The catch
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
Each additional dose is more hand grinding, and the catch cup holds 25 g.
Side by side
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro vs Baratza Encore ESP: Encore takes hand grinding out of several drinks, and neither weighs doses
Quick verdict
Encore ESP is the one if making several drinks turns hand grinding into a chore and you have a permanent coffee station. C5 ESP Pro fits a single measured dose of 25 g or less, folding storage and use away from an outlet. Dosing and recipe adjustment remain your job with either. Electric does not mean automatic by weight.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Regular and decaf made separately still bring the loading work, motor or not
When two people drink different beans, each still needs a separate dose and setting. Encore ESP gets rid of the repeated cranking, which may be its most useful upgrade, but it does not weigh the coffee or remove the cleanup after a bean change. The C5 can comfortably hold an assumed 18 g single dose, yet two such doses add up to 36 g and overflow its catch cup. Grind them separately instead of trying to merge two different recipes into one oversized batch.
Where this comes from
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro: 25 g catch cup and manual cranking. Two assumed 18 g doses total 36 g. Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder: Electric grinding with manual dosing controls and a two-range adjustment system.
The catch
Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
A powered spot on the counter is required, and dose control remains manual.
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- Why pick it
- Your usual order is one espresso dose of 25 g or less, and you want a portable setup that folds.
- The 25 g catch cup has room for an 18 g example dose.
- The catch
- Each additional dose is more hand grinding, and the catch cup holds 25 g.
Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Why pick it
- Repeated cranking gets inconvenient once you make two or more drinks.
- A motor does the grinding and the dose stays under your control.
- The catch
- A powered spot on the counter is required, and dose control remains manual.
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What this page compares
C5 ESP Pro and Encore ESP, compared on making drinks back to back, portability, compatible dosing cups and the work left once the grinding is done.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
A portable coffee kit and one espresso
No outlet is needed for the C5, and it folds up for packing. Stay within the manual’s 25 g recommendation for each load.
- TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- Better fit
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Depends
Several drinks, and you would rather not crank
Repeated hand grinding is taken over by the Encore motor.
- TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- Good
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Better fit
An espresso setup of 54 or 58 mm
The dosing hardware that comes with the Encore has a documented role.
- TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- Good
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Better fit
One grinder stays at home, another goes in a travel kit
Adjustment numbers do not carry across mechanisms, so keep a separate recipe for each.
- TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- Good
- Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- Good
In practice
Differences you will notice
Regular and decaf made separately still bring the loading work, motor or not
When two people drink different beans, each still needs a separate dose and setting. Encore ESP gets rid of the repeated cranking, which may be its most useful upgrade, but it does not weigh the coffee or remove the cleanup after a bean change. The C5 can comfortably hold an assumed 18 g single dose, yet two such doses add up to 36 g and overflow its catch cup. Grind them separately instead of trying to merge two different recipes into one oversized batch.
How we worked this out
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro: 25 g catch cup and manual cranking. Two assumed 18 g doses total 36 g. Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder: Electric grinding with manual dosing controls and a two-range adjustment system.
The right transfer path matters for a small espresso machine
With the Encore ESP you get a 54 mm dosing cup and a 58 mm adapter, which can make moving grounds more direct at those sizes. Any other basket diameter needs its own fit check. The C5’s ordinary catch cup leaves the transfer method up to you, but its folding, unpowered design travels easily alongside a portable brewer. Neither cup arrangement shows a cleaner counter unless you test it with your beans and technique.
How we worked this out
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro: Folding manual grinder with a general 25 g catch cup. Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder: Includes a 54 mm dosing cup and 58 mm adapter. Other portafilter sizes are not established by those inclusions.
Setting numbers will not stay the same when you go from home to travel
Say the C5 goes on trips while an Encore ESP stays at home. Keep a recipe for each grinder. The C5’s internal click setting and the Encore’s two-range numbered collar describe different mechanisms, so copying a number cannot reproduce the same grind. That extra calibration comes with owning two setups, even when both use the same beans and an 18 g dose.
How we worked this out
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro: Internal 15-micron click adjustment. Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder: Forty-position two-range collar with settings 1–20 focused on espresso.
Option A
TIMEMORE, C5 ESP Pro Black
C5 ESP Pro
This folding hand grinder has fine espresso adjustment. Follow the manual and plan on loads of 25 grams or less, even though the headline chamber figure is 30 grams.
- Best for
- Your usual order is one espresso dose of 25 g or less, and you want a portable setup that folds.
Facts we checked
- Grinding effort: Manual
- Adjustment: 15-micron internal dial
- Dosing hardware: 25 g catch cup
- Where it works: Without an outlet, folding handle
Option B
Baratza, ZCG495WHT
Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
It is the familiar Encore with a finer espresso zone and a handy cup system added, and the easygoing filter range is still there.
- Best for
- Repeated cranking gets inconvenient once you make two or more drinks.
Facts we checked
- Grinding effort: Electric
- Adjustment: 40 settings, with 1–20 focused on espresso
- Dosing hardware: 54 mm dosing cup with 58 mm adapter
- Where it works: Powered countertop setup
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro | Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grinding effort | Manual | Electric | Drinks in a row add up the physical work on the C5. |
| Adjustment | 15-micron internal dial | 40 settings, with 1–20 focused on espresso | You cannot carry either numbering system straight over to the other. |
| Dosing hardware | 25 g catch cup | 54 mm dosing cup with 58 mm adapter | See whether it is compatible with your real basket. |
| Where it works | Without an outlet, folding handle | Powered countertop setup | Different layouts suit travel and a permanent coffee station. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
- The grind adjustment is underneath, so changing recipes means reaching below the burrs.
With Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
- It has neither a timed dose nor active static control.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Your usual order is one espresso dose of 25 g or less, and you want a portable setup that folds.
Go with TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro. The 25 g catch cup has room for an 18 g example dose.
Repeated cranking gets inconvenient once you make two or more drinks.
Go with Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder. A motor does the grinding and the dose stays under your control.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the premium coffee grinders we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro |
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| Baratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
TIMEMORE C5 ESP Pro
Your usual order is one espresso dose of 25 g or less, and you want a portable setup that folds.
See price & reviews on AmazonBaratza Encore ESP Conical Burr Grinder
Repeated cranking gets inconvenient once you make two or more drinks.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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