Nathan Burrow is an editor who covers shopping, retail trends, and deals. He has scanned countless sales and discounts. Most underwhelm.
The time I spend preparing coffee every morning is a bit like meditation. This 10-minute routine gives me a moment to breathe, focus, and think. Then, at last, I turn my attention to the daily blitz of Slack notifications.
Perhaps no single object, other than the coffee itself, is more essential to my coffee routine than the Timemore Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder, the best grinder we’ve found for under $100 (and it’s usually under $70).
In the few minutes it takes to grind my beans, I peer out my kitchen window at birds, power lines, and far-off buildings, all while listening to the distant sound of cars. Nearly two grinding cycles later, I’ve considered the weather and the day ahead, checked in with myself, and also made some of the best coffee I’ve ever had.
Top pick
Timemore Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder
Portable, consistent, and easy to use (albeit more labor-intensive)
For those who want a high-quality yet affordable portable hand grinder, the Timemore Chestnut C2 is the best in its class for speed, grinding ease, and consistency.
Buying Options
Sleek, well made, and portable
A few years ago, the thought of a coffee grinder becoming a tool as essential to my routine as a toothbrush would have felt like a stretch. But when road trips (to go to concerts or see my nieces) take me away from home, the tiny Timemore grinder comes with me in its travel bag (it’s just about 6 inches tall).
My travel buddies look on a little puzzled, but for me this has become part of the travel experience: Find new beans at a local coffee shop the first morning after I arrive, take them back to my short-term rental, grind them, and then pull out the AeroPress (travel version). It’s a fun little hack: Neither my grinder nor my coffee maker requires electricity! Coffee has become my way of learning new cities.
The Timemore grinder’s metal body feels precisely machined—everything fits together perfectly, and it manually grinds whole coffee beans smoothly, with minimal resistance as you turn the handle. Inside the grinder, you’ll find stainless steel adjustable burrs that determine grind size. I make teeny grind adjustments, depending on whether I am using my Technivorm Moccamaster, Clever Coffee Dripper, or AeroPress. Two rounds of grinding take about 30 seconds each, with another minute in between to reload beans. For me, that’s enough for an 8-cup pot of coffee, but your mileage may vary, depending on your tastes.
Yet perhaps what stands out most is that such a precise, hefty, and capable piece of machinery is so affordable. The 20-gram Timemore Chestnut C2 can often be found on sale in the low- to mid-$50s; the slightly larger, 25-gram model or the slightly newer C3 (which includes a folding handle) each go for another $10 to $15 when discounted). This is significantly less expensive than Wirecutter’s $100 budget electric grinder pick.
Servings are small, and it’s not designed for espresso
The biggest drawback of the Timemore grinder is its capacity. The fact that it is so compact and portable also means it can’t hold enough beans/grounds for a full pot of coffee. You’ll need to grind, reload, and grind again. For me, this is part of the meditative process I enjoy every morning, but for some it’s going to be annoying.
For espresso, you’ll need a finer grind than I’ve attempted (because I don’t own an espresso machine, I can’t speak to the resulting grind quality). On rare occasions, I’ve also found that the bottom unscrews very slightly while I’m grinding, but nowhere near enough to fall off and deposit your coffee grounds on the counter or floor.
Although the Timemore C2 has a (mostly) smooth grinding mechanism, those with limited wrist or hand strength or mobility might find it cumbersome to use, and they may instead prefer an automatic grinder.
Finally, this grinder does have some internal plastic parts, and, for some people, that might raise some concerns about its long-term durability. However, in over a year of using the C2, I haven’t experienced anything that would give me pause about its longevity.
It’s a breeze to clean
The Timemore C2 comes with a carry bag as well as a cleaning brush (which, in my experience, is sufficient for cleaning the grinder).
On one occasion, I gave the piece that holds the grounds a rinse. If you ever opt to do so, it’s important to be sure it’s entirely dry afterward because metal and lingering moisture don’t mix. This off-label practice could also void the warranty, since the instructions tell you to use only air and a brush (but I haven’t seen any rust on my grinder).
Hand-grinding daily isn’t for everybody, but I don’t miss the jarring, high-pitched whine of an electric grinder in the morning, and I relish reclaiming a little counter space and a little time for myself to start each day.
This article was edited by Alex Aciman, Rachel Wharton, and Catherine Kast.
