I roast with a popcorn popper I bought at Walmart. They only last a few roasts before they "die" - that is just a heat fuse that is set too low. Buy a new, high

I roast with a popcorn popper I bought at Walmart. They only last a few roasts before they "die" - that is just a heat fuse that is set too low. Buy a new, higher rated one from Radio Shack, and you are good to go. 25 bucks total including the surgery. This does require you to have an outdoors place to roast - if you live in an high rise in a city it's a no go. By and large you'll want to wait a few days. I find it depends on the bean - some are great just out of the roaster, some are pretty bad. Some take a day or two, some take 5 to really come into their own. Or so I perceive, with non-blinded tasting.