Bellwether roasters: your questions answered, and an alternative to consider
If you are thinking about roasting in your café, hotel or shop, you will probably have looked at the Bellwether Shop Roaster. It is a well-known electric roaster, and people ask us about it often. Here are the questions we hear most, answered from Bellwether’s own published information. Then we explain where the Thermoplan Mikafi fits, and what we add around it.
What is the new front-of-house Bellwether, and when can you get it?
Bellwether announced a redesigned Shop Roaster on 15 October 2026, with a metal enclosure for front-of-house use in Classic White or Deep Bronze.
- Orders are open, and Bellwether expects first customer deliveries in the first quarter of 2027.
- Batch size and power needs are unchanged on its current pages.
- It comes with a new Bellwether app for building roast profiles, reviewing roast logs and tracking green coffee stock.
- UK availability and delivery dates for the new model are not stated on the pages we read.
Does a Bellwether roaster need a flue or ventilation?
No. Bellwether says the Shop Roaster needs no gas line, hood, ductwork or venting, because smoke is handled inside the machine.
- Its own material describes an internal afterburner with carbon and HEPA filters, and a prefilter screen that you clean when prompted.
- Like any roaster it needs routine care: emptying the chaff can and water reservoir, and replacing filters at service intervals.
- Whichever roaster you choose, tell your landlord and your local environmental health team before you install it.
What power supply does a Bellwether roaster need?
A dedicated single-phase supply of 200 to 240 V at 30 A (5 kW), 50 to 60 Hz. Bellwether says its machines ship with a 2.4 m cable, and a local electrician fits the right plug, usually adding the circuit in 2 to 4 hours.
That is more than a standard 13 A socket can supply, so allow for an electrician.
How much coffee can a Bellwether roaster roast?
1.5 kg of green coffee per batch, with 3 to 4 roasts an hour, or about 4.5 to 6 kg an hour. Bellwether gives a roast time of 8 to 12 minutes plus a 4-minute cooling cycle, and about 2 minutes of labour per roast.
With its optional continuous kit, a 20 kg hopper runs up to 13 roasts in a row. That is a lot of capacity, and it suits businesses roasting for wholesale or for several sites.
What service and warranty come with a Bellwether roaster?
Bellwether’s warranty covers parts, service and labour for the first 12 months or 5,000 roasts, plus a separate 5-year or 25,000-roast warranty on the heating and air path, which it calls its Hot Path warranty.
- Support is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm Pacific time, which is 3pm to 1am UK time in winter. Its target is a reply within 6 business hours, and 5 to 7 business days when a part or a technician visit is needed.
- Bellwether uses a network of service partners, and says installation by partners is free in serviceable locations. It does not list which UK locations those are.
- Whichever roaster you choose, ask the supplier who services your postcode, and how quickly.
Do I need roasting experience to use a Bellwether?
No. Bellwether describes the machine as fully automatic and says any member of staff can be trained in under 20 minutes. You choose a profile and press start.
Profiles for Bellwether’s own green coffees are supplied, you can build your own in its software, and Bellwether says you do not have to buy its green coffee.
The Mikafi
What is the Mikafi, and how does it compare?
The Mikafi is a compact table-top roaster from Thermoplan AG, with a transparent glass drum so your guests can watch the roast.
- It roasts 800 g to 1.2 kg per batch in 9 to 15 minutes, with up to two roasts an hour including preheating and cooling.
- It measures 48 × 58 × 80 cm and weighs 71 kg. It runs on single-phase 230 V, 16 A, 3,600 W.
- It has an integrated exhaust air filtration system.
- It runs by touchscreen, with preset recipes and full manual control, plus the Mikafi Portal online for profiles, reports and managing several machines.
Does the Mikafi need ventilation?
Yes, a ventilated room. Thermoplan’s specification says the Mikafi must run in a room of at least 40 m³, with the air changed at least two to four times an hour. That is roughly a 4 m by 4 m room with a normal ceiling.
It also asks for 150 mm clear at the back and on the right, 350 mm on the left for the service hatch and 500 mm above, with the ventilation openings kept clear. We check your room, power and space before we quote.
At a glance
From the makers’ published specifications.
| Specification | Bellwether | Mikafi |
|---|---|---|
| Batch size | 1.5 kg | 800 g to 1.2 kg |
| Roasts an hour | 3 to 4 | Up to 2, including preheating and cooling |
| Roast time | 8 to 12 min, plus 4 min cooling | 9 to 15 min |
| Larger output | Continuous kit, 20 kg hopper, up to 13 roasts | None published |
| Power | Single-phase 200 to 240 V, 30 A, 5 kW | Single-phase 230 V, 16 A, 3,600 W |
| Size (W × D × H) | 62.6 × 71.4 × 92.5 cm | 48 × 58 × 80 cm |
| Weight | 184 kg | 71 kg |
| Smoke | Internal afterburner and filters, no external venting | Integrated exhaust filtration, in a ventilated room of at least 40 m³ |
| Body | Metal enclosure, white or bronze on the redesigned model | Transparent glass drum |
| Profiles | Bellwether app and preset profiles | Presets, manual control and the Mikafi Portal |
Both are electric and suit a counter. The Bellwether has the larger batch, faster throughput and a continuous option. The Mikafi is smaller, lighter and draws less power, and its glass drum makes the roast part of the show.
Which is right for you?
If you need high volume, or want to load once and roast 13 batches in a row, Bellwether’s continuous set-up is built for that.
If you are roasting for your own café, hotel or shop, want the roast on show, want a smaller machine on a 16 A supply, and want a roaster nearby for profiles, green coffee and service, the Mikafi is worth a look.
Either way, work out your own volume first. We are happy to help, even if the answer is not a Mikafi.
What we add
The roaster is only part of the job. Around the Mikafi, we provide:
- A site check of your power, space and ventilation before you commit.
- Delivery and installation.
- Training for your team, with your first batch roasted alongside us.
- Green coffee we choose with you, and roast profiles we write for it.
- Support from a roastery that roasts in York every week.
Bellwether information is taken from its public website and announcements, last checked in November 2026. Mikafi information is from Thermoplan’s published specification. Figures change, so please check with the manufacturer. Bellwether is a trademark of its owner. kWh Coffee is not affiliated with Bellwether.