Timemore Chestnut S3 Review: Surprising Results (Pour-Over vs Espresso)
Discover our complete review of the Timemore S3, a high-end coffee grinder combining precision, design, and performance to extract the best from your beans.
Timemore has established itself as a leading figure in the world of coffee accessories, capturing the attention of experts internationally. Driven by the ambition to elevate every tasting experience, the brand stands out with its innovative range of manual grinders, precision scales, and other essential equipment, meeting the needs of seasoned baristas and coffee aficionados alike.
The brand has particularly excelled in the slow extraction sector, a method appreciated for its ability to extract delicate aromas. The Timemore Chestnut S3 coffee grinder, which I will explore and detail, embodies this innovation. The first of its kind at Timemore, it offers top-adjustable settings, promising grinding of unmatched precision, particularly suited for espresso. This review will be an opportunity to determine whether the Timemore S3 meets expectations and establishes itself as a preferred choice for those seeking perfect grinding for their espresso.
Features of the Timemore Chestnut S3 Grinder
The Timemore S3 is a high-end manual coffee grinder, designed to deliver an exceptional grinding experience. Here are its main features:
- Fully metal body: The S3 features a metal unibody design, enhancing its durability and aesthetics.
- S2C890 steel burrs: These new burrs guarantee a more uniform grind.
- External adjustment: The S3 offers ultra-fine adjustment of 0.015 mm per click (90 clicks).
- High-precision ball bearings: The S3's specific bearings increase precision by 20% compared to standard bearings, with tolerance reduced from 7 µm to 5 µm.
- Foldable handle: The S3 is equipped with a patented spring-loaded handle that, when folded, prevents the grinder from tipping over and facilitates storage.
Box Contents
The Timemore S3 comes with the following items:
- Coffee grinder with its retractable handle and container.
- Cleaning Brush: To facilitate cleaning of coffee residue.
- User Manual: Instructions on use, adjustment and maintenance of the grinder.
- Protective Packaging: To ensure the safety of the grinder during transport.
Timemore Chestnut S3 Design
The Retractable Handle
Timemore innovates with its patented retractable handle: compact yet ergonomic, it ensures a comfortable grip.
Incorporating a metal cap, this retractable design optimizes storage space and facilitates transport of the grinder.
The adjustment ring(s)
The standout innovation of this grinder lies in its dual adjustment system.
- The main dial, positioned on top, offers 90 clicks with an adjustment of 0.015 mm between each.
- A second dial, underneath, expands the adjustment range, although Timemore has not specified the spacing between its clicks.
Recommended settings:
- Espresso1 to 10 clicks
- Moka5 to 20 clicks
- Pour Over50 to 80 clicks
- French Press80 to 90 clicks
These settings are indicative and may vary depending on your coffee and preferences.
Grinder body
The grinder body, entirely made of aluminum, offers a comfortable and secure grip. Thanks to engraved ridges on its surface, it ensures optimal adherence and does not slip during use of the grinder.
The Timemore Chestnut S3 burr
The burr of the Timemore Chestnut S3 is characterized by its construction in S2C890 stainless steel, a high-quality material that ensures durability and resistance. It is notable for being the largest conical burr offered by the manufacturer, which contributes to grinding coffee faster.
The moving part of the Timemore Chestnut S2 burr is designed for precise and uniform grinding.
Fixed part of the Timemore Chestnut S3 burr
The container
The **container
in aluminum** screws securely onto the grinder body, and is equipped with a rubber base to set it down without risking damage to the countertop. Inside, its straight-edge design facilitates transferring the ground coffee directly into the filter.
The container attaches securely to the grinder thanks to thick threading, designed for easy and error-free installation
A non-slip rubber coating is integrated into the container base to protect the countertop
How to disassemble the Timemore Chestnut S3?
To disassemble this coffee grinder, simply unscrew the lower dial to remove the central axle and release the burr. Then, clean the grinder with the included brush.
Once reassembled, easily find the initial setting by positioning the dial on the desired click.
Cup results with the Chestnut S3
Espresso
The Timemore S3 is not designed for espresso. Its burrs are optimized for medium to coarse grinds (pour-over, French Press), and the zero-point spacing makes it impossible to achieve a grind fine enough to prepare an
espresso correctly.
Timemore has developed the Timemore S3 ESP, a version specifically designed for espresso with different burrs and optimized calibration. If you are looking for an S3 series grinder for espresso, the S3 ESP is the model you need.
Timemore S3 ESP Coffee Grinder Review: The Espresso Evolution of the S3
Discover our complete review of the Timemore S3 ESP, the new grinder dedicated to espresso that corrects the flaws of the S3. Precision, design and performance for exceptional espressos.
Read the article →
Even at the finest setting, my coffee flows too quickly under a pressure not exceeding 4 bars, as shown in the video below.
The S3 was designed exclusively for pour-over. Its burrs and their calibration simply do not allow reaching the fineness required for espresso, even when increasing the coffee dose.
In conclusion, the S3 is not suitable for espresso. It was entirely designed for gentle methods (pour-over, French Press) where it excels.
For espresso, opt for the Timemore S3 ESP, the dedicated model that corrects this limitation with specific burrs and calibration.
Gentle Methods
The ideal grind for gentle methods (V60, Chemex...) is medium to medium-fine, ensuring a balanced extraction without **under-ex
traction** (infusion too fast) nor over-extraction (infusion too slow).
A uniform particle size is crucial to avoid filter clogging (with ultra-fine particles) and ensure a homogeneous extraction of aromas and flavors.
For more information, I invite you to read my article dedicated to troubleshooting filtered coffee infusions.
The Timemore S3, with its precision and grind uniformity, is ideal for this method, offering an optimal preparation for gentle brewing methods.
Conclusion
The Timemore S3 is an excellent hand grinder for gentle brewing methods, but it is not suitable for espresso. Its burrs are specifically designed for medium to coarse grinds, making it perfect for V60, AeroPress, or French press.
For espresso, Timemore has developed the Timemore S3 ESP, a model specifically designed with different burrs and optimized calibration for espres
so. If you're looking for a grinder from the S3 range for making espresso, it's the S3 ESP that you need.
Other excellent grinders for espresso include the KINGrinder K6, the 1Zpresso J-Ultra or the Timemore C5 ESP Pro.
On the other hand, for pour-over methods, the S3 excels thanks to its larger burr which speeds up grinding and produces a consistent and uniform grind.
- Overall grinder design
- Very good grip
- Well-designed retractable crank
- Pleasant to use
- Easily disassembled
- Burr suitable for pour-over
- Suitable for pour-over methods
- Price
- Not suitable for espresso
- The grinder's zero point requires too large a burr gap
Timemore has created an aesthetic and ergonomic grinder with the Chestnut S3, offering an excellent grip, tool-free disassembly, and a beautiful design. However, it is not optimal for espresso due to a gap that is too large between the burrs in the zero position. Nevertheless, for gentle extraction methods like the V60, this grinder is perfectly suitable and will produce excellent coffee.