The Comandante C40 has long been seen as the gold standard for manual grinders. It is beautifully built, has excellent grind consistency, and has a large capacity. But should it still be the go-to grinder for specialty coffee enthusiasts?
Comandante C40
This beautiful grinder boasts sharp nitro burrs and consistent grind quality from Turkish to Cold Brew and everything in between. While it is expensive, we would say the Comandante C40 is well worth the price and should still be one of the go-to grinders for coffee connoisseurs.
Diameter: 6 cm Height: 16 cm. Weight: 739 grams. Outer Burr Size: 39mm. Inner Burr Size: 30mm. Burr Type: Conical Steel Burrs Burr.
Comandante C40 Review
Design
The Comandante C40 has a flawless design. It is exceptionally well built with a stainless steel body, axle, crank, and ball bearings. The stainless steel body is wrapped in a wood veneer and available in six striking styles. It is simply a stunning grinder, and don’t worry; they haven’t sacrificed function for fashion! The Comandante C40 is loaded with 39mm stainless steel conical burrs that will remain sharp for years. It also has an ergonomic handle that spins smoothly.
The only point of contention some users have had with the Comandante C40 is that it has a glass grinds catcher rather than plastic or metal. The glass grinds catcher looks good and is easy to clean but does have the downside of being breakable.
Burr Quality
The steel used is tough, has a high degree of edge retention, and is highly wear-resistant. The burrs have also been designed to be impeccably sharp and give you an even grind consistency for all grind sizes from coarse to fine. The steel surface is highly inert, so you won’t have to worry about retaining the flavors from prior beans or even salt and pepper ground in it!
The burrs are held in place by a center axle that is fixed and supported by two micro ball bearings- so no wobble here!
Grind Consistency
The Comandante C40 has been set as the gold standard because it offers exceptional grind quality for a wide range of grind settings. Whether you are grinding for Turkish or Cold Brew or anything in between, the Comandante C40 can produce uniform grinds. When it comes to the grind adjustment, the Comandante has a simple stepped adjustment dial located under the main body of the grinder. There are 12 clicks per rotation of the dial and a total of 35 different grind settings available. The stepped adjustment provides enough accuracy and choice to be able to grind for almost any brew method. Comandante recommends the following grind settings as a starting point for your different brewing methods:
Aeropress? Well, that depends on your recipe!
Comandante C40 for Espresso?
A question that is often asked is if the Comandante C40 is suitable for espresso? The Comandante performs well for espresso and can produce a delicious tasting shot (some say it can even rival a Mahlkonig EK43)! However, given the stepped grind adjustment, it is difficult to dial in your beans accurately. In response to this, Comandante has released an upgrade called the Redclix, which increases the grind clicks from 12 to 24 per rotation, allowing for more precise dialing-in. The other downside to using the Comandante C40 for espresso is that it is slow to grind, particularly for espresso. So overall, we would say that absolutely the Comandante can be used for espresso. Still, it is more suited to manual brewing methods, and if you are looking for a manual grinder, particularly for espresso, something the Lido 3 or 1Zpresso JX pro may be better options.
Capacity
The Comandante C40 has a surprisingly large capacity considering its small size. As the name would suggest (C40), it can grind up to 40g of coffee at a time, which could brew up to 6 cups of coffee.
Portability
While the Comandante C40 isn’t exactly built for travel, the compact size does make it doable. The grinder weighs 740g which is heavier than a lot of travel grinders. The glass grinds catcher is also more fragile, but on the positive, if it did break, it’s easy to find a replacement.
Maintenance
The Comandante C40 is very easy to maintain; it simply requires brushing the burr and grinder interior out now and then. The grind settings also stay consistent when you disassemble and reassemble the grinder.
Who Is The Comandante C40 For?
The Comandante C40 is an excellent grinder that is definitely still the gold standard for manual grinders. If you are looking to invest in a top-quality grinder that will enable you to grind for a wide range of brewing methods, the Comandante C40 is for you. While it is on the higher end of the price range, you are investing in an excellent grinder that is well built and will grind consistently. Comandante also offers a polished buying experience; their grinder comes beautifully packaged with two glass grind catchers: a clear and amber one. And if anything does break down, spare parts are readily available.
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Alternatives
Kinu m47 simplicity
The Kinu m47 is a superb grinder, and worthy competitor of the Commandante. It is incredibly well built and very fast to grind with. The Kinu m47 really shines at fine grind settings, producing consistent grinds. This, combined with a stepless grind adjustment that is intuitive to use, makes it a popular hand grinder for espresso.
The Verdict
In conclusion, the Comandante C40 is a superb grinder that is still leading the pack. It is well built, has high-quality burrs, excellent grind consistency, and a beautiful fit and finish. This is one grinder you will be proud to show off! We would highly recommend investing in the Comandante C40.
