What Is a Coffee Roaster Called Around the World?
A Journey Through Language, Culture, and the Global Coffee Ritual
Coffee is a global language — but it’s spoken in thousands of ways. From Istanbul’s centuries-old tradition to Tokyo’s minimalist brewing cafés, coffee means different things to different cultures. And even the machine that roasts the beans — the coffee roaster — carries a different name depending on the region.
In this article, we explore what a coffee roasting machine is called in different countries, while taking a deeper look at each culture’s unique relationship with coffee.
Poland – Maszyna do palenia kawy, Palarka do kawy
Coffee arrived in Poland in the 17th century, largely via the Ottoman Empire and Vienna. Modern Poland has embraced both espresso-based drinks and traditional Turkish-style coffee. Roasteries across cities like Warsaw now rely on the palarka do kawy to create distinct profiles that appeal to local tastes.
Romania – Prăjitor de cafea, Mașină de prăjit cafea
Romanian coffee culture is a blend of Balkan heritage and Italian espresso trends. While strong black brews remain popular at home, specialty cafés now roast beans on-site using a mașină de prăjit cafea to serve a growing market of curious consumers.
France – Torréfacteur de café, Machine à torréfier le café, Machine de torréfaction
From Parisian cafés to Marseille roasteries, France celebrates coffee with elegance. Today’s French torréfacteurs de café are redefining tradition using sleek machines de torréfaction to produce light, fruity, or complex roasts appreciated by a younger crowd.
Germany – Kaffeeröster, Kaffeeröstmaschine
Germany has long favored filtered coffee, but third-wave cafés now embrace lighter, more aromatic profiles. In cities like Berlin and Hamburg, a Kaffeeröstmaschine is at the heart of every serious micro-roastery.
Netherlands – Koffiebrander
The Dutch coffee tradition is shaped by their colonial history with Java and Sumatra. In the Netherlands today, a koffiebrander is both a tool and a badge of quality for independent cafés that prioritize traceability and craftsmanship.
Italy – Tostatrice per caffè, Tostatore di caffè
Espresso is sacred in Italy. Most Italians drink blends dark-roasted in a tostatrice per caffè to achieve the strong, bold flavor they love. From Turin to Naples, these machines are the backbone of Italy’s roasting heritage.
Czech Republic & Slovakia – Pražička kávy, Pražičky kávy
Coffee in Prague and Bratislava is no longer just functional — it’s social, artisanal, and stylish. Roasters using pražička kávy often focus on small-batch beans and experimental roast curves to cater to the growing demand for specialty coffee.
Denmark & Norway – Kafferister, Kafferistere
Scandinavian countries top global coffee consumption charts. The kafferister is a fixture in Nordic roasteries where light roasts and ethical sourcing are paramount. Norwegian and Danish cafés often roast on-site to showcase freshness and transparency.
Sweden – Kafferostare
Sweden’s beloved fika tradition fuels one of the world’s most coffee-obsessed cultures. A kafferostare is commonly used in boutique cafés to highlight crisp, floral Scandinavian roasts.
Finland – Kahvinpaahtokone
Finns drink the most coffee per capita globally, usually filter-brewed and lightly roasted. With the rise of micro-roasting, the kahvinpaahtokone is becoming a household or café staple across Helsinki and beyond.
Spain & Latin America – Tostadora de café, Tostador de café, Máquina de tostar café
In Spain and Latin America, coffee is more social than ritualistic. Traditional roasting with a tostadora de café remains common in small towns and urban cafés alike, while larger máquinas de tostar café serve the growing demand for specialty coffee in cities like Bogotá, Mexico City, and Lima.
Russia & Ukraine – Машина для обжарки кофе, Машина для обсмажування кави
While instant coffee once dominated these markets, espresso bars and craft roasters are now gaining ground. In Moscow and Kyiv, the машина для обжарки кофе is central to the evolving café landscape.
Arabic-Speaking Countries – آلة تحميص القهوة
Arabic coffee culture dates back centuries and centers around hospitality. While coffee is often brewed at home in traditional ways, the rise of specialty coffee has introduced the آلة تحميص القهوة into roasteries and upscale cafés across the Gulf.
Japan – 焙煎機, 珈琲焙煎機, 焙煎マシン, コーヒーロースター
In Japan, coffee culture is an elegant fusion of precision and ritual. Pour-over and siphon methods are favored, and many cafés roast in-house with compact 焙煎機 or 珈琲焙煎機. Japanese コーヒーロースター designs are often minimalist and technically refined, reflecting the country’s attention to detail.
China – 烘焙机 (Hōng bèi jī)
Coffee in China has exploded in popularity over the past decade. Young professionals flock to stylish cafés in Beijing and Shanghai, where 烘焙机 are used to roast imported beans. Domestic roaster brands are also emerging, signaling long-term market growth.
Vietnam – Máy rang cà phê, Máy rang cà phê công nghiệp
Vietnam is a major coffee exporter, known for robusta beans and traditional drip brewing. From sidewalk cafés to industrial roasteries, máy rang cà phê công nghiệp is widely used to meet domestic and global demand.
Indonesia – Mesin pemanggang kopi
Indonesia’s unique terroir has made Java and Sumatra household names. In local markets, farmers and small businesses rely on mesin pemanggang kopi to roast their beans for domestic sales or export.
Conclusion
From a tostatrice per caffè in Rome to a 焙煎機 in Tokyo, the coffee roaster is a universal tool with a thousand names. Behind each is a local story of tradition, taste, and transformation.
At Golden Coffee Roasters, we proudly serve roasters across the globe — delivering performance and precision, no matter the language.