Brew the perfect cup every time with the Coffee Calculator. Enter your brew method, water amount, strength preference, and roast level to get the exact ground coffee needed, recommended water temperature, ideal grind size, and suggested brew time. Whether you're pulling an espresso or steeping a French press, your personalized coffee recipe is ready in seconds.
Ground Coffee Needed
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Water Volume
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Brew Ratio
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Water Temperature
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Grind Size
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Brew Time
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A coffee-to-water ratio describes how much ground coffee you use relative to water. It's typically expressed as 1:X, where 1 is one part coffee and X is parts water. For example, a 1:16 ratio means 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water — a common standard for a balanced cup.
For drip (autodrip) coffee, a ratio between 1:15 and 1:18 is widely recommended. A 1:16 ratio is the most popular balance — use about 6 grams of coffee per 100 ml of water. Adjust toward 1:15 for a stronger cup or 1:18 for a milder one.
French press coffee typically uses a coarser grind and a ratio of 1:13 to 1:16. A 1:15 ratio is a great starting point. Because French press is an immersion brew, slightly more coffee compensates for the brew style and delivers a full-bodied result.
Pour-over and Chemex brewing works well with a 1:15 to 1:17 ratio. The Chemex filter is thicker than most, so it filters out more oils — a slightly lower ratio (1:15 or 1:16) can help maintain flavor intensity. Use a medium-coarse grind for best results.
Roast level affects density and solubility, not ratio directly, but it does influence water temperature. Light roasts benefit from hotter water (199–205°F) to extract fully, while dark roasts do better at lower temperatures (188–194°F) to avoid bitterness. The ratio stays roughly the same across roasts.
Grind size varies by brew method because contact time differs. French press and cold brew need a coarse grind for long steep times. Pour-over, Chemex, AeroPress, and drip coffee use a medium-fine grind. Moka pots need a fine grind, similar to espresso. Using the wrong grind size leads to over- or under-extraction.
A standard 12-cup coffee maker uses about 60 oz (roughly 1.8 liters) of water. At a 1:16 ratio, you'd need approximately 112 grams (about 16 tablespoons or 1 cup) of ground coffee. For a milder brew at 1:18, use around 100 grams.
The Specialty Coffee Association recommends brewing between 195°F and 205°F (90–96°C) for most methods. Light roasts extract best at the higher end (199–205°F), medium roasts around 194–200°F, and dark roasts at 188–194°F. Cold brew, of course, uses cool or room-temperature water steeped for 12–24 hours.