Kaffelogic Nano 7: Everything You Need to Know

The Kaffelogic Nano 7 is a precision fluid bed coffee roaster that roasts 120g of green coffee (producing around 100g roasted) in approximately 10 minutes. It is compact, profile-driven, and works equally well as a home roaster and as a sample roaster for professional use.

We are the UK supplier of the Kaffelogic. We sell it because it offers the control and data logging of machines costing significantly more, in a package that fits on a kitchen worktop. Whether you are roasting your first batch at home or evaluating green coffee samples professionally, this machine handles both.

This guide covers setup, profiles, the Studio software, practical roasting tips, troubleshooting, maintenance, and how to use the Kaffelogic as a sample roaster. (For broader roasting guidance, see our main guide on roasting coffee beans at home.)

What the Kaffelogic is and how it works

The Kaffelogic is a benchtop convection roaster designed and manufactured in New Zealand. It roasts entirely with hot air - there is no drum and no conductive surface contact. The beans are suspended and agitated by the airflow throughout the roast.

Convection roasting produces different results from drum roasting. Without contact with a hot metal surface, there is less risk of scorching, and the cups tend to be cleaner and brighter. The precise airflow control also means the same profile with the same beans will produce very consistent results roast after roast.

The machine is controlled by roast profiles that set the temperature curve and timing. You select a profile, choose a level within that profile, add your green beans, and press start. The roaster follows the profile automatically and cools down when it finishes.

Setting up for your first roast

Place the roaster on a hard, flat surface in a well-ventilated area - near an open window, under a range hood, or next to an extractor fan. Make sure there is clear space above the chaff collector and nothing blocking the air inlet underneath the base.

Power on the roaster. The default profile - KL Classic - will show on the display.

For your first roast, start at Level 1 if you plan to brew as filter, or Level 2 if you are making espresso. The Kaffelogic roasts darker than you might expect, so starting lower and working up is better than overshooting. Add 120g of green beans, place the chaff collector on top, and press the button.

The roast will run automatically. Listen for first crack - the audible popping that tells you the beans have reached the point where they are drinkable. The machine will continue through the profile and cool down on its own.

Once finished, tip out the beans and empty the chaff collector before your next roast.

Altitude calibration: The roaster is calibrated at sea level. If you are using it above 1000m / 3300ft, follow the calibration instructions at kaffelogic.com/calibration.

Understanding profiles and levels

The Kaffelogic works on a profile-and-level system. A profile defines the overall roast curve - how the temperature ramps up, how long the roast takes, and how the airflow is managed. The level adjusts the endpoint within that profile - a higher level means a darker, longer roast; a lower level means a lighter, shorter one.

The built-in profiles

The Kaffelogic comes preloaded with a range of profiles for different coffees and purposes.

KL Classic is the default and a good starting point for most coffees. It is a general-purpose profile that works across a range of origins and processing methods.

KL Washed and Natural are profiles tailored to the two most common processing methods. Washed and natural coffees respond to heat differently, and using the matching profile can improve your results.

Altitude profiles match the growing altitude of your green coffee. There are four: 0-1200m, 1000-1700m, 500-2200m, and 2000-2700m. If you know the altitude of the coffee you are roasting - and most green coffee listings will tell you - selecting the matching altitude profile adjusts the roast curve to suit the density and structure of beans grown at that elevation. Denser, higher-altitude coffees need a different heat application from softer, lower-altitude coffees, and these profiles account for that.

RTD (Ready to Drink) profiles produce coffee that can be brewed immediately after roasting without resting. If you want to roast and drink on the same day, these are the profiles to use.

Rest profiles are designed for coffee that benefits from 3-5 days of resting before brewing. (See how long to rest coffee after roasting for more on why resting matters.)

The cupping profile is designed for preparing coffee for cupping - a lighter roast that exposes the coffee's characteristics clearly for evaluation.

Decaf is tailored to the different physical properties of decaffeinated green coffee - lower moisture, higher porosity, faster colour development. (See how to roast decaf coffee for why decaf needs a different approach.)

Robusta is designed for robusta species beans, which behave differently from arabica in the roaster.

Super Dark takes the roast further into dark territory for people who prefer a bold, roasty cup.

Choosing a level

How dark you roast is entirely personal preference, but as a starting point: Level 1 for filter, Level 2 for espresso. The Kaffelogic roasts darker than many people expect, particularly at Level 3 and above, so it is better to start lower and work up than to overshoot on your first batch.

The most useful thing you can do early on is roast the same coffee at three different levels - say 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 - cup all three, and let taste decide which you prefer. If the coffee tastes too roasty, burnt, or dark, lower the level. If it tastes too acidic, hollow, or light, increase it.

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Kaffelogic Studio software

Kaffelogic Studio is free software that connects to your roaster and gives you three main capabilities.

Viewing roast logs. Every roast is logged automatically on the machine. Connect the roaster to your computer via the USB-C cable (or via the wireless connector if you have one) and Studio will sync the data. You can see the temperature curve, timing, and key milestones for each roast. Over time, this builds a library you can refer back to — when you find a combination of profile, level, and coffee that works, you have the data to repeat it.

Creating and modifying profiles. If you want to go beyond the built-in profiles, Studio lets you create your own from scratch or modify existing ones. You can adjust the temperature curve, timing, and airflow settings. This is where the Kaffelogic becomes a serious profiling tool rather than just a push-button roaster.

Firmware updates. Studio checks whether your roaster's firmware is up to date and handles the update process. Kaffelogic regularly improves the machine's performance and adds features through firmware updates, so keeping current is worth doing.

Studio runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and can be downloaded from kaffelogic.com/downloads.

The BOOST Kit

The BOOST Kit is an optional larger roast chamber insert that changes the Kaffelogic's batch capacity. With the BOOST Kit installed, you can roast as little as 40g or up to 200g of green coffee (producing roughly 160g roasted).

This extends the machine in two directions. For home roasters who want larger batches - enough for a week's drinking from a single roast - the 200g capacity is a meaningful step up from the standard 120g. For professional sample roasters, the ability to go as low as 40g means you can evaluate small samples without wasting green coffee.

The BOOST Kit is purchased separately and is available from us.

Practical roasting tips

Start with KL Classic and experiment from there

KL Classic works well across a range of coffees. Use it for your first several roasts to learn how the machine behaves and what levels suit your taste. Once you are comfortable, try the processing-specific profiles (Washed, Natural) and the altitude profiles to see whether they make a noticeable difference with the coffees you are roasting.

Use the altitude profiles when you know the growing elevation

If your green coffee listing tells you the altitude - and most will - selecting the matching altitude profile gives the roaster a better starting point for that coffee's density and structure. It is a small adjustment but it can make a noticeable difference, particularly with very dense high-altitude coffees that need more energy to develop.

Roast the same coffee at multiple levels

This is the fastest way to learn what you like and what a coffee is capable of. Three batches of the same green at different levels, cupped side by side, will teach you more than roasting three different coffees at the same level.

Keep the chaff collector clean

Empty the chaff collector after every roast. A build-up of chaff restricts airflow, affects roast consistency, and is a fire risk. It takes a few seconds and should become automatic.

Pay attention to resting times

Coffee from the Kaffelogic generally needs more resting time than coffee from a drum roaster. The convection-only heat transfer leaves the bean's cell structure more intact, so CO₂ escapes more slowly after roasting. Allow a few extra days compared to drum-roasted coffee at the same level. The exception is the RTD profiles, which are designed for immediate brewing.

Ventilate properly

The Kaffelogic produces less smoke than a drum roaster, but it still produces some - particularly at medium and darker levels. An open window is the minimum. A small extraction fan makes a noticeable difference if you roast regularly indoors.

Use Studio to learn from every roast

Connect after every roast and let Studio sync your logs. When a roast tastes great, you have the data to repeat it. When something is off, the log helps you work out why.

Troubleshooting

First crack is hard to hear

This is the most common question from Kaffelogic users. The machine is quieter than a drum roaster, and first crack can be subtle - particularly with denser coffees or at lighter roast levels. The best approach is to listen near the chaff collector, where crack is most audible. With experience, you will learn to pick it up, but the first few roasts may take some concentration. If you are connected to Studio, the bean temperature curve can help confirm crack - look for the characteristic dip or flattening in the rate of temperature rise around the expected crack window.

The roast is darker than expected

The Kaffelogic roasts darker than many people expect, particularly at Level 3 and above. If your coffee is coming out too dark, lower the level. The difference between levels is meaningful - even half a level (say 2.0 to 1.5) will produce a noticeably lighter roast. Start low and work up rather than the other way around.

The coffee tastes sharp or gassy

Almost certainly a resting issue rather than a roasting issue. Coffee from the Kaffelogic - a fluid bed roaster - needs more rest than drum-roasted coffee. If you are brewing within a day or two of roasting and the cup tastes sharp, wait a few more days and try again. RTD profiles are the exception - these are designed for immediate brewing.

The coffee tastes flat or hollow

If the cup lacks sweetness and tastes baked - papery, bready, no character - the roast may have lost momentum. Try increasing the level slightly, or try a different profile. If the issue persists across different profiles and levels, the green coffee itself may be the problem - old or poorly stored green will taste flat regardless of how you roast it.

Using the Kaffelogic as a sample roaster

The Kaffelogic's precision, profile logging, and flexible batch sizes (particularly with the BOOST Kit) make it a practical sample roaster alongside its home roasting role.

The workflow for evaluating green coffee is straightforward. Roast the same coffee at three to five different levels using the Cupping profile or KL Classic. Cup all of them side by side. Note where the acidity is brightest, where sweetness peaks, and where the coffee starts to lose character. That gives you a flavour map of what the coffee can do - and a clear target for your production roast if you are scaling to a larger machine.

Studio lets you overlay and compare profiles from different roasts, making it easy to see what changed between levels and how the coffee responded.

The profiles you develop on the Kaffelogic will not translate directly to a drum production roaster — the heat transfer mechanism is fundamentally different. But the information you gather about the coffee transfers to any machine. (See coffee roast profiling: from sample to production.)

Maintenance

Chaff collector. Empty after every roast.

Roast chamber. Clean occasionally with a dry cloth. Only clean the chamber if the oil build-up is excessive or affecting the taste of your coffee. Do not use detergent inside the roast chamber.

Temperature probe. Wipe the probe tip with a dry cloth if residue builds up. Do not use a damp cloth inside the roast chamber.

Exterior. Wipe down with a damp cloth as needed. Unplug before cleaning.

Firmware. Check for updates through Studio periodically. Kaffelogic continues to improve the machine through firmware updates.

Wrapping up

The Kaffelogic Nano 7 is simple to start with and deep enough to grow into. Your first roast - KL Classic, Level 1 or 2, 120g of green - will produce a good cup with almost no learning curve. From there, experimenting with levels, trying the altitude and processing profiles, and eventually creating your own through Studio opens up a level of control that most home roasters do not get without spending significantly more.

If you have questions about the machine, about which green coffees work well on it, or about anything else roasting-related, get in touch - we roast on them ourselves and we are happy to help.