Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro Hand Grinder - £89
Last updated: 22 September 2026
The Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro is the hand coffee grinder to buy for someone who is still using pre-ground coffee. It crushes beans between CNC-cut stainless steel conical burrs rather than chopping them, adjusts inside the body from coarse for a cafetière to fine for an AeroPress, and folds its handle down so it fits in a drawer. The UK roaster Exhale sells it for £89 and Amazon UK had it at £99 on 22 September 2026, both prices checked at the seller.
Grinding at home is the step that changes the coffee most, because ground coffee goes stale fast. The Specialty Coffee Association's science adviser, Peter Giuliano, puts whole beans at about three weeks of freshness after roasting and ground coffee at about an hour, since it loses the carbon dioxide that carries its aroma within minutes. A hand grinder like this one is what lets somebody buy whole beans in the first place.
What the C3S Pro is
- Burrs: CNC-cut stainless steel conical burrs with a double-bearing mount, which Timemore says keeps the grind even.
- Adjustment: internal, so the setting is changed inside the body rather than on a ring underneath.
- Capacity: around 20g of beans, which is two cups of pour-over.
- Handle: folds flat against the body for a drawer or a bag.
- Body: aluminium alloy with a textured grip, in black.
- Price: £89 at Exhale, £99 at Amazon UK on 22 September 2026.
Who it suits
It suits a cafetière, AeroPress or pour-over drinker who buys beans and wants them fresh, and it travels well because it needs no power. The honest catch is the effort: every cup starts with a minute or so of cranking, so somebody making four coffees on a Saturday morning will want an electric grinder instead.
For the brewer to pair it with, my AeroPress Original page covers the £40 press, and Exhale is the organic UK roaster that sells this grinder alongside its beans.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro in the UK?
£89 at Exhale and £99 at Amazon UK, checked at both sellers on 22 September 2026. Exhale adds free shipping over £45, so the grinder arrives with nothing on top.
Is a hand grinder good enough for espresso?
The C3S Pro adjusts fine enough for espresso, and Timemore sells it as an espresso-capable grinder. Grinding a full espresso dose by hand takes longer than a filter dose, because the finer the setting the harder the crank.
What is the difference between the C3 and the C3S Pro?
They are the same Chestnut family. The C3S Pro is the version with the foldable handle and the internal adjustment, which is the one sold in the UK by Exhale and on Amazon.
Is a hand grinder better than a cheap electric one?
A burr grinder crushes beans to an even size. A cheap electric blade grinder chops them into a mix of powder and larger pieces, so the powder over-extracts while the pieces under-extract and the cup tastes bitter and sour at once.
More from CoolCuration
- Gifts for coffee lovers: the whole coffee collection on the site, in one grid.
- Best reusable coffee cups UK: the cups that survive a daily commute, tested over years.
- KeepCup Brew Cork: the glass and cork cup baristas fill without asking.
- Buy Me a Coffee: how the tipping platform works if somebody wants to support your writing.
- Bodum x MoMA Caffettiera: the eight-cup cafetière in MoMA colours, for coarse grinds.
Follow us: Instagram
Copyright 2026 CoolCuration | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Affiliate Disclosure | Cool Factor
-----------
We are proud supporters of a safer more private internet via encouraging people to use Brave browser and are actively taking on Spammers as part of ProjectHoneypot. This site is hosted on servers that run on 100% renewable energy in the UK thanks to GreenWebHosting.
This site contains affiliate links, including to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for a service via these links, at no extra cost to you. All offers and promotions are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change or withdrawal by the businesses featured. We cannot guarantee their continued availability. Read our full affiliate disclosure.
Reviews and opinions on CoolCuration reflect the personal experience of our writers at the time of publication. They are not professional endorsements and your experience may differ. Scores use our Cool Factor rating system and are given independently of any commercial relationship.
All content on CoolCuration is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations or an endorsement of any product or service. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not offer personalised financial guidance. You should always do your own research or consult a qualified financial advisor before making any financial decisions.