• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
coffeenutty.com
  • Blog
    • General Info
    • Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Snapchat
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Coffee Facts
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Coffee Facts
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » General Info

    How Many Ounces are in a 12 Cup Coffee Pot? The Perfect Brew

    Published: Feb 22, 2022 · Modified: Oct 27, 2022 by Coffee Nut · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The perfect cup of coffee can mean a great start to your day. Knowing how much coffee grounds to add to your coffee pot depends on how many fluid ounces you have in your pot.

    How many ounces are in a 12 cup coffee pot? A traditional 12 cup coffee pot holds 60 fluid ounces. This is equal to approximately 5 ounces per cup. For the perfect cup of coffee, you will use 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of coffee.

    12-cup coffee pot filled with 60 ounces of water sitting on kitchen counter.

    Things start to get somewhat complicated because pots that display cups of coffee on the carafe are not measured in the traditional 8-ounce measurement, which can be confusing.

    How Much Coffee is in a 12 Cup Coffee Maker

    Believe it or not, this is a tricky question in the United States.

    For example, a 12 cup coffee pot for a drip coffee maker does not hold 96 fluid ounces (i.e., 12x8 = 96), but instead will hold 60 ounces (12x5 = 60). You will also find some discrepancy on how many ounces are in a cup of coffee. The majority of coffee pots measure a cup as 5 ounces, while coffee scoops are made for 6 ounces.

    So, in short, a 12 cup coffee pot will hold 60 ounces of coffee.

    How Many Tablespoons of Coffee Per Cup

    So what's a person to do when trying to determine how many tablespoons of ground coffee to use?

    Generally speaking, for the golden ratio, it is recommended to use one traditional coffee scoop (which is roughly equal to 10 grams of coffee or 2 tablespoons) per 6 ounces of coffee.

    You will find it's necessary to have a general guideline when calculating water ratio to coffee grinds.

    If you are a coffee lover that adores a strong coffee, the amount of coffee is going to be greater and the opposite is true (less coffee will be needed) if you prefer coffee that isn't quite as strong.

    A good cup of coffee is quite personal.

    It's important to do some experimenting to see what works best for you. A good starting point is 1 tablespoon of ground coffee for each 6 oz cup, working your way to a full / level coffee scoop which is ~2 tablespoons which is considered average strength.

    RELATED: How Many Tablespoons in a Coffee Scoop

    What Size Are Mugs

    It's also key to keep in mind the size of the coffee mugs you will be using. Most coffee mugs you can purchase are between 8-12 ounce cups.

    But, in recent years, large mugs (12-20+ ounces) are becoming increasingly more popular for American standards. A morning cup of coffee can mean very different things.

    Once again, recall a standard coffee cup size based on most coffee carafes is 5-6 fl oz.

    To give you an idea of discrepancy of different sizes with mug / cups, below you'll see various coffee mugs.

    I filled each mug, using a liquid measuring cup, to show you how fluid ounces of water each cup holds. Use this as a general guide when determining your coffee cup serving.

    5 different size cups and mugs full of water.

    Going from left to right:

    • 6 ounces
    • 9 ounces
    • 12 ounces
    • 15 ounces
    • 15 ounces

    Standard 12-ounce mugs of coffee is actually considered 2 cups of coffee! The cup measurements can deceive you into drinking more coffee than you might otherwise.

    RELATED: Best Substitutes for Coffee Filters

    Snag some these best-rated AND cute coffee mugs in your favorite size on Amazon.

    Coffee to Water Ratio

    How much water you use in your home coffee makers may vary each day based on how many individuals will be drinking or how much time you will have to drink from the pot.

    In many homes, a full pot of coffee from a standard 12-cup coffeemaker is not needed every day.

    In some instances, a smaller pot is used. The most important factor is getting a great cup of coffee!

    Keep in mind, a standard coffee scoop (10 grams of ground coffee) is recommended for a 6-ounce measurement. A coffee scoop is equal to two level tablespoons. If you do not prefer stronger coffee, opt for 1 tablespoon of coffee.

    I personally find that one tablespoon is enough coffee per 6 oz water.

    RELATED: How to Grind Coffee Beans for the Perfect Cup

    For a Standard Cup of Coffee

    Below are some guidelines on how much ground coffee you will need based on the number of cups.

    • 12-cup capacity coffee maker / Amount of water = 60 ounces / use 10-20 tablespoons of coffee
    • 10-cup pot / Amount of water = 50 ounces / use 8-16 tablespoons of coffee
    • 8-cup pot / Amount of water = 40 ounces / use 7-14 tablespoons of coffee
    • 6-cup pot / Amount of water = 30 ounces / use 5-10 tablespoons of coffee
    • 4-cup pot / Amount of water = 20 ounces / use 3.5 - 7 tablespoons of coffee

    Hopefully that is helpful in determining the right ratio of water to the amount of ground coffee for the automatic drip coffeemakers you prefer.

    RELATED: Reasons Your Coffee Machine is Slow

    For Best Results

    To recap the initial question 'How many ounces are in a coffee pot?' There are 60 fluid ounces in a 12 cup coffee pot.

    Home brewers will vary on the type of coffee used, whether or not to use a coffee grinder for coffee beans vs ground coffee, to use a large cup vs smaller cups, etc.

    The full answer continues to be complicated. The best thing home brewers can do to ensure a perfect cup is to just experiment.

    MORE COFFEE POSTS:

    • How to Make Cold Foam for Coffee
    • How to Remove Coffee Stains from Clothes
    • Best Containers for Coffee Storage

    Pin this on Pinterest for later!

    Close up of half full pot of coffee from drip coffee maker.

    More General Info

    • Matcha tea in white tea cup on white countertop.
      Best Teas to Replace Coffee in the Morning
    • Breville coffee Machine unplugged - white background.
      Best Descaler for Breville Espresso Machine
    • Nespresso coffee machine on counter beside coffee pods.
      Nespresso Milk Frother Not Working – Why and What To Do
    • Seaming coffee in red mug with black background.
      Can You Put Hot Coffee in the Fridge?

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm a complete coffee nut! This site is for coffee drinkers to get interesting coffee facts, tips, and delicious coffee recipes and to learn more about your cup of joe!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • coffee creamer (milk) being poured into white coffee cup
      13+ Coffee Creamer Alternatives - Best Substitutes to Try
    • coffee pods on table next to bag of coffee beans spilling on wood table
      How to Stop Your Coffee Pods from Exploding or Leaking
    • Latte with text overlay.
      How to Reheat a Starbucks Latte (And Not Ruin It)
    • instant coffee in jar with green lid
      Why Your Instant Coffee is Hard (and What to Do)

    Recent Posts

    • Garbage disposal in kitchen sink.
      Can You Put Coffee Grounds Down the Garbage Disposal?
    • Different flavors of Coffee Mate Creamer.
      Can You Froth Coffee Mate Creamer With Milk Frother at Home
    • Nespresso capsules beside coffee mug and coffee beans.
      How To Clean Nespresso Vertuo Coffee Machine
    • Milk frothed for coffee latte art.
      The Best Milk For Frothers - Your Guide to the Perfect Foam
    • frothed milk on coffee beverage - how to use nespresso milk frother.
      How To Use a Nespresso Milk Frother - The Best Guide
    • Clean stainless steel coffee percolator sitting on counter.
      How To Clean Your Percolator Coffee Pot with Vinegar
    • Man getting ready to clean a Braun coffee machine.
      How To Clean a Braun Coffee Maker
    • Chai tea with milk in cup sitting on saucer.
      How Much Caffeine Does Chai Tea Have?
    • Wizarding World at Universal where Butterbeer is served.
      Harry Potter Inspired Butterbeer - Starbucks Secret Menu Recipe
    • Scrubbing stains from car carpet with carpet cleaner and scrub brush.
      How To Clean Coffee Out of Car Carpet

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Coffee Nutty