How much coffee per cup: scoops, tablespoons and grams

Use about 2 level tablespoons (10 grams) of ground coffee for every 5 to 6 ounces of water. That is one "cup" on a coffee maker. For an 8 ounce mug, use about 3 tablespoons (15 g), and for a 12 ounce mug about 4 tablespoons (22 g), which is 2 standard coffee scoops. All of it comes from one ratio: 1 part coffee to 16 parts water by weight.

How much coffee per cup: the quick chart

Tablespoons assume level spoons of ground coffee at about 5 grams each, and a standard coffee scoop holds 2 tablespoons. Grams are the real numbers; spoons are a rounded guide.

For a single mug, a pour-over or a one cup machine gets you there with the same numbers. We go through the one cup case in how much coffee for 1 cup.

What counts as a cup on a coffee maker?

The cup on your machine is about 5 fluid ounces, not a mug and not the 8 ounces of a measuring cup. That is why a 12 cup coffee maker makes about 60 ounces of coffee, which is five 12 ounce mugs, not twelve. Look at the water window on your machine: the numbers count these small cups, and the chart below uses them.

How much coffee for each coffee maker size?

Fill the reservoir to the line for the number of cups you want, then use the coffee next to it. Each size links to a page with a weaker and stronger version and how many pots a bag makes.

What is the coffee to water ratio for a drip machine?

1:16 is the middle setting: 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water, close to 60 grams per litre. Move to 1:15 for a stronger pot or 1:17 for a lighter one. If you prefer to think in ounces: one fluid ounce of water weighs about 29.6 grams, so multiply your ounces by 29.6, divide by 16, and you have the coffee in grams.

Other methods use other ratios. A French press is usually brewed a little stronger, and pour-over sits around the same 1:16. We have the numbers in how much coffee for a 32 oz French press, a 17 oz French press and the pour-over ratio chart.

How much does a coffee scoop hold?

A standard coffee scoop holds 2 level tablespoons, which is about 10 grams of ground coffee. Not every scoop that comes with a machine or a bag is standard, and a heaped scoop can hold half as much again. Weigh one level scoop of your own grind once, write the number on the bag, and use that from then on.

Why weigh instead of scoop?

A scoop measures volume, and coffee is not the same size twice. A fine grind packs tight and a coarse grind leaves gaps, so the same scoop holds different amounts from one bag or one grinder setting to the next. Whole beans weigh less per scoop than ground coffee. A kitchen scale takes ten seconds and removes the guess, which is why we give grams first.

How many cups of coffee does a 12 oz bag make?

A 12 oz bag holds about 340 grams. At 10 grams per coffee maker cup, that is about 34 machine cups, or about 22 eight ounce mugs, or about 15 twelve ounce mugs. In full pots: about 9 pots on a 4 cup machine, 4 to 5 on an 8 cup, and 3 on a 12 cup.

What if the coffee tastes off?

Change the dose in small steps, about 2 grams per 4 cups, and keep everything else the same for one pot. Thin and watery usually means too little coffee for the water. Harsh and drying can mean too fine a grind for your basket. We go through the fixes in why does my coffee taste bitter and why does my coffee taste sour.

Which of our coffees do we start with for drip?

No. 1 Common Sense is labeled for drip or French press at 60 grams per litre, with water just off the boil, which sits right on the 1:16 column above. It takes milk without falling apart, and it is the one we point to for the pot you make every morning without thinking about it. For a longer look, see our drip coffee maker pick.

You can also browse all ten coffees, and our FAQ covers grind options and shipping.