behmor Coffee RoasterA machine for roasting coffee. Or the person operating it! The basic requirements for a coffee roaster are a heating element that gets suitably hot and a mechanism... tip sheet includes an image of the Behmor Control Panel with the key functions mapped out. As Tom points out in the video, a print of this by your roaster is a great resource to have nearby
Here’s the Behmor Cheat Sheet for the Control Panel
Note that this image is also included in the downloadable / printable PDF image above.
Additional Behmor Coffee Roaster Images
Behmor 2000AB Plus -Sweet-Maria’s Behmor 2000AB Plus Rear -Sweet-Marias Behmor 2000AB Plus Controls -Sweet-Marias-6 Behmor 2000AB Plus Controls -Sweet-Maria’s
What else do you need to know about the Behmor 2000 AB Plus?
Please use our comment box below to tell us what we are missing in our documentation of the new Behmor! We need your help, and we can add new FAQ questions above so others can benefit from your curiosity too.
15 Responses
Gotta tell you guys that your Behmor roasting tutorials have been a wonderful learning tools for my home roasting endeavors. Bought my first Behmor probably 5 years ago and it has been a great hobby tool. I’m soon moving up to the newest Behmor version, the 2000 AB. I know that improvements are not major but I’ve found the small changes in coffee roasting are the most significant. I’m hoping to see some new 2000AB roasting vidieos soon incorporating the new improvements. You guys are the best. Keep on keeping on.
Thanks Steve – like you mention the latest model only has small changes but they are significant at the same time. Hope it works for you! If you have any ideas of what you would like to see for Behmor info or videos, please let us know!
Thanks for your note Thompson. Two questions I would like to have your input on are: Preheating a Behmor. I’ve tried several YouTube recommendations over the years. I just watched one where a home roaster preheats to 315 degrees, just before the unit will automatically shut down and swears by his method. I’ve seen in Sweet Maria posts ranges from 1:30 to 5:00 minutes P5 for a preheated guideline. What is a consistent preheat guideline or Is there even such a thing for the Behmor? I’m just looking to produce consistent roasts. Second question: the new, higher 32 rpm basket speed. How do I best use that option? Wishing you folks a safe and Happy New Year. Steve
Thanks for the question Steve – I personally have only used pre-heating to get a darker roast level, and I did that only on older 1600+ models. I haven’t used preheating for a long time since I haven’t found it necessary. I would definitely be using preheating on first batches if I was roasting in a more variable climate though. (we always preheat our sample roaster and probat, but those are also all steel / cast metal drums so they really require preheat, unlike the behmor wire drum). But I think Dan could chime in here, with a more relevant answer … Dan?
Hi Steve, I tend to pre-heat my roaster for 2 minutes on the highest setting in order to warm up the machine from ambient temp. But most of the parts are aluminum, so I don’t think the impact is all that big, and your success at retaining that heat depends on how fast you get that drum back in! I’ve been meaning to time the roasts pre-heat vs no pre-heat. I’ll make a point of running a couple of tests this week and report back.
**update: I just ran two identical batch size, one without preheating and one with a 3 minute warm-up, and the latter ran 1 min 7 seconds faster. I waited a couple hours between roasts so the Behmor could cool down completely between batches. I’m roasting on a Behmor 1600 Plus that’s been upgraded with the new panel and motor. I should point out that my 1600 Plus that hasn’t been upgraded runs hotter than the upgraded one. I plan on running a couple more tests and writing a short blog post about this later in the week. Thanks again for your comments and questions!
On the drum speeds, I’ve been using the faster drum speed for most, if not all of the roast, in order to keep the coffee high in the drum and physically closer to the heating element. I think speeding it up at the end of the roast is a good way to knock some of the chaff loose if nothing else!
Hi,
I am really struggling with getting a good roast with a dry processed Ethiopian. I have two methods, one is to go manual p5 until first crack, let it go for 45 seconds in to first crack and then pull it out and cool it in a cooling tray. The second is as soon as I get in to first crack I lower temp to p2 and let it go for 1 min and 30 seconds. Both ways seem sort of flat, I am getting some of the fruit but it has a sour undeveloped after taste. However when I try and go p5 for first crack longer than 45 seconds the coffee taste bitter and burnt. Any tips on how to best do a dry processed coffee to get a city roast and bring out the flavors?
Hey Kenny,
Sorry you’re having trouble with that coffee! A couple quick questions:
*Do you enjoy other coffee using this profile?
*What is your roast batch size?
*Which coffee is this?
I imagine this is a roast profile you’ve used with other coffees. I don’t tend to stray too far from my full-heat/P5 manual roasts, and any changes tend to happen when 1st crack starts.
When I hear the word ‘sour’, I think either under developed roast or perhaps even higher acidity than you like. Coffee can taste grassy and sour when the roast is not developed enough. You might take a look at our roast color chart in this blog post to see if you can make a visual match of roast degree. I know this can be tricky with dry process coffee since it tends to produce a lot of chaff and also is just generally darker in color.
Also, it may not sound like much time, but 45 seconds is a good chunk of time and you could try splitting the difference. I generally let my roast roll for a full minute after 1st crack starts (not just the first pop you hear, but once multiple pops start), and then either cool with the door open or pull and roast outside the machine like you.
It could just be the coffee too.
Hopefully you can shoot back answers to those questions and we can help get to the bottom of this.
Thanks for the comment Kenny!
Dan
I have been roasting coffee for about 10-12 years, all of it with a Fresh Roast unit. I just bought a Behmor 2000AB and so far its a frustrating experience. The manual is beyond worthless; thank goodness for SM and others for providing videos and instructions. It seems that when I am in manual mode, my +/- buttons do not work. The only way I can add time is to hit the “C” button, so can only add 2-3 minutes at a time. So, I have to sit there and hit the button every few minutes. Does this sound right, or is my machine defective? Thank you. Penny
Hi Penny – Sorry it has been frustrating! how much time have you needed to add to your roasts? are you roasting 1 Lb batches?
Hi Penny, to also chime in, once in manual mode, you should be able to add time by pressing the ‘+’ button. Just to be sure, entering manual mode requires you to select P5 after you start your roast cycle. If you find you’re running out of time, or the roast is going very long, you might try trimming your batch size as well. I generally keep mine to 1/2 lb, but use the 1 lb setting so I don’t need to keep adding extra time at the end.
See if you can try this basic roast profile to get a baseline that can then be adjusted to your taste:
*1/2 lb coffee in using the 1lb setting which should start you off with 18 min
*load the coffee, hit the 1 lb batch size button, hit start
*press P5 button immediately – this takes you into manual mode
*press D to engage the faster drum speed, which will help keep the bean bed high in the drum and in front of the heating coils
This should get you to 1st Crack in 12 minutes or so. Since the roast development will coast a little after entering the cooling cycle, try hitting the Cool button about 30 seconds before you want to finish your roast.
I hope this helps! I love roasting on my Behmors and am happy to try and work through any other issues you’re having via email as well.
-Dan
[email protected]
Holy (non)-smokes! I retired my recalled Nesco and roasted my first batch of decaf Columbian tonight. It was actually easier than I thought to use this roaster. I already knew that the decaf roasted a lot quicker so I used the P3 profile on a pre-heated roaster, pressed the C once I heard cracks. Then I did add about another minute and then suddenly I heard the second cracks. I immediately pressed the cool and opened the door. (Decaf Columbian doesn’t have the chaff so it’s not messy.) True, the Behmor is not a roaster to leave unattended. But my Nesco wasn’t a machine to leave unattended either.
Given that people use these roasters for years, I kind of wish I’d purchased the Behmor first instead of the Nesco.
The Nesco took about 18 minutes to roast 1/4 lb decaf Columbian.
The Behmor took about 10 minutes for the 1/4 lb decaf Columbian. Will try some tomorrow afternoon.
First off, congratulations on making the jump to a Behmor! I’m a big fan of the Behmor, and not just because we sell it. Decent batch size, roasts coffee fairly quickly (especially with the new manual controls and higher rpm drum speed), and no issues getting to 2nd crack. Ticks off some pretty important boxes for a home roaster!
One thing you lack is good visual access to the coffee, but like any roaster, the changes in roast stages become pretty predictable the more you use it.
Glad to hear you’re diving right in with the decaf (that Colombia is awesome btw – hope you agree!). Let us know if you have any questions along the way.
Best,
Dan
1600 would not really do 1lb, is this still the case with the new model?
It does well with 1 lb if you preheat the machine. Many people order 1 lb bags from us for this purpose, and that’s all they do in their Behmor. But I feel that preheat is needed to truly make it a 1 lb roaster.
And I agree that 1 lb has always been on the slow side when it comes to roasting…. While 18+ minute roasts are good for some coffees, and some purposes like espresso, they can taste baked for certain ones, especially for pour-over brewing. So .5 to .75 lbs at the 1 lb setting is still a better target with the current Behmor model, IMO.