roaster equipment
san franciscan roaster
american-built drum roasters from the 1-pounder to 75lb.
San Franciscan Roaster builds gas-fired drum roasters in Yakima, Washington. founded in 2008, the company focuses on manual control and fast thermal response, which appeals to roasters who work with many single-origin lots and need to adjust on the fly. all models use schedule 40 steel drums for consistent heat transfer and durability. the design philosophy leans toward hands-on roasting rather than automation, though some larger models accept aftermarket profiling software. build quality is high: hand-fabricated steel, brass details, walnut baseboards on smaller machines, american-made gauges and components. the lineup runs from the SF-1 sample roaster at 0.5 kg batch max up to the SF-75 at 34 kg, covering home serious sample roasting, small cafe production, and mid-volume operations. the machines are loud about their manual nature and quick response time, which means they reward skill but don't hold your hand. if you want to learn to roast by feel and sight, or if you're profiling dozens of microlots per season, these are worth considering. if you want full automation or plug-and-play consistency, look elsewhere.
the machines
questions you might have
are san franciscan roasters manual or automated?
all san franciscan models are primarily manual, with gas valve and airflow controlled by the operator during the roast. the sf-75 and possibly other large models can be fitted with aftermarket profiling controllers, but the core design assumes you're adjusting heat in real time. this gives fast response and flexibility for roasters who profile lots frequently, but it also means there's a learning curve and less batch-to-batch automation than you'd get with a fully computerized machine.
what batch sizes do san franciscan roasters handle?
the sf-1 roasts 0.1 to 0.5 kg per batch, suitable for sampling and profiling. the sf-6 handles 0.5 to 2.7 kg, covering small cafe or microbatch production. the sf-25 roasts 2 to 11 kg, appropriate for growing roasteries. san franciscan also manufactures larger models like the sf-75, which roasts up to 34 kg per batch and can hit 136 kg per hour with back-to-back cycles. each machine is designed to run efficiently across its full batch range.
where are san franciscan roasters made and what materials do they use?
all san franciscan roasters are fabricated in yakima, washington, using american-made parts wherever possible. drums are hand-built from schedule 40 steel, chosen for thermal conductivity and resistance to brittleness over time. smaller models feature walnut baseboards, brass trim, and powder-coated steel bodies. the company emphasizes serviceability: because components are sourced domestically, replacement parts are generally easy to find, and the simple mechanical design means fewer proprietary electronics to fail.
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