Diedrich IR-1

the verdict

the IR-1 serves as diedrich's entry point, designed for sample roasting and small batch work rather than production. with a 0.25kg to 1kg batch range and manual controls, it's suited to roasters who need to evaluate multiple coffees daily or run a very small operation. the infrared burner gives you the same heat delivery character as larger diedrich machines, which helps if you're using it to develop profiles for a bigger IR model. build quality matches the rest of the line, with heavy construction that should last decades. the manual-only controls mean you're learning to roast by feel and observation rather than following software profiles. for sample roasting in a larger operation or as a dedicated quality control tool, it makes sense. as your only production roaster, the 1kg maximum gets limiting quickly unless you're selling exclusively at a single farmers market or doing mail subscriptions for a tiny customer base.