Hearthware i-Roast 1 Coffee Roasters

The Hearthware I-Roast

See Tom’s review of the prototype.

We have run out of the iRoast 1 and do not plan to restock it – as the #2 machine is the better, improved unit. We are keeping the review here though – since much of it pertains to the #2 model. I am not sure who still sells this model. Here is the link to the Hearthware i-Roast 2 – Maria 12/11/05
The main attractive features of the iRoast are:

the machine easily roasts a full 130 to 150 grams of coffee, twice as much as the old Precision model
the roast is very even in color
there is a timer and thermometer built into the unit – you can display these details through the front LCD display panel
the roaster has programmable roast profiles – see Tom’s full review for more info on that. The machine uses varying airflow and constant heat to control the way the coffee roasts.
the model we are shipping has the revised chaffChaff is paper-like skin that comes off the coffee in the roasting process. Chaff from roasting is part of the innermost skin (the silverskin) of the coffee fruit... collector insert to deal with the chaff problems Tom mentions in the review.

The downside? It is pretty loud. The unit has a very powerful fan to move all that coffee and roast evenly. But it is an exciting advance for home roasters to be able to control the roast.

Tom and I update the tip sheet as needed — here is the link to it. Some programming tips for setting roast profiles is also included on that page.

Hearthware i-Roast 1 Home Coffee Roaster with the 8-Pack Sampler(our selection of 4 lbs. of coffee (8 different 1/2 lb. types) from Sweet Maria’s excellent stocks)
$159 + (11 Lbs. Ship Wgt.)

Hearthware i-Roast 1 Home 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... without coffee
$149 + (7 Lbs. Ship Wgt.)

The i-Roast ships with a decorative chrome crown … no, really it is an adapter ring to allow you to attach an exhaust hose (4 inch diameter) to the i-Roast. Note that an exhaust system does shift the roast profiles.

The i-Roast features a new design of the chaff collector ring, an insert that goes inside the chaff collector top. The new design has improved the consistency of the roast levels between different types of , some that produce more chaff during roasting, some that produce little to none (like decafs).

The new chaff collector ring fits in the top as pictured,

There is a timer and thermometer built into the unit – you can display these details through the front LCD display panel. The sensor for the thermostat can be seen (along with the heat coil) in the base. The roaster provides constant heat but uses variable airflow to control the way the coffee roasts.

To the left is a comparison of the temperature I programmed into the unit (yellow), the temperature as indicated by the onboard thermometer (blue), and the temperature I logged with a digital k-type thermometer (red). While the red graph would come closest to internal bean temperature, there is a consistent correlation between the three temperature indicators. For more on this, read my prototype review!

Also see our online i Roast Tip Sheet.

Looking for information on the Hearthware Gourmet Model??? Click here!

Looking for information on the Hearthware Precision Model??? Click here!