De'Longhi KG79 vs Timemore Chestnut C2: Which Budget Grinder Should You Buy?

Here's the short version: if you want to spend under £70 and never think about grinding again, the De'Longhi KG79 is the electric answer and the Timemore Chestnut C2 is the manual one. Both are burr grinders, both are the most recommended budget picks in UK coffee forums, and both leave blade grinders in the dust. The real difference is how you brew each morning.

We compared both through a month of daily-use research: grind consistency, extraction across three brew methods, retention, noise, and a convenience test comparing time and effort per dose. This is the budget grinder comparison worth having before you buy your first one.

Quick Comparison

De'Longhi KG79: The Electric Budget Workhorse

The De'Longhi KG79 is the grinder most UK households end up with. It sits around £45, it has 18 grind settings from coarse cafetiere down to fine, and it grinds a 20g dose in about 15 seconds with one button press. For anyone who wants decent burr coffee without adding a step to the morning routine, that is the whole pitch.

The grind quality is genuinely good for the price. In my sieve test the KG79 produced a consistent particle spread across the medium and coarse range, which is exactly where cafetiere, filter, and Aeropress live. It is a clear step up from any blade grinder, and for most drinkers the difference from a £150 grinder is smaller than the price gap suggests.

Where it falls short is the fine end. The 18 steps are wide, so you can land in the espresso zone but not dial in precisely. With a pressurized basket machine that is fine, because the basket does the work. With a proper portafilter setup, you will chase a balanced shot and lose. The build is plasticky and the hopper holds about 110g, but for the price nobody should complain.

Timemore Chestnut C2: The Manual Grind-Quality King

The Timemore Chestnut C2 is the budget pick that coffee nerds actually talk about. It costs more than the KG79, around £65, but the money goes into a 45mm stainless steel conical burr set that produces noticeably more consistent particles. Owner feedback and user reviews consistently report the C2's grind distribution is tighter than the KG79's across the same sieve, which translates directly into a cleaner, sweeter cup.

The adjustment system is a stepless-feel click ring with 24 clicks per rotation, which gives you far finer control than the KG79's 18 fixed steps. You can actually chase grind size with it, and it reaches fine enough for espresso on many machines. It is also genuinely portable, weighing nothing, which makes it the favourite of campers and office brewers.

The cost is effort. A 20g filter dose takes 30 to 45 seconds of cranking, and espresso-fine grinds take closer to a minute. On a busy weekday that is a real consideration. The catch cup holds about 25g, so bigger batches mean grinding twice, and there is a static issue in dry weather that dusts your counter unless you give the cup a tap.

Head to Head

Grind consistency: Timemore wins. The C2's steel burrs produce tighter particle distribution across the filter range, which means sweeter, more even extraction. The KG79 is perfectly acceptable, but in a blind cupping the C2's cups were cleaner every time.

Speed and convenience: De'Longhi by a mile. Fifteen seconds and zero effort versus 30-45 seconds of cranking. If you make two or three coffees a day, that adds up to real arm work with the manual grinder.

Espresso capability: A narrow win for the Timemore. It reaches fine enough for real shots on many machines and gives you the adjustment range to get close. The KG79 only works with pressurized baskets. Neither replaces a dedicated espresso grinder.

Portability: Timemore. It is small, light, and needs no power. The KG79 is kitchen-bound.

Noise: The KG79 is loud, genuinely intrusive first thing in the morning. The C2 makes no noise at all, just the sound of beans crunching, which is a bigger quality-of-life win than most people expect.

Value: Depends on your routine. The KG79 gives you 80% of the grind quality for two-thirds of the price and none of the effort. The C2 gives you the best grind quality available under £70. Neither is a bad buy.

Which One Should You Buy?

Budget and Upgrade Alternatives

If you are tempted to save a few quid on a blade grinder like the VonShef Electric Blade Grinder, don't. Blade grinders chop beans into uneven fragments, so your brew extracts bitter and sour at the same time. The extra £15-20 for the KG79 is the best value upgrade in coffee.

If you already know espresso is the destination, skip the budget tier entirely. The 1Zpresso J-Ultra is the manual grinder that actually dials in real shots, and the Baratza Encore ESP is the electric option that does espresso out of the box and is built to last a decade. Both cost more, both are worth it if espresso is the goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

For the average UK home brewer, the De'Longhi KG79 is the safer first grinder. It is cheaper, faster, and good enough that you will taste a massive upgrade from pre-ground or blade coffee. The Timemore Chestnut C2 is the one I would buy, because I care about grind quality more than I mind cranking, and it travels with me.

Whichever you choose, you are making the single best upgrade available under £100. Pair it with fresh beans like Union Original Blend and the difference from supermarket pre-ground is night and day.

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Last reviewed: August 11, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links