Any thread that keeps me from having to go on facebook is a huge win in my opinion. So I am happy we are having a discussion here. This roaster intrigues me because it uses a drum. On a less serious note, I like the look of it more than the weird larger Kaleido roasters. A 200g sample load is perfect for having enough to dial in for espresso. The Ikawa with 100g (roughly 80-85g roasted) is just on the edge of giving enough to properly taste espresso. If indeed it can do 200g or if that is optimistic.

As for power... Using the 5000BTU per lb that is typically the minimum required to heat a bean load to medium in roughly 11-12mins doesn't translate well to this roaster. 500W on 200g would translate to roughly 3900BTU per pound. So you'd want to be around 70% load capacity to get a modern roast profile. These are only from the spec sheet. I'd be curious to hear what owners say about heating a full load.

Frenchman wrote:One of the things that is appealing about the Ikawa is the apparent lack of need for strong venting, unlike every other roaster. (Correct me if I am wrong.) ...

Sort of. There is no emissions control in the IKAWA, so steam and smoke and volatile organic compounds are released into the air during roasting just like any other roaster that doesn't have an afterburner, filters, venting, etc. However, you are only roasting 100g in the IKAWA so the volume of emissions is much less; and people who buy the IKAWA seem more likely to be roasting lighter, and so roasts release less smoke and VOC's. An externally-vented range hood designed for a gas stove should be enough venting, perhaps with a bit of a chimney above the roaster to minimize side drafts.

If you want an IKAWA, note that H-B members can get a 10% discount up until the end of July: IKAWA discount for HB members

To stay on topic, the inside of the Kaleido - what the beans experience during roasting, how heat is transferred, the lightweight perforated/mesh drum, etc. - look to be pretty similar to a Hottop (or a shrunken Behmor). The outsides and ancilliaries are quite different, though.

The "catch" with roasting machines is few people have long-term experience with multiple roasters, let alone multiple roasters in the same market segment. In addition, folks' level of roasting (and cupping) experience and expertise confounds comparisons. I was fortunate in that the previous owners of my roasters demonstrated their machines, gave me test roasts to cup and grade for roast defects, and sold the roasters with their notes and roast curves. All of that really shortened my learning curve - or at least, that is what I think .

I would love to be corrected here. Also, I am paraphrasing a message from @jrham12, to who I am thankful for identifying what I view as a dealbreaker.

The usb connection on the Kaleidos is just for the included tablets, is it not? I thought the only way to make an artisan connection to a PC is over bluetooth. In review videos for the M2/M6/M10, the Bluetooth connection is cited as a bit unstable.

Frenchman wrote: Would one be able to vent this into a kitchen hood?

I didn't find the appropriate specs on Kaleido's website, but they might answer an inquiry for the CFM (cubic feet per minute) rating for the exhaust fan. Ideally it's lower than the CFM rating of your range hood. I have a 550 CFM range hood that seems to capture most of my IKAWA's output, but I can still pickup mild roasting scents throughout the house for a couple hours, likely because the roaster's exhaust air velocity is so high.

p.s. IKAWA's subscription editor is very optional IMO, workarounds abound, documented elsewhere.

I would want to adequately vent any small roaster. Even IKAWA's instructions include the suggestion of an open window. I suppose that if you have a strong enough hood vent, that shouldn't be a problem.

BTW, Stefan's report of his 150g roasts taking 10-18 minutes isn't something I find encouraging for the power of the Kaleido M1, although admittedly I haven't tasted his results. My primitive heat gun/bread machine roaster produced good results much faster for larger loads of 250g, usually under 10 1/2 minutes. The IKAWA produced very developed results in about 8 minutes for 100g. My much larger 1Kg propane drum roaster can go very fast, but for good results from light to past second crack it's generally within 9 to 12 minutes.

Opening a window is totally fine i guess the Seattle-based Bunafr roaster is supposed to come this summer, and promises a smokeless operation (filters), first crack detection, full automation, etc. around that price point ($899 when they started the campaign, but who knows). I'll watch for reviews of it by owners and others.

You seem to be pretty intent on derailing this thread! I backed a Bunafr and would be able to post on it, from a novice perspective, as I can compare it to my current DIY Behmor-esque roaster.

The Kaleidos are interesting, but I think the larger models might be a bit more appealing, particularly as an alternative to an Alilio Bullet.

Hartvigson wrote:They do say it is very important to keep it running during both heating and cool down phase so the shaft will not get bent. Pretty logical but it is good that they say it since it is easy to miss.

This part also gives me pause. I haven't heard of a drum roaster where the shaft warps from heating and cooling.

bgnome wrote:The Kaleidos are interesting, but I think the larger models might be a bit more appealing, particularly as an alternative to an Alilio Bullet.

If you have the room and the need to roast that much, I guess. What I like about something the size of the M1 is the ability to roast fresh quickly and often, and to make learning mistakes on small batches, especially with expensive beans.