Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator: Grams of Coffee for Any Brew
Choose how much coffee you want to brew, the water-to-coffee ratio and how strong you like it. You get the grams of ground coffee to weigh out.
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Formula
- Water (ml): cups x 240, or the millilitres you entered (1 ml of water = 1 g)
- Coffee (g):
water / ratio x strength factor, with factors 0.85 (mild), 1 (medium) and 1.2 (strong) - Tablespoons:
coffee grams / 5 - Effective ratio:
water / coffee
Worked example
2 cups = 480 ml at 1:15: 480 / 15 = 32 g of coffee (6.4 tablespoons). Strong: 32 x 1.2 = 38.4 g, an effective ratio of 480 / 38.4 = 1:12.5. Mild: 32 x 0.85 = 27.2 g.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best coffee to water ratio?
A common starting point is 1:15 to 1:17 by weight, that is 1 g of coffee per 15 to 17 g of water. 1:15 is a little stronger and 1:17 a little lighter.
How much coffee for 2 cups?
Two 240 ml cups is 480 ml of water. At 1:15 you need 480 / 15 = 32 g of coffee, about 6.4 level tablespoons.
What does the strength setting do?
It changes the coffee amount while the water stays the same: mild uses 15 percent less, strong 20 percent more. Strong at a 1:15 setting becomes an effective 1:12.5.
Why use grams instead of scoops?
Weight is more consistent than volume because beans differ in density and grind. The tablespoon figure assumes about 5 g per level tablespoon, so treat it as an approximation.