French press size chart: how much coffee for each size
A 34 oz (8 cup) French press takes about 67 g of coarse coffee at 1:15, or 13 level tablespoons. The 12 oz press takes 24 g and the 51 oz press 101 g. Those numbers fill the press with water, so if you brew less, use the calculator or scale the row down.
Coffee by press size
| Press | Water | 1:17 (lighter) | 1:15 (start) | 1:13 (strong) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 cup 12 oz |
355 ml 1 mugs |
21 g 4 tbsp | 24 g 5 tbsp | 27 g 6 tbsp |
| 4 cup 17 oz |
503 ml 1.4 mugs |
30 g 6 tbsp | 34 g 7 tbsp | 39 g 8 tbsp |
| 8 cup 34 oz |
1005 ml 2.8 mugs |
59 g 12 tbsp | 67 g 13 tbsp | 77 g 16 tbsp |
| 12 cup 51 oz |
1508 ml 4.3 mugs |
89 g 18 tbsp | 101 g 20 tbsp | 116 g 23 tbsp |
Mugs are 12 oz. Tablespoons assume 5 g of coarse grounds per level tablespoon. The sizes are the ones Bodum sells its Chambord in (12, 34 and 51 oz at Seattle Coffee Gear, plus a 17 oz 4 cup). Other brands vary a little.
Why an 8 cup press makes about 3 mugs
Bodum states that its coffee makers are measured in European cups of about 4 oz, so an "8 cup" press is about 32 to 34 oz, as noted on the Bodum Brazil listing at Seattle Coffee Gear. That is 2.8 American 12 oz mugs.
The listed size is the capacity to the brim. In practice you stop a little below the top so the plunger has room, and the grounds soak up some water, so the cup holds less than the press does. If you want the full 34 oz in your mug, use the next size up.
The National Coffee Association suggests 1:10 to 1:16 for French press. The columns here sit inside and just past that range, with 1:15 as a first brew. Steep 4 minutes with a coarse grind, as on the French press ratio page.
Picking a size
- 12 oz (3 cup): one mug. 24 g at 1:15.
- 17 oz (4 cup): one large mug or two small cups. 34 g.
- 34 oz (8 cup): two to three mugs. 67 g.
- 51 oz (12 cup): four mugs, for a small group. 101 g (0.22 lb).
Making stovetop coffee instead? See the moka pot size chart. Brewing for a crowd? A drip machine or urn is easier: see how much coffee for a 12 cup coffee maker and the coffee urn table.