Grind setting conversion
Timemore C3 vs Timemore Chestnut X
Two Timemore models whose numbers do not mean the same thing. The Chestnut X counts 24 clicks; the C3 counts 36 clicks.
| C3 | Chestnut X | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Timemore | Timemore |
| Scale | Clicks | Clicks |
| Dial range | 0 clicks – 36 clicks | 0 clicks – 24 clicks |
| Burrs | Conical | Conical |
| Espresso → filter | 7 clicks | 10.2 clicks |
| Filter → coarse | 11 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 15 on the C3 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.
| C3 | Chestnut X |
|---|---|
| 8 clicks | 5 clicks |
| 10 clicks | 7 clicks |
| 12 clicks | 9 clicks |
| 13 clicks | 11 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 18 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 20 clicks |
| 24 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 25 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 26 clicks | 24 clicks |
| Chestnut X | C3 |
|---|---|
| 5 clicks | 8 clicks |
| 7 clicks | 10 clicks |
| 9 clicks | 12 clicks |
| 11 clicks | 13 clicks |
| 14 clicks | 14 clicks |
| 15 clicks | 15 clicks |
| 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| 18 clicks | 19 clicks |
| 19 clicks | 21 clicks |
| 20 clicks | 23 clicks |
| 21 clicks | 24 clicks |
| 23 clicks | 25 clicks |
| 24 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 X |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 9 clicks | 6 clicks |
| Moka pot | 12 clicks | 9 clicks |
| AeroPress (short steep) | 13 clicks | 11 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 | 16 clicks |
| Drip / batch brew | 17 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Cupping | 18 clicks | 17 clicks |
| Chemex | 19 clicks | 18 clicks |
| French press | 22 clicks | 20 clicks |
| Cold brew | 25 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.
Timemore C3
Timemore Chestnut X
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 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.