HTO - That's quite the rig you've got there. Reminds me of some of the stuff I see on the homebrewing (beer) forums. It's beyond my skillset, but pretty great!

Looks like you can still get an original West Bend Poppery on Ebay for about $40. It's very easy to split the fan from heater on them, and they're built like tanks. If you can bag one for $40, and run the fan on a $6 dimmer and the heater on a $35 15amp router speed controller you can produce consistently good results with some practice.

You're still in for $100 if you include some extra wire to wire the fan circuit, a switch box to hold your dimmer switch, and some sort of thermometry.

Thanks, jfrescki. Has anyone seen a hack guide? I can do basic wiring, but would be curious what other knowledge might be needed.

Homeroasters.org guide This is lengthy, but the wiring and info about disabling the thermostat (which is necessary on some, not on others) is mid-way down.

Also, you'll see a lot of people recommend using a can as a chimney, but I always prefer using the original poppery plastic cover and dropping a thermometer through a drilled hole in the top. I found this helps conserve heat, and it directs the chaff down into a bowl just like the popcorn would do. I always got enough bean agitation without stirring. YMMV.

Thanks - this I believe I can do and have the basic tools. I'm pretty excited to roast my own beans!

jfrescki wrote:Homeroasters.org guide This is lengthy, but the wiring and info about disabling the thermostat (which is necessary on some, not on others) is mid-way down.

Also, you'll see a lot of people recommend using a can as a chimney, but I always prefer using the original poppery plastic cover and dropping a thermometer through a drilled hole in the top. I found this helps conserve heat, and it directs the chaff down into a bowl just like the popcorn would do. I always got enough bean agitation without stirring. YMMV.

Very informative article. I would consider this modification as a possible next step because that sour undertone I get regardless of type or degree of roast in the air popper isn't making it for me.

Post by Bbdude » Oct 06, 2015, 8:39 am

I'm pretty excited to roast my own beans!

My advice is to start down the roasting pathway. There is nothing better for SOE than freshly roasted beans. Start with a popper, and take it just into second crack, no modifications. If you can get a Poppery 1, you can modify it later if (when!) you want more control of the roast.

If you've never had freshly roasted coffee for your espresso, it'll be the best you've ever tasted. Don't forget to try local thrift stores for an air popper. My first "roaster" years ago was a $4 purchase from a thrift store, and I was blown away with how easy it was to make very good coffee (compared to what I was getting). Now, years in to it, I'm studying roasting styles, varying strategy, and contemplating the impact of a host of variables. But I would have never started down this obsessive pathway if it hadn't been easy to start...

So, get an air popper, buy some greens, and have fun! It'll either drag you into the dark side of coffee roasting with the rest of us, or you'll appreciate the professional roasters that supply you even more. Either way, a bargain for a few bucks...