Which to buy · Every setting
Porlex Mini II vs Timemore C3
Two hand grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The C3 counts 36 clicks; the Mini II counts 18 clicks.
Which to buy
Choose the
Mini II if you…
- want ceramic burrs — Porlex says they won't rust or absorb smells
- travel with an AeroPress — Porlex says the Mini II fits inside one
- want burrs and parts that come off for washing
Choose the
C3 if you…
- want 38 mm stainless steel burrs, which Timemore rates from espresso to French press
- may move towards espresso — Timemore makes C3 ESP models with a finer dial
Shop links are affiliate links: BrewMark earns a commission if you buy through one, at no extra cost to you. The verdicts were written without regard to it.
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 · Porlex (US) — Mini Grinder II · Porlex Japan — Coffee Mill II / II Mini
| Mini II | C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Porlex | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 18 clicks | 0 clicks – 36 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 6 clicks | 7 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 6 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 33.2 on the Mini II 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.
| Mini II | C3 |
|---|---|
| 4 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 5 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 6 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 8 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 9 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 16 clicks | 26 clicks |
| C3 | Mini II |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 4 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 5 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 9 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 14 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 | Mini II | C3 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 5 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 6 clicks | 12 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 8 clicks | 13 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 10 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Siphon | 10 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 11 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 11 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 11 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Cupping | 11 clicks | 18 clicks |
| Chemex | 12 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.
Porlex Mini II
Timemore C3
Dialing in the Mini II
Ceramic burrs and a body sized to fit inside an AeroPress, which is exactly why people buy it. Filter and immersion are comfortable; the small burr set means grinding a full dose takes real effort.
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.