French press coffee ratio

A French press uses full immersion and a coarse grind, so a ratio of about 1:15 (or 1:12 for a strong cup) works well. CoffeeRatio starts this page with four 8 oz cups, about 946 ml of water.

Method and amount

    Saved you some time? Leave a tip, entirely optional.

    That needs about 63.1 g of coarsely ground coffee, roughly 6 scoops. Steep for 4 minutes, break the crust, skim, then press gently and pour it all out so it does not keep extracting.

    How the coffee ratio calculator works

    A ratio of 1:N means 1 gram of coffee for every N grams of water, and 1 ml of water weighs 1 g. CoffeeRatio turns cups into water using the cup size (1 US fl oz = 29.57 ml), then divides the water by N to get the coffee, or multiplies the coffee by N to get the water. Tablespoons assume about 5 g of ground coffee per level tablespoon and 10 g per standard scoop. Brewed yield is the water minus about twice the coffee’s weight, because wet grounds hold roughly double their weight in water; for espresso the water figure is the shot weight itself.

    Coffee ratios by brew method

    MethodRatioCoffee per 12 oz mugCoffee per litre
    Pour-over / V601:1622.2 g63 g
    Chemex1:1523.7 g67 g
    French press1:1523.7 g67 g
    Drip coffee maker1:1720.9 g59 g
    AeroPress1:1229.6 g83 g
    Cold brew concentrate1:571 g200 g
    Cold brew, ready to drink1:844.4 g125 g

    Ratios are starting points. Grind size, roast, water and brew time all change the taste, so adjust one thing at a time: less water for stronger, more for lighter.

    Frequently asked questions

    How many tablespoons of coffee for a French press?

    About 2 level tablespoons (10 g) per 5 oz of water, or 1 scoop per cup.

    How big is an 8-cup French press?

    Usually 34 fl oz (1 litre), counting 4 oz “cups”; it makes about three 12 oz mugs.

    Why is my French press coffee muddy?

    The grind is too fine. Use a coarse, even grind and leave the last bit in the press.

    Is CoffeeRatio free?

    Yes, with no sign-up or ads, and your settings stay in your browser.

    Can I change the ratio?

    Yes. Each method starts from a common ratio; type any ratio from 1:1 to 1:30 to make it stronger or weaker.

    More tools