Santoker Q20 Sample Roaster - 100 to 200g

Santoker Q20 is a bigger, improved and sleeker model compared to the C10. In contrast to the angular design of the C10, the Q20 sports elegant, classy curves. 

The Q20 is a compact yet intelligent coffee roaster that uses pure convection heating. In this system, beans are suspended in circulating hot air during roasting - a method that also gives rise to its alternative names: fluid bed roaster or air roaster. This approach ensures precise control over both temperature and airflow, resulting in consistent and quick roasts. It's particularly well-suited for light roast profiles and sample roasting, delivering delicate flavors with bright acidity and a clean finish.

Roasting is managed via the Santoker roasting app, compatible with iOS, Android and Harmony devices. The app utilizes PID control to allow accurate profile tracking, effectively addressing the common issue of roast repeatability. It also offers access to a global library of roast profiles contributed by users worldwide, which can be selected for automated profile tracing.

Santoker machines employ brushless motor, generating strong airflow for efficient hot air roasting. Similar to the C10, the Q20 also sports a large roasting chamber. Although the specification is 200g, the strong airflow is built for 500g roasting with an attachment upgrade. The correct airflow is the setting that slowly turns the green beans one full round inside the chamber. To allow for easy cleaning in the bigger roasting chamber, Santoker engineers have chosen a ceramic material instead of metal. Furthermore, ceramics generally have a higher heat capacity than metals, meaning they can absorb and store more heat for a given temperature change, allowing the potential for the system upgrade. The stronger heat delivery ensures a thorough roast simulating the roast effects of a drum roaster. It also roasts faster, preserving the fruity and crisp acidity that makes a specialty coffee. Typical roast time is 5-7 min. The powerful fan also brings the benefit of rapid cooling in 2 min for a full load, preserving the fruity and crisp acidity.

A standout feature of the Q20 is that it does not require pre-heating. This is owing to the fact that an air roaster primarily relies on hot air convection to function. Furthermore, it has a powerful heating capacity but a lightweight roasting chamber, allowing instant heating without energy loss. As such, the roast curve on the Q20 reflects the coffee’s true roast development - starting from room temperature with a steep Rate of Rise (ROR), forming an ‘skewed S’ curve, in contrast to the typical ‘√’ ladle curve seen in drum roasters. More importantly, it offers greater energy efficiency and improved sustainability.

Green coffee is loaded into the chamber by removing the round cup on top of it. During the roast, the roast development can be observed through the glass in the centre of the round cup, illuminated by a LED light on a flexible wire. If the load is larger than specified, the bean will fail to be lifted by the hot air and get scorched at the base of the chamber. When the roast is finished, the round cup is first removed. Functioning as the chaff collector, the cup contains chaff that can be easily poured out and the grills can be easily cleaned with a paint brush. A cooling cup is placed on top of the machine to collect the roasted coffee - simply by pressing a button on the Q20, a rush of air effortlessly spins the coffee upwards from inside the chamber into the cup. If the roast is prematurely stopped, the roasted weight will be heavier than intended and will fail to be spun out of the roasting chamber. For differentiation, the chaff collector has an open handle and the cooling cup has a closed handle (like a coffee mug).


Read about our visit to the Santoker factory here.

Specifications:

Capacity: 100-200g (with attachment upgrade to 500g)
Type: Hot air roaster
Box Dimension: 56cm (L) * 55cm (B) * 31cm (H)
Machine Dimensions: 31cm (L) * 18cm (widest side) * 28 cm (H) (+10cm H for chaff collector)
Machine Body Weight: 8.5kg (+0.55kg for chaff collector or cooling cup)
Power: 220V, 3200W
Control: Bluetooth app control
Colour Selection: Black or white