Best Coffee Grinders · head-to-head

Breville Smart Grinder Pro vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro is cheaper at $79. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Breville Smart Grinder Pro or Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro?

The Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro wins 2 of the 2 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro is the cheaper at $79. The Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Breville Smart Grinder Pro Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro
US price $199.95 MSRP, Breville official US store $79
BrandBrevilleTimemore
Released20142022
Type electric manual
Burr type conical conical
Burr size (mm) 40 38
Grind settings 60 stepped 30 clicks per rotation (23.3 µm/click)
Hopper capacity (g) 454 25
Best for all all
Weight (lb) 6.4 1.17
Release 2014 2022

Sources — Breville Smart Grinder Pro: breville.com (verified 2026-09-21). Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro: slowpoursupply.co (verified 2026-06-19).

What's the difference between the Breville Smart Grinder Pro and Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Type: Breville Smart Grinder Pro electric vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro manual
  • Burr size (mm): Breville Smart Grinder Pro 40 vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro 38
  • Grind settings: Breville Smart Grinder Pro 60 stepped vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro 30 clicks per rotation (23.3 µm/click)
  • Hopper capacity (g): Breville Smart Grinder Pro 454 vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro 25
  • Weight (lb): Breville Smart Grinder Pro 6.4 vs Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro 1.17

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Breville Smart Grinder Pro

One whitelisted source survived verification: NYT Wirecutter's 'Best Coffee Grinder' guide (updated 2026-01-14). It evaluated the Breville Smart Grinder Pro hands-on as a competition-section entry and dismissed it, citing a complicated digital interface, an overwhelming abundance of settings, and too many fines in the grounds. No measured or lab metrics were captured. This is a single-source, entirely negative verdict. (1 sourced review.)

Flagged: Complicated digital interface and an abundance of settings make it difficult to use; Produces too many fines in the grounds.

Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro

Across 2 testing outlets (CoffeeGeek.co and Brew Coffee Home), the Timemore C3 ESP Pro earns a uniformly positive verdict as a compact, precise manual espresso grinder. Both reviewers highlight its patented, fine-grained click adjustment (23-23.3 micrometers per click, 30 clicks per rotation) and 38mm burr as delivering genuinely consistent grinds and rich, full-bodied espresso that one outlet compares favorably to electric grinders. Both also praise the grinding experience itself as fast and effortless, with no negative points raised by either source. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Grind consistency and resulting espresso quality (rich texture/body, comparable to electric grinders); Solid build quality and precise, patented click-adjustment mechanism; Fast, effortless grinding process well suited for travel/on-the-go espresso prep.

← All coffee grinders compared · Open data