mill city roasters

mill city roasters, founded in 2012 in minneapolis, builds gas drum roasters aimed squarely at the specialty coffee shop and small production roaster. they've carved out a niche by prioritizing safety certifications (CSA, UL, CE, ROHS) and modular design that makes installation and maintenance more accessible than many imports. their north TJ series spans sample roasters to mid-sized production machines, all featuring double-wall stainless drums with a 3mm air gap that diffuses heat and reduces scorching risk. the machines ship with profile logging software, multiple thermocouple points (bean temp, environmental temp, inlet temp, drum temp), and digital drum pressure gauges. mill city emphasizes food-grade stainless throughout the contact path and designs for owner-operator serviceability, with clearly labeled electrical components and quick-disconnect fittings on cooling fans and stirring arms. they include pre-delivery support, space planning review, and setup calls with their team. the trade-off for all this documentation and certification is price: these machines sit above entry-level imports but below european marques. if you're opening a cafe or small roastery in north america and want a machine that meets local codes without hiring an engineer, mill city makes sense.