Have you tried the Kaffelogic Nano 7? I have one and love it. I can sculpt the curves and babysit the roast when working with a new bean, but once I have it dialed in, I can do other things and just tend to it when the fan stops. Since it’s air-based, it doesn’t translate to large drum roasters, but I simply don’t care. After cupping and tweaking a number of beans, my results are world class. Of every coffee purchase I’ve made, I would put the Kaffelogic at the top of my buy-again list.
Glad to hear you found a great roaster for you! I was offered one for a review a while ago but it was at a time when I didn't really have any time to be working on the channel. Hopefully I can do more roasting videos this year!
The Kaffelogic has a very different workflow compared to the Santoker. This one is very hands on, while the Nano7 is hands off. For developing a roast to scale up to a large drum machine, the Santoker might be a good choice. But that’s not the case for most home roasters. We just want to develop a good roast and repeat it. I think the Nano 7 works best for comparing beans in the field, since it’s small and light, and for use in the home kitchen, since it’s like a chimney under the hood. In my case, I’ve found a few starting curves that I like. For a new bean, I choose the most appropriate, then focus on the end. First is simply a matter of finding the right drop time. Next, I can create curves that drop +/-1C at the same time as well as +/-20s at the same temperature. We cup these and continue to adjust until we find the best result. The differences with these subtle changes are very apparent! We use 60g batches for these initial roasts. If I don’t center in on a great result, we try a different starting curve or abandon that bean. This whole phase is very scientific in feel. After we find a great profile, we order many kg of that coffee, and I can just select the curve and hit play. I don’t even hook up the computer in this production phase. The best part is that it’s low stress with little opportunity for human error. I can very much refine my target, then repeat it while watching UA-cam videos. :)
Glad you enjoyed it, I'd love to do more but usually roasting videos don't perform well and I am already basically out of pocket to make content on this channel.
We purchased this roaster in 2023, and when it first arrived, the temperature sensor wasn’t working. It took a while for them to send the replacement part. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only issue. The fan near the heating area had melted. After contacting their support, they sent us a so-called new roaster, but that one had its own problems, such as the cooling fan not functioning properly. The most frustrating part is the auto-tracking feature, which is not accurate on our machine. Are we just unlucky? Additionally, their apps on Android and Mac are inconsistent. The Android version lacks features available on Mac, and it often disconnects, preventing us from saving profiles. Since it doesn’t accurately replicate the curve, we now rely on manual adjustments for all our roasts. While the machine is heavy and seems well-built, once you open it up, the quality of the cables and wiring is disappointing. This should capture your frustration clearly and offer constructive feedback. Let me know if you’d like any more tweaks! In terms of coffee taste, we find it lacks personality. If you’re an Ethiopian coffee lover, this machine will likely disappoint you. The unique, bright flavors just don’t come through as they should. As for espresso, it’s not as bad, but still not remarkable.
Thanks for your comment. I still use this roaster as my main home roaster and have found it to be very reliable, but that's just my experience and I don't doubt what you're saying. I rarely use the auto-tracking feature as you're right it isn't that accurate, but I've never found any auto-tracking to be accurate except on 5 figure machines, not home roasters.
Hey just chiming in about the app. No google products are allowed in China, that's why you often get products that don't upload their apps on play store unless they have companies setup in other countries.
Have you run a few more roasts with the X3? If so, do you still rate it as highly as your initial review? And, have you consider more long-term maintenance of the machine? I was looking at a video of the Hottop KN-8828B-2K+ maintenance and it looks pretty straight forward and parts (filters, etc) are readily available.
Yes I did a review of the M6 and I like the Kaleido roasters. The biggest difference for me with this is how much heat is retained in the drum as opposed to the thinner cage of the Kaleido, which is more of a direct heat roaster. For me this roaster is much easier to get consistent profiles like I would on a commercial roaster.
Thanks for the review. Looks like a great roaster at an attractive price point. A couple of questions: 1.) Is there a cooling tray of any kind? 2.) You mentioned moving a temperature probe. What would such a move be based on? How would you know if it needed to be adjusted? Thanks again.
Thanks, yes it has a cooling tray where the beans are released, I think I mentioned it in the video (quite a powerful fan). As for the probe basically the further in it is the less sensitive it is to airflow and other changes near where the sensor is. So if I push it quite far in then I won't see as large fluctuations on the graph when I check the beans (for example)
I've been looking at this roaster on AliExpress but the 300+ dollar shipping to the US is a deal breaker for the time being. Hopefully that'll change soon.
Yes I am hoping Santoker can find US and UK distributors (I'm connecting them with people I know in the industry) so it can be more manageable in the future.
How does the X3 roast with a full 300g charge? I know many roasters do much better at about 1/2 their stated capacity, but I am curious of your experience with the x3? Thanks for the video.
@@homecafecharlie Actually it looks like Kaleido upgraded their roasters late last year. New drum and air intake method. Maybe reach out to Kaleido and see if they'll send a unit for you to review compared to your M6.
Thats why i bought the skywalker (cbr) from itop for about 500$cad... its a 500g roaster ( folks use 350g load) ... it need to be modded to be use with artisan but noting difficult... the built quality doesnt look as awesome tho
@@The_Coffee_Rabbit_Hole yeah I was about to pull the trigger on the Skywalker, but then I heard a couple anecdotes about insufficient cooling for their PCB and a new model coming out later this year that includes a homemade GUI and ability to use Artisan.
@@Kahlnen yeah , well i have been told by Itop that the model that they will ship me will be the new version but it is not clear what improuvment will be made on mine , i know that the heat sink will be like 4 time the size of the first one and there is also a usb port but it is not clear if i can connect it directly to my laptop directly via that port or not . I dont mind having to use an arduino or an extra 24v cooling fan if for that price i can roast 350g back to back of very good coffee 😅
Thanks for the video , Could you please make a video about flavored coffee, i mean how to flavored coffee beans ( or green coffee beans ) at home? What equipment do we need? Thanks again.
Try to make a mash of fruits, let the beans sit for a period of time. Rinse, dry, roast. I have not done this myself but I have read other people who have. Just don't use artificial crap. It messes with your tongue.
Did you watch to the end of the video? I mentioned that they are looking for US and EU distributors and until then you can email them after with my code "Charlie" and they will ship you just one and give you a discount 😉
Would be a steep learning curve. If you are willing to learn it's a great one, but if you just want the product (roasted coffee) without learning a whole new job, then something more automatic would be better
@@jamesmacd I did a video about the Roma Pro. I found it super easy and doesn't require any knowledge of roasting to work. You won't learn much from it but it is cheap and makes decent coffee
Funny guy. I wish you lived nearby ;) Today I tried an espresso again at a different restaurant. Just bitter, nothing else. Uhh. I can`t seem to find any decent in my town. A friend told me I should go to Italy. But first I will try to get it from not so local roaster for 47eur/kg. Plus shipping. Ouch. @@homecafecharlie
Sorry, off topic. Forcing users to bypass security and opening them up to who knows what, is a big reason why govt forcing Apple to allow this, is a bad idea.
I agree and I've been in contact with the company telling them they need to make sure the app is secured on the Google Play Store. It's on the App Store so if you're an Apple user it's not an issue, but I don't have an iPhone or iPad yet and for me this is a big oversight, that's why I mentioned it up front.
I am considering venturing into roasting and would appreciate future videos reviewing machines and talking more detail about the process and pitfalls.
Take a look at the other videos on roasting on my channel. I've got one that's all about the roasting process, should be a helpful start.
Have you tried the Kaffelogic Nano 7? I have one and love it. I can sculpt the curves and babysit the roast when working with a new bean, but once I have it dialed in, I can do other things and just tend to it when the fan stops.
Since it’s air-based, it doesn’t translate to large drum roasters, but I simply don’t care. After cupping and tweaking a number of beans, my results are world class. Of every coffee purchase I’ve made, I would put the Kaffelogic at the top of my buy-again list.
Glad to hear you found a great roaster for you! I was offered one for a review a while ago but it was at a time when I didn't really have any time to be working on the channel. Hopefully I can do more roasting videos this year!
The Kaffelogic has a very different workflow compared to the Santoker. This one is very hands on, while the Nano7 is hands off. For developing a roast to scale up to a large drum machine, the Santoker might be a good choice. But that’s not the case for most home roasters. We just want to develop a good roast and repeat it. I think the Nano 7 works best for comparing beans in the field, since it’s small and light, and for use in the home kitchen, since it’s like a chimney under the hood.
In my case, I’ve found a few starting curves that I like. For a new bean, I choose the most appropriate, then focus on the end. First is simply a matter of finding the right drop time. Next, I can create curves that drop +/-1C at the same time as well as +/-20s at the same temperature. We cup these and continue to adjust until we find the best result. The differences with these subtle changes are very apparent! We use 60g batches for these initial roasts. If I don’t center in on a great result, we try a different starting curve or abandon that bean. This whole phase is very scientific in feel. After we find a great profile, we order many kg of that coffee, and I can just select the curve and hit play. I don’t even hook up the computer in this production phase. The best part is that it’s low stress with little opportunity for human error. I can very much refine my target, then repeat it while watching UA-cam videos. :)
Very interesting roaster! I appreciate you covering home roasting equipment! ✌️
Glad you enjoyed it, I'd love to do more but usually roasting videos don't perform well and I am already basically out of pocket to make content on this channel.
We purchased this roaster in 2023, and when it first arrived, the temperature sensor wasn’t working. It took a while for them to send the replacement part. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only issue. The fan near the heating area had melted. After contacting their support, they sent us a so-called new roaster, but that one had its own problems, such as the cooling fan not functioning properly.
The most frustrating part is the auto-tracking feature, which is not accurate on our machine. Are we just unlucky?
Additionally, their apps on Android and Mac are inconsistent. The Android version lacks features available on Mac, and it often disconnects, preventing us from saving profiles. Since it doesn’t accurately replicate the curve, we now rely on manual adjustments for all our roasts.
While the machine is heavy and seems well-built, once you open it up, the quality of the cables and wiring is disappointing.
This should capture your frustration clearly and offer constructive feedback. Let me know if you’d like any more tweaks!
In terms of coffee taste, we find it lacks personality. If you’re an Ethiopian coffee lover, this machine will likely disappoint you. The unique, bright flavors just don’t come through as they should. As for espresso, it’s not as bad, but still not remarkable.
Thanks for your comment. I still use this roaster as my main home roaster and have found it to be very reliable, but that's just my experience and I don't doubt what you're saying. I rarely use the auto-tracking feature as you're right it isn't that accurate, but I've never found any auto-tracking to be accurate except on 5 figure machines, not home roasters.
Hey just chiming in about the app. No google products are allowed in China, that's why you often get products that don't upload their apps on play store unless they have companies setup in other countries.
Is there a warranty and a customer service and tech support that is available to purchasers of this roaster? I'm in the united states
Have you run a few more roasts with the X3? If so, do you still rate it as highly as your initial review? And, have you consider more long-term maintenance of the machine? I was looking at a video of the Hottop KN-8828B-2K+ maintenance and it looks pretty straight forward and parts (filters, etc) are readily available.
I still use it. There are lots of roasters out there now. Maybe one day I'll make my own!
Pretty cool this looks like the Kaleido M1 which it is about $1,200 and there is some distributors in USA.
Yes I did a review of the M6 and I like the Kaleido roasters. The biggest difference for me with this is how much heat is retained in the drum as opposed to the thinner cage of the Kaleido, which is more of a direct heat roaster. For me this roaster is much easier to get consistent profiles like I would on a commercial roaster.
Thanks for the review. Looks like a great roaster at an attractive price point. A couple of questions: 1.) Is there a cooling tray of any kind? 2.) You mentioned moving a temperature probe. What would such a move be based on? How would you know if it needed to be adjusted? Thanks again.
Thanks, yes it has a cooling tray where the beans are released, I think I mentioned it in the video (quite a powerful fan). As for the probe basically the further in it is the less sensitive it is to airflow and other changes near where the sensor is. So if I push it quite far in then I won't see as large fluctuations on the graph when I check the beans (for example)
I've been looking at this roaster on AliExpress but the 300+ dollar shipping to the US is a deal breaker for the time being. Hopefully that'll change soon.
Yes I am hoping Santoker can find US and UK distributors (I'm connecting them with people I know in the industry) so it can be more manageable in the future.
@@homecafecharlie that would be great. 👍🏻
@@homecafecharlieI have a new coffee company and would love to be a US Distributor
How does the X3 roast with a full 300g charge? I know many roasters do much better at about 1/2 their stated capacity, but I am curious of your experience with the x3? Thanks for the video.
It does great. I usually only do 65 or 70% absolute maximum on the burner. Very capable of doing max capacity
Do you still have this roaster? If so can you do a roast along video please?
I may do at some point 😉
@@homecafecharlie Actually it looks like Kaleido upgraded their roasters late last year. New drum and air intake method. Maybe reach out to Kaleido and see if they'll send a unit for you to review compared to your M6.
I'll talk to my contact there and see what I can find out
@@homecafecharlie Awesome. I just purchased the M1 roaster because of the recent upgrades.
A shame, it doesn't look like there is a 110v version.
I didn't know that, I'll contact the supplier and ask them about it. I'm sure it wouldn't be a difficult thing to add as an option.
Thats why i bought the skywalker (cbr) from itop for about 500$cad... its a 500g roaster ( folks use 350g load) ... it need to be modded to be use with artisan but noting difficult... the built quality doesnt look as awesome tho
@@The_Coffee_Rabbit_Hole yeah I was about to pull the trigger on the Skywalker, but then I heard a couple anecdotes about insufficient cooling for their PCB and a new model coming out later this year that includes a homemade GUI and ability to use Artisan.
@@Kahlnen yeah , well i have been told by Itop that the model that they will ship me will be the new version but it is not clear what improuvment will be made on mine , i know that the heat sink will be like 4 time the size of the first one and there is also a usb port but it is not clear if i can connect it directly to my laptop directly via that port or not . I dont mind having to use an arduino or an extra 24v cooling fan if for that price i can roast 350g back to back of very good coffee 😅
Yes more roasting videos. I’m subscribing now
What a nice-looking bit of kit I will want, but never have. 😉
Never say never haha
Quite strange that you can not order only 1 machine!
Great review 😊
Thanks for the video ,
Could you please make a video about flavored coffee, i mean how to flavored coffee beans ( or green coffee beans ) at home? What equipment do we need?
Thanks again.
I've never tried flavouring coffee before. I've never had a flavoured coffee I liked before 🤣
Try to make a mash of fruits, let the beans sit for a period of time. Rinse, dry, roast.
I have not done this myself but I have read other people who have. Just don't use artificial crap. It messes with your tongue.
Well, for a quarter of the price there is the ITOP roaster.
True, but the heating mechanism is very different
High price for a 300g max roaster. Also, the website requires you to buy a minimum of 2. Dealbreaker.
Did you watch to the end of the video? I mentioned that they are looking for US and EU distributors and until then you can email them after with my code "Charlie" and they will ship you just one and give you a discount 😉
Is this good as a novice?
Would be a steep learning curve. If you are willing to learn it's a great one, but if you just want the product (roasted coffee) without learning a whole new job, then something more automatic would be better
@@homecafecharlie any recommendations on a starter? Thanks for replying
@@jamesmacd I did a video about the Roma Pro. I found it super easy and doesn't require any knowledge of roasting to work. You won't learn much from it but it is cheap and makes decent coffee
It is good for a local cafe, but what is the point of having it home? You don`t trust local roasters ?
I like roasting. It's fun! And sometimes my coffee is pretty good, and then I still have a few kilos of it to roast fresh whenever I want more 😜
Funny guy. I wish you lived nearby ;)
Today I tried an espresso again at a different restaurant. Just bitter, nothing else. Uhh. I can`t seem to find any decent in my town. A friend told me I should go to Italy. But first I will try to get it from not so local roaster for 47eur/kg. Plus shipping. Ouch.
@@homecafecharlie
Ordered and paid...10 days later, non ship and refund. No explanation or communication.
That's really weird! I'll contact Santoker and ask them if something is up
DM me on IG with a screenshot of what happened and I'll see if I can help
@@homecafecharlie Thanks Charlie...no notification, just cancellation (and full refund).
Sorry, off topic. Forcing users to bypass security and opening them up to who knows what, is a big reason why govt forcing Apple to allow this, is a bad idea.
I agree and I've been in contact with the company telling them they need to make sure the app is secured on the Google Play Store. It's on the App Store so if you're an Apple user it's not an issue, but I don't have an iPhone or iPad yet and for me this is a big oversight, that's why I mentioned it up front.