Which to buy · Every setting
Comandante C40 MK4 vs Timemore Chestnut S3
Two very different takes on a travel-sized premium grinder.
Which to buy
Choose the
C40 MK4 if you…
- want a 40 g jar; two come in the box, one glass and one polymer
- want Comandante's Nitro Blade burrs, made in Germany
- may want finer espresso steps later — Comandante sells a Red Clix axle for that
Choose the
Chestnut S3 if you…
- want to adjust from outside: an external ring, 0.015 mm a step
- want Timemore's S2C890 burrs — it lists espresso at 1–15 clicks
- want a folding handle
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Sources: Comandante — C40 MK4 · Comandante — FAQ · Comandante — Red Clix · Timemore — Chestnut S3
| C40 MK4 | Chestnut S3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Comandante | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 40 clicks | 0 clicks – 90 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 21 clicks | 54 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 9.5 clicks | 30 clicks |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a clicks, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 20 clicks sits at grind index 20.8 on the C40 MK4 but 17.2 on the Chestnut S3 — close, but worth checking.
Converting a setting
If a recipe quotes a setting for one of these grinders, read across for the equivalent on the other. Rows are spaced evenly by grind size, not by dial number — on a conical burr those are not the same thing.
| C40 MK4 | Chestnut S3 |
|---|---|
| 6 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 18 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 22 clicks | 34 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 50 clicks |
| 28 clicks | 62 clicks |
| 29 clicks | 71 clicks |
| 30 clicks | 82 clicks |
| 31 clicks | 86 clicks |
| 33 clicks | 88 clicks |
| 35 clicks | 89 clicks |
| 37 clicks | 90 clicks |
| Chestnut S3 | C40 MK4 |
|---|---|
| 6 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 18 clicks |
| 34 clicks | 22 clicks |
| 50 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 62 clicks | 28 clicks |
| 71 clicks | 29 clicks |
| 77 clicks | 29 clicks |
| 82 clicks | 30 clicks |
| 86 clicks | 31 clicks |
| 88 clicks | 33 clicks |
| 89 clicks | 35 clicks |
| 90 clicks | 37 clicks |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | C40 MK4 | Chestnut S3 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 10 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 22 clicks | 34 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 27 clicks | 57 clicks |
| Siphon | 28 clicks | 62 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 28 clicks | 66 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 29 clicks | 69 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 29 clicks | 71 clicks |
| Cupping | 29 clicks | 73 clicks |
| Chemex | 29 clicks | 77 clicks |
| French press | 31 clicks | 85 clicks |
| Cold brew | 34 clicks | 89 clicks |
The shape of each dial
Where the connectors bunch, that grinder’s dial is compressed and single steps count for more. Comparing the two shapes tells you which gives finer control, and where.
Comandante C40 MK4
Timemore Chestnut S3
Dialing in the C40 MK4
The reference hand grinder for filter, and its click scale has become a de facto standard — plenty of published recipes quote "C40 clicks" as though it were a universal unit. It is not, which is the reason this site exists. The MK4 runs coarser than most people assume relative to electric grinders: if you are converting a recipe written for a Baratza, do not simply match the number.
Dialing in the Chestnut S3
Sits above the C-series with better burrs and a more solid feel. Its useful range genuinely extends further toward espresso than the C3, though a dedicated espresso grinder will still out-resolve it.