How much coffee in a reusable K-Cup-style pod
For an 8 oz cup, put in about 14.8 g of ground coffee, roughly 3 level tablespoons. That is a ratio of 1:16 and fills a basket close to the top. For 6 oz use about 11.1 g. For 12 oz the same ratio needs 22.2 g, which is more than most baskets hold.
Coffee by brew size
Grams of ground coffee for each brew size at four ratios. The last column converts the 1:16 amount to level tablespoons at 5 g each. If your spoon differs, see grams per tablespoon.
| Brew size | 1:18 | 1:17 | 1:16 | 1:15 | Tbsp at 1:16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 oz 177 ml |
9.9 g | 10.4 g | 11.1 g | 11.8 g | 2.2 |
| 8 oz 237 ml |
13.1 g | 13.9 g | 14.8 g | 15.8 g | 3 |
| 10 oz 296 ml |
16.4 g | 17.4 g | 18.5 g | 19.7 g | 3.7 |
| 12 oz 355 ml |
19.7 g | 20.9 g | 22.2 g | 23.7 g | 4.4 |
1:16 is a medium-strength cup. Use 1:15 for stronger, 1:18 for lighter.
What a full basket holds
Baskets differ by make, so weigh yours once. Coffee Habitat found a My K-Cup basket held "right around 14.5 to 16 grams", while the insert in the box says the filter "holds 2.7 tablespoons". At 5 g per tablespoon that is 13.5 g, so the two figures are close but not equal.
Taking 14.5 to 16 g as a full basket, 8 oz of water (237 ml) gives a ratio of 1:14.8 to 1:16.3, right in the normal range. At 12 oz (355 ml) it is 1:22.2 to 1:24.5, which is weak. A full basket suits 8 oz, and a 12 oz cup from the same basket will taste thin.
For comparison, Corner Coffee Store puts an average K-Cup at 9 to 12 g of ground coffee. Majesty Coffee gives the same 9 to 12 g range for a reusable filter, and 10 g for a 6 oz cup. Its 8 oz advice (two teaspoons at "1:4") does not match its own gram figures, so I left it out of the table.
Worked example
You brew 8 oz and want 1:16. Water is 237 ml, so the coffee is 237 / 16 = 14.8 g, or 3 level tablespoons. A basket that holds 16 g takes that with a little room to spare, and one that holds 14.5 g is just full.
The same pod at 12 oz and 1:16 needs 22.2 g, more than the basket holds. Either brew 8 oz, or fill the basket and accept about 1:22.2. If you want a bigger drink, pick the 8 oz setting and add hot water to the mug afterwards.
Calculate your own cup
Starts at 14.8 g and 1:16, an 8 oz cup. Change the coffee or the water to see the ratio move.
Change any field and the others update. An 8 oz cup is about 237 ml of water.
Water: 8 fl oz, 1 cups
What's next
I'm thinking about a brew log that saves your recipes with a note on how each cup tasted. It isn't built yet. The button below only adds one to a counter, so I can see if enough people want it.
Thanks, counted.
If the cup is weak or bitter
This is general advice that applies to any machine.
- Grind: try medium-fine, finer than for a drip machine. Too coarse and the water runs through fast, so the cup tastes weak and sour. Too fine can clog the basket and taste bitter.
- Don't pack: fill the basket and level it off with a finger, without tamping. Packed coffee blocks the flow and over-extracts.
- Smaller cup setting: a full basket makes a weak 12 oz cup, so pick the 8 oz or smaller setting.
- Weigh once: fill your basket, weigh it, and compare the number with the table above. More on why coffee tastes bitter or sour.
This page is independent. "Keurig" and "K-Cup" are trademarks of their owners, mentioned only to say which pods the amounts fit. The tables work for any Keurig-compatible reusable pod.
Counting by cups? See how much coffee per cup. Measuring by spoon? See grams of coffee per tablespoon.