Sift Test results are in the description! Which grinder would you choose out of these seven? In hindsight if I had known three of these grinders had the same burr... I might have opted for others. But this was an interesting revelation none the less. Drop a comment on which grinder you prefer!
I had 1Zpresso Pro E. It is a versatile one and can grind both. Today I am using Timemore Slim, also a good grinder. Btw, did you know Timemore offer new upgrades for all of their grinders with different bur set. It suits both espresso and pour-over too.
Hi Kyle - I'm unconvinced by your methodology with the sift testing. First you dial in each grinder to around 1100um particle size, then use a 1100um sieve to bin the particles? This just means that the grinder that is dialled in closer to 1200um will be "worse" because a lot goes into the "coarse" bin while one dialled into 1000um will be "better" because very little will stay in the "coarse" bin. With the limited resolution of sieve tests you would be much better off dialling in to the centre between two sieves, and repeating the test (from scratch, including the dialling in process) multiple times to get a reliable result.
@@harrym2709 Hi Harry. Before conducting the test I was instructed by Kruve that this is how to do the Kruve sift test. To make it even more precise I could add multiple sift variations through the process, but decided against it. To add to this, every grinder was dialled in within 100 microns. And based on the data provided I think it’s a good result of which grinder has great consistency. This isn’t meant to be the end all test, just more data for your benefit.Thanks for the comment.
Love the review. Have you tried the newer normcore V2 version? Think they fixed the problem with the lid. But I've heard people saying that whilst you can fit 25g in the hopper, the collection bin can only hold 20g of ground coffee. Do you know if that's true? Not sure if it was in relation to the v1 or V2 or both
@@mattdasilva4577 I came to ask the same. The Normcore V2 also has 24 clicks per rotation (vs. the 12 clicks in V1), so I was wondering if it would be good for espresso.
I’m a uni student that had the misfortune of becoming an specialty coffee addict because once you make your first home brewing purchase [and you if like it] there’s no turning back, used to buy pre-ground from my local roasters, used to pour water using a recycled Coffee Mate container, used to borrow a baking scale from my sis and slowly over time with savings and ‘lil gigs upgraded my setup piece by piece until I bought the Timemore last November, this grinder has a very special place in my heart as it finally showed me what brewing GOOD coffee at home feels like and it’s far from perfect, I agree with the plastics, the little adjustment knob on mine is showing some cracks and the catch bin is always unscrewing a tad bit not enough so it falls but enough so 5AM me is approaching a heart attack (the lid wobbling is solved by actually pressing hard on the shaft and it sits mostly flush) but damn is it consistent enough for the price, today I sit and enjoy this video as this is a great guide to those who are starting their journey as much as I started mine. It is almost a poetic goodbye as today, the day this video released, is the same day my Fellow Ode arrived in the mail.
@@aerasatbp I enjoy it enough so that it goes unnoticed, I have the first burr update they made, the V1.1 per se however it does have a couple of issues, every now and again it jams when grinding high doses (50g and up) but I only do that once every one or two weeks and it doesn’t happen all the time and the auger key to clean the burrs was astonishingly hard to remove, contacted Fellow’s support and they sent me the replacement with no extra cost and it’s all good now, I feel it grinds fine enough for most of the beans I use to the point I don’t even feel the need for the SSP burr set although this is more down to personal preference, autostop works well 100% of the time, I spray a little bit of water to the beans before grinding and I face no retention and little static, overall pretty good, specially for a first crack at a grinder from Fellow.
I ended up grabbing a Timemore Chestnut C2 because of this video and my god what an unbelievable upgrade this is from my Hario Slim Mini Plus. That horrible grinder gave me some of the worst cups I ever had, so once I made my first V60 using the C2 I was pretty floored by the results. I would highly recommend it for anybody in a similar situation where they desperately need to upgrade from their cheap grinder but they don't know whether or not they should just save some dough and grab the C2 or save up for something like the 1zpresso JX; rest assured that this grinder slaps and you won't regret it, so long as you aren't looking for an espresso grinder.
Sorry for to be late with this question - but I am in the same situation you were. I got the HarioSlim Mini as I was testing the water, and didn't want to spend too much on something I might drop right away. After two months I decided I'm sticking with it for a while. I don't see spending a lot on this hobby. Can your suggested grinder handle a moka pot? Finer than V60, coarser than espresso. Thanks!
Great review Kyle. I rolled the dice last June on the 1Zpresso JX when there were almost no reviews. It's a home run. It came direct from Taiwan in 2 days to Ohio for $129. The build quality is phenomenal with the entire thing being machined from a single block of aluminum with two bearings on the shaft for virtually zero wobble. That assures super grind consistency and is the polar opposite of my old Hario which wobbled all over the place. It feels like this problem is solved once and for all. Now to just enjoy the great coffee it produces. By the way the JX pro is identical except for the top adjustment which has 40 clicks per revolution compared to the JX having 30 clicks. And since I just do pourover/aeropress type brewing I got the regular one. But $30 more isn't bad for the upgrade.
You hit the nail on the head regarding the jx series. I almost bought the jx and decided to spend the extra for the jx-pro and I love it. We’ll see how it does on the flair 58 for espresso but overall has been great for everything from aero press to French press.
JX-Pro owner here... it's great for espresso and everything else, as long as you are good with how it needs to be set up for each type and dialing in. I thought it was an extravagant expense at the time but now I realize how much it saved me, effort-wise, and budget-wise.
I love how you compare them not only in subjective matters but also compare them with kruve sifter. I can't wait for you to talk about those high-end manual hand grinders!
I just upgraded my hand grinder from the hario to the Normcore because of this video. I was shocked at the difference. Of course the coffee is better, but the speed is unbelievable. The first time i used it i literally said out loud "wait I'm done!?" Thanks for the recommendation.
Ok Kyle, I pressed like before the video even started. I always enjoy your content and really like your philosophy of life. For myself I purchased the C2 on the spur of the moment, for when my wife and I go on a trip or something. I normally research the items I purchased, like the Niche Zero, it took me a couple of months to pull the trigger on that one, with absolutely no regrets, it more than sastisfied me. The C2 was a surprise, I even use it at home for V60 or Aeropress, because it is fun to use and adds enjoyement of the zen practice of a pour over and it makes delicious coffee. Thanks for this video and all of your other videos! I wish you and your family a great summer.👍
I used to have a Hario Mini Slim Plus and since last October I've had a Chestnut C2. What an improvement! I really like this grinder, even though I got the (now old) black version, which came with a brass part that oxidized or something. Luckily the company just changed that and the new version of the model has different materials (all steel I believe).
Great vid! After using a Hario Skerton for 2 years, I finally bought the 1zpresso.... Definitely a night and day difference, though I wish the grinds cup was either secured by magnets or a friction connection instead of being screwed in!
Great comparison, I have the Timemore C2 and it performs as my expectation resulting enjoyable cup of coffee everyday. I was planning to upgrade to Timemore Slim (not the Slim Plus) but after knowing that the Slim using the same burr set as C2, I considered to upgrade to the Slim Plus instead, but still doing more research since the Slim Plus have 2 varian, one with E&B burr sets and one with the titanium coated burr sets (with six star) and surprisingly the Normcore burr sets looked very similar to the Slim Plus just without the titanium coating hmm...
I have the 1Zpresso JX and retention for me is consistently just around .1g to .2g, depending on the beans. All I do is pour-over anyway so it's more than enough.
30 seconds in but i wanted to say that was incredibly satisfying grinding footage. really gave an excellent idea of function, smoothness and sound. thumbs up.
FYI, the JX Pro is still a stepped grinder with just way more steps than the regular JX. I love it for pourover and have used it a couple times for espresso (does really well!). The step adjustment on the top along is worth the modest upgrade.
I bought a cheap manual grinder with the ceramic burr, and I wanted to speed things up a bit. I took of the handle and tightened the chuck of my portable drill on the top of the grinder and let it rip. Worked pretty well.
Great review. The identical burr sets feels pretty irrelevant as an issue - especially given that people buying much more expensive grinders spend quite a lot of money to change the burrs to ones from SSP or other brands that specialise in burr production. Loads of products have parts made by the same specialist manufacturer - the big thing is what you put around those parts to make them the best overall product
@@KyleRowsell The costs are so high for infrastructure to manufacture quality burrs, so it makes sense that many companies are sourcing from the same supplier.
I got Hario Slim for $9 from Prime Day. To prevent inconsistent grind you can crack the beans with loosen settings and adjust it to your desired thickness then start grinding.
Loved the video Kyle. I have been a long term Hario Slim user. I was contemplating replacing some of its parts that had worn out but Hario Japan can no longer guarantee international shipping times . So I am in the market for a new hand grinder. As I only hand grind in the outdoors or when I cannot take an electric grinder your video was able to open my eyes to some grinders I wasn't aware of. The Timemore C2 looks like a perfect upgrade from the Slim for me, as someone who won't be using it daily in their coffee regime.
Hey, Kyle. I really do appreciate these reviews about relatively cheap coffee equipment for people like me who just wanna enjoy good coffee without having to sell one of my kidneys. Keep making more of these, please. Count me in to subscribe.
1ZPRESSO is my third purchase of a hand grinder as I feel more confident on making pour-over coffees, and I was absolutely amazed by how fast and consistant it can grind! I think I will stick to it for a loooong time. Thank you for the sharing! Even though I've already fell in love with this grinder, hearing positive feedbacks from someone I trust in terms of coffee making is just reassuring and somewhat satisfying. Lastly, I want to say that I just recently found this channel, and everything on it is spot on, pleasant ,and interesting to watch! I've quickly became a fan! Thank you for the great content!
China is killing it with the coffee game! Timemore, The force tamper is also out of China and is THE top tamper. Comes at a premium but I've not seen one person regret it or go back after getting it. Taking made in China to a new level
One thing I like about 1Zpresso is that they designed their grinder nut to fit electric screwdrivers so you can kind of turn them into electric grinders. However given their high grinding efficiency, it is actually much faster to just do it manually than to fuss around with the screwdriver. Was thinking to buy the Hario Smart G mobile mill to go with my KPro at one point, but eventually never found the need.
I have been hesitant to purchase a hand grinder (due to cost), but after rewatching this video review today, Kyle you impressed me with that review of the Timemore C2 and how good it could be for Pour over, which is my main use case. So I went to Amazon and BOOM! Lightening Deal Timemore C2 Max (the upgraded C2) for 58.95 with an additional 5% coupon. All in for $55! Now that is a deal I can't pass up and it at least gets my feet wet in the Hand Grinder game! Thank you for all the great reviews and videos you do, Kyle!
I have a Lido E and A 1Zpresso JE and they are both great. I now use the Lido mainly for aeropress and pour overs and the 1Zpresso for espresso :) Cheers from Fredericon, NB!
Thanks for commenting as I was recommended the Lido by a retail coffee specialist, but have ordered the jx-pro and awaiting delivery. The focus on espresso and speed sealed the deal.
great video, I really appreciate the sifting results too. I use a 1Zpresso JX Pro at home, it's fantastic and a massive step up from the breville smart grinder pro, especially when considering the amount of grind retention you get in the breville, 20% of your grounds are stale unless you fully clean it out each time. With the 1Zpresso, I drop 16g in and get 15.9g out and get that last 0.1g with a quick brush around the bottom of the burrs. I just ordered a Timemore C2 for $57USD to use at work, 1Zpresso Q2 would have been my pick, but it's nearly double the cost.
you should definitely check out a new player in the market, Kingrinder... they are also based in Taiwan.. and interestingly enough, 1zpresso was their consultant in their R&D... they have a very similar build quality but at a lower price range since they are still relatively new... their K4 and K6 models are comparable to the 1zpresso Kplus but at a price even much cheaper than the Jx Pro... the K4 is specifically designed for espresso having a titanium coated stainless steel 48mm burr giving it an edge over the much more expensive Kplus 😉
I love watching your videos. They're a great complement to James Hoffman's, filling the gaps in my curiosity. That's a pretty impressive feat! So, why would it be a scandal that multiple companies use the same burrs? It's totally normal for parts to be a specialization of a handful of manufacturers that supply various product designers. Having a grinder as a product does not mean you have to design every component. Think of computers. Lots of different computer companies make computers using chips made by the same few companies. I hear you about the transparency thing. It would be cool if we all knew what various kinds of burrs were available and which grinders use them or have proprietary ones. I just don't see any reason for scandal regarding burr sourcing.
I wish I had discovered your channel before I bought my Hario =p My preference goes a little more towards the sweeter notes in coffee instead of the bright acidity, but that's just personal taste. You rarely see these type of comments however when you browse through reviews on Amazon or other shopping sites, so kudos to you. If you're hand grinding your beans, that means you appreciate and care for the delicate notes that each coffee has to offer so this info is very important to the buyer.
This was incredibly helpful in helping me narrow my choices down to my first budget hand grinder. It’s nice to know I can get good quality for my pour-over coffee under $100. Thank you.
Thanks, Kyle :) Picked up on this video a little late, but, for what it's worth, I'd say using the same outsourced burr set is similarly conventional practice as, say, pick-ups in the guitar industry. Consumers get to know the hardware that goes into a product, so, as long as product manufacturers are open about this - and hardware designers/makers get credit where it is due - is all good. In fact, it's a win-win for the burr folk because they can market their burrs with distinction. And, as coffee held are already doing, burrs can be swapped out upgraded or, maybe one day, custom-fitted. Imagine a premium grinder with a simple mechanism that allows for super quick burr changes... Anyway, thanks again for your work, Kyle!
1 z presso K plus is what. I think I got it for around 200 dollars....It is hands down the greatest grinder I have ever had and has improved my coffee enjoyment 10 x.
Awesome review and comparisons, definitely one of if not the best out there. I own a JX Pro for couple of months now and can't be more than happy to be one of the owner of this awesome hand grinder. For those who are looking to buy this particular model, I'm gonna share some cons that hasn't been mentioned here: 1. The screw/unscrewing mechanism can be quite scratchy at some times 2. Most people will get the zero, slightly behind the actual zero 3. (Super nitpicking) the rubber grip part has a mildy rough finish Other than that, some other problem like those that has been mentioned in this video: retentions on the ground catcher and the screw that sometimes comes loose (similar to the Varia), this grinder, really kickass! 👍
I have never thought my JX's threading was ever scratchy. It's always smooth. Bit of starch powder may help with that, although I don't even use the bin; I just let my aeropress catch the grinds. It fits.
@@tigonridge The thing is, I personally always quite-vigorously brush both side of the threading after each grind which leave them pretty residue-free and the threading relatively sharp. And your explanation is very make sense too since adding some kind of starch/coffee grounds decrease the sharpness of the threading mechanism.
@@Anthony0855 It depends. Are you willing to hand grind your dose for a couple of seconds/minutes? Do you have the money for an electric? Do you want to travel and move around with your grinder and coffee gear? Do you have enough space in your counter for a grinder?
It's worth it checking out the Xeoleo hand-grinder. It's similar to the Timemore, but it's all metal and $40-50. I've been using it for a year or so and I love it. My coffee tastes delicious, it's easy to clean and since it's all metal it has a nice heft. It also grinds about 20 grams in 30-ish seconds. Their descriptions are kinda barebones, but I'm very happy with it. I'd get another.
Great vid Kyle. This helped me finalise my choice(s). The rugged VSSL for camping and a C2 for home & work (remote site) where I only really make Americanos & cappuccinos with my Aeropress & French press.
I’ve got the Timemore Nano and am quite happy with it. Only minor drawback for me is its 15g capacity (I can get 17) but any grinder that fit’s inside my Aeropress makes me stand up
Seen so many reviews on Amazon that say the ceramic burrs on various grinders have broken over a very short time span really puts me off getting one with a ceramic burr.
First of all.. The studio is looking so bomb my guy 🔥 Let’s go!! Anyway, I used the Hario Slim for around a year before deciding to switch it out for an electric grinder and all I can say is the the grinds you get out if it doesn’t justify the amount of effort you have to put into grinding the coffee.
yea because Hario Slim is a nightmare for grinding beans. Short arm length and flimsy design. I also started off with that Hario slim. If you have tried any higher end hand grinder, you'll noticed how effortless to grind beans actually, and the taste profile will always be a lot better than electric grinder in the same price range. :)
Hi Kyle, thanks for this comparison. I was looking for a compact grinder but strapped for cash. I came upon a small hand grinder from Mavo. It's cost was about $25 US. Ceramic burrs and comes with a spare burr and a cleaning brush. All plastic but feels pretty solid. Adjustments are stepped and stable. Not really suited for espresso but we don't travel with an espresso machine. Cheers
I mostly prefer sweetness so according to your verdict I would rather go for the C2 than the 1zpresso despite the 1zpresso is 3.5 time more expensive. Interesting!. Thank you
So I got the 1zpresso jx and I made two cups of the same coffee, one with my timemore c2 and one with the jx, but the c2 tasted sweeter. Why, if the ground sizes are the same , does one grinder produce a sweeter cup than the other?
I still have the Hario I bought in 2014 until I can get the money together for an upgrade. It's absolutely not ideal but surprisingly decent with a lever machine where you can compensate for inconsistencies with flow rate adjustments.
This video dropped about an hour after I got the shipping confirmation for the Timemore C2. Good to see this wasn't a bad choice! Intended use is for the moka in the camper, not for espresso. I contemplated the 1zpresso jx, but couldn't find it for a reasonable price, it was only a few bucks cheaper than the jx pro, which seems like a good choice for espresso. But for just a bit more one can get the Rok GC, which is what I am using for my stationary espresso setup.
The Rok GC burr is a very common burr found in grinders as cheap as $50. It should grind nowhere near as fast as a JX, and its grind should not be as uniform as the JX. It's a very expensive gadget that takes up more counter space, while lacking portability and grind quality.
I prefer the Timemore C2 over the 1zpresso JX. The Timemore suited my taste better than the JX. But I will say, the JX is built like a Tank and is better quality overall but for a budget grinder the Timemore is great.
Kyle! Solid job with this comparison. I've been looking at picking up a really good hand grinder recently, and this helped me get a little closer to a good decision.
Great video, Kyle! When I joined the world of specialty coffee, the entry level grinders were limited, specially here in Brazil. I opted for the Hario Skerton and came a long way to a high end, locally made hand grinder this year. I wish I had all these options back then.
I was looking between the JX and the C2. I settled on the JX and don’t regret the sizable price difference. The build quality is seriously amazing! I honesty enjoy taking it apart to clean the burrs out twice or so a week. It feels good it looks good and it functions beautifully. The static is a little annoying but the water droplet method really does take care of that. I do find it interesting that different burrs would produce different flavor profiles. What’s the science on that?
Hey bro, would you recomend the C2 or the JX for travel? I will mainly use an Aeropress, and I know the C2 fits inside it, but... the JX is better... I don't know if the JX is way to big to carry on travel... I was thinking to buy the JX with the Cylinder Case, but as I said, don't know if it is oversized. What do you think??
From my understanding, Timemore used to be mainly a ODM burr grinder manufacturer, so many companies without the resources to invest on R&D of burr designs and manufacture would source from them, that's why you see start-up - small coffee grinder companies use the same burrs. But since there's a bigger margin of profit doing B2C business and marketing your own brand, TimeMore released their own line up and of course at a lower price. They are still great burrs though!
Oh wow. I got the C2 at below 50USD in my country. And the other option that i had to choose from that price point was the Hario. C2 was only about 5USD cheaper and thus the reason for the C2. Well, maybe bcos i got during the year end sale period. But at least, I reckon, C2 is pretty cheap in my country area. Hello there all the way from Malaysia 🥰
@@murraythebaker i managed to pull some espresso shots on my Flair Neo. Unfortunately I can't say too much for an espresso machine's quality since Neo has a flow-control portafilter. However, with just the Neo and C2, i managed to pull some great shots with it. A superb budget combo of a cheap grinder and an entry level manual espresso machine with a great portafilter to offset the less "quality grind" 👌
@@joshualee8774 it’s to go with my flair pro 2. I’ve got the eureka mignon for my everyday coffee but want a single does grinder for when I buy different coffees so I don’t have to purge out all my beans first then refill the hoper
Wow this was exactly the review I needed a month ago. I ended up buying the 1zpresso jx and I'm super happy with it. I never really took the quality grinder thing seriously but my coffee tastes so much better since upgrading from the the hario mini mill.
Having a Hario Mini, i might go for the Timemore or the Normcore cause grinding coffee for minutes is not a fun experience. Really glad i found this comparison, top tier review, thank you so much.
Same situation here. I have a very cheap manual grinder (Bialetti DCDesign03) I bought for 20€ last week to discover manual grinders, but the experience is poor and yes, it takes so much time. I am also thinking about Timemore/Normcore, they can be found both for around 80€ ; Varia is also another option just a bit pricier (95€ from what I found). Should be much better than the cheap solution
Grind retention on my 1z presso JX is very, very low in the fine espresso range and practically non-existent when I grind for pour-over. Combined with the possibility of pressure profiling on my Cafelat Robot, there was no need to pay more for the smaller-stepped JX-Pro which I've heard is more complex and retains a little bit more. I actually switched over from a capable electric burr grinder to the JX because I wanted to minimise retention.
Hey Kyle! Just found your channel (and subbed) after buying a gaggia classic and getting back into pour overs as well. Can you go into a bit more detail regarding the "types of cup" you mentioned a couple times? How do the Burr sets affect the sweetness vs clarity? Seems like every time I figure stuff out, the rabbit hole goes deeper haha
Hey man, great comparison! I’ll definitely be recommending it to some friends! It’s actually completely normal for grinders to use non-proprietary burrs. I believe most grinders source there burrs from other companies.
Really appreciated this video! Great comparisons and notes on flavor profiles. I bought the Varia hand grinder because of this video and I absolutely love it! Thank you!
I have the 1Zpresso Kplus and it’s amazing. I use it for espresso as well as drip coffee and it works so well. Give the Kplus a try I think you’ll love it
Okay I'm gonna say it straight here, "Try your best to AVOID HARIO SLIM as your first grinder." , go save up some more and purchase the timemore c2 at least, the higher end the better, as a beginner myself when i started off this specialty coffee thingy, the biggest mistake i made was purchasing the Hario Slim grinder, it was not a good experience for me to grind beans off it, and it always took me 2-4 mins to complete the grinding. When i used lighter beans, it gets even worse, since lighter beans are generally harder. So my advice to new comers, the most important piece of coffee equipment is your grinder and you should invest the most into it. WHY? a good grinder can save you a lot time and strength from grinding, plus rewarding you with a greater taster out of your coffee. It'll be worth it in the long run. I'm currently using the minos grinder, wouldn't say it's the best, but still it only took 30s-1min for me to grind any beans in general and the taste profile is far better than the hario slim. Hope this helps :)
I bought the 1zpresso JX, JE, and Q2 grinder. The JX and Q2 brings out to much acidity. Even on low acidity coffee like Brazil’s. The JE model is better for someone looking for a more creamy and balanced flavor
Yeah, it fits in the Aeropress... maybe a little too well. If there's even a little bit of moisture in between it and the Aeropress, it forms a strong suction that makes it nearly impossible to remove from the plunger. How do you deal with this?
I have the Normcore v2 with 38mm stainless steel burrs and the TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 MAX. I originally decided on the Normcore v2 because it had good reviews and was reasonably priced at $120 CDN. I was incredibly happy with the burr set and the adjustability of the burrs. It also felt REALLY solidly built. The feeling when grinding was very satisfying. I had no worries that it would hold up well. Fast forward to 178 days of grinding light to medium roast beans (harder than dark roast) and the handle broke. The handle is held in the lid with a steel pin. But the handle, itself, is aluminum. And after 178, the aluminum broke. I contacted Normcore and they were quick to send me out a new handle. Again, 6 months later and the handle broke again. Having Normcore send me a new handle every 6 months wasn't reasonable and for $120, I expected the grinder to last a lot longer. Before the handle broke a third time, Normcore told me they were changing the handle to be steel and would ship me a new handle for free. I now have the Normcore v2 grinder with 38mm burr set and steel handle. I'm thrilled. It feels great to use, very solid. It grinds very fine. I typically use 22 clicks for a V60 pour over. I have not used it for espresso yet but I feel it will handle that as well. It costs more now but I think it is still well worth the price now. When the handle broke for the second time, I decided to get another grinder to use while waiting for the steel handles on the Normcore. I decided it would be good to have a grinder that could grind more than 20g at a time. So I purchased the TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 MAX. This was 30g capacity. The Timemore feels cheaper. Like the Timemore reviewed in this video, it uses the common burr set and can not grind fine enough for espresso. I have it and use it whenever I want to do more than 1 cup of coffee in my pour over. All in all, I feel the Normcore V2, even with smaller capacity, is a hugely superior grinder. If you are only going to buy one hand grinder i would make it the Normcore. Now that it comes with a steel handle, I have absolutely no regrets.
great review. I wish you could update with the comparison including the Timemore Slim plus with the E&B burrs. I think its one of the best choices for the price under $100, and it can make a very decent expresso or pour over. It definetly seems to be in a different step of premium grinders
Great comparison vid, thanks! I started with a Hario Skerton, which lasted some years, but a year ago made the transition to an 1Zpresso JX and a Timemore Nano. The former at home and the latter for work (moving around). But, as any hobby, 1 or 2 is never enough and I got curious with the Normcore and the Varia!
After watching this, I got the 1zpresso JX to take on trips, but because it's so fun to use and produces such consistent grinds, I end up using it at home a lot too. I might not sophisticated enough to taste the difference, but the beds on my v60 brews seem a little muddier when using the Baratza Encore, although I still enjoy using it too.
I respectfully think you missed a really important comparison in capacity. I have the c2 and I love it but had i known how small the capacity (25 to 30 grams of coffee depending) is I may have looked elsewhere. It cam be frustrating to grind pour inti another bowl then grind again. Just my 2 cents
Hey Kyle! New sub here :). Thanks for the clear and detailed breakdown of the hand grinders. I really like the Timecodes, so thank you for doing that. I watched the whole video, but appreciated being able to jump around to the various review times based on what you said at the end. That way of watching a review is really helpful to me. I may go with the 1ZPRESSO JX as a result of your review, so thanks for doing this video - very clear, concise, and entertaining. Definitely my favorite type for comparison reviews!
I'm curious, before I dove into espresso, I was in need of a coffee grinder and decided to skip another appliance and go the traditional route ie. hand grinding. I ended up getting a Zassenhaus"Brasilia". When I was looking into it, it seemed to be a very recognized name and deep seated tradition so I was pretty comfortable with the purchase. While it does have its quirks It performs well for me on a daily basis. My question is why Zassenhaus is never mentioned in these type of videos, am I missing something?
Awesome videos. Very informative, really good info for those new to the coffee world and veterans alike I'm the former, so I really appreciate the info. A diamond in the rough
great review! Wish these options were there when I started. I had pretty much only choice between the hario ones and the boxy vintage looking zassenhaus. Went for the zassenhaus (which wasn't great) and then the slim mill. While it does the job, the commandante is miles above.
Thanks for the great review. I"ve had the Porlex Mini for over 5 years mostly as my travel grinder, but I've started brewing Aeropress daily at work and noticed that it is a bit inconsistent. This will definitely help me look for my next hand grinder. Cheers
Sift Test results are in the description! Which grinder would you choose out of these seven? In hindsight if I had known three of these grinders had the same burr... I might have opted for others. But this was an interesting revelation none the less. Drop a comment on which grinder you prefer!
I had 1Zpresso Pro E. It is a versatile one and can grind both. Today I am using Timemore Slim, also a good grinder.
Btw, did you know Timemore offer new upgrades for all of their grinders with different bur set. It suits both espresso and pour-over too.
Hi Kyle - I'm unconvinced by your methodology with the sift testing.
First you dial in each grinder to around 1100um particle size, then use a 1100um sieve to bin the particles?
This just means that the grinder that is dialled in closer to 1200um will be "worse" because a lot goes into the "coarse" bin while one dialled into 1000um will be "better" because very little will stay in the "coarse" bin.
With the limited resolution of sieve tests you would be much better off dialling in to the centre between two sieves, and repeating the test (from scratch, including the dialling in process) multiple times to get a reliable result.
@@harrym2709 Hi Harry. Before conducting the test I was instructed by Kruve that this is how to do the Kruve sift test. To make it even more precise I could add multiple sift variations through the process, but decided against it. To add to this, every grinder was dialled in within 100 microns. And based on the data provided I think it’s a good result of which grinder has great consistency. This isn’t meant to be the end all test, just more data for your benefit.Thanks for the comment.
Love the review.
Have you tried the newer normcore V2 version? Think they fixed the problem with the lid.
But I've heard people saying that whilst you can fit 25g in the hopper, the collection bin can only hold 20g of ground coffee. Do you know if that's true? Not sure if it was in relation to the v1 or V2 or both
@@mattdasilva4577 I came to ask the same. The Normcore V2 also has 24 clicks per rotation (vs. the 12 clicks in V1), so I was wondering if it would be good for espresso.
as a Taiwanese American, mind blown when you pronounced “e”zspresso. I’ve always said “one”zpresso without thinking twice behind the name.
Haha oh man! That’s so cool.
Yì-zee-presso. Cool branding!
Me calling it One-zack-as-presso at one time.
I had to google it because I didn't understand at first lol now I do
Omg... As a Taiwanese Canadian... This blows my mind too hahha
...
Oh man, as a Mexican American I've only read it and in my mind it was "one zee presso" 😅
I’m a uni student that had the misfortune of becoming an specialty coffee addict because once you make your first home brewing purchase [and you if like it] there’s no turning back, used to buy pre-ground from my local roasters, used to pour water using a recycled Coffee Mate container, used to borrow a baking scale from my sis and slowly over time with savings and ‘lil gigs upgraded my setup piece by piece until I bought the Timemore last November, this grinder has a very special place in my heart as it finally showed me what brewing GOOD coffee at home feels like and it’s far from perfect, I agree with the plastics, the little adjustment knob on mine is showing some cracks and the catch bin is always unscrewing a tad bit not enough so it falls but enough so 5AM me is approaching a heart attack (the lid wobbling is solved by actually pressing hard on the shaft and it sits mostly flush) but damn is it consistent enough for the price, today I sit and enjoy this video as this is a great guide to those who are starting their journey as much as I started mine. It is almost a poetic goodbye as today, the day this video released, is the same day my Fellow Ode arrived in the mail.
how are you liking your Fellow Ode? have they replaced the stock unit with the flat burrs?
@@aerasatbp I enjoy it enough so that it goes unnoticed, I have the first burr update they made, the V1.1 per se however it does have a couple of issues, every now and again it jams when grinding high doses (50g and up) but I only do that once every one or two weeks and it doesn’t happen all the time and the auger key to clean the burrs was astonishingly hard to remove, contacted Fellow’s support and they sent me the replacement with no extra cost and it’s all good now, I feel it grinds fine enough for most of the beans I use to the point I don’t even feel the need for the SSP burr set although this is more down to personal preference, autostop works well 100% of the time, I spray a little bit of water to the beans before grinding and I face no retention and little static, overall pretty good, specially for a first crack at a grinder from Fellow.
1zpresso is killing it. I believe they developed the burr set that is now adopted by some others. Great hands on comparison review, Kyle.
Agreed! Thanks friend. Much appreciated
I read that they copied the burrs from the commandante and kinu grinders (JX / K).
But then making a quality copy is nothing to scoff at too.
I ended up grabbing a Timemore Chestnut C2 because of this video and my god what an unbelievable upgrade this is from my Hario Slim Mini Plus. That horrible grinder gave me some of the worst cups I ever had, so once I made my first V60 using the C2 I was pretty floored by the results. I would highly recommend it for anybody in a similar situation where they desperately need to upgrade from their cheap grinder but they don't know whether or not they should just save some dough and grab the C2 or save up for something like the 1zpresso JX; rest assured that this grinder slaps and you won't regret it, so long as you aren't looking for an espresso grinder.
Thanks for this positive feedback!
Sorry for to be late with this question - but I am in the same situation you were.
I got the HarioSlim Mini as I was testing the water, and didn't want to spend too much on something I might drop right away. After two months I decided I'm sticking with it for a while. I don't see spending a lot on this hobby.
Can your suggested grinder handle a moka pot? Finer than V60, coarser than espresso.
Thanks!
@@jefftitterington7600 No idea, sorry.
@@hamblok0 thanks for your time. It was a bit of a wild shot anyway.
The Hario was my first ever burr grinder. I used it for years, and it deserves the OG tag
Nah. Its terrible and deserves nothing
Great review Kyle.
I rolled the dice last June on the 1Zpresso JX when there were almost no reviews. It's a home run. It came direct from Taiwan in 2 days to Ohio for $129. The build quality is phenomenal with the entire thing being machined from a single block of aluminum with two bearings on the shaft for virtually zero wobble. That assures super grind consistency and is the polar opposite of my old Hario which wobbled all over the place.
It feels like this problem is solved once and for all. Now to just enjoy the great coffee it produces.
By the way the JX pro is identical except for the top adjustment which has 40 clicks per revolution compared to the JX having 30 clicks. And since I just do pourover/aeropress type brewing I got the regular one. But $30 more isn't bad for the upgrade.
You hit the nail on the head regarding the jx series. I almost bought the jx and decided to spend the extra for the jx-pro and I love it. We’ll see how it does on the flair 58 for espresso but overall has been great for everything from aero press to French press.
Right on! Thanks for the comment Cameron. A flair 58 review to come soon.
JX-Pro owner here... it's great for espresso and everything else, as long as you are good with how it needs to be set up for each type and dialing in. I thought it was an extravagant expense at the time but now I realize how much it saved me, effort-wise, and budget-wise.
I love how you compare them not only in subjective matters but also compare them with kruve sifter. I can't wait for you to talk about those high-end manual hand grinders!
Thanks for watching!
I just upgraded my hand grinder from the hario to the Normcore because of this video. I was shocked at the difference. Of course the coffee is better, but the speed is unbelievable. The first time i used it i literally said out loud "wait I'm done!?" Thanks for the recommendation.
Ok Kyle, I pressed like before the video even started. I always enjoy your content and really like your philosophy of life. For myself I purchased the C2 on the spur of the moment, for when my wife and I go on a trip or something. I normally research the items I purchased, like the Niche Zero, it took me a couple of months to pull the trigger on that one, with absolutely no regrets, it more than sastisfied me. The C2 was a surprise, I even use it at home for V60 or Aeropress, because it is fun to use and adds enjoyement of the zen practice of a pour over and it makes delicious coffee.
Thanks for this video and all of your other videos! I wish you and your family a great summer.👍
How this doesn't have 50 k views yet is a mystery to me!
That’s alright. Just happy to help those who have watched ☺️
It does now :) and I'm here because of your comment hehe
Bonus fun point for the Porlex is that it fits perfectly inside the Aeropress piston so it's part of my travel set for coffee making.
I used to have a Hario Mini Slim Plus and since last October I've had a Chestnut C2. What an improvement! I really like this grinder, even though I got the (now old) black version, which came with a brass part that oxidized or something. Luckily the company just changed that and the new version of the model has different materials (all steel I believe).
I guess I'll hit timemore c2 while saving money for comandante (or niche of course)
Great vid! After using a Hario Skerton for 2 years, I finally bought the 1zpresso.... Definitely a night and day difference, though I wish the grinds cup was either secured by magnets or a friction connection instead of being screwed in!
I have the 1zpresso and when you pick it up you immediately sense the quality of the grinder. It is great!
Great comparison, I have the Timemore C2 and it performs as my expectation resulting enjoyable cup of coffee everyday. I was planning to upgrade to Timemore Slim (not the Slim Plus) but after knowing that the Slim using the same burr set as C2, I considered to upgrade to the Slim Plus instead, but still doing more research since the Slim Plus have 2 varian, one with E&B burr sets and one with the titanium coated burr sets (with six star) and surprisingly the Normcore burr sets looked very similar to the Slim Plus just without the titanium coating hmm...
I have the 1Zpresso JX and retention for me is consistently just around .1g to .2g, depending on the beans. All I do is pour-over anyway so it's more than enough.
Thanks for sharing!
Just received my Normcore and can say it's absolutely brilliant. Super fast and ultra consistent! My coffee tastes like never before
Glad to hear it!
30 seconds in but i wanted to say that was incredibly satisfying grinding footage. really gave an excellent idea of function, smoothness and sound. thumbs up.
I have the Jpresso pro, and I couldent be more satisfied, its perfect for my espresso routine.
Thanks for sharing!
How long does it take to grind?
@@crazycatastrophe77 toooo fast realy, grind in maybe 20 seconds, 17 grs for espresso.
What's a Jpresso pro?
@@tigonridge 1Zpresso JX Pro, special for espresso grinding.
FYI, the JX Pro is still a stepped grinder with just way more steps than the regular JX. I love it for pourover and have used it a couple times for espresso (does really well!). The step adjustment on the top along is worth the modest upgrade.
I bought a cheap manual grinder with the ceramic burr, and I wanted to speed things up a bit. I took of the handle and tightened the chuck of my portable drill on the top of the grinder and let it rip. Worked pretty well.
Great review. The identical burr sets feels pretty irrelevant as an issue - especially given that people buying much more expensive grinders spend quite a lot of money to change the burrs to ones from SSP or other brands that specialise in burr production. Loads of products have parts made by the same specialist manufacturer - the big thing is what you put around those parts to make them the best overall product
Well said! Thanks for sharing this input!
@@KyleRowsell The costs are so high for infrastructure to manufacture quality burrs, so it makes sense that many companies are sourcing from the same supplier.
@@obesesoldier1 if it makes equipment more affordable, I’m open to it. As long as the industry can continue to innovate and expand.
I got Hario Slim for $9 from Prime Day. To prevent inconsistent grind you can crack the beans with loosen settings and adjust it to your desired thickness then start grinding.
Loved the video Kyle. I have been a long term Hario Slim user. I was contemplating replacing some of its parts that had worn out but Hario Japan can no longer guarantee international shipping times . So I am in the market for a new hand grinder. As I only hand grind in the outdoors or when I cannot take an electric grinder your video was able to open my eyes to some grinders I wasn't aware of. The Timemore C2 looks like a perfect upgrade from the Slim for me, as someone who won't be using it daily in their coffee regime.
Hey, Kyle. I really do appreciate these reviews about relatively cheap coffee equipment for people like me who just wanna enjoy good coffee without having to sell one of my kidneys. Keep making more of these, please. Count me in to subscribe.
1ZPRESSO is my third purchase of a hand grinder as I feel more confident on making pour-over coffees, and I was absolutely amazed by how fast and consistant it can grind! I think I will stick to it for a loooong time. Thank you for the sharing! Even though I've already fell in love with this grinder, hearing positive feedbacks from someone I trust in terms of coffee making is just reassuring and somewhat satisfying. Lastly, I want to say that I just recently found this channel, and everything on it is spot on, pleasant ,and interesting to watch! I've quickly became a fan! Thank you for the great content!
Own Jx for about a year, definitely a beast for pour over or espresso
Loved this video, Kyle! Actually any video on your channel is premium quality 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽 I’d watch any ads for this 💛
Ah, you’re too kind!
China is killing it with the coffee game! Timemore, The force tamper is also out of China and is THE top tamper. Comes at a premium but I've not seen one person regret it or go back after getting it. Taking made in China to a new level
Agreed!
One thing I like about 1Zpresso is that they designed their grinder nut to fit electric screwdrivers so you can kind of turn them into electric grinders. However given their high grinding efficiency, it is actually much faster to just do it manually than to fuss around with the screwdriver. Was thinking to buy the Hario Smart G mobile mill to go with my KPro at one point, but eventually never found the need.
I upgraded my 2008 Hario Mini to a JX three weeks ago. It's not even the same game. I chose the JX for the speed. It's incredible!
same here, from hario slim+, to JX, game changer honestly
I have been hesitant to purchase a hand grinder (due to cost), but after rewatching this video review today, Kyle you impressed me with that review of the Timemore C2 and how good it could be for Pour over, which is my main use case. So I went to Amazon and BOOM! Lightening Deal Timemore C2 Max (the upgraded C2) for 58.95 with an additional 5% coupon. All in for $55! Now that is a deal I can't pass up and it at least gets my feet wet in the Hand Grinder game!
Thank you for all the great reviews and videos you do, Kyle!
Love it! Enjoy!
I have a Lido E and A 1Zpresso JE and they are both great. I now use the Lido mainly for aeropress and pour overs and the 1Zpresso for espresso :) Cheers from Fredericon, NB!
Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful day!
Thanks for commenting as I was recommended the Lido by a retail coffee specialist, but have ordered the jx-pro and awaiting delivery. The focus on espresso and speed sealed the deal.
Is there a reason for using the 1Zpresso for espresso when you have the Lido E? The lido should in theory be better for Espresso than the 1Zpresso.
great video, I really appreciate the sifting results too.
I use a 1Zpresso JX Pro at home, it's fantastic and a massive step up from the breville smart grinder pro, especially when considering the amount of grind retention you get in the breville, 20% of your grounds are stale unless you fully clean it out each time. With the 1Zpresso, I drop 16g in and get 15.9g out and get that last 0.1g with a quick brush around the bottom of the burrs.
I just ordered a Timemore C2 for $57USD to use at work, 1Zpresso Q2 would have been my pick, but it's nearly double the cost.
How's the Timemore compared to the JX Pro?
You sold me on the 1zpress jx! I bought it a couple weeks ago after watching this video. Happy with it for my pour over coffee making!
you should definitely check out a new player in the market, Kingrinder... they are also based in Taiwan.. and interestingly enough, 1zpresso was their consultant in their R&D... they have a very similar build quality but at a lower price range since they are still relatively new... their K4 and K6 models are comparable to the 1zpresso Kplus but at a price even much cheaper than the Jx Pro... the K4 is specifically designed for espresso having a titanium coated stainless steel 48mm burr giving it an edge over the much more expensive Kplus 😉
I love watching your videos. They're a great complement to James Hoffman's, filling the gaps in my curiosity. That's a pretty impressive feat! So, why would it be a scandal that multiple companies use the same burrs? It's totally normal for parts to be a specialization of a handful of manufacturers that supply various product designers. Having a grinder as a product does not mean you have to design every component. Think of computers. Lots of different computer companies make computers using chips made by the same few companies. I hear you about the transparency thing. It would be cool if we all knew what various kinds of burrs were available and which grinders use them or have proprietary ones. I just don't see any reason for scandal regarding burr sourcing.
I wish I had discovered your channel before I bought my Hario =p
My preference goes a little more towards the sweeter notes in coffee instead of the bright acidity, but that's just personal taste. You rarely see these type of comments however when you browse through reviews on Amazon or other shopping sites, so kudos to you. If you're hand grinding your beans, that means you appreciate and care for the delicate notes that each coffee has to offer so this info is very important to the buyer.
This was incredibly helpful in helping me narrow my choices down to my first budget hand grinder. It’s nice to know I can get good quality for my pour-over coffee under $100. Thank you.
Thanks, Kyle :)
Picked up on this video a little late, but, for what it's worth, I'd say using the same outsourced burr set is similarly conventional practice as, say, pick-ups in the guitar industry. Consumers get to know the hardware that goes into a product, so, as long as product manufacturers are open about this - and hardware designers/makers get credit where it is due - is all good. In fact, it's a win-win for the burr folk because they can market their burrs with distinction. And, as coffee held are already doing, burrs can be swapped out upgraded or, maybe one day, custom-fitted. Imagine a premium grinder with a simple mechanism that allows for super quick burr changes... Anyway, thanks again for your work, Kyle!
French press is my method of brewing at this time.
Thank you for your reviews.
1 z presso K plus is what. I think I got it for around 200 dollars....It is hands down the greatest grinder I have ever had and has improved my coffee enjoyment 10 x.
Awesome review and comparisons, definitely one of if not the best out there.
I own a JX Pro for couple of months now and can't be more than happy to be one of the owner of this awesome hand grinder. For those who are looking to buy this particular model, I'm gonna share some cons that hasn't been mentioned here:
1. The screw/unscrewing mechanism can be quite scratchy at some times
2. Most people will get the zero, slightly behind the actual zero
3. (Super nitpicking) the rubber grip part has a mildy rough finish
Other than that, some other problem like those that has been mentioned in this video: retentions on the ground catcher and the screw that sometimes comes loose (similar to the Varia), this grinder, really kickass! 👍
Too kind Andrew! I appreciate these kind words. And thanks for sharing your experience
I have never thought my JX's threading was ever scratchy. It's always smooth. Bit of starch powder may help with that, although I don't even use the bin; I just let my aeropress catch the grinds. It fits.
@@tigonridge The thing is, I personally always quite-vigorously brush both side of the threading after each grind which leave them pretty residue-free and the threading relatively sharp. And your explanation is very make sense too since adding some kind of starch/coffee grounds decrease the sharpness of the threading mechanism.
Me being Bri'ish: Hmnn. That one-zed-presso looks rather intriguing 🧐
It's a great grinder.
@@KyleRowsell how does it compare to the Comandante C40? If you did a video about the JX vs high end hand grinders would be amazing.
Me too 😂
@@matiaschacana5768 im new to all this what is better hand grinders or electric
@@Anthony0855 It depends. Are you willing to hand grind your dose for a couple of seconds/minutes? Do you have the money for an electric? Do you want to travel and move around with your grinder and coffee gear? Do you have enough space in your counter for a grinder?
It's worth it checking out the Xeoleo hand-grinder. It's similar to the Timemore, but it's all metal and $40-50. I've been using it for a year or so and I love it. My coffee tastes delicious, it's easy to clean and since it's all metal it has a nice heft. It also grinds about 20 grams in 30-ish seconds. Their descriptions are kinda barebones, but I'm very happy with it. I'd get another.
Great vid Kyle. This helped me finalise my choice(s). The rugged VSSL for camping and a C2 for home & work (remote site) where I only really make Americanos & cappuccinos with my Aeropress & French press.
Kyle, you make me want to buy everything you review.
I’ve got the Timemore Nano and am quite happy with it. Only minor drawback for me is its 15g capacity (I can get 17) but any grinder that fit’s inside my Aeropress makes me stand up
yup, great little unit! it's become my primary grinder
I have the 1zpresso k pro and it is amazing! I wish this company got more props. The quality of their products are great! Great review!
Seen so many reviews on Amazon that say the ceramic burrs on various grinders have broken over a very short time span really puts me off getting one with a ceramic burr.
First of all.. The studio is looking so bomb my guy 🔥 Let’s go!!
Anyway, I used the Hario Slim for around a year before deciding to switch it out for an electric grinder and all I can say is the the grinds you get out if it doesn’t justify the amount of effort you have to put into grinding the coffee.
yea because Hario Slim is a nightmare for grinding beans. Short arm length and flimsy design. I also started off with that Hario slim. If you have tried any higher end hand grinder, you'll noticed how effortless to grind beans actually, and the taste profile will always be a lot better than electric grinder in the same price range. :)
Hi Kyle, thanks for this comparison. I was looking for a compact grinder but strapped for cash. I came upon a small hand grinder from Mavo. It's cost was about $25 US. Ceramic burrs and comes with a spare burr and a cleaning brush. All plastic but feels pretty solid. Adjustments are stepped and stable. Not really suited for espresso but we don't travel with an espresso machine. Cheers
I mostly prefer sweetness so according to your verdict I would rather go for the C2 than the 1zpresso despite the 1zpresso is 3.5 time more expensive. Interesting!. Thank you
So I got the 1zpresso jx and I made two cups of the same coffee, one with my timemore c2 and one with the jx, but the c2 tasted sweeter. Why, if the ground sizes are the same , does one grinder produce a sweeter cup than the other?
I still have the Hario I bought in 2014 until I can get the money together for an upgrade. It's absolutely not ideal but surprisingly decent with a lever machine where you can compensate for inconsistencies with flow rate adjustments.
This video dropped about an hour after I got the shipping confirmation for the Timemore C2. Good to see this wasn't a bad choice! Intended use is for the moka in the camper, not for espresso. I contemplated the 1zpresso jx, but couldn't find it for a reasonable price, it was only a few bucks cheaper than the jx pro, which seems like a good choice for espresso. But for just a bit more one can get the Rok GC, which is what I am using for my stationary espresso setup.
The Rok GC burr is a very common burr found in grinders as cheap as $50. It should grind nowhere near as fast as a JX, and its grind should not be as uniform as the JX. It's a very expensive gadget that takes up more counter space, while lacking portability and grind quality.
For your notice, the lid of the timemore c2 needs to be pressed in a little to sit properly
I prefer the Timemore C2 over the 1zpresso JX. The Timemore suited my taste better than the JX. But I will say, the JX is built like a Tank and is better quality overall but for a budget grinder the Timemore is great.
Kyle! Solid job with this comparison. I've been looking at picking up a really good hand grinder recently, and this helped me get a little closer to a good decision.
Ah you’re too kind. Glad this helped!
Great video, Kyle! When I joined the world of specialty coffee, the entry level grinders were limited, specially here in Brazil. I opted for the Hario Skerton and came a long way to a high end, locally made hand grinder this year. I wish I had all these options back then.
Hi Alexandre. What locally made hand grinder are you referring to? Thx
@@onipise Bravo Grinder
I was looking between the JX and the C2. I settled on the JX and don’t regret the sizable price difference.
The build quality is seriously amazing! I honesty enjoy taking it apart to clean the burrs out twice or so a week. It feels good it looks good and it functions beautifully. The static is a little annoying but the water droplet method really does take care of that.
I do find it interesting that different burrs would produce different flavor profiles. What’s the science on that?
Hey bro, would you recomend the C2 or the JX for travel?
I will mainly use an Aeropress, and I know the C2 fits inside it, but... the JX is better...
I don't know if the JX is way to big to carry on travel...
I was thinking to buy the JX with the Cylinder Case, but as I said, don't know if it is oversized.
What do you think??
From my understanding, Timemore used to be mainly a ODM burr grinder manufacturer, so many companies without the resources to invest on R&D of burr designs and manufacture would source from them, that's why you see start-up - small coffee grinder companies use the same burrs. But since there's a bigger margin of profit doing B2C business and marketing your own brand, TimeMore released their own line up and of course at a lower price. They are still great burrs though!
1zpresso Jx pro is phenomenal for espresso. Built like a rolls Royce. Good video mate.
I think it should be noted that the timemore c2 is just 50 dollars on Aliexpress. Total steal for the beginning of your coffee adventure!
Your video made me buy the Timemore, finally got it and I'm loving it, love your vids
Oh wow. I got the C2 at below 50USD in my country. And the other option that i had to choose from that price point was the Hario. C2 was only about 5USD cheaper and thus the reason for the C2. Well, maybe bcos i got during the year end sale period. But at least, I reckon, C2 is pretty cheap in my country area. Hello there all the way from Malaysia 🥰
Thanks for the comment. And hello!
Have you used it for espresso?
@@murraythebaker i managed to pull some espresso shots on my Flair Neo. Unfortunately I can't say too much for an espresso machine's quality since Neo has a flow-control portafilter. However, with just the Neo and C2, i managed to pull some great shots with it. A superb budget combo of a cheap grinder and an entry level manual espresso machine with a great portafilter to offset the less "quality grind" 👌
@@joshualee8774 it’s to go with my flair pro 2. I’ve got the eureka mignon for my everyday coffee but want a single does grinder for when I buy different coffees so I don’t have to purge out all my beans first then refill the hoper
Wow this was exactly the review I needed a month ago. I ended up buying the 1zpresso jx and I'm super happy with it. I never really took the quality grinder thing seriously but my coffee tastes so much better since upgrading from the the hario mini mill.
Glad I could help!
Having a Hario Mini, i might go for the Timemore or the Normcore cause grinding coffee for minutes is not a fun experience. Really glad i found this comparison, top tier review, thank you so much.
Same situation here. I have a very cheap manual grinder (Bialetti DCDesign03) I bought for 20€ last week to discover manual grinders, but the experience is poor and yes, it takes so much time. I am also thinking about Timemore/Normcore, they can be found both for around 80€ ; Varia is also another option just a bit pricier (95€ from what I found). Should be much better than the cheap solution
Grind retention on my 1z presso JX is very, very low in the fine espresso range and practically non-existent when I grind for pour-over.
Combined with the possibility of pressure profiling on my Cafelat Robot, there was no need to pay more for the smaller-stepped JX-Pro which I've heard is more complex and retains a little bit more.
I actually switched over from a capable electric burr grinder to the JX because I wanted to minimise retention.
Thank you SO much for your wonderful comparisons and reviews. I find them extremely useful. Thanks again!
My pleasure!
Hey Kyle! Just found your channel (and subbed) after buying a gaggia classic and getting back into pour overs as well. Can you go into a bit more detail regarding the "types of cup" you mentioned a couple times? How do the Burr sets affect the sweetness vs clarity? Seems like every time I figure stuff out, the rabbit hole goes deeper haha
Hey man, great comparison! I’ll definitely be recommending it to some friends!
It’s actually completely normal for grinders to use non-proprietary burrs. I believe most grinders source there burrs from other companies.
Really appreciated this video! Great comparisons and notes on flavor profiles. I bought the Varia hand grinder because of this video and I absolutely love it! Thank you!
Ah YES Nate! Thanks for the comment
Great video, could you compare 1zpresso JX with Comandante?
I have the 1Zpresso Kplus and it’s amazing. I use it for espresso as well as drip coffee and it works so well. Give the Kplus a try I think you’ll love it
Thanks for sharing!!
Okay I'm gonna say it straight here, "Try your best to AVOID HARIO SLIM as your first grinder." , go save up some more and purchase the timemore c2 at least, the higher end the better, as a beginner myself when i started off this specialty coffee thingy, the biggest mistake i made was purchasing the Hario Slim grinder, it was not a good experience for me to grind beans off it, and it always took me 2-4 mins to complete the grinding. When i used lighter beans, it gets even worse, since lighter beans are generally harder. So my advice to new comers, the most important piece of coffee equipment is your grinder and you should invest the most into it. WHY? a good grinder can save you a lot time and strength from grinding, plus rewarding you with a greater taster out of your coffee. It'll be worth it in the long run. I'm currently using the minos grinder, wouldn't say it's the best, but still it only took 30s-1min for me to grind any beans in general and the taste profile is far better than the hario slim. Hope this helps :)
I bought the 1zpresso JX, JE, and Q2 grinder. The JX and Q2 brings out to much acidity. Even on low acidity coffee like Brazil’s. The JE model is better for someone looking for a more creamy and balanced flavor
realizing i been watching a lot of your review vids and realizing i enjoy your vibe so i finally subbed lol 👏🏻❤️👍🏻
I have a Kinu M47 Classic, it's a pricey but I absolutely love it.
Video is super well made and informative. Thanks man that was helpful !
Glad to help!
Been using the Porlex mini 2 and it fits in my Aeropress. I use both every day 🙂☕
Yeah, it fits in the Aeropress... maybe a little too well. If there's even a little bit of moisture in between it and the Aeropress, it forms a strong suction that makes it nearly impossible to remove from the plunger. How do you deal with this?
@@MikeTrieu I've honestly never had this problem. I'm particular about how clean my belongings are though.
I have the Normcore v2 with 38mm stainless steel burrs and the TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 MAX.
I originally decided on the Normcore v2 because it had good reviews and was reasonably priced at $120 CDN. I was incredibly happy with the burr set and the adjustability of the burrs. It also felt REALLY solidly built. The feeling when grinding was very satisfying. I had no worries that it would hold up well. Fast forward to 178 days of grinding light to medium roast beans (harder than dark roast) and the handle broke. The handle is held in the lid with a steel pin. But the handle, itself, is aluminum. And after 178, the aluminum broke. I contacted Normcore and they were quick to send me out a new handle. Again, 6 months later and the handle broke again. Having Normcore send me a new handle every 6 months wasn't reasonable and for $120, I expected the grinder to last a lot longer. Before the handle broke a third time, Normcore told me they were changing the handle to be steel and would ship me a new handle for free.
I now have the Normcore v2 grinder with 38mm burr set and steel handle. I'm thrilled. It feels great to use, very solid. It grinds very fine. I typically use 22 clicks for a V60 pour over. I have not used it for espresso yet but I feel it will handle that as well. It costs more now but I think it is still well worth the price now.
When the handle broke for the second time, I decided to get another grinder to use while waiting for the steel handles on the Normcore. I decided it would be good to have a grinder that could grind more than 20g at a time. So I purchased the TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 MAX. This was 30g capacity. The Timemore feels cheaper. Like the Timemore reviewed in this video, it uses the common burr set and can not grind fine enough for espresso. I have it and use it whenever I want to do more than 1 cup of coffee in my pour over.
All in all, I feel the Normcore V2, even with smaller capacity, is a hugely superior grinder. If you are only going to buy one hand grinder i would make it the Normcore. Now that it comes with a steel handle, I have absolutely no regrets.
I have the JX Pro, it's so, so good.
We need an updated version of this test
great review. I wish you could update with the comparison including the Timemore Slim plus with the E&B burrs. I think its one of the best choices for the price under $100, and it can make a very decent expresso or pour over. It definetly seems to be in a different step of premium grinders
Great comparison vid, thanks! I started with a Hario Skerton, which lasted some years, but a year ago made the transition to an 1Zpresso JX and a Timemore Nano. The former at home and the latter for work (moving around). But, as any hobby, 1 or 2 is never enough and I got curious with the Normcore and the Varia!
Thanks for sharing! So many great options to choose from!
How'd you compare the nano to the jx?
Awesome video Kyle! Your Insta posts have had me eagerly awaiting this video
After watching this, I got the 1zpresso JX to take on trips, but because it's so fun to use and produces such consistent grinds, I end up using it at home a lot too. I might not sophisticated enough to taste the difference, but the beds on my v60 brews seem a little muddier when using the Baratza Encore, although I still enjoy using it too.
I respectfully think you missed a really important comparison in capacity. I have the c2 and I love it but had i known how small the capacity (25 to 30 grams of coffee depending) is I may have looked elsewhere. It cam be frustrating to grind pour inti another bowl then grind again. Just my 2 cents
Hey Kyle! New sub here :). Thanks for the clear and detailed breakdown of the hand grinders. I really like the Timecodes, so thank you for doing that. I watched the whole video, but appreciated being able to jump around to the various review times based on what you said at the end. That way of watching a review is really helpful to me. I may go with the 1ZPRESSO JX as a result of your review, so thanks for doing this video - very clear, concise, and entertaining. Definitely my favorite type for comparison reviews!
Hi Tom! Thanks for watching, and thank you for the kind comment!
Good quality video and content. I’m suprised you only have 12k subscribers. Keep up the good work!
Very nice review!
I have the Hero S01 grinder.
It has a same burr set like C2 but with double the adjustment clicks so it can grind espresso.
Right on!
@@KyleRowsell and the best part is that it has a lower price range than C2.
I purchased it for 38 euros 🥰
@@thanasispinkflo hard to beat that
I'm curious, before I dove into espresso, I was in need of a coffee grinder and decided to skip another appliance and go the traditional route ie. hand grinding. I ended up getting a Zassenhaus"Brasilia". When I was looking into it, it seemed to be a very recognized name and deep seated tradition so I was pretty comfortable with the purchase. While it does have its quirks It performs well for me on a daily basis. My question is why Zassenhaus is never mentioned in these type of videos, am I missing something?
Great video. The jx Pro, which I've got, doesn't have stepless adjustment just has finer adjustment between numbers.
Awesome videos.
Very informative, really good info for those new to the coffee world and veterans alike
I'm the former, so I really appreciate the info.
A diamond in the rough
Glad this helped Johnny!
great review! Wish these options were there when I started. I had pretty much only choice between the hario ones and the boxy vintage looking zassenhaus. Went for the zassenhaus (which wasn't great) and then the slim mill. While it does the job, the commandante is miles above.
Thanks for sharing!
How does the hero s01 compare?
Thanks for the great review. I"ve had the Porlex Mini for over 5 years mostly as my travel grinder, but I've started brewing Aeropress daily at work and noticed that it is a bit inconsistent. This will definitely help me look for my next hand grinder. Cheers
Good stuff!