TIMEMORE BRICKS 01S | REVIEW

Grind Quality (Filter): ★★★☆☆ 4/5

Grind Quality (Espresso): ★★★★☆ 4.5/5

Build Quality & Finish: ★★★★★ 5/5

Workflow & Ergonomics: ★★★★☆ 4/5

Speed & Sound: ★★★★★ 5/5

Value for Money: ★★★★★ 5/5

THE VERDICT — ★★★★ 4/5

Best For: Single-dose enthusiasts, compact kitchens, home baristas switching daily between espresso and pour-over.

Not For: Purists chasing extreme flat-burr acidity in light roasts.

Price: ~€220–€260

Bottom Line: A dense, ultra-compact single-dose electric powerhouse. It combines low-retention workflow and pristine metal build quality in a footprint barely larger than a smartphone.

INTRODUCTION

Finding an electric single-dose grinder that fits a tiny kitchen counter is a challenge. Most budget electric options either sound like an airplane taking off, feel cheap and plasticky, or take up half the counter. It's almost impossible to find a slim footprint with excellent grind quality.

The Timemore Bricks 01 (also known as the Bricks 01S) is here to set the standard. It condenses the high-end single-dose workflow pioneered by top-tier machines into a solid, beautifully anodized metal tower that occupies the same counter space as your scale.

Who IS Timemore?

Timemore have become an absolute force across the international specialty coffee landscape. Starting with precision hand grinders, the brand expanded into electric equipment with its flagship Sculptor flat-burr series.

Their engineering ethos rests on combining premium materials, sleek outlines, and functional workflow improvements. Timemore have hit that sweet spot between being championed by coffee professionals, yet never appearing out of reach to a person starting their journey. Their range can appeal to a customer purchasing their first handgrinder, and evolve with them until they drop a few $$$ on an 078 Sculptor for their home set-up.

What is the BRICKS 01S?

The Timemore Bricks 01s is a single-dose grinder built out of solid aluminium, with a small footprint and larger-than-life performance. The conical burr set would probably suit espresso more than high-clarity light roast coffee profiles, but don't let that cloud your vision. This machine packs a punch too.

Apart from the actual machine, the box includes a blower, RDT bottle and brush. The catch-cup is magnetic and slides into place everytime you place the cup near the hopper. There is only a power button, with no auto-turn off function, but the grinder operates sensationally fast so it becomes muscle memory to simply turn it off a few seconds after you started your grind.

At just under 30cm tall, the Bricks 01s can effortlessly switch between espresso and filter coffee with a few turns of the dial. The satisfying clicks make the experience even more of a routine to look forward to. Should your coffee produce some fines that get lodged in the chute, then there is a rotary knocker (made famous on the 078) that will disperse any clogged grounds with a few clicks.

USING THE GRINDER

The first thing you'll notice about the Bricks 01s is how quiet it is. For people used to waking up the neighborhood with an old Mazzer or EK, this grinder truly won't disturb anyone within earshot. Weigh out your beans, apply a quick spritz of water using the included RDT spray bottle to eliminate static, and pour them into the top chamber. The hopper lid snaps off effortlessly with no threads to unscrew.

The front power button starts the machine, and it honestly grinds through a dose of 18g espresso in just seconds. Once the motor stops, a quick twist of the Rotary Knocker hits the stray chaff straight into the magnetic catch cup below. Checking the dose on a scale afterwards consistently reads within 0.1 grams of input, delivering a true low-retention workflow without needing to slap heavy rubber bellows.

I tested the grinder under various scenarios, at home but also at one of the best coffee shops in Copenhagen, where the owner was stunned at how great the espresso tasted from a slim grinder. We also brewed multiple pour-over coffees using the Bricks against an EK, and the differences were minimal. The only factor that came into play was the Bricks 01s offered a more round, balanced cup. The EK hit those high-acidity, floral notes a tad brighter.

However, just remember how much an EK costs...

The Positives

• The footprint is really something to marvel at. This takes up almost no space on your counter. For people living in houses where space is a premium, you won't need to justify placing this in your kitchen.

• The body feels premium. Most grinders in this price-range will adopt a largely plastic exterior, which can be a turn-off. The Bricks feels like it will last a century.

• The 150-step micro-adjustment dial integrated into the hopper gives 10-micron precision per click, making it effortless to dial in espresso or switch to pour-over settings.

• The fines knocker and magnetic catch cup snap-alignment make single-dose workflow super clean, with almost zero retention.

• A whisper-quiet motor is a saving grace for people with young families or students in shared housing who don't want to wake up the entire apartment when making their morning brew.



• Dismanting the burr is super simple if you want to do a weekly/monthly clean.

The Negatives

• While it produces rich, highly balanced espresso, if you're chasing a true Nordic style light-roast filter coffee, this may not be the choice for you. It will bring a more rounded, balanced cup, but will omit some of the higher end bursts of acidity or florality that purists are seeking.

• It weighs over 2kg and has no battery, so this is strictly a "stay-at-home" grinder. People who want a grinder for both home & away might be better looking elsewhere.

• The power cable is not removeable and sticks straight out of the back making it a bit tricky to place flat against a wall.



• If you are left-handed the Rotary Knocker may not be intuitive as it only rotates one way, and is best suited for right-handed people.
  

Final Thoughts

Timemore have managed to bridge a gap between their highly-competitive handgrinder range, and their slightly out-of-reach (for the regular home enthusiast) 078 Sculptor series, by offering a grinder that covers all their needs.

Whilst you perhaps would need to pair the Bricks 01s with a Millab handgrinder if you drink high-clarity light roast coffees, for most people the duality of having an excellent espresso grinder, and a well-functioning filter coffee grinder in one will be hard to resist. The price-point is exceptionally attractive, coming in at the price of a ZP6 or Comandante handgrinder.

You are getting a lot of bang for your buck here, and we really think this grinder if going to be very, very popular.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the exact dimensions and weight of the Timemore Bricks 01?

The grinder features an ultra-compact footprint measuring 10.2 cm wide, 15 cm deep, and 28.6 cm tall. It weighs approximately 2.6 kilograms thanks to its heavy aluminum alloy and stainless steel construction.

Can the Bricks 01 grind fine enough for true non-pressurized espresso?

Yes. With 150 micro-stepped settings that adjust by 0.01mm (10 microns) per click, the S2C 40mm conical burrs can easily grind fine enough to dial in extraction pressure on non-pressurized commercial espresso baskets.

How does the Rotary Fines Knocker work?

The Rotary Knocker is a mechanical purging tool built directly above the grounds chute. Twisting the knocker ring activates an internal percussion trigger that vibrates the exit path, knocking trapped fines into the magnetic catch cup and keeping retention near zero.

Does the Bricks 01 require an external RDT spray?

While the grinder operates cleanly on its own, Timemore includes an RDT spray bottle in the box. Applying a single mist of water to your whole coffee beans before grinding eliminates static cling, ensuring that grounds fall straight into the cup without spraying onto your counter.