Loring vs Probat: Coffee Roaster Specs, Design and Which to Buy

Loring vs Probat is really a choice between two ideas about how coffee should be roasted. Probat has built rotating drum roasters in Emmerich, Germany, since 1868. Loring builds convection roasters in Santa Rosa, California. On a Loring, one burner heats the beans and burns off the smoke in the same loop.

Both brands sit at the top of the specialty market. Both make excellent coffee in skilled hands. The better pick depends on your batch sizes, your building and your local air rules. It also depends on how much of the roast you want the machine to handle. This guide puts the two side by side, spec by spec, so you can decide with real details instead of brand loyalty.

The Short Version

• Probat is a classic drum roaster. A burner heats a rotating drum, and the beans pick up heat from the hot metal and the moving air.
• Loring is a convection roaster with a fixed stainless drum and paddles. Hot air does most of the work, and the same flame cleans the exhaust.
• Loring needs no separate afterburner. Most Probat setups need one, or a catalytic unit, wherever local air rules call for smoke control.
• Loring's current range is four models from 1.4 kg to 70 kg. Probat's shop range alone covers 1 kg to 30 kg, with industrial lines above that.
• Loring leans toward automation and repeatability. Probat leans toward hands-on control and decades-long service life.
• On the used market, Probat machines turn up far more often. A used Loring is a rarer find.

Loring vs Probat at a Glance

Here is the head-to-head in one table. The biggest differences are how heat reaches the beans, how smoke is handled, and how much the controls automate.

Want to see what's in stock right now? Browse current used Loring roasters and current used Probat roasters on CoffeeTec.

How Each Roaster Applies Heat

A Probat heats the drum and the air. A Loring heats air and pushes it through the beans.

On a Probat, the burner sits under or behind a rotating drum. Beans tumble against hot metal and through a stream of hot air. Even on a classic drum like an old UG, most of the heat still moves by convection. The drum wall adds a conductive share that many roasters can feel in the roast.

A Loring works differently. The burner sits inside a cyclone, off to the side of the roast chamber. A fan pulls exhaust from the drum through that flame and sends the reheated air back into the chamber. The drum itself stays fixed while paddles keep the beans moving. Its surface runs cooler than a direct-fired drum.

Neither design is "better" on paper. They behave differently, and roasters stage their heat differently on each. If you're still deciding between drum and convection designs in general, our guide to drum vs air roasters covers the basics first.

Smoke, Afterburners and Permits

This is the clearest practical split. A Loring cleans its own exhaust. A Probat usually needs a second machine for that job.

Roasting gives off smoke, odor and fine particles. Many cities and air districts require roasteries to treat that exhaust before it leaves the building. With a Probat, that means pairing the roaster with a thermal afterburner or a catalytic unit. That second unit takes floor space, its own fuel, its own ducting and its own upkeep.

Loring folds that step into the roaster. The same flame that heats the roast air also incinerates the smoke, so there's no external afterburner to buy, vent or service. Loring states this design cuts fuel use and greenhouse gases by up to 80% compared with a conventional roaster running an afterburner. Real numbers depend on batch size, hours and local gas rates.

Think of a roastery next to apartments or in a strict air district. For that site, this one difference can tip the decision. If you already run a Probat and need smoke control, CoffeeTec lists afterburner solutions sized for production roasters.

Model Lineup and Batch Sizes Compared

Loring makes four sizes. Probat makes far more, so most buyers compare a Loring against the Probat closest to its batch size.

Shop size: S7 Nighthawk vs Probat P05

The S7 Nighthawk handles 1.4 kg to 7 kg. It's Loring's entry point for a café or a specialty shop moving up from a sample roaster. Probat's P05 sits in the same space as a 5 kg shop roaster. The S7 gives you a wider batch range. The P05 gives you the classic drum feel at a smaller footprint.

The 12 to 15 kg workhorse: S15 Falcon vs Probat P12 or L12

This is the most common head-to-head we see. Loring rates the S15 Falcon for 3 kg to 15 kg per batch. That low end matters if you roast lots of small single-origin lots between larger blend batches.

On the Probat side, the modern P12 and the older L12 both run 12 kg batches. The L12 is a favorite on the used market because it's simple and easy to service. One example is this 1989 Probat L12 with added data logging for Cropster or Artisan, running 4 to 6 batches an hour. Used S15 Falcons that reach CoffeeTec often come with a Loring bean cart and vent stack. Below, an S15 Falcon still on its shipping crate sits next to a Probat L12.

Mid production: S35 Kestrel vs Probat P25 or UG22

The S35 Kestrel covers 7 kg to 35 kg, a half bag at full load. Probat buyers in this range usually look at a P25 or a vintage UG22. A UG22 handles about 22 kg per batch and can push close to 90 kg an hour. That output is why many still run daily, decades after they left Emmerich.

Full bag and up: S70 Peregrine vs Probat G series

The S70 Peregrine roasts 14 kg to 70 kg, a full bag in one batch. Probat goes well past that with G series and industrial machines. CoffeeTec has listed 90 kg and 120 kg G series roasters and even a 240 kg Probat mini plant. If you need more than 70 kg per batch, Probat is the only one of the two that gets you there.

Roast Style and Cup Character

Both roasters can produce any style in skilled hands. Many roasters who have run both still report a lean.

A common view is that Loring shines on espresso and on coffees built around body, chocolate and caramel sweetness. Probat often gets the nod for bright, fruit-forward and high-acidity lots, where the drum's conductive heat helps push development. Treat that as a starting point, not a rule. Your green coffee, your profile and your roaster's skill matter more than the logo on the machine.

One thing most Loring users agree on: profiles from a Loring don't transfer one-to-one to a drum roaster. If you're switching, plan time to rebuild your curves. The same is true for any brand change. Our breakdown of how Probat compares with Giesen covers that drum-to-drum switch in more detail.

Automation and Daily Operation

Loring automates more of the routine. Probat gives you more of the controls in your own hands.

Every current Loring ships with a touchscreen, automatic green bean charging, automatic discharge, a high-speed cooling tray, and saved roast profiles. Once a profile is dialed in, the roaster can repeat it with very little intervention. That frees a head roaster for cupping, QC and green buying. Remote data access also lets Loring's support team see the machine.

Probat's P series brings modern controls to the classic drum, with a large touchscreen and adjustable drum speed and airflow. Classic Probats are a different experience. An L12 or UG22 is mostly manual, and owners often add data logging so they can track and repeat roasts. Plenty of roasters prefer it that way. They like feeling the roast through gas and airflow changes.

Maintenance and Long-Term Ownership

Probat's track record is measured in decades. Loring's is built on fewer moving parts and no afterburner to service.

Probat's strongest selling point on the used market is longevity. We regularly see UG and G series machines from the 1950s and 1960s still in production. Parts and service knowledge are widely available because there are so many Probats in the field.

Loring's case rests on a simpler exhaust path, stainless construction and single-task motors that are quick to swap. You also skip the separate maintenance schedule of an afterburner. The trade-off is that Loring service depends more on the manufacturer's own network and software support.

Buying Used: What We See at CoffeeTec

Used Probats come up often. Used Lorings come up rarely, and they tend to arrive as complete packages. Between October 2024 and September 2026, CoffeeTec listed 217 used roasters. 43 were Probats and just one was a Loring. Of the 88 roasters from that period that have sold, 12 were Probats.

On the Probat side, CoffeeTec moves everything from 100 g PRG and BRZ sample roasters to 90 kg G series drums. The 12 kg class is the busiest. A Probat L12 we listed sold within 28 days. Its listing gave buyers what they ask for first: documented maintenance, stated utilities, crating and original manuals.

Loring listings are less frequent. When they appear, they often include a Loring bean cart, a matching destoner and the vent stacks. Take a rare 70 kg Loring that came through CoffeeTec. It sold with its destoner and a record of maintenance done to Loring's schedule.

For either brand, ask for these before you commit:

• Year built, last used date and hours or batches roasted
• Service records, including any burner, motor or control upgrades
• Fuel type and power: gas type, voltage and phase must match your site
• What's included: cyclone, destoner, loader, bean cart, vent pipe
• For a Probat: drum condition, bearings, and what afterburner setup it ran with
• For a Loring: software version and whether the controls have had recent updates

Our full guide on how to buy a used coffee roaster walks through inspection, logistics and paperwork step by step.

Selling One to Buy the Other

Many buyers in this comparison already own a roaster. Selling it is often how the next one gets paid for.

Say you're moving from a Probat L12 to an S15 Falcon, or from an older Loring to a larger Probat. The machine you're leaving behind has real resale value. Both brands have loyal buyers. Probats hold value because of their reputation and parts support. Lorings draw attention because so few reach the used market.

Before you list, check what yours is likely to bring with our guide on how much your used coffee roaster is worth. Then line up your service records, photos and utility details. Those are the same things buyers asked for on every Probat and Loring we've sold.

Which One Should You Buy?

Pick the roaster that fits your building and your workflow first, then your taste preferences. Answer four quick questions below to see which design fits your roastery and which models match your batch sizes.

Choose a Loring if:

• Your site has strict air rules or close neighbors, and you want smoke control built in
• You run many batches a day with a small team and want repeatable automation
• You roast a wide spread of batch sizes on one machine
• Your menu leans toward espresso and body-forward coffees

Choose a Probat if:

• You want hands-on control and the feel of a classic drum roast
• You need more than 70 kg per batch, now or later
• You want the widest choice of used machines, sizes and years
• You value a machine that can stay in production for decades with routine care

Find Your Next Roaster, or Sell Your Current One

CoffeeTec has connected roasters with production equipment since 1972. Browse current Loring and Probat listings, or request a specific model and our team will help you track one down. Upgrading? List your roaster on CoffeeTec with zero commission and reach buyers already searching for your brand.