Timemore C3 ESP grinder

 Ideal for espresso but still versatile enough for pour-over and French press with the right settings.

Its very good value for money---about $100AUD. It's often described as a entry level grinder, but I think the taste is excellent .

Timemore is a Chinese brand.

Equipped with S2C (Spike-to-Cut) 660 stainless steel burrs (38 mm), inherited from the higher-end Chestnut X series, delivering consistent grind quality and efficient cutting performance.

Offers 30 clicks per rotation—a marked improvement over the standard 12-click models—allowing fine-tuning of grind size. 

Each click adjusts by approximately 0.0233 mm (23 µm), offering better control that is essential for dialing in espresso.

All-metal construction using aluminum alloy and stainless steel for durability and improved heat management; there are no plastic internal components. Textured exterior ensures a secure grip even when grinding espresso-fine settings. 

Silicone base adds stability and minimizes noise when placed on surfaces. 

Holds 20 g–25 g of coffee beans, thanks to the redesigned, larger body compared to earlier C2 versions. 

The C3S variant, however, caters more broadly to filter brewing and is a smidge more affordable.

I use this primarily for espresso at my work. I have a La Pavoni Professional.

For espresso, the settings are 0.5.2 - 1.1 rotations from zero.

So half to a full rotation from zero.

.

Though the grind setting is inside, its really simple. I usually only need to make minor adjustments when I'm dialing in a new coffee.

The S2C660 conical burrs on the left are used in the C3 ESP.

They are stainless steel.

six "core" -- prebreakers ?

These have been designed for use with the 

Timemore C3, Silm 3 and G3.

These  were derived from the S2C860 on the original chestnut model.

To the left are S2C 880 conicals used on the Timemore X LITE

Bigger prebreakers than the 660?

For a comparison, the highly regarded Timemore C2  uses stainless steel 38mm 5 core Burrs (E& B Burr set).

Outer Burr Diameter: 38mm

Outer Burr Height:         17mm

Center Burr Diameter: 29.3mm

Center Burr Height: 20mm

The chestnut C2 is a very fast grinder for french-press, aero press etc , but I think its slow for espresso... though it can grind fine enough.

 The C2 is made completely from metal.

This E&B (espresso & Brewing) burr set hails from 2019 and was released in the C2, NANO, Slim and G1.

pentagonal shape

Some other Timemore conical designs.

heptagonal vs Hexagonal

Generally, the more teeth, and how aggressive the teeth are... the faster the grind.

The time the bean spends inside the burr will effect the particle size distribution. That is, the coffee rolls over and over inside the burr while grinding and the longer the time the more the risk of fines being created.

Generally, coffee moves faster through flat burrs and thus less fines.

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Grinder adjustments for Espresso: 

Many grinders have a 30-micron increment that can be too coarse for dialing in espresso.

In general, the lower the the microns per click, the better your grinder will be for espresso.

By increasing the threads on the adjustment axle, we can increase the number of available adjustment settings thus making it easier to achieve the very precise grind sizes needed for espresso.

A good grinder adjustment for espresso is a step size that's between 5 and 15 microns per click to allow for precise dialing in the shot. Though some grinders are stepless, offering infinite adjustment. The best adjustment size depends on the specific grinder and the sensitivity of your espresso setup, as a single click can significantly affect your shot time and flavor.

Examples of Grinder Adjustments 

Kinu M47: each full revolution having 50 divisions,

                  resulting in a precision of approximately 5 microns per click

1-Zpresso Jmax: 8.8 microns per click

1-Zpresso J-Ultra : 8 microns / click

1-Zpresso JE-Plus & JX-Pro : 12.5 microns / click

Comandante C40: 25-30 microns per click

Comandante C40 with Red Clix: 15 microns per click

Pietro by Fiorenzato : 15 microns/click

Timemore C3 (standard not the ESP version): 83 microns per click

Timemore C3 ESP: 23 microns per click

Timemore C5: 31 microns per click

Timemore C5 ESP: 15 microns per click

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