Comandante vs. Timemore – Hand Grinder Comparison

The first resistance comes immediately. Beans crack under your palm, no motor hums, only the rhythm of your own movement.

And with that first crack, the anticipation already begins, long before the water is even hot – that small dopamine hit our brain releases while we're expecting something, not only at the first sip. It's in this very moment that part of what later arrives in the cup gets decided: how finely the bean is broken down, how even the particles turn out, how much feel you put into it.

Comandante vs. Timemore – two philosophies of hand grinding

Two names come up especially often in this moment: Comandante and Timemore. Both build hand grinders that are a firm part of everyday life in our roastery and in our showrooms in Bern and Zurich, and we carry both as a partner in Switzerland. And both answer the question of what a hand grinder should be in completely different ways.

Nobody needs a hand grinder – the electric grinder next to it grinds just as reliably. But a hand grinder says something different: about the ritual you allow yourself in the morning, about the pace you choose when everything outside could already be moving faster. Comandante and Timemore answer this feeling differently, not better or worse. You're not choosing between two price classes, but between two attitudes, each of which stands entirely on its own.

Comandante: a German manufactory, a focused idea

Comandante builds a single, consistently refined line in Germany: the C40, currently in its fourth generation as the C40 MK4 with the in-house Nitro Blade burr set. The conical burr set measures 39 millimeters on the outside and 30 millimeters on the inside, and is made from a specially developed, nitrogen-rich martensitic stainless steel that Comandante calls Nitro Rex.

The crank carries a knob made from Black Forest oak, and the body comes in either brushed stainless steel or wood veneer. 40 clicks are available, each moving the burr set by around 25 to 30 microns – anyone who wants it even finer can upgrade with the Red Clix system to around 15 microns per click. Alongside the C40 MK4, we also carry the larger Baracuda line C60, the compact X25 Trailmaster for on the go, and the Lab Series specialty burr sets for filter coffee.

Timemore: a Chinese design studio, a whole model family

Timemore takes a different path. The company from China has won multiple international design awards, including Red Dot, iF and G-Mark, and keeps developing its Chestnut line in quick succession. We currently carry the Chestnut C5 series: it's built around a 42-millimeter S2C-042-III burr set with seven blades, available either as the C5 Pro with 0.031 millimeters per click over 48 clicks per rotation, or as the C5 Esp Pro with 0.015 millimeters per click over 50 clicks for finer espresso settings.

The C5's grinding chamber holds 30 grams, the catch cup holds 25 grams, and the stainless steel and aluminum housing weighs around 640 grams. Also available from us: the Chestnut S3 and S3 Esp with a patented S2C890 burr set made from hardened SUS420 steel, a folding spring handle, and an adjustment range from 1 to 15 clicks for espresso up to 80 to 90 clicks for French press.

Good to know: with the Sculptor series 064 and 078, Timemore also builds single-dose electric grinders with 64 and 78-millimeter burrs respectively and a brushless motor. This is its own, electric segment and not a hand grinder – anyone who wants to take that step still stays within the Timemore family.

Why the evenness of the burr set matters at all

What ultimately arrives in the cup depends largely on particle size and how even it is. If the particles turn out too uneven, the fine fraction extracts faster than the coarse one, and the result feels unbalanced, no matter how precise your weight ratio of coffee to water is. That's exactly why both manufacturers invest so much in their burr geometry, even though they take completely different technical paths to get there.

Burr sets are a bit like engines in cars: subjective, each with its own character, and there's no single best one. That's our observation from many tastings in the roastery, others in the community see it differently, and that's entirely fine. The feel in your hand also matters more than you'd think: the weight, the resistance and the sound of the crank shape the enjoyment before the first sip even arrives.

We don't really have espresso rules to begin with. What matters is the weight ratio between coffee and water, usually around 1 to 2, and how the coffee tastes in the end. No shot is like any other, because the bean, the humidity and you yourself change from day to day. With a hand grinder you feel that even more directly, because you're part of the extraction yourself, not just a spectator to the push of a button.

At a glance

Feature	Comandante C40 MK4	Timemore Chestnut C5
Origin	Germany	China
Burr Type	Nitro Blade, conical	S2C-042-III, conical, seven blades
Burr Diameter	39 mm outer / 30 mm inner	42 mm
Burr Material	Nitro Rex stainless steel, nitrogen-rich martensitic steel	Stainless steel, housing stainless steel/aluminum
Adjustment	40 clicks, approx. 25–30 µm/click, Red Clix upgrade approx. 15 µm/click	Pro: 0.031 mm/click, 48 clicks · Esp Pro: 0.015 mm/click, 50 clicks
Bean Capacity	approx. 40 g, glass or polymer container	30 g grinding chamber, 25 g catch cup
Weight	approx. 700 g	approx. 640 g
Dimensions (Ø × Height)	approx. 60 × 158 mm	53 × 172 mm
Handle	Crank with Black Forest oak knob	Ergonomic handle, folding on the S3
Other Models in Our Range	C60 Baracuda, X25 Trailmaster, Lab Series	Chestnut S3 / S3 Esp, Sculptor 064/078 (electric)

Who it's for

Both hand grinders are for anyone who enjoys taking coffee into their own hands, whether this is your first or your tenth time grinding. There's no right or wrong here, only the question of which idea of craft speaks to you more.

If you're drawn to a single design, consistently refined over years and made in Germany, with oak wood and a burr formula that's proven itself for years, you'll probably feel at home in our Comandante Hand Grinder Collection.

If you're drawn to a broad, design-award-winning model family with very fine adjustment measured in microns, and you like choosing between several current models, take a look at Timemore Hand Grinders and Accessories. For life on the go, the compact X25 Trailmaster works just as well as the folding Chestnut S3.

Our opinion here is one of many. In the end, what matters is which grinder feels right in your hand, and you'll find that out best by experiencing both live in our showrooms in Bern and Zurich. You'll find an overview of the full range of hand grinders we carry in our Hand Grinders Collection.

What else belongs with it

A hand grinder doesn't replace an electric grinder, and it doesn't have to. Many in our community use both: the hand grinder for quiet filter coffee in the morning or on the go, an electric grinder for everyday espresso at home.

For everyone who wants an electric grinder affordable and precise, the Varia VS3 from our Varia Collection is an obvious next step. Anyone who wants more automation and a thoughtful single-dosing experience will find it in the Weber Workshops EG-1 from our Weber Workshops Collection – we're the importer of Weber Workshops in Switzerland.

Just as important as the grinder is the scale next to it, because grind size and dosing are inseparably linked. For everyone who wants a scale affordable and reliable, a look at our Normcore Collection is enough. Anyone who also values app connectivity and a flow-rate display will find it in our Acaia Collection. We import both brands directly and have carried them in our Bern and Zurich showrooms for years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fundamentally sets Comandante and Timemore hand grinders apart?

Comandante builds a single, consistently refined line in Germany around the C40 MK4 with its own specially developed Nitro Blade burr set. Timemore is a Chinese, multiple-award-winning design company with a whole model family, from the Chestnut line to single-dose electric grinders. Both achieve fine, even adjustment; the difference lies mainly in origin, design language and range of models, not in quality.

Are Comandante and Timemore hand grinders also suitable for espresso?

Yes. The manufacturer explicitly positions the Comandante C40 MK4 for a range spanning espresso to French press. At Timemore, the Esp variants take on this task: the Chestnut S3 Esp and the C5 Esp Pro offer especially fine resolution at 0.015 millimeters per click, for the short, concentrated extraction of espresso.

Does Timemore also make electric grinders?

Yes, with the Sculptor series 064 and 078. These are single-dose electric grinders with 64 and 78-millimeter burrs respectively and a brushless motor, their own segment and not a hand grinder.

Do I also need an electric grinder?

No, that's a matter of taste. Some in our community grind exclusively by hand every day, others combine a hand grinder for on the go with an electric grinder for everyday use at home. Both are valid paths.

Can I see the hand grinders before buying?

Yes, in our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich (Hagenholzstrasse 50b) you can experience Comandante and Timemore hand grinders live and hold them in your hand, during the respective business hours.

How quickly will my hand grinder be delivered?

Within Switzerland and to Liechtenstein, your order typically arrives after 2 to 4 business days.