Huky 500 or Quest M3 Redux

Discuss roast levels and profiles for espresso, equipment for roasting coffee.
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keno
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#1: Post by keno »

Time for a roaster upgrade and having a tough time making a decision. Usually I find that I can just review various posts on HB and get the information I need to make the right decision, but I'm finding it harder in this case hence the post. I realize there was a thread on this exact topic before, but it's been two years and there have been design updates to these roasters, plus I'm sure that users now have a lot more experience with them.

My situation is, predictably, as follows: started on an iRoast which I used for a year, upgraded to a Gene Cafe which I used for three years, when that broke I got a Behmor which I've had for three years. I'd like more roast control and would also like something that will last as I've had reliability problems with all of the above roasters. Briefly considered a Hottop B, but with the recent price increase making it $1100 the Quest and Huky are a very small step up price wise and I'm confident will eliminate (or at least delay) any desire to upgrade again. I've been fortunate enough to have a local friend (LDT) demo his Huky 500 setup for me. Have never seen a Quest in operation.

Here is my current brief assessment of the pros and cons of these two roasters:

Quest M3
  • Slightly less expensive
    Electric convenience
    Imported by SM
    Strong user community to benefit from
    Smaller batch size
    Good reliability but past issue with heating element
Huky 500
  • Slightly higher cost due to need for additional accessories - stove, propane tank, extra cooling tray
    Improved control of gas
    Local dealer in my area
    Growing user community
    Larger batch size
    Great reliability as there are limited electrical components
There are a few additional things I'm not really sure about. How does the cooling compare? What about chaff collection? Is one roaster easier to monitor than the other (both can be setup for BT, ET, and MET)? What about control? I like dry process and pulped naturals and I also roast some decaf to blend for half-caf coffee, is one better for certain types of coffees or roast profiles? My typical batch size is about 150g, I know the Huky can handle a larger batch than the Quest, but how is it with smaller batches? Also, where do Huky users roast (my setup is in the garage)? Any issues with propane storage and has anyone used this roaster with 1 lb (campstove) propane canisters? Note that I'd be looking at the Huky with the solid drum and 72 rpm motor as that is the model my local dealer stocks.

Would appreciate current user perspectives for either roaster and particularly any who have had any experience with both.

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slickrock
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#2: Post by slickrock »

Gas. There is no substitute.
07/11/1991, 08/21/2017, 04/08/2024, 08/12/2045

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TomC
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#3: Post by TomC »

I've played with a few Huky's (Joel's was the first one) but my experience is far greater with the Quest. And nearly objectively in every comparison, the Quest has it beat hands down except for batch size. The Huky can roast larger batches, but not by a significant margin. And by that I mean I can roast 250g on the Quest with razor sharp precision, but I've never found the Huky in it's previous design to be that well thought out, so there's little gain in roasting more coffee badly. You couldn't end a roast and immediately begin cooling on the Huky without taking half of it apart and putting pipes and parts back together. True, gas is nice, but with practice, the slower response time of the Quest becomes less of an issue to an attentive roaster, and the greater control is appreciated.

I'd personally pass on a Huky if I was sitting on ~$1300 and no manual roaster, unless I saw it first hand and saw that it had the updates that Mr Li had started to implement, but then perhaps declined to continue using. Namely the horribly designed tryer opening that is horizontal and the beans practically hemorrhage out when you pull a sample (something you'll quickly become disinclined to do because of it). It was on a "updated" version with retrofit parts available to previous buyers, and I vaguely recall hearing that he was going to use this better design going forward, but someone recently bought a new one and it too had the ridiculously designed tryer hole mounted horizontally.

I can roast anywhere with the Quest, but if I had to use a Huky, I'd be relegated to my balcony or outdoors, which doesn't work for some people. I think the Huky can be a decent roaster if it's been designed better. It's higher capacity doesn't make up for its significant shortcomings. And that's not based on just "internet opinion" that's based on hands on use of both systems. Frankly, I don't think the Huky is worth what they're charging. Or better put, for what you pay, you're not getting much.

I can roast 250g on the Quest in under 9 minutes if I chose. Frankly, because of my needs haven't changed on the sample roasting front (I have big blue for the much larger batch requirements) I haven't seen how much I can fit in the Quest, but I'm sure I could charge well over that 250g and still have better control over it versus the Huky.

If the Huky (and correct me if I'm wrong on it's most current iteration) can be set up to immediately drop a roast and immediately begin cooling, and it's other glaring faults mentioned above corrected, then it would be sufficient for my needs. But if not, I'd say money would be better spent elsewhere.
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TomC
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#4: Post by TomC »

keno wrote: Quest M3
  • Slightly less expensive
    Electric convenience
    Imported by SM
    Strong user community to benefit from
    Smaller batch size
    Good reliability but past issue with heating element

The only issue with the heating element was something I believe limited to Jim's very early itteration of the Quest. I've used mine for 3 years without a single problem.
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keno (original poster)
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#5: Post by keno (original poster) »

TomC wrote:You couldn't end a roast and immediately begin cooling on the Huky without taking half of it apart and puting pipes and parts back together.

If the Huky (and correct me if I'm wrong on it's most current itteraton) can be set up to immediately drop a roast and immediatly begin cooling, then it would be sufficent for my needs. But if not, I'd say money would be better spent elsewhere.
Tom, appreciate the candid info from someone who has extensively used the Quest, sounds like a great machine. My understanding of the Huky is that when it comes to cooling that configurations with a single cooling tray, like you say, require disassembly of the exhuast/chaff collector prior to cooling. Totally agree that that would be a PITA, but that is why the majority of users apparently now purchase an extra cooling tray and fan so that one can be dedicated to exhaust/chaff and the other can be used to immediately dump the roast.

Huky users please comment on how you handle cooling and also about how the trier works and whether you have the horizontally oriented tryer or the "updated" one and its functionality.

Thanks,
Ken

summer
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#6: Post by summer »

I like the Huky. Have not used the Quest.
Cooling: After roasting I drop the beans into a big steel pitcher and unload them in my extra cooling tray nearby. Both trays has the exhaust - this allows me to roast indoor with no smoke problems.

My Huky has the horizontally trier - when I take the trier out, I replace the trier with a small wooden spoon. Not the most elegant solution, but it works for me.

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TomC
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#7: Post by TomC »

It's further kludgy design is evident in its many other apparent shortcomings. You get to wear either thick leather welding gloves to try to take apart sections in order to get cooling underway, or buy more gear. It's significantly louder than the Quest, making it difficult to use sound on some softer cracking coffees (Maui Moka immediately comes to mind). If you're slightly hearing impared, I wouldn't even consider it. There's a good chance of a chaff fire kicking up, since the chaff can fall right onto the burners. It as a whole seems to be one poor work around another. If after buying all the additional gear, accessories ect, it's no bargain at all. It's an almost $2000 sample roaster.
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keno (original poster)
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#8: Post by keno (original poster) »

Tom, with two fans and cooling trays it would appear to me that the Huky has an advantage over the Quest. After you dump the beans into the cooling tray the roaster is ready at any time to start the next roast. On the Quest since you are cooling the beans in the upper rear tray which is in the path of the exhaust you would not want to begin another roast until you have finished your cooling cycle, unless I'm misunderstanding how the Quest cooling and exhaust operate.

I think it's fair to say that there is a risk of a chaff fire if the operator leaves any machine unattended, roasts too large a batch, or fails to keep it clean. With lots of people using this machine there doesn't appear to be any evidence that it is inherently any more prone to chaff fires. Small amounts of chaff dropping onto the burner may cause a slight flare but aren't going to start a fire as the chaff is quickly burned off and there is no more combustible material.

I'd be interested in what other Huky owner's out there think about these issues that Tom has raised.

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TomC
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#9: Post by TomC »

keno wrote:Tom, with two fans and cooling trays it would appear to me that the Huky has an advantage over the Quest. After you dump the beans into the cooling tray the roaster is ready at any time to start the next roast. On the Quest since you are cooling the beans in the upper rear tray which is in the path of the exhaust you would not want to begin another roast until you have finished your cooling cycle, unless I'm misunderstanding how the Quest cooling and exhaust operate.
No, it's quite easy to do back to back roasts if one chooses. The very brief period of time the tray is in the rear box is shorter than the drying phase, which many don't use the fan during.
keno wrote:I think it's fair to say that there is a risk of a chaff fire if the operator leaves any machine unattended, roasts too large a batch, or fails to keep it clean. With lots of people using this machine there doesn't appear to be any evidence that it is inherently any more prone to chaff fires. Small amounts of chaff dropping onto the burner may cause a slight flare but aren't going to start a fire as the chaff is quickly burned off and there is no more combustible material.
I can't imagine how one could be so negligent as to cause a chaff fire on a Quest. I've never seen one in my 3 years. I've seen a few on the Huky, based on it's design and it's a known risk. Its significantly more prone to chaff fires.
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boar_d_laze
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#10: Post by boar_d_laze »

Even if a roaster can handle a quick turnaround, Charging too hot makes for bad roasts.

Rich
Drop a nickel in the pot Joe. Takin' it slow. Waiter, waiter, percolator

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