Hearthware i-Roast 2 Coffee Roaster Details Page

Fresh Look at the i-Roast 2- (Now Discontinued)

Things have changed since the Hearthware i-Roast 2 coffee roaster first came out four years ago. There are more roasters available, more choices in batch sizes programmability. So we recently re-tested the i-Roast 2 to try to see it with new eyes.

The i-Roast 2 gives you 2x the batch size of the Fresh Roast + 8, a longer, more even roast and better control. The quality of the roast is very good. The cooling cycle is effective and the machine is easy to use on the preset settings. The i-Roast 2 is a good choice for a 1 or 2 coffee drinker household, especially if you know that you like the brighter, cleaner style of roast that an air roaster produces.

After years of selling this machine and helping customers work through issues with it, we have learned a few things:

1) It is very important to not overload the machine. The design of the machine means it is sensitive to the amount of chaff the coffee produces, so with dry-processed coffees you need to use a smaller batch size. Because decaf produces less chaff, it is best to leave a bit of chaff actually in the chaff collector from a previous roast to get an even decaf roast.

2) It is very important to clean the top screens on the unit. Over time, the screens in the top lid can clog, restricting air flow, so it is important to brush and periodically soak the screens in a strong cleaner. Later in the iRoast’s life, even when the screen appear clean, they can still be choked with residue. This makes the motor work harder and can shorten the life of the roaster and can reduce the roaster’s capacity.

We no longer stock any parts for the i-Roast – Hearthware wants you to get those directly from www.hearthware.com or www.i-Roast.com


3) The i-Roast 2 has good air flow, and agitates the coffee well, resulting in a very even roast. As a result of that high speed fan that moves the coffee so well, the machine is LOUD, like a hair dryer at first, and is a bit more quiet after the fan speed drops in the middle of the roast. The fan causes vibrations, so it is not uncommon for the top to wiggle loose, or the machine to move a bit on the counter.

4) While the machine has all this programability, I think that eventually people (meaning me, Tom) stop using this feature, and start to simply use the factory default roast settings, because the result is good, and the interface to program the machine is not fun to use. The roaster seems designed to use at eye level, because the controls face horizontally. You can use the Presets and get good results, or play use the Programs to adjust its performance,

Hearthware has improved their customer service customer too – so I can feel good about selling the roaster again.

Interested to see what other i-Roast users say about this machine? Check out the Using Air Roasters section of the Sweet Maria’s Forum

There is a lot of information about the i-Roast 2 on our On-line Tip Sheet and a downloadable, PDF version.

The Hearthware i-Roast 2 has the following features:

  • convenient batch size for 1 to 2 people (8 ounces by volume, 6 ounces by weight)
  • 2 presets that offer a good roast and very easy operation
  • Programmability of time and temperature for further customization
  • Each custom profile can have up to 5 stages
  • Allows for storage of up to 10 memorizes roasting profiles, even when the machine is unplugged

Please Note: Profiles for Prest 1 and Preset 2 are significantly different from the presets on the i-Roast #1
Preset 1 on i-Roast 2: Stage 1: 450F for 10 min.**
Preset 2 on i-Roast 2: Stage 1: 455F for 6:00min; Stage 2: 400F for 4:00; Stage 3: 435F for 1:30

** Hearthware has a note in the manual about using this pre-set- use essentially half a batch.

Detail of the chaff collector

Top screen detail – these are the screens that need to be kept super clean.

I like the ability to create and save 10 custom roast profiles. I like the fact they are saved even if the machine is unplugged.

You can program up to 5 stages in each profile, but I think it is unnecessary to use 5 roast stages – 3 is fine to create a heat “ramp” roast profile. Of course, you can still use Preset 1 and Preset 2 to roast.

2 Responses

    1. You may want to try posting on a homeroasting forum like Reddit r/Roasting or Homeroasters.org. There have been iRoast parts posts in the past but a new one might lead to newer info about parts for sale. Good luck.

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