Which to buy · Every setting
JavaPresse Manual Burr Grinder vs Timemore C3
Two hand grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The C3 counts 36 clicks; the Manual Burr Grinder counts 18 clicks.
Which to buy
Choose the
Manual Burr Grinder if you…
- want ceramic conical burrs
- brew while camping, hiking or backpacking — JavaPresse pitches it for that
Choose the
C3 if you…
- want espresso too — Timemore says it is fine enough for espresso
- want 38 mm S2C660 stainless steel conical burrs
- want a dial with counted steps — 12 clicks a turn, 0.0833 mm each
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Timemore sells the C3 in several versions (C3, C3S, Max, ESP, Pro). The settings on this page are for the standard C3 dial.
Sources: Timemore — C3s / C3 series · JavaPresse — Manual Burr Coffee Grinder
| Manual Burr Grinder | C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | JavaPresse | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 18 clicks | 0 clicks – 36 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 5 clicks | 7 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 8 clicks | 11 clicks |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a clicks, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 9 clicks sits at grind index 46.3 on the Manual Burr Grinder but 3.6 on the C3 — far enough apart to change the cup.
Converting a setting
If a recipe quotes a setting for one of these grinders, read across for the equivalent on the other. Rows are spaced evenly by grind size, not by dial number — on a conical burr those are not the same thing.
| Manual Burr Grinder | C3 |
|---|---|
| 3 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 4 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 5 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 6 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 7 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 8 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 16 clicks | 26 clicks |
| C3 | Manual Burr Grinder |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 3 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 4 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 5 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 7 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 16 clicks |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | Manual Burr Grinder | C3 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 4 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 5 clicks | 12 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 6 clicks | 13 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 8 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Siphon | 8 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 9 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 9 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 10 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Cupping | 10 clicks | 18 clicks |
| Chemex | 11 clicks | 19 clicks |
| French press | 13 clicks | 22 clicks |
| Cold brew | 15 clicks | 25 clicks |
The shape of each dial
Where the connectors bunch, that grinder’s dial is compressed and single steps count for more. Comparing the two shapes tells you which gives finer control, and where.
JavaPresse Manual Burr Grinder
Timemore C3
Dialing in the Manual Burr Grinder
Very widely sold and very cheap, with the consistency that implies. It will get you through French press and cold brew acceptably; pour over is workable if you accept some muddiness, and espresso is not realistic. If you are choosing a first hand grinder, the price gap to a Timemore C2 buys a lot.
Dialing in the C3
The best-value hand grinder in circulation and the one most likely to be someone's first. Its range is usable across filter and immersion, with espresso possible but genuinely tedious. The C3 benefits more than most grinders from a few seconds of settling before you judge a shot or a pour — its distribution tightens noticeably once the burrs are warm.