Choosing your hand grinder

Time to get manual?

So, you've heard that in order to get the best from your beans is to grind them fresh? Darn right, it is.

Some go from an electric grinder to a hand grinder for different reasons; maybe they want to feel the labor of love going into their coffee, want to save space in the kitchen, have more control over their grind or be able to sculpt their beans in the outdoors, at one with nature. Whatever the reason, there's a grinder for you.

If you want quality, we'd recommend Timemore, not just because we are an avid fan but we really think they give best bang (and long time happiness) for the buck.

Entry level grinder

The C2 grinderis a perfect first grinder, budget but with an intention to last. Aluminium body, 38mm steel burrs with plastic stabilizers inside to keep the cost down. 

It's fast, easy to adjust, grinds consistently and perfect for those who want to brew pour over. Has a capacity of 20-25g

 Medium grinders for the semi-pro

So you've been in the coffee world for a while, have already experienced the joys of brewing by hand and want to up your game?  Try the Slim grinder with S2C burrs. The burrs first spike the beans before grinding to smaller particles. Harder steel and more resistant. 

Another fast, reliable and consistent grinder that is thinner and taller than the C2 version making it easier to grip and will fit into your AeroPress if you want to grind straight into it. Capacity 20g.

More advanced grinders

For those who are getting down with your microns and are super particular about the size of your grinds then we'd recommend Chestnut X. It's a solid grinder which looks great, feels reassuringly weighty and gives amazingly consistent results from pour over down to espresso fine.

• Espresso: 5-7 clicks
• Pour over: 15-18 clicks (recommended starting point 16 clicks)
• French Press: 18-22 clicks

The latest Spike to Cut (S2C) give it the edge when ensuring a perfect grind time after time. A foldable handle makes this a perfect tidy travel partner with a capacity of 30 - 35g. If you don't need 120 different grind options then maybe the X-Lite could be for you.

The Chestnut X Lite, gives similar performance to the X but in a more rounded body and a more traditional handle. The burrs are the same but with less dial in adjustments. They're both premium products that look amazing and are Timemore's diamond products in their crown.