Every price guide tells you what a roaster costs to buy. Almost nobody tells you what it costs to run — yet gas, electricity and consumables decide your real margin per kilogram for the next fifteen years. As the factory building these machines, here are honest coffee roaster running costs: fuel consumption by size, the consumables schedule, and a worked cost-per-kg example you can adapt to your own utility prices.
Gas Consumption by Machine Size
A drum roaster’s burner does not run at full power all batch — real consumption averages well below the rated maximum. Typical working figures across a normal roast cycle:
| Machine | Typical LPG use | Per hour of roasting |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 kg | ~0.2–0.4 kg LPG/hour | Cents per hour in most markets |
| 5–6 kg | ~0.5–1.0 kg LPG/hour | Roughly one 15 kg cylinder per 2–3 roasting weeks at cafe volume |
| 10–12 kg | ~1.0–2.0 kg LPG/hour | Plan a 2-cylinder manifold with auto changeover |
| 30 kg | ~3–5 kg LPG/hour | Bulk tank or pipeline territory |
Ranges vary with roast level, batch fill and ambient temperature — darker and fuller runs hotter. Your exact figures stabilize within the first month of logging.
Electricity: Motors Are Cheap, Elements Are Not
- Gas machines draw only 0.3–2 kW for drum, fans and controls — a few cents per hour almost anywhere
- Electric-heated machines draw the heating load too: roughly 3–4 kWh per hour on a 1 kg, 9–12 kWh on a 3 kg. Where power is expensive (much of Europe, island grids), gas wins the operating-cost race decisively; where power is cheap or gas is banned indoors, electric earns its place — the full trade-off is in gas vs electric roasters
- Smoke equipment: an ESP filter adds ~0.3 kW (trivial); an afterburner adds real gas consumption every batch — factor it in if regulations require one (ESP vs afterburner)
Consumables: The Predictable Budget
| Item | Interval | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Drum/fan bearings | 1–3 years | Tens of dollars + an afternoon |
| Belts & gaskets | 1–2 years | Minor |
| Temperature probes | 2–4 years | Minor; keep one spare |
| Cleaning supplies & time | Weekly–monthly | Mostly labor — chaff, cyclone, ducting |
Budget rule of thumb: 1–2% of the machine price per year keeps a well-maintained drum roaster in consumables indefinitely. The routine itself: maintenance schedule guide.
Worked Example: Cost per Roasted Kilogram
A 6 kg gas roaster, 4-hour session, 16 batches × 5 kg green = 80 kg green → ~67 kg roasted:
- LPG: ~3 kg × your local price (say $1.5/kg) = $4.50
- Electricity: ~2 kWh = $0.40
- Consumables reserve: ~$1.50 per session
- Machine running cost: ≈ $0.10 per roasted kg — against green coffee at $4–12/kg and retail at $20–40/kg
The machine is the cheapest part of every bag you sell. What matters more is uptime — which is why support and parts availability belong in the purchase decision, not the fine print. Purchase prices themselves: the full price guide.
FAQ
How much gas does a coffee roaster use?
A 5–6 kg machine averages roughly 0.5–1.0 kg of LPG per roasting hour; a 1–2 kg machine a fraction of that. Exact use depends on roast level, batch fill and climate.
Is an electric roaster more expensive to run than gas?
Usually yes at 3 kg and above — heating elements draw kilowatt-hours that burners deliver more cheaply in most markets. Electric wins where gas is banned or power is unusually cheap.
What should I budget for spare parts per year?
Roughly 1–2% of the machine price covers bearings, belts, gaskets and probes on a normal maintenance schedule.
Does an afterburner double my gas bill?
It adds meaningful consumption — often comparable to the roaster’s own burner. If regulations allow, an ESP filter treats visible smoke at a fraction of the running cost.
Running costs are one input into a bigger question. Our coffee roaster ROI and payback guide turns cost per kilo into contribution per kilo, throughput per shift and a payback timeline.
Get Real Numbers for Your Setup
Tell us your capacity, fuel prices and daily volume — we will send the consumption spec for the exact model plus a cost-per-kg estimate for your market.
Last updated: August 27, 2026