Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

A second fan could be the trick. One that only comes-on during the cooling cycle.

You could just about stick a blower into the current fan intake to cool the beans with a turbo blast!

hmmm... I might try that next roasting session.

[nunu]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

I reckon youd blow the thing apart.

Maybe use one of those air mattress inflators instead. Could fit onto the end of the roasting chamber.

[Dimal]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Great review Andy [smiley=thumbsup.gif],

Wish I could scrape the necessary "readies" together to buy one.... ah well, maybe by that time they are available off the shelf in Oz and a CS discount is in force ;D,

Cheers,
Mal.

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Thanks Mal, glad you enjoyed the read.

I look forward to the day that roasters can be bought in Harvey Norman and similar retailers. They will be low margin and good warranty... maybe one day!

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

I reckon youd blow the thing apart.  

Maybe use one of those air mattress inflators instead.  Could fit onto the end of the roasting chamber.

Hmmm.... Ill have a fiddle on the weekend and let you know.

[papalui]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

I agree with the others Andy. Your review was very positive and makes one very interested in this roaster. I know this may be hard to answer but what was your impression of the build quality of this machine. Do you think it has the durability to last a long time, given that many of the parts are made of plastic?

The Hottop gives the impression of being very sturdy with its steel construction.

I would be interested in your thoughts here.

Thanks again for such a positive review

Louis

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

The build quality on this is great.

I had the same thoughts as you but seeing it in the flesh is a whole different ball game. No sharp edges or half finished mould marks and everything meets where it should. The "gizzards" were spot-on too. Well mounted, labeled and designed.

as per the review, the only real downside I could see was the speed of the cooling and as "tinkerers" Im sure we can address that. ;D

I have done about 15 roasts in it so far and every one of those is a winner. The other thing that stands-out is after those roasts is that the whole unit is still very clean.

Its an exciting time for home roasters and Im sure this machine is a step towards the "toaster" appliance that you could give as a wedding present.

[papalui]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Cheers, thanks

[tim]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Great review Andy!
Now this is a unit I could get interested in assuming that:
1. The price was not too high.
2. The issue of cooling can be sorted simply.

One thing I do like is that it doesnt seem to impose time contraints on your roasting cycle a la the HotTop (something which really annoyed me) and also doesnt seem to need to "rest" for 25 minutes between roast cycles.
As for robustness of construction:
The HotTop certainly looks classier in S/S but whether that actually translates to better longevity and performance; only time will tell.
I guess thats as much as I can say until I get to have a more hands-on play

Viva l choix !!!

Tim

[wattgn]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Tim:

The hottop is set so that it has to cool to 70C between roasts. I find if I lift the filter at the back half way up and remove the front (one thumbscrew), it takes about 5 minutes to cool. Remember at this stage that the unit is flowing air through the roasting chamber and cooling tray so really you are just harnessing the air flow.

Remember too that the Gene Cafe requires a much longer cooling cycle which is part of the cycle. I think if you performed the above steps that the Hottop might actually be quicker doing the back to back roasts.

I have found if you just leave it to cool it would take about 15 minutes but this depends on the ambient temperature.


Grant

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

(Grant) ...and remove the front (one thumbscrew)...

WARNING: "burnies owww owwww" ***


If needed (at some point in the future) Ill drag race the two machines together using factory settings for a similar roast depth and a second batch to follow.

(Tim) ...I guess thats as much as I can say until I get to have a more hands-on play...

Hint noted  

(Tim)... Viva l choix

Hmmm... I didnt try a french roast like I did in the "incinerator" at the roast-a-rama :

[stratford]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Yes,

I can attest to the requirement for riggers gloves when removing that thumbscrew during a hot and hard roast-a-thon.... :-?

[garglebutt]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

Very nice review.

I note that the cooling cycle was fairly long in reasonably cool external conditions. Can you check it out again on a warmer day; say 20-25 degrees ambient? It looks like it may become a problem in summer.

How much smoke does it produce compared to the HOTTOP and does it emanate from specific locations?

Cheers

[Andy]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

...say 20-25 degrees ambient?

Sure, when should I expect the air tickets to somewhere more exotic than Geelong at this time of year to carry-out more testing?

25?? I can only DREAM of 25 at the moment

[Javaphile]

Re: Gene Cafe CBR-101 Review (was Genesis i Rosto)

...say 20-25 degrees ambient?

Sure, when should I expect the air tickets to somewhere more exotic than Geelong at this time of year to carry-out more testing?

25?? I can only DREAM of 25 at the moment

LOL We wont see 25 in this neck of the woods for another 6 months.

Java "Getting his winter woolies out" phile