We get this question more than any other: what grinder should I buy under $200?
We don’t sell a grinder. We’ve thought about it. The honest answer is the market is already saturated at this price point with grinders we couldn’t meaningfully improve on — and adding a Nudo-branded version would just be marketing.
So here’s the one we’d buy if we were starting today: Timemore Chestnut C2. Hand grinder. About $80. Conical burrs. It will outlast your first three espresso machines.
Why hand-cranked, not electric
At $80 you can have a great hand grinder or a mediocre electric. A mediocre electric makes mediocre coffee with less effort; a great hand grinder makes good coffee with more.
The C2 has stepped adjustment so you can’t get lost between settings, low retentionRetentionGrounds that stay inside the grinder instead of coming out with your dose. because there’s nowhere for grounds to hide, and a steel body that doesn’t flex. It’s also small enough to take on holiday.
What it’s not
It’s not espresso-capable, really. You can grind fine enough, but it takes ages and the grind isn’t quite uniform enough to dial in espresso confidently. If you’re only making espresso, save up for a 1Zpresso J-Max (~$180) instead.
For pour-over, French press, AeroPress, and drip — the C2 is a forever-tool.
The Nudo angle
We’d rather tell you what to buy when we don’t sell it than not tell you and lose your trust. That’s the whole brand. When we make a grinder ourselves — and we might, eventually — it’ll be because we’ve found something specific to improve, not because we want a margin.
The best gear recommendation is from someone who isn’t trying to sell it to you. We aim to be that, even at the cost of an obvious sale.