Diedrich IR-5

the verdict

the IR-5 is where diedrich's lineup becomes serious for production roasting. the 1kg to 5kg batch range handles multiple cafe accounts or healthy retail sales, and you get profile logging capability rather than manual-only operation. this means you can record and review your roasts even if you're not running full automation. the infrared burner provides consistent heat delivery batch after batch, which helps when you're roasting the same coffees repeatedly for wholesale accounts. at 5kg you're still small enough to roast a wide variety without massive green coffee inventory, but large enough that roasting a full day's production doesn't consume your entire schedule. the machine appeals to established specialty roasters who value hands-on control with data backup. you'll find plenty of these in the field from the 1990s and 2000s still running production, which speaks to durability. the jump from IR-2.5 to IR-5 is significant in both capability and investment, but for most growing roasteries this is where diedrich becomes the right tool.