I hit 200 pounds of beans roasted in my garage and had to rethink everything

Been roasting at home for about 8 months now. Last weekend I weighed my green bean inventory and realized I've gone through 200 pounds. That's like 4,000 cups of coffee coming out of a flour sifter and a heat gun. But here's what got me - my electric bill jumped $40 last month from running that heat gun so much. Anyone else hit a number that made you stop and do the math on what this hobby actually costs?

2 comments

2 Comments

willow_morgan1mo ago

I heard somewhere that heat guns pull like 1500 watts, so running one for hours adds up way faster than people realize. $40 jump is rough though, makes you wonder if a used drum roaster would pay for itself eventually.

ruby_rivera761mo ago

Hang on a sec. Most heat guns are actually around 1200 to 1500 watts, but that $40 jump seems high unless you're running it like 6 hours a day. I'd check your roasts per week to make sure nothing else is drawing power. 200 pounds is serious volume though - maybe look at the actual cost per roast to see if a drum roaster really saves money. Those things use less heat and time compared to a heat gun.