The Hearthware iRoast2 is here. I stick by my assessment written below years ago ... that this is more like v1.01 that v 2.0 ... in other words, it has improved and de-bugged the iRoast v 1.0, but does not have any radical new features. That said, with more uses I am impressed that you can save 10 roast curves and they remain even if you unplug the machine. That is a feature that always should have been there, and its addition is welcome. It removes a "disincentive" to use the custom program feature from the iRoast v1.0 . The roast chamber and chaff collector improvements are not radical, but seem to work fine. Problems with with earlier versions of the chaff collector were mostly remedied with minor tweaks (posted on our FAQ) - still it is good they fixed this. -Tom

Hearthware i-Roast 2 is $179.99

There is a lot of information about both the i-Roast 1 and i-Roast 2 on our On-line Tip Sheet - where you can find a lot of answers to various questions/problems.

And here is the iRoast2 .pdf Tip Sheet for information specific to the iRoast 2

We no longer carry the i-Roast 1 - since the i-Roast 2 is a real improvement - but the Q/A below about choosing between the two models may be helpful still as you can find the i-Roast 1 from Hearthware directly and other vendors.

Q: How do I decide between the two? A: My short recommendation is this: if you are going to use the custom programs, get the iRoast2. If you are going to use the 2 Preset roast curves (remember, they have programmable times, and you still have the 1 custom program with the iRoast1), then you can save thirty bucks and get the v1.0.

Hearthware *i-Roast 2* Home Coffee Roaster with the 8-Pack Sampler (our selection of 4 lbs. of coffee (8 different 1/2 lb. types) from Sweet Maria's excellent stocks)
$189.99 + (11 Lbs. Shipping )

Hearthware *i-Roast 2* Home Coffee Roaster without coffee
$179.99 + (7 Lbs. Shipping )

We no longer stock any parts for the i-Roast - Hearthware wants you to get those directly from them. Their web site is www.hearthware.com or www.i-Roast.com

Hearthware liststhe iRoast2 as having these improvements:

1. Chaff Collector Assembly

• The chaff collector lid has a firmer connection to the chaff collector base
• The chaff collector screen has a lot less movement preventing the escape of large pieces of chaff.

2. Roasting Pot

• The roasting pot has a knob that slides into the chaff collector base. The locking mechanism promotes a much higher tighter seal.
• The thermoflector has stronger stem that prevents snapping.

3. Power Base

• 5 stages of roasting ˆ total time is still 15 minutes
• Memorizes up to 10 roasting curves.

Okay, before you get too excited, let me interject. I have tested a production unit of the iRoast 2 and, while the changes are not frivelous, they amount to a minor upgrade rather than a major overhaul. In software terms, most changes are "bug fixes" and the programming change (5 roast stages) is not a critical feature of the machine.

Please Note: Profiles for Prest 1 and Preset 2 are significantly different from the presets on the i-Roast #1
Preset 1 on i-Roast 2: Stage 1: 450F for 10 min.**
Preset 2 on i-Roast 2: Stage 1: 455F for 6:00min; Stage 2: 400F for 4:00; Stage 3: 435F for 1:30

** Hearthware has a note in the manual about using this pre-set- use essentially half a batch.

The changes to the chaff collection and the roast chamber are things you would expect to make the roaster more durable and function better. The manufacturer should make such changes without fanfare or asking for customers to pay more for them. The new top end takes a little more elbow grease to snap into place, but appears to leak less air and vibrate less than the problem units of the previous model.

Changes include 5 roast stages, but the roast stage indicator (red arrow points to Stage 1) has only 3 stages indicated. They have a way to indicate stage 4 and 5 though. Also, you don't have to program all 5 stages if you don't want to use them all. I think it is unecessary to use 5 roast stages - 3 is fine to create a heat "ramp" roast profile. Of course, you can still use Preset 1 and Preset 2 to roast. Now you can save and recall 10 roast programs of your own (using Cool/Time button, now also the Record button -green arrow), and they are saved even if the machine is unplugged. That's an improvement.

The i Roast 2 involves small, thoughtful fixes and improvements, but is what we would call in the software world iRoast 1.01 ... not a whole new, advanced redesign of the machine. You can see that the program was improved a bit, but not the user interface. I would be impressed if the controls were angled upward toward the user, and if there were appropriate buttons for each function, not reusing buttons or combinations of buttons. Note that the fixes to the top are in response to vibration problems (chaff collector vibrating lose) and air leak problems on some units of the iRoast 1). It's not like every iRoast had these problems. I appreciate Hearthware making these changes, and they are all good modifications. The last word on the iRoast, the older models or new one is this: the iRoast is still the most advanced air roaster on the market now and in any forseeable future. If I wanted to start roasting, it's the one I would choose, and whether you want to pay more for the little improvements of the iRoast-2 or go with the current iRoast, I don't think you lose out on either route. -Tom 8-26-05