How much coffee for a 1 cup coffee maker: grams and scoops

For a 1 cup coffee maker, use about 10 grams of ground coffee, which is 2 level tablespoons or 1 standard scoop, with 5 ounces (about 148 g) of water. That is a 1:15 ratio, a little on the stronger side. Use 9 grams for a middle-of-the-road cup, or 8.7 grams (a little under 2 tablespoons) for a lighter one.

Most coffee makers count a cup as about 5 ounces, not the 8 ounces on a measuring cup. If you are filling a regular 8 ounce mug, scroll to the second table, because the numbers change.

What does the 1 cup table look like?

Tablespoon and scoop figures assume ground coffee at roughly 5 g per level tablespoon, with a scoop equal to 2 tablespoons (about 10 g). They are rounded, so treat them as a starting point. Water is 5 ounces (about 148 g).

With one cup of coffee you are working at the edge of what a spoon can measure, so a scale is worth it here more than anywhere else. A 1 gram error is 10 percent of the dose. The logic behind these ratios is in our pour-over ratio cheat sheet.

How much coffee for a full 8 ounce mug?

If you are pouring a mug, not a machine cup, start from the water. An 8 ounce mug takes about 237 g of water.

For a 12 ounce travel mug (about 355 g of water), 1:16 is about 22 grams, or 4.5 level tablespoons.

How many cups does a 12 oz bag make?

A 12 oz bag is about 340 grams of coffee. At the table above, that goes a long way.

If you make one 8 ounce mug a day, a bag lasts about three weeks. A subscription cadence of every 2 weeks, monthly or every 2 months can match that pace.

Why is one cup harder to get right than a full pot?

A big pot forgives small errors. A single cup does not. With only 10 grams in the basket, the bed of grounds is thin, so water runs through quickly and the cup can come out weak even when the ratio is right. Two things help. Grind a touch finer than you would for a full pot, and keep the water hot, just off the boil. If your maker has a small-batch setting, use it.

The other trap is the word cup. A mug from the cupboard holds 10 to 14 ounces, so one scoop into a big mug gives a thin drink. Decide first how many ounces you want in the mug, then use the tables above for that volume. If the machine only makes 5 ounces, run it twice, or use the 8 ounce row and add hot water to taste after brewing.

Which of our coffees suit a single cup?

Any of them, but the roaster points two of them at the daily cup. No. 1 Common Sense is described as the cup you make every morning without thinking about it, for drip or French press at 60 g per litre. No. 10 Folklore is described as mild and round, a cup that does not fight back. Both are medium roasts.

Folklore has its own brewing guide. You can see all ten coffees, or check the FAQ on whole bean or ground.

What if the cup comes out weak or bitter?

A small dose is the most sensitive to grind and water. If a single cup tastes thin, add half a gram or grind slightly finer. If it tastes harsh, go a little coarser. Our posts on pour-over that is too weak and too bitter cover the fixes, and they apply to a small drip maker as well.

Should you weigh it or use a spoon?

For one cup, weigh it. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g costs little, and it removes the guesswork. If you only have a spoon, level it with a knife and be consistent. Whole beans weigh the same as ground, so weigh before grinding. If you brew bigger pots, we have the same measures for the 4 cup, 5 cup and 8 cup makers.