Grind setting conversion
KINGrinder K4 vs Timemore C3
Two hand grinders cross-shopped at the same money. The C3 counts 36 clicks; the K4 counts 240 clicks.
| K4 | C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | KINGrinder | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 240 clicks | 0 clicks – 36 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 70 clicks | 7 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 80 clicks | 11 clicks |
The same number means different things
Both grinders use a clicks, which makes it tempting to copy a number straight across. Setting 18 clicks sits at grind index 1.3 on the K4 but 53.2 on the C3 — 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.
| K4 | C3 |
|---|---|
| 15 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 35 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 53 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 66 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 77 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 87 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 98 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 108 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 119 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 130 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 141 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 153 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 165 clicks | 26 clicks |
| C3 | K4 |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 35 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 53 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 66 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 77 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 87 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 98 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 108 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 119 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 130 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 141 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 153 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 165 clicks |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | K4 | C3 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 27 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 50 clicks | 12 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 66 clicks | 13 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 82 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 92 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 98 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Chemex | 108 clicks | 19 clicks |
| French press | 126 clicks | 22 clicks |
| Cold brew | 148 clicks | 25 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.
KINGrinder K4
Timemore C3
Dialing in the K4
External adjustment at a notably low price, which is the whole proposition. Its click resolution is finer than most grinders in its bracket, so small movements do less than you might expect — move in larger increments than you would on a C3.
Dialing in the C3
The best-value hand grinder in circulation and the one most likely to be someone's first. Its range is usable across filter and immersion, with espresso possible but genuinely tedious. The C3 benefits more than most grinders from a few seconds of settling before you judge a shot or a pour — its distribution tightens noticeably once the burrs are warm.
Own a different grinder?
Convert between any two of 78 models
The converter runs the same maths for any pair in the catalog.
Open the grind converter →Send me both charts
Every setting for the KINGrinder K4 and the Timemore C3, side by side in your inbox.
One email with both charts. Nothing else unless you ask.
Switching grinders mid-bag?
Log a brew, say how it tasted, and BrewMark tells you which way to move — in whichever grinder’s numbers you are actually using. Free on iOS.
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