The C2 was a difficult manual grinder to beat, for the price. I say “was”, they’re still producing it, so you can still get hold of them, and they’re about £30 cheaper than the C3 at the time of writing, bargain!
Both the C2 and the C3 are great when it comes to their size and weight, the body on both is Aluminimum hence the lightweight, surprising given the low cost. The handle (stainless steel) is nice to operate, it’s a smooth grinding experience with both.
The C3 though has the new S2C burrs, similar burrs to those found in their Chestnut X, so this is the main difference, and the main result of the new burrs is that the C3 will grind for espresso as well as for manual brew methods.
Features and Benefits
• Portable and lightweight at 5.8cm diameter x 13.8cm tall and 420 grams
• Smooth grinding thanks to bearings
• 38mm conical steel burrs with new "spike to cut / S2C" geometry
• Great results for manual brew methods and espresso!
• Max capacity of 20-25g (depending on beans and roast level)
The settings are limited, the burr gap per click appears to be quite large, so any dialing in with this grinder is going to be “ballpark” dialing in, you’ll need to lean on other variables such as brew temp if available, and ratio.
It is worth noting that the C3 does seem noticeably slower when it comes to grinding for manual brew methods, as this is an area where the C2 performs amazingly well for a grinder at this price.
Overall, the Timemore C3 is a manual coffee grinder that represents great value for money, and will work well for most brew methods including espresso albeit with limited fine-tuning ability. If you want a real bargain, however, and more speed for manual brewing, go for the C2.