Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro: Grind Settings for Every Brew Method

Setting 17 on a Timemore Chestnut C3S Pro for a light V60. Setting 15 for a standard AeroPress. Setting 23 for a medium French Press. Those numbers tell you more than "medium-fine." Unlike the C2, you read them straight off the dial: no counting clicks from zero.

The C3S Pro is the natural step up from the Chestnut C2 once you know filter is your thing. S2C conical burrs with a titanium coating and a circular dial with 26 numbered settings. It's not an espresso grinder (the C3 ESP PRO in the same family covers that), so if you were hoping for an all-rounder, here's the heads-up: the C3S Pro shines on V60 and Chemex, holds its own on AeroPress and French Press, and falls short on espresso. That's not a flaw, it's the design.

This guide gives you the exact dial setting for every brew method and roast level. They're starting points; every coffee needs its own fine-tune, but a concrete number is always better than a vague description. For reference and comparison, check out the guides for the Timemore C2, the Comandante C40, and the 1Zpresso JX-Pro.

Quick Reference Table

Starting points are for a light-roast washed coffee. Going from light to medium usually means +1 setting; from light to dark, +2. Check each method below for the specifics.

How the Dial Works on the C3S Pro

Unlike the C2 (12 linear clicks with no numbers) or the Comandante (24 linear clicks with a marker each turn), the C3S Pro has a circular dial numbered from 0 to 25. Each audible click moves you one number.

• 26 numbered positions from 0 to 25.
• Lower number = finer grind.
• Higher number = coarser grind.
• The dial is circular: you read the number directly off the indicator instead of counting clicks from zero like on the C2.

To find zero: turn the dial clockwise until the burrs touch and the handle no longer spins freely. That's 0. From there, count up by opening counterclockwise.

You'll notice the non-linear curve when you dial in. Dropping from V60 (17) to standard AeroPress (15) feels like a bigger jump than going from 13 to 15 inside AeroPress range, even though both are the same 2 clicks. It's not your sense of taste, it's the burr geometry in each part of the dial.

V60

This is where the C3S Pro shines. The S2C burrs with titanium coating produce a much more uniform grind than the C2 in the filter range, which means cleaner V60s with better-defined flavors, especially with light roasts.

• Light roast: 17.
• Medium roast: 18.
• Dark roast: 19.

Target brew time: 2:45 to 3:30 for a 15g dose with 250ml water. If it drains fast and tastes sour, go down to 16. If it stalls and tastes bitter, go up to 19.

Unlike the C2 (where light and medium often land on the same click because the resolution is tight), on the C3S Pro the difference between roast levels does translate to a number change, because the V60 zone of the dial has about 50 microns of resolution per setting.

AeroPress

The AeroPress accepts a wide grind range, so it's a good method for getting comfortable with the C3S Pro dial without obsessing over precision.

• Standard method: 14–16, 1:30 to 2:00 steep.
• Inverted method: 12–14, 2:00 to 2:30 steep.
• Fine grind, short steep: 10–11, 1:00 steep. More body, closer to espresso character.

Chemex

The Chemex's thicker filter absorbs more oils and slows the brew down, so you grind a little coarser than for V60.

• Light roast: 20.
• Medium roast: 21.
• Dark roast: 22.

Target brew time: 3:30 to 4:30 for a 30g dose with 500ml water. If it runs longer than 5 minutes, go up 1 setting. If it drains in under 3, go down 1.

French Press

Coarse grind. The metal mesh filter lets fine particles through, and those particles keep extracting in the cup. Too fine and the brew comes out muddy and over-extracted.

• Light roast: 22, 4:00 steep.
• Medium roast: 23.
• Dark roast: 24.
• Lighter body: go up to 25.

Espresso

The C3S Pro can reach espresso range between settings 5 and 9. But in that zone of the dial, each click changes the grind by 50–55 microns, while espresso wants 15–20-micron steps to dial in. In practice you'll end up between two clicks most of the time, with no intermediate setting to land on.

• Range: 5–9.
• Light roast: 6.
• Medium roast: 7.
• Dark roast: 8.

Target shot: 25–30 seconds for 18g in and 36g out. If it runs in 15 seconds and tastes sour, go down to 5. If it drips slowly and tastes bitter, go up to 8.

If you pull the occasional shot, the C3S Pro can do the job. But if espresso is your main method, the Timemore C3 ESP PRO (same body, different burrs, a dial designed for the fine range) or the 1Zpresso JX-Pro with its 40 clicks per turn will give you a lot more control.

Moka Pot

• Range: 9–13.
• Light roast: 10.
• Medium roast: 11.
• Dark roast: 12.

Start at 11. If the brew sputters and hisses, it's too fine, go up to 12. If it comes out pale and watery, too coarse, go down to 10.

How Roast Level Changes Your Setting

Same grinder, same method, same dose, and yet a light roast and a dark roast can be 1 to 2 settings apart. Light roasts are denser and harder, so the water needs more time and more surface area to extract the sugars, which is why you grind finer. Dark roasts are softer and more soluble, they give up their flavors faster, and you grind coarser to avoid pulling harsh notes.

Quick rule on the C3S Pro: light roast = base setting. Medium = +1. Dark = +2. In the V60 and Chemex zone, the rule applies straight because each setting covers 40–50 microns, enough for the gap between roast levels. In the AeroPress and Moka zone, where each setting covers 15–30 microns, a medium and a dark roast may land on the same number: adjust water temperature or steep time instead to fine-tune.

How to Dial In

The table gives you a starting point. Here's how to find your ideal setting from there:

1. Pick the starting point for your method and roast level.
2. Brew and taste. Brew time is a clue, but taste is what matters.
3. Adjust 1 setting at a time. In the middle of the dial, a single setting already makes a clear difference. At the extremes, too.
4. Change one thing at a time. Don't adjust grind and dose at the same time.
5. Write it down. Or use Coffee Master to log your brews automatically.

Most coffees land within 1–2 settings of the starting point. If you're way off, check water temperature or dose before going further.

Maintenance

The C3S Pro is built well, but the burrs and the chamber need a periodic clean. Oil buildup affects grind consistency and shifts the calibration curve slightly between sessions.

Monthly with regular use. Weekly if you grind daily. Remove the handle (it's magnetic, just pull it off), unscrew the body, take out the burr assembly, and brush everything with a dry natural-bristle brush. A clean paintbrush works great.

A few things to keep in mind:

• No water on the burrs. Brush only. The titanium coating holds up well, but prolonged moisture on uncoated areas speeds up oxidation.
• The folding handle is great for travel, but constant folding can loosen the shaft screw. Tighten every few weeks.
• The body is anodized aluminum. Don't force the threads when reassembling, fine threads strip easily if you cross-thread.
• New burrs need a break-in period. The first 500g or so may grind a bit unevenly while the edges polish. Use whatever beans you have on hand, not your freshly bought specialty coffee.

Common Issues