Can’t figure out how much coffee you need for 4 cups or a full pot?! Use this simple coffee to water ratio for the best cup of coffee.
Don’t let that new trend fool you – a perfect cup of coffee is incredibly simple to make and you don’t need a scale to do it. You want your morning routine to be simple and stress-free, and there’s nothing wrong with measuring your coffee with tablespoons.
Here’s how to make the very best cup of joe every time – with any brewing method.
How many grams of coffee per cup
Here’s how many grams of coffee per cup to use:
For 1 US cup: Use 250ml water + 15 grams ground coffee
How many tablespoons of coffee per cup
Here’s my foolproof formula for making the very best cup of coffee every time:
Use 8 ounces water + 2 tablespoons ground coffee
This is my preferred coffee ratio for drip, pour over and French press (I do use different ratios for cold brew). It makes the best, strong cup of coffee. If you don’t like your coffee too strong, you can use 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoon coffee per cup if you prefer.
How many cups of coffee in a pot: When making your coffee, remember that standard US cup equals 8 fl ounces, while a coffee pot cup is just 5 ounces. So, a full 12 cup pot makes 60 ounces of coffee, or 7 regular cups, not 12 cups. For this reason, I will include ALL coffee to water ratios you might need so you don’t have to calculate them yourself.
Coffee ratios for your drip coffee maker (coffee pot):
how many tablespoons of coffee for 4 cups: 20 oz water + 5 tbsp coffee
how many tablespoons of coffee for 6 cups: 30 oz water + 7 1/2 tbsp coffee
how many tablespoons of coffee for 8 cups: 40 oz water + 10 tbsp coffee
how many tablespoons of coffee for 10 cups: 50 oz water + 12 1/2 tbsp coffee
how many tablespoons of coffee for 12 cups: 60 oz water + 15 tbsp coffee
If measuring in coffee scoops that’s:
how many scoops of coffee for 4 cups: 20 oz water + 2 1/2 scoops
how many scoops of coffee for 6 cups: 30 oz water + 3 1/2 scoops
how many scoops of coffee for 8 cups: 40 oz water + 5 scoops
how many scoops of coffee for 12 cups: 60 oz water + 7 1/2 scoops
If measuring in 8 ounce cups, you will need:
1 cup = 8 oz water + 2 tbsp coffee
2 cups = 16 oz water + 4 tbsp coffee
3 cups = 24 oz water + 6 tbsp coffee
4 cups = 32 oz water + 8 tbsp coffee
5 cups = 40 oz water + 10 tbsp coffee
If measuring in 10 ounce cups, you will need:
1 cup = 10 oz water + 2 1/2 tbsp coffee
2 cups = 20 oz water + 5 tbsp coffee
3 cups = 30 oz water + 7 1/2 tbsp coffee
4 cups = 40 oz water + 10 tbsp coffee
5 cups = 50 oz water + 12 1/2 tbsp coffee
If measuring in 12 ounce cups, you will need:
1 cup = 12 oz water + 3 tbsp coffee
2 cups = 24 oz water + 6 tbsp coffee
3 cups = 36 oz water + 9 tbsp coffee
4 cups = 48 oz water + 12 tbsp coffee
How many scoops of coffee per cup? 1 coffee scoop is equal to 2 tablespoons. If you use scoops to measure coffee, you’ll want to use 1 scoop for every 8 oz cup. For example, if making one cup use 8 oz water + 1 coffee scoop, 16 oz water + 2 scoops if making two cups, and so on.
conversions
1 teaspoon = 1/3 tablespoon
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 1 standard coffee scoop
volume equivalents
1/8 cup = 1 ounce = single espresso shot
1/4 cup = 2 ounces = double espresso shot
1/2 cup = 4 ounces
1 standard cup = 8 ounces
carafe, 1 cup = 5 ounces
other brewing methods
Coffee ratio for French press
Cold brew coffee ratio
Find more coffee recipes and tips here!
Easy Iced Coffee Recipe – When you have an iced coffee recipe as good as this one, you don’t need Starbucks. Perfect for both spring and summer time.
Favorite Drip Coffee Makers – Making a perfect cup of coffee at home has never been easier when you use one of these coffee makers.
6 Quick Ways to Make Better Coffee at Home – Step up your morning coffee with these easy tips.
The Best Way to Clean Your Coffee Maker – The easiest way to improve the taste of your coffee is to keep your coffee maker clean and oil free.
Paul
Curious, are your measurements rounded or level scoops?
Thanks
Danijela
Hi Paul, it’s level scoops.
Jim
In the initial part of this piece you state to use 14 to 15 g of coffee per 8 ounces of water. Then a little further down in the piece you stateto use 2 tablespoons per 8 ounces of water. I do not understand your conversion methodology as 15 g equals approximately 1.1 tablespoons. This conversion error throws off all of your measurements throughout your entire article.
Your article is very well laid out and I like very much how you structure it however the math conversion is seemingly off
Danijela
Hi Jim, thank you for your comment. The difference between these two ratios is there because it’s hard to convert grams to tablespoons. The SCAA standard is 15 grams of coffee per 250ml of water or 1:16. But, when we use ounces and tablespoons the ratio is around 1:4 or 1:5, so one tablespoon for every 4 ounces of water. Also, one tablespoon is not always 15 grams. Depending on the grind level it can be just 7 grams for example. That’s why I included all ratios so it’s easy to calculate no matter if you are using a scale or tablespoons. I hope this helps.
Joyce Coco
I am using an 8 cup (5 ounces per cup) Bonovita Automatic Pour Over Coffee Maker and need help with the amount of ground coffee to use. The manual states use course ground coffee. I have tried multiple times to make a good tasting pot of coffee and have had no luck. Every pot comes out too strong and leaves an after taste in my mouth. The coffee I am using is a medium roast. I fill the water tank to the max level which I assume is 40 fluid ounces and added 1 ounce of ground coffee that was measured on a scale. The result-too strong. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Danijela
Hi Joyce, just to make sure I understand correctly, do you use 1 ounce of ground coffee for a full tank, or per cup? Thank you.
If you’re using 1 ounce for a full tank that’s actually very little and I’m not sure how it’s so strong. In this case, the only thing you can do is change the coffee and choose some light roast, or pick a different brand. If you’re using 1 ounce per cup that’s too much coffee. For a full 40 ounce pot, I would use around 70 grams or 2.5 ounces of coffee, since you don’t like your coffee too strong.
Joyce Coco
Thank you for the response. Yes, I used 1 ounce of ground coffee for a 40 ounce tank. This morning, I added 66 grams of course ground medium coffee and it was still too strong. On a positive note, the coffee did not taste as bitter and did not leave an aftertaste. I’ll drop the gram weight by 10 grams and continue to adjust the grams until I find the correct measurement.
Mike Edwards
Joyce. Are you sure you’re using only ONE OUNCE? That’s 28 grams. You mentioned dropping down to 66 grams, but that’s 2.32 ounces. How many GRAMS are you using originally? I usually use 15 grams per 8 ounces…. so 75 grams per 40 ounces and that’s solidly strong. If you dropped DOWN to 66 grams, I think you were using a lot more than you thought you were.
Joyce Coco
Mike, Thank you for the response. After many failed attempts to produce a good pot of coffee, I decided to purchase a digital scale. I am now using 17g of Dunkin ground coffee to 40 ounces of water and 20g of New England Coffee Breakfast Blend.ground coffee to 40 ounces of water. Both measurements produced successful results! Finally, my husband and I are able to look forward to a good cup of coffee in the morning.
Judy Heitzman
When measuring grams of coffee are you weighing whole beans or already ground beans? Same with the tablespoon— whole or ground beans?
Danijela
Hi Judy, these measurements are for ground coffee.
Mike Edwards
weight, it doesn’t matter. 15 grams of ground coffee is the same as 15 grams of whole beans. tablespoons should probably be ground, as the air spaces in whole beans lying next to each other won’t always convert 1:1 for space between whole beans and grounds
TERRI STEPHENS
Thank you for the information, I’m not a coffee drinker but my husband is and I make him coffee every morning before he goes to work and I can smell that it is really strong (too strong) but he would never tell me that because he woun d not want to hurt my feelings. Now that I read your article I can make him a great cup of coffee.