Roasting at home isn't difficult, and you can even do it with just your stove or an popcorn popper. But if you're serious about roasting your own beans, you might think about getting a proper roaster. There are machines for the novice as well as the more experienced coffee roaster. (prices listed are approximate).
1. FreshRoast Plus 8
A good place to start for the novice coffee roaster. The roasting chamber holds 3.5 oz of green beans, so you can only roast enough for a 10-cup pot of coffee. The small chamber means faster roasting times. You'll have your roasted coffee in about 10 minutes. Of course, the quick roast time means you'll have to watch more carefully to get the precise roast you want. Price: $70
2. Nesco Professional Home Coffee Roaster
I think the best feature of the Nesco roaster is the catalytic system the eliminates most of the smoke you normally get with coffee roasting. It takes a little longer to roast with this machine (30 minutes) but that allows you to fine-tune your roasting. The glass roasting chamber has a 4oz bean capacity. Price: $150
3. HotTop Drum Roaster
The machine for the serious roaster. You can roast 9oz of beans at a time. This model is also a drum roaster, but has a viewing window so you can watch the roasting progress. The electronic controls allow for 7 roasting levels. You can roast up a big batch of coffee in about 20 minutes with the HotTop. Price: $580
4. i-Roast 2
Another small unit that's great for the average home coffee drinker. The canister holds 1/2 to 1 cup of green beans, and allows very precise roasting time and temperature controls so you can get the exact roast you want. $199
5. Gene Cafe Drum Roaster
The Gene drum roaster combines the best features of a hot air roaster and a drum roaster. You may be daunted by the lack of digital controls though. By using 2 simple knobs, you are actually able to control the roasting far more finely than with an digital controlled roaster. Price: $495