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Kahvitauko
March 25, 2021
I am reviewing my Behmor 1600 AB purchased in July of 2019, so there may be some variation between that and this newer model. But I wanted to get good solid experience under my belt before reviewing. First of all, this isn't a frozen taquito microwave--don't expect to start it and walk away. It's a hands-on tool that exists to heat plant lignins...like a wood stove, say...and so requires attention to the process. Second, getting more out of this machine requires some understanding of the engineering of the timing and heating parts of the process, and the difference between the preset roasting programs and the user-set variables. Mr. Behm and his team supply all sorts of data on that--you just have to read it. I have roasted at least 200 batches--1/4 lb at first to learn, later 1/2 lb, then settled on 12 oz beans and the 1 lb programs as my Behmor's "sweet spot." By now I have it all down to about half a dozen manual tweaks to the basic 1 lb program...with variations for different beans/varieties. The consistency of the roasting profiles' temperatures amazes me every time. Like reviewer George Park, I roast in our garage, at temps 45 F and over, then haul it into a small utility room with exhaust fan during the winter months. It amazes me that whether it's 95 F and 30% humidity or 45 F and 95% humidity or anything in between, with a few minutes of preheating to the machine and chaff tray, this little machine produces the SAME TEMPS at the SAME TIMES (provided I start with house-room-temp beans!) within a couple of degrees. Wonderful controls engineering. I am the roaster for our posse, which can be a bit time consuming along with fermenting vegetables, making yogurt and cheese, processing garden and meat windfalls, milling and baking, etc. But the results are wonderful--much better than buying someone else's roasts. It took me a good ten years before deciding to buy a Behmor, and I wish I'd done it years ago. Our model Behmor doesn't have "warning beeps" which is fine by me--I'm sick of getting beeped at by every b(l)eeping piece of technology in daily life. I prefer quiet coupled with having an attention span and focus.
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JFrieden
December 15, 2020
I’ve been roasting for several years using an SR 500.
However I needed higher capacity and more control over the roast.
Finally nailed how to roast a perfect batch in manual mode after a just a few batches with Behmor 2000AB Plus.
I just use P5 on one 1lb and wait for first crack. 30 secs to a minute later I hit cool and open the door.
Voila. It’s perfect every time.
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Adam
August 17, 2022
Good: seems to work fine. First motor burnt out quickly but the manf was VERY quick to reply and very helpful! Some things break, but their response was well beyond what I'd expect. 5* on the customer service. I'm not very sophisticated so I don't experiment with the roast profiles or times or anything.
Bad: chaff management isn't good. Surely there is a better way to handle it. The pan and chaff catch might get half of it. Then it's a bit finicky to clean it out. Unless you also get a vacuum, I guess you're just supposed to brush it out. I'm talking about the half of the chaff left in the machine. You brush it to the front and then I half close the door to let it fall through the hinge crack. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but the clean up is a 2* Also, if the chaff catches fire, then the smoke and temp all changes in the chamber so if you think you're controlling your roast, you're wrong.
Read the book. It's not great, but it does give you an idea of what all the buttons do. It's not intuitive at all. Sometimes a button does one thing and then for another function it does the opposite of what you expect.
I'd try another roaster before I bought this one again. It works, but I'm not in love with it. 4* on performance. 5* on customer support/warranty. 2* on pain to clean up and chaff management.
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Lb
December 1, 2022
Second behmor. Great medium roasts. How do I do it? I use an extension cord rated for the Amos. Preheat .. 1/2 lb press start . Weigh 8 oz raw beans. Press stop, .. put in beans. Press 1/2 lb then start then P5. Start timer. When 9 minutes is up come back, press start to avoid shutoff. Listen for 1st crack. When popcorn popping sound is less than 5 sec apart, press p3 and let 10 sec elapse the press cool. Let 2 min elapse. ( I use multi timer on iPhone). Then stop roast, vacuum chaff , close lit press cool. Shake cage to get rid of chaff in cage. Put beans in callindar, hand swirl until warm and vacuum pack. Put away roaster . Do all this outside.
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George Park
March 6, 2021
This is an update to my review of 8/15/20. I have now had my roaster for 7 months and have completed 33 roasts. I am impressed by the reproducibility of the roast temperature profiles. They are almost identical in spite of different ambient conditions. I have my roaster in a permanent location in my garage. The ambient temperature has ranged from 51 to 87 degrees, and the humidity from 33 to 99%. I always preheat the roaster for 3-5 minutes before roasting. The smoke suppression system works well, and I love the roasting coffee fragrance in my garage but wouldn't want it throughout my house. I have had a couple of 'operator error' mishaps, forgetting to put in the chaff tray once, and that made a mess but wasn't critical, and I did not properly close the basket allowing beans to fall out of the end on another occasion. The latter mistake could have resulted in a fire but staying with the roaster while roasting allowed me to discover my mistake and stop the roast before an actual fire started. I highly recommend staying with the roaster and observing what is happening as per the operating instructions. While a fire is unlikely, it could happen, as I proved through my own carelessness. Everything I wrote in my initial review remains true. This is a great roaster and I highly recommend it.
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Heather Alden-Paredes
May 5, 2021
I am very excited about my Behmor 2000 AB. I was impressed that a representative from Coffee Bean Corral called me before they shipped it to talk about my interest in roasting, find out if I had any questions and offer ongoing support. I am brand new to roasting and have given my roaster a few trial runs. It has taken me some time to study the instructions but so far I have been successful. It's nice to know that I can always call if I need any support. As soon as my samples are gone, I definitely plan to order beans from Coffee Bean Corral.
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Howard
April 30, 2021
This is my second Behmor and regret not getting a motor for my old one as the new one SUCKS. Will not get into second crack, takes forever to get into first crack roasting 15 oz. Total waste of money as I hate this machine.
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George Park
August 15, 2020
After years of using a iRoast2, I am ecstatic to have a roaster that allows me to actually hear the first and second crack! So far, I have completed four small (100 g) roasts and am impressed by the quietness, reproducibility and lack of smoke from this roaster.
There is no doubt that this is not a "put the coffee in, press a button and walk away" roaster, but should it be? Not if you really care about your coffee. There are plenty of controls to customize your roast, and the manual that comes with it (and I highly recommend reading it thoroughly) is quite instructive. The only downsides I have found so far are that it is sometimes a challenge to insert the roasting cylinder (square post into square drive have to be aligned) after pre-heating the roaster as recommended, but so far I haven't burned myself. Also, I find that chaff cleanout takes a little longer than it seems it should. Not all the chaff is caught in the chaff tray and the handy brush (included) is required to clean out the chaff from the roasting chamber. Finally, an occasional bean will get stuck in the roasting chamber. For me these are small irritants that don't take away from what seems to be an excellent product.
Only time will tell how the roaster ages (does it get easier as I get used to the routine, or do the small irritants become large irritants) and its long-term reliability. I used my iRoast2 for 15 years. I am hoping for the best and recommend this product for the serious roaster.
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drbll
May 21, 2021
This roaster is perfect for my home roasting needs, there was a slight learning curve, but there is so much information on line. Roasting levels are very easily reproducible once you find you happy spot.
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Scott M.
November 7, 2022
I bought the 2000AB plus from Coffee Bean Coral over a year ago, and for the price and volume of the roast (I roast a max of 14 ounces per session) it is a great option for people who roast a lot of coffee at home. I do two batches, twice per week. The machine already paid for itself in the money I've saved by buying green coffee instead of paying much more at the store.
There certainly was a learning curve, but I easily get into second crack just as cooling starts, and get perfect, even Vienna roasts every time, which is my favorite level of roast.
It can be messy to clean as only half the chaff gets into the tray, but I bought a small shop vac just for this purpose, and with the crevice tool on the hose, it takes less than thirty seconds to clean out all the chaff. Super easy, no more brushing it out and sweeping the floor.
The afterburner wire burned out after eight months, but Behmor sent a free replacement with good instructions, and I am mechanically inclined, so it was quick me easy. If you are not good with tools, this roaster might be harder to maintain if repairs are needed, but again, the price and roasting volume are hard to beat. The couple of minor chinks in the armor like cleaning it, and getting a few stuck beans out of the drum, are not a deal-breaker for me, as the machine does a great job once you find your groove.
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Randall Bennett
March 30, 2022
After a bit of experience, I have found the Behmore to be an excellent roaster after using a freshroast..very easy to get a french roast on P5 if u watch the temp and alternate between P4 and P5 on manual. Very happy with the machine and loved the coffee included in the order. Great Experience.
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coffeetime
September 1, 2021
I got a defective unit, slow response from manufacture and none of the extras that CBC said I would get with the purchase of this machine.
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IH
August 10, 2022
1 1/2 years later the roaster is falling apart. Behmor's service only says "it's out of warrantee, we're happy to sell you more". If you can afford it, step up to the Hottop. I wish I had!
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Alan Horne
January 5, 2022
We have had the Behmor 2000 about two months now and it is even better than our old 1600. I honestly don't think there is a better home roast deal anywhere!
We loved the coffee samplers and are saving our gift certificate! The log book was nice but portends little use as we have been roasting a long time.
Coffee Bean Corral is the best place to shop, we couldn't have gotten these incentives anywhere else. Just an example of how they do business, the best!
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Ira
January 22, 2021
I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on the Behmor 2000AB plus. It is a great choice that is hard to beat. I am enjoying roasting very much. It aint rocket science, but I can already see that with a little more experience I'll be able to tailor my roast to my taste. Previously, I drove across town to buy my fresh roast from a really good roaster, and while it was good, it was always the same. And, it tied up half my day off every week. Roasting through my sample packs a half pound at a time rewarding, fun and I get to do it on my time.
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P Mitchell
January 2, 2021
My old Behmor 1600 finally gave up the ghost, but this new model is amazing. Bigger/faster motor and finally got an audible beeper. I also got some beans to try and I like this site (i.e., reviews) and the coffee better than the other two major green bean sites. I'm also really getting better results by biting the bullet and only roasting 1/2 lb batches (on the 1lb roasting setting).
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George V
March 21, 2023
I'm still learning but this is light years better than my Fresh Roast that just broke. I'm using standard settings and everything is coming out very well roasted and consistent. Lots to still learn but I'm very impressed so far.
Side note, do not roast inside, the smoke is much better than the Fresh Roast but it's still setting off smoke detectors.
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William
January 19, 2023
I've had the 2000AB for about a month now and roast about every other day. I share many of the roast with friends and family as I search for the perfect flavor. The roaster is very easy to use and provides a lot of flexibility as you can simply use the program modes or go completely manual. Any regrets? Yeah, I wish I had started doing this years ago.
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Kelvin Lee Padgett
January 8, 2023
I have done 3 different roast. First to light, second dark almost got away from me,but the 3rd a nice medium so far so good.
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Kate Stoller
January 17, 2022
I am new to coffee roasting, but have a passion for it and have dreaming about it for years. A month ago we ordered the Behmor 2000AB and I have been playing with it and testing it (and the sample pack of beans that arrived).
The compact size is great, the smoke removal system works really well on medium roasts, and the simple controls are easy to learn and ultimately use to create your own personal “recipe”.
The chamber is a bit tight, so putting the roasting drum into the preheated unit does take some care. The chaff tray works well, keeping most of it from reaching the heating elements. I have roasted in the house, but prefer the garage.
Clean up is simple.
I’m a fan!
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Burks
July 16, 2021
I have been steadily experimenting with the Behmor. It's easy to use and great step up from grill roasting.
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Pierre Mitchell
January 2, 2021
My Behmor 1600 died and this is the replacement. I love the faster/stronger motor and the audible safety beep (finally!), but the drum and chaff tray have been lightened (to save money I guess), and it hampers the performance a bit in terms of a flush fit with the drum door; and also with the chaff tray (the flanges deform a bit). But it still works fine.
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Grant Johnston
November 4, 2020
I am very pleased with this purchase. The Behmor 2000 is very consistent and does a fine job roasting beans.
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solidmushroom
August 21, 2020
It's perfect for in home use, very little debris comes out, Smoke is minimal and the stove fan removes any that escapes. My first two roast attempts turned out good and can't wait to roast again.
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Rita Mahaffey
August 15, 2020
So far I love it.I’m still trying to get the hang of it. It’s a little different than my other one.
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Tom
June 6, 2022
I'm unable to preheat it to 250 or greater measured by B temp. The manufacturer is has never replied to my messages about this issue.
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Howard Goldstein
March 13, 2021
This is my second Behmor. Loved the first but motor was starting to slow down after several years. Don't care for the new one at all. First, after roasting for 20 years I know what to expect and don't want to have to baby sit this thing for 25 minutes. Secondly no matter what I do cannot get a roast into second crack. Lastly the function where you control everything really does not work at all. Oven will not heat when you slow the speed down. Regret buying.
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