I've been looking to upgrade to a more sizeable commercial roaster as our little 3kg can't really keep up with demand, is inconsistent, lacks control and breaks down too much.
What bothers me is the cost of the Probats, Geisens and Lorings out there next to some of the others (Toper, Garanti, Tecnomatic).. Am I comparing Ferraris and Porsches with Skodas and Vauxhalls? Better build quality, better looking, brand etc. but essentially still does the same job? What is the overwhelming factor when choosing one of these roasters? Is it reliability? Quality of roast? Ease of use? Something else?
I can't help but feel like everyone jumps on the bandwagon and has to have a Probat to be taken seriously/look the part when a cheaper, less known brand can do as good a job.
Having no practical experience on a bigger roaster I don't know where to start and as the investment is quite significant I'm a little apprehensive!
Throw some knowledge at me, fellow coffee nerds!