It was such a comfort to have World Barista Champion 2022, Anthony Douglas, watching over us as we experimented with the Bricks 01S.
Our third and final review in this series of compact, entry-level grinders is certainly a step up! It's the kind of grinder that is suitable for a coffee professional's home set up and any home brewer would feel like a professional with this on the counter!
From the packaging and inserts (including Anthony!), this is a luxury experience.
The Timemore Bricks 01S packs a commercial-grade build into a sleek, beautifully crafted body. Its aluminium-and-steel body exudes quality. It is a stunning countertop showpiece, but is a subtle 10.2 x 15 x 28.6 cm—perfect for tight spaces. And it elevates your coffee ritual to a 'too legit to quit' status. When you invest in something like this, you know you're all the way down this rabbit hole.
The dual-purpose hopper is quietly ingenious: it not only stores your beans but also doubles as the grind-adjust dial. When first attaching the hopper, you need to line it up and then apply a fair amount of pressure for it to click in to grind-adjust mode, but it gives you a helpful little beep to know you've got it. Add in magnetic snap-on dosing cup, and you’ve got a design that makes mornings feel far more civilised.
Bonus points for the Rotary Knocker—a clever tool already beloved in Timemore’s Sculptor series. This is a function well-known to roasters who grind bags of coffee with their commercial grinders and then have to knock the chute to get the residual coffee out. Every grinder knows the sound! The rotary knocker is much quieter. It's both a fun and effective addition, that helps shake out residual grounds and slashes retention to near zero.
The Bricks is all about precision craft. With 40 mm S2C conical (stainless steel) burrs, a 150W motor, and 150 grind settings (each just 0.01 mm apart), you’re armed with dial-in powers fit for both espresso and pour-over alchemists. It is super fast too! The instructions recommend that you start the grinder first before adding your pre-weighed beans, so we tried it even though I was concerned about beans popping out. I needn't have worried, and could almost hear Anthony laughing at us, as the hopper is well designed and no beans went amiss.
Great success! Cleaning this little beauty is delightfully hassle-free. The hopper and outer burr detach for easy brush-off sessions, and the automatic motor stop ensures safety—even when you’re half-awake and spilling beans in the haze.
In South Africa, retailers have it listed around R 6,000, offering a competitive, locally available option.
The Timemore Bricks 01S combines form and function with precision and aesthetic flair.
It’s especially killer for folks juggling espresso and filter brews. The fine-tuning capabilities, low retention, and easy cleaning make each cup feel intentionally meaningful.
FRIENDLY NOTE: For absolute enjoyment of your unboxing of this beauty, get yourself a roundy-roundy two pin plug adapter that works, before you begin. Nothing worse than wanting to play with your new toy and you don't have the correct connection. The circle plugs are a particular pet peeve of mine, as in my experience you have a 50/50 shot of getting an adapter that doesn't let your plug go in. Don't let this happen to you! This grinder is too beautiful for you to be irritated by an adapter!
Special thanks to Mr Anthony Douglas for his calm guidance along this journey.
