FZ-94 or SF-6 or MCR 3kg

#1: Post by **Almico** » July 16th, 2018, 2:07 pm

If you had around $13,000 and the willingness to spend it on a 5-6# roaster,
and needed to roast 400#/month,
and could also use a sample roaster,

what would you buy?

Coffee-Tech FZ-94
San Franciscan 2012 SF-6 w/1500# of coffee through it
Mill City 3kg

#2: Post by **hankua** » July 17th, 2018, 6:49 am

I would buy "bigger over smaller" and "new over used". Also bring my roasted coffee with the same green coffee, and let Mill City or the other sellers try to match it. Check out the machines in person, go home and cup the two coffee's.

#3: Post by **aecletec** » July 17th, 2018, 7:50 am

I love my FZ-94 but if I had access to gas I would switch and wouldn't look back. It fits a niche for what I need.

That said - it's relatively portable and the perforated drum with high airflow allows evenness in roasting with minimal effort.
The probes are easy to change and I recommend to do so as the stock ones on the older model I have were too thick/slow.

#4: Post by **aecletec** » July 17th, 2018, 10:13 pm

You could come under budget from an offering on Used Coffee Equipment Worldwide fb group...

#5: Post by **OldmatefromOZ** » July 17th, 2018, 11:24 pm

Seeing as you have found success and what Rao has preached to be true, assuming you want to replicate on a drum the MC 3kg seems like the wise choice. Especially considering Regalia are offering shared roasting on MC 15kg / consulting with Scott, incase you might need a business trip to NY

July 19th, 2018, 9:57 pm

A Diedrich IR7n has come across my path. Anyone know what the red lever on the side of the drum housing is for?

I got it...that's the air flow lever. I thought the one if front was, but it seems that's the flame control.

#7: Post by **Moxiechef** » July 22nd, 2018, 1:57 pm

Almico wrote:If you had around $13,000 and the willingness to spend it on a 5-6# roaster,
and needed to roast 400#/month,
and could also use a sample roaster,

what would you buy?

Coffee-Tech FZ-94
San Franciscan 2012 SF-6 w/1500# of coffee through it
Mill City 3kg

I took a class with Scott Rao in Seattle a few months ago and he actually had a lot of good things to say about the North roasters and Mill City.

July 23rd, 2018, 11:05 am

They are certainly a contender. So is USRC if I want some auto features.

July 26th, 2018, 6:19 pm

So I think it's going to be a 5kg USRC with automation. Flat black powdercoat with copper wraps kind of like this:

Because of where it is being installed, it needs to be UL listed and possibly even NSF. I'm going to fight the NSF, because that's crazy. If they won't budge, then SF can do special paint and certify NSF. But then I give up the automation, which I think will come in very handy in a retail environment.

and FWIW, the vendor across the aisle from me at the market is likely not renewing their lease, or at least moving to smaller booth. That means I can stake my claim on that spot and roast right across from the bar:

Not sure how this will all shake out, but it would be very cool roasting on site...

October 9th, 2018, 10:41 am

Love my FZ-94. Does everything I need and requires only the simplest of maintenance. Builtin chaff removal is great. Easy to exhaust. You could need some assitance from a computer whiz (I prided myself on my computer skills decades ago, but not now) to get Artisan up and running on it, but once up, it's a dream.