Comandante
Comandante C40 MK4 Nitro Blade
$325
Released 2021
Best Coffee Grinders · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro is cheaper at $79. Every spec and price links to its source.
Comandante
$325
Released 2021
Timemore
$79Cheaper
Released 2022
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.
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✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $325 | $79 |
| Brand | Comandante | Timemore |
| Released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Type | manual | manual |
| Burr type | conical | conical |
| Burr size (mm) | 39 | 38 |
| Grind settings | ~40 clicks per rotation | 30 clicks per rotation (23.3 µm/click) |
| Hopper capacity (g) | 40 | 25 |
| Best for | all | all |
| Weight (lb) | 1.63 | 1.17 |
| Release | 2021 | 2022 |
Sources — Comandante C40 MK4 Nitro Blade: prima-coffee.com (verified 2026-09-21). Timemore Chestnut C3 ESP Pro: slowpoursupply.co (verified 2026-06-19).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Only one whitelisted hands-on reviewer survived verification: Tom's Guide, which lab-measured grind uniformity (Kruve sieves), retention (scale, before/after) and grind speed, and named the Comandante C40 MK4 Editor's Choice. Every quote and measured value in this entry was confirmed verbatim against the fetched article. Verdict: best-in-class hand grinder for consistency and low retention, but slow to crank at fine settings and very expensive. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Consistent, uniform grind across the full range (verified via Kruve sifter test); Low grind retention, averaging 2.75%; Exceptional build quality and ergonomic body/handle.
Flagged: Very expensive (~$277-$323); Hard and slow to crank at finer settings (below ~20 clicks); No indicator showing the current click/grind setting.
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.