Timemore C2 Coffee Grinder: The Best Manual Grinder Under $70
The Timemore C2 is a manual hand grinder with stainless steel burrs, 36 click settings, and an aluminum body that weighs just over a pound. It costs between $55-70 depending on where you buy it, and it produces grind quality that rivals electric grinders costing twice as much. If you're looking for your first serious coffee grinder or a reliable travel companion, the C2 is the one I recommend most often.
I bought the Timemore C2 as a travel grinder and ended up using it as my daily driver for over a year. It replaced a Hario Skerton Pro and held its own against my friend's Baratza Encore in side-by-side taste tests. Here's a thorough breakdown of everything I've learned from grinding hundreds of cups through this little machine.
Build Quality and Design
The C2's body is milled aluminum with a matte finish that feels premium in your hand. It's a far cry from the plastic and glass construction of budget manual grinders like the Hario Skerton. The aluminum is durable enough to toss in a bag without worrying about cracks.
The capacity is about 20-25 grams of beans, which is enough for a single large cup or two smaller cups. The grind catch cup at the bottom holds the grounds and attaches magnetically, which is a small detail that makes a big difference. No threading, no twisting. Just pull it off, dump the grounds, and pop it back on.
The handle is about 4 inches long and folds for storage. When folded, the entire grinder fits in a jacket pocket or a small pouch. When extended, the handle provides enough leverage that grinding doesn't strain your wrist, even at finer settings.
Weight is approximately 430 grams (about 15 ounces) fully assembled. Light enough for travel, heavy enough to feel solid during use. The overall length is about 6 inches with the handle folded.
One minor gripe: the exterior does show fingerprints and scuffs over time. The matte aluminum looks great new but develops a patina after months of daily handling. Some people like this. I'm neutral on it.
Grind Quality: Where the C2 Excels
The Timemore C2 uses a proprietary E&B (Espresso & Brew) burr design with 38mm stainless steel burrs on dual bearings. The bearings keep the inner burr centered and stable during grinding, which eliminates the wobble problem that plagues cheaper manual grinders.
Particle Distribution
The C2 produces a relatively tight particle distribution for its price. Compared to my old Hario Skerton, the improvement was immediately visible. The Hario produced a mix of fine powder and coarse chunks. The C2 produces grounds that look much more uniform, with fewer outlier particles.
For medium grind (pour-over and drip), the C2 hits a sweet spot. The particles are consistent enough for a clean V60 drawdown in the 3:00-3:30 range without channeling or stalling. My cups taste cleaner and more defined than anything the Hario produced.
For coarse grind (French press), the C2 does well. There are fewer fines sneaking into the cup compared to ceramic-burred grinders, resulting in a cleaner press with less sludge at the bottom.
Where It's Limited
Fine grind for espresso: The C2 can grind fine enough for espresso, but the 36-click adjustment doesn't provide enough granularity in the espresso range. You'll find yourself stuck between two settings where one is too fine (choking the machine) and the next is too coarse (running too fast). If espresso is your priority, look at the Timemore C2 MAX or the 1Zpresso JX-Pro, both of which have finer click resolution.
Very coarse grind for cold brew: At the coarsest settings (clicks 30-36), the grind becomes less uniform. Large chunks don't break down evenly, and some beans pass through only partially ground. This is fine for cold brew where precision matters less, but it's worth noting.
The 36-Click Adjustment System
The grind adjustment sits at the bottom of the inner burr assembly. You rotate an internal dial that clicks into position, with each click representing a small change in the burr gap. Clicking feels satisfying and precise, with a clear tactile feedback at each stop.
Here's a rough guide to the settings I use:
- Clicks 10-14: Fine, suitable for moka pot
- Clicks 15-20: Medium-fine, great for pour-over (V60, Kalita Wave)
- Clicks 20-24: Medium, good for drip coffee
- Clicks 24-28: Medium-coarse, for Chemex or Clever Dripper
- Clicks 28-36: Coarse, for French press and cold brew
These are starting points. Your ideal setting depends on your specific beans, water temperature, and brew method. I dialed in at click 18 for my standard V60 recipe and rarely move it.
The adjustment is easy to change, but there's no external marking to show which click you're on. You have to count clicks from fully closed (zero). After a while, I memorized my settings by feel, but new users might want to keep a note in their phone until muscle memory kicks in.
Grinding Speed and Effort
Grinding time depends on how fine you're going and how fast you crank. Here are my real-world timings:
- 15g for pour-over (click 18): About 30-35 seconds
- 18g for espresso (click 12): About 50-60 seconds
- 30g for French press (click 26): About 40-45 seconds
The stainless steel burrs cut through beans more efficiently than the ceramic burrs in Hario grinders. I'd estimate the C2 grinds about 30% faster than the Hario Skerton for the same amount of coffee at the same grind size.
The effort required is modest. I don't consider myself particularly strong, and I can grind 15g for pour-over without any wrist fatigue. Espresso-fine grinding requires noticeably more force per crank, but it's manageable for a single dose. If you're grinding for four people, you'll feel it.
Timemore C2 vs. Other Manual Grinders
C2 vs. Hario Skerton Pro ($35-45)
The C2 wins on grind quality, speed, and build quality. The Hario wins on capacity (100g vs 25g) and price (about $20 cheaper). If taste in the cup is your priority, the C2 is worth the extra money. I made the switch and never looked back.
C2 vs. 1Zpresso Q2 ($70-90)
The Q2 has a slightly better build with a metal adjustment dial and better espresso range. The C2 has a larger capacity and costs $15-30 less. For filter coffee, they're very close. For espresso, the Q2 edges ahead. Both are excellent.
C2 vs. Comandante C40 ($250+)
The Comandante is in a different class. Better burr geometry, tighter distribution, and a reputation as one of the best manual grinders ever made. But it costs 4x the price. The C2 gets you about 80% of the Comandante's quality for 25% of the cost. For most people, that's the right tradeoff.
For more manual and electric grinder comparisons, check our best coffee grinder guide.
Maintenance and Longevity
The C2 is simple to maintain. The outer burr ring pops out without tools, and you can brush both burrs clean in about a minute. I do this weekly. A deeper clean with the entire burr assembly disassembled takes about 5 minutes and should happen monthly.
The stainless steel burrs are durable and should last 3-5 years of daily use before noticeable dulling. Timemore sells replacement burr sets for about $15-20, so refreshing the grinder is cheap.
The only consumable is the silicone gasket between the grinding chamber and the catch cup. It wears over time and the magnetic seal gets weaker. A replacement gasket costs a few dollars and takes seconds to swap.
FAQ
Is the Timemore C2 good for beginners?
Yes, it's one of the best starter grinders available. The learning curve is minimal: load beans, set your click number, crank until done. The quality-to-price ratio means you won't outgrow it quickly. Many people use a C2 for years before feeling the need to upgrade, if they ever do.
Can the Timemore C2 handle dark roast beans?
Yes, though dark roast beans are oilier and will require more frequent cleaning. The oils build up on the burrs faster and can make the adjustment dial feel sticky. Clean the burrs after every few days of dark roast use, and the grinder will perform fine.
What's the difference between Timemore C2 and C2 MAX?
The C2 MAX has more click settings (double the resolution of the standard C2), giving you finer adjustments between each step. This matters most for espresso, where small grind changes produce big differences in shot quality. For filter coffee, the standard C2's 36 clicks are more than enough.
Should I buy the Timemore C2 or an electric grinder?
If you make 1-2 cups per day and enjoy a brief hands-on ritual, the C2. If you make coffee for multiple people or want zero physical effort, an electric grinder. At the C2's price point ($55-70), you'd need to spend about $130-150 on an electric grinder to match its grind quality. See our top coffee grinder picks for electric options at various budgets.
My Recommendation
The Timemore C2 delivers grind quality that punches well above its price. It's compact, durable, fast for a manual grinder, and simple to use and maintain. If you brew 1-2 cups of filter coffee daily and want the best possible grind quality under $70, this is the grinder to buy. Keep it clean, learn your click settings, and it will make you better coffee than most electric grinders in the $100-150 range.