Grinders / Timemore Chestnut S3
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Timemore Chestnut S3 review (2026)
Timemore Chestnut S3 is a hand grinder that suits Moka pot, AeroPress, Pour-over, French press and Cold brew. From €108.75 delivered to Lithuania, prices vary by country.
Reviewers rate it a flagship-feel hand grinder for filter, AeroPress and French press, with a folding crank. All four say it cannot grind fine enough for real espresso, so skip it if espresso matters.
Best for
- Pour-over and AeroPress
- Filter drinkers who want a premium feel
- Travel, thanks to the folding crank
Skip if
- Espresso is your main drink
- You have small hands
- You want a magnetic catch cup
- Lithuania €108.75
- Latvia €163.99
- Estonia €163.99
- Poland €168.99
- Finland €162.90
- Germany €167.99
Brew methods
All four reviews say it cannot grind fine enough for espresso, even at the finest setting.
Delivered price
Delivered to the country in each column: price with that country's VAT where the shop charges it, plus shipping. A dash means the shop does not sell or ship there.
How it adds up, delivered to Lithuania
- €108.75 shop price, VAT included
- free shipping
- €159 shop price, VAT included
- €4.99 shipping
Pros and cons
Pros
- Coffee Chronicler, CoffeeGeek and Brew Coffee Home all report balanced filter cups from V60 and AeroPress.
- CoffeeGeek and Brew Coffee Home list 90 clicks at 15 microns each, which Brew Coffee Home says feels almost stepless.
- Coffee Chronicler and Brew Coffee Home call it fast, at about 25 to 30 seconds for a pour-over dose.
- CoffeeGeek and Brew Coffee Home praise the spring-loaded folding crank and the aluminium unibody.
Cons
- All four sources call espresso weak or impossible, and Brew Coffee Home pulled 36 g in about 15 seconds even at zero.
- Coffee Chronicler says the finest stock setting only produces turbo shots at 4 to 5 bar, and homemade shims reached 8 bar.
- The body is wide, which Coffee Chronicler, Brew Coffee Home and LukeMakesCoffee say may not suit small hands.
- The catch cup screws on rather than attaching magnetically, per Coffee Chronicler and Brew Coffee Home.
What owners report
- Heavy for a hand grinder. Coffee Chronicler gives 798 g and Brew Coffee Home 793 g.
- The dial is easy to bump. Coffee Chronicler says the adjustment ring does not lock firmly, so the setting can move by accident.
- Chaff. Brew Coffee Home says it produces more large chaff, which is easy to blow out.
What experts measured
- Coffee Chronicler timed 20 g in about 25 to 27 seconds at a pour-over setting and 15 g in 30 to 45 seconds at the finest setting.
- Brew Coffee Home lists a 40 mm conical S2C burr, about 30 seconds for 15 g at pour-over and roughly 50 seconds at espresso fineness.
- CoffeeGeek's own dial chart suggests espresso at settings 1 to 10, which conflicts with its test result that espresso was not possible.
Alternatives
Timemore C3 ESP Pro
Brew Coffee Home recommends the C3 ESP over the S3 for espresso.
€115 at Amazon.de →1Zpresso K-Ultra
Coffee Chronicler says the S3 gives a milder, less acidic cup than the K-Ultra or Comandante C40.
€282.90 at Crema →1Zpresso J-Ultra
Coffee Chronicler names the J-Ultra as a better choice for espresso.
€202.90 at Crema →Questions
What is the Timemore Chestnut S3 good for?
It works well for Moka pot, AeroPress, Pour-over, French press and Cold brew. It is not suited to Espresso. All four reviews say it cannot grind fine enough for espresso, even at the finest setting.
How much does the Timemore Chestnut S3 cost delivered?
Cheapest delivered price: €108.75 to Lithuania, €163.99 to Latvia, €163.99 to Estonia, €168.99 to Poland, €162.90 to Finland, €167.99 to Germany.
Is the Timemore Chestnut S3 a hand or electric grinder?
It is a hand grinder with 40 mm conical, stainless steel (S2C890) burrs and stepped adjustment. It is quiet.
Can the S3 do espresso?
No. Coffee Chronicler, CoffeeGeek, Brew Coffee Home and LukeMakesCoffee all call espresso weak or impossible, and point to the C3 ESP, the S3 ESP or a 1Zpresso J-Ultra instead.
How fine are the steps?
CoffeeGeek, Brew Coffee Home and LukeMakesCoffee list 90 clicks at 15 microns each on the external dial.
Specs
| Type | Hand |
| Burr | 40 mm conical, stainless steel (S2C890) |
| Adjustment | stepped |
| Quiet | yes |
Sources
This review draws on these sources.
- Timemore Chestnut S3 Review, The Coffee Chronicler, 2024-05-17 (expert)
- Timemore Chestnut S3 Review, CoffeeGeek, 2024-01-14 (expert)
- Timemore Chestnut S3 Review, Brew Coffee Home, 2025-03-16 (expert)
- Timemore Chestnut S3 Review, LukeMakesCoffee, 2025-06-03 (expert)