Last updated: October 2026
What is the right coffee to water ratio?
Short answer: most brewed coffee tastes best at 1:14 to 1:16 — 1 gram of coffee per 14–16 ml of water. That means a 2-cup pour over (480 ml) needs about 30 g of coffee, espresso pulls at 1:2 (18 g in, ~36 g out per shot), and cold brew concentrate uses a strong 1:8.
Coffee brew ratio chart
Ratios below are coffee : water by weight — so 1:16 means 1 g of coffee for every 16 ml of water. Use the chart, or the calculator above, to scale any batch size.
| Brew method | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1:2 | 18 g dose → ~36 g yield per shot; fine grind, 25–30 s |
| Moka pot | 1:10 | Strong and concentrated; fine-medium grind |
| AeroPress | 1:13 | Medium-fine grind; dilute to taste after pressing |
| French press | 1:14 | Coarse grind; steep 4 minutes |
| Pour over | 1:16 | Medium-fine grind; the golden-ratio classic |
| Drip machine | 1:16 | Medium grind; same ratio as pour over |
| Cold brew | 1:8 | Concentrate; coarse grind, steep 12–24 h, dilute to serve |
These ratios are starting points — the classic coffee brewing golden ratio is 1:16 to 1:18. Taste and adjust: sour means under-extracted (grind finer or lengthen the brew), bitter means over-extracted.
How to use the calculator
1. Choose your brew method — the ratio fills in automatically, or pick Custom ratio and enter your own. 2. Enter how many cups you want (1 cup = 240 ml of water), or the number of espresso shots for espresso. 3. Read off coffee in grams plus water in ml and fl oz — tablespoons and ounces are included for measuring without a scale.
Frequently asked questions
What coffee to water ratio should I use for French press?
A 1:14 ratio works best for French press — 1 gram of coffee for every 14 grams (or ml) of water. For 2 cups (480 ml) that is about 34 g of coffee. Use a coarse grind and steep for 4 minutes before pressing.
Should I measure coffee in grams or tablespoons?
Grams are more accurate — a tablespoon of coffee can weigh anywhere from 5 to 9 grams depending on grind and roast. The calculator above gives grams first, with tablespoons shown only as an approximation (1 tbsp ≈ 7 g of drip-grind coffee).
How much coffee do I need for cold brew concentrate?
Cold brew concentrate uses a strong 1:8 ratio — 1 gram of coffee per 8 ml of water. For 4 cups (960 ml) of water, use about 120 g of coarse-ground coffee, then steep 12–24 hours and dilute to taste.
Does grind size matter for the coffee to water ratio?
The ratio itself does not change with grind size, but extraction does. Espresso needs a fine grind for its 1:2 ratio, French press and cold brew need coarse grinds for their long steep times, and pour over works best medium-fine. Wrong grind with the right ratio still tastes off.
Is my data private?
Completely. Every calculation runs locally in your browser with JavaScript — nothing you enter is sent to a server, stored, or tracked.