The Nucleus LINK | Beginner's Guide & Review
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- Опубликовано: 1 июн 2024
- I officially have a new favorite coffee roaster: The Nucleus LINK! I've done a ton of roasting with it so I thought I'd share my thoughts. And of course I couldn't make JUST a review, so it's a basic tutorial, review and buyer's guide all in one!
We've completed the initial TRILOGY on the Nucleus Link! For all 3 video guides along with tips and tricks, go here:
thecaptainscoffee.com/pages/t...
If you'd like to pick up a LINK, you can support us by buying it from our store!
thecaptainscoffee.com/collect...
Our experiment with "On Demand" or "Ready to Drink" resting:
thecaptainscoffee.com/pages/r...
Here are some other great videos on the Link from:
@NucleusCoffeeToolsTraining
youtube.com/@NucleusCoffeeToo...
and @CoffeeRoasting (Roast Rebels)
• Nucleus Link
Subscribe and check out our channel for lots of other videos on home coffee roasting and follow us on other platforms for news, updates and fresh coffee drops:
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Time Stamps:
00:00 Intro
03:27 Part 1: Background & Development
07:52 Part 2: How it Works
08:22 The Roasting Machine
12:13 The Link App
13:16 Link Studio Software
15:49 Part 3: Pros & Cons
21:41 Part 4: Demo Roast
31:11 Outro 
Хобби
Hey Folks! To clear up any confusion, the max capacity of this roaster is 200g, not 100g. I just released a video showing how to convert 100g profiles to handle 200g batches: ruclips.net/video/badDhk8qo70/видео.htmlsi=Q91sK5V4g1EZKquj
I got myself a Nucleus too. Also because you mentioned this fact.
@@dennisbeekelaar1397 this video is in the final stages of editing but the Holiday season has slowed it down haha. I just typed up a quick guide for our customers who want an early look at it, shoot me an email through our website and I'll send you the link :) I mean, a link to the guide 🤣
@@TheCaptainsCoffee 😀 another Link....then I can roast 400 grams at the same time. Anyway, thanks for the reply and will send an email.
That makes achieving 180g output at 13% difficult.
18g per cup espresso for 10 cups.
Any options for 625g in 540g out popcorn roaster?
@@Ben_EH-Heyeh the Artisan 3e and Sonofresco roasters are the only ones I know of that roast into that large of a batch size (they're in the $3.5k to 4.5k price range)
I don’t even drink coffee and i still watched this
Wow, that's a beautiful looking & functioning roaster! The price is a bit hard to swallow, but you did a great job convincing me it's worth it.
We use a San Franciscan SF-25 (25lb per batch) for our roasting. The smallest batch you can do 6lb, not the ideal for R&D of new roasting profiles. We have been reviewing the Link for a while and the Link in our opinion provides a great way for pioneering new custom profiles.
My Link was just delivered today from The Captains Coffee. Great guide from David. Will follow his suggestions tomorrow. Thanks David
Thanks a ton! Feel free to reach out with any questions!
The ability to log your roast with repeatability is really cool.
You can label your profiles by bean, (country, region, farm, washed yes:no, altitude grown). With the control over roasting and the ability log bean specifics, coffee becomes a science. 😊
I just started looking at roasting and wondered ok what is the press a button roaster. Alright this is what I’m buying. It has a suitcase! What the hell 😂
Your logic is flawless and I love it 🤣
Just roasted my first batch. If anybody gets this just follow the demo here. It’s Very useful and easy to follow along with whatever the app’s recommended roast numbers are. And I love how I can just press the damn play button again to do another of the same roast.
It wasn’t Smokey either it just smells nice. Crack a window open no big deal
Just purchased this from you guys!! So excited!
I bought Nucleus Paragon and I was so impressed with the outcome, I bought another one.
I started my roasting with Fresh Roast. But that machine is so unpredictable and not user friendly. I should have not wasted money on it.
I am thinking of purchasing Link. I'll use Fresh Roast for making popcorn.
NOW you've gone & done it; planted a seed that will yield the Link (see what I did there?). How I'm gonna convince the accountant in the family is my next hurdle.
At least I got the espresso machine I've been saving a year for (the Gaggic Classic Evo Pro arrives today! )
Anyway, I know what I'm saving for next.
Outstanding presentation David, thank you!
Thanks Scott, that means a ton coming from you :) I totally understand, it's certainly not budget friendly. But holy cow, if you can save up for it and make it make sense? Game changer for sure!
My hurdle too!
Your reviews of the differences between the SR800 and the Gene Cafe encouraged me to buy the SR800. The Nucleus Link videos convinced me to buy the Link. Just roasted the first time today and it went smoothly. Looking forward to trying this coffee in the near future. As always, thank you for the outstanding videos you produce!!! Love the Link so far!!! I really wanted a "fire and forget" type of roaster and this seems to fit the bill nicely!!!
Thanks so much for the kind words! Your trust means a lot to me so thank you so much 😃 Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions with the Link!
Impressive David! Exceptional presentation! The LINK is quite a roasting departure but your video certainly demonstrates all of the pluses. Hope to visit you soon and a serious look at one first hand. Wish you and your family the best Holiday season!!!
The best to you and yours as well :) Happy to hang out and show it off in person if you wanna pop buy for a visit!
Great video:, I didn’t see any venting tubing, how much smoke or free chaff does it send in your room?
It depends on the batch size. If you're familiar with the SR800, it's about the same amount of smoke, but the chaff is 99% contained. Only powder sized particles escape! I certainly recommend roasting in a ventilated area
thanks for the review-this thing rocks!! Waay outta my price range but hey someday you never know!! It’s cool just to know it exists!! What an amazing machine!!
I TOTALLY understand! Definitely an indulgent buy, but I figure it's basically the same price as the espresso machine I spent years saving for haha
The Kaffeelogic is similiar and a litttle cheaper.
@@erharddinges8855 It certainly is, that's why I spend a whole section of the video talking about the differences starting at 03:30
Awesome video amigo! I will see If I can bring one to Nicaragua! Cheers
Thanks so much! I just checked Nucleus's website and unfortunately it looks like they don't have a distributor in Central America yet 😭 Send em an email and see if there's not a distributor there that they haven't listed on their site yet! I know they still don't list our US distributor on their site yet lol
dude your intro "captain speaking" is amazing thanks for your content my friend. Much love
Hahaha I appreciate that! 😘
Man, I love my SR 800 I bought from you, but the Link looks amazing! Can’t afford it right now, but I’m thankful for my FreshRoast! Still, Link will be in my wish list!
Great presentation! I'm coming from a Fresh Roast SR540 and wow what an upgrade. Definitely have to make this a goal of mine and work for this piece of kit! I would love to see a long term review down the road if this machine is still available to you. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Cheers! 🦃
I'll certainly follow up in the future on how it's holding up! I hear ya, the SR800+tube was our "official" sample roaster for years and it was a champ, but what an upgrade!
Even I have Sonofresco 2lbs and a small 800g Vittoria like hot air roaster, I ran to the dealer here in Taiwan and got one as soon as I saw your video. 😂😂😂
Daaaang that's quite a collection!!!
I would want it to roast more for that price point. My sr800 with a razzo chamber handles 300g.
Great presentation!!
That's certainly the most common criticism I see, but the argument I come back with is that the Link is built for precision and ease of use. Becoming precise and consistent with the SR800+tube or razzo chamber takes a lotta practice and even once you get good at it, it's a very active roasting process that depends on you being pinpoint accurate with your adjustments throughout the roast. So I'd say that's more the tradeoff I'd weigh when comparing batch size. But the SR800 is always gonna be my choice in the under $1k range, it's honestly ridiculously capable for it's low price point 😉
Can’t wait for the video
Happy Thanksgiving Captain
Happy Thanksgiving my friend!!!
Great video, how well does this roaster do for coffee at full city to full city+?
The sweet spot for it is light to medium-dark (from 1st crack to the first couple pops of 2nd crack). Any darker and you'll need to feel comfortable modifying the curve a bit in studio :)
You're making me really want to buy one now! I use the sr540 (with Artisan) and just getting bored with it. Part of why I like roasting is exploring different coffee regions / processing methods, not just roasting. You cant exactly repeat roasts on a fresh roast.
Well, you can repeat a roast on a Fresh Roast, but it's much harder haha. Either way I get your point and totally agree! The Link makes repeat roasting and trying new coffees or profiles super simple
This is the video I’ve seen on the Link, I’ve been researching the Kaffelogic. I see a few differences such as the preprogrammed greater selection of roast profiles and the app program selector (I just downloaded that and see it’s exactly as you showed) but other than that I don’t see too many differences so I am not sure of the advantage of the Link vs KL. I am also concerned of the longevity of the machine vs a drum roaster - this would be my first roaster and it needs to last a few years just to break even on savings of roasting myself vs buying specialty coffee from local roasters.
the ease of using the app + density tube is the primary benefit of purchasing the link. It takes the guess work out of dialing in new coffees. That and the significantly larger number of profiles (representing a very wide array of "plug and play" roasting) are the major advantages that led me to choose the Link over the Nano. As far as longevity, both the Link and Nano are "new" roasters but I stand behind the US distributor we work with here in NC who handles all the warranty and repair work. If I only get 2 years of use out of my personal Link, I would stop selling them and supporting them, full stop!
Good video! I have a queation. Can you use the roaster inside the house or does is give a lot of smoke?
If you are roasting in a well ventilated area, you should be fine! I wouldn't recommend roasting several back to back batches in a non-ventilated room. Many folks are fine just roasting under their range hood fan, but it can be up to personal preference. I roast outside 90% of the time, mostly because I want an excuse to be outside 😉
@@TheCaptainsCoffee thanks!
Have you done a review on the nano?
Wow $1850, does it come with a lb of beluga caviar? Great video on the roaster
"The Link's Awakening." Nice.
I was wondering how long it would take before someone got the reference!
All the best for 2024!
Been busy with this roaster a few times now. Have you tried to find a profile for teh Monsooned Malabar? It has a very low density and won't let the app find a suitable profile.🤓
Right back atcha 😉 If the app isn't giving you a suggestion based on the density, I'd try the nearest profile (raise the reading you give the app until it registers with a suggestion) at 50g. Then make sure to carefully note when 1C happens in that trial roast. Now use the Advanced Dial In and it should give you a more appropriate profile to actually use!
I really love a coffee profile that nails down flavor notes and is repeatable. I'm sure this Link could consistently achieve that. Can the SR800 with the extension tube and themocouple achieve that if you are skilled, or is it going to be a bit off sometimes despite high skill in using it? Thanks for your help with that question @TheCaptainsCoffee !
I'm a big believer that you can make less expensive setups work given enough skill and practice! It certainly is possible to be really dang consistent with the SR800+tube+probes+artisan, but again, it will take time and patience. Along with this, you will need to understand variables in ambient temperature and how to account for them. But what really wears me down with this setup is purely how active I need to be during roasting. With the 800, you really can't get distracted for more than a few seconds while the Link is 90% autopilot once you dial it in
@@TheCaptainsCoffee Thanks so much for your reply! That makes me feel much less FOMO (although the Link looks so cool), and my wife isn't going to hate me now for purchasing the SR800+items. I've been trying on the Hive with phidgets temp probe, but not getting great results at all, and I think it'll be more enjoyable to press buttons during the roast than to be trying to manage everything while also whirling the Hive around.
Also, FYI, I appreciate how informative your videos are, and plan on checking out your green beans in the future now that I know they're another source out there.
@@niccoloaurelius1587 happy to help!!
halo, i was roasting for a Bolivia Anaerobic Washed Gesha. the testing in the app suggested that we used Filter A Curve, However, the result wasn't good at all. it tates sweet but astringent and there not much flavour in it. I am still not familiar with link. As we guess, the potential case is the low humidity in 9%, but we don't know what should me motivated to handle this kind of issues. Thank you if you hv got time to help and discus about it.
thanks
Happy to help troubleshoot this with you! Send me an email so we can walk through some options :)
This is awesome! Have you developed a way to translate the profile from the link to the SR800 in any sort of way? Thanks!
Unfortunately, there's not an easy way to export the profiles from the studio into artisan. You'd have to design the curve to look the same in artisan as it does in studio and then manually follow the artisan curve, if that makes sense 😅 So it's doable, but not simple haha. I think it'd be easier to execute the "idea" behind the curves if you were trying to replicate the profile pack styles.
@@TheCaptainsCoffee Yes, you understood the question perfectly and my thoughts about the profile transfer of profile was about the same as yours. You rock!
Hey David, awesome video! I have a couple of newbie questions:
1. I don't understand how the machine calculates the % of development based on first crack. Does it do this purely based on time after first crack?
2. I also noticed a % drying, is there a scale or something that measures the bean mass or is that based on time too? I would imagine it would be tricky to measure mass with all the hot air pushing out!
1. Yes! It also tracks DevTemp and DevTime.
2. % Drying refers to the portion of the roast spent in what is referred to as the "drying" phase of the roast. It starts when you add beans to heat and ends with a very nebulous point called "color change" or "yellow point". Some roasters mark color change when they see a fairly uniform change from green to pale yellow and some mark it at a consistent bean temperature (I fall into the later). The debate on the two choices is fierce, but I keep it simple: I roast too many naturals that already have uneven color to try to judge the exact moment of color change haha
Also professional roasters do it, even with 1.crack marking it at 200°C
Can you review yhe kaffelogic one in more detail? You sold me on this machine kinda but then it made me look at kaffelogic and as a home user it seems like that would be similar idea but cheaper with more capacity. If this is truen- would ypu carry this machine as well please???
Hi! They have the same capacity :) Please see my pinned comment for details. Currently Showroom coffee is the exclusive distributor in the US for Kaffeelogic so unless someone lends me their unit, I won't be able to do a full review of one. If anyone's willing, please contact me! Otherwise, Roast Rebels (search for them here on RUclips) has some great videos on the Kaffelogic!
can you use profile that you made using 100gr green then use it with 50g batch?
yup! you adjust batch size as the final step. In the demo I said "press play twice" that's because pressing it once it then asks what batch size to calibrate for. Since the default is 100g, I just had to press it that second time to select 100g and it starts. In your scenario, you'd hit play once, change the batch size to 50g then hit play that second time.
Hi, I was wondering if there's a recommend wait time between batches? I mean if I want to roast 400 g can I do it back to back?
You just have to let the cooling cycle run (it runs automatically at the end of roast as seen in the demo), then you're good to empty the chamber, load up and go again!
Thanks for the answer, I consider the cooling cycle part of the full roasting process so it's great that you can run full roasting cycles back to back.
Was trying to find out the diffference between you and GH, but aint got time to do all that. Just bought from yall.
GH is the US distributor and we're a retailer, so we work with GH! They also provide the warranty service whether you buy from us or them.
I haven’t found yet the specs that say how many amps this thing needs. Hopefully only 15. When I pulled the manual, it specifies that at 150 motor hours it needs to be returned for preventative maintenance and at 250 hours it needs to be returned for maintenance or it voids the warranty. Let’s say it takes 15 minutes to do a batch of 100g, that’s 400g per hour or at 60kg of output it needs servicing. What’s involved in the servicing, how long does it take and cost, plus shipping I suppose.
15amps is fine, it draws 12. I can't speak to the maintenance questions, I'll get with the US distributor and get back with an answer!
@@TheCaptainsCoffee Thank you.
Hi there. This is Josh from GHGBS - we are the importer and we uphold the warranty. Honestly you don't need to worry about sending the machine in for preventative maintenance. You can let it ride and just get in touch if you ever have parts or maintenance needs. The wearable parts will be the fan, roast chamber, temp probe. With the fan and temp probe, you'll be able to detect irregularities with the info in your LINK Studio app. With the roast chamber, it may become discolored over time, but typically that's just cosmetic. Our warehouse is here in Durham, NC. We stock parts and have the know how to fix any LINK issue. From the feedback we hear, it's a nice bonus that this machine has ample domestic support.
@@GH_GBS Thanks Josh! I'll save your reply to copy and paste for others 😉
@@TheCaptainsCoffeeThat’s really good news. Thanks for the speedy reply Captain.
Hey Captain, newbie roaster here with the Link. How does the development % equate to a development time ratio, that that the same? Why do all the filter packs have such low recommended development %’s? In Scott Rao’s book he mentions that most roasts should fall within 20-25% DTR. does that mean all the filter pack roasts result in an undeveloped roast?
Lotsa questions here! Ok, regarding Rao, he's actually a surprisingly controversial figure in the pro roasting community. He presents himself as THE authority, while there is actually a significant range of approaches to roast methodology from award winning roasters. So take everything he says as a viable method, but not the ONLY method, no matter how confidently he presents it :) Short answer, no, Sam Corra's recommendations won't lead to underdevelopment, just rather light roasts, ideal for showcasing origin flavors if that's your goal. Sam Corra being the competition roaster who designed the recommendations. But remember! Those are only Sam's recommendations, and like Rao, he's simply presenting his preference and what's worked for him in competition and tasting. So if you like more development, by all means, go for it! For me, it depends largely on the coffee and application. For filter brew of big, intensely processed naturals, I like Sam's recommendations. For big, chocolatey washed coffees, I tend to go more for 15-20% dev, especially if it's for espresso.
@@TheCaptainsCoffee thank you.
How much can you produce a day?
Didn’t know you were literally a couple hours from me. Will have to order from you next time. I have a Gene Cafe and Ikawa Home.
Do you plan to try the Bunafr?
stop on by! I have heard of the Bunafr but my impression was that it was kind of a closed system thing (they are exclusive retailer of the unit + green coffee subscription, etc). I would love to try one out if I get my hands on it, though! Any new machine in this tiny market is always exciting
Intriguing! I'd really like to see 500g batches at that price point.
Wouldn't we all! Maybe one day someone will crack the code
@@TheCaptainsCoffee So I'm relatively new to the space, been working with a SR540 for about 9 months with the extension tube - and I'm not aware of a code needing to be cracked! Is it a fluid bed roaster limitation that's just generally accepted?
@@kdolanjr I'm not an engineer, I've just been watching roasting machines come to market for 10 years and haven't seen anyone make a fluid bed that fits that description (500g/1lb under $2k) yet. I assume it's a limitation in the materials that would make production cheap enough, but again, I just stick to reviewing and roasting with em 😅 The next step up to reach that 1lb+ batch size is the sonofresco at $3.5k and Artisan 3e at $4k
Wish they made this in a 1lb capacity lol - Looks like a great roaster for small batches though!
You and me both! There are some larger capacity air roasters out there (Sonofresco, Artisan 3e), but none built on all the other features of the Link. Maybe one day!
hmm at that price, I will go for a kaleido sniper, for the same price I get a 400g capacity and it has the same options of programming profiles.
I've got plans to borrow a Kaleido to try one out, I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares!
Please show the tasting of a few different roast profiles.
I'll have to make a short or something like that! In the meantime, my thoughts at the 10:45 mark pretty well sum up my experiences so far :)
Where does the machine made?
New Zealand
Send one to Lance
I ain't got that kinda cash 🤣 I'll have to put Nucleus in touch with him, I'd love to hear his thoughts on it!
I am planning to purchase the link.
but I heard that washed coffee is under roast.
I wonder if it is suitable for use in small roasting purposes in cafe
Is there a difference in results compared to Ikawa?
I haven't had any issues with washed coffee being under roasted. You can modify every roast to your desires (like if you wanted a profile lighter or darker) so I can't imagine that being an issue. I can't offer a direct comparison to the Ikawa since I don't have an Ikawa to test, but based on my understanding, the two machines are comparable! And the Link is much cheaper than the Ikawa Pro. I wouldn't recommend this roaster as the primary roaster for a cafe. You would need several of them in order to keep up with a cafe's production load. It is perfect as a sample roaster to test for your production roaster, though.
thanks , Productivity aside, isn't it bad to use for brewing?
@@user-gu7iq5mj2q I'm not sure I understand your question. For me it's roasting some of the best coffee I've ever brewed!
@@user-gu7iq5mj2q Nucleus Coffee Tools just released 2 profile packs called "filter" and "espresso". It's a great roaster for the application you mentioned, yes.
I think this would be the perfect roaster for me, the only downside is that the software isnt open source like Artisan, that would really seal the deal. that, and that it's pretty damn expensive for what you're getting. I understand that the development is a large part of the price but its honestly an airfryer with a more finely tuned PID and a nice top that catches chaff in terms of hardware. the rest is all in software which of course costs money too but comparing this to the kaffelogic nano 7e with booster kit (the latter is also way too expensive for what it is....) I think this is a really though 500 euro extra to swallow with the prices as they are here. you're paying 500 to rely on someone else's learning and understanding where i'd be happy to do some learning myself if i was spending this amount of money on a roaster...
I'm a big proponent for learning roasting from the ground up! That's why I still recommend the Fresh Roast SR800 for many home roasters. It will teach you a ton about roasting. The Link is really intended for 2 groups of people: 1) those who want to upgrade from the roaster they learned on and add new capabilities and conveniences and 2) those who want to fast forward through the trial and error of the early learning process. It's like learning how to cook for yourself: there's nothing wrong with starting with entry level knives and pans and learning the fundamentals. But eventually you'll get to the point where your tools frustrate you and you'll see the value in upgrading them :)
The problem remains how to transfer the results to a drum roaster, did not find any instructions. Nice comparison of the three different roasters.
Using sample roasters for setting production curves is it's own video :)
Honestly that roast looked very uneven in colour, was that a true reflection or just the camera/lighting?
These were natural process beans: note the appearance of the beans prior to roasting, that's why I showed the before and after. Greens that are not homogenous green will not appear homogenous after roasting, unless you over roast them to make them "appear" even. At that point they'll taste dull and lifeless :( Fully washed (wet process) beans are much more "even" looking green and will also look more even roasted
Confused… this just looks like a rebranded Kaffelogic?
It's got a different control board that allows it to precisely perform any of the profiles from the LINK's extensive library of profile. Which, in turn, allows you to target an ideal profile based on the density of your green. The desktop software is impressive / powerful and unique to LINK. The profiles and software are already plentiful and impressive, but the Nucleus team will also be upgrading and improving the software side of things as time goes on.
It is and isn't, please review the "Background" portion of the video starting at 03:35
@@TheCaptainsCoffee but the thing is I can load any profiles into the KL the same so what else is actually different except the color?
@@darylfortney8081 as @gh_gbs explained, the Link has a different control board (the brain of the unit if you will) installed and comes pre-loaded with a growing library of over 350 profiles as well as a density based profile selection database and the tool to utilize this database (the density tube). The KL cannot load any of these profiles into it's software, they are unique to the Link and not compatible with KL's software. I downloaded KL's software to double check! The KL doesn't have an app which uses data from your coffee to help you select a profile, that's a key part of the system. This was the key selling point for me as it significantly cuts down on the "trial and error" of trying new coffees and helps me find an appropriate curve with as little as 50g, freeing more of my coffee and time up for experimentation and giving me less frustration with very intensely processed or unique coffees. I know they share a similar footprint and they operate the same mechanically, but so do many cars! Maybe that's a better way to think about it...at the end of the day, if the tools that the Link includes aren't useful to you, the KL should serve you just fine! I understand it's a very fine machine, it just doesn't have the capabilities I am looking for.
price ?
Please see 16:25 (price as of November, 2023)
So sweet. Too much money for me.yearb
Almost 2 grand? The price of dedicated home coffee roasters is out of control.
I think there's a really nice range in the market right now, much more options than we had when I started nearly 10 years ago! The quality of new roasters coming on the market is leaps and bounds ahead. But the awesome thing about home roasting is you can always DIY one if you're handy and have a good understanding of roasting! That's what makes it such a great hobby, there are entry points for all and the sky is the limit.
Yeah, a bit pricey for a 100g capacity roaster.
It's a 200g roaster. Watch at 18:10
i don't think the price is right, looks like its made for big roasters who just want to make samples :( nothing for the home so far :(
I understand it is an expensive roaster, but I can assure you there are much more expensive roasters out there intended for the home or enthusiast market, such as the Kaleido M series, Aillio and Ikawa
Is this a paid review? Gotta declare it.
Watch at 02:15. We sell these roasters, this was meant to be a combination review and beginner's guide for our customers. There's a disclosure at the linked timestamp that is fully transparent about this!
$1850. No beginner is ever going to touch this. Fresh Roast Sr800 with extension tube is about as high the beginning roaster will ever see.
I expect many folks to start with a less expensive roaster, the SR800 w/ tube being a perfect example! Heck, I fully expect folks to start with a popcorn popper or frying pan before that! But I've known many folks who roasted for 6months, a year, maybe more who would still consider themselves a beginner. A "beginner" doesn't just refer to someone with zero roasting experience, it's a range or spectrum from zero to intermediate. At the end of the day, it's all about budget and choosing the tool that works best for your needs. For me, I wish this roaster had existed when I was a beginner because I could have learned on it and would still be getting my money's worth using it to it's full potential today as an "expert". But I've always leaned towards the "buy once, cry once" end of the spectrum when it comes to equipment I use regularly. I see this as a machine that will serve well from beginner to expert, so for me, that represents a huge value over having to upgrade several times and losing money on the exchange. But I also appreciate the value in learning on a simpler roaster like the SR800, so I'm just out here giving folks options :)