Roasting coffee with a popcorn machine

Roasting green coffee at home with a popcorn machine has gained popularity because it allows you to get evenly roasted coffee beans , allows you to flexibly adjust the temperature to suit your needs, and is relatively low in price. Remember that not all popcorn machines are suitable for coffee roasting , so do your own research. If you are using a popcorn machine for coffee roasting, you should choose a model with a metal chamber and side vents, as these features are essential for effective coffee roasting. Avoid popcorn machines with vent grills at the bottom as they may not stir the coffee beans effectively, resulting in uneven roasting.

Recommended popcorn machines for coffee roasting:

1. Nostalgia popcorn machine
2. West Bend Air Crazy
3. Victorio PopAir
4. DASH Hot Air Popcorn Popper
5. Presto PopLite

To roast coffee with a popcorn machine, you will need the following items:

• a popcorn machine with a metal chamber and vents on the side of the chamber
• 80-110 green coffee beans
• Timer to monitor roasting time (optional but recommended)
• Infrared thermometer for monitoring roasting temperature
• Sieves or bowls for cooling the roasted beans

Add the green coffee to the popcorn machine and turn it on, just like you would with corn. Wait for the "first crack" which occurs at around 196°C. This crack marks the start of a lighter roast. The roasting process can then be stopped depending on your preferences. For a light roast, stop the roasting process immediately after the first crack. For a medium roast, wait a little longer. For a dark roast, continue the roasting process until you hear the second crack.

The advantage of this method is that the stream of hot air in the popcorn machine keeps the coffee beans constantly moving during the roasting process. This constant circulation ensures even heat distribution and evenly roasted coffee beans. It may be more difficult to achieve this level of uniformity when using an oven or pan. However, it should be noted that the roasting capacity of the popcorn machine is limited and it is recommended to fill a maximum of 200g of raw coffee beans to ensure sufficient rotation for even roasting. Popcorn machines also have a blower that blows away the husk (skin) after it separates from the coffee bean.

The airflow in the popcorn machine can blow the silver skins off the coffee beans, causing a mess in your kitchen. To avoid such problems, be sure to roast your coffee outside.

Note: Please note that using a popcorn machine to roast coffee will void the product warranty .