A pound of coffee is 454 g, which is about 91 level tablespoons (5 g each) or 45 scoops (2 tablespoons, about 10 g each). At 1:16 coffee to water that makes about 45 coffee maker cups at one scoop per cup, or 30 eight ounce mugs. The exact count depends on your mug, so the chart below goes by size. The method behind the numbers is on our how much coffee per cup page.
How many mugs does a pound make?
These figures use 1:16 by weight. A fluid ounce of water weighs about 29.6 g, so an 8 fl oz mug takes about 15 g of coffee.
| Mug size | Coffee per mug (1:16) | Level tablespoons | Scoops | Mugs per pound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 fl oz | 11 g | 2.2 | 1.1 | about 41 |
| 8 fl oz | 15 g | 3 | 1.5 | about 30 |
| 10 fl oz | 18 g | 3.7 | 1.85 | about 24 |
| 12 fl oz | 22 g | 4.4 | 2.2 | about 20 |
| 16 fl oz | 30 g | 6 | 3 | about 15 |
| 20 fl oz | 37 g | 7.4 | 3.7 | about 12 |
A coffee maker cup is commonly 5 fl oz, not the 8 fl oz measuring cup, which is why one scoop per machine cup gives a higher count than the mug table. We explain the gap in how many ounces in a cup of coffee.
How does strength change the count?
A small shift in ratio moves the total by a few mugs.
| Ratio | Coffee per 8 fl oz mug | 8 fl oz mugs per pound | 12 fl oz mugs per pound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:14 (strong) | 17 g | about 27 | about 18 |
| 1:15 | 16 g | about 29 | about 19 |
| 1:16 (default) | 15 g | about 30 | about 20 |
| 1:17 (lighter) | 14 g | about 33 | about 22 |
The roaster's own recipes use 60 g per litre, a little lighter than 1:16. At that dose a pound makes about 7.5 litres, roughly 255 fl oz, of brewed coffee, or about 32 eight ounce mugs.
How does a pound compare with a 12 oz bag?
Our bags are 12 oz, which is 340 g, or three quarters of a pound. That is 68 level tablespoons or 34 scoops, enough for about 22 eight ounce mugs at 1:16. A pound equals about one and a third bags. The full count for our size is in how many cups of coffee in a 12 oz bag, and the days it lasts are in how long a 12 oz bag lasts.
If you are planning for a crowd, see how much coffee for 20 people and how much coffee for 50 people to see how fast a pound goes. For the spoon math, how many grams of coffee in a tablespoon covers the rounding.
How long does a pound last?
| Mugs per day | 8 fl oz mugs (30 per pound) | 12 fl oz mugs (20 per pound) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | about 30 days | about 20 days |
| 2 | about 15 days | about 10 days |
| 3 | about 10 days | about 7 days |
| 4 | about 7 days | about 5 days |
What do part pounds make?
| Amount | Grams | Level tablespoons | 8 fl oz mugs at 1:16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz (quarter pound) | 113 g | 23 | about 7 |
| 8 oz (half pound) | 227 g | 45 | about 15 |
| 12 oz (one of our bags) | 340 g | 68 | about 22 |
| 16 oz (one pound) | 454 g | 91 | about 30 |
| 32 oz (two pounds) | 907 g | 181 | about 61 |
One ounce of coffee is about 28 g, so you can also count 6 level tablespoons per ounce. Whole beans and ground coffee settle differently in a spoon, so treat spoon counts as close, not exact.
Why do other sites give a different number?
Three things move the count: the size they assume for a cup, the ratio, and how they treat a scoop. A coffee maker cup is commonly 5 fl oz and a mug is 8 fl oz or more, so a pound can be called 45 cups or 30 cups and both can be right. We state our assumptions in every table (1:16, 5 g per level tablespoon, 10 g per scoop) so you can recalculate for your own mug.
The quick formula is simple. Take 454, divide by the grams of coffee in one mug, and round down. For a 10 fl oz mug at 1:16 that is 454 divided by 18.5, which is about 24.
Which coffee to count with?
Any of the ten gives the same count, since the weight is what matters. For a drip pot you make every day, No. 1 Common Sense is the one the roaster suggests for drip or French press at 60 g per litre.
Our pick
No. 1 Common Sense
Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia · 1,300 to 1,500 m · Fully washed, solar dried · Castillo, Caturra, Colombia, Typica · Medium
Cocoa, red apple and brown sugar on the label, and a good fit for a daily drip pot.
All ten are $28 for 12 oz with free US shipping, and you can see all ten coffees on one page. A subscription is 11% off, with skip or cancel in one click, if you want to count by bags rather than pounds. Details on the subscription page.
Count your mugs, not your days, and you will know when to reorder.
Questions people ask
How many cups of coffee in a pound of beans?
About 45 coffee maker cups at one scoop (10 g) per cup, or about 30 eight ounce mugs at 1:16. A pound is 454 g.
How many scoops of coffee in a pound?
About 45, counting a scoop as 2 level tablespoons, roughly 10 g. That is 454 g divided by 10 g.
How many tablespoons of coffee in a pound?
About 91 level tablespoons, counting 5 g each. Heaping spoons hold more, so you would get fewer pots.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.