Two questions: Does the unit successfully catch all the chafe? How much will my house smell after a roast (i.e. should I roast outside)? Thanks!
503226
Hi there - we always roast right in our kitchen near our stoves exhaust system. The resulting smells are just wonderful - you'll think you are in a coffee house. Yes the unit successfully catches the chafe - I tip my top over about three months into ownership and broke part of the top off, but even at that, it only has a bit of chafe escaping. Hope this helps. We had our unit over a year and a half now and we roast batches at least three times a week.
7167
That's funny. I've had it on my dining room table for months, and it never smelled. I did hang it in the sun for a few hours to get the wrinkles out, which didn't work. Maybe that's why mine doesn't smell. I also have a very sensitive nose.
1607343
It heats very well as long as the outside temperature is above 40 degrees. It "pumps" heat from the outside so the higher the temperature outside the better the efficiency. At an outside temp of 45 degrees it can roast a 15 by 15 room if you want. I really don't know if this one will work below 32. Since it loses its efficiency anyway I don't try.As the other poster said - definitely use the two hose set up.
98189
Our unit doesn't smell at all. My wife & daughters are very sensitive to that sort of thing and none of them have ever made any comment along those lines. As for me, the unit is in my home office and sits 10ft away from me all day long. There's no problem from my perspective.
181048
Worked fine for me as well. I did seem to notice some variance in how quickly it would roast from batch to batch, but that may have been due to outside temp more than the popper.
217342
Hi Mark, I have had no problems whatsoever with this grill! I have this one as well as the 075 model which is larger. They both still work perfectly!!! I only regret that I neglected to use foil over the drip tray as suggested to make cleanup much, much easier. While I know it's suggested not to clean the inside of it too often (except removing the ashes), I will tell you that when I use the grill to cook chicken thighs/legs at 400+ degrees, the grill drips down the front lid and, it drips from the sidewall where the smokestack is located. Other than that nuisance, the grill is excellent and still performs as such! Hi Mark, I have had no problems whatsoever with this grill! I have this one as well as the 075 model which is larger. They both still work perfectly!!! I only regret that I neglected to use foil over the drip tray as suggested to make cleanup much, much easier. While I know it's suggested not to clean the inside of it too often (except removing the ashes), I will tell you that when I use the grill to cook chicken thighs/legs at 400+ degrees, the grill drips down the front lid and, it drips from the sidewall where the smokestack is located. Other than that nuisance, the grill is excellent... » Read More Hi Mark, I have had no problems whatsoever with this grill! I have this one as well as the 075 model which is larger. They both still work perfectly!!! I only regret that I neglected to use foil over the drip tray as suggested to make cleanup much, much easier. While I know it's suggested not to clean the inside of it too often (except removing the ashes), I will tell you that when I use the grill to cook chicken thighs/legs at 400+ degrees, the grill drips down the front lid and, it drips from the sidewall where the smokestack is located. Other than that nuisance, the grill is excellent and still performs as such! « Show Less
239754
Mine just died this morning, but I roasted about 100 batches of beans (60 grams each) over the course of a year and a half. It did a great job. Not bad for the price. I'll try to buy another one, unless I talk myself into upgrading to a "real" coffee roaster.
1234526
I cook roasts at about 225 with broth - just so it boils. Use a good meat thermometer. i know it sound low, but it cooks real hot.
1478363
I'm using mine on a patio as a slide in under an outdoor kitchen cabinet. Make sure you have about 4 inches around for air flow. This unit has the condenser built in the left and right sides and dissipats the heat unlike a fan blowing air across the condenser on your home frig. What I did do is take the 1/2 inch shipping foam that was in the box and duct tape it to the back and top to help insulate the box a little. Just dont cover any part of the outside that feels warm after it's plugged in. Here is something I want to warn you about but is no big deal. When the box is cold and say you go to get a drink out of it. After you close the door it forms a tight vacuum and makes the door almost impossible to open unless you wait 3 or 4 min. I do HVAC repair and have have seen this same thing happen on walk-in coolers trapping people. You need to make a way for the vacuum to be relieved. What I did was take a 2 inch piece of thermostat wire (this wire is about 1/2 the size of a cloths hanger) tapped it the top and bent it over to go between the refrigerator box and the door gasket. This little wire will allow the vacuum inside to equalize and you can open the door within 15 to 20 seconds and it wont bother the temperature. Buy the way this frig can freeze a bottle of pop if you set it to cold. My control is setting around 5 O'clock and running around 32 degrees. I leave it outside but unplug it in the winter. Good Luck
1312213
I purchased 5 of the burners. I used them outside the first time so no issues. The second time we used two of them at the kitchen table and they smoked just a little bit but not much of a smell. The third time we used them in an office so the space was larger however we didn't have the burning alcohol smell. We smelled the marshmellows! We only put about 1/4 full of sterno in each unit so I don't know if that helped or not. Each time I put a little less sterno in the Hibachi and it smoked less and flamed less.
1735597
Generally very little smell (some of course). Tip for brewing that will help is put the barrel in a cooler. That controls temperature swings (which are bad) and will contain the smells (which really are minor and I personally like). Also protects you if the barrel leaks, the cooler keeps it from going all over your counter/floor/closet.
667747
There was an immediate odor on application but I live in a single one bedroom apartment and did a coffee table and end table right in the living room with just the immediate living room window open and a bedroom window open for a cross breeze and I did not feel overwhelmed by fumes or anything. It was surprising better than I was expecting, (I was expecting something that burned my eyes or nose like bleach) and the scent did not linger for days after. Just vent the place and I think you would be just fine.
1968558
To get to a full city roast, the SR500 takes 2-3 full cycles, about 18-28 minutes. It does a crappy job of taking care of the chaff. If I run the unit at low fan speed to increase roasting, the beans striate: Spanish roast at bottom and almost green at top. If I run the fan speed high enough to get good flux, the beans don't get roasted. Cannot recommend this unit.
1142174
Suprised it was damaged!! Mine was packed like a very well! As for the temp? I had that problem yesterday. Smoked a pork roast. Fired up just fine and was running too hot 250! Had both burners on low and both dampers open all the way. So, I turned the valve back on the propane tank. Next think I know the temp is at 150 and when I turn it up the temp will not increase. I shut everything down. Opened the valve on the propane tank all the way and restarted it. Worked fine after that. The propane regulators are very cheap now days and seem to have some issues. I have only used it 3 times and here are some suggestions. Keep what you are smoking if it is a small amount at the same level as the temp gauge. Only use 1 burner at a time. Why? When the 1st one burns out of wood chips you start the other. Then you can change out the chips and it is not hot. Wrap the pans in tin foil! They stay nice and it is an easy clean up when you are done. I am also looking into getting a very thin fire proof seal for the door. It is metal against metal and leaks some smoke. May not be worth the cost but a thought. Also..Make sure you burn it off!! Do it slow and work the vents and the doors as it heats up! They will stick! Hope this helps! Going to do a big turkey this weekend?! Yikes!!!
1879776
I found the Set Temp feature to work as I understand your use. I have set the temperature for say 125 when say a roast is at room temperature and had it go off at 125. It is important that you both set the temperature and turn it on before the temperature gets to 125. If the temperature is 126 when you turn it on, the beep won't happen until the temp "arrives" at 125 whether that be an increase or decrease.
239752
I've also moved on to a purpose-built roaster (Behmor), but I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 pounds through the Toastess and the last batch was just fine. It's sitting in the cabinet as a ready backup. From comments on the roaster forums (e.g., coffeegeek, Sweet Marias), one gets the impression that you should expect a popper to last in excess of a year with steady use (2-3 roasts a week), but folks also claim well beyond that. They certainly aren't built for the longer runs and heavier payloads that coffee roasting requires, so there's that. But like I said, mine did 20 lb and it looks and runs fine. Sturdy little contraption. I've also moved on to a purpose-built roaster (Behmor), but I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 pounds through the Toastess and the last batch was just fine. It's sitting in the cabinet as a ready backup. From comments on the roaster forums (e.g., coffeegeek, Sweet Marias), one gets the impression that you should expect a popper to last in excess of a year with steady use (2-3 roasts a week), but folks also claim well beyond that. They certainly aren't built for the longer runs and heavier payloads that coffee roasting requires, so there's that. But like I said, mine did 20 lb and it... » Read More I've also moved on to a purpose-built roaster (Behmor), but I put somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 pounds through the Toastess and the last batch was just fine. It's sitting in the cabinet as a ready backup. From comments on the roaster forums (e.g., coffeegeek, Sweet Marias), one gets the impression that you should expect a popper to last in excess of a year with steady use (2-3 roasts a week), but folks also claim well beyond that. They certainly aren't built for the longer runs and heavier payloads that coffee roasting requires, so there's that. But like I said, mine did 20 lb and it looks and runs fine. Sturdy little contraption. « Show Less
872587
I would not use any appliance if it smells like something is burning. I would contact the mfr. immediately. We have one, it works fine and there is no odor.