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by Sherry on December 18, 2022
We’ve been using the Gene Cafe now for a couple of months, and done a couple dozen batches of coffee. Our family members are coffee drinking fools, and we all drink several cups a day. It took us a long time to get around to ordering this because we subscribed to a service that shipped us single origin coffee every month and we enjoyed their offerings very much. So, the bottom line is we should have done this sooner. The gene cafe seems to be very well made. It remains to be seen how the computer that does the time and temp holds up over time roasting beans out on the back porch, but from other reviews I’m not too worried. The roasted beans we’re producing with one exception is every bit as good as any we ever got from the subscription, and the one we didn’t like simply means we won’t order that particular bean again. Oh well. Using the roaster is very easy. I’ve read reviews online that make a big production out of using it, but in all honesty, I’m pretty particular about my coffee, and following the instructions provided produces a very nice roast of my particular preference. CBC did a great job getting it to me, and called me before they shipped it to activate the warranty. It’s really easy to clean, a breeze to use, and seems well built. What’s not to like?
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by Rob on June 1, 2022
Previously used a flat pan roaster; heat transferred by contact. It worked, but was inconsistent, gave off a ton of moisture that had to be soaked up during the roast, and took around 30 minutes per batch to roast. I have had this unit now for 9 months, and love it. It is easy to use, consistent and extremely efficient as it uses hot air rather than contact to the beans. Speed of roasting is averaging around 15 minutes per batch, so in 30 minutes I have a quart of roasted beans. Hearing the crack: when I roast, the crack is very audible through the air exhaust. No disguising each of the cracks. Cleaning is also very simple and fast. I have roasted different beans from a city roast through a very dark and oily espresso roast with perfect results. The cooling is not rocket fast as it uses the air flow from the room you are using. I have learned to stop the roast about 30 seconds before it is done to allow for additional roasting heat after the cooling cycle starts. The cooling process takes about 8 minutes, but is far easier than trying to cool them independently. Also, the chafe catcher works perfectly; the beans are perfectly clean at the end of the roast.
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by Gary D. on November 28, 2020
I have invested over $10,000 in coffee equipment and have enjoyed roasting in the past with two smaller Fresh Roast models. I have looked at semi commercial units costing $2500 to $4800. Yes they can roast larger quantities with programmable profile controls, but for a home model roasting up to a half pound of beans at a time, the Gene Cafe CBR-101 is a great consumer model that is reliable, consistent and cost conscious. It’s fun too. It changes your relationship with coffee (in a great way), by empowering you with the control of bean choice, when you want your beans roasted, with flexibility to adjust the degree of roast, providing you optimum freshness at a more affordable price. It’s easy to use, and has a very simple learning curve. I have not had a single roast I didn’t absolutely love! It comes with everything you need to get started, and John or Catherine will be glad to help you with anything you need. This is a great purchase for anyone who wants more out of there coffee making experience. Enjoy!
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by H. Padden on October 8, 2020
It does a fine job of roasting beans, but it's not really automatic. For some silly reason, the manufacturers (or their lawyers) decided that there is a fire hazard at 392F (200C) temperature. You must stand over the machine, ready to press a button and confirm "no fire" at that exact temperature or the machine will abort into its cool cycle, ruining your roasting plan. Somehow, they see no danger in proceeding from 392 to, say, 440 with no further interruption. Apparently, they only have a problem with fires occurring at precisely 392.
I have had several roasts ruined by my missing the warning beeps and failing to confirm the roast, midway through.
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by Anonymous on November 13, 2007
This is my first roaster (I have had it over a year now) but it is an excellent air roaster that has consistent results. It is so easy to use. I spent about 3 months doing all kinds of research on coffee roasters. For someone who never roasted before, this is the easiest roaster on the market. I saw a video on You-Tube and I thought it was really cool at how easy it worked. One neat thing about it is the roasting viewing chamber, you are able to see the bean color and roast level through the entire roast without problems. The Gene Cafe is different in that the amount of air pushing through the roast chamber is only for heat; not to actually agitate the beans like so many of the other hot air roasters I did my research on. The Gene Cafe has a neat auger and flap system. This makes sure that the beans are always in motion, which will prevent scorching. So this means that the Gene Cafe is quiet. You can be standing next to it and carry on a conversation and not have to yell. A neat thing about the Gene Cafe is the control system; you can change the roast temperature in real time with just the turn of a knob. You can also easily put the Gene Cafe into its cooling cycle. You will find that the majority of air and smoke exits for the left end of the roaster. I have read that Gene Cafe currently has in the works a smoke redirection device that you can add on the end. So is there a down side of this roaster? Yes. One thing I didn't like about the Gene Cafe was the chaff collection. When the chaff is blown off of the beans, it needs to go through a stainless grate in the roasting chamber. A small flap knocks the chaff loose (that way it can pass through the grate easer) with each turn of the roasting chamber. If the coffee you are roasting makes a lot of chaff the grate can get to full. This is really not that big of a deal because the air will just redirect through the roast chamber lid. But if you hook up some sort of a smoke redirection device, it will help. (That’s what I did and I direct it outside out my window. I use a dryer vent hose). I really wish that the cooling cycle was better, especially when you are roasting on the hottest setting, but it will do the job. Or you can do what I did. I went and got a fan and a metal colander. I set the fan on top and turn it on high for about 10 minutes. All in all, the Gene Cafe is a great roaster. I have now been roasting for a year and I love it. If this is your first roaster as it was for me. Go for it and spend the extra money. It will be worth it. Remember you will be doing this for the rest of your life. Never will you go back to the old stale Folgers coffees of the world!!!
Thanks for your wonderful review. I do, however, have to clarify one detail; the Gene Cafe is classified as a drum roaster, not an air roaster. The air design entails air floating the beans for agitation, the full name being "fluid-air bed". Regardless, your points on the Gene Cafe are well taken. Thanks again. Russ
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