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Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the Roaster?
What quantity of beans can I roast in the Hottop?
Can I alter the roasting temperature?
Can I alter the length of time of the roast?
What is the maximum length of time that I can extend the roast time?
The Hottop appears to be automatic, can I override this to control the degree of roast I desire?
How long to I have to wait between roasts?
How many roasts can I do back to back?
How much smoke does the roasting process produce?
How much power does the roaster use?

How big is the Roaster?

The photographs tend to do the Hottop roaster very little justice. The roaster has a footprint of 50cm by 25cm making it a very impressive machine when you see it in real life. Styled in stainless steel, it will complement most kitchens and be a talking point with your friends. But not that big, that you can't put it away in a cupboard

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What quantity of beans can I roast in the Hottop?

The Hottop roaster is rated to roast up to 300 grams of green beans. Like most roasters the safe maximum is typically up to 80-90% of the rated capacity. In our experience, roasting any where from 75 grams to 250 grams produces reliable results. Roasting in the region of 250 grams to 300 grams, results wil vary. It depends on the dryness of the bean and the degree of roast you are trying to acheive.

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Can I alter the roasting temperature?

The roasting temperature cannot be altered. The Roaster is computer controlled and the computer monitors and controls the roast chamber temperature throughout the process.

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Can I alter the length of time of the roast?

Yes, you can. You can select between 17 to 21 minutes for the roast time on the control panel for the digital version or roast level 1 to 7 for the analog version. If your roast has not reached the desired level at the end of the timed cycle, you can extend the cycle by 30 seconds by pressing the PLUS button when the Roaster indicates that there is 30 seconds left to go.

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What is the maximum length of time that I can extend the roast time?

You can extend the roast time in 30 second increments up to an additional 2 minutes. This makes the maximum roast time, 23 minutes.

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The Hottop appears to be automatic, can I override this to control the degree of roast I desire?

Yes you can, you can eject the beans at anytime during the roasting cycle by pressing the eject button.

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How long to I have to wait between roasts?

This depends on how quickly you can cool the roaster down. When a roast is complete, the roaster ejects the beans and they are agitated on the agitator tray for 3 to 5 minutes. After the cooling process the Roaster is ready to go again, however it will run in a cooling cycle until the chamber temperature is back down to about 70 degrees celcius before beeping for you to put the next load of beans in. You can assist the cooling process, by pulling out the filter after the beans have ejected. When you start the roaster in the next cycle, listen for the main rear fan stopping, when this happens, put the filter back in.

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How many roasts can I do back to back?

The Hottop is a domestic appliance, but it is well engineered and there is no reason why you cannot roast all day if you desire.

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How much smoke does the roasting process produce?

Roasting by its very nature means that there is going to be smoke produced. The larger the roast, the more smoke. The Hottop has a series of filters to help reduce the amount of smoke, but when the beans are ejected, then the smoke can escape too. For this reason it is helpful to roast under a rangehood or extractor fan. Alternatively near an open window or outside. If you roast outside ensure you use a RCD or isolating transformer.

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How much power does the roaster use?

The roaster has a 740W heating element, 2 fans and a computer control module. Total power usage is about 750W.

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