Which to buy · Every setting
Timemore C3 vs Timemore Chestnut S3
Two Timemore models whose numbers do not mean the same thing. The C3 counts 36 clicks; the Chestnut S3 counts 90 clicks.
Which to buy
Choose the
C3 if you…
- grind one dose at a time — 20 g, or 30 g on the C3 Max
- want 38 mm S2C660 conical burrs
- may move towards espresso — Timemore makes C3 ESP models with a finer dial
Choose the
Chestnut S3 if you…
- want to adjust from outside: an external ring, 0.015 mm a click
- want Timemore's S2C890 burrs — it lists espresso at 1–15 clicks
- want a full-metal unibody and a handle that folds against the grinder
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 dial.
Sources: Timemore — C3s / C3 series · Timemore — Chestnut S3
| C3 | Chestnut S3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Timemore | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 36 clicks | 0 clicks – 90 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 7 clicks | 54 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 11 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 18 clicks sits at grind index 53.2 on the C3 but 15.8 on the Chestnut S3 — 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.
| C3 | Chestnut S3 |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 6 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 34 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 50 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 62 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 71 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 77 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 82 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 86 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 88 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 89 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 90 clicks |
| Chestnut S3 | C3 |
|---|---|
| 6 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 34 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 50 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 62 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 71 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 77 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 82 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 86 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 88 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 89 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 90 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 | Chestnut S3 |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 9 clicks | 9 clicks |
| Moka pot | 12 clicks | 17 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 13 clicks | 34 clicks |
| Pour over — V60 / cone | 15 clicks | 57 clicks |
| Siphon | 15 clicks | 62 clicks |
| Pour over — flat bottom | 16 clicks | 66 clicks |
| Steep and release — Clever / Switch | 17 clicks | 69 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 17 clicks | 71 clicks |
| Cupping | 18 clicks | 73 clicks |
| Chemex | 19 clicks | 77 clicks |
| French press | 22 clicks | 85 clicks |
| Cold brew | 25 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.
Timemore C3
Timemore Chestnut S3
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 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.