Timemore C3 ESP Pro Review: Best Travel Manual Grinder
Discover the Timemore C3 ESP Pro coffee grinder, a must-have for coffee lovers on the go. Thanks to its innovative folding handle and compact design, this tool is perfect for travel. In this article, I share my experience along with an objective evaluation of its performance. Dive into its features and see why it could become your ally for enjoying excellent coffee, no matter where you are.
I picked up the Timemore C3 ESP Pro after accumulating a good number of business trips and relying increasingly on portable coffee machines. Several acquaintances had recommended it enthusiastically, and I was curious. This article is not sponsored by Timemore — I bought it with my own money, for personal use. My goal, as always, is a review that is as accurate and honest as possible.
Design of the Timemore C3 ESP Pro
The folding handle
When it came to choosing a travel grinder, the Timemore range stood out immediately thanks to its folding handle — a major advantage. The mechanism is patented, and I couldn't find any other brand with a comparable solution. 1Zpresso does offer a folding handle too, but the difference is in compactness: once folded, the 1Zpresso still protrudes, whereas Timemore's handle lies perfectly flush against the grinder body.
The crank is fully made of metal (stainless steel) and integrated with the aluminum cap. Despite its small size, the handle of the Timemore C3 ESP Pro offers an excellent grip and is equipped with a ball bearing, unlike the clip system used by competing brands such as 1Zpresso, Kingrinder or El Comandante C40. This ensures, in addition to exemplary build quality, that the handle does not accidentally detach from the crank.
When the crank is folded, a rubber stop prevents the metal part of the crank from coming into contact with the grinder body.
Note that with Timemore, the "Pro" designation indicates the presence of a folding crank. There is indeed another version of this grinder, called Timemore C3 ESP, sold at a lower price, but which does not have a folding crank.
Handle Attachment and Grinder Body
Another key advantage of Timemore grinders is the ball-bearing handle attachment. This ensures the handle rotates smoothly and can't be pulled off by accident. Competing brands often use a clip system, which is more prone to accidental detachment — and some users have had to contact customer service because of it. A clear win for Timemore.
The grinder body
The body is full aluminum. Rather than a smooth surface requiring a rubber grip ring to prevent slipping, Timemore uses a machined groove pattern directly on the body. I find it very comfortable to hold, and the grinder stays put during use — no spinning — despite the torque generated when grinding fine.
The adjustment dial
Unlike its big brother, the Timemore S3, the adjustment dial on the C3 ESP Pro model is located directly at the burrs level.
While the Timemore C3/C3S models offer 12 clicks per turn, the C3 ESP offers 30, similar to a grinder equipped with the "Red Clix" kit of the C40, which increases the number of available clicks.
The Timemore C3 ESP allows a spacing of 23.3 µm per click.
Here are the recommended settings according to extraction type:
The grind setting is read as follows: the first digit indicates the number of complete turns to make with the adjustment dial, while the second digit specifies which graduation mark to stop at after completing the full turns. For example, a setting of 1.6 means you need to make one complete turn with the dial, then stop at graduation mark 6.
Recommended settings:
How to read positions: the X.Y.Z format indicates the number of complete turns (X), the position on the adjustment dial (Y), and the micro-adjustment in clicks (Z). For example, 1.4.2 means 1 complete turn + position 4 on the dial + 2 clicks of micro-adjustment.
- Espresso12 to 40 clicks(position 0.3.0 to 1.0.0)
- Moka24 to 45 clicks(position 0.6.0 to 1.1.0)
- Pour Over42 to 72 clicks(position 1.0.0 to 1.8.0)
- French Press72 to 84 clicks(position 1.8.0 to 2.1.0)
These settings are indicative and may vary depending on your coffee and preferences.
The S2C600 Burr
The Timemore S2C600 burr is a derivative of the C2C800, formerly used in the Timemore Chestnut X grinder, now discontinued. This new generation, the S2C600, equips several grinders in the Timemore range, such as the Timemore S3 that I tested a few months ago.
The Chestnut X burr had already impressed me with its ability to produce a consistent grind. Timemore has made some improvements, making the grind even more uniform with this new version.
The Catch Cup
In my experience, the quality of the catch cup often reflects the overall design and manufacturing quality of a grinder. For example, the Kinu Phoenix has a plastic catch cup that is too light, which unbalances the grinder when placed on a countertop. The C40, meanwhile, has a lip inside its catch cup, resulting in coffee retention when pouring into the filter.
As for Timemore, the container has no internal rim that could cause coffee retention. Moreover, its weight is sufficient to stabilize the grinder by lowering its center of gravity. Unlike other models such as those from 1Zpresso, the container is attached by screwing it on, which adds to its robustness.
Finally, a rubber pad sits underneath the container to protect the countertop — a small but thoughtful detail that shows the care put into the design.
Extracting an espresso with the Timemore C3 ESP Pro
Unlike the Timemore S3, which let me down badly for espresso, the Timemore C3 ESP Pro is perfectly capable of pulling quality espresso. Here's a step-by-step example using a La Pavoni.
I weigh 16 g of coffee, spray a little water (the RDT technique to reduce retention from static electricity), then I grind it with the Timemore grinder.
Coffee ground using the grinder with an espresso grind. Setting used: 0.50 (graduation 5 from 0, without a full turn beforehand).
To avoid channeling, I break up the clumps and distribute the coffee evenly using my WDT.
Finally, I place a puck screen and perform the extraction.
That said, even though espresso is possible, the Timemore C3 ESP Pro wouldn't be my first pick for that use case. The main limiting factor is the burr size, 38 mm, which significantly lengthens the grinding time compared to grinders equipped with larger burrs, such as the Kingrinder K6 or the 1Zpresso J-Ultra, which are more expensive. Find a Timemore C3 ESP Pro coffee grinder on Amazon
With the Timemore C3 ESP Pro, it takes me more than a minute to grind for espresso, while with 47 or 48 mm burrs, the time is reduced to about 40 seconds.
The Excellence of the Timemore C3 ESP Pro for Travel
In my experience, Timemore has always shone with coarser grinds, while competing brands like 1Zpresso tend to be stronger on the espresso side.
The grind from the Timemore is genuinely consistent — a hallmark of the brand. Whether for a V60 or my travel machine, the Pipamoka (the reason I bought this grinder in the first place), this is the perfect compromise for me.
The 38 mm burr is perfectly suited to this kind of extraction — it grinds coarser settings quickly without any issue.
Brewing coffee with the Wacaco Pipamoka
These simple steps let you make a great cup of coffee anywhere.
- Grind 14 g of coffee with the Timemore C3 ESP Pro: I use setting 1.9 (one complete turn of the adjustment dial, then up to position 9).
- Pour the ground coffee into the capsule using the small funnel provided to avoid spilling any around it.
- Roughly distribute the coffee in the capsule before closing it.
- Close the capsule using its lid.
- Fill the reservoir with hot water.
- Insert the capsule into the Pipamoka and wait approximately 30 seconds until there are no more air bubbles.
- When the air bubbles have disappeared, close the Pipamoka with the lid.
- Turn the base of the Pipamoka to create extraction pressure.
- And here is the result:
Enjoy your freshly brewed coffee.
Disassembling and cleaning the Timemore C3 ESP Pro
Reassembly and cleaning are straightforward. Here's how:
- Completely unscrew the adjustment dial to release the burr.
- Remove the central rod, which provides access to the inside of the grinder.
- Clean the inside of the grinder with a brush or dry cloth to remove coffee residue.
- Reassemble the grinder by following the reverse order: replace the central rod, reinstall the burr, then screw the adjustment dial back on.
These steps keep the grinder in top shape and ensure long-term durability and consistent performance.
Conclusion
I bought this grinder primarily for travel, and it lives alongside my Wacaco Pipamoka. The Timemore C3 ESP Pro won me over with its compact size, its attractive price, its build quality, and the consistency of its grind.
From left to right: the Wacaco Exagrinder, the Timemore C3 ESP Pro, the Timemore S3.
I find it particularly well-suited to filter coffee given its burr size. That said, it handles espresso too — just a bit slower.
Between the two Timemore grinders, I clearly prefer the C3 ESP Pro over the S3. The S3 is bulkier with a larger burr, but it can't do espresso — the C3 ESP Pro can. If you need something even more compact, check out my review of the Wacaco Exagrinder, which was built specifically for that purpose.
- Affordable price
- Excellent value for money
- Build quality and materials used
- Quality and consistency of the grind
- Extremely low retention
- Easy and pleasant to use
- Folding crank (pro version)
- Takes a long time to grind espresso