Cleaning a Hottop

[tisri]

Hi all,

I just discovered something I wish I'd known several roasts ago. I mistakenly thought the drum in the Hottop should be cleaned about the same frequency as the filter. Having just changed the filter I checked the book for how to clean it and found it should be cleaned every 4-5 roasts.

So after some 40 roasts it was well overdue. Much elbow grease was required and the drum left to soak before being attacked with a bottle brush to lift the coffee oils.

Anyway, to cut a long story short it's now almost as clean as it was straight out of the box, but the very back of the roasting chamber has a build-up of coffee oils, as does the chute for loading the beans. Try as I might I'm struggling to find any way of cleaning these areas, not least because I can't have water running into the roasting chamber.

Can anyone recommend a product to help shift these stubborn stains?

Cheers
John

[phil]

Can anyone recommend a product to help shift these stubborn stains?

None. Don't do it. Completely and utterly unnecessary. Waste of time.

Mine has had around 300 roasts (perhaps more) and never had anything other than loose chaff and bits of beans removed from it.

Some talk about the need to clean the sensor, but I cannot confirm that that is necessary. If it were I would be looking at something like aqueous isopropanol or maybe just methylated spirits (ethanol) as a solvent.

[pault]

Phil - are you saying you don't need to clean the drum either?

being the lazy so and so I am - I've only ever kept everything clean of chaff/loose beans and cleaned the sight glass a couple of times

should I be cleaning the drum??

best,

Paul.

[phil]

No reason to.

[pault]

thanks - laziness wins again!

for the 1st time roasted some Burmese beans lightly yesterday - sealed them in nifty valve bags from you know who, am looking forward to trying them when they're 4 days old ...

best,

Paul.

[phil]

Yup, as long as you remove all of the debris from the roast chamber and drum that's all you need to do in my (admittedly extensive) experience of the Hottop.

I must emphasise that some people have reported that cleaning the burned-on oils off the temperature sensor is necessary at times, but myself I cannot confirm this from experience. Maybe it's something to do with how darkly I roast. By 300+ roasts maybe tisri would have to do such maintenance!

[tisri]

Thanks for that Phil - after spending a good couple of hours soaking and scrubbing the drum, lid to the loading chute and the front panel (including disassembling them to scrub thoroughly) it's good to know I don't need to fight with it again.

I'm running at about 40-50 roasts so far and curiously most of the recent ones have been relatively light - to the tail end of first rather than the bitter end of second. This weekend I need to roast some of the darker ones, so I guess it's time for a new filter on standby!

[Beanie]

Maybe your decision not to clean is a good one See point #28 on this link http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn/Coffee/HOTTOPFAQ.html.

If one were to choose/have to clean the machine, I was wondering how hot it can get. You know, like those self-cleaning ovens that heat up to 500C & burns off the gunk. Is it possible? Or would one have to really pull up one's sleeves to soak & scrub?

PS I'm desparately slapping my hands to keep from buying the Hottop NOW (even though I haven't YET taken up stevenzaat's offer for a demo)... HAVE to wait for the super-small-shed to garage conversion... and perhaps by then I'll have had the demo:) Oh well... I'd feel more comfy seeing it done before I do it myself and then doubt whether I've done it right or not anyway.

[pault]

don't be a wimp - take the plunge!!

seriously, if a muppet like myself can get repeatably good results you won't have any problems - with Phil's article and all the other people who are using them on TMC and elsewhere you won't be short of advice/help

Also, I wouldn't worry about having to roast in your conversion I do my roasts in the kitchen with the backdoor open - absolutely no problem with the levels of smoke and in fact the smell is the best bit of the whole process ...

you've no excuses now - just do it!!

best,

Paul.

[pault]

p.s. I have you got another link for the cleaning article? - the one you gave isn't there anymore ...

[stevenzaat]

Marcy,

As earlier stated it is very easy to roast your own beans, buy a Hottop and you will definitely be satisfied. And if you compare where you spend al the money in your life, it is definetely worth the money.Let's say you will spend 3 Hottops in life, it costs you only EURO 2.200. It is just a rounding in the complete spending in your life :drink:

So you are stll welcome to see the machine working and you will be convinced by all the other ones. I agree with Paul that the smoke is not an issue. I just put it under my simple kitchen hood and there is a nice little bit smell from the smoke in the house after I finished the process.
So you are still welcome to see and talk.

best regards,

Steven
PS How was your stay in Vienna?

[Beanie]

Oops.. sorry... Here it is again... without the period at the end http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn/Coffee/HOTTOPFAQ.html

Trust me... I'm ITCHING... but need to work on convincing the BF that it will be OK. It took me weeks to convince him on an HX machine & grinder instead of a super-automatic. He caved when we did a side-by-side taste test. So, perhaps we might arrange a demo very soon, stevenz. BF will be away skiing at the end of the month, so maybe we can arrange something before that? PM me your # and we try to sort out a schedule?

Oh boy! I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight!!!

Thanks for the kick in my behind.

[Beanie]

Vienna was an absolutely excellent experience!!! I miss the Mocca Club terribly... for the people, the drinks, the atmosphere... if only I could speak German! I can't believe how fast one month went by! Of course, it's also a beautiful city with lots to see and do... musicals, theatres, museums, castles, blah blah...

I hope you guys get to make it out to Vienna & the MC soon. And here's a little tip... sit a table #13. I guarantee you, those are the 2 best seats in the house. A little warning though... you might fall asleep and start dreaming about beach sand at your feet.

[Beanie]

pault - which muppet are you?

[Steve]

I bet its got to be animal