Fresh Roast Researched
SR540 Coffee Roaster
The friendliest way into home roasting — a fast air roaster with real heat and fan control, for about $230.
BeginnersSmall batches
Fresh Roast SR800 Coffee Roaster
The SR540's bigger sibling — roasts a larger batch and pairs with an extension tube for even more capacity.
ResearchedBigger batchesTinkerers
8.7
BrewSift Score
Excellent
$334
Approximate — verify the latest price
BrewSift earns a commission on some purchases. It never changes our scores. Why you can trust us
Should you buy it?
Buy it if
- Bigger batches
- Tinkerers
- Up to 8 oz (226 g) per batch
- Nine heat and nine fan settings
Skip it if
- Still produces smoke
- Pricier
- Smaller batch for dry-processed beans
Not for you? Consider the Fresh Roast SR540 Coffee Roaster — or see all home coffee roasters .
The verdict
A fluid-bed air roaster: hot air lifts and turns the beans in a glass chamber, so you can watch the color change and hear first crack. Fresh Roast rates it for up to 8 oz (226 g) of green coffee per batch, less for chaffy dry-processed beans, with nine heat settings, nine fan settings and a real-time temperature readout on one knob, and a chaff collector on top. Air roasting is fast, usually under ten minutes, which suits people who want to experiment batch to batch. It still makes smoke, so plan on a vent hood or a window.
BrewSift Score breakdown
Scored across the dimensions that matter for roasters. The overall is a weighted average — see the formula.
Roast quality8.9
Consistency8.4
Ease of use8.7
Batch capacity8.2
Value9.0
Pros & cons
What we like
- Up to 8 oz (226 g) per batch
- Nine heat and nine fan settings
- Real-time temperature readout
- Extension-tube upgradable
Watch-outs
- Still produces smoke
- Pricier
- Smaller batch for dry-processed beans
Specifications
- Type
- Air (fluid-bed), glass chamber
- Batch
- Up to 8 oz / 226 g green (6 oz dry-processed)
- Control
- 9 heat + 9 fan settings, one knob
- Readout
- Real-time temperature
- Chaff
- Top chaff collector
Complete your setup
The gear that pairs with the SR800 Coffee Roaster to make a complete, working setup.
Add a grinder
Keep beans fresh
Planetary Design
Airscape Coffee Canister
An airtight, opaque canister protects the beans you just bought from going flat within days.
$43.23Buy
Alternatives to consider
All home coffee roastersNescoCR-1010-PR Coffee Bean Roaster
8.5Nesco Researched
CR-1010-PR Coffee Bean Roaster
An enclosed roaster with a catalytic smoke reducer — the lowest-fuss, lowest-smoke way to roast indoors.
Less smokeSet-and-forget
Behmor1600 Plus Coffee Roaster
8.3Behmor Researched
1600 Plus Coffee Roaster
No longer in Behmor's lineup, which now lists the 2000AB Plus, though Behmor still sells a 1600 Plus upgrade kit. A drum roaster rated for up to a pound per batch, with smoke suppression and five power profiles.
Larger batchesDrum roast
JIAWANSHUN Researched
Electric Coffee Roaster Machine
A budget electric stir-type roaster with adjustable temperature and a glass lid — a cheap way to roast a bigger batch you can watch.
Budget bigger-batch roasting