Which to buy · Every setting
Timemore C3 vs Timemore C3S
The S adds a different burr set to the same body.
Which to buy
Choose the
C3 if you…
- are fine with durable plastic components around the all-metal burrs and body
- may move towards espresso — Timemore makes C3 ESP models with a finer dial
Choose the
C3S if you…
- want all-metal components as well as an all-metal burr set and body
- want a folding handle — Timemore sells a pull-to-fold C3S
Shop links are affiliate links: BrewMark earns a commission if you buy through one, at no extra cost to you. The verdicts were written without regard to it.
Timemore sells the C3 in several versions (C3, C3S, Max, ESP, Pro). The settings on this page are for the standard C3 and C3S dials.
Sources: Timemore — C3 series · Timemore — C3S
| C3 | C3S | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Timemore | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 36 clicks | 0 clicks – 36 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 7 clicks | 7 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 11 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 53.2 on the C3 but 53.2 on the C3S — 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.
| C3 | C3S |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 26 clicks |
| C3S | C3 |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 26 clicks |
Side by side, by brew method
Where each grinder lands for the same brew, worked out from its own dial curve.
| Method | C3 | C3S |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 9 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 12 clicks | 12 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 13 clicks | 13 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Siphon | 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 16 clicks | 16 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Cupping | 18 clicks | 18 clicks |
| Chemex | 19 clicks | 19 clicks |
| French press | 22 clicks | 22 clicks |
| Cold brew | 25 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.
Timemore C3
Timemore C3S
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.
Dialing in the C3S
The C3S adds a foldable handle and revised burrs to the C3 formula. Dial behaviour is close to the C3 — if you are converting from published C3 numbers, start there and adjust by taste rather than assuming an offset.