The full grind range is not the consistent grind range. As a result, any espresso setting on the Timemore won’t be consistent enough to make espresso fans happy. When using lighter roasts, I like to grind finer as my results are better. For medium and dark roasts, I recommend using the coarser end of the ranges. And here we come to the most crucial consideration- the grind consistency. The Timemore Chestnut C2 offers excellent grind consistency, considering the price. It offers a full grind range, allowing you to grind fine for Moka Pot all the way up to the coarser settings for French press or Chemex. Where it really excels is at the medium and coarse settings, producing a uniform grind size. It still does produce a modest amount of fines, which translates to less clarity in your cup. But given the price, the Timemore C2 well and truly blows its competitors out of the water. That should also help this hand grinder age a little more gracefully; burrs change over time, but a spring won’t lose tension that easily in a grinder (since it won’t undergo too much stress).

If you’re considering getting a Hario or Porlex grinder, you seriously need to upgrade your budget a tiny bit and get this one instead. The Q-model from 1Zpresso has the benefit that it fits inside an Aeropress, which makes it suitable for travel. However, as a daily workhorse, I’d probably take the C2 due to the bigger capacity and increase in speed. I took the grinder apart to have a closer look, and it appears that they have a special geometry that accounts for that aggressiveness. There’s a lot of bite to them. The interior design also helps with a rapid feeding of beans. The burr set is very sharp and aggressive. Manual grinders are usually made of steel, ceramic, or plastic, and the material matters as this affects the coffee grinder’s durability. Because the Timemore C2 is mostly made of aluminium and plastic, it is not the most durable option compared to stainless steel. For this, we took off half of a point. Burr Quality – 5/5 Released following the original Chestnut C2, theC2 Max boasts all interior stainless steel parts, including the grind adjustment wheel – as well as an increased capacity of 30-35g due to its larger body. Ideal for bigger brew methods and faster grinding through larger doses. The burrs remain the same sharp 38mm conical burrs. Timemore C2 Hand Grinder w/ Titanium-coated BuursThe first thing that surprised me when using the grinder was how fast it was. It’s very noticeable and something I wouldn’t have expected. So we were pleased to find that consistency was one of the best aspects of the new burr set in the Timemore C3. In tests, it outperformed the Timemore Slim Plus, which uses the same burrs found in the C2. What about espresso? I have no qualms declaring that, together with 1Zpresso Jx, this is one of the fastest hand grinders on the market. Despite its more modest appearance, it’s a lot faster than Lido 3 and the Comandante. Consistent enough

It takes practically no effort to grind on this little guy. Plus, it’s pretty quiet, perfect for not seriously cheesing off your roommates before an early workday.

There isn’t much to distinguish the C2 and the C3 from the outside as the design is similar. Both are compact and minimal. They stand about 7.5 in. tall and have a diameter of about 2.5 in. Each has a sturdy aluminum alloy body that weighs just around a pound, so they’re both light and easy to carry. The C2 and C3 are both built with a textured body that allows for additional grip during grinding. It measures 14.7 cm tall by 5.2 cm wide, but its weight is an even more impressive 430 g – just under a pound. Its lightness is no accident. It stems from the efficient design, choice of aluminium over steel, and the few plastic components. Compare that to the famous Comandante C40, which has a 6 cm width and weighs 739 g.

Moka pot dabblers may not know the difference, but if you’re buying a hand grinder as part of your quest to make a doppio better than the gods’ nectar and ambrosia, well, you may be better off with another brand. Think Bruce Banner at the physics lab, not Incredible Hulk about to take out the trash. Timemore C2 Grind Consistency Look, the Timemore Chestnut C2 is hardly a bad little hand grinder, but it leaves a little to be desired in terms of grind quality compared to some of the bigger name manual grinders. The flavor differences between the two are especially noticeable in espresso. Pulling a good shot with the C2 is a challenge. The minute inconsistencies in grind size lead to huge variability in flavor shot to shot. This is a problem for the C3 also, but it’s much worse with the C2. The grind inconsistency would be noticeable in Aeropress and even V60 brewing as well. Value Build-quality: More plastic than other hand grinders. The aluminum feels a bit cheaper than the 1Zpresso models. It’s not something you see except when attaching the grounds jar. The sound it makes sounds slightly cheap and creaky.

I think the thing that impresses me most with the early use of this product is the “action” of the crank arm. Without coffee inside, it is glass-smooth with almost no friction at all. I hold the body of the grinder in one hand, give it a slight wiggle, and the crank arm can spin around at 150+ RPM if I wanted to. Along with that, the dual bearing axle system keeps the burrs very steady in their housing with very little wobble, if any.