Grind setting conversion
Comandante C40 MK4 vs Timemore Chestnut X
The reference hand grinder against Timemore’s premium one.
| C40 MK4 | Chestnut X | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Comandante | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 40 clicks | 0 clicks – 24 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 21 clicks | 10.2 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 9.5 clicks | 9.1 clicks |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a clicks, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 12 clicks sits at grind index 7.6 on the C40 MK4 but 27.3 on the Chestnut X — far enough apart to change the cup.
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 X |
|---|---|
| 6 clicks | 5 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 7 clicks |
| 18 clicks | 9 clicks |
| 22 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 28 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 29 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 30 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 31 clicks | 20 clicks |
| 33 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 35 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 37 clicks | 24 clicks |
| Chestnut X | C40 MK4 |
|---|---|
| 5 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 7 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 9 clicks | 18 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 22 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 28 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 29 clicks |
| 18 clicks | 29 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 30 clicks |
| 20 clicks | 31 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 33 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 35 clicks |
| 24 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 X |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 10 clicks | 6 clicks |
| Moka pot | 17 clicks | 9 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 22 clicks | 11 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 27 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Siphon | 28 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 28 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 29 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 29 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Cupping | 29 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Chemex | 29 clicks | 18 clicks |
| French press | 31 clicks | 20 clicks |
| Cold brew | 34 clicks | 22 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 X
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 X
A step up from the C-series in both burr size and build, with a wider genuinely usable range. It reaches espresso more convincingly than any of the cheaper Timemores while staying comfortable for filter.