Comandante C40 MK4 Nitro Blade – Hand Grinder with Conical Burr
The crank turns smoothly, the grounds fall into the jar, the setting stays reproducible click by click: the Comandante C40 MK4 Nitro Blade is a hand grinder for everything from espresso to French press.
Built from stainless steel, glass, high-performance polymers and real wood, made in Germany. Coffee Coaching Club is a partner of Comandante. Available from us in eleven finishes.
Features of the C40 MK4 Nitro Blade
Original Game Changer
According to Comandante, the design of the C40 has become synonymous with grinding performance. Inside works Nitro Blade, according to the manufacturer the first heptagonal conical burr developed specifically for specialty coffee. Comandante launched the first C40 with Nitro Blade in 2015.
Nitro Blade burr
Developed for manual, low-dust grinding. The special stainless steel has a finely structured martensitic crystal structure with high proportions of chromium, vanadium and molybdenum. Comandante grinds small, particularly sharp micro-blades onto the 15 inlet teeth, and the burr ring and cone are precisely matched to each other.
Nitro Rex steel
Comandante's own steel contains over 17 % chromium as well as vanadium, molybdenum and other micro-alloys. It is corrosion-resistant, hard, wear-resistant and needs no coating. The surface stays flavour-neutral.
QTP high-performance polymer
For individual components, Comandante uses QTP, a polymer matrix with quartz nanoparticles. It feels like ceramic, is food-safe, water-resistant and BPA-free.
Two Bean Jars
The C40 MK4 comes with two bean containers: a brown glass jar with lid and a clear, practically unbreakable Polymer Bean Jar. Both are flavour-neutral, food-safe, can be cleaned with hot water and hold 40 g of coffee each.
The details in everyday use
Grind adjuster with click mechanism
The three-winged adjuster sits directly below the burr and can be set click by click with three fingertips. A triple-locking mechanism holds the setting while grinding. Adjust without coffee in the burr. From the factory, the grinder is set to 24 clicks.
Zero point and click counting
Gently close the empty burr clockwise, that is the zero point. Count the clicks when opening: the more clicks, the coarser. The scale of the standard version goes up to 40 clicks.
Red Clix as an option
The Red Clix RX35 upgrade adds an extra step between two standard clicks. The grind range stays the same, the steps become finer, 5 standard clicks become 10. You will find the upgrade in the Comandante Collection.
Stainless steel axle with two ball bearings
The stainless steel centre axle runs in two sealed stainless steel ball bearings. Coffee dust stays out, the crank turns easily.
Oak knob, magnetic crank
The solid oak knob is made in the Black Forest and attaches to the crank with a push button. The crank is held on the axle by a magnet and can be pulled off for filling.
Cleaning
Open the adjuster all the way, remove the cone and clean it with a dry brush. The three screws on the burr ring stay tight, they are calibrated at the factory. The grinder does not go in water or in the dishwasher. Comandante recommends cleaning once a week with daily use or once a month with occasional use.
At a glance
| Burr |
Nitro Blade conical burr, special stainless steel |
| Grind adjustment |
Click mechanism below the burr, scale up to 40 clicks, factory setting 24 clicks |
| Option |
Red Clix RX35: twice as many click steps in the same grind range |
| Grind range |
From powder-fine for cezve/ibrik to coarse for French press and cold brew |
| Starting points according to Comandante |
Ibrik 3–8, espresso 7–13, Bialetti 14–20, pour-over 18–35, French press and cupping 25–35 clicks |
| Body |
Stainless steel with powder coating or real wood veneer, depending on finish |
| Axle and bearings |
Stainless steel, 2 sealed stainless steel ball bearings |
| Knob |
Solid oak from the Black Forest, click-on |
| Containers |
Brown glass with lid and clear Polymer Bean Jar, 40 g each |
| Scope of delivery according to Comandante |
Grinder, crank with oak knob, transparent Polymer Bean Jar, dark glass Bean Jar with lid, wristband, Merino wool felt mat |
| Finishes available from us |
Black, White, Racing Green, Virginia Walnut, Sunset, Liquid Amber, Copper Mountain, American Cherry, Alpine Lagoon, Deep Purple, Deep Purple BB Style |
| Manufacturing |
Germany, near Munich |
The click values are starting points. Bean, roast level and recipe shift the right value. What matters is that the coffee tastes good.
Who it is made for
For everyone who grinds fresh by hand and wants a finely graduated, repeatable setting, at home and on the go. It covers espresso, moka pot, pour-over and French press. If you prefer to grind electrically, you will find alternatives in our coffee grinders. Grinders are like engines: subjective, there is no objectively best burr. Our opinion is one of many.
If you want to test grinders and machines directly side by side, you can book the comparison workshop in Bern or Zurich, an option, not a requirement. For a first orientation, our advice tool helps.
What goes with it
You will find more hand grinders from Timemore and in our hand grinders. For everyone who wants to grind electrically, affordable and precise: Varia. If you want more elaborate materials: Weber Workshops.
For everyone who wants a scale that is affordable and precise: Normcore. If you want an app and flow-rate display: Acaia. For brewing, a pour-over dripper from Hario or the AeroPress are a good match.
Delivery in 2–4 working days throughout Switzerland and to Liechtenstein, Click & Collect in Bern and Zurich. Questions about the grinder: [email protected] or by phone during business hours.
Frequently asked questions about the Comandante C40 MK4
How many clicks does the Comandante C40 MK4 have and what does the Red Clix do?
The scale of the standard version goes up to 40 clicks, from the factory the grinder is set to 24. The Red Clix RX35 upgrade adds an extra step between two standard clicks, 5 clicks become 10. The grind range stays the same.
Is the Comandante C40 MK4 suitable for espresso?
Yes. Comandante gives 7 to 13 clicks as a starting point for espresso. The Red Clix allows finer intermediate steps there.
How do I clean the Comandante C40 MK4?
Open the adjuster all the way, remove the cone and brush it out dry. Do not loosen the three screws on the burr ring. Do not soak it in water and do not put it in the dishwasher.
What is included in the delivery?
According to Comandante: the grinder, the crank with oak knob, a transparent Polymer Bean Jar, a dark glass Bean Jar with lid, a wristband and a Merino wool felt mat.
Can I see the Comandante C40 MK4 live before buying?
In our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich Oerlikon (Hagenholzstrasse 50b) we show a wide selection, but not the entire range. Drop us a quick line before your visit at [email protected], and we will check whether the C40 MK4 is currently on site.
Tip from the roastery: Ground by hand, a chocolatey, nutty profile shows a lot of depth, for example with Cozy Chocolate or Nutty Delight. For espresso, we start at 14.5 g and usually go up to 17 g, at a ratio below 1:2. For full body without acidity Very Nutty, for a fruity pour-over Wild Peach. That's our recommendation, one of many.
