How would you like to drink the freshest and best-tasting coffee in the world? Well, it is actually very easy and a lot of fun. And you can save money in the process. All you need is a home coffee roaster. After all, how can any coffee be fresher than coffee that you roasted in your own home? And you can create coffee to suit your own taste.

Unfortunately, home coffee roasting has not always been possible – or, at least not convenient. Traditionally, roasting coffee was a smelly affair accompanied by a lot of smoke. But not anymore, modern innovation has given us the smokeless home coffee roaster. Also known as smoke-free coffee roasters, these roasters are easy to use. Two models are available and, depending upon how much coffee your household consumes, either one would pay for itself in a 1-2 years.

The Nesco Professional is about the size of your everyday food processor and will roast up to 5.5 ounces of green coffee beans in 20-30 minutes. The Behmor 1600 is just a bit larger, but will roast a full pound. Once roasted, it is generally recommended that the beans be allowed to “de-gas” for several hours. During this period, the coffee will reach its peak flavor – a level of perfection that it will maintain for several days. Thus, for a 1-2 person household, the Nesco is probably a good choice unless your family drinks a lot of coffee or you wish to share your roast with friends and family. In either case, be aware that after about two weeks, coffee quality will be less than one-half the original peak. No wonder store-bought coffee simply does not compare to home-roasted coffee! And to think that store-bought coffee is actually more expensive!

But there is more. Owning a home coffee roaster will provide a wealth of enjoyment. You will savor the aroma of your coffee even as it is being roasted. It is like baking your own bread. And you will also appreciate the sound. Coffee roasting is all about “cracks.” Roasting alters the physical and chemical nature of the coffee bean. These changes are announced by the sound that the coffee makes. “First crack” is somewhat similar to the sound of popcorn when it is popping. If you prefer a light roast, you would stop the roasting process shortly after the first crack. With a little more roasting, medium roasts (City, American, regular, breakfast) are obtained. And just as the “second crack” occurs you would have a Full City roast to be followed by dark roasts (Vienna, French, and Italian). Roasting coffee is like grilling steak. Do you prefer rare, medium rare, medium, or well done?

Finally, you will enjoy the wide world of green coffee beans. Coffee is grown in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and even in the good ole U.S.A. Seriously! One of the best coffees is Kona coffee from the Big Island of Hawaii. This coffee is mostly produced by small landowners and is famous for a rich, bold flavor. And the cr