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Head-to-head · Best Coffee Grinders Under $200

Timemore Chestnut C2 vs Timemore Chestnut C3

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Timemore Chestnut C3 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about entry-level manual grinder users — read the strengths below before deciding.

Timemore Chestnut C2
Ranked #5 in Best Coffee Grinders Under $200
Timemore Chestnut C2
4 sources$79as of Jun 7

A hand grinder with 38mm stainless conical burrs in an aluminium body, aimed squarely at filter coffee. Coffee Chronicler scored it 4.8 out of 5 and CoffeeXplore 4.7, both on the same grounds: the grind is even enough for pour-over and press, and the mechanism turns far more easily than the price suggests. Home Coffee Expert put it at 8 out of 10 and Tom's Guide at 4 out of 5, with the caveat every review reaches, that it will not grind fine enough for espresso.

Strengths
  • — Sleek, well-made metal construction with precise machining and smooth grinding mechanism
  • — Portable and compact design, just 6 inches tall, fits in travel bag
  • — Stainless steel adjustable burrs allow for consistent grind size adjustments
Watch-outs
  • — Small capacity requires multiple grinding cycles for full pot of coffee
  • — Not suitable for espresso due to inability to achieve fine enough grind
  • — Some internal plastic parts may raise durability concerns for some users
$79 · Buy at walmart.comFull review →
Timemore Chestnut C3
Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best Coffee Grinders Under $200
Timemore Chestnut C3
6 sources$99as of Aug 1

The Timemore Chestnut C3 is an incremental update to the popular C2, bringing new S2C burr technology and a steel dial indicator. Reviewers found the new burrs slower than the previous model, dropping grinding speed from 0.8-1g/sec to around 0.5g/sec. The design carries over almost unchanged, with an aluminum body and stainless steel components, though the plastic internals have raised concerns among some users. For filter coffee the C3S variant is the recommendation, while the C3 ESP offers more precise adjustments for espresso. Drawbacks aside, it stays a budget-friendly entry into manual grinding.

Strengths
  • — Features new S2C burr technology that Timemore claims improves grind consistency
  • — Includes a steel dial indicator instead of plastic on the newer model
  • — Lightweight design at just 423g, making it easy to handle during use
Watch-outs
  • — New S2C burrs are slower than the previous C2 burrs, grinding at ~0.5g/sec vs 0.8-1g/sec
  • — Still uses plastic stabilizers internally which some users may find concerning
  • — Grinder speed and performance are described as a step back compared to the C2
$99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Timemore Chestnut C2

The Timemore Chestnut C2 offers excellent value and portability, outperforming the Cuisinart Supreme Grind in consistency and build quality, but it's less precise than the 1Zpresso J-Max and lacks the fine-tune settings of the Baratza Virtuoso Plus. It's more affordable than the Fellow Opus but not as versatile for espresso.

Timemore Chestnut C3

The Timemore Chestnut C3 improves on the C2 with a steel dial indicator and S2C burrs, but it's slower and still uses plastic components, unlike the 1Zpresso J-Max's titanium-coated burrs. It's less precise than the Baratza Virtuoso Plus and not as versatile as the Fellow Opus, but it remains a budget-friendly option for basic manual grinding.

Specs side-by-side

SpecTimemore Chestnut C2Timemore Chestnut C3
Burr TypeConical SteelConical Steel Burrs (S2C 660)
Grind SettingsAdjustable stainless steel burrs12 clicks (C3S), 30 clicks (C3 ESP)
Capacity20 grams25g
Burr Size38mm38mm
MaterialMetal body with plastic partsAluminum body with stainless steel burrs
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