Aillio Bullet R2 Pro Roaster

Our shipment of R2 PRO roasters has arrived and PRO trays are due to arrive in a few days. Roasters will begin shipping once trays arrive.

For years, experienced coffee roasters have been using the Aillio Bullet R1 for both advanced home roasting and to operate small roasting businesses. Amongst compact, electric roasters the Bullet R1 had the largest batch capacity at 1 kg (2.2 lb) and tremendous hourly output capacity thanks to its back-to-back roasting capability and quick roast time. Coupled with the ability to connect the roaster to a computer and utilize Aillio's RoasTime software to monitor roast progression and control the roaster as well as to log, save, and replay roasts; the Bullet R1 broke a lot of ground when it was released.

The Aillio Bullet R2 Pro takes all these proven qualities and literally amps them up. Owing to it's utilization of 220v/2300w power, the Bullet R2 Pro has an increased batch capacity of 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) which means that a full batch can yield 2 lb of roasted coffee after accounting for weight loss. When roasting for a small commercial operation, that extra output can quickly add up, resulting in fewer hours spent roasting coffee to meet demand.

With that in mind, we think the Bullet R2 Pro is a great match for experienced roasters or those for whom the extra batch capacity is essential. For less experienced coffee roasters and home roasters that do not require that extra bit of output, we still recommend the Aillio Bullet R1 or Aillio Bullet R2, which in addition to being easier to plug in since they use a standard electrical socket, offer financial savings that can be put towards green coffee. Given the still impressive 1 kg (2.2 lb) capacity of the Bullet R1 and standard Bullet R2, we don't think that saving a little money on the roaster to apply to the coffee budget is a bad idea! We are building out a detailed R2 Pro Specs and FAQ page in our Coffee Library too.

Bullet R2 Pro Basics

We presume that most people considering a Bullet R2 Pro are already intimately familiar with its core features, but for the uninitiated here are the highlights:

• Unlike most electric roasters which rely on heating elements like coils or rods, the entire Bullet line uses induction power to generate heat directly within the drum itself.
• Thanks to induction heating, Bullets are extremely responsive to power adjustments made during the roast.
• The Bullet R2 Pro has 2300w of induction power compared to 1700w on the standard Bullet R2.
• The Bullet R2 Pro has 14 power stages, 12 fan power settings, and 9 drum speeds.
• The Infrared Bean Temperature Sensor (IBTS) is unique to the Bullet and provides consistent, accurate reading of bean temperature.
• All Bullet roasters can be operated via the front control panel or by connection and computer and utilizing Aillio's RoastTime software.
• All Bullet roasters have an external cooling tray with fan and are capable of back-to-back roasting. The R2 Pro comes with the Pro Cooling Tray.
• The Bullet R2 Pro has a max batch capacity of 1.2 kg (2.6 lb).

Our Experience with the R2 Pro

We've been using our demo Bullet R2 Pro for over a year at this point and our takeaway is this: It does everything Aillio said it would, which is a lot! That might not sound like a ringing endorsement, but it's a testament to Aillio that they found ways to improve upon the original design. The Bullet R1 remains an extremely capable and competitive machine. Producing a machine that is an even better roaster is a tall ask, and they did it. In short, the core functionality of the Bullet R2 Pro remains the same as the Bullet R1, but there are small improvements everywhere that add up. The new display on the roaster provides more information without needing to plug in your computer, so much so we aren't even sure what all of it means! Their new FlowControl sensor which measures and adjusts airflow as the chaff basket fills up is a great innovation, but we didn't really feel like that was an issue with the Bullet R1; we always kept our roaster extremely clean. For those that were/are not as diligent, this will be a welcome addition.

We have experienced a few bugs and hiccups here and there, which is to be expected for any brand new machine. Aillio took care of them very quickly via firmware updates, and we expect they will continue to be diligent about providing fixes as they have for many years. What that means for anybody considering this machine is that you should be comfortable updating firmware and keeping apprised of updates. Thankfully the process is pretty straightforward on the Bullet R2 Pro and covered in the operation manual.

Roasting on the R2 has been easy and straightforward given our extensive experience with the Bullet R1. We've roasted a variety of coffees to different roast levels with great success. The R2 Pro is very flexible in that way. The reponsiveness of the proven induction heating system as well as the added power from the 220v power connection meant that the R2 was equally capable roasting delicate, washed Ethiopias to City and hearty, chocolatey Guatemalas to Full City+. We really had no problem doing it all. Also see our detailed R2 Pro Specs and FAQ page in our Coffee Library too.

Important R2 Pro Considerations

• The Bullet R2 Pro requires a 220v recepticle w/NEMA 6-20P compatibility
• The Bullet R2 Pro produces a lot of roast smoke at full capacity. Venting options are covered in the manual, and dedicated venting is strongly recommended. 
• The main difference between the Bullet R2 Pro and standard Bullet R2 is the batch capacity, 1.2 kg vs 1.0 kg (2.2 lb vs 2.6 lb). That extra capacity is likely essential to commercial operations, but if that isn't a priority for you the standard Bullet R2 or even the still excellent Bullet R1 may be a better option.
• We have decided to make the Bullet R2 Pro eligible for our 41 - 60 lb UPS Ground flat rate shipping tier for $21.99, as the cost to ship with the true weight of the roaster, Pro Cooling Tray, and coffee (80 lb) is anywhere from $90 to $130. Your Bullet R2 Pro will ship in three separate packages. One package will contain the roaster (55 lb), a second will contain the Pro Cooling Tray, and the third will contain the coffee (10 lb).

Cancelled Orders

Misplaced/cancelled orders are refunded with a 2.9% deduction for service fees we incur during processing.