Finally, a true fully automatic precision coffee roaster. The Nucleus LINK is everything we've been looking for in a truly innovative coffee roaster. Originally designed as a mobile sample roaster for professional roasters traveling to origin, it has evolved into a precise and flexible system that's used in roasting and...
We'll send you an email as soon as it's back!
There was an error signing up for restock notifications. Please try again.
Finally, a true fully automatic precision coffee roaster.
The Nucleus LINK is everything we've been looking for in a truly innovative coffee roaster. Originally designed as a mobile sample roaster for professional roasters traveling to origin, it has evolved into a precise and flexible system that's used in roasting and brewing competitions all over the world. Now you can get competition level coffee fresh roasted in the comfort of your home with just the push of a button!
Simple enough for a beginner, advanced enough for an expert.
The LINK is a 3 part system: the Link roasting machine, the Link App and the Link Studio Software.
1. The Roasting Machine: At it's core, it's a fully automated fluid bed roaster. Designed to be used independently of the others for the sake of mobility and simplicity, it has over 350 unique profiles pre-loaded and accessible at the push of a button. All you need is a power source and coffee. The roast chamber has a thermocouple which reads the temperature of the beans in real time and it feeds this temperature to an onboard PID controller. This PID controller then adjusts the output of the unit's heating element in order to follow your desired profile throughout the entire roast. The profiles are calibrated for 50-100g batches, with a max chamber capacity of 200g (using custom user profiles). Combine it with the App to get professional profile recommendations. Combine it with the Studio software to access your roast logs and design your own profiles.
2. The App: Available for Android or iOS, the App uses some basic information about your coffee using the included density tube. It runs your coffee's info through a frequently updated database to provide professional profile recommendations. Using feedback from your first roast, use the "Advanced Dial In" feature to make the final adjustments to find your perfect profile. The "Fan Calibration" allows you to fine tune the roaster for your altitude.
3. The Software: Available for download to Windows or Mac (scroll down to "Downloads"), the Studio Software elevates this roaster to expert level. It allows you to customize the built in profiles to your liking or build your own roast profiles from the ground up. You can share profiles with your fellow roasting friends and even import profiles from Artisan Scope and other roast logging software to convert into a Link roast profile. Infinite possibilities!
What's in the package?
The Nucleus LINK comes loaded with everything you need to start roasting right away:
The LINK roaster
The roaster top with detachable chaff collector
Density tube
Dosing cup
Sample tray
USB cable
All packaged in a waterproof, military grade case
Designed and manufactured in New Zealand. Powder coated steel roast unit with plastic fittings (Nylon PA66), aluminum roast chamber, double layer borosilicate glass hopper, with plastic (Nylon PA66) molded body parts and replaceable silicone seal.
Capacity: 50-100 grams for calibrated official Nucleus Coffee Tools profiles. Max capacity 200g using custom user generated profiles (experience with fluid bed roasters strongly recommended prior to attempting).
The Nucleus Link includes a 1 year manufacturer warranty. All warranty and service work performed at a full service facility in North Carolina by trained technicians.
120v vs 220v: Please bear in mind this unit is sold to US customers by default as the 120v version. If you need the 220v unit, sometimes it is available to us and we may be able to accommodate you, but you MUST email us before ordering!
The World Traveler Sample Pack - 6 Free Pounds!
Each Link Roaster includes a free variety pack of green coffee! Our 6 pound World Traveler sampler includes 2 coffees from each of the main growing regions (Central/South America, Africa/Middle-East, and Asia/Indonesia). We put some pretty nice coffees in there because we want you to be impressed and come back to us and buy more coffee! If you prefer Decaf or a mix of Regular and Decaf, we're happy to oblige. We get it: coffee is awesome, but so is sleep.
Includes 2,500 Captain's Coins!
Check out our Loyalty Program, the Captain's Crew! A purchase of the Link rewards you with 2,500 coins which you can use on your next purchase of green coffee. Since 2,000 coins can be redeemed for a $26 discount, it's like getting a free gift card with your purchase! Don't forget to sign into your account on checkout to make sure you receive your coins, which will be added to your account on fulfillment of your order.
Our Video Guides & TCC Profile Pack
Check out our entire trilogy of Nucleus Link Guides here or watch our Beginner's Guide below. We even partnered with Nucleus to develop our own exclusive set of profiles, the TCC Profile Pack!
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 33 reviews.
After quite a bit of research, I chose the Nucleus Link.
I am close to retiring and wanted to start roasting my own coffee. I also wanted a roaster that was easy enough for a beginner, but also was something I could grow into as my experience increased. I also did not need a larger roaster, so this one fit the bill. I am really enjoying using it and there is a lot to tinker with if you so choose. Overall quality seems superb, the case is practically bulletproof, and everything has been working flawlessly so far. Looking forward to each new roast I do!
Arrived early, set up and calibration was easy. First roast was the Mexican beans included, 1 of 5 different profiles and development levels. Easy, fun, excellent results. Once the different roast batches rested brewing methods revealed my next strategy for the Sumatra. I’m amazed at the difference that home roasting produces compared to commercial roasts. Can’t go back, don’t want to go back. Excellent experience start to finish!
This Link Roaster is truly amazing … accurate to the point that I could never have imagined nor ever attained with my past roaster types … especially in being able to use this Link Roaster coupled with the Link Studio app throughout the roast…
I cannot thank David and all of the support from TCC in steering me to this particular roaster… it took me a few months to take the plunge but it has been such a helpful tool in my roasting to say the least.
I had previously used a fairly large commercial drum roaster starting back in the 1980’s and found it a great tool BUT its results did not compare at all to this Link Roaster… especially when wanting a smaller volume of beans to roast…
And, prior to ‘justifying’ the purchase price of this Link, I also had tried the smaller SR540 with an extension tube and this worked very well BUT, I found that I wanted even a more precise roast without having to ‘stand by’ to manually adjust the fan and temperature variables for I found that my mind would wander at the wrong times…
SO, after all of what I have ‘attempted’ in my roasting over my years, this roaster is definitely worth far more than what its initial cost was… especially when considering the ever present support and help from TCC…
If you are hesitant because of its price, please just save/budget it into your future for it is definitely worth waiting for…
I cannot thank David, all of TCC team along with De La Finca for their constant and ever present help in providing each of us with such a high quality and great offering of ‘premium’ beans to roast… far superior to that of the other providers that I had/have used over the years past… no matter what roaster that you currently have (a popcorn, cast iron skillet or whatever…)…
Great upgrade from my Behmor. Much easier to control RoR and other parameters for spot on roasts. Would have given 5 stars except for two issues: 1) emptying the beans after roasting is a pain in the a$$. This would be easier if the power cord was detachable. 2) I've had frequent drops on the USB connection while roasting. The connectivity via USB should be much better - I don't have dropping problems with other devices connected to this computer. My ordering and delivery experience with Captain's Coffee was a 5+ star experience.
This is one of the best roasters ever! If you want something that runs on autopilot this is it - if you want something you can tweak every second of the roast this is it. This one of my favorite roasters on the planet and it comes with everything you need to get started. If you have a new coffee, you’ve never roasted before - get the density to figure out which profile and pretty much start with an Omni. It could not be any easier. I roasted one coffee using 6 different profiles with advanced dial in and it was so easy. Let your testing begin!
I absolutely love this roaster! Before purchasing it I had never roasted before. From the very first roast the coffee has been outstanding thanks to all of the profiles and the app that helps you choose the correct one for your coffee. It’s extremely consistent and user friendly. Honestly, I can’t see me ever wanting a different roaster. Before purchasing I emailed with several questions to help me pick which roaster to go with. I have a very good back and forth with David that helped me come to my decision.
Amazing little roaster for a novice. Pretty straightforward to use and the few questions I had were answered immediately by David. I’m super impressed by how well this little machine roasts coffee right the first time but has enough flexibility and the amount of profiles to really let you tailor your roast to your preferences. I was a little concerned I should have bought a more hands on roaster to learn on but David assured me this is a great machine to learn on. Can’t say enough about the customer service and quality of the coffee.
David has been awesome with his advice through the roaster selection process. His videos on how to and use of products are seconded to none. He is very responsive to questions. I have a lot to learn however David’s videos on the Link make your first roast with this machine magical. The first coffee bean roast that was done on my Link was some of the best coffee that I have ever consumed. The coffee bean selection that was sent out as part of the package was also great. You won’t go wrong spending your hard earned money with the Captian!!! Thanks David.
Just beginning to get experience with it, but am enjoying everything about it so far. Probably will eventually allow a longer development time as I prefer those flavors.
The Link is a solid, well built machine, the case is great for keeping it protected when in storage or when transporting. My experience with the purchase and shipping from The Captain was great. However, I haven't found an ideal roast to be as simple as all the documentation and Youtube videos present it. After finding The Captains profile pack, doings some deep dive investigation into the data in the profile packs, and completing 36 roasts, I'm finally understanding what my roaster needs to provide a decent roast. I'm not new to roasting; starting with a fry pan over ten years ago, moving to a popcorn popper, then a Behmor, adding a Fresh Roast SR800, a Sonofresco 2lb, and a Coffee Crafters 6M, I do have some roasting experience. The Link has taken me the most effort to get to where the roasts meet my satisfaction.
I really love this roaster. Extremely versatile yet easy to understand and use. I have 10 roasts under my belt and they all went well and the coffee tasted great. I have used profiles that come with the Link along with those that are part of the Captain's Coffee pack. So far I have only roasted 100g batches but I plan to try the methods outlined in David's videos to bump it up to 200g. I thought maybe I would be bothered by 100g roasts but I actually like them. They give me a chance to try the same coffee roasted with different profiles to see what I like best. The roaster is so automated that I can do other things while it is roasting so the time is not that big of an issue. Also, the roaster can easily replicate a roast over and over so if I want a larger batch it's easy. I appreciate the precise repeatability - something that was much harder for me to achieve on my SR800. Special thanks to The Captain's Coffee for super fast shipping and for the nice sample packs that came with it.
This thing is awesome...... unfortunately I have about 2 lbs of super crema to work through before I really get into it, but I love how evenly it roasts, and it's so nice to not have to hover over a knob (I am coming from a SR340). I cannot wait to really open this think up and let it eat!
Ordered in the evening and they shipped it first thing in the AM complete with tracking information. Thanks. Everything arrived well and I'm now roasting and learning. The free coffee sampler was great as well, it is helping me learn and dial in what I enjoy. Thanks so much.
This is simply Cheating. I have two other roasters but man. This is the end all go to for me. I can simply press play and go or use the app and dial in a profile. It’s just amazing. I have done 3 roasts back to back and it produces consistently each time. Love this!!
The roaster is absolutely fabulous! I have the Gene Cafe and the Ikawa, there is really no comparison. Kinda have to question the other two now. The PID is the biggest difference and changes rhe game.
Tonight 02 Jan, we were able to download the Link App from the Apple Store where for unknown reasons it was blocked "App Not Available" since we received the Link on 30 Dec. We were still able to use Link and both Nucleus and The Captain's Coffee were very responsive to our email about this issue, which they promptly fixed with Apple. The roasts have produced very good cups and espressos and that's without any tweaking from us. We have a Gene, but we prefer lighter roasts and the Link is approaching perfect. Very happy!
The Link takes some fiddling to get to know it, but produces very good to excellent roasts almost immediately. I find the profiles skewed well toward light roasts, so getting to what I think of as balanced roasts requires experimenting, but the tools are there. Overall, a great device that frees me up to learn more about coffee and spend less time messing with the mechanics of the roaster. TCC’s service and responsiveness are absolutely first rate, by the way.
As first time roaster it took a few days to understand the workflow.
It's simpler than I anticipated!
David was extremely helpful and responded fast to my questions and got me on track using the roaster.
I now look at the Nucelus Link as I look at Apple products. No need to start tweaking nitty gritty settings.
Just follow the steps in the App and It will guide you in the direction of a good cup of coffee.
However there are plenty of settings to explore if you want to optimize the roast to your individual needs.
A bit too soon for me to write a credible review. I am taking my time in absorbing the operation data. I did two roasts yesterday and learned a great deal. I will share with you why I chose the LINK. First, it was highly recommended by someone I respect greatly, David Tatum. Next, his video reviews are incredible in my opinion. He has created profiles that can be used on the LINK to roast 200 grams. Some of the best instructional videos I have ever seen! Next, the LINK is made in New Zealand; not China. Third, the design makes it very easy for coffee buyers to have a travel roaster that incorporates all the tools that is needed to professionary roast and cup coffees at farms throughout the world. The carrying case is very heavy duty. Fourth is, as far as I know, the LINK is the only sample roaster that incorporates, as part of the profile selection, a measurement of the density of the bean being roasted.
I discovered The Captain's Coffee through the YouTube algorithm and saw David do a fantastic review on the Nucleus Link. I'm just getting into roasting and I'm a buy once, cry once type of person so figured I would just go with an end game roaster. The machine is actually quite easy to use, and between the well written manual, the videos provided by The Captain's Coffee and Nucleus themselves, it took me two roasts to become familiar and comfortable with the machine. Even though it is a complex machine, it makes roasting very easy with the ability to go much deeper. I could not be happier. As far as the retailer, this seems to be the best bargain in town with free shipping and 6lbs of beans! On top of that, top notch customer service. Obviously had a few questions and David was more than helpful and took a lot of time to walk me through several things on the phone. I have to say that I got ahead of myself because getting the machine and watching all the videos answered most of them. Regardless, what a fantastic resource and retailer. Will continue to buy beans here as I know the service is top notch and can get a serious knowledge download from the man himself. Highly highly recommended.
Exceeded my expectations. The link is a great machine!! Only wish it could do larger batches, but being able to repeat results nullifies that somewhat. The entire experience with The Captains Coffee was great.
I absolutely love this roaster - it is fairly easy to get a good roast almost immediately, even without knowing much about roasting at all. You just do an exploratory roast, using 50g of your beans at the suggested profile from the Link app based on how it's processed and your density readings. Then you do advanced dial in, updating the app with the first crack time you got, and it gives you a refined profile that gives you a very balanced and sweet tasting roast. But I've found that even the exploratory roast is very drinkable in lattes etc, just not quite as good as the advanced dial in one.
Then you can adjust the profile after that based on your personal taste, for instance adjusting the DTR%. As a delicate flavor note light roast lover, I tend to get it quite lower than even the lowest recommended! Hint: Link Studio shows what it thinks your roast level approximately is in the lower right side of the screen. Link Studio is awesome for tinkering. Highly recommended sample roaster!
Amazing experience! I had some questions before buying, made a quick call to the Captain’s Coffee team and had everything sorted out!
The Link is really easy to use, the learning curve is great. I got to roasting just minutes after updating. I’ll be roasting all my samples and micro lots on this machine!!
So much easier and faster than my Gene Cafe roaster. Simply choose a preprogrammed profile based on the bean, and the Link does the rest! It is a clean roaster (meaning hardly any roasting aroma and no visible smoke), which means I can roast in my kitchen instead of my garage - an added bonus, especially in the winter months. Expensive, but if you do a lot of roasting, it is well worth the investment.
You'll be the first to know about sales, new arrivals & you'll get exclusive subscriber discounts. We won't spam your inbox and we won't sell or share your email with anyone else for any reason, ever.
Have Questions?
Ask the Captain
We're happy to help you make sure this coffee, roaster or brewer is right for you
We typically follow up with you within 24-36 hours
