Mill City North TJ-450 (18kg)

the verdict

the north TJ-450 handles 18kg batches, landing in the small production roaster category for shops doing wholesale or multiple cafe locations. the double-wall drum and digital pressure gauge give you enough control to dial in repeatable profiles across a wide batch range (3kg to 18kg), though you'll get best results between 9kg and 15kg where thermal mass stays stable. profile logging is included, and the modular design means you can move the cooling tray and chaff collector independently if you need to reconfigure your roastery. it's a solid workhorse for roasters who've outgrown 12kg machines but aren't ready for the space and utility demands of a 30kg. the CSA certification matters if you're dealing with strict municipal codes. main limitation is roasting speed: figure three batches per hour sustained, maybe four if you're aggressive with cooling and preheating, which is fine for 200-300kg weeks but tight for higher volume.