Is Roasting Your Own Coffee Beans Worth It? (8 Benefits)

Last Updated on December 29, 2021 by John Moretti

For most people, buying roasted coffee beans is not something to think about. They simply go into a store, choose the ones they always choose and drink it. After all, why invest time and effort into roasting your own green beans at home when a professional can do it for you? Here’s why!

The answer to whether roasting your own coffee beans is worth it depends on the person you’re asking. Usually, it is worth it. You will be learning about what type of coffee drinker you are. You learn more about your favorite coffee beans and control each step of the roasting process. 

There are several things you need to know about when deciding to roast your own coffee beans. Keep reading as we discuss the benefits and challenges that come along with roasting your own coffee.

is roasting your own coffee beans worth it

Benefits That Make Roasting Your Own Coffee Worth It

On the one hand, one could argue that purchasing unroasted coffee beans means giving yourself one more job to do. On the other hand, simply just having the privilege of roasting your own green coffee beans means enjoying it while reaping several benefits.

Let’s take a closer look at the list of benefits below:

1. You will be drinking the freshest coffee. 

It is good to remember that coffee beans begin to lose all their essential oils and, most importantly, flavors the moment they are roasted. This is why the best coffee you can drink is always the freshest and most recently roasted coffee available. 

By roasting your own raw coffee beans in the comfort of your own home, you can roast your coffee beans only when you need them. By doing this, you will enjoy each cup you brewed, knowing that it is as fresh as can be!

2. You’re doing it right!

By roasting your own coffee, you will get to enjoy the way it’s meant to be tasted. You will know exactly where the beans come from, the base and aftertaste of each flavor, and what processes the bean went through before landing in your cup. 

Having the skill of being able to roast your own beans will give you the freshest coffee flavors and the best coffee experience, and it’s all done by you! Roasting your coffee is definitely something to be proud of, and it is an extremely rewarding activity. 

3. It’s an economical option

Though this is not always the case, unroasted coffee beans are much cheaper than buying already roasted coffee beans. This can be seen as self-explanatory, as the seller hasn’t invested the effort or time needed to roast the green coffee beans on your behalf.

As a result, you will benefit from long-term savings by switching to roasting your own coffee beans.

4. There is a longer shelf life

Due to the fact that the raw coffee beans are yet to be roasted, they will have a significantly longer shelf life than already roasted coffee beans. Roasted coffee beans usually have an average lifespan of around one month if protected from oxygen, light, and humidity correctly. 

Quality green coffee beans have a shelf life of the same quality up to 12 months if they are well preserved. This means that you can stock up on your green coffee beans in bulk and then roast them in smaller batches as you need them.

5. You will get to experiment with green coffee 

There has been a trend surrounding the possible therapeutic and creative properties of unroasted coffee beans. If you see roasting your coffee beans as merely just that, you can rest assured that you will be drinking delicious coffee with several different flavor experiences. 

For some, roasting coffee beans opens the door to endless experimenting with interesting recipes. Even if you do not succeed in roasting your own coffee beans correctly, you can toss the beans in the coffee roaster and enjoy them as you normally would!

6. You will be getting the best aromatherapy

If all the benefits so far have not convinced you that it is worth it to roast your own coffee beans, there is no denying the fact that freshly roasted coffee has an intoxicating and appealing aroma. 

By investing in your own home coffee roaster and roasting your own coffee beans, you will be treated regularly to the ultimate aromatherapy experience whenever you want! 

On top of this, you will be getting the satisfaction of roasting your own raw coffee beans and brewing a cup of coffee accustomed to your tastebuds. 

Many people find it impossible to return to store-bought coffee once they spoil themselves with DIY roasting techniques!

7. You will learn as you go

Besides the undeniably awesome fact that you get to guide your raw coffee beans all the way until perfectly roasted, you also get to learn new skills and deal with challenges along the way.

Learning how to roast coffee is not something that takes long, as long as you ensure you have the correct equipment and an efficient roasting routine. 

8. You are completely in control of what happens

Another significant benefit that comes along with roasting your own coffee is that you will pick the roast level. By picking the roast level, it is easy to control the exact flavor of your coffee. 

Many things can be determined by the roast level, such as how long it will take to roast, how difficult it is to roast, and how balanced it is. The roast also controls the caffeine levels. Lightly roasted beans contain a higher level of caffeine than their dark roast counterparts. 

If you are a caffeine addict, you have the choice of leaving your coffee lightly roasted. However, if you are not too concerned about the caffeine levels, you can roast your beans medium or dark and develop great flavors!

Is It Difficult To Roast Your Own Coffee Beans?

small coffee roaster

It can take some time to roast each batch of beans as you need them, and besides sourcing the correct green coffee beans, you also have to follow the exact steps of the roasting process. Usually, the roasting process takes between 10 and 13 minutes for small batches. 

For bigger batches, it can take up to 16 or 18 minutes to roast fully. If you add up all the time, it may take you 20 or 30 minutes of your time to toast a perfect batch of two pounds of fresh coffee. 

This is not a lot of time you will be spending roasting coffee, and it is definitely worth it. However, it will be good to keep in mind that you need to repeat the whole roasting and cleaning process whenever you run out of coffee or want more. 

Coffee roasting experts and commercial companies spend several years perfecting the craft of roasting coffee, so it might take you a while before you produce quality roasted coffee beans.

If you have sensitive taste buds and struggle to drink different or strange flavors, you may get frustrated with yourself the first few times.

However, suppose you are an adventurous coffee fanatic who is willing to experiment and accept a few batches of unevenly roasted or failed coffee beans. In that case, you will find the process of learning and the time and effort quite rewarding. 

Ultimately, roasting your own coffee beans will require more effort than buying coffee online or from your local coffee dealers, but do not forget that it will get easier as you learn and establish the roasting routine that works for you!

Conclusion

Roasting your very own coffee beans can be worth the time and effort for those caffeine addicts who value flavor and freshness above everything else. Coffee remains the most flavorful for up to a week after its roast date, so roasting in the comfort of your home means you will get to enjoy your coffee at its best every time.

As long as you know that roasting your own coffee beans takes motivation, along with the willingness to source green beans and researching the perfect roasting routine. All things considered, roasting your own coffee beans is an interesting and fun hobby, and it is one you and your friend or family will benefit from!